How Desiring Style over Substance Results in a Lack of Order...

This week, we are looking at a section of a letter written by a man named Paul that reveals for us four results that occur when we abuse spiritual gifts by desiring style over substance in spiritual gifts. After revealing that style over substance results in spiritual immaturity, a lack of profit for others,and a hindering of the kigdom mission we have been given, Paul applies these three timeless principles to what was occurring during corporate worship at the church.

And in this application, we see a fourth result that occurs when we desire style over substance when it comes to spiritual gifts. We see this in 1 Corinthians 14:26-34:

What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. If anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn, and one must interpret; but if there is no interpreter, he must keep silent in the church; and let him speak to himself and to God. Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment. But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, the first one must keep silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted; and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets; for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.

Paul begins by literally asking “What then? What should you do to apply this?” Paul then answers this question with a very specific application. Paul explains that during times of corporate worship, whether it is during times of corporate singing, corporate prayer, or during the sermon, all aspects of the corporate worship is to be focused on the spiritual good and growth of others. And to achieve that goal, Paul provides several timeless principles of application.

To understand what Paul was communicating here, we first must understand what church looked like in Paul’s day. Now when one attended a church service in Corinth, what would happen is that after a time of corporate singing and prayer, people in the church would stand up and speak, sharing either their testimonies or messages that they heard from other Christians. Some would even exercise spiritual gifts that involved the public communication of new verbal messages from God. It is important to understand that they did not have what we have today as the Bible; the New Testament was still being written.

With this culture of oral sharing and the time of testimonies and messages from God, there would be a need for people of spiritual maturity and authority to keep order and accuracy in the services. These church leaders, known as elders, would evaluate and judge what was being said as to its accuracy with the truth of the gospel message. Then an elder would speak or even read a letter that the church may have received from Paul or Peter, for example.

With this context of corporate worship in mind, Paul explains that if anyone exercised the spiritual gift of speaking in tongues, that there were to be two or three at most and that there must be a person present who had the spiritual gift of interpreting of tongues so that this new verbal revelation from God would be able to be clearly understood. Paul then states that if there was no one there who possessed the gift of interpretation that the person was not allowed to exercise the gift of tongues but was to stay silent.

Paul then transitions from the spiritual gift of tongues to the spiritual gift of prophecy. Paul states that only two or three prophets were to speak in the main worship gathering and let others pass judgment. The others that Paul is referring to are the Elders, who were the leadership within the church responsible to evaluate the exercising of the spiritual gifts to ensure their accuracy to the message and teachings of Jesus. Paul then explains if a second prophet exercises their spiritual gift, the previous prophet was not to respond to what was said, because the spiritual prophetic gifts are subject to the prophets in whom the Holy Spirit dwells.

Paul then makes a statement that reveals for us a fourth result that can occur when we desire style over substance in spiritual gifts: “for God is not a God of confusion but of peace”. What is interesting is that this word confusion, in the language that this was originally written in literally means to be opposed to authority. When Paul talks about peace, he is referring to a state of good order that results from harmonious relationships.

And here we see the reality that desiring style over substance leads to a lack of order. When we are driven by style over substance in spiritual gifts, we can end up wanting to exercise our spiritual gift in a way that puts the focus on us and opposes authority as we end up in competition with one another. And this leads to a lack of order in corporate worship.

Paul then applies this pprinciple to a situation that was occurring in the church at Corinth, which we will look at tomorrow.

How do you use your spiritual gifts? Is the exercise of your spiritual gifts leading to a lack of order in corporate worship? Or is the exercise of your spiritual gifts rresulting in the spiritual good and growth of others?