Paul's writing to the Corinthian church about gifts directly related to revelation of God's truth increased to a remarkable length! As this section of his letter is protracted, it becomes more obvious that his greatest number of objections concerned how the gift of 'tongues' was practised in the Corinthian assembly.

'Tongues' was rated at the very bottom of a scale measuring the rela­tive desirability of spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 2:27-31). Along with some other revelational gifts, 'tongues' was described as giving partial, child­ish, enigmatic (rather than clear) information. Thus its usefulness was only temporary (1 Cor. 13:8-13). This gift would be replaced by a com­plete, mature, face-to-face clarity of apostolic revelation. However, the apostle was not yet finished with addressing various Corinthian abuses connected with the use of tongues. In most of chapter 14 he continued to list unwarranted ways in which the use of tongues in public worship was tolerated by the Corinthians.

The Necessity of Understanding in Congregational Worship⤒🔗

Paul pointed out in 1 Corinthians 14 that 'tongues' (as exercised at Corinth) were a serious impediment to public worship. When an indi­vidual spoke in tongues in the church without an interpretation, '... no one understands him' (verse 2). In contrast, if someone prophesied, he 'speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and con­solation' (verse 3), because he addresses everyone's understanding in his own language. Thus prophecy 'builds up the church' (verse 4). Tongues without interpretation do not benefit the worshippers.

To be emphatic Paul added that to speak in tongues is to 'utter speech that is not intelligible' and he asked, 'How will anyone know what is said? For you will be speaking into the air' (verse 9). For emphasis the apostle asserted, 'I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also' (verse 15). In a worship service those who attend should be able to say 'Amen' to prayers and hymns and discourses. For this they must under­stand (verse 16)!

An Important Purpose of God's Sending the Gift of Tongues←⤒🔗

The Holy Spirit through Paul gave a sharp rebuke to the Corinthians for permitting and practising tongue-speaking in worship services with­out accompanying interpretation. 'Brothers, do not be children in your thinking' (verse 20). They have failed to give attention to Holy Scripture by allowing the use of languages which bypassed the comprehension of their hearers. The Old Testament explicitly predicted times when God's people would be addressed in languages they did not understand (Deut. 2.8:47-51, Isa. 28:11-13).

The great privilege of the Jewish nation had been the hearing of all the prophets in the Hebrew tongue. It was this that distinguished them from the nations whose gods 'spoke' to them in riddles. God's words in their familiar language were their very life. The ease with which they grasped with understanding the Holy Spirit's communications displayed God's favour to them.

When God sent messages by means of foreign sources and in lan­guages which the Jews could not understand it was a sign of his dis­pleasure with them for their unbelief. Contrastingly, when, on the day of Pentecost, the Christians declared the gospel in the languages of the nations it was a great day for the Gentiles. They heard of Christ in their own languages. However, the same event was a reprimand to the Jews.

God was speaking in foreign languages to the nation which had violently rejected the Christ. Prophets had prepared them for Christ's coming with 1400 years of speaking to them in their native tongue. But their unbelief brought to them strange tongues. On occasions which diminished in number they heard the apostles speak to them in Hebrew. However, with the fall of Jerusalem under Roman brutality this witness too was silenced. The gospel and its Scriptures were in language foreign to the Jews.

Now in Corinth to introduce messages beyond the mental grasp of the saints of any nationality in the churches and to glory in that experi­ence was a strange misunderstanding of God's Word. 'Tongues are not a sign for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is a sign not for unbelievers but for believers' (verse 22). Strange tongues reprimand unbelief. Prophecy in one's own language commends faith.

If outsiders to Christianity enter an assembly where everyone speaks strange languages which are not understood by others, '... will they not say that you are out of your minds?' (1 Cor. 14:23). But if an out­sider hears God's message declared in language he can understand he will be convinced of the presence of God among you (verses 24-25).

Perhaps it would be wise to remark here that all ministers and teach­ers should take note that it is their obligation to speak intelligibly. Even the English language may be spoken so as to befuddle the understand­ing of English-speaking congregations. Our great aim must be to reach the understandings of the great majority of those before us. If the Holy Spirit rests upon ministers as he rested upon Apostles, plainness of speech will be their aim. The message should have face-to-face clarity, with each person realizing that we are speaking to him. This feature of presentation will build up, encourage and console. It will elicit an 'Amen' from the hearts of believers.

The Necessity of Orderliness for Congregational Worship and Instruction←⤒🔗

Preaching, teaching, prayer and song must all be in the language of the people. Tongues were permitted only if interpretation made the spoken message understandable through the common language. In addition 'all things should be done decently and in order' (1 Cor. 14:40). Presumably it is the elders who will control the proceedings in their congregational meetings. If Spirit-filled men volunteer to lead the worship with their spiritual gifts, according to Paul only a few may do so. 'Let there be only two or at the most three, and each in turn' (1 Cor. 14:29). When one is using his gift all others must be silent (verse 30).

These directions are given by the apostle so that the entire congreg­ation will be built up by the gift that is exercised. A confusion of com­peting voices must not distract anyone from what God is saying. 'God is not a God of confusion but of peace' (1 Cor. 14:33). If someone were genuinely speaking from the Spirit he was capable of being silent until his opportunity to speak came. 'The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets' (1 Cor. 14:32).

In the modern meetings of the Charismatic movement a feature com­monly present has often been confusion in which many things are hap­pening at the same time, all of which are competing for the notice of the worshippers. A three-ring circus is an apt comparison. Three independ­ent acts vie for the attention of those present.

It has often been assumed that one of the fundamental features of the Spirit's entering a man will be that man's loss of self-control. Paul asserts the ability of the Spirit-filled persons to be silent and to restrain themselves from causing confusion. Surely one of the fruits of the Spirit is 'self-control' (Gal. 5:23). Then those most advanced in spirituality will have self-control! They will not sow confusion in worship serv­ices.

Not only Charismatics but also adherents to some forms of evange­lism have advocated arousing such excitement in meetings that men and women will interrupt by actions or shouts. It is true that men of God should preach with zeal and emotion appropriate to the great themes of Scripture. Nevertheless, zeal and emotion should not override what the Spirit is saying to the church so as to suspend or detract from the declaration of truth.

There has been a tendency among some to presume that what seems to be useful in blessing mankind is therefore sanctioned by the Spirit. In the early church this was not only the case with regard to the causing of confusion in congregational gatherings but also in allowing women to preach, teach and exhort at Corinth. Paul once more insisted, 'As in all the churches of the saints, the women should keep quiet in the churches ... For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church' (1 Cor.14:34^-35).

In the twenty-first century, as in the first century, there are those who are ready to argue against apostolic regulations for the worship of churches. Those who speak in tongues would argue against always using the familiar language. Others would comment on a blessing received when women speak in church. Still others would argue that a little disorder or confusion is better than spiritless worship. Recog­nizing the readiness of those who have experienced spiritual realities (or who think they have) to challenge his rules, Paul spoke sternly:

If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowl­edge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord. If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized.1 Cor. 14:37-38

There is much that we can learn from 1 Corinthians 14 which applies to the conduct of church meetings. There must be order that facilitates comprehension of preaching, prayer and song. No depar­tures from these principles by those claiming to have the Holy Spirit are to be tolerated.

Yet, it is not because tongues and prophecy continue in the church that we underscore what the Lord has said on these subjects. The Spirit through Paul has clearly indicated that gifts of revelation have ceased.

Those claiming to have revelatory gifts in the centuries since the New Testament has been completed have displayed great instability and have brought harm to churches. How many congregations, once of mighty influence in spreading truth and in supporting missions, have become slight shells of what they once were by laying claim to enjoying the charismata of the early church and her apostles!

Many movements in the early 19th century became cults which con­tinue to turn aside impressionable young Christians into false paths. The Irvingites in London and the Seventh Day Adventists in the U.S. are warning signs to those who would claim miracle-working and revelatory gifts. They have been marked from the beginning by obvious false prophecies. The two mentioned in this paragraph, for example, predicted the coming again of Christ at a definite time. In them both women's leadership has been prominent, a situation which the apostle forbids. One can see enthusiasm, hysteria, fanaticism and delusion at work. The Reformers were compelled to denounce the same elements in some Anabaptist movements in their days. Today the list of such tragedies grows.

Some are so desirous of 'excitement' in church worship that they would not mind if it were of a charismatic kind. Some followers of Finney in our day have advocated introducing excitement by almost any means as a preliminary preparation for evangelistic success. But preaching must not abandon Scripture to find 'excitement'. 'Faith comes by hearing and hearing through the word of Christ (Rom. 10:17). No movement of the human heart is so profound as that which is experi­enced as the Spirit attends the plain and orderly presentation of gospel truths.