1 Corinthians 14:23-25So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and inquirers or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind? 24 But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, 25 as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!”
Have you ever tried to watch a foreign film without English subtitles? I find the Japanese or Korean the most difficult to follow, but I can still usually get the general plot. But the TV dramas are very funny, but very difficult to understand. They are a totally different way of thinking about entertaining an audience. And the game shows! Wow!
Language is a wonderful uniter, and a devastating divider. When the LORD confused the languages back near the beginning of humanity’s time here on Earth, it changed the way everyone thinks and experiences life. We don’t often recognize the differences, since we are saturated with one culture.
Something happened in the early church that baffles some people today. The Holy Spirit enabled believers to speak in languages they had never learned. This had become part of the church culture there in the city of Corinth. But there was a problem.
When they would gather, this supernatural phenomenon became the center of worship. Too many people were giving messages in these unknown languages. Chaos ensued. There had to be some order, so that the mission of the Church would be fulfilled.
So Paul presents his case. He tells these Christians that prophecy, speaking forth the words and works of God, was better than speaking in the unknown languages, unless someone could tell everyone what was being said in a known language. Paul makes his case by presenting an example.
His example is this. If everyone, and this is the important point of his case, if everyone talks at the same time, confusion happens. This is especially true if everyone speaks at the same time in these unknown languages. Visitors to the gatherings won’t understand anything that is happening, since they are in unknown languages.
By contrast, if everyone prophesies at the same time, they hear the Gospel presented and are convicted. But even then, there is some confusion. This is the reason Paul continues and brings instructions about taking turns. One person at a time, please!
It would be chaos in our own services, or schools, or homes, if everyone spoke at the same time. Being a grandfather and seeing my seven grandchildren regularly, it can get very noisy if everyone is speaking at the same time. I can’t understand any of them when that happens. I just have to say, “One at a time!” That makes it much better for everyone.
Schools have kids raise their hands for permission to talk. Church gives a microphone to the person who is charged with speaking at that moment. Newscasters take turns.
Paul wants the most bang for the buck, one person speaking at a time. Everyone speaking at the same time just doesn’t cut it. Speaking in these unknown languages (tongues) is OK, but it must be done one at a time, and someone must be there to interpret. This requires two people to be ready to respond to the Spirit’s prompting, one to speak and the other to interpret. Or perhaps, one person doing both.
But one speaker at a time. No chaos. Decently and in order.
The Arnold Journey 