Charismatics Regulated 1 Corinthians 14

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Simple Studies in the Scriptures

Charismatics and1 Corinthians 14

Dr. Stanford E. Murrell

1 Corinthians 14

Introduction

The church of Corinth was not aspiritual minded congregation. It wasfilled with manyproblems.

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There were many divisions andcontentions among the people.

1Corinthians 1:11-13 For it hath beendeclared unto me of you, mybrethren, by them which are of thehouse of Chloe, that there arecontentions among you. 12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. 13 IsChrist divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were ye baptized in thename of Paul?

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The church members were carnaland not spiritual.

1 Corinthians3:1-14 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes inChrist. 2 I have fed you with milk,and not with meat: for hitherto yewere not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. 3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? 4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

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The members were like childrenunable to eat solid food but had tosurvive on the milk of the gospel.

1Corinthians 3:2 I have fed you withmilk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

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Some of the church members werepuffed up with pride and wereoffended with Paul.

1 Corinthians4:18 Now some are puffed up, asthough I would not come to you.

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Sexual sins were openly practicedand supported by others within thechurch.

1 Corinthians 5:1-2 It isreported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much asnamed among the Gentiles, that oneshould have his father's wife. 2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done thisdeed might be taken away fromamong you.

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Church members sued one anotherin the courts of the world.

1Corinthians 6:1-8 Dare any of you,having a matter against another, goto law before the unjust, and not before the saints?

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Some church members ate foodthat had been offered to idolswhich upset others.

1 Corinthians8:1 Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all haveknowledge. Knowledge puffeth up,but charity edifieth.

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Some church members came to theLord’s Supper drunk.

1Corinthians 11:17-21 Now in thisthat I declare unto you I praise younot, that ye come together not for thebetter, but for the worse. 18 For first of all, when ye come together in thechurch, I hear that there be divisionsamong you; and I partly believe it.19 For there must be also heresiesamong you, that they which areapproved may be made manifest among you. 20 When ye come together thereforeinto one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper. 21 For in eating everyone taketh before other his own supper:and one is hungry, and another isdrunken.

With so many problems is it anywonder that spiritual gifts would also beabused creating unnecessarycontroversy?

1 Follow after charity, and desirespiritual gifts, but rather that yemay prophesy.

14:1 Though Christians are to ask Godfor more spiritual gifts according to 1Corinthians 14:1 the Spirit will dispensethem as He sees fit. Therefore, thosewho do not speak in tongues should notbe ashamed or made to feel less spiritualor less gifted if the Spirit says no to sucha request.Of particular concern to the believer isto love and to seek to receive the gift of prophecy.

1 Corinthians 14:1 Followafter charity, and desire spiritual gifts,but rather that ye may prophesy.

Thegreatest needs in the church of Corinthand the greatest needs in the churchtoday are for God’s people to be moreloving and to witness for Christ withpower by His revelation.

2 For he that speaketh in anunknown tongue speaketh not untomen, but unto God: for no manunderstandeth him; howbeit in thespirit he speaketh mysteries.

3 But he that prophesiethspeaketh unto men to edification,and exhortation, and comfort.4 He that speaketh in anunknown tongue edifieth himself;but he that prophesieth edifieth thechurch.5 I would that ye all spake withtongues, but rather that yeprophesied: for greater is he thatprophesieth than he that speakethwith tongues, except he interpret,that the church may receiveedifying.

14:5 The apostle does not commandanyone to seek to speak in tongues

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Pauldoes say that he wished everyone couldspeak in tongues in the sense that itwould be a wonderful gift of divinegrace if there were a universal languageto communicate the gospel. For one brief shining moment at Pentecost the Towerof Babel was reversed. Perhaps that willhappen again at the Second Advent. It isone thing to express a wish, it issomething far different to give anapostolic command. Nowhere in

Scripture

are believers commanded tospeak in tongues or even to seek to speak in tongues. Rather, the better gift of divine grace is the gift of prophecy orthe ability to communicate by the powerof God’s Holy Spirit the revelations of God

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6 Now, brethren, if I come untoyou speaking with tongues, whatshall I profit you, except I shallspeak to you either by revelation,or by knowledge, or byprophesying, or by doctrine?

14:6 Paul presents the foolishness of speaking in languages which peoplepresent cannot understand. As thesound of a trumpet blast must be clearin order to be understood by those whohear it so they will know whether toadvance or retreat so there must be aclear presentation of the gospel in aworship service.

7 And even things without lifegiving sound, whether pipe orharp, except they give a distinctionin the sounds, how shall it beknown what is piped or harped?8 For if the trumpet give anuncertain sound, who shall preparehimself to the battle?9 So likewise ye, except ye utterby the tongue words easy to beunderstood, how shall it be knownwhat is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air.10 There are, it may be, so manykinds of voices in the world, andnone of them is withoutsignification.11 Therefore if I know not themeaning of the voice, I shall beunto him that speaketh a barbarian,and he that speaketh shall be abarbarian unto me.12 Even so ye, forasmuch as yeare zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifyingof the church.13 Wherefore let him thatspeaketh in an unknown tonguepray that he may interpret.

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