Order In the Church
-17-
Chapter 14:26-40
From what we have gleaned in our Corinthian study (and supplying information from other parts of the New Testament) allow me to give you a mental picture of a 'normal' church of two thousand years ago.
As we have said, the church in any given city met in small groups, typically homes. As each house group grew in number, they could split in two when the group became too large. This also could depend on whether there would be an elder, trained and available, to lead the new group.
A house group might hold as many as 30 adults.
A typical church service would have these elements:
Lets expand a bit on each one. Worship. Paul taught believers to …
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your heart to the Lord. Colossians 3:16
Worship: They did not have worship teams. They may or may not have had a musical instrument to accompany the singing.
Prophecy:They had messages from God. These were called prophecies.
Teaching:They had the gift of teaching … this was useful to extract truth from the old Testament.
Tongues: They had messages from God in the form of foreign languages, provided there were a interpreters present. All of these were included in a service on a 'shared' and probably not on a 'pre-planned' basis.
They met at least once a week and possibly had communion at each service. Each group would have a leader, known as an Elder, and they likely had at least one additional Elder in training. The Church in the city (all the house groups combined) had a pastor who was the general overseer of the church in the city. Whether this pastor had his own 'home-group' or not is hard to know. His main task would be to meet with all the elders regularly, find out how things are going, have a prayer and study time with them, and secondly, perhaps to just circulate among the various groups. Periodically when all of the groups would have a combined service in a rented facility, likely it would be led by the main pastor.
As we continue our study of First Corinthians, we come to a section that deals specifically with order in a church meeting.
The last verse of this chapter, (40) says, Let all things be done decently and in order.
Paul begins by listing some of the elements that were included in most church services. (verse 26)
He lists, a Psalm, a Teaching, a Revelation, a message in a foreign language (provided there was an interpretation) and says that all together must be for the purpose of 'building up'. What does building up mean? Not flattery, but sincere encouraging. Promises from God are very encouraging. Reminders of heaven are very encouraging. Answers regarding how to do something in our service to God can be very encouraging. We always should be able to walk out of church feeling encouraged, bolder and with a sense of purpose, and a knowledge that we are all in this together.
Church services should not be 'monopolized' by one or two individuals. Does that ever happen?
Let's read from verse 27 to 33.
If any man speaks in another language, let it be two, or at the most three, and in turn; and let one interpret. 1Co 14:27
It is customary these days to start at 10:30 and try to be all done by 12:00. We are formally tied to the clock and our order of service. This is one of the negatives to 'doing church' in Canada or the 'free world'. A very large part of the church of today meets in secret. Their services are quite informal. The sense of unity and closeness is treasured. The length of a service is governed by what is being shared and received rather than by watching a clock.
But even in the 'informal' atmosphere of a house-church, Paul is saying, There must be order.
Two or at the most, three persons giving a message from God in a foreign language, and then only if there was someone to interpret. As I mentioned in the previous study, (14:13) the person speaking in the foreign language also had to have the ability to interpret. This was to verify that what the interpreter said was authentic and accurate. How long was each message and interpretation? We really don't have any way of knowing.
Prophecies were to be handled exactly the same … that is, no more than three. (29)
I can imagine some protest coming from any of us that have spent time in a more charismatic environment. I have heard arguments that "You cannot put a stop to what God is saying. That would be quenching the Spirit"1.
But clearly Paul is teaching us that the gifts God has given to us cannot be put on 'automatic'. They must be controlled. He says that we learn when we hear messages 'one at a time'. And that is the purpose … learning. The purpose is never to 'exercise my gift'.
Verse 32 clearly says that gifts are to be kept under control.
When gifts operate uncontrolled, very little learning takes place. It becomes a time to focus on emotional experience. The more emotional it gets, the greater value gets put on the service. We go home saying, God REALLY moved in the service today. What was learned? Possibly nothing. Aside from the emotion, what was there? Was there confusion and noise? Paul says, "Guess what? That was not God. That was a bunch of God's children acting like children and simply playing with their gifts." He has been emphasizing that we grow up and mature.
Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults. 1Co 14:20
God is the author of the opposite of confusion … peace.
Speaking of doing all things 'decently and in order' (verse 40), Paul once again brings up the male – female thing.
Lets read from 34 to 40.
Let your wives keep silent in the assemblies, for it has not been permitted for them to speak; but let them be in subjection, as the law also says. If they want to enquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.
Paul has in mind women who would be opposing, argumentative, arrogant, finding fault, disputing. These would be women who did not have the background of Jewish believers. These would be gentile women who have grown up under the influence of modern Corinth. They had their own version of Women's lib2.
Does this contradict what Paul said in 1Co 11:5? And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonours her head—it is just as though her head were shaved.
In this case women were not told to be silent in church. But rather, they were told not to dress or appear as a male when they are speaking. The fact that God gifted women as well as men comes from Joel.
"And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. Joe 2:28,29
Orderliness in a church service, first has to do with using ones gift in an orderly fashion, and secondly had to do with impromptu or offhand remarks from the congregation. In particular Paul zeroes in on how disorderly it appeared for a woman to be questioning something being done or said in a church meeting, and appearing to be the 'head of the home'. This amounted to embarrassing her husband publicly and not showing him the respect that was due him.
Are there exceptions to this? Possibly. But, are we at liberty to think that, because we are living in a different time and culture, if a woman were to differ vocally with a teaching that is being given, and if she were to differ vocally with her husbands view on the subject … that in our day and time this is OK? Paul answers this in verse 36. To differ with what he has said, his comment would be, “What? … So now you are writing your own bibles?!” “You just got own special word from God on the subject? Not!”
In verse 37 … He summarizes by saying “Any of you with the gift of prophecy … or any other spiritual gift … be very careful here … because what I am telling you is directly from God. Do you insist that you are right? No, you are just being ignorant.”
So after all of this (which may have sounded somewhat negative) Paul leaves this subject with
We leave this chapter having learned what is the expected behavior of participants in the church. We have noted that God gifts people and may do so as they request and desire. We have been told, that even though these are gifts from the Holy Spirit, the recipient is in charge of the gift and it is up to him or her to use it responsibly and in an orderly fashion. We have been advised that these gifts are for the church's benefit; to empower her 'out in the field', to eliminate any barrier or restriction that could otherwise limit outreach and evangelism. We have just read that the proper use of the gifts within a church service are for the purpose of building up and strengthening the body of Christ, and individual members of the body in particular. In the previous chapter we learned that as a gift had fulfilled its purpose and was no longer needed, it would die out and disappear. Specifically, when God's New Testament word would become complete, any of the gifts that involved receiving God's word would be superseded or replaced by his written word.
So what does order in the church look like for us in this age? In house churches around the world, especially in areas where Christianity is persecuted and outlawed, Paul's instructions about orderly behavior fit fairly well, but would have to be adjusted a bit. Instead of a 'prophet' having had a 'message' suddenly implanted into his spirit, it becomes more a matter of God revealing a particular scripture so a person and the person sharing it in the meeting. No more than three … and one at a time.
In North America and other areas of the world where Christianity is not outlawed, churches have evolved into the idea that bigger is better and have created services that are very much an audience-performer arrangement. Because of the logistics (size) we do not allow for someone to come forward with a scripture that God laid on his heart. We follow a precise program. So, we do things decently and in order, but in so doing we may be losing some very special 'words from God' that have been laid clearly on someones heart.
In a 'bigger' setting, the church service that Paul describes looks very different. Perhaps a good verse to guide us is Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy——meditate on these things.
Paul will next turn to some incredible aspects of the gospel in chapter 15. This will be quite a change in what we have been talking about the last little while … but even so … Paul is still 'tuning up' the Corinthian church. Only now it has to do with some essential elements of our Christian faith.
1 Don’t quench the Spirit. Don’t despise prophesies. 1Th 5:19,20
2 To Corinthianize was a term synonymous among the ancients with licentiousness. So common was this at Corinth, that, as we have seen, not less than a thousand prostitutes were supported in a single temple there; and the city was visited by vast multitudes of foreigners, among other reasons on account of its facilities for this sin. Christians, therefore, were in a peculiar manner exposed to it; and hence the anxiety of the apostle to warn them against it. (Barnes New Testament Notes)
As we have said, the church in any given city met in small groups, typically homes. As each house group grew in number, they could split in two when the group became too large. This also could depend on whether there would be an elder, trained and available, to lead the new group.
A house group might hold as many as 30 adults.
A typical church service would have these elements:
- worship
- sharing
- message(s) from God
- Teaching.
Lets expand a bit on each one. Worship. Paul taught believers to …
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your heart to the Lord. Colossians 3:16
Worship: They did not have worship teams. They may or may not have had a musical instrument to accompany the singing.
Prophecy:They had messages from God. These were called prophecies.
Teaching:They had the gift of teaching … this was useful to extract truth from the old Testament.
Tongues: They had messages from God in the form of foreign languages, provided there were a interpreters present. All of these were included in a service on a 'shared' and probably not on a 'pre-planned' basis.
They met at least once a week and possibly had communion at each service. Each group would have a leader, known as an Elder, and they likely had at least one additional Elder in training. The Church in the city (all the house groups combined) had a pastor who was the general overseer of the church in the city. Whether this pastor had his own 'home-group' or not is hard to know. His main task would be to meet with all the elders regularly, find out how things are going, have a prayer and study time with them, and secondly, perhaps to just circulate among the various groups. Periodically when all of the groups would have a combined service in a rented facility, likely it would be led by the main pastor.
As we continue our study of First Corinthians, we come to a section that deals specifically with order in a church meeting.
The last verse of this chapter, (40) says, Let all things be done decently and in order.
Paul begins by listing some of the elements that were included in most church services. (verse 26)
He lists, a Psalm, a Teaching, a Revelation, a message in a foreign language (provided there was an interpretation) and says that all together must be for the purpose of 'building up'. What does building up mean? Not flattery, but sincere encouraging. Promises from God are very encouraging. Reminders of heaven are very encouraging. Answers regarding how to do something in our service to God can be very encouraging. We always should be able to walk out of church feeling encouraged, bolder and with a sense of purpose, and a knowledge that we are all in this together.
Church services should not be 'monopolized' by one or two individuals. Does that ever happen?
Let's read from verse 27 to 33.
If any man speaks in another language, let it be two, or at the most three, and in turn; and let one interpret. 1Co 14:27
It is customary these days to start at 10:30 and try to be all done by 12:00. We are formally tied to the clock and our order of service. This is one of the negatives to 'doing church' in Canada or the 'free world'. A very large part of the church of today meets in secret. Their services are quite informal. The sense of unity and closeness is treasured. The length of a service is governed by what is being shared and received rather than by watching a clock.
But even in the 'informal' atmosphere of a house-church, Paul is saying, There must be order.
Two or at the most, three persons giving a message from God in a foreign language, and then only if there was someone to interpret. As I mentioned in the previous study, (14:13) the person speaking in the foreign language also had to have the ability to interpret. This was to verify that what the interpreter said was authentic and accurate. How long was each message and interpretation? We really don't have any way of knowing.
Prophecies were to be handled exactly the same … that is, no more than three. (29)
I can imagine some protest coming from any of us that have spent time in a more charismatic environment. I have heard arguments that "You cannot put a stop to what God is saying. That would be quenching the Spirit"1.
But clearly Paul is teaching us that the gifts God has given to us cannot be put on 'automatic'. They must be controlled. He says that we learn when we hear messages 'one at a time'. And that is the purpose … learning. The purpose is never to 'exercise my gift'.
Verse 32 clearly says that gifts are to be kept under control.
When gifts operate uncontrolled, very little learning takes place. It becomes a time to focus on emotional experience. The more emotional it gets, the greater value gets put on the service. We go home saying, God REALLY moved in the service today. What was learned? Possibly nothing. Aside from the emotion, what was there? Was there confusion and noise? Paul says, "Guess what? That was not God. That was a bunch of God's children acting like children and simply playing with their gifts." He has been emphasizing that we grow up and mature.
Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults. 1Co 14:20
God is the author of the opposite of confusion … peace.
Speaking of doing all things 'decently and in order' (verse 40), Paul once again brings up the male – female thing.
Lets read from 34 to 40.
Let your wives keep silent in the assemblies, for it has not been permitted for them to speak; but let them be in subjection, as the law also says. If they want to enquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.
Paul has in mind women who would be opposing, argumentative, arrogant, finding fault, disputing. These would be women who did not have the background of Jewish believers. These would be gentile women who have grown up under the influence of modern Corinth. They had their own version of Women's lib2.
Does this contradict what Paul said in 1Co 11:5? And every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonours her head—it is just as though her head were shaved.
In this case women were not told to be silent in church. But rather, they were told not to dress or appear as a male when they are speaking. The fact that God gifted women as well as men comes from Joel.
"And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. Joe 2:28,29
Orderliness in a church service, first has to do with using ones gift in an orderly fashion, and secondly had to do with impromptu or offhand remarks from the congregation. In particular Paul zeroes in on how disorderly it appeared for a woman to be questioning something being done or said in a church meeting, and appearing to be the 'head of the home'. This amounted to embarrassing her husband publicly and not showing him the respect that was due him.
Are there exceptions to this? Possibly. But, are we at liberty to think that, because we are living in a different time and culture, if a woman were to differ vocally with a teaching that is being given, and if she were to differ vocally with her husbands view on the subject … that in our day and time this is OK? Paul answers this in verse 36. To differ with what he has said, his comment would be, “What? … So now you are writing your own bibles?!” “You just got own special word from God on the subject? Not!”
In verse 37 … He summarizes by saying “Any of you with the gift of prophecy … or any other spiritual gift … be very careful here … because what I am telling you is directly from God. Do you insist that you are right? No, you are just being ignorant.”
So after all of this (which may have sounded somewhat negative) Paul leaves this subject with
- Prophecy is most beneficial for the church
- Tongues when done right is also beneficial, but should not be a first desire.
- But every thing is to be done decently and in order.
We leave this chapter having learned what is the expected behavior of participants in the church. We have noted that God gifts people and may do so as they request and desire. We have been told, that even though these are gifts from the Holy Spirit, the recipient is in charge of the gift and it is up to him or her to use it responsibly and in an orderly fashion. We have been advised that these gifts are for the church's benefit; to empower her 'out in the field', to eliminate any barrier or restriction that could otherwise limit outreach and evangelism. We have just read that the proper use of the gifts within a church service are for the purpose of building up and strengthening the body of Christ, and individual members of the body in particular. In the previous chapter we learned that as a gift had fulfilled its purpose and was no longer needed, it would die out and disappear. Specifically, when God's New Testament word would become complete, any of the gifts that involved receiving God's word would be superseded or replaced by his written word.
So what does order in the church look like for us in this age? In house churches around the world, especially in areas where Christianity is persecuted and outlawed, Paul's instructions about orderly behavior fit fairly well, but would have to be adjusted a bit. Instead of a 'prophet' having had a 'message' suddenly implanted into his spirit, it becomes more a matter of God revealing a particular scripture so a person and the person sharing it in the meeting. No more than three … and one at a time.
In North America and other areas of the world where Christianity is not outlawed, churches have evolved into the idea that bigger is better and have created services that are very much an audience-performer arrangement. Because of the logistics (size) we do not allow for someone to come forward with a scripture that God laid on his heart. We follow a precise program. So, we do things decently and in order, but in so doing we may be losing some very special 'words from God' that have been laid clearly on someones heart.
In a 'bigger' setting, the church service that Paul describes looks very different. Perhaps a good verse to guide us is Philippians 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy——meditate on these things.
Paul will next turn to some incredible aspects of the gospel in chapter 15. This will be quite a change in what we have been talking about the last little while … but even so … Paul is still 'tuning up' the Corinthian church. Only now it has to do with some essential elements of our Christian faith.
1 Don’t quench the Spirit. Don’t despise prophesies. 1Th 5:19,20
2 To Corinthianize was a term synonymous among the ancients with licentiousness. So common was this at Corinth, that, as we have seen, not less than a thousand prostitutes were supported in a single temple there; and the city was visited by vast multitudes of foreigners, among other reasons on account of its facilities for this sin. Christians, therefore, were in a peculiar manner exposed to it; and hence the anxiety of the apostle to warn them against it. (Barnes New Testament Notes)