1 Corinthians 14:20-33 The purpose of Tongues and order in worship

So, Roger set the stage last week for this additional issue related to gifts. We're going to be talking about tongues and prophecy this morning. It's going to be the major focus of our lesson today. Let me make sure I turn to that in my own text here. We're in chapter 14 verses 20 through 33. Who's teaching next week? I think Randy is. I'm glad it's not me. Tell the women to keep quiet. Let Randy take care of that.

So last week, Roger ended with the idea of rather speak five words in a known language that we all understand than, in fact, to give 10,000 words in an unknown tongue. So putting this whole area into perspective, I think the idea, first of all, the unknown tongue is not some gibberish. It's a known language that someone else may understand, but you may not, but the Lord gives you the capability of expressing the truth of his word in that language. I think scripturally that's really the only way we can interpret tongues. We can't interpret it as some gibberish or language that no one can understand except this quote interpreter who has a special gift of God.

I don't think so. But anyway, let's proceed now with the verses before us. I'm going to begin just sequentially with verse 20 because it's a nice transition into the purpose of tongues, explaining in more detail, and the order we have in worship. And I think these two things are very much linked. And we'll see how that progresses as we look at this from verse to verse.

Verse 20 then, Brethren, be not children in understanding, how be it in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men. So, be not here is an imperative. Quit acting like a child. You know, grow up. Let's not say, oh by the way, when time permits, why don't you be like a man instead of a child.

And by the way, the child here, the Greek term for child is an infant. So this is a breastfed infant in terms of the, what kind of malice does an infant have? What's an infant do that is just totally insufficient in terms of human behavior when they reach an adult? They're so totally dependent and when they're not getting what they're dependent on, either sleep or milk, ultimately they cry. So this is a very, very infantile type of behavior. Now, why this contrast between the behavior as children? Again, we're talking about infancy versus adult growth or men, women, whatever. I think it's a generic term that would relate to men or women. Why this contrast?

Well, Bob, do you think that based on what we've said before is that it seems like tongues, they had a problem with tongues in Corinthian church and Paul's saying you're acting like children. If you're so focused on tongues, that's really a childlike behavior. You're really not mature.

It's like being on a nipple, right? Either a mama's nipple or in fact a breast or a bottle fed nipple. I mean, it's infantile behavior, a dependency on things that have no meat. By the way, keep in mind, unknown tongue is a language, it's not gibberish. Spiritual maturity, malice, innocence versus understanding, maturation, or maturity. So that's the contrast here.

And, you know, Ephesians 4.14, there are many verses I could have shared that would be consistent with this, that we'd no longer be children tossed to and fro, carried about with every wind of doctrine by the trickery of men and the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting. I mean, how appropriate the Ephesians verse is here in terms of what Paul's sharing with the church at Corinth. All right, let's move ahead then. Verse 21, and the law it is written, now this is an Old Testament prophecy, with men of other tongues and other lips I will speak to this people and yet for all that they will not hear me says the Lord. And that's Isaiah chapter 28 verses 11 and 12.

So the question of the class, do you believe that this is a fulfillment of the Isaiah prophecy? Certainly could be. Except do you think, is Isaiah writing about the church age? No, but don't you think he's writing about the Lord? Well, he is. And I think you could say, gee, in some ways this is consistent, but let's turn to the Old Testament because I think we need to put this in context.

But this also likely, if you believe it's kind of a form of prophecy, it likely perhaps relates more to the fact that God would teach the rebellious Israelite submission. by placing them in a land where other languages are spoken or another language is spoken.

Let's turn to Ezekiel chapter 11, 24. Roger, if you'd do that. And Gary, I'm going to give you Ezekiel 23, 15, and 16. Ezekiel. Just 11, 24. The Spirit lifted me up and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God to the exiles in Chaldea, so that the vision that I had seen... Okay, so keep that in mind. The Lord brought them into Chaldea, which is another language. And Gary, go ahead. I think the next verses help us here a little bit.

Girded with belts on their loins with flowing turbans, on their heads, all of them looking like officers, like the Babylonians in Chaldea, the land of their birth, when she saw them, she lusted after them and sent messengers to them in Chaldea. OK, well, anyway, if you read this, I think, in context and more thoroughly, the idea of another language, the Israelites are placed in a place where they can't communicate. And that's a land of moral destruction. We're talking about Babylon now, OK?

So the idea here is Isaiah, I think, is probably directing a prophecy to what ultimately would be accomplished in what Ezekiel is talking about. But nevertheless, I think we could say that what's going on in the church here, in a sense, could very much fit what's being quoted. Remember, Paul is quoting what Isaiah said.

So he believes this in some way relates to what's happening in the church at Corinth. He's applying it, basically. Application, good. That's pretty typical. It may be a different situation, but the Lord will then apply that understanding over here and put it in New Testament context. Yes, good comment, Roger. Thank you.

Jeremiah 5.15 Behold, I will bring a nation against you from afar, O house of Israel, says the Lord. It is a mighty nation, an ancient nation, a nation whose language you do not know, nor can you understand what they say.

So, Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Jeremiah all have this kind of same theme of Chaldea in terms of the immediate or ultimate consequence of the nation of Israel. Well, I think this kind of nails it down that anybody that might think this is gibberish or some kind of mystical thing, it's focused on language, just like you read in Acts there, it was a language. And then he goes back and he quotes from the Old Testament, it's a language, it's not something It's a known language. Presumably it could have been Persian, it could have been Arabic, it could have been another language, but it was not Hebrew.

I can assure you. So here's another interesting example where Old Testament prophecy relates to more recent events and then ultimately more long-term events, i.e. even in the church. Paul wouldn't quote it unless he felt it was applicable to the church at Corinth. Everybody okay with that? Okay, verse 22. Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe, but to unbelievers.

But prophesying is not for unbelievers, but for those who believe. Is a sign a miracle? How many times do we say today, gee, this is a miracle. Is this a miracle? Could be. Maybe. I mean, you hear this in sports announcing all the time. What a miracle or totally unbelieving. Yes, Tom. Right. We're going to be in as far as that sort of thing. Indication more than some kind of knock them dead with wonder. Think about the Lord Jesus Christ saying, you know, you basically, I'm paraphrasing, you've ignored my signs and miracles, right? So is sign different than miracle? I've always thought of signs as being a testing miracles. You know, in this case, if, if Margaret started speaking in Chinese or all of a sudden... She does at home sometimes. Is that right? I mean, she would, she would be amazed and we'd be amazed too. I definitely would be amazed.

I think it's a revelation of God's power that could be in a miraculous form but it could be something that really relates to the prophecy and in a sense here the speaking in tongues is yes it's miraculous in that this couldn't occur in human effort but it's also a sign of God's power. I'm not sure if they're quite identical but anyway it's along the same theme of something that is unexplainable in human terms and So, anyway, it could be a miracle, but perhaps it can sometimes differ. Notice the contrast between believers and non-believers. What is that contrast here? It looks like the signs are only for unbelievers.

Exactly. And what about the believers? The believers are being Edifying. Yeah, what's going to come in the future. Prophesying is teaching, basically, and proclaiming the word of God. So that's for believers. I think Roger dealt with this a little bit, and Randy made a comment last week, going into mainline, perhaps biblically-based churches, and you hear the gospel every week, to convert people who are basically already all saved. I mean, occasionally there could be somebody walking to Holly Hills who's an unsaved person that we might want to reach, but we'll let the Lord work through our body here to ultimately turn on their interest in terms of the things of the Lord, right? I mean, we're not preaching to us every week as if none of us are saved. We're growing in grace and truth here. So in a sense, teaching is for those who understand what's being taught. and you know if you came into this church you were unsaved and totally knew nothing about God either you become immediately very curious and say I'm never coming back here again.

And we have plenty of those people. But we're going to get into this Marta in a minute because it's going to be very relevant to the verses we're looking at. Okay verse 23, therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, Holly Hills, Corinth, and all speak with tongues, And they come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers. Well, they may not say that you are out of your mind, okay? So in a sense, the next verse deals with this issue. The world's perspective of speaking in tongues. What's going on here? Is the church mad? It's like Paul before Festus. Or it's us before Gentiles today.

1 Corinthians 1.23.

What does 1 Corinthians 1.23 say? What's the gospel to the Jew? A stumbling block. And what's the gospel to a Gentile?

Foolishness. Doesn't that really apply here? Okay, so let's look at this in terms of Paul and Festus. Now, as he thus made his defense, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, you're beside yourself. Much learning is driving you mad. And so what I'm doing is using that to kind of say that the world system would look at people speaking in this jitterish as they're mad. So Paul's saying he's confronting the church at court saying, you know, what's this all about?

Anyway, even then it was known languages. I mean, to put tremendous emphasis and faith in speaking in an unknown tongue, gee, yes, it's a sign, maybe miraculous, but nevertheless, it's an inappropriate application in terms of emphasis. Now, could the uninformed apply to believers? Back to what Margaret just raised. What do you think? If they're coming, those who are uninformed or unbelievers, it presumably could apply to believers, right?

Well, I think, you know, it's just like our Bible study. We have had, I'm not kidding you, so many people come to our Bible study who are, they're still on milk and they come to our Bible study and they are, their eyes just glaze over. And we don't try to make their eyes glaze over, but They have no idea what we're talking about. And so they might come two or three times, but that's it. They're out of there.

Maybe it's the fault of the leader. It's the facilitator. The facilitator is better. I think the under form could be believers. These are people who are drinking milk and not really adequately understanding the importance of the true gospel and the true gospel is not putting a lot of emphasis on speaking on language. It's a sign. It's a gift. I think that's also the Holy Spirit. You know the Holy Spirit grows us in stages.

I mean and sometimes they may really want to grow but they don't They just don't even know how to grow. Okay, let's think about our own body of believers here. What makes us come here? And what makes one grow in truth and faith? What makes us grow? Well, we're getting the meat of the word and that makes us grow.

We've got to be hungry. Miles wrote to the hungry heart, right? I'll just share personally, I came to understanding what identification started to mean, I'm still learning a lot about it, once I came to the end of myself. How many of us when we get sick are trying to please God in everything we do and everything we think and we're so frustrated because we're not doing very well. When you come to the end of yourself, the hungry heart starts to grow and there grace and truth prevails. So critically important and I think that's why we all gather here because we're seeking for that grace, that truth, that ultimate that goes beyond simply pleasing God by our performance or our thought process.

So anyway, unbelievers, these could be people in the Corinthian church who in fact just don't have it in terms of an understanding of what they're going through. I think that was likely very true in Corinth, don't you? This is a pretty immature church. So I sense that those who are uninformed are equally almost problematic as those who don't believe. Maybe not quite as much, because they do believe they are saved by the crucifixion and resurrection, nevertheless. Okay, 24 and 25.

But if all prophecy, meaning teaching, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, He is convinced by all, he's convicted by all. So again, the analogy was somebody coming into Holly Hills who either didn't know anything about the gospel or alternatively was saved but came here. Anyway, they're either convinced by all or convicted by all.

And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed. The secrets of the heart of that individual. The unbeliever, the uninformed. And so, falling down on his face he, she will worship God and report that God is truly among you. Wow, that's quite a transition, isn't it? If here is a conditional participle, and just to translate that, the unbeliever or uninformed may or may not respond to the truth of God. Okay? If. It's not since they do, it's they may or they may not. It just kind of depends. And that's really up to the Holy Spirit working in themselves and also through the body. Keep in mind, our job here is to simply allow God to be glorified by our presence, by our fellowship, by the truth of the Word of God. Alright, what does all prophecy teaching indicate? The entire body. In a sense I just answered my own question. I mean, what would ultimate all process your teaching indicate?

It's rightly dividing the truth, isn't it? I mean, putting things into perspective. I think, you know, when someone comes to saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ, and he or she is yesterday unsaved and today saved, We need to begin to ultimately grow them in grace through an understanding that not only their sins are forgiven, but actually God has taken care of the sin within them and sees them as having no condemnation. I think we need to start teaching the truth from the very beginning of salvation when we're put in a position to be able to help them along that path.

How many times have some people walked the aisle to reconfirm their salvation, etc., and that's because they've depended on themselves. In the commentary to Romans 6, Newell says to have been disappointed with yourself is to have depended on yourself. So whenever you're disappointed with yourself, think about who you've trusted. It's not the new nature in which we've been created. It's not positionally based. It's depending on old Margaret or old Cheryl to get the job done here. It's not depending on God's grace working through you.

C1431. Somebody want to read 1 Corinthians 1431? We're going to get to that, but somebody read that right now if you could please. For ye may be all prophesied one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. Okay. And then 1 Corinthians 12, 29. Somebody read that, please? Back a couple of chapters. All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they? So, all prophesied doesn't mean that everyone of the body it means that some are. So, as indicated in 1229, everyone's not an apostle, everyone's not a prophet, everyone's not a teacher, and everyone's not a worker of miracles.

So not all, thus here, must signify any one or more successfully interpret or apply the truth of the gospel. And multiple commentaries I've read are consistent with that theme. Everybody doesn't do everything. There is a unique gift that God has given us and it may in fact not be one that we're personally aware of. But it's not what all prophesy, it's one of all in a very orderly and sequential manner.

And this relates to something that we know so well, Hebrews 4.12, for the word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints, and of marrow, and is a discoverer of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Presumably these prophets or teachers in an early church had an in-depth understanding that went beyond the average or usual. and they were called to that in terms of being part of this all prophesied, indicating the entire body, likely not, but likely individual members of that body.

Secrets of his heart revealed, not to the Lord. It's not a secret to the Lord, is it? What's in our heart? secret to everybody else. Gary doesn't know what I'm thinking and Carolyn doesn't know what Roger's thinking. The point is that we have secrets of our heart that only the Lord sees and that's now being revealed by the truth that's being taught in the Corinthian church or at Holly Hills.

Daniel 2.47 The king answered Daniel and said, Truly your God is the God of gods, the Lord of kings, and revealer of secrets, since you could not reveal the secret. So here's Nebuchadnezzar kind of recognizing that the Lord is about his business, helping Daniel understand things that he can't believe are really being understood.

Falling down and worshiping God, I think just in terms of the times, this was a usual posture of worship or reverence in these eastern lands, particularly in Asia Minor, and an appropriate response before our holy and righteous God. So this was kind of a natural thing to be doing. We don't have to do this today, but in fact, then it was culturally kind of an acceptable position to be in.

All right, verse 26. How is it then, brethren, whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm as a teaching, as a tongue, as a revelation, and has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. So again, does each and every one have a psalm, which is a hymn? Remember there was very little, if any, written language here. I mean, so lots of truth was put to music. And of course the Psalms, mostly of David, really are tunes or hymns.

Does each and everyone have that? Well, it's best interpreted that all these things would not be found in the same person, but would all exist at the same time within the body. So we've got all these various gifts that are being manifested individually, but one person doesn't have all these attributes of the gifts that were part of the new church. Everybody okay with that?

Notice the result of the gathering, it's edification, and in fact that relates very much to us today here, doesn't it? I mean, we're here, why do we come? Well, we come to, in part, be taught, and for teachers, we need to be taught more, and we come here for fellowship, don't we?

I mean, there's nothing like hanging out with people of light faith and belief. And edification is really the process that's being addressed. Even so you sense you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel. And that's in the same chapter Roger covered that in part last week. Edification, that God is glorified and we're all felt to be members of that one body that we're called to.

All right, verses 27 and 28. If anyone speaks in a tongue Let there be two, or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in the church, and let him speak to himself and to God." Now this is an interesting verse, because it's going to get back to a bit of a conversation that we had last week in this class. Let's see if we can pursue this, and Roger will have the right answer. So if I don't get this correct, we have Roger here to help us.

Okay, it's two and at most three that speak in an unknown tongue. And by the way, this is an orderly process. Remember, Jack is speaking in Italian and Brian is speaking in Greek. He doesn't know what he's saying, but somebody else does because there are people who are Italians and Greek in the audience. And this appears again to be an orderly process in the absence of any urgency.

There's no kind of, gee, all of a sudden we just start spurting out here some language that no one can understand or interpret. And notice there's only one interpreter. And why? Probably to avoid confusion. Three or four interpreters. Think about the elections that are ongoing here. We don't want to comment any further on these, but you hear of all these interpreters on all the stations interpreting each and every one ad nauseum. So here in terms of this unknown tongue, there's only one person who's going to interpret this. Remember, to whom is this proclamation using an unknown tongue directed? Who? Unbelievers, right? Or those who are uninformed.

I think it's interesting that he actually puts, you know, it seems like the problem was too many people were, quote, speaking in tongues. And so he actually, you know, it's amazing, he puts a cap on it. I mean, there's not too many places, you know, where to pray without ceasing. Think about times in scripture where it's unusual that he would put a cap on. He would say, two or three. He wants to hold it down because apparently people are getting out of hand. Two or three, that's the most. And do it in order. You're not all just speaking at the same time. Each in turn. Each in turn. So he's very precise about it.

I mean, it's amazing that this kind of regulation is brought forth and it kind of shows you that maybe the severity of what was going on in Corinth. If he had to say, only come in two or three, you have to be in order. You can't just do this willy-nilly. But what's interesting is we see in the churches that kind of believe that tongues are still It's the absolute opposite.

It's almost chaos. Well, it's spontaneous and there's an urgency to it, right? I know. There's no order. It's just up and down, all this kind of stuff going on. How can you get edified in that situation? And maybe there's more than one interpreter. I think Randy's been exposed to this previously.

Many times there are not any interpreters. I had some friends who told me, we were having really serious conversations about the Lord, and they said, but you know, I must not be totally saved. I mean, this was their word, totally saved. Because in my church, I don't speak in tongues. I've tried. I mean, this was what was so funny. I have tried to speak in tongues. And I said, how do you try to speak in tongues?

I mean, and he said, because you could be sitting in the service and all of a sudden, out of nowhere, this person is blah, blah, blah, blah, and this other person is blah, blah, blah, blah. And he said, nobody can understand anything. It's all this stuff going on in the service with all the guys up there trying to preach. I mean, then all this is going on. But I could be the interpreter and say, you want to worship God. God, you're righteous and holy. That's my interpretation. So we're looking at something here that's very much attuned to one, two, and most three, one interpreter and orderly. This is not just spontaneously an urgent expression of one's soul.

Remember, to whom this proclamation is to the unknown or the uninformed, if there is no interpreter there would have been only one speaking. Okay, so in other words, let's say Tom starts speaking in an unknown language or alternatively, well I think here in an unknown language meaning a language none of us understand, Russian perhaps. So Tom starts speaking in Russian. So if he's speaking and there's no interpreter, what would be the purpose of him speaking to himself and to God? He wouldn't understand what he's saying. He wouldn't even understand what he's saying. But that's what it says, and let him speak to himself and to God. So is he, is Tom going to be then increasingly conformed to the image of the Lord Jesus Christ? Does he have a spiritual experience as part of this?

Well Bob, it sounds like we learned from other passages out there that it tells you to pray that you may interpret it. In fact there's a verse earlier on. But then it kind of comes back that there is some, we talked about this maybe the first time or the second time, there is some spiritual benefit from knowing the Lord is using you through this language. And so there is some edification there. I can't remember the verse exactly. We had a discussion about that. Maybe it was the first week, where it talks about the fact that you can be edified even though you don't know what the language is. I think that maybe is in... Well, I turned to verse 2, but let's go back in the first part of the chapter and read the first four verses. Actually, I'm talking about this in verse 4. In 14 you're talking about? Yeah, 14, 1 through 4.

Pursue love and desire of spiritual gifts, but especially that ye may prophesy. For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men, but to God. For no one understands him. However, in the Spirit he speaks mysteries. But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. Okay, so Roger, that's consistent with this theme here.

But yet, if there's no interpreter, that language is just, you know, he, she doesn't know what they're saying. But in fact, there's presumably the Lord who's orchestrated this, and there's kind of a special if you will, blessing, if that's the right term, that comes from this kind of relationship.

So I think 1 Corinthians 14 says it best, for he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men, but to God, for no one understands him. That means there's no interpreter, right? If there's no interpreter, only he and God are communicating. However, in the Spirit, he speaks mysteries, because He's really not sure what he's saying, but only God knows and he doesn't. So in a sense this is really kind of a personal thing. So in the absence of an interpreter this can still take place. But is this happening anymore? Absolutely not.

These were unique gifts to the new church, ultimately for the spread of the gospel and for the edification of the body. And they didn't have the canon of scripture, they didn't have what we have before them, so they needed that. Everything is spoken, not written at this time, except for the Old Testament, of course. Alright, but was it the purpose to bring the truth to the unsaved?

Yes, so this seems like a contradiction, but it really isn't. It's not because the communication is between the unique believer and the Lord himself. But the purpose of an unknown tongue is clearly not for you, although there may be a side benefit if there is no interpreter.

2930. Let two or three prophets speak. Now we are talking about teaching, we are not talking about unknown tongues. And let the others judge. But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. As for speaking in an unknown tongue, prophesying involves just two or three avoiding confusion with one who judges, presumably this is an individual who I've listed as being extraordinarily inspired and qualified, while others keep silent. If I talk for a while, then Margaret might come in.

Others join in as the Lord leads them and they see something from the scripture. It seems like that's part of it. And they're called prophets then because they didn't have... Margaret couldn't... I can read from my Bible, she can read from her Bible. We can all look at the God's Word and talk about it. But there they didn't have that, so the Lord had to work individually through people.

And again you have to assume that this judge who is one and the others keep silent. There could be other judges but yet only one is in a position to interpret. This presumably is an individual who is extraordinarily inspired and qualified and that is likely a gift. He could be an elder in the church possibly. Roger is the last word in this class. I couldn't pass that one up.

1 Corinthians 12.10, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. Anyway, this just furthers this issue that everybody didn't have all this stuff going on. that each person has unique gift and when we use the term all that means within the body all but it's uniquely a single individual who is given one gift perhaps two under certain circumstances we don't know that for sure. 1 Thessalonians 5 20 and 21 do not despise prophecies test all things hope fast what is good and presumably that's a role of the judge here to not despise prophecy, meaning we have a couple of prophets, teachers in our group, two or three, and we want that to be tested, and we want to make sure that that's really lasting and good. So that's kind of the theme that I'm sure existed in Corinth. I like what Macaulay said here, and I quoted that in a junior handout. There's an important principle found here.

The congregation controls the gifts, The gifts do not control the congregation. This is rarely, if ever, the principle found in charismatic churches. There is a continual waiting to fall under the overwhelming power of the Holy Spirit. Paul forbids a congregation to be controlled by charismatic functions.

I think Macaulay said it well in terms of the unknown tongues and here in terms of the order of prophecy and teaching relates again to the believers. not untongues, and there are certain members of the body who have been given a special role in teaching and then what they say is ultimately analyzed by a single judge. There could be other judges but only one interprets to avoid confusion.

And talking about confusion, 4.31-33, for you can all prophesy one by one that all may learn and all may be encouraged. And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets, for God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. All is for those with the gift of prophecy only, but all may learn. For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be encouraged." Again, for you can all prophesy means, again, those that have been given the gift of prophecy. But all can learn, meaning the entire body around them.

1 Corinthians 14, 3, but he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. So again, the emphasis here is on order and reflects God's purpose and direction for the church.

A principle of God which is from way back, Proverbs 1.5, a wise man will hear and increase learning and a man of understanding will attain wise counsel. So again, kind of reflects how God's principle of teaching has been sourced in the Old Testament. John 1, John 4, 1, Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are God, because many false prophets have gone out and into the world. Again, the idea that these men, presumably only at the time of the New Age church, were in fact gifted with the ability to interpret scripture.

So rightly dividing the word of truth is really something we all need to be about day in and day out. And remember, we talked about the gifts of faith, hope, and love. And I think truth is a trump card for all three. I mean, faith, yeah, we're saved by grace through faith. Gotta have faith. We have to have faith to grow. Love, that's of the Lord. How you doing working love for your neighbor or your friend or unfriend? Love, faith, and hope. Hope we all have hope that we will be with the Lord one day.

And that's a prophecy yet to be fulfilled. But it's the truth that wraps all those things into understanding and meaning. And that's what we're talking about here. People who rightly divide the word of truth. And again, I think that's why we come here by God's grace. We are here to seek out the truth of the word and how it applies to our lives.

God's not the author of confusion. How many times have you heard that stated? And it probably could be stated in multiple different churches today, but their view of confusion may not be what ours is. But not the author of confusion, but actually the author of peace.

1 Corinthians 11.16. But if anyone seems to be contentious We have no such custom, nor do the churches of God. So the idea here is when people are bringing false prophecy, false teaching, etc., or they're contentious within the body, that's not really what the Lord's looking for. And it's not consistent with his purpose of not being a God of confusion, but the author of confusion, but that of peace. So I think that this last verse then, I think it's today's church, and what are your conclusions? And I think the church, I'm going to use that term broadly.

Tom? Well, it's interesting you mention that I seem to be knowledgeless about Russian, but I actually did read a short book on scientific Russian, and it just whet my appetite. But then something came to me, and I It was just a lone instance, just now as we talked about it.

The Russians prided themselves in being, well, pretty much racist. They are Slavs. The Slav word in Russian means glorious. So they've got an ego problem. In the meantime, most people Americans, at the time our country was getting started, had a very keen awareness of their frailty without God that they couldn't do any of this without God backing them up. So it's interesting to know these things. By God's grace it did happen for America and for Russia. They got to learn to lead.

Yeah, Margaret and I were talking a little bit about that, Tom, not directly the specific example you shared, but Margaret, what percent of Americans go to church every Sunday now? Well, we talked about this a couple of weeks ago too, 28%. Yeah, that's gone down. It is the figure now of people who say that they regularly attend church.

I mean, and that's And so there's no wonder that the moral standard, there is no bar, there is no standard. And we're looked at as kind of freaks because we have a standard. The churches have a standard. I think it's just a spiraling of what we know is going to happen. It's just happening. I don't know. You think that the majority of people go to churches, they go to church and they don't hear the truth. Right. That's the other thing. So how many people are really hearing the truth? Right. Of that 28 percent. So why would they want to go to someplace where they're not hearing the truth? Just go for fellowship. Fellowship and social. People can still go for social reasons to church. So.

What makes us so special here? Are we looked at as elitist because we have a corner on the truth? I don't think so, but I think rightly dividing the truth is why we're here and we wouldn't be here if we didn't feel that what's being taught here is really consistent with who we are in Christ.

If I were in an emergency room and I was being evaluated psychiatrically and I told the emergency room doctor and then the psychiatrist that I have two natures. The consequences of my behavior, the result of my being in the E.D. was my old nature, not my new nature. I'd be locked up or be given a psychotropic drug of some sort. They really wouldn't. So I'd have to be careful in that old nature. No, we're not a cult. I mean, we're here because we're seeking God's truth.

And that doesn't mean we have a corner on it, because the more you learn, the more you realize you don't know. I mean, God's grace allows us to learn everything we do. But I think, again, the growth in grace and truth in terms of the exchange of life is coming to the end of yourself, and that's where God begins to work in our lives. The major criticism to having two natures is that if there is no condemnation in Christ Jesus, I can continue in sin. Paul said to continue in sin, God forbid. Grace is such a broadly prevailing truth. that sin is no longer comfortable in someone driven by grace, because we understand that it's God's grace by which we're saved, we're being saved, and one day we will be saved. Okay, a little bit of an extension of this truth that we're dealing with today, but let's summarize.

Unknown tongues or known languages only spoken by one or two, maximum three in order, need an interpreter, if not, that's a direct communication to God. Prophesying was identified as certain individuals who had a unique and perhaps miraculous understanding of the truth of the word that could spread it to all within the body, and these need to be carefully distinguished. Keep in mind, the unknown tongue could go to uninformed, perhaps believers who had no truth beyond being saved, or unbelievers. And next week we're going to get into a topic that Randy has and that I don't have. We're talking about women in the church. and the passage before us. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.