"For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,"
To the one who has not embraced the truth of the gospel, it must seem a very strange thing that someone’s death and the events following his death would be the object of so many people’s delight thousands of years later. Even more confusing must be the fact that the one who died is dearly loved by those who celebrate the events following His death.
How can I celebrate the fact that Jesus died when I love him? How can I celebrate his vicious torture, his cruel pitiless death, his being forsaken by the Father, his lifeless body being placed in a tomb to rot and turn to dust? I celebrate these things because they were not what they seemed to be at the time.
I celebrate his torture not because I delight in his suffering but because he suffered in my place. I celebrate His death because of what it accomplished—victory over death. I celebrate his being forsaken because it keeps me from ever being forsaken. And I celebrate His being place in a tomb to rot because He didn’t rot. He conquered death before His physical body saw any corruption.
The gospel—Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection—were taught by Paul to the Corinthians. And he taught in a way that reflected its importance. All of these other things that Paul addresses in this book are important, but they pale before the importance of the gospel itself.
This priority must be reflected in our own work and ministry too.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
1 Corinthians 15:1-2
"Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain."
Moving on from the subject of spiritual gifts, the focus of the book shifts to the gospel. The gospel is surprisingly simple—simple enough that a child can believe and be an example of saving faith for adults. But the gospel is also unbelievably complex—complex enough that adults who study it their whole lives never fully plumb the depths.
We typically think of the gospel as something that should be shared with unbelievers for evangelistic purposes. While this is certainly a proper use of the gospel, the value of the gospel continues well past evangelism. In this chapter, Paul is reminding the Corinthian believers of the gospel that was already preached to them. It can be argued that he does this so that they will clearly share the gospel with others. However, even this first verse seems to indicate that there is value to the gospel for the Christian beyond what he can share with others. The gospel is that truth “in which you stand.”
The gospel is my firm belief, my creed. It is my source of strength, my confidence in uncertainty. It is my life, my hope for the future. It is my motivation for loving, my example of extreme sacrifice. It is the only way to God. I need to be reminded of the gospel’s importance. And remembering its importance, I need to be reminded of what the gospel is.
Not only is the gospel that in which we trust. It is that which has, is, and will transform us—"by which you are being saved." Here, the focus is on the present continuing results of the gospel in our lives. Positionally, we are the same, but practically, there is definite growth.
Both our growth and our confidence is based on the reality of God's work in us and our holding fast to that truth.
Moving on from the subject of spiritual gifts, the focus of the book shifts to the gospel. The gospel is surprisingly simple—simple enough that a child can believe and be an example of saving faith for adults. But the gospel is also unbelievably complex—complex enough that adults who study it their whole lives never fully plumb the depths.
We typically think of the gospel as something that should be shared with unbelievers for evangelistic purposes. While this is certainly a proper use of the gospel, the value of the gospel continues well past evangelism. In this chapter, Paul is reminding the Corinthian believers of the gospel that was already preached to them. It can be argued that he does this so that they will clearly share the gospel with others. However, even this first verse seems to indicate that there is value to the gospel for the Christian beyond what he can share with others. The gospel is that truth “in which you stand.”
The gospel is my firm belief, my creed. It is my source of strength, my confidence in uncertainty. It is my life, my hope for the future. It is my motivation for loving, my example of extreme sacrifice. It is the only way to God. I need to be reminded of the gospel’s importance. And remembering its importance, I need to be reminded of what the gospel is.
Not only is the gospel that in which we trust. It is that which has, is, and will transform us—"by which you are being saved." Here, the focus is on the present continuing results of the gospel in our lives. Positionally, we are the same, but practically, there is definite growth.
Both our growth and our confidence is based on the reality of God's work in us and our holding fast to that truth.
Friday, July 18, 2008
1 Corinthians 14:39-40
"So, my brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. But all things should be done decently and in order."
God has set up certain restrictions we must abide by when we exercise the gifts that He gives us. Prophecy (the proclamation of truth—not necessarily telling future events) more naturally lends itself building people up as long as it is done one by one. Therefore, we should “desire to prophesy.”
Tongues speaking, on the other hand, requires the presence of an interpreter for the church to benefit. Additionally, only two or three people can do it in a service. Scripture puts these guidelines on the gift, but they are ignored by most modern day, so-called tongues speakers. I can scripturally forbid that kind of tongues speaking.
But while I believe that the gift of tongues is not for today and while I don’t believe the modern use of tongues is ever genuine nor would I allow it in my own church, I cannot unilaterally forbid it. This passage specifically commands me “not [to] forbid speaking in tongues.”
However God has gifted you to serve Him, when you use your gift publicly your service should clearly glorify God. In order for this to happen, there needs to be a decency and an orderliness about your ministry. You should communicate clearly and carefully. Your ministry should never be showy nor distract from the message. And the message must be true—in agreement with the Bible. God gifts people in different ways, but it is all for His glory.
God has set up certain restrictions we must abide by when we exercise the gifts that He gives us. Prophecy (the proclamation of truth—not necessarily telling future events) more naturally lends itself building people up as long as it is done one by one. Therefore, we should “desire to prophesy.”
Tongues speaking, on the other hand, requires the presence of an interpreter for the church to benefit. Additionally, only two or three people can do it in a service. Scripture puts these guidelines on the gift, but they are ignored by most modern day, so-called tongues speakers. I can scripturally forbid that kind of tongues speaking.
But while I believe that the gift of tongues is not for today and while I don’t believe the modern use of tongues is ever genuine nor would I allow it in my own church, I cannot unilaterally forbid it. This passage specifically commands me “not [to] forbid speaking in tongues.”
However God has gifted you to serve Him, when you use your gift publicly your service should clearly glorify God. In order for this to happen, there needs to be a decency and an orderliness about your ministry. You should communicate clearly and carefully. Your ministry should never be showy nor distract from the message. And the message must be true—in agreement with the Bible. God gifts people in different ways, but it is all for His glory.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
1 Corinthians 14:36-38
"Or was it from you that the word of God came? Or are you the only ones it has reached? 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."
The man who communicates God’s truth is not the author of that truth, he is a vessel through which that truth flows. God did not use me or you to write the Bible and even those whom He used to write the Bible didn’t write their own ideas. They communicated what God directed them to write. Therefore, the one who communicates truth is subject to truth, that is the Bible. What I say must agree with the Bible.
Only arrogance could motivate me to assume that I get to decide what I say or that I am the only one who can communicate God’s truth. Just as it was arrogance that motivated some Corinthian believers to assume their prophecies were correct even when they contradicted previously revealed truth.
My words must be ruled by the word of God. If I reject God’s word, I must be rejected.
The man who communicates God’s truth is not the author of that truth, he is a vessel through which that truth flows. God did not use me or you to write the Bible and even those whom He used to write the Bible didn’t write their own ideas. They communicated what God directed them to write. Therefore, the one who communicates truth is subject to truth, that is the Bible. What I say must agree with the Bible.
Only arrogance could motivate me to assume that I get to decide what I say or that I am the only one who can communicate God’s truth. Just as it was arrogance that motivated some Corinthian believers to assume their prophecies were correct even when they contradicted previously revealed truth.
My words must be ruled by the word of God. If I reject God’s word, I must be rejected.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
1 Corinthians 14:33b-35
"As in all the churches of the saints, the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church."
What does it mean that “women . . . are not permitted to speak in church”? If we take these two and a half verses in isolation, they seem to indicate that women are not permitted to say anything at all in church services. But that cannot be true because chapter eleven, when dealing with head coverings, puts guidelines on how women are to pray and prophecy in church. So in what sense should women “keep silent in the churches”?
I believe that the key to understanding the prohibition lies in the immediately preceding verses. The previous verses addressed how to keep prophets accountable. If there was a prophecy that contradicted revealed truth, the others were to call the contradictory prophecy and prophet into question. I submit that the restriction forbidding women to speak applies specifically to this necessary challenging of contradictory prophecy.
If a woman believed that what was being asserted as truth was really false, she was not to publicly call it into question. Instead she was to ask her husband at home. Notice how the prohibition is linked with the need to be in submission: "they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission." It is possible to converse, pray, or explain submissively. But challenging an assertion is not usually an act of submission.
This fits perfectly with the likelihood that the prohibition was a prohibition from publicly challenging men. Perhaps this was due to the cultural realization that it would have shamed a man to be corrected by a woman. Whatever the motivation, it frees women to participate in church while clarifying that everything should be done in a way that recognizes and respects authority.
What does it mean that “women . . . are not permitted to speak in church”? If we take these two and a half verses in isolation, they seem to indicate that women are not permitted to say anything at all in church services. But that cannot be true because chapter eleven, when dealing with head coverings, puts guidelines on how women are to pray and prophecy in church. So in what sense should women “keep silent in the churches”?
I believe that the key to understanding the prohibition lies in the immediately preceding verses. The previous verses addressed how to keep prophets accountable. If there was a prophecy that contradicted revealed truth, the others were to call the contradictory prophecy and prophet into question. I submit that the restriction forbidding women to speak applies specifically to this necessary challenging of contradictory prophecy.
If a woman believed that what was being asserted as truth was really false, she was not to publicly call it into question. Instead she was to ask her husband at home. Notice how the prohibition is linked with the need to be in submission: "they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission." It is possible to converse, pray, or explain submissively. But challenging an assertion is not usually an act of submission.
This fits perfectly with the likelihood that the prohibition was a prohibition from publicly challenging men. Perhaps this was due to the cultural realization that it would have shamed a man to be corrected by a woman. Whatever the motivation, it frees women to participate in church while clarifying that everything should be done in a way that recognizes and respects authority.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
1 Corinthians 14:29-32
"Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. If a revelation is made to another sitting there, let the first be silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged, and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. For God is not a God of confusion but of peace."
A call for accuracy of message is added here to the call for clarity of speech. Avoiding confusion by speaking clearly is not enough. We must also avoid confusion by speaking a unified, truthful message.
As with tongues, prophecy must be done by individuals one at a time. But unlike tongues the number of believers who can share God’s truth (i.e. prophecy) is not limited. No believer is forbidden from declaring truth. He must simply wait his turn to do so. While you wait, you have the opportunity to be blessed by others.
While you are waiting your turn or even if you are listening without a message, you must pay attention to what is being said. You must compare what is said to revealed truth. The one who proclaims God’s message isn’t free to say whatever he wants. His message must be subjected to the scrutiny of the Bible. If he claims that God wants you to do a particular thing or act a particular way, the directive must be in agreement with God’s word. If it isn’t, the message is to be rejected. God doesn’t contradict Himself.
A call for accuracy of message is added here to the call for clarity of speech. Avoiding confusion by speaking clearly is not enough. We must also avoid confusion by speaking a unified, truthful message.
As with tongues, prophecy must be done by individuals one at a time. But unlike tongues the number of believers who can share God’s truth (i.e. prophecy) is not limited. No believer is forbidden from declaring truth. He must simply wait his turn to do so. While you wait, you have the opportunity to be blessed by others.
While you are waiting your turn or even if you are listening without a message, you must pay attention to what is being said. You must compare what is said to revealed truth. The one who proclaims God’s message isn’t free to say whatever he wants. His message must be subjected to the scrutiny of the Bible. If he claims that God wants you to do a particular thing or act a particular way, the directive must be in agreement with God’s word. If it isn’t, the message is to be rejected. God doesn’t contradict Himself.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
1 Corinthians 14:26-28
"What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God."
Everything done in a church service should have a purpose. The overarching purpose, not explicitly mentioned here, is the glory of God. However, the purpose drawn attention to in this chapter is for building up, the growth of the church—numerical growth of the church body through the conversion of unbelievers and the personal growth of individual believers as they understand more truth and walk more and more consistently with God.
In order for growth to occur, the various parts of a service must be orderly. That is not to say that churches should rigidly eradicate all vestiges of flexibility, as if flexibility were a problem. We are not directed to embrace rigid structure verses flexibility. However, Paul makes it clear that activities focused through the lens of church growth will be much more effective than a chaotic service.
The specific example is the exercise of the gift of tongues. The first century church was instructed to take turns in speaking in tongues—one speaker at a time. They were also limited to one to three people exercising the gift in a church service. This may have required some preferring of others and intentional restraint on the part of some church members. Also clearly all tongues speaking had to be interpreted. There is no instruction for how long or as to when in the service people should present "a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation." This lack of specifics probably indicates that there was room for flexibility here. But the flexibility existed within the confines of a spiritually beneficial, organized service.
Sadly, almost no Pentecostal or Charismatic groups today operate within these guidelines. Personally, I don’t believe that the gift is in operation at all. But if God were to give someone the gift of tongues, it would have to be exercised within the confines of biblical revelation so that the church would be built up and God glorified. And if this were clearly happening, I could not argue with a fellow believer.
Everything done in a church service should have a purpose. The overarching purpose, not explicitly mentioned here, is the glory of God. However, the purpose drawn attention to in this chapter is for building up, the growth of the church—numerical growth of the church body through the conversion of unbelievers and the personal growth of individual believers as they understand more truth and walk more and more consistently with God.
In order for growth to occur, the various parts of a service must be orderly. That is not to say that churches should rigidly eradicate all vestiges of flexibility, as if flexibility were a problem. We are not directed to embrace rigid structure verses flexibility. However, Paul makes it clear that activities focused through the lens of church growth will be much more effective than a chaotic service.
The specific example is the exercise of the gift of tongues. The first century church was instructed to take turns in speaking in tongues—one speaker at a time. They were also limited to one to three people exercising the gift in a church service. This may have required some preferring of others and intentional restraint on the part of some church members. Also clearly all tongues speaking had to be interpreted. There is no instruction for how long or as to when in the service people should present "a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation." This lack of specifics probably indicates that there was room for flexibility here. But the flexibility existed within the confines of a spiritually beneficial, organized service.
Sadly, almost no Pentecostal or Charismatic groups today operate within these guidelines. Personally, I don’t believe that the gift is in operation at all. But if God were to give someone the gift of tongues, it would have to be exercised within the confines of biblical revelation so that the church would be built up and God glorified. And if this were clearly happening, I could not argue with a fellow believer.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
1 Corinthians 14:23-25
"If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your minds? But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you."
Chaotic, disorganized gatherings do not cause people to praise God. Unbelievers who are exposed to confusing situations where truth is not clearly proclaimed do not benefit from them. If an unbeliever comes into a Christian congregation and sees Christians all speaking in different foreign languages, he will not attribute the tongues speaking to the gifting of the Holy Spirit. He will attribute it to foolishness at best and insanity at worst.
Unbelievers need to be confronted with truth. They need to hear about God’s greatness and of their standing before this great God. The secrets of each individual's heart need to be disclosed. Perhaps the exposing of a person’s heart referred to the supernatural exposure of particular hidden sins in the unbeliever’s heart to himself or others, or perhaps the exposing of a person’s heart referred to him understanding for the first time the universal, biblical truths about man’s heart.
Either way, when a tender-hearted man hears truth from God, he will recognize that he is a condemned sinner in need of a savior. And he will fall on his face, worshiping God and turning from his sin.
Chaotic, disorganized gatherings do not cause people to praise God. Unbelievers who are exposed to confusing situations where truth is not clearly proclaimed do not benefit from them. If an unbeliever comes into a Christian congregation and sees Christians all speaking in different foreign languages, he will not attribute the tongues speaking to the gifting of the Holy Spirit. He will attribute it to foolishness at best and insanity at worst.
Unbelievers need to be confronted with truth. They need to hear about God’s greatness and of their standing before this great God. The secrets of each individual's heart need to be disclosed. Perhaps the exposing of a person’s heart referred to the supernatural exposure of particular hidden sins in the unbeliever’s heart to himself or others, or perhaps the exposing of a person’s heart referred to him understanding for the first time the universal, biblical truths about man’s heart.
Either way, when a tender-hearted man hears truth from God, he will recognize that he is a condemned sinner in need of a savior. And he will fall on his face, worshiping God and turning from his sin.
Monday, July 7, 2008
1 Corinthians 14:21-22
"In the Law it is written, 'By people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.' Thus tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is a sign not for unbelievers but for believers."
The gift of tongues is a sign for unbelievers that works two ways. In Acts, the gift helped lead many to salvation (see Acts 2). However, tongues is not a sign that universally leads unbelievers to repentance. Sadly, it is most often a sign of judgment. Despite the privilege of seeing this miraculous sign from God, most still chose to not believe.
The primary intent of the gift of tongues was never to encourage believers or to help them pray to God in a secret prayer language. The gift of tongues is a gift for the merciful condemnation of unbelievers. I say merciful because the sign ought to have lead to their conversion (and sometimes did), but it was a condemnation because most rejected the sign.
The sign of prophecy (forth-telling and foretelling), on the other hand, was a gift for believers. Believers are called to maturity of understanding. To gain that maturity, God has ordained the sharing of His truth. In the first century, prophecy (the sharing of truth from God) involved the expositing (thoroughly explaining the text in light of itself) of the Old Testament, the expositing of the ever growing New Testament, and direct revelation from God. Today, now that the Bible is complete, direct revelation is no longer necessary for our growth and maturity, but the gift of prophecy continues to be a sign for believers as they continue to learn from the exposition of the Old and New Testaments.
The gift of tongues is a sign for unbelievers that works two ways. In Acts, the gift helped lead many to salvation (see Acts 2). However, tongues is not a sign that universally leads unbelievers to repentance. Sadly, it is most often a sign of judgment. Despite the privilege of seeing this miraculous sign from God, most still chose to not believe.
The primary intent of the gift of tongues was never to encourage believers or to help them pray to God in a secret prayer language. The gift of tongues is a gift for the merciful condemnation of unbelievers. I say merciful because the sign ought to have lead to their conversion (and sometimes did), but it was a condemnation because most rejected the sign.
The sign of prophecy (forth-telling and foretelling), on the other hand, was a gift for believers. Believers are called to maturity of understanding. To gain that maturity, God has ordained the sharing of His truth. In the first century, prophecy (the sharing of truth from God) involved the expositing (thoroughly explaining the text in light of itself) of the Old Testament, the expositing of the ever growing New Testament, and direct revelation from God. Today, now that the Bible is complete, direct revelation is no longer necessary for our growth and maturity, but the gift of prophecy continues to be a sign for believers as they continue to learn from the exposition of the Old and New Testaments.
1 Corinthians 14:20
"Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature."
God calls believers to maturity. We treat adults and babies very differently. When I was a baby I was nursed and changed constantly. I did nothing for myself. But as an adult, I'm now expected to feed myself, clothe myself, work for my housing etc. Likewise, in spiritual adulthood, we should be able to feed ourselves. We should not expect to be bottle fed. We can't just depend on others to tell us what to think about God's Word. We must work to read God's Word for ourselves and actively let it make our thinking spiritually mature. We should think maturely, and when we worship, we should worship with our minds engaged.
Paradoxically, part of being a mature believer is becoming an infant in matters of evil. God calls believers to innocence. With regards to the experience of evil, we should be as ignorant as newborns. We should not seek to feel what sin is like. Contrary to our responsibility to understand God’s word/truth to the fullest of our abilities, we should seek to know as little as possible of sin experientially. Experts on counterfeit money do not study counterfeit bills. Instead they become so intimately familiar with true bills, that when presented with a fake they can identify it immediately. As believers we should seek after holiness so diligently, that when presented with the deceptive nature of sin we can immediately recognize and reject it, even though experientially, we know nothing of it.
God calls believers to maturity. We treat adults and babies very differently. When I was a baby I was nursed and changed constantly. I did nothing for myself. But as an adult, I'm now expected to feed myself, clothe myself, work for my housing etc. Likewise, in spiritual adulthood, we should be able to feed ourselves. We should not expect to be bottle fed. We can't just depend on others to tell us what to think about God's Word. We must work to read God's Word for ourselves and actively let it make our thinking spiritually mature. We should think maturely, and when we worship, we should worship with our minds engaged.
Paradoxically, part of being a mature believer is becoming an infant in matters of evil. God calls believers to innocence. With regards to the experience of evil, we should be as ignorant as newborns. We should not seek to feel what sin is like. Contrary to our responsibility to understand God’s word/truth to the fullest of our abilities, we should seek to know as little as possible of sin experientially. Experts on counterfeit money do not study counterfeit bills. Instead they become so intimately familiar with true bills, that when presented with a fake they can identify it immediately. As believers we should seek after holiness so diligently, that when presented with the deceptive nature of sin we can immediately recognize and reject it, even though experientially, we know nothing of it.
Friday, July 4, 2008
1 Corinthians 14:16-19
"Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say “Amen” to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying? For you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up. I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue."
The blessings that God gives us should not stop with us. We should allow His blessings to flow through us to others thereby maximizing the glory that He receives for His gracious acts in our lives. If you were to tell me an exiting story of God’s goodness in your life, you would need to speak to me in English, if you want me to thank God with you. Otherwise, your words are completely lost on me, and I am not encouraged by your testimony at all.
This is not to say that the gift of tongues was worthless. Paul spoke in tongues and was glad for the gift. But he recognized its place—that it needed to be interpreted. If the unknown spoken language was not interpretable, Paul spoke in a language that could be understood by the hearers.
Five understandable words spoken to you, such as “God’s Son died for you,” are better than a thousand words that seem to be nonsense to you. For example: Οὕτως γὰρ ἠγάπησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν κόσμον, ὥστε τὸν υἱὸν τὸν μονογενῆ ἔδωκεν, ἵνα πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων εἰς αὐτὸν μὴ ἀπόληται ἀλλ' ἔχῃ ζωὴν αἰώνιον. Unless you know Koine Greek, the previous sentence is meaningless. But translate it, and you will know it to be John 3:16. The problem is not with the words but with the need for understanding.
The blessings that God gives us should not stop with us. We should allow His blessings to flow through us to others thereby maximizing the glory that He receives for His gracious acts in our lives. If you were to tell me an exiting story of God’s goodness in your life, you would need to speak to me in English, if you want me to thank God with you. Otherwise, your words are completely lost on me, and I am not encouraged by your testimony at all.
This is not to say that the gift of tongues was worthless. Paul spoke in tongues and was glad for the gift. But he recognized its place—that it needed to be interpreted. If the unknown spoken language was not interpretable, Paul spoke in a language that could be understood by the hearers.
Five understandable words spoken to you, such as “God’s Son died for you,” are better than a thousand words that seem to be nonsense to you. For example: Οὕτως γὰρ ἠγάπησεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν κόσμον, ὥστε τὸν υἱὸν τὸν μονογενῆ ἔδωκεν, ἵνα πᾶς ὁ πιστεύων εἰς αὐτὸν μὴ ἀπόληται ἀλλ' ἔχῃ ζωὴν αἰώνιον. Unless you know Koine Greek, the previous sentence is meaningless. But translate it, and you will know it to be John 3:16. The problem is not with the words but with the need for understanding.
1 Corinthians 14:13-15
"Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray for the power to interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also."
The Corinthian believers who were blessed with the gift of tongues could not use the gift however they pleased. If they were going to speak in tongues, they needed to have an interpreter. It wasn’t enough to be blessed by God. They needed to let God’s gift to them keep on blessing others by using it in the right way so others could understand what they were saying.
We need to do the right things, the right way, for the right reasons. We cannot put our brains on autopilot during prayer. We need to engage our minds and emotions when addressing the King of the Universe. When we pray and when we sing (which Luther referred to as type of prayer), we need to worship in a self-aware, God-aware understanding thankfulness. This will bring us and others closer to God.
The Corinthian believers who were blessed with the gift of tongues could not use the gift however they pleased. If they were going to speak in tongues, they needed to have an interpreter. It wasn’t enough to be blessed by God. They needed to let God’s gift to them keep on blessing others by using it in the right way so others could understand what they were saying.
We need to do the right things, the right way, for the right reasons. We cannot put our brains on autopilot during prayer. We need to engage our minds and emotions when addressing the King of the Universe. When we pray and when we sing (which Luther referred to as type of prayer), we need to worship in a self-aware, God-aware understanding thankfulness. This will bring us and others closer to God.
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