1 Corinthians 14:6-12 says...
Today's verses are 1 Corinthians 14:6-12, which read,
v.6-8 - But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what will I profit you unless I speak to you either by way of revelation or of knowledge or of prophecy or of teaching? Yet even lifeless things, either flute or harp, in producing a sound, if they do not produce a distinction in the tones, how will it be known what is played on the flute or on the harp? For if the bugle produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle?
Let us give some review this morning. Spiritual gifts are given by the Holy Spirit of the benefit of the body of Christ, the church. Paul is comparing a true spiritual gift of prophecy that was a clear benefit to the body of Christ against an activity that was happening in the church in Corinth that looked like the spiritual gift of tongues but it wasn't because there was not the gift of interpretation to translate the language to benefit the body of Christ. It was an activity that was selfish to the participant and not selfless to the body of Christ.
The spiritual gifts of tongues (or languages) needs to have the spiritual gift of interpretation so that revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching could be used by the body. If it doesn't have that then it is, as Paul says, "what will I profit you unless..."
Paul uses some musical instruments to make his point. The flute and harp and bugle can just play random notes but they profit you nothing unless it is translated into a song that you know or a battle cry to follow. How important was it for the bugle player to play a distinct song for the troops to know what to do next, retreat or charge.
It makes me think of the orchestra before a performance. They are all playing at the same time prior to the performance and you can not distinguish the piece. Then they tuned to one note and bring unity. Usually they go back to playing all kinds of notes after the tuning that goes back into a sense of confusion. The conductor comes out and taps his baton to bring them to order and then what comes is so beautiful as interpretation comes to all those notes.
v.9-11 - So also you, unless you utter by the tongue speech that is clear, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. There are, perhaps, a great many kinds of languages in the world, and no kind is without meaning. If then I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be to the one who speaks a barbarian, and the one who speaks will be a barbarian to me.
Paul is continuing to give instruction on what is happening in the church that is not a spiritual gift given by the Holy Spirit. Why does he know this? Because the spiritual gifts are to be a benefit to the body of Christ. He keeps hammering this point. The purpose of every language in the world is to communicate, it is not without meaning. An interpretation is needed so that we are not barbarians to each other. We can communicate with each other. The each other is the point that Paul keeps hammering home to let the Christians in the Corinthian church know how to distinguish if something is of the Holy Spirit and if something is not.
v.12 - So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church.
This is a type of summary statement from Paul. The church in Corinth needed to see that love was to be at the core of the use of the spiritual gifts given to the church. If love was not at the core then pride would creep in and create divisions and factions. Those divisions and factions did not bring edification to the church body but rather self-promoting measures. Paul wants them to be zealous but for the sake of the church and not the sake of themselves.
"Lord, thank You for giving us such detail on this matter of speaking in a tongue that had taken over the church. I know that we are zeroing in on an issue but the principles of all the spiritual gifts are being reinforced here. I see that we can be so self-centered even within the body of Christ if we don't follow the Biblical definitions given to us. Amen."
Pastor Adam
v.6-8 - But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what will I profit you unless I speak to you either by way of revelation or of knowledge or of prophecy or of teaching? Yet even lifeless things, either flute or harp, in producing a sound, if they do not produce a distinction in the tones, how will it be known what is played on the flute or on the harp? For if the bugle produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle?
Let us give some review this morning. Spiritual gifts are given by the Holy Spirit of the benefit of the body of Christ, the church. Paul is comparing a true spiritual gift of prophecy that was a clear benefit to the body of Christ against an activity that was happening in the church in Corinth that looked like the spiritual gift of tongues but it wasn't because there was not the gift of interpretation to translate the language to benefit the body of Christ. It was an activity that was selfish to the participant and not selfless to the body of Christ.
The spiritual gifts of tongues (or languages) needs to have the spiritual gift of interpretation so that revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching could be used by the body. If it doesn't have that then it is, as Paul says, "what will I profit you unless..."
Paul uses some musical instruments to make his point. The flute and harp and bugle can just play random notes but they profit you nothing unless it is translated into a song that you know or a battle cry to follow. How important was it for the bugle player to play a distinct song for the troops to know what to do next, retreat or charge.
It makes me think of the orchestra before a performance. They are all playing at the same time prior to the performance and you can not distinguish the piece. Then they tuned to one note and bring unity. Usually they go back to playing all kinds of notes after the tuning that goes back into a sense of confusion. The conductor comes out and taps his baton to bring them to order and then what comes is so beautiful as interpretation comes to all those notes.
v.9-11 - So also you, unless you utter by the tongue speech that is clear, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. There are, perhaps, a great many kinds of languages in the world, and no kind is without meaning. If then I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be to the one who speaks a barbarian, and the one who speaks will be a barbarian to me.
Paul is continuing to give instruction on what is happening in the church that is not a spiritual gift given by the Holy Spirit. Why does he know this? Because the spiritual gifts are to be a benefit to the body of Christ. He keeps hammering this point. The purpose of every language in the world is to communicate, it is not without meaning. An interpretation is needed so that we are not barbarians to each other. We can communicate with each other. The each other is the point that Paul keeps hammering home to let the Christians in the Corinthian church know how to distinguish if something is of the Holy Spirit and if something is not.
v.12 - So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church.
This is a type of summary statement from Paul. The church in Corinth needed to see that love was to be at the core of the use of the spiritual gifts given to the church. If love was not at the core then pride would creep in and create divisions and factions. Those divisions and factions did not bring edification to the church body but rather self-promoting measures. Paul wants them to be zealous but for the sake of the church and not the sake of themselves.
"Lord, thank You for giving us such detail on this matter of speaking in a tongue that had taken over the church. I know that we are zeroing in on an issue but the principles of all the spiritual gifts are being reinforced here. I see that we can be so self-centered even within the body of Christ if we don't follow the Biblical definitions given to us. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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