First Corinthians 14 Part 3 Speaking In Tongues Did Not Edify But the Gift of Prophecy Did

Contrasting the gifts of tongues and prophecy in the early church.

1 Corinthians 14:1-2  Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. 2)  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. 

Paul introduced the topic of spiritual gifts in chapter twelve and then taught that such gifts must be exercised in accord with the love of God poured into us by His Holy Spirit.

He is correcting the Corinthians abuse and misuse of spiritual gifts, particularly the gift of speaking in tongues.

God established the pattern for using the gift of tongues and what it was designed to accomplish in Acts 2.

This gift along with interpretation of tongues, prophecy, words of knowledge were needed in the early church. 

Those early Christians were at a disadvantage compared to Christians today, as they did not have a complete Bible like we do.

Thus, prophecy was used to communicate things that were going to happen so that the church could be prepared. 

For example, a prophet named Agabus prophesied of an impending and severe famine. 

After hearing Agabus' prophecy, many churches prepared to send relief to Christians impacted by the shortage of grains (See Acts 11:28).

Speaking in tongues means being enabled to speak the gospel of Christ in a language that you never learned before. 

This began at Pentecost and continued through the first few decades of church history, while the apostles still lived.

However, Paul taught that prophecy and tongues or a direct word of knowledge from God would pass away. 

Paul taught that prophecies shall "fail." This word means that prophecy as a gift would be rendered idle, no longer used, inactivated or inoperative.

The Greek word means to cause a person or thing to have no further efficiency, to deprive it of force, influence, power, to cause it to cease, to put an end to it, do away with it or abolish it.

This is why those who claim to prophesy today must be rejected because God said He would render that gift powerless.

Paul said that tongues would "cease" which means this gift would come to an end. God would cause it to cease and desist. It's power from God would be withdrawn.

When the New Testament was completed, there was no further need for certain spiritual gifts like tongues or prophecy. 

The Corinthians were trying to reshape the gift of tongues into the pagan practice of glossolalia, where they murmured or muttered unintelligible words as they claimed to be speaking directly to their "gods."

Pastors and church leaders eventually had both the Old and New Testament from which they could preach and teach. Thus, this gift was no longer needed. 

Paul is contrasting speaking in tongues in a language the hearers do not understand, to a man prophesying in a language that they do understand.

One speech is unintelligible and does not edify anyone. The other speech is understandable and does edify the hearer.

1 Corinthians 14:3-4  But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. 4)  He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church. 

Here is the contrast that Paul makes. One who prophesied in the early church spoke directly to his audience with words that they understood.

A person with the gift of teaching was more useful to the Church than he that is speaking in tongues. 

A prophet spoke for the benefit of all who heard him speak in words that they could grasp.  

His teaching edified others by the Scriptures he expounded. 

Edifying others is the act of promoting spiritual growth, wisdom, piety, happiness, and holiness in other Christians.

The gift of prophecy edified Christians in the early church. 

Romans 14:19  Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. 

Paul urged the Christians at Rome to maintain peace and the unity of the Spirit in their church.

The Corinthians caused turmoil, schisms, and sowed the seeds of discord by misusing spiritual gifts. 

Paul taught the believers at Rome to follow after the things which edify one another. 

This means that they listened attentively to sermons, with the intent to obey. 

They studied scripture when they could. 

They spent time in prayer and in loving one another because all of these things edify the church.

Romans 15:1-2  We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2)  Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. 

We that are edified by hearing the Word of God preached, learn to seek to bear one another's burdens. We put other's needs before our own needs, for this edifies other Christians. 

Ephesians 4:11-13  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12)  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13)  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 

The purpose of the spiritual gifts is to help each Christian grow spiritually, and mature in their faith in Christ. 

All spiritual gifts, those which are presently active and those which passed away, were/are for the purpose of edifying each local church family.

A prophet in this sense, exhorted others through his plain teaching and comforted them with hope through prophesying.

The gift of prophecy exhorted Christians to follow hard after Christ. 

1 Thessalonians 4:1  Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.  

Exhortation is calling people to get up in order to follow hard after Jesus Christ, or to repent of sin and call upon the Lord for salvation. 

Paul exhorted the Thessalonians to follow the apostolic teaching and model. Paul showed them how they ought to walk, how they should live their lives to please God. 

Exhortation is urging them to remain resolute in pursing holiness without which no man will see the Lord. 

A prophet foretold what God was going to do in the future and he connected his prophecy with the Old Testament prophets.

The gift of prophecy brought comfort to those who heard what God said. 

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18  But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. 14)  For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 15)  For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16)  For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17)  Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18)  Wherefore comfort one another with these words. 

The New Testament prophet spoke words that brought comfort to the hearts of God's redeemed people. 

The church suffered serious persecution in Jerusalem to the point that many Christians fled Jerusalem and went in other places preaching the gospel (See Acts 4 to 9). 

In almost every place where the gospel was preached, resistance was encountered, and believer's suffering for their faith was common.

Here is an apostolic example of prophecy bringing great comfort to Christians. 

This is the classic text teaching about the second coming of Jesus Christ to catch up His Church and take us home to heaven.

This was a mystery made known to Paul that communicated new truth to the churches.

An important question often raised was "What happens to the believer in Christ when he or she dies?"

The Spirit of God used the next chapter in First Corinthians to teach us about the resurrection hope we have in Christ. 

In this example, He guided Paul to reveal truth about Christ's second coming. 

There will be a trumpet sounding by the archangel of God. 

There will be a mighty shout from heaven, and Christ shall return to the air and the dead in Christ shall rise. 

Then, all living Christians will be changed and caught up together with the resurrected saints, and taken home to heaven by our Lord.

These words comfort us concerning the death of a loved one who trusted Christ. 

These words console us by showing that we will meet our born again loved ones again one day. 

These words supply a soothing balm to our soul when we face persecution for the sake of the gospel. 

Paul shows the superiority of prophecy over the gift of speaking in tongues. 

Prophecy edifies it hearers, exhorts us to live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God and comforts us during times of distress. 

1 Corinthians 14:4  He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church. 

This verse summarizes what Paul is highlighting in contrast with the gift of tongues and with the gift of prophecy. 

Those who spoke in tongues, which is speaking foreign languages like Arabic or French, are the only ones who understand the language they are speaking in. 

They are the only ones edified. No one else knew what they were saying so the impact of speaking in tongues was limited.

Again, we must keep the historical context before us. 

The Corinthians were guilty of trying to twist the gift of speaking in foreign languages to spread the gospel to the nations. 

They coveted this gift because they liked the attention and felt superior to those who did not have this gift. 

They tried to make it into the pagan glossolalia or ecstatic speech that they were saved out of. 

Paul clearly taught that certain gifts like prophecy and tongues were going to pass away, They were going to stop, but when the apostle wrote this letter, they were still active.

Speaking in tongues only edified the one speaking in tongues if the Spirit of God granted him understanding of the foreign language he spoke in.

Speaking in tongues had a very miniscule impact upon the church.

However, those who prophesied spoke in words the people understood and could respond to. 

In addition, a New Testament prophet showed how his message connected with and complemented the message of the Old Testament prophets. 

This caused people to search the scriptures daily to see if these things were accurate and true. They were encouraged, exhorted, edified and comforted by the prophet's words. 

Thus, the gift of prophecy had a powerful impact upon the churches, while this gift was still operating.

Today, we have the great blessing and privilege of having a copy of the whole Bible. 

Let us cherish the scriptures, and let us learn them, that we too, may be encouraged, edified, exhorted and comforted, as God intends.

Bob