Accordingly Assembled Assembles Assembly Church Crazy Enter Faith Insane Languages Mad Mind Outsiders Persons Simple Speak Speaking Speaks Tongues Unbalanced Unbelievers Unbelieving Understand Ungifted Unlearned Using Won't
14:23 {11} If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in [those that are] {s} unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?
(11) Another argument: the gift of tongues without prophecy is not only unprofitable to the faithful, but also hurts very much, both the faithful as well as the unfaithful, who should be won in the public assemblies. For by this means it comes to pass that the faithful seem to others to be mad, much less can the unfaithful be instructed by it.
(s) See Ac 4:13.
14:23 If therefore the whole church be come together. The apostle now treats of the proper order and decorum in the church assemblies.
And all speak with tongues. There would be a babble of confusion and no edification. To a private member, or an unbeliever, they would seem to be mad.
14:23 Yet - Sometimes prophecy is of more use, even to unbelievers, than speaking with tongues. For instance: If the whole church be met together - On some extraordinary occasion. It is probable, in so large a city, they ordinarily met in several places. And there come in ignorant persons - Men of learning might have understood the tongues in which they spoke. It is observable, St. Paul says here, ignorant persons or unbelievers; but in the next verse , an unbeliever or an ignorant person. Several bad men met together hinder each other by evil discourse. Single persons are more easily gained.
14:15-25 There can be no assent to prayers that are not understood. A truly Christian minister will seek much more to do spiritual good to men's souls, than to get the greatest applause to himself. This is proving himself the servant of Christ. Children are apt to be struck with novelty; but do not act like them. Christians should be like children, void of guile and malice; yet they should not be unskilful as to the word of righteousness, but only as to the arts of mischief. It is a proof that a people are forsaken of God, when he gives them up to the rule of those who teach them to worship in another language. They can never be benefitted by such teaching. Yet thus the preachers did who delivered their instructions in an unknown tongue. Would it not make Christianity ridiculous to a heathen, to hear the ministers pray or preach in a language which neither he nor the assembly understood? But if those who minister, plainly interpret Scripture, or preach the great truths and rules of the gospel, a heathen or unlearned person might become a convert to Christianity. His conscience might be touched, the secrets of his heart might be revealed to him, and so he might be brought to confess his guilt, and to own that God was present in the assembly. Scripture truth, plainly and duly taught, has a wonderful power to awaken the conscience and touch the heart.
Accordingly Assembled Assembly Church Crazy Enter Faith Insane Languages Mad Mind Outsiders Simple Speak Speaking Speaks Together Tongues Unbelievers Unbelieving Understand Unlearned Using Whole Won't
Accordingly Assembled Assembly Church Crazy Enter Faith Insane Languages Mad Mind Outsiders Simple Speak Speaking Speaks Together Tongues Unbelievers Unbelieving Understand Unlearned Using Whole Won't
