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Timothy: I Corinthians 14:26-40
Orderly Worship

Dear God, my Beloved Father, I respectfully offer my praise and gratitude to You. You are the Almighty God and my Father in Heaven. I thank You for the laborious yet joyful gardening session that You gave me. I thank You for every new day that You grant me. I thank You for all that You allow to happen in my life, especially for allowing me to be a part of Your Church as a shepherd. I ask Christ to renew me every day, for my body has aged with the years. I ask the Holy Spirit to always lead me into the truth of the Eternal Living Word of God. I thank the Triune God.

Father, I would like to present my reflection on I Corinthians 14:26-40 as follows:

26 How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.

Verse 26: I understand that in the meetings of the Church, where the Word of God is studied and God is worshiped, anyone in the Church is allowed to participate according to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. This participation does not distinguish between gender, age, race, education, social status, or anything else. Anyone can participate in singing praises to God. Anyone can teach the Word of God. Anyone can speak out the mysteries of God, praise, and thank God in other languages, as long as there is someone who interprets for the Church to understand. Anyone can share what God has revealed to them. And anyone who has the gift of interpreting languages participates in translating for those who speak languages that the Church does not know. The main purpose of the meetings of the Church always includes three indispensable aspects: for God’s people to have fellowship with each other, to build each other up, and to worship God together.

27 If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.

28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.

Verses 27 and 28: I understand that in each Church service, no more than three people should speak in another language, and there must be an interpreter. If there is no interpreter, the person who is gifted to speak in another language must be silent. They can speak alone in a language other than God’s, either before or after the Church meeting. But during the Church meeting, they must be silent and united with their brothers and sisters.

29 Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.

30 If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.

Verses 29 and 30: I understand that, although the gift of prophecy is a great blessing to the Church, there should be no more than three prophets speaking in each Church meeting. The prophets should speak in order, and those who hear should weigh carefully what they hear to see if it is in line with God’s Word. If someone is prophesying and another person says that they have just received a revelation from the Lord, the speaking person should stop speaking and let the other person share what God has revealed to them. I understand that a revelation can be either God’s voice speaking directly to someone or a vision that God gives them.

31 For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.

Verse 31: I understand that the gift of prophecy is not limited to those who have been appointed as prophets in the Church. Any believer can be given the gift of prophecy by the Holy Spirit, just as any believer can be given the gifts of teaching, evangelism, and other spiritual gifts. Therefore, anyone in the Church who is moved by the Holy Spirit to prophesy is allowed to do so in Church meetings, as long as they follow the guidelines in verses 29 and 30. This is so that everyone in the Church can learn from each other and be encouraged by each other.

32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.

33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

Verses 32 and 33: I understand that a person cannot prophesy without self-control or without knowing what they are saying. This is different from the phenomenon of people being controlled by evil spirits to speak without being aware of what they are saying and being unable to stop talking, as it happens in meetings of Charismatic and Pentecostal denominations. I perceive their “speaking in tongues” and “speaking prophecy” as chaos, where no one understands what they say and no one can control their own speech. Their minds are not their own because they are controlled by evil spirits. God’s true Church always maintains order because He is the God of order.

34 Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.

35 And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.

Verses 34 and 35: I understand that perhaps in the Corinthian Church at that time, there was a problem where wives would talk to or ask their husbands questions during the sharing and teaching, creating disorderly noise in the meeting. Therefore, the Holy Spirit, through Paul, prohibited wives from talking or questioning their husbands in Church meetings. In fact, I have attended meetings where, while someone was singing or sharing God’s Word, wives sat discussing business, buying and selling with each other, or gossiping about other people. The prohibition on wives talking and questioning during the service does not mean that women are banned from sharing God’s Word in the Church. Because God’s Word clearly teaches that women must cover their heads while praying or prophesying, and everyone can take turns prophesying and sharing according to the gifts God has given them.

36 What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?

Verse 36: I understand that God’s Word comes from God and is delivered to us through His servants. We have an obligation to obey it, not to debate what should be followed and what should not be followed.

37 If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.

38 But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.

Verses 37 and 38: I understand that even in Paul’s day, there were false teachers, false prophets, and arrogant individuals who appointed themselves to Church positions, claiming to have a deep understanding of God’s Word. They often used fallacies and demonic deceptions to twist God’s Word and serve their evil purpose of leading God’s people astray, while exploiting them emotionally and materially. They were the ones who slandered Paul and rejected his teaching. Paul warned them that what he wrote to the Corinthian Church were commandments from God, and he commanded the Church to separate themselves from those who were not interested in his preaching. There was no need to offer them advice. I understand that if they openly sin, the Church must break fellowship with them, as taught in I Corinthians 5:11-13.

39 Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.

Verse 39: I understand that the Apostle Paul exhorts the people of God to aspire to the greatest gift for building up the Church, which is prophecy. Although the Holy Spirit gives gifts to each person in the Church according to His will, God also grants the desires of those whose hearts are aligned with Him:

“Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.” (Psalm 37:4).

“For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.” (Psalm 107:9).

Your Word does not teach us to ask for specific gifts, except for those who are graced to speak in tongues who can ask for the gift of interpreting tongues. However, Your Word teaches us to yearn for the gift of prophecy, with the promise that You will fulfill our desires. I understand that the Church should not prohibit the speaking of other languages in Church meetings if there is an interpreter available.

40 Let all things be done decently and in order.

Verse 40: I understand that “all things” encompasses all aspects of the Church’s activities, such as fellowship with one another, studying God’s Word together, and worshiping God. All Church activities must be in accordance with God’s Word and conducted in an orderly manner.

Father, I thank You for the clear commands regarding the unity of the Church, which were given to us by the Holy Spirit through the Apostle Paul. Please grant each of Your people the ability to understand these commands and discern the noise and disorder that the devil instigates to deceive the people of God. Amen!

In the grace of Jesus Christ, my Lord.

Timothy Christian Huynh
05/30/2023