Daily Scripture Reading 1Corinthians 14:22 - 15:8

For most of church history, church was an event for men. Men were the participants while women were mere observers. In recent decades, many churches have caved into feminism and started allowing women to participate in church services by singing solos, reading scripture, praying, and even preaching. Today’s passage makes it clear that the modern trends are wrong, disgraceful, and should be reversed.

When we finished reading yesterday, Paul was describing the necessity of doing things in church that edify everyone. Prophecy met that test, but speaking in tongues did not, because most people in a church service did not understand what was being spoken while someone was speaking in tongues.

1Cor. 14:22 So then tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophecy is for a sign not to unbelievers but to those who believe.

1Cor. 14:23 Therefore if the whole church assembles together and all speak in tongues, and uninformed men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your mind?

This is another reason that speaking in tongues during church is not desirable. Any non-Christian who enters the assembly will think the believers are insane. This can happen today when modern people enter charismatic church services.

1Cor. 14:24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed man enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all;

1Cor. 14:25 the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will fall on his face and worship God, declaring that SURELY GOD IS AMONG YOU.

Prophets were people who were chosen by God to deliver specific messages from God to humans. Suppose an unbeliever entered a church, and God revealed a secret of the unbeliever’s heart to one of the prophets in the church. When the unbeliever learned the prophet knew his secret, he would understand that the One and only true God was among them.

1Cor. 14:26 ¶ What is the outcome then, brothers? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has a translation. Let all things be done for edification.

This verse gives us an insight into what their church services looked like. When they assembled, some read Psalms or taught. Others exercised the miraculous gifts. All things were to be done to edify the church. Edification is the idea of building. Church services should lead to improvement.

Many churches today focus on giving people an emotional experience during church. Emotional experiences do not lead to improvement or edification; therefore, churches should not deliberately create experiences.

1Cor. 14:27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn, and one must translate;

1Cor. 14:28 but if there is no translator, he must keep silent in the church, and let him speak to himself and to God.

1Cor. 14:29 And let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment.

1Cor. 14:30 But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, the first one must keep silent.

1Cor. 14:31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted.

These verses indicate their church services were not pre-programmed. Instead, they were spontaneous. That is the opposite of today. For most of church history, most church services have been pre-programmed.

The Bible does not specify one or the other. It does not require spontaneity and it does not prohibit pre-programming. However, the problem with preprogramming is it makes most people mere spectators instead of participants.

One of the problems we have in modern Christianity is apathy on the part of many people, particularly men, who attend church. Perhaps if more men could participate, there would be less apathy.

1Cor. 14:32 And the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets;

1Cor. 14:33 for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.

Church services should be orderly, not mass confusion. One of the problems with charismatic churches is they can become disorderly. It is possible to have spontaneity without mass confusion.

1Cor. 14:34 ¶ The women are to keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also says.

While their church services were spontaneous, and while spontaneity would be beneficial today, women should be silent during church services. Church should be for men to participate while women observe.

This has been the practice through most of church history. Most priests, pastors, and preachers through the centuries have been men. When lay members read scripture or prayed, it was normally men doing that. Gregorian chant was the church music from about 1,000 years ago and it uses only men’s voices. Boy’s choirs became popular around 500 years ago because the church wanted higher pitches while singing, but women had to be silent in church, so they formed boy’s choirs to provide the high pitches.

In recent decades, feminism has fought hard in favor of women being totally equal to men. Christianity has caved to the culture in this area and today many churches allow women to participate. Many churches allow women to sing solos, read scripture, and pray. Some churches even have women preachers.

Churches should not be allowing this. Paul made it clear that women should be silent in church.

1Cor. 14:35 But if they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home, for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in church.

Notice the word “disgraceful”. Most churches today are disgraceful because they allow women to speak in church.

1Cor. 14:36 Was it from you that the word of God first went forth? Or has it arrived to you only?

1Cor. 14:37 ¶ If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord’s commandment.

1Cor. 14:38 But if anyone remains ignorant about this, he is ignored by God.

1Cor. 14:39 ¶ Therefore, my brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak in tongues.

1Cor. 14:40 But all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner.

1Cor. 15:1 ¶ Now I make known to you, brothers, the gospel which I proclaimed as good news to you, which also you received, in which also you stand,

1Cor. 15:2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I proclaimed to you as good news, unless you believed for nothing.

1Cor. 15:3 ¶ For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,

Notice the words “of first importance” and think about what Paul mentioned as being the most important things.

1Cor. 15:4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

1Cor. 15:5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.

The items of first importance are the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. Churches must proclaim those truths clearly and without apology.

The appearances of Jesus after His resurrection are important because that created many eyewitnesses of the fact that Jesus died and rose again. We do not claim Jesus rose from the dead based on mere wishful thinking or hope. Instead, we know Jesus rose from the dead because dozens of people watched Him die, and then saw Him alive again after He arose from the dead. They put their observations into writing, and many of those observations are included in the Bible.

1Cor. 15:6 After that He appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep.

1Cor. 15:7 After that, He appeared to James, then to all the apostles,

1Cor. 15:8 and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.

For most of church history, only men spoke in church. Women were silent observers. In recent decades this has changed dramatically and today many churches allow women to sing solos, read scripture, pray, give announcements, and even preach.

Paul made it crystal clear in 1Cor 14:34 that women should be silent in church. In fact, it is disgraceful for women to speak in church. Any church that allows women to speak is disgraceful.

Is your church disgraceful?

What does your church need to change so that it is not disgraceful?

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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”