QT 26/07/2026 Sun 1Cor 14 Building Up the Church: Love, Clarity, and Order in Worship 敬拜中的爱、清晰与秩序

QT 26/07/2026 Sun 1Corinthians 14 Building Up the Church: Love, Clarity, and Order in Worship
READ https://www.esv.org/1+Corinthians+14/

What if I told you Paul placed stricter limits on speaking in tongues than many churches do today? In 1 Corinthians 14, he reveals that spiritual gifts were never meant to draw attention to ourselves—they were meant to build up others.

The Corinthian church prized spectacular spiritual experiences. Paul redirects their attention to a better question: "Does this build up God's people?"

Again and again, Paul measures every spiritual gift by its usefulness to others.

"Let all things be done for building up." (v.26)

A tongue that no one understands may be genuine, but without interpretation it benefits only the speaker. Prophecy, by contrast, strengthens, encourages, and comforts the church because people understand what is being said.

(1) Spiritual gifts are for serving others, not displaying ourselves

Paul acknowledges, "The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself" (v.4), but immediately contrasts this with the greater priority: "the one who prophesies builds up the church."

The Christian life consistently calls believers away from self-centred spirituality toward love that seeks the good of others (cf. 1 Corinthians 13). The question is not, “What experience can I have?” but “How can others be strengthened in Christ?”

(2) God values understandable truth

Paul uses vivid illustrations:

• Musical instruments must produce distinct notes.
• A trumpet must give a clear call.
• Foreign languages are meaningless without understanding.

His conclusion is simple: "In church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue." (v.19)

The church grows through intelligible truth. God's ordinary means of grace are the clear proclamation of His Word, faithful teaching, prayer, and worship that engages both the mind and the heart.

(3) Tongues are carefully regulated

Paul's instructions would indeed have dramatically limited the Corinthian practice:

• only two or at most three speakers (v.27),
• one at a time,
• only if an interpreter is present,
• otherwise, the speaker should keep silent in church and speak privately to God (v.28).

These commands show that spiritual experiences are not beyond a believer's control. The Spirit does not produce chaos. "For God is not a God of confusion but of peace." (v.33)

(4) Tongues as a sign for unbelievers

The observation about verse 22 is important. Paul writes: "Thus tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers..."

This statement is often misunderstood because the following verses describe unbelievers thinking Christians are "out of your minds" if everyone speaks in tongues (vv.23–25).

There are translators who understand verse 22 in light of Paul's quotation from Isaiah 28:11–12. In Isaiah, foreign languages were a sign of God's judgment upon unbelieving Israel because they had rejected His clear word. Thus, tongues function primarily as a judicial sign to unbelievers rather than as the normal means of edifying the church. Prophecy, however, exposes the heart, leading unbelievers to conviction, repentance, and worship (vv.24–25).

This explains why Paul still prefers prophecy over uninterpreted tongues in the gathered assembly.

Application
Paul does not ask believers whether a practice is exciting or impressive. He asks:

• Does it build up the church?
• Is God's truth understood?
• Does it promote peace and order?
• Does it point unbelievers to Christ?

Love willingly limits personal freedom for the spiritual benefit of others. Mature spirituality is measured not by extraordinary experiences but by humble service that strengthens Christ's body.

Prayer

Father, thank You for giving gifts to Your church. Help me to use every ability You have entrusted to me for the good of others rather than for my own recognition. Fill me with love that seeks to edify, words that are clear and truthful, and a heart that desires Your glory above all. May everything I do in the church reflect Your order, Your peace, and Your gospel. In Jesus' name, Amen.

QT 26/07/2026 星期日 哥林多前书 14 敬拜中的爱、清晰与秩序
阅读 http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/1co/14/

如果我告诉你，保罗对说方言所设定的限制比当今许多教会更为严格，你会作何感想？在《哥林多前书》第14章中，他揭示了属灵恩赐的初衷绝非为了吸引他人对我们的关注——而是为了造就他人。

哥林多教会推崇那些引人注目的属灵经历。保罗将他们的注意力引导到一个更关键的问题上：“这是否造就了神的子民？”

保罗一再以属灵恩赐对他人是否有益作为衡量标准。“一切都应该能造就人。”（第26节）

无人能听懂的方言或许是真实的，但若没有解释，就只对说话者有益。相比之下，先知讲道却能坚固、鼓励并安慰教会，因为人们能明白所说的话。

(1) 属灵恩赐是为了服侍他人，而非炫耀自己

保罗承认：“那说方言的是造就自己”（第4节），但随即以此与更重要的优先事项形成对比：“但那讲道的是造就教会。”

基督徒的生活始终呼召信徒，要从以自我为中心的灵性转向寻求他人益处的爱（参见《哥林多前书》13章）。问题不在于“我能有什么样的经历？”，而在于“如何使他人因基督得着坚固？”

(2) 神看重易于理解的真理

保罗用了生动的比喻：

• 乐器必须发出清晰的音调。
• 号角必须发出响亮的号声。
• 若无法理解，外语便毫无意义。

他的结论很简单：“但在教会中，我宁愿用理智说五句话去教导人，胜过用方言说万句话。”（第19节）

教会是通过可理解的真理而成长的。上帝通常施恩的途径是：清晰地宣讲祂的话语、忠实的教导、祷告，以及既动脑又动心的敬拜。

(3) 方言受到严格规范

保罗的指示确实会极大地限制哥林多教会的实践：

• 只能有两人，至多三人发言（第27节），
• 每次仅限一人，
• 必须有通译在场，
• 否则，说话者应在教会中保持沉默，私下向神祷告（第28节）。

这些命令表明，属灵的经历并非信徒无法掌控的。圣灵不会带来混乱。“因为神不是叫人混乱的神，乃是叫人平安的神。”（第33节）

(4) 方言作为给未信者的记号

关于第22节的观察很重要。保罗写道：“可见说方言不是要给信主的人作记号，而是要给未信的人……”

这一陈述常被误解，因为接下来的经文描述了外邦人认为，若人人都说方言，基督徒便是“疯了”（第23–25节）。

有些译者根据保罗引用的《以赛亚书》28:11–12来理解第22节。在《以赛亚书》中，外语是上帝对不信的以色列施行审判的征兆，因为他们拒绝了祂清晰的话语。因此，方言主要作为对不信之人的审判征兆，而非建造教会的常规手段。然而，先知讲道能揭露人心，引导不信者认罪、悔改并敬拜（第24–25节）。

这解释了为什么保罗在聚会中仍更看重先知讲道，而非未经解释的方言。

应用
保罗并不问信徒某项实践是否令人兴奋或印象深刻。他问的是：

• 它是否造就教会？
• 是否让人明白神的真理？
• 是否促进和平与秩序？
• 是否引导未信者归向基督？

爱会为了他人的属灵益处，甘愿限制个人的自由。属灵的成熟度不在于非凡的经历，而在于那能坚固基督身体的谦卑事奉。

祷告

天父，感谢祢赐恩赐给祢的教会。求祢帮助我，将祢所托付给我的每项恩赐都用于造福他人，而非寻求个人荣耀。求祢以寻求造就他人的爱、清晰真实的言语，以及将祢的荣耀置于一切之上的心来充满我。愿我在教会中所做的一切都能反映祢的秩序、祢的平安和祢的福音。奉耶稣的名祷告，阿们。