May 5, 2024
1 Corinthians 14:1-12
“For the Good of the Many”
Service Overview: Paul’s big concern here is that whatever is done in the church should serve to edify the church. While speaking in tongues can be a great gift to any church, it is only a gift if it is done in such a way that it edifies the church. And this is true with any of God‘s spiritual gifts. Great churches are those whose members use their gifts to build others up, not merely themselves.
Memory Verse for the Week:
“Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.” Romans 13:8 (NIV)
Background Insights:
- Having laid the groundwork in chapters 12 and 13, Paul now addresses the problem of the Corinthians’ worship in more specific terms. Some of the Corinthians—presumably those who consider themselves gifted with wisdom and knowledge—are placing inordinate emphasis on the gift of tongues. They believe that their ability to speak in a heavenly language that surpasses human understanding is the ultimate sign of their spiritual power and maturity. The community’s worship assembly, however, has fallen into disorderly confusion, as various members speak simultaneously and unintelligibly under the inspiration of the Spirit, perhaps even competitively seeking to outdo one another in the display of glossolalia. In this matter, as in the case of their abuse of the Lord’s Supper, Paul cannot commend them, for their behavior fractures the community. (Richard B. Hays, First Corinthians, 233)
- The ability to prophesy (see also 12:10) had not so much to do with predicting future events as it had to do with bringing some message from God under the direction of the Holy Spirit to the body of believers. This gift provides insight, warning, correction, and encouragement (see 14:3). (Grant R. Osborne, Life Application Bible Commentary: 1 & 2 Corinthians, 193)
- As we prepare to wade through Paul’s argument concerning the proper function of spiritual gifts—and especially the question of the gift of tongues—we need to understand its individual parts in light of the whole. This is always true of our interpretation of Scripture, but it becomes especially vital when we tackle a controversial issue for which numerous voices dispute “loud and long,” all holding their opinions “exceeding stiff and strong.” … the main subject of 1 Corinthians 12–14 is spiritual gifts as a whole; it is not restricted to the single subject of speaking in tongues. Paul emphasizes the gift of tongues in 1 Corinthians 14 not because of its special importance among the spiritual gifts, but because the Corinthians had taken it to improper extremes. (Charles R. Swindoll, Insights on 1 & 2 Corinthians, 202-203)
- It should be noted immediately that there is something unique about tongues: it is the only gift that needs a corollary spiritual gift to complete its function as a gift. (Daniel L. Akin, Exalting Jesus in 1 Corinthians, 267)
What does Paul hope the church gets in light of this dustup over the gift of tongues?
- That the gifts of greatest value are those that bolster the church.
(vv. 3-5, 12 | Rom. 14:19; 15:2; 1 Cor. 14:26; Eph. 4:12; 4:29; Col. 3:16; 1 Thes. 5:11)
The gift of tongues comes with a reminder that the most important thing about all spiritual gifts is not the experience of a gift but the effectiveness of the gift. (Daniel L. Akin, Exalting Jesus in 1 Corinthians, 264)
In Corinth, the gift of tongues was being used as a barometer of spirituality. Therefore, Paul described the natural inferiority of a gift that does not edify. For example, if, on his next visit to the Corinthian church, he should come . . . speaking in an unknown language, would that help the young church grow in Christ? Would the believers be edified, encouraged, or comforted? Obviously not. However, if he were to come to them with a revelation, special knowledge, prophecy, or teaching, then any one of those would be helpful to them. (Grant R. Osborne, Life Application Bible Commentary: 1 & 2 Corinthians, 197)
- That worship which honors Christ is worship that is understood by his body.
(vv. 2, 6-9 | John 4:24; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 14:26; 14:40; Colossians 3:16)
There is no question that in this passage Paul is putting a premium on understanding because edification comes through the mind and through understanding (Schreiner, 1 Corinthians, 289)
It is better never to say a word, in fact, than to say a thousand words that cannot be understood because that only results in confusion rather than communication. (Daniel L. Akin, Exalting Jesus in 1 Corinthians, 269)
Just as two foreigners cannot understand each other’s language, so those speaking in tongues cannot be understood by the congregation. Thus, their speaking is not beneficial to the church. (Osborne, 199)
- That all should seek to excel in that which builds.
(v. 12 | Rom. 15:2; 1 Cor. 3:9; Eph. 4:2; 4:29; 1 Thes. 5:11; Hebrews 10:25; Jude 1:20-21)
Any authentic gift of the Spirit must conform to the Bible’s prescription for its use. Without dispute, every gift of the Spirit—whether the gift of helps or the gift of healing—was given for building up the church, not puffing up the one with the gift (14:12). The edification of the church is to result in unity and love, not disunity and conflict (Eph. 4:11-16). If a person’s practice of a spiritual gift does not build up the church, does not lead to unity, and does not promote love, then we have ample reason to doubt that such a gift is the work of the Spirit of God. (Charles R. Swindoll, Insights on 1 & 2 Corinthians, 215)
Conclusion… How should we respond in light of a text like this?
A. Discover our gift, own our gift, excel in our gift, by building with our gift.
(v. 12 | Acts 20:35; Rom. 12:3-8; 14:19; 1 Cor. 12:1-31; 1 Peter 4:10; Jude 1:20-21)
Fulfillment is discovering our own uniqueness in Christ and using our gifts and talents to edify others and to glorify the Lord. (Neil T. Anderson, Victory Over The Darkness, 143)
A ministry that does not build up will tear down, no matter how “spiritual” it may seem. (Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Wise, 151)
Christians are not assembly-line productions, with every unit being exactly like every other unit. Consequently, no Christian can replace another in God’s plan. He has His own individualized plan for each of us and has individually gifted us accordingly. We are not interchangeable parts in Christ’s Body. (John MacArthur, Ephesians, 137)
If we are coming to church only as consumers, to get our own needs met, then we have missed the point of the church. We are not merely intended to get our needs met. We are intended to be part of God’s plan for drawing other people to Himself, for encouraging and building up those who are already His children. Each member is not simply intended to be a consumer. We are all intended to be providers. We are colaborers with God Himself in the work of the Gospel (1 Cor. 3:9)! Some of us may well be introverted or less talkative. But none of us are designed merely to be ministered to, as if the whole church revolved around our own felt needs and desires. (Mark Dever and Paul Alexander, The Deliberate Church, 198)
B. Govern the use of our gifts with love.
(v. 1 | 1 Cor 13; 16:14; Gal. 5:13-14; 5:22-23; Ephesians 4:16; 2 Timothy 2:22; 1 Peter 4:8)
Above all the grace and the gifts that Christ gives to his beloved is that of overcoming self. (Francis of Assisi)
All the fruits of the Spirit which we are to lay weight upon as evidential of grace, are summed up in charity, or Christian love; because this is the sum of all grace. (Jonathan Edwards, The Works of Jonathan Edwards)
On Sundays God wants us to do more than sing songs together and have wonderful worship experiences. He wants to knit the fabric of our lives together. For many, church has become all about me – what I’m learning, what I’m seeking, what I’m desperate for, what I need, how I’ve been affected, what I can do. We see ourselves as isolated individuals all seeking personal encounters with God, wherever we can find them. Sadly, this reflects our individualistic, me-obsessed culture. Rather than seeing ourselves as part of a worship community, we become worship consumers. We want worship on demand, served up in our own time, and with our own music. (Bob Kauflin, Worship Matters, 126)
Gospel Connection…
Jesus died to save a people to become his ambassadors and body on earth by building one another up in love.
(Rom. 12:4-5; 1 Cor. 12:27; 2 Cor. 5:20; Ephesians 1:22; 4:16; Colossians 1:18)
Paul’s vision of the body of Christ is of a unity which consists in diversity, that is, a unity which is not denied by diversity, but which would be denied by uniformity, a unity which depends on its diversity functioning as such – in a word, the unity of a body, the body of Christ. (James Dunn, The Theology of Paul the Apostle, 564)
The exercise of any spiritual gift should always be for the glorification of God, the edification of the church, and (ultimately) the evangelization of the lost. (Daniel L. Akin, Exalting Jesus in 1 Corinthians, 265)
Spiritual Challenge Questions…
Reflect on these questions in your time with the Lord this week, or discuss with a Christian family member or Life Group.
- What is your past experience with the use of spiritual gifts in the church? In what ways does your experience shape how you think about spiritual gifts today?
- How can you determine if a gift is being used for the glory of God or the glory of self?
- What is the relationship between God’s Word and spiritual gifts? What happens when gifts are used without any relationship to God’s Word?
- What did Paul mean by the term edifying or building up the church?
Quotes to note…
Paul never wrote disparagingly of the gift of tongues, only the Corinthians’ overemphasis of it. In fact, he even wished that they could all speak in tongues, for the gift has great value for individuals in their private communication with God. (Osborne, 1 & 2 Corinthians, 196)
Spiritual maturity would never under any circumstance stress something that is noncognitive over what is cognitive. It would never emphasize what is unintelligible over that which is intelligible (Blomberg, 1 Corinthians, 270)
On the principle of love, prophecy is to be preferred because it edifies the local assembly, while tongues edifies only the individual. (Stanley M. Horton, I & II Corinthians, 132)
Those who know that glossolalia is not God’s path for them and those for whom it is a proven enrichment should neither try to impose their own way on others, nor judge others inferior for being different, nor stagger if someone in their camp transfers to the other, believing that God has led him or her to do so. Those who pray with tongues and those who pray without tongues do it to the Lord; they stand or fall to their own master, not their fellow-servants; and in the same sense that there is in Christ neither Jew nor Greek, bond nor free, male nor female, so in Christ there is neither glossolalist nor non-glossolalist. (J.I. Packer, Keep in Step with the Spirit, 230)
I believe that one major reason that the church of Jesus Christ in the United States is very close to being in sheer chaos today is because so many people think themselves as individuals rather than as part of the body of Christ. Christianity is not “every man for himself;” it’s every man together for Christ. (Wayne Mack, To Be or Not To Be a Church Member, 58)
The most important aspect of any spiritual gift is not the personal experience of the gift but the spiritual effect of the gift. (Daniel L. Akin, Exalting Jesus in 1 Corinthians, 268)
It is not great gifts that God blesses so much as it is great likeness to Christ. (Robert Murray McCheyne)
Love is power. The Holy Spirit, for the most part, works by our affection. Love men to Christ; faith accomplishes much, but love is the actual instrument by which faith works out its desires in the Name of the Lord of love. And I am sure that, until we heartily love our work, and love the people with whom we are working, we shall not accomplish much. (C.H. Spurgeon, An All-Around Ministry)
Every verbal spiritual gift—whether it is prophecy, teaching, exhortation, or speaking in tongues—should communicate truth that correlates with the Word of God. Whether it is a human language or a heavenly language, anything that is not interpretable doesn’t communicate anything. (Daniel L. Akin, Exalting Jesus in 1 Corinthians, 269)