Question: What is the object of 1 Corinthians 14:1, 26, 401Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. (1 Corinthians 14:1)
26How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying. (1 Corinthians 14:26)
40Let all things be done decently and in order. (1 Corinthians 14:40)? L. A.
Answer: (a) Verse 1. “Follow after charity” (N. T. “love”). Love is the power or motive in ministry.
(b) Verse 26. “Let all things be done unto edifying.” Edification is the object of ministry.
(c)Verse 40. “Let all things be done decently and in order.” This, God’s order, is to be observed in all that is done in or for the assembly.
(a) The apostle gave the “more excellent way” (chap. 12:31). Chapter 13 opens up to us how love behaves, which 14:1 tells us to follow. To desire spiritual gifts here would refer to those taking part audibly. Directions given to the church or assembly at the beginning are the only guide we have for the “two or three” gathered now to the Name of the Lord (Matt. 18:2020For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20)). Prophesying, because it ministered to the need of the saints, is the most profitable, for it was for edification—building them up—and five words given in the power and liberty of the Spirit, are better than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue (ver. 19).
(b) It would not be for edification to speak in an unknown tongue unless someone could interpret. The Corinthian saints seemed to be rather displaying themselves, than seeking edification and taking part when out of order. It could not be order for two to speak or pray at the same time. Now this is limited to two or three speaking after each other in one meeting (ver. 29). There is no limit to how many may pray or worship, and the gathering was to hear and judge.
“For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all assemblies of the saints.” We have not any revelations, nor tongues, and so interpreters are not needed now. Women are not to take audible part, according to the commandments of the Lord (ver. 34, 37).
Care is needed to minister, as a channel of blessing, from Christ the Head on high to His members, avoiding personal applications to others. It is also Christ that should be ministered, so that the heart may be drawn to Him.
We see also in 1 Corinthians 14:23, 2423If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad? 24But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: (1 Corinthians 14:23‑24) that there is room for the unlearned or unbelievers who are not of the assembly. We need to take care whom we receive to remember the Lord among us. In 1 Corinthians 10:16, 1716The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 17For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. (1 Corinthians 10:16‑17) the first thing is, that they should know what the blood of Christ has done for them, that they are in the communion of the blood of Christ.
The second thing is, that they are sealed with the Spirit, and are therefore members of the body of Christ—this is the ground of gathering for all the assembly of God. None have a claim to take the Lord’s supper, unless they have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of their sins, and are sealed by the Holy Ghost.
Then as it is the assembly that receives or puts away (1 Cor. 5:1313But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person. (1 Corinthians 5:13)), this ought to be done in the unity of the Spirit. It has become a necessity to see that those desiring to remember the Lord with those already gathered, are free from evil ways: in doctrine, and behavior, and associations.
Answer: The subject of the chapter is the resurrection of the saints. The apostle proves it by the gospel, how that “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures” (verses 3, 4). He gives a seven-fold witness that Christ rose from the dead, and states that he had preached it, and they had believed it, yet some among them were saying “that there is no resurrection of the dead.” If so, there was no truth in the gospel; their faith was vain; they were yet in their sins; and the apostles were false witnesses, and those who had fallen asleep in Christ are perished. Many of them had lain down their lives in hope of resurrection with Christ. And besides, if Christians had no hope but for their life in this world, they were of all men most miserable (verse 18), then comes in a parenthesis (20-28) asserting that Christ did rise, and tells something of the glories that belong to Him. Then he continues his argument in verse 29, “Else what shall they do that are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? Why are they then baptized for the dead?”
This has nothing to do with baptism in water, though the word has the same meaning. Baptized for the dead means here, other saints stepping into the places of the martyrs who were killed for Christ’s sake, to be cut down as those already dead had been. If there was no resurrection from the dead, they were throwing away their lives for nothing. (Connect verse 29 with 18, and verses 30-32 with verse 19).
It was evil doctrine to teach that there was no resurrection, and it is evil doctrine to teach that those who are dead can be saved by some who are living, being baptized in water for them. There is no salvation in baptism for any soul, either dead or living.
“I command, yet not I, but the Lord,” verse 10.
“I have no commandment of the Lord; yet. I give my judgment, as one that hath obtained mercy of the Lord to be faithful,” verse 25. Do these verses mean that we can take or reject what Paul writes just as it suits ourselves? Was Paul led by the Holy Spirit in his judgment in what he wrote, though it was not a commandment of the Lord? M. J.
Answer: Paul wrote by inspiration of God. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable,” etc. (2 Tim. 3:16, 1716All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. (2 Timothy 3:16‑17)). Also the Holy Spirit is given us to teach us and cause us to understand and profit by what is written (1 Cor. 2:1212Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. (1 Corinthians 2:12); 1 John 2:2727But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. (1 John 2:27)). If we study to show ourselves approved unto God, we shall learn rightly to divine the Word of Truth (2 Tim. 2:1515Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)). The Scriptures therefore contain a faithful record of both good and bad, as God saw necessary to give it. We have Satan’s words and wicked men’s words included. So we need to read the Word attentively, asking God to teach us, and wait on Him to help us.
In 1 Corinthians 14 we have instruction on ministry in the assembly (read verses 36, 37). Here we have the apostle declaring, what is written in this chapter are the commandments of the Lord. Is it not rebellion of spirit against God to say, “Those are only Paul’s opinions”? Yet alas! it is so often done.
In chapter 7 we have the subject of marriage of Christians, and the behavior of each to the other, and here he gives the advice the Holy Spirit led him to give them (ver. 6). The married he commands! yet not I, but the Lord; and to unmarried ones (ver. 25), he gives his judgment as one who had obtained mercy to be faithful. He expects each one to find his own path from God (ver. 7). In this he does not command, but advises them, leaving them free to marry or not marry. Widows also, are mentioned in ver. 39. She is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord. After his judgment is mentioned, he adds, “and I think also that I have the Spirit of God” (ver. 40).
So in all this we see how God’s Word provides guidance for all His people, and in this chapter the apostle is inspired to show us the difference between spiritual judgment, and commandments of the Lord.