With Elder Elico Manenji
✝️ The Appstle's teaching about the variety of spiritual gifts and the importance of love was because of the problem that had arisen in the Corinthian church concerning the gift of tongues. He says, however, the gift is allowable but prophecy is more preferable. For prophets speak to all and so build up the whole church but those who speak in tongues speak to God and not to their fellow worshippers so in order to benefit the Church there need to be an interpretor or else they should shut up. The Apostle makes an illustration saying, the purpose of playing a musical instrument is to get a tune out of it not to make a meaningless noise. Then he gives
the general guiding rule that everything is to be done in order and is to be spiritually helpful and beneficial. The prophets, the tongues speakers and their interpreters must keep control of themselves and make sure that everything is orderly and of value to the hearers. So he urges women too, to remain orderly and not compete with men though they may speak but not in open arguments with men but were necessary should ask for clarification from.their husbands at home.
*1️⃣ 1 Corinthians 14:1-25: Gift of prophecy is more preferable than of tongues.*
⏹️ Paul first directs the Corinthian Church to seek for charity. He then commends them to desire spiritual endowments especially to desire prophecy instead of speaking foreign languages.
⏫Prophecy has an advantage of being understood by people and edifies the church than the use of tongues which would produce embarrassment and confusion in the Church.
⏭️The real use of speaking in foreign languages was to be a sign to unbelievers, an evidence that the religion was from God but should.not be used to those who are already believers. The Apostle says, the whole purpose of worship is *"For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ"(Ephesians 4:12).*
⏹️Worship in which there is no understanding is not beneficial as playing music instruments without a tune is confusing. Playing musical instruments without words do not create harmony,, it becomes meaningful only when words are added to the song being played, so should be worship produce harmony amongst the hearers and listeners. The Lord said, *"And if you go to war in your land against the enemy that oppresses you, then you shall blow an alarm with the trumpets; and you shall be remembered before the LORD your God, and you shall be saved from your enemies"(Numbers 10:9).*
⏭️If lifeless things such as musical instruments are made to play meaningful sounds and tunes what more of humans with intelligence, if the trumpet sound is uncertain to the hearers, how shall they prepare and be ready for an event or occasion. The prophet Isaiah says, *"And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and the outcasts in the land of Egypt, and shall worship the LORD in the holy mount at Jerusalem"(Isaiah 27:13).*
⏭️ The trumpet is the emblem of the Gospel whose use is to gather souls to Christ, to direct saints in their journeying, and to prepare and animate them for battle, with their spiritual enemies. The gospel should give a certain distinct sound, clearly heard should be the sound of love, grace, and mercy, to the sons of men, through a bleeding Saviour who was crucified to offer salvation, peace and pardon by his blood for our justification by his righteousness and atonement by His sacrifice. The Apostle says, Jesus said, *"We have piped to you, and you have not danced; we have mourned to you, and you have not lamented"(Matthew 11:17).*
The prophet Amos says, *" Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the LORD has not done it?"(Amos 3:6).*
*2️⃣1 Corinthians 13:26 - 40: All things should be done in order to benefit the body of Christ.*
⏹️Christian worship should be accompanied with singing, teaching and prayer. The main objective being mutual edification, instruction in the Word of truth and comfort of the Holy Spirit. The wiseman says, *"Apply your heart to instruction, and your ears to the words of knowledge...Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding"(Proverbs 23:12, 23).*
⏭️Christian worship requires order, attention, peace of mind and duty and propriety and decorum during worship. Christian worship should be under the spirit of self-control, humility, submission to God’s Word, desire for the Word and reverence to both God and men during worship services.
⏹️Worship is corded, first is the psalm/hymn of gladness of life, so let your voice rise, the swell of your praise, the sob of your confession, of your grief should be to the throne of God. The Psalmist says, *"Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name"(Psalm 103:1).*
⏫Second cord is the doctrine. doctrine. As there is a psalm of life so there is a doctrine of life. Mankind are the feet as well as wings of the Gospel to reach others, this is the practical aspect of Christian truth and Christian fellowship. The prophet Isaiah says, *"How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of him that brings good tidings, that publishes peace; that brings good tidings of good, that publishes salvation; that said to Zion, Your God reigns! "(Isaiah 52:7).*
The Apostle Paul says, *"And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!"(Romans 10:15).*
⏭️The third cord are tongues, tongue or language that is the accent is the soul. The wiseman says, *"A merry heart does good like a medicine: but a broken spirit dries the bones"(Proverbs 17:22).*
*"The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth" (Proverbs 10:20).*
The Apostle James says, *"If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridles not his tongue, but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is vain"(James 1:26).*
The fourth cord is revelation and interpretation which is the consolation of hope. Every Christian has had his own satisfying vision, his revelation and interpretation of hope, this is the testimony of their life. The Apostle Paul said that it pleased God, *"To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood"(Galatians 1:16).*
⏹️God is a God of order and author of confusion. His religion cannot tend to produce disorder, He is the God of peace and His religion will tend to promote order, calm and thoughtfulness, so as some speak, others should listen and give opportunity or turns for others to speak also. The Apostle says, *"And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ"(1 Thessalonians 5:23).*
*🅰️Appeal*
Though the Apostle say women should be silent in church, he means that there should not be given to arguments, they may speak, pray and prophecy without arguing for the sake of order in the church and home. The Apostle Peter says, *"Likewise, you wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives"(1Peter 3:1).*
Elico Manenji
(+263712952704)
No comments:
Write comments