Epistles of Paul 45

We are covering 1 Corinthians. Today we're going to cover a good section of 1 Corinthians 14. I hope to finish it. Again, I said, I hope. But anyway, in this letter, 1 Corinthians, in this epistle, read at the beginning that the church in Corinth had been enriched in many ways. We read that in verse 4 and 5. It says, I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus, that you were enriched in everything by him in all utterance and all knowledge. The word utterance there is the Greek word logos, speaking and reasoning.

And so they had been enriched with speaking capabilities. And as we see that they had capabilities to speak in tongues as well, in other words, in different languages and knowledge.

But there were divisions in the church. And so Paul asks, is Christ divided in verse 13?

And so there were problems. They were affected by the society, in morality and marriage problems, as we see in chapters 5, 6, and 7. They were not addressing those problems internally, as we can see in Corinthians 6. They had problems in which they were not taking care in a careful way in people's concerns, concerns in conscience. So some people were taking an approach where I'm right therefore I'm going to do it this way. And we can see that in Corinthians 8, 9, and 10.

And there was also contentions in services, various things, particularly mentioned in 1 Corinthians 11, two things, contentions about hair length and also about conduct during parselvah.

So really, they had many gifts, spiritual gifts, but they also had a number of problems.

So in 1 Corinthians 12, as we get further down to what we've covered, in 1 Corinthians 12, Paul explains that God has given them various gifts, spiritual gifts as opposed to physical talents or abilities, but they were spiritual gifts. And God has decided for each one's benefit how to allocate those gifts. So as we see, just like God places each member in the church as he pleases, he also gives them gifts individually as he wills, as we read in 1 Corinthians 12 verse 11.

But then in chapter 13, Paul is saying there is a correct way to use these gifts, and this correct way must be in love, because that's what God is. God is love.

And so we read in 1 John chapter 4 verse 7 through 11. Let's just read there. 1 John 4 verse 7.

Through 11.

It says, Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God, and everyone who loves is born or can now be gotten of God and knows God. And so we really have to have genuine, outgoing concern for one another. And then he says in verse 8, For he who does not love, does not know God, for God is love. God is love. And then he continues, In this, the love of God was manifested towards us, that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. In this, he is love. Not that we loved God, but he loved us first, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. So we can see God loved us. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. And this is a big goal for us, to be like God, to learn to be like God, to be loving like God. And therefore, he's saying, you have different gifts, but understand that we need to become like God. And therefore, we need to use these gifts in a loving way that is honorable to God, that demonstrates God's attributes in us. So, and then at the end of chapter 13, he says, these three abide, faith, hope, and love. Now, faith is required to please God, as we see in Hebrews 11.6, that no man can please God unless he has faith. And we also see that hope is an anchor. We see that in Hebrews 6.19. So we have faith that is required to please God, and we have hope. But the outcome, the end outcome, the desired outcome, is for us to be like God, which is love. So love is greater, because that is the desired outcome, and that's how we need to act and be.

Now, we just, I just have to say that it is a big goal for all of us. We all fail. We all fail in being like God. We all fail in this high standard that we need to have. And this is what Paul emphasizes. This is the greatest, the greatest attribute or capability, as he says, the best, the more excellent way, as he puts it at the end of chapter 13, the more excellent way.

And then he moves on in chapter 14 verse 1. He says, pursue love, therefore pursue this desired outcome of what we ought to become. And yes, do desire spiritual gifts. Do desire special, spiritual gifts that God does give us. But then he says, especially, but especially that you may prophesy.

Now, this is greatly misunderstood. Some people interpret that as only meaning well that you're going to be preaching behind a podium, but there's a lot more that that word that word encapsulates or is far more encompassing. And it is applicable to all of us.

So, and then he goes on in verse 2 and he says, he who speaks in a tongue, so if you speak in a certain language, say Japanese or Chinese or Spanish, he who speaks in a language does not speak to man, but to God. In other words, if he's speaking that language and other people around him don't understand it, then it's just between him and God.

So, for no one understands him. So, if you're talking a language that nobody understands, say, for instance, I could speak Chinese and I was amongst you talking Chinese.

It's better for me to keep quiet because nobody understood. And yeah, because I knew Chinese, God knows Chinese, so it just be a conversation between God and I that I would be talking to him. So, so that is what he's saying. Yeah, he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to man, but to God, for no one understands him. So, if you're speaking in a language that other people around you don't understand, that is only applicable to him. However, in spirit, he speaks mysteries. Yes, in spirit, he may be saying things that are related to God's mysteries, but if people don't understand what's the good. But in verse three, then says, but he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to all men. So, so therefore, what is special, especially that it says he are desirable because desire spiritual gifts or what is special, especially desirable about the spiritual gift of prophesying. It is because we speak to edify. To edify, in other words, to build, to exhort, that means to encourage, and to console or comfort.

To comfort or console, as the Derby version puts it. So, edifying is building up a person's inner being and edifying the church is building up the whole church, exhorting or encourage. So, those people that are going through trials and difficulties and they stressed and stressed and weary to encourage and to comfort or to console is for those that are heavy heart and they need that comfort and consolation. So, speaking in a way that builds other people is more valuable than speaking a language that if nobody around you understands it, it's far more valuable.

And it says that in verse 4, he who speaks in a tongue edifies himself. Yeah, if you speak a language and nobody understands and you are in front of everybody talking in that language, in a sense, to the world, because people understand except God, of course, but if you're talking in that language, you're coming across as you're trying to prove yourself that you're better than others. But it says in verse 4 that he who prophesies edifies the church. So, if you are speaking to encourage, to uplift, to exhort, to build others with words of love and concern, you are building the church. You're building the church in unity. And so, when we speak, therefore, we have to speak in a way that builds the church. So, even if we speak, we have to be very careful how we speak and how we say things. How we cause indivision.

In other words, are we speaking in a way of prophesying, of building up, of edifying, or are we comforting and exhorting? So, the question here is, how do we use our tongues?

Well, I'm not using the word tongue now in the sense of speaking other languages, but how do we speak? How do we use our tongues? And James in chapter 4, in fact chapter 3 and chapter 4, says we've got to be very careful how we use our tongues, because it can be a fire. It can cause trouble. It can cause division. So, we've got to use tongues in a way that edifies. We've got to use our speaking abilities in a way that edifies. Then Paul says, I wish you all spoke with different languages, but even more, I wish that you prophesied, that you speak to edify, and to exhort, and to comfort. Speak that way. I would prefer that, because he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed there is a translator, an interpreter, that the church may receive edification from what that person is saying.

All right, so we can see that speaking different languages, yeah, you can say, yeah, it is advantageous if people are talking other languages to translate, to explain what other people are saying, but to use, to speak, to edify is far more important. To edify, to exhort, and to comfort is far more important. And so that's basically where we stopped in the last study. We're going to move now deeper into chapter 14, and as I mentioned, chapter 14 could be divided into five sections or subsections and a summary statement.

The first subsection is what we just covered between verse one and five, which is Paul's wish that we all communicate in a loving way to build unity. That is, that is his wish, and that is God's wish, that we all learn to be like God in expressing what we say in a godly way, in other words, in a more excellent way. Then the second subsection is from verse 6 to 12, where it's talking about or giving three examples, three specific examples, one being himself, another one being instruments, in other words, not things with life, you know, things without life, and then the actual different languages.

So he gives three examples of using your tongue, of speaking, and what he's saying there is basically when we talk, when we speak, when we communicate, it should be understandable, you know, it should be intelligible, it should be intelligent and intelligible. In other words, it should be something that builds up and that we understand it.

Then the third subsection in this chapter 14 is verse 13 through 19, and there he talks about the consequences of those who speak in different languages. And then in verse 20 through 25, it is, in a sense, is the fourth subsection, and it is talking about speaking different languages is for unbelievers, whilst using the tongue in a loving way to build and edify, like, for instance, preaching in a loving way or encouraging others, is for the benefit of the whole church.

And then the last section from verse 25 through 36 is some principles of application to the church. These are general principles, some of them we've used in the church to apply to church services, but it's just general principles that we draw from that, that he summarizes that, and then he gives a final concluding summary statement.

So let's move on then to the second section of this chapter 14. As we said, the first was Paul's wish that we all communicate in a loving way to build unity. And now we go on to the second section, which is that our communication needs to be understandable. A message must be understandable. And so let's read verse 6, but now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching?

And so the first example that he gives is about himself. He says, if I'm going to speak in a foreign language, what is the benefit if you don't understand for one? So it's going to be understandable, because the benefit should be in a message that it is maybe a revelation that, for instance, in that case, at that time, there were the apostles, and God was revealing a number of things to the apostles and leaders in the church, to Peter and others. And so at that time, it was a different period in the church history.

But basically, revelation, we could say, it's Jesus' revelation, Jesus Christ's revelation. And in fact, the whole Bible, in a sense, it's the word, and in a sense, it's Jesus Christ's teaching, revelation to us. So unless we are, as he says here, to speak to you by revelation, in other words, that we are expounding, it's like expository preaching, or expounding, or explaining something that we have in the Bible from God's word, and its expository is revealing, it's opening it up and explaining it in more detail.

Second is by knowledge. We know that in 2 Peter 3 verse 18, it says, grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So God wants us all to grow in grace and knowledge, knowledge of Jesus Christ. So where is by knowledge? What is this biblical knowledge that we have? His knowledge about what Jesus Christ has revealed to us, the knowledge of the Son of Man to understand who He is. So that's where we're going to grow in knowledge. So unless we speak by revelation or about what Christ has revealed to us, over knowledge, according to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, or by prophesying. Obviously, prophesying could be talking about prophecies, but also could be talking about preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Now, why do I say that? Because the Gospel of Jesus Christ is basically the Gospel of the Kingdom of God, and that He is the King, and that is good news. That's a prophecy of His coming and establishing the world tomorrow at the Kingdom of God on earth. That is prophetic. So preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, in a sense, is a prophecy because it is something still to come.

And for instance, you read, for instance, in Revelation 19 verse 10. Let's just go and read that very briefly. Revelation 19 verse 10, it says at the end of verse 10, and it says, for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. The whole life, the whole testimony, proof of what Jesus has done, is all prophetic. And what He's doing is prophetic for what He's going to do, even in the future. So He's all witnessing. The act itself is prophetic. And then reading again, a continued reading in verse 6, it says, all by teaching. And we know Christ was a teacher. He taught. He will read, for instance, in Matthew 5 verse 2, which in the Sermon on the Mount, and then He says that you've got all the disciples together in Matthew 5 verse 2. And let me just get through it so I can read exactly as it is there. And seeing the multitudes, He went up the mountain, and when He was seated, He was seated, His disciples came to Him, and He opened His mouth and taught them, saying. So Christ was a teacher, and many of His, of the New Testament, its teachings of Christ. So the message, or communication, or when we speak with brethren to benefit the Church is really talking about what Christ has revealed to us, or understanding more about Christ, or the Gospel, and trying to understand more about the Gospel, the good news of the Kingdom of God, and to expound things that Christ taught us. And so, in a sense, we could say that verse 6, Paul is saying, but now, brethren, I come to you speaking, if I come to you speaking in terms, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you about Christ, and all the things that Christ has taught us, and revealed to us, and shown us. So that's the benefit. So that's His first example, which is about Himself, saying, when He speaks, it must be to edify. So, and therefore, when He does that, He does it in a way that people understand, that it is understandable. Right, now let's look at verse 7 and 8, because there we see His second example, a second specific example, and then let's read. Even things without life, whether a flute or an ark, for instance, any other instrument of music, when they make a sound, you know, say for instance, I get to a piano, and I play the piano, it's just noise. Why? Because the notes are not making a distinct musical sound, because I don't know music, it's just the noise. And so that's what He's saying, yeah, even things without life, whether flute or a harp or a piano, whatever it is, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, and unless that sound is melodious, it's got a melody, it's got a tone, there's a distinction in those sounds, put it together, how will it be known what is piped or played? You know, unless there is a melody, and they're well distinct and organize those sounds, what do you know what's coming? So it's got to be understandable or understood or heard in a way that we understand, we can see the music. And then in verse 8, it goes on, for if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle? So, I mean, if I play the trumpet, there's just going to be noises again, because I don't know how to play the trumpet. And so it's an uncertain sound, nobody will know what is that. What is this? And they all run away. So, so we need, when those instruments are played, they need to be musical, they need to be understood, and therefore, likewise. So likewise, verse 9, unless you utter, by the tongue, words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken?

For you will be speaking into the air. And so he's drawing the example, you are speaking in an unknown or a language that other people don't know, in a foreign language, and nobody in that group understands. So what's good to be there in that group, speaking in that language, and nobody understands what you're saying. So, and that's the concept that many people that allegedly speak in tongues, they say things and nobody understands what they're saying. So it really, as he says, it's speaking into the air, and it's got no value. Then he moves on to the third specific example, and now he narrows it down to languages, languages in in different, in different languages, in different tongues. There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without significance. Yeah, if you speak one tongue, we speak another tongue, you speak one language, you speak another language, they all have meaning. They all have meaning. If you, if you talk a language, if you talk properly Italian, or if you talk properly, for instance, German, it's got a meaning when you speak in that language. So they have significance.

If you know the language, if you understand what is being said.

Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, verse 11, all right, I shall be a foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me. So it is important to have at least an interpreter, right? And now he says, even so you.

Now he brings it to us, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, so since you are eager, since you want to have spiritual gifts, let those spiritual gifts be for the edification of the church. Use those gifts, those spiritual abilities, talents, gifts from God that he gave you through God's Spirit, use them to edify the church.

So use it for that purpose. Use them for edification. In other words, use them for the building up of other brethren's character in the self development, and also for the church to grow, and basically in truth. So let these spiritual gifts be to build up others. In other words, to edify the church. Then he gets onto the third section. So we've covered three sections.

He gets onto the next section. We've covered the first subsection, which was communicate clearly so that people understand what you're saying. The second section is make it understandable, intelligent, and he gave three examples, himself, things without life, and languages. And now he goes on to the third subsection, which is verses 13 to 19, which are consequences of those who speak in different languages, verses 13 to 19. So let's read verse 13 and 14 first. Therefore, let him who speaks a tongue pray that he may interpret.

So if you are with somebody that is speaking a tongue or a language, foreign language, pray that there may be somebody that's interpreting it or translating, or that person will translate it.

So for example, if you're in a group of two or three people and you're talking, and maybe there are other people in that group, and some are, for instance, Spanish, and you're talking Spanish, and there are a few other people in that group that can't talk Spanish, then the right way is to interpret that for the sake of the other people. That is the godly, the right thing. So that's what it says. Therefore, him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may also be able to interpret, you know, pray that he may have the ability, the strength, to translate it as well. You know, I know when I was at the feast in Brazil, and I had to give a sermon, for instance, in English, and I also had to translate it. Sometimes I made a mistake because I'd say, I'll make a mistake, I would say it in English. Typically, I'd say, for instance, in English, in Portuguese, in English and Portuguese, but sometimes I'd say it in English and in English. I'm thinking in a mind that I was translating, or vice versa. So that happens. You're doing that, and you make that mistake. So pray that you pick it up and say, whoops, I didn't translate it correctly. Then typically, the breve will say, Portuguese! Or they say English, and then I'll say, oh yeah, I made a mistake. But anyway, so it says, therefore him speaks in a tongue, in a different language. Pray that he may interpret.

Verse 14, for if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.

So Yah is saying, you know, if I pray in a tongue and my spirit prays, but my understanding is fruitful. Why? Because the other person is not understanding it. So what is the conclusion? Let's look at that, at the conclusion.

Then I'll pray with the spirit and also pray with understanding. So I need to pray with the spirit in that language, and I also must have the understanding. For instance, if I sing with the spirit, God's spirit has helped me to sing in a different language, I also sing with understanding. Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say, amen? So how will that person that does not understand what you said can say, so be it. I agree. Amen. You can't, because you don't understand it. And also, that you're giving your thanks, since he does not understand what you say. So if you're giving thanks, for instance, at the end of the day, or you're going to give thanks to a meal, and you're going to do a prayer to give thanks for the meal, and you have people there that some speak one language, others that speak another language. After giving your thanks, it needs to be interpreted, needs to be translated, since he does not understand what you say. So they don't understand that you're giving thanks for the meal. Well, they would know, well, he's giving thanks for the meal, but they don't hear what you say. I mean, they don't understand what you're saying. Verse 17, for you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified. Oh yes, you gave a very nice prayer, asking or giving thanks for the meal, but the other person was not edified, because he did not understand what you said. In other words, there was no benefit to him unless he understands it. Verse 18, I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all. That's interesting. Paul spoke more languages than them all.

Probably people there in that area, they spoke like two languages, you know, they were bilingual.

They spoke two languages. Maybe a person spoke this language, and they spoke the other, because Corinth was a cosmopolitan area. People coming in and out, and typically, normally, people would speak two languages. Okay, there are people that speak more than two languages, but I'm just trying to understand. Yeah, he's saying that he spoke more than others. So typically, Paul probably spoke Aramaic, he spoke Hebrew, and he spoke Greek, or maybe even others, like who knows, maybe Latin. I don't know. So what he's saying, he was able to speak more languages than they themselves. And maybe some of those languages that he spoke, some maybe he got trained from birth, like once I example, like Aramaic and Hebrew, and he probably was trained by those from birth, maybe even Greek. But God may have given him the gift of speaking an extra language, an extra tongue, an extra language as a spiritual gift. And that's why it says, I speak with tongues more than you all. So Paul spoke more foreign languages than them all, and therefore Paul had the gift of tongues. Continue now in verse 19.

Yet in the church, I'd rather speak five words with my understanding. I'd rather speak five words with my understanding. That means that when I speak, I know that other people are understanding it. And so I'd rather only say five words because I know that I'm being understood. Then with my understanding that I may teach others, you know, so say that others may benefit and be taught, then 10,000 words in a language they don't understand, in a foreign language, and nobody understands. So I could then, jabby, jabby, jabby, jabby, and mention things and people not getting it. What's the good?

What's the good? And so in this third subsection, he is addressing the consequence of those who speak in tongues, in different languages, is that we need to speak with understanding, to be able to teach, again, to edify. So the whole thing all the way along is bringing these different points, is bringing these different principles that we do this to edify. In other words, the first one is that we all communicate in a loving way to build unity. The second one is going to be understandable. The third one is that, again, the consequence is in the end, the end result should be to edify. So these overlap in a way. Now, the fourth subsection is, foreign languages is for unbelievers, and prophesying is for the church. That is verse 20 through 25. Right, so brethren, do not be children in understanding.

In other words, he's saying, brethren, brothers and sisters, don't be immature in understanding. Be mature. Understand the plan of God. Understand who God is. Understand why you're born. Understand the revelations and the mysteries of God. However, in malice, be immature. In malice, be babies. In other words, in the intention or desire to do evil, be really immature. Be a baby.

Be, in other words, have no ill will. Have no malice. But in understanding, understanding God's miracles and God's mysteries and God's plan, yes, that be mature. And then he says, verse 21, he says, in the Lord's return, with men of other tongues and other lips, I'll speak to those people. And yet, for all that, they'll not hear me. That's an interesting statement.

He basically saying, look, you're speaking, let's say, talking to the Israelites, speaking about Israelites. And he says, I spoke to Israelites in another language. And they still don't hear me.

Now, he spoke to these rights initially, in the Old Testament, in their own language, and they don't hear him. So in the New Testament, we see they still don't hear him.

What is the possible implication here? Well, a possible implication, I'm not saying it is the implication, but a possible implication is, for instance, in Mark 6 verse 4, it says, a prophet is not honored in his own country, in his own household. And so, maybe if somebody would come with, would be from a different country, you would pay more attention to. I mean, I remember, when I was living in South Africa, with people came from, for instance, the States, ministers came from the States, it was subconsciously perceived at that time, that that's got more authority than the locals. At least at my time, that was felt that way. So it is, if you have somebody coming from a faraway country and telling you something, you say, hey, that's got a lot of value.

This point here in verse 21 of 1 Corinthians 14 is a quote from Isaiah 28. So let's go to Isaiah 28.

Isaiah 28. And this specific one is from Isaiah 28 verse 11 to 13. But let's just look at Isaiah 28 very briefly. Isaiah 28. Let me just get to it. All right, so it says here in verse 9, whom will he teach knowledge? And basically saying, to whom is God going to teach things? He's going to teach to those that are humble. That's basically what it is. And to whom will he make to understand the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just drawn from the breasts?

No, the answer is to those that are spiritually mature, but they are teachable and humble. And then he says, precept must be upon precept. Precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, yah, little, very little. That's the way God has put the Bible. He's put a bit yah, a bit dead. And he's going to teach to those that are humble. But as they humble, they are spiritual, mature.

But then he goes on and he talks to yah in verse 11 through to verse 13 to a different type of people, because he says, for with stammering lips and another tongue, you'll speak to those people. Why? Because they're unrepentant. They're not humble and teachable. To whom he said, this is the rest with which you may cause the weary to rest. And this is refreshing, yet they would not hear. You see, they were rebellious. They would not hear. But the word of the Lord was to them, precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, yah, little, then a little. You see, this compares to verse 9 to 10, because verse 9 and 10 is God's going to teach the humble, the meek, and a little bit yah, a little bit deh, and they are humble and teachable, and they will learn. But in verse 11 through 13, these are the ones that are unrepentant, because he says they will not hear. They are unrepentant. And so, yah, God does a bit yah, a bit deh, but look at it. At the end of verse 13, that they might go and fall backward and broken and smeared and caught. And so, yah, the unrepentant will fall backwards. So he speaks to them in a different language. He speaks to them because they do not want to listen initially. Now he's saying, well, what about speaking another language? Because he's a foreigner coming through, pay attention to a foreigner, and they don't. That goes very well in parallel with the parable of the sower. In Matthew chapter 13, we can see the parable of the sower. And in verse 10, after Christ gave very simply the parable of the sower, the disciples came and said to him, why did you speak to them in parables? And he answered and said to them, because there's been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven. But to them it has not been given.

For whoever has to him will be given, and he will have abundance. But whoever does not have, even that what he has will be taken away. So if you're unrepentant, the little bit you have, you lose. That is very frightening. If people come into the church but they're not really repentant, what do we have? We could lose. We've got to be careful. Therefore, verse 13, I speak to them in parables, because seeing, they do not see, and hearing, they do not hear.

Nor do they understand. It's like speaking to them in a different language. For in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says, hearing you'll hear and will not understand. Seeing you'll see and will not perceive. For the hearts of these people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing. Their eyes they have closed. Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears. Lest they should understand with their hearts and repent and turn, so that I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears for the year. For surely I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desire to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. And so Yah is talking about people that would repent, but in God's wisdom it's not the time for them to understand now. So you see, there are different situations. In this case, this also goes together with Romans 11, where it says blindness in part has happened to Israel. Let's look at Romans 11. Romans 11.

Romans 11 will read first verse 1. Romans 11 verse 1.

It says, I say then, as God cast away his people, certainly not. For I am also an Israelite of the seed or Abram of the trial of Benjamin. And so this is a very important thing. Look, a lot, most of the people in Israel, these people have not understood. Has God thrown them away?

He says no. And then it's a very interesting chapter, but the end of the conclusion of the matter is drawn towards verse 25 and 26. And he says, for I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery. Let's you should be wise in your own opinion. You know, thinking that, well, I know more and those people don't know, so I'm better. No, we're not better. We only are because of God's mercy. And so it says that blindness in part has happened to Israel. You see, God has allowed Israel to be blind until the fullness of the Gentiles is coming.

Verse 26, and so all Israel will be saved. And so we have a number of situations. Yeah, and we have situations where people have not repented. Why? Because they're blinded. And if they were not blinded, they would have seen. But God, in his wisdom, in his great wisdom, and sometimes we, some of us don't understand it. Why? But God, in his wisdom, knows that doing it this way, he has a greater chance or a greater number of people that ultimately will be in his kingdom. In other words, this way is wiser, allowing people to go through an experience. And then after that, after they've learned through the lesson of hard knocks, then God will show them the truth. And then they'll say, oh, that's much better. And then the rebellious, rebelliousness will have real been through. They have lived that, and they'll realize now, I better be repented. So God is very wise. He's very wise in everything he does. But anyway, let's go on to 1 Corinthians, chapter 14, where we were. And we read verse 21, with men of other tongues and other lips, I'll speak to those people, and yet for all that, they will not hear me. It was, they haven't repented. They haven't repented. Says the Lord, therefore tongues are for a sign, not for those who believe, but to unbelievers. In other words, we use the different languages to preach the gospel to the whole world. And so we are able, God has opened doors. What we have today is God has opened many doors for the gospel to be preached unto the whole world. And whether those doors in the past were through different languages, today those doors might be through the internet or through adult means. Whatever doors God has opened, it is for the gospel to be preached to unbelievers.

And as we read in Matthew 24, 14, which says, this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached unto the whole world as a witness. The gospel is preached as a witness to the whole world. A lot of people interpret that the gospel be preached to the whole world so we can convert more people. But the statement is a witness, so that when these things come to happen, people realize, ah, I better repent now because they are stubborn. And when these bad things will happen, people say, I should have listened to it. I should have listened to it. And then God will give them an opportunity to repent. God is very kind, very loving, and God will give people, because God wants everybody to repent. So God will give people an opportunity to repent. So tongues are for a sign, not for those who believe, but they don't believe. In other words, are a way to reach the gospel to the whole world at that time, in that time, in that era. But prophesying, in other words, inspired sermons, encouraging messages, or the brethren speaking, encouraging things to one another, or caring for one another, or giving positive words, words of encouragement and exhortation. In other words, that's all part of prophesying in a bigger general context. It's not for our believers, but for those who believe. In other words, it's for edification, exhorting, encouraging, comforting, consoling the brethren, the church, for the church's edification. As we read in verse 3 of 1 Corinthians 14, it says, He who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. In other words, to those in the church. All right, let's go on now on to verse 23. Verse 23, Therefore tongues are for a sign.

Tongues are for a sign, not for those who believe, but to unbelievers.

But prophesying, or we've read that, verse 23, Therefore, if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and they come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind? In other words, imagine we had a new visitor coming to church, and everybody's jabber, jabber, blabber, blabber, blabbering, speaking different languages, and nobody understands what people are saying. They're going to say, what's going on? You are of your mind.

Verse 24, But if you all prophesy, if you all edify and encourage one another, you're consoling one another, if we all speak positive spiritual words in kindness, in godly, outgoing concern, when a visitor comes to church, what is he going to say? Aha! Look at the love in this church, look at the concern and the care in this church, and I was felt welcome. The people cared for me, and therefore they become convicted that this is god's church. And that's what it says here. Verse 24, But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person, so it's a new person that comes in, he is convinced by all, and he is convicted by all. In other words, all are prophesying, quote-unquote. It's not saying preaching from the podium, not everybody, all 100 members in church, they're all by the podium. No, no, we're all in our conversation, we are exhorting, encouraging, and being positive. And then it says in verse 25, and thus the secrets of his art are revealed. In other words, his inner feelings, his inner doubts, his inner concern that says, is this god's church or not? The secrets of his art are revealed, revealed to him to say, hey, this is god's church. Yeah, this is indeed a special group.

And so, falling down on his face, in other words, he, when he goes home, will give god thanks, he will worship god and report that god is truly among you. Oh, this is really god's church. I had a very encouraging uplifting experience. I met with god's people, and I want to go back. Hopefully, this is the experience that people have as they come to church and visit with us.

In the next week, I will then continue with the first subsection, and then hopefully start with chapter 15. Thank you so much, and you all have a good evening.