Bible Study 1 Corinthians 14:26-40

Ephesians 2:20–22 “20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”

Paul’s instruction in 1 Corinthians 14 functions not only as a corrective for abuses of the gift of tongues in Corinth, but as a prophetic alignment toward the maturing of the Church—moving from sensational signs to Spirit-led, Scripture-centered worship.

A dispensation is a divinely appointed era where God governs mankind in a specific way, with certain responsibilities and expectations.

1. Innocence

Timeframe: Creation to the Fall (Genesis 1–3) Key Figures: Adam and Eve Revelation: Don’t eat from the Tree of Knowledge Responsibility: Obey God’s command Failure: Disobedience (Genesis 3:6) Judgment: Curse and expulsion from Eden Grace: Promise of the Redeemer (Genesis 3:15)

2. Conscience

Timeframe: Fall to the Flood (Genesis 4–8) Key Figures: Cain, Abel, Noah Revelation: Govern life by conscience and moral awareness Responsibility: Do right as guided by conscience Failure: Violence and widespread sin (Genesis 6:5) Judgment: Global Flood Grace: Covenant with Noah

3. Human Government

Timeframe: Post-Flood to Babel (Genesis 9–11) Key Figure: Noah Revelation: Establishment of human authority (Genesis 9:6) Responsibility: Rule justly and spread across the earth Failure: Tower of Babel—rebellion and centralization Judgment: Confusion of languages Grace: God still seeks out Abraham for a new promise

4. Promise (Patriarchal Age)

Timeframe: Abraham to Exodus (Genesis 12 – Exodus 19) Key Figures: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph Revelation: Promise to Abraham (land, seed, blessing) Responsibility: Believe and obey Failure: Israel settles in Egypt, forgets the promise Judgment: Bondage in Egypt Grace: God raises up Moses

5. Law

Timeframe: Moses to the Cross (Exodus 20 – Acts 2) Key Figures: Moses, David, Prophets Revelation: The Mosaic Law Responsibility: Keep the Law Failure: Idolatry and disobedience Judgment: Exile and eventual Roman domination Grace: Jesus, the fulfillment of the Law (Matthew 5:17)

6. Grace (Church Age)

Timeframe: Pentecost to the Rapture (Acts 2 – Revelation 3) Key Figures: Apostles, Church Revelation: Salvation by grace through faith in Christ Responsibility: Believe the gospel and walk in the Spirit Failure: Apostasy and lukewarm Christianity (2 Tim. 4:3–4; Rev. 3:16) Judgment: Future Tribulation Grace: The Rapture and deliverance of the Church

7. Millennial Kingdom

Timeframe: Christ’s return to the Great White Throne (Rev. 20) Key Figure: Jesus Christ reigning as King Revelation: Rule of Christ on Earth Responsibility: Obey the King Failure: Rebellion at the end of 1000 years (Rev. 20:7–9) Judgment: Final defeat of Satan; Great White Throne Judgment Grace: New Heaven and New Earth (Revelation 21–22)

The Apostolic Age:

The Apostolic Age refers to the period from Pentecost (Acts 2) until the death of the last apostle (John)—roughly AD 30 to 100.

This was a foundational time (Eph. 2:20), where signs, wonders, and revelatory gifts (like tongues, prophecy, and knowledge) served to:

Authenticate the gospel message (Mark 16:20; Hebrews 2:3–4)

Confirm the authority of the apostles

Assist in the formation of the early church before the New Testament was complete.

Order in Worship: Edification Over Exhibition

1 Corinthians 14:26–40 NKJV

26 How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. 28 But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God. 29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. 30 But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged. 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 the churches of the saints. 34 Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. 35 And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church. 36 Or did the word of God come originally from you? Or was it you only that it reached? 37 If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord. 38 But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant. 39 Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues. 40 Let all things be done decently and in order.

Prayer

Message

Tonight, we will discover from God’s Word that He desires an orderly, edifying, Spirit-led worship that builds up the whole body.

We addressed the doctrine of tongues our last time together and for those that speak in tongues, Paul stated that there is a time and place to exercise that gift. Paul is always thinking in terms of unbelievers and speaking truth in front of them that is intelligible and will not send unbelievers darting for the doors questioning their sanity. We see this blanket all through Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians from every matter he has addressed that we worship in a way that edifies the body of Christ.

The Priority of Edification in Worship (v. 26)

“Let all things be done for edification.”

Engagement

Ill. Driving a clutch-firsthand experience

“whenever you come together” is an assumptive statement knowing that to begin edifying and building Christ in each other that we must support and undergird, uplift and encourage each other firstly by being here to begin the process. You can not be a part of that building up process unless you are here. Nor, can you fully utilize those gifts the Lord has given you until you’ve been here and exercise those gifts, you hone those gifts, you mature them.

Within this church right this moment is the gifts collectively needed to edify Christ and the body of Christ. How do I know that?

1 Cor. 12:8-10 states the gifts offered to each individual, 1 Cor. 12:18 states that God has set the members here at Mt Zion.

1 Corinthians 12:8–10 “8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.”

1 Corinthians 12:18 “18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.”

In our church for example we do have people that sing, people that teach, the church at Corinth had people that spoke in tongues and others interpreted. Paul addressed those gifts by encouraging the use of those gifts in the right setting, a setting with those that are believers, that have the gift to interpret complementing the one that spoke in tongues. He stated that exercising those gifts in any other setting can be more destructive than instructive (in other words, it does not build up), it detracts. I assume that Paul was encouraging the use of the gift of tongues in a closed environment such as a small discipleship gathering of that day. Again, I will not teach that tongues is not a gift of the Holy Spirit, but we believe it was gift given in that season. Miracles of healing was a gift of that season. We read of those times in the Bible.

The key is that all the things we do as in-gifted should edify the body of Christ.

Excellence

2 Timothy 2:15 “15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

The keynote-Edification (excellence)

1 Corinthians 14:12 “12 Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel.”

Romans 12:6–8 “6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; 7 or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; 8 he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.”

1 Peter 4:10–11 “10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

Ephesians 4:11–12 “11 And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,”

You get the idea. God has not just given us a gift, but the goal of the use of that gift is for His glory, His people, His kingdom, and to do so with excellence. Not mediocrity.

A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible 3619. οἰκοδομή

3619. οἰκοδομή ŏikŏdŏmē, oy-kod-om-ay´; fem. (abstr.) of a comp. of 3624 and the base of 1430; architecture, i.e. (concr.) a structure; fig. confirmation:—building, edify (-ication, -ing).

1 Corinthians 14:33 “33 For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.”

I want you to really absorb this concept of edification. We perform actions every time we come to God’s house that either builds up or tears down.

Just brainstorm with me for a moment things that you think of that be constructive vs. destructive to building up or tearing down the body of Christ. Real World application. Listen. This is one small detail that we deal with on the church in an almost daily basis that Satan uses to tear down the church.

Ill. I have a friend right now that is a believer. He and his family have had a point in their past when they were very engaged in the things of God, we would have called them an active church family. He was a deacon. He sang in the choir, He taught a Sunday School class, I assume he was a tither, but by all measures that we would measure and engaged, active, individual.

This person’s son died related to drugs at a very young age and they stayed true to the church even though they had to change their membership because of two many memories in their prior church of their son’s involvement there at a young age. They weathered that major setback.

Interestingly, they were very engaged in a church now up in the area I live. Each week in their Life Groups class they would discuss and pray for individuals in their health circumstances. This individual I describe has always been healthy, active, engaged and on the move. At around age 67, he has a heart attack. He had the full deal and no one called him, no one sent cards, no one bought meals, no one reached out and they are now deemed “inactive” in their church. Their feelings were hurt.

Do you realize that when someone’s heart is marginal in the moment in Christ due to the pressures of this world how many “little things” set them off with the church? There are what I call ‘on the fence” believers or church folk that are looking for an excuse to be critical or grumble about matters of the church. Satan uses those “little things” to disrupt the body of Christ.

-being on time

-Making accurate announcements on time

-well planned services

-Decor-neatness, cleanliness, the bathrooms, the floors, the kitchen, the flowers, the landscape.

-How many of you size up a home, size up a business, size up a restaurant in the first moments due to all the information you extract?

Ill. Coat Store use to be on Atlanta Highway. Go into your areas you serve with a fresh set of eyes and say to yourself does this “edify” the body of Christ?

-Choir music or specials sang with excellence

-Great teaching

-orderliness (all heads bowed, all eyes closed-reverence during invitation time).

Sunday-”reading of the Word”-stand

Biblical Stance Against Present-Day Tongues

Theme: Tongues served a unique purpose in the early church and ceased with the completion of Scripture and the end of the apostolic age.

1. Tongues Were a Temporary Sign Gift for the Apostolic Age

Key Text: 1 Corinthians 13:8-10

“Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.”

Interpretation: Many cessationists interpret “the perfect” in v. 10 as the completion of the New Testament canon — once God's full revelation was given, sign gifts ceased.

Tongues are listed among gifts that are temporary and partial.

2. Tongues Were a Sign to Unbelieving Jews

Key Text: 1 Corinthians 14:21-22

“In the Law it is written, ‘By people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people…’ Thus tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers…”

Luke 16:27–31 “27 “Then he said, ‘I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father’s house, 28 for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.’ 29 Abraham said to him, ‘They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.’ 30 And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ 31 But he said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.’ ””

Interpretation: Paul cites Isaiah 28:11, where foreign speech was a sign of judgment to unbelieving Israel.

Tongues were a sign to Jews, showing that God's kingdom was expanding beyond Israel — a purpose fulfilled in the first century (cf. Acts 2).

3. The Apostolic Gifts Were Unique to the Founding of the Church

🧾 Key Text: Hebrews 2:3-4

“...It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.”

Interpretation: The apostles were uniquely authenticated by signs and wonders.

Once the foundation was laid (Eph. 2:20), ongoing signs were no longer necessary.

4. The Focus Shifts to Scripture, Not Signs

🧾 Key Text: 2 Timothy 3:16–17

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness…”

Interpretation: Scripture is now the complete, sufficient guide for the church — not new revelations or sign gifts.

Emphasis in the New Testament epistles shifts from miraculous experiences to doctrinal maturity and biblical faithfulness.

The New Testament clearly teaches that tongues were a temporary, foundational gift intended for the early church, to authenticate the apostles, to warn unbelieving Israel, and to point toward the gospel going to the nations. With the completion of Scripture, and the end of the apostolic era, these gifts ceased.

Now, do we know some of our other denominational brothers and sisters that exercise the gifts of tongues and interpretation? We do. There are questions between denominational brothers and sisters that the Lord will work out when we all get up there. Next week, when we study 1 Cor. 15 that I quoted in Sunday’s message, we realize that our denominational brothers and sisters have the basics of the tenets of the Good News, the Gospel.

Gifts that God gives us should be utilized with excellence, doing our best to build up the body of Christ.

II. The Principle of Clarity in Communication (vv. 27–28)

“If any speak in a tongue... let someone interpret. But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent…”

Key Thoughts:

Paul limits tongues to two or three people, with interpretation only.

Without interpretation, tongues are not helpful and should remain private.

Baptist Interpretation:

The Southern Baptist view holds that the modern practice of ecstatic or uninterpreted tongues does not align with the biblical standard.

Emphasis is placed on intelligible proclamation — especially the preaching of the Word — as central to worship.

Cross-Reference:

1 Corinthians 14:19 “19 yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.”

Application:

How can we ensure everything communicated in worship (songs, Scripture, sermons) is clear and rooted in truth?

Have you stopped to consider why we use Lifeway material for teaching in most cases for our Life Groups classes?

III. The Pattern of Order in the Assembly (vv. 29–33, 39–40)

“God is not a God of confusion but of peace.” “Let all things be done decently and in order.”

Key Thoughts:

Prophets are to speak in turn; others weigh what is said.

Even spiritual experiences are subject to control and discernment.

Order reflects the nature of God Himself — peaceful, not chaotic.

Baptist Application:

Worship must reflect the character of God, not just the enthusiasm of man.

Baptists affirm congregational discernment and orderly service structure — not spontaneity for its own sake.

IV. The Role of Women in the Assembly (vv. 34–35)

“This passage has been misunderstood and misused by some to silence women completely, which is not Paul’s intent. Scripture must interpret Scripture — and throughout the New Testament, we see godly, Spirit-filled women serving the church in powerful ways. Paul’s call for silence here, like the silence requested of tongues-speakers or prophets when it's not their turn (vv. 28, 30), is about order, not inferiority. As Baptists, we affirm God’s good design for men and women, and we want to celebrate the meaningful, biblical ways that women serve the body of Christ.”

1 Corinthians 14:34–35 – "Let the women keep silent in the churches..."

Main Concern: How do we affirm the God-given dignity and value of women in the church while upholding the authority of Scripture?

1. Contextual Consideration: Paul Is Addressing Order, Not Inferiority

The entire chapter is about maintaining order in worship (see vv. 26, 33, 40

Paul has already acknowledged that women pray and prophesy in the assembly:

“Every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered…” (1 Cor. 11:5)

Therefore, Paul is not issuing a blanket ban on all speaking by women — but is addressing a specific kind of disruptive speaking.

2. Likely Explanation: Evaluating Prophecy or Public Disruption

In the immediate context (vv. 29–33), prophets are to speak and others are to evaluate what is said.

In the cultural context of Corinth, asking questions publicly or challenging prophetic words may have been seen as disrespectful, particularly from wives to husbands.

Paul's instruction may be to avoid public disorder, not to deny women a voice.

One scholarly view:

“Paul likely refers to women interrupting or questioning their husbands publicly — something that would’ve been culturally shameful in that context.” – Adapted from Gordon Fee, The First Epistle to the Corinthians

3. Interpret in Light of the Whole New Testament

Women in the early church clearly had active roles in ministry:

Priscilla helped instruct Apollos (Acts 18:26)

Acts 18:26 “26 So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.”

Phoebe is called a servant (diakonos) of the church (Rom. 16:1)

Romans 16:1 “1 I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea,”

Philip’s daughters prophesied (Acts 21:9)

Acts 21:9 “9 Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.”

Older women are to teach younger women (Titus 2:3–5)

Titus 2:3–5 “3 the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things—4 that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, 5 to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.”

Application: These passages complement Paul’s teaching by showing that women have vital roles in teaching, serving, and leading within biblically appropriate boundaries.

4. Baptist Perspective: Complementarianism with Honor and Purpose

From a traditional Baptist and complementarian viewpoint:

Women are equal in worth and giftedness, but are not to serve in the office of pastor/elder (cf. 1 Tim. 2:12; 3:1–2).

Women are welcomed and needed in roles such as:

Discipleship and teaching (especially among women and children)

Encouragement, hospitality, prayer, music, missions, administration

Leadership roles that do not involve authoritative preaching over men

V. The Authority of Apostolic Teaching (vv. 36–38)

“If anyone thinks he is a prophet… let him acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord.”

Key Thoughts:

Paul appeals to the authority of his teaching — not his opinion.

Ignoring these instructions is equated with spiritual ignorance.

Baptist Emphasis:

The Bible is the final authority in all matters of faith and practice.

Personal experiences or spiritual expressions must be tested by Scripture, not vice versa.

Application:

In your worship and teaching, do you prioritize Scriptural authority over experience?

Are we training believers to test all things by God’s Word?

VI. Final Instructions for Orderly Worship (vv. 39–40)

“So, my brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. But all things should be done decently and in order.”

Balanced Conclusion:

Paul doesn’t despise spiritual gifts — he regulates them.

The ultimate test is not emotion but edification and order.

Baptist Application:

While we believe tongues are not a normative gift for today (a cessationist view), we affirm the vital work of the Spirit in worship.

Worship should reflect both reverence and relevance — rooted in truth, guided by love.

🧠 Discussion Questions:

What does “edification” mean in the context of corporate worship?

How can your church evaluate whether its services reflect the character of God?

How do we teach the balance between freedom in the Spirit and order in the church?

How does the authority of Scripture shape how we evaluate modern expressions of spirituality?