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Simple Studies ConcerningSpeaking in Tongues1 Corinthians 12 and 14Dr. Stanford E. Murrell
 Leader’s Study Guide
1 CORINTHIANS 12
A Historical IntroductionConflict in the Church at Corinth
The book of 
Acts
is the history of anew relationship of God with Hispeople. Three great moments arerecorded in three different places.
God revealed Himself in Jerusalemon a day called Pentecost. Thousandsof national Jews were converted toChrist (Acts 2:14-41).
God revealed Himself in a specialway in Caesarea and many Gentileswere brought into the body of Christ(Acts 9:30-31).
God revealed Himself at Ephesuswhere many of the
Old Testament 
saints resided who knew nothing butthe ministry and baptism of John.After the gospel was preached theyfound new faith in the Lord JesusChrist (Acts 19:1-20).As the gospel was going everoutward from Jerusalem to the uttermostparts of the world, it found its way toCorinth. Corinth was a city of culture,commerce, religion, and vice. It was aplace that needed spiritual salt and light(Matt. 5:13-16). It was from Athens thatPaul had come to Corinth with all of itsprosperity, sports, politics, andimmorality. When he first entered thecity, Paul was discouraged with what hesaw. So great was his despondency thathe was ready to leave. But the Lordspoke to His apostle in a dreamconfirming that there would be spiritualsuccess (Acts 18:9,10). Paul was to stayin Corinth and he did.
 
The first contacts the apostle made inCorinth were with a married couple,Aquila and Priscilla, victims of a Jewishexpulsion from Rome under ClaudiusCaesar. Because they were tent makers,Paul stayed with them (Acts 18:1-3).Soon Silas and Timothy, who had beenin Macedonia, came to Corinth. Thisgospel team presented the gospel of Jesus Christ every Sabbath in the localsynagogues with good results (Acts18:4-5).In time, two influential men wereconverted--Justus, whose house wasnext door to the Synagogue, and Crispusthe chief ruler of the synagogue. A
NewTestament 
church was establishedconsisting of Jews and Gentiles, maleand female, rich and poor, educated anduneducated (Acts 18:7-8). For almosttwo years Paul lived in Corinth,teaching, preaching, and organizing thechurch. Then he moved on to othercities including Ephesus, where hestayed for more than two years (Acts19:8-10).While he was at Ephesus, Paulreceived some letters from Corinthasking his counsel concerning marriageand the problem of eating meat that hadbeen offered to the idols of the Temple.In addition, Paul also received wordabout the spiritual decay of the Church.Out of pastoral concern, he wrote aresponse to the questions and thenproceeded to correct the Church thatwas failing in its Christian experience.Instead of victory, there was tragedy!Instead of a holy witness, there wasshame. Instead of evangelism, there wasdeserved ridicule.
1 Corinthians 14:23 If therefore thewhole church be come together intoone place, and all speak withtongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, willthey not say that ye are mad? Thechurch tolerated immorality.
1 Corinthians 5:1 It is reported commonly that there is fornicationamong you, and such fornication asis not so much as named among theGentiles, that one should have his father's wife.
Some members wereactually involved with templeprostitution.
1 Corinthians 6:15-18 Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? Shall I then take themembers of Christ, and make themthe members of an harlot? God  forbid. What? Know ye not that hewhich is joined to an harlot is onebody? For two, saith he, shall be one flesh. But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his ownbody
. In addition, the Love Feast wasmarred by drunkenness.
Overall, there was an attitude of pride.
1 Corinthians 5:2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done thisdeed might be taken away fromamong you
.
 
Heresy had infiltrated the church.The doctrine of the resurrection wasbeing questioned.
1 Corinthians15:12 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say someamong you that there is noresurrection of the dead?
The church had moved from thesimplicity in Christ.
2 Corinthians11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, asthe serpent beguiled Eve through hissubtilty, so your minds should becorrupted from the simplicity that isin Christ.
It was time for the church membersto examine themselves to seewhether or not they were in the faith.
2 Corinthians 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that  Jesus Christ is in you, except ye bereprobates?
Despite the pride, the immorality,and the drunkenness, the churchabounded with spiritual gifts.
1Corinthians 1:7 So that ye comebehind in no gift; waiting for thecoming of our Lord Jesus Christ 
:
What the church was lacking in wasgospel grace.
1 Corinthians 3:1 And  I, brethren, could not speak unto youas unto spiritual, but as unto carnal,even as unto babes in Christ.
But spiritual gifts and spiritualityare not synonymous. Despite theabundance of gifts, the church wasspiritual out of control. They wereimmature. But why?The spiritual immaturity of thechurch could not be traced to a lack of knowledge because there was not lack of knowledge.
The Corinthians loved knowledge tothe point that they were not alwayscareful from what source knowledgecame from.
1 Corinthians 3:18,19 Let no man deceive himself. If anyman among you seemeth to be wisein this world, let him become a fool,that he may be wise. For the wisdomof this world is foolishness with God.For it is written, He taketh the wisein their own craftiness
.
Nor did the church of Corinth lack inquality teachers.
1 Corinthians2:12,13 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might knowthe things that are freely given to usof God. Which things also we speak,not in the words which man's wisdomteacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual thingswith spiritual.
What the saints did lack was a spiritthat thought of others. A basic root forso many of the problems at Corinth wasselfishness. Believers were misusingtheir Christian gifts and taking libertieswith no thought of what such spiritualabuse and misuse of gifts would do toothers.
1 Corinthians 8:9,11-13 But takeheed lest by any means this liberty of  yours become a stumblingblock tothem that are weak. And through thyknowledge shall the weak brother  perish, for whom Christ died?
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