Pursue love. 1Corinthians 14:1-5 “What is that man saying? Does anyone understand? He seems to me to be praying. He's obviously from a different land! Can anyone here interpret? Good! Tell him to speak more slowly and you interpret so we can get it and then we can know what he's saying. It is more useful that we learn from those men who prophesy giving us the mind and word of God. That challenges us to turn to God alone and rely only on Him. Some of us need edification, others need comfort in trying times. There is always the need for exhortation so that we may find the will of God.”
Love is supreme because of its origin- God is love. Love is superior because of its nature – love is from God. Love is surpassing because of its duration – God’s love is everlasting. Its initiation is in the heart of God. Its application is in the acts of the Savior – sacrificial love. Its appreciation is in the work of the Holy Spirit – the fruit of the Spirit is love.
Love when first experienced brought salvation – “the Son of God loved me and gave Himself for me.” Love when first practiced brought fellowship – “we know we have passed from death unto life because we love the brethren.” Love when first extended brought blessing – “more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” When love endures, we learn to practice patience – “perfect love casts out fear.” When love is passed on, we learn how to live godly – “in him verily is the love of God brought to completion.” When love is received, we learn how to express appreciation – “he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.”
Love never collapses under pressure. Love never retaliates under antagonism. Love never quits under weariness. Therefore, I must pursue love to truly experience it. Therefore, I must pursue love to make it personal. Therefore, I must pursue love to make it known to others. By pursuing love, I will become more like Christ. By pursuing love, I will be less self-centered. By pursuing love, I will be more loveable. Following after love will have me following Christ. Following after love will lead me in the paths of His choosing. Following after love will keep me ready to go to heaven at a moment’s notice.
Spiritual gifts given by God, and love expressed in the assembly in the way God intends, is the way the people of God are built up in their faith. Edification is the means by which believers in Christ are brought to maturity. Some in the Corinth assembly were using their gifts for, what they considered, self-edification and they felt they were superior to other saints. Insight, encouragement, warning, and correction were the benefits given by God to the believers in the assembly there through the gift of prophecy. That gift was far more valuable to the edification of the church than one speaking in a language not known by those who were in the meeting.
In the early church, people were able to speak "in our own tongue" and tell others of the "wonderful works of God." They were enabled by the Holy Spirit to speak in known languages they had not previously learned, to edify the Lord's people. Some were speaking in those languages without an interpreter and that caused disorder in the gatherings of the saints. This Spirit-given gift was not a sign of spiritual superiority to make them feel good about themselves. The point of that gift was to promote spiritual unity so those of a different language could be edified. When someone was able to be understood by those of a different culture and language, that was beneficial. Such a gift was not a sign of faith and was less in value to the church than teaching and prophesying.
This gift was not for the benefit of unbelievers but for the believers whom God had saved and were being "built up in their most holy faith." The ones most profited by speaking in his native tongue would be himself and those who had the same first language. In order to be of any benefit to others of a different language, there had to be an interpreter who could make sense of what was being said. Paul knew several languages but emphasized the need of preaching to benefit the whole congregation with comfort, encouragement, and teaching that was to the edification of the whole church and would build them up in their faith.
Words unknown to men are mysteries but God knows the heart and uses others to help, build, encourage, and comfort with words that bless the souls. Strange words make no sense and have no reason except to the one speaking and so he is to be silent unless there is an interpreter. Clear words, teaching, and framing thoughts before the uninformed, are useful and the church is helped and blessed by truth being passed on. There are many voices, but the one that is needed is clear, unmistakable, and maybe meets needs.
The one that speaks for the Lord is understood, explaining, bringing light down from God; brought forward from experience; brought out from within by the Spirit with life-giving words. Pipes, harps, and trumpets can make sounds under control, but the point is lost without words. The tongue can make or break hearers depending if the truth spoken in words is controlled or uncontrolled.
A reason, there must be a reason for the sound of words spoken out to others. Gifts are for uplifting the saints. The sound of “Amens” from here and there indicates what is being said is good and is being accepted. A voice raised to speak for God and that praises God who knows all sounds and languages known to men, is good, but what about the rest, the called ones, the waiting, the ones for whom I am called to speak truth to? The sound of singing can be melodious or uninformed, garbled, and missing the unity of voices joined in a common purpose. We are to sing, pray, and speak with understanding – let the listeners say, “Amen,” when you are done. A short message of five words or a few more and the impact is felt and action comes. Ten thousand words: all day the sound comes, but no one knows the meaning.
Please stop! My thoughts are not what is intended here. They are only babbling words. I must make plain to all with sounds and words and expression of voice, the truth that before was unknown. Make the light of truth understood with words energized by inward grace and love. Loose the tongues of those who hear from your spoken words of truth and life. Let us see knees bent, and faces bowed low as sounds of worship flow as a river at its source. And let us hear new sounds of gratitude and joy and hope and new life, “God is in you…” The psalms with sounds about God’s own home and Person, and the hymns: graceful and grateful words from those whom God now knows, ascending to heaven’s throne. The silence is broken by sounds again from God to men, and man to man – to help each one be thankful and worshipful. There are silences from them whose faces speak but their voices stay unheard until they are interpreted.
One by one, without the sounds of discordant or uninformed voices, there come sounds of blessing from those whose right it is to speak, without confusion. Sounds of silence from those whose modesty and ways speak soundless volumes: not unheard by God, but only the men speak whose role is different and with sound. The order of sound and soundlessness speaks clearly to those who hear. With ears and eyes and hearts attuned to sounds from God; we worship and we serve with joy, fellowship, and unity, the order stands and God speaks!