The theme of chapter 14 is that God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people. Wherever people meet in the world, the God of peace should be revealed in that place. Paul is concerned that the church gatherings in Corinth are chaotic and disorganized. The church should gather together for edification and encouragement from the Spirit of God. But disorder does not benefit the believers nor does it help inquirers who are investigating Christianity. If the people in the secular world believe that Christians are out of control emotionally, acting crazy in their services, they will not want to join such an institution. Who would want to hook their lives to such mania? Paul also confronts the Corinthian church for their lack of cohesiveness. He knows as Jesus said, a house divided cannot stand. A church divided will send out a distorted message to the secular world. How can people be reconciled to a God of peace if his church reveals disunity and corruption? A church divided is the opposite of love, of peace, and goodness. For Paul, everything in the church must be done so that the church may be built up to reveal God to the world. He supports prophesy as a good way to get the truth of God to the congregation. Prophesy is understandable, in a common language. However, if someone speaks in a tongue, not understandable to the speaker or listener, it must not be used unless there is an interpreter in the congregation. If there is not an interpreter of what the Spirit is saying to the church, the tongue-speaker must be silent. Of course as with prophecy, all inspiration given by the Spirit is under the control of the one who is speaking. The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. No one is so possessed with God’s spirit that he or she cannot control himself or herself. Chaos is the opposite of the presence of God. All inspiration within the church must be done in a rational manner and for the common good. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. (1 Corinthians 12:7-11) The church of God should reflect God’s nature, just as the intricacies of nature reflect God as a God of order; even every part of the human body functions appropriately and precisely for the common good.
Every congregation of believers in the world should be in the business of reconciling the world to God. The clarion call of the church to the world should be COME BACK TO GOD. All Christians should be heavily involved with THE RECONCILING BUSINESS. However, a disjointed church is not attractive to a sick and dying world. Jesus died to restore humans to God. He paid the complete price for people to be right with God. This Good News of being RIGHT WITH GOD should be GOOD NEWS to the whole world. However, Paul is concerned that the Corinthian church’s division is clouding this wonderful news of being right with God through faith in Jesus Christ. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like MERE humans? For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere human beings? (1 Corinthians 3:3-4) He is asking them to move on to maturity and to notobscure the Good News by their worldly lives and spirits. In the above focus, he is instructing the Corinthians to be orderly in their presentations of God’s gifts in the church. Everything must be done in order, without confusion and disruption. Their gifts as well as spiritual inspiration must be exercised in an orderly and rational manner. In addition, all interactions and relationships within the church should be governed by the presence of the fruit of the Spirit. Every gift and inspiration operating in the church should express the will of the Holy Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. (Galatians 5:22-26) Paul is warning the Corinthian church that a self-willed attitude is not welcomed in the church for it is out of step with God's Spirit of servanthood. Elevating oneself because of a special gift or inspiration does not express servanthood. The church should be a place of caring for others, a place of camaraderie and of help. All the believers were one in heart and mind. (Acts 4:22) The nascent church of Acts was in unity. They shared their goods with other believers. They looked out for the poor in their midst and cared for the disadvantaged. Paul is seeing the opposite of this unity within the Corinthian church, even in their taking of the Lord’s supper, they were self-indulgent. To validate the message of Christ in Corinth, they should put aside their self-willed behavior and self-indulgence to serve the Lord with humbleness in everything they do so that the church may be built up.
Paul is upset with the Corinthians, for they are acting like the world in their get-togethers. They are not functioning under God’s authority but under their own self-will. Paul is asking them to die to their old lifestyles because Christ died for them. Jesus gave his life for them, implanted in them as an ever-living life. Consequently, as Paul says, Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again. (2 Corinthians 5:14-15) The Corinthians were not transitioning very well into their new life in Christ. Paul fears for them because their immaturity is destroying their witness of Jesus in Corinth. They should not be grumbling, angry, divisive, self-indulgent, and complaining, within the body of Christ. Rather, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. (2 Corinthians 13:11) But this kind of victory over the flesh and its worldliness can only happen in the flesh’s complete submission to God. As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope \when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:1-6) Paul loved the Corinthians, he spent many months with them. He wanted the Corinthian church to thrive and win over the people of Corinth to God. He desired this church to be powerful and full of glory. Dear friends as believers today, the message that Paul was delivering to the Corinthians is still the same. God is not a God of disunity, disorder, or confusion. He is a God of peace, love and acceptance through the name of Jesus. The world’s rejection of Jesus as the redeemer will bring the judgment of God on them. To be right with God, requires people to accept Jesus as Lord in their lives. The Corinthians struggled with the Lordship of Jesus in their lives. Paul was encouraging them to leave behind their immaturity and move onto knowing Jesus in a better way. Our friends around this breakfast table let us serve God in a mature way, serve him as Jesus our Lord in every situation, in everything we say or do. Let us say as the angels said on Jesus' arrival, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” Knowing you have his favor resting on you today, go forth and share that grace and peace with those you meet.
