But all things should be done decently and in order.

 1 Corinthians 14

But all things should be done decently and in order. 1 Corinthians 14:40

I resume my study of 1 Corinthians, moving on to an assisted review of 1 Corinthians 14 using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary volume for this book.  From the commentary for this text:

Main idea: "The gift of tongues comes with a reminder that the most important thing about all spiritual gifts is not the experience of a gift but the effectiveness of the gift." 

Key excerpts from the introduction: 

• "No biblical subject, in fact, has caused more consternation, fueled more debates, ignited more arguments, or divided more churches, perhaps, than the subject that is likely properly termed glossolalia. The difficulty is immediately signaled when one realizes that, unlike in the case of any other spiritual gift, one entire chapter of the New Testament is devoted to discussing it."
• "...[B]elievers should not be opposed to enthusiasm and excitement in worship. Certainly it would be great for all of our churches if people were more participative in worship and not less. Sadly, some of what may be seen as excesses in worship are perhaps a reaction to the dead formalism we have in many churches today." 
• ...[T]he exercise of any spiritual gift should always be for the glorification of God, the edification of the church, and (ultimately) the evangelization of the lost." 
  

Divisions from the commentary:

1. Determine the Meaning of the Gift (14:1-25):"If spiritual gifts are not clothed in love, those exercising them are in effect naked and should be ashamed....[the spiritual gift of speaking in tongues] always refers to a foreign language, an earthly language that is spoken by some group or nation on this earth....speaking in tongues [is] a gift of speaking in a foreign language that is totally unknown to the one who is speaking and to some who may be hearing. This is what we find in the very first occurrence of the gift in the book of Acts....When the gift of tongues stands alone without interpretation, it is unintelligible and only benefits the speaker, but prophecy builds up the church[.]...235). It should be noted immediately that there is something unique about tongues: it is the only gift that needs a corollary spiritual gift to complete its function as a gift. Tongues can neither edify the church, glorify God in the greatest sense, nor evangelize the lost unless there is understanding....Simply but strongly put, when believers come together for both personal and corporate worship, understanding and intelligibility should rule the day. The ultimate goal, after all, is the edification of the church....Whether for the benefit of believers or unbelievers, prophecy should always be first in line over tongues. Any spiritual gift that puts a barrier between unbelievers and God rather than a bridge is simply out of place....It cannot be stated strongly enough, in fact, that the most important aspect of any spiritual gift is not the personal experience of the gift but the spiritual effect of the gift. Any gift falls short of its God-intended function if it does not edify the believer and help evangelize the unbeliever. One cannot deny the plain teaching in this passage that prophecy—speaking plain truth from God—is a powerful tool for evangelism, but tongues, if uninterpretable, is a hindrance to making the gospel clear[.]"   
   
2. Describe the Ministry of the Gift (14:7-9,12,14-15,19,22): "Every verbal spiritual gift—whether it is prophecy, teaching, exhortation, or speaking in tongues—should communicate truth that correlates with the Word of God....The gift of speaking in tongues is not so much to communicate to God but to communicate for God....speaking in tongues is primarily a missionary gift. It was a gift that God gave and that God can still give so that people around the world can hear the gospel in their own languages. With current technology a gift like this is less necessary than it once was, but it can still be useful in certain parts of the world....It cannot be overemphasized that spiritual gifts are not gifts primarily for our enjoyment but for God’s employment. They are a means to an end: teaching biblical truth to believers and reaching unbelievers with the gospel."
   
3. Direct the Management of the Gift (14:26-40): "Whatever you believe about [speaking in tongues], it is a legitimate biblical spiritual gift. Though we should not denounce the use of the gift, we must direct the management of it....Speaking in tongues and interpretation are joined at the hip, and in a public assembly they are never to be used apart from one another. A speaker should not exercise the gift unless there is someone to interpret the tongues; sometimes the one speaking in tongues can interpret.
   

"Every gift must be exercised in a way that is fitting and orderly, ultimately meeting all three criteria of glorying God, edifying the church, and evangelizing the lost. The goal for all the gifts is to strengthen and build up the church."

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who gives all believers spiritual gifts and allocates them in such a way that we are knit together to form a unified body working together and supporting one another.  Thank You Jesus for my brothers and sisters in Christ who support me.  I am not deserving of such blessings.  My sin is great and it continues...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.