1 Corinthians 14:1-19

Since you also long for spiritual things, in order to build up the church

 

(1 Corinthians 14:1-19) Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church. I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying. Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine? And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped? For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air. There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification. Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me. Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church. Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest? For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified. I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all: Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.

 

Most churchgoers think of tongues as a special language received from God as a result of longing for spiritual things. Before Jesus was resurrected and ascended into heaven, he told his disciples not to leave Jerusalem and wait for his Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit came upon the disciples of Jesus in Mark's upper room on the day of Pentecost. And the disciples began to speak languages ​​other than Hebrew. At that time, the Diasporas from various countries such as the Badaeans, Medes, Elamites, Mesopotamians, and Cappadocians who gathered in Jerusalem to observe the Day of Pentecost were miraculous had witnessed the sight. Jesus' disciples are from Galilee, how do they speak foreign languages? Tongues means foreign language. These are words that are difficult for others to understand. It is different from the dialects people think of in the church today, because speaking to people about the Spirit is as difficult as hearing a foreign language. That is why an interpreter (one who explains in detail) is needed.

『Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. .』

When people talk about spirit, no one understands. So, speaking of God in the spirit. In the kingdom of God, the spirits sinned against God, thinking that they could become like God without God. A dialect is a foreign language. When one speaks to others about the Spirit, no one understands it as if it were spoken in a foreign language. God raises the Spirit of God to those who repent. So, the spirit communicates with the Holy Spirit.

However, when we talk about the Spirit like this, no one understands, so someone needs an interpreter. As two or three people explain the Spirit in a complementary way, we can understand the Spirit. Regarding tongues (speaking of the Spirit) and prophecy (the revelation of Jesus Christ), it is difficult for the church to speak only about the kingdom of God without talking about the revelation of Jesus Christ. Because the revelation of Jesus Christ is the story of salvation. The Bible says that tongues and prophecies, that is, the kingdom of God and the revelation of Christ, must be told together. Because, speaking of one side, it is considered dissonant when playing an instrument.

『I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. 』The Bible says that those who speak in tongues, that is, the spirit, must have certain faith in the spirit in their heart. The spirit that is related to you is a spirit that has sinned in the kingdom of God, and is locked up in the body, and you must have a heart to repent to God and return to the kingdom of God. Repentance is the desire to become like God (the old man) and die on the cross with Jesus Christ.

People do not want to believe what happened in the kingdom of God. However, it is rather helpful for him to preach about the predestination of Jesus Christ, that is, that God Himself came into this world, died on the cross to save the spirits imprisoned in the flesh, and rose as a spirit body, so that everyone who believes in Him may be saved. will be. However, if a believer does not know about things of the Spirit such as tongues, he will not be able to understand the true will of God.

Praying to God for the Spirit is personal edification. Because in order to receive the salvation of the spirit, the saints must know why humans exist in this world. However, prophecy means that Jesus Christ came to this world, died on the cross, and was resurrected, and everyone who enters into Christ believes in the resurrection with Jesus Christ. To enter into Christ, a believer must be buried with Jesus Christ, who died on the cross.

Like tongues, speaking of the Spirit and prophecy are inseparable. Because speaking in tongues is a story of the Spirit, and prophecy is a story of Jesus Christ. The spirit is for the edification of the individual, and the prophecy is for the edification of the church. God is talking about the spirit, but the people of the church are interested in the flesh. Jesus said in John 6:63, “It is the Spirit that gives life; the flesh is of no avail.” But the people of the church do not know about the Spirit, but they do not care. Speaking of spirits, they are being treated like foreigners. The story of the Spirit speaking to them is only heard in a foreign language (tongue).

『if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine? .』 If the spiritual story is understood, the saints can also understand the predestination of Christ. That is why the story of the Spirit and the story of prophecy must be told at the same time. But the reality is that it is not.