SNT 0248 Power Manifested in the Church: 1 Corinthians 14
July 10, 1966
How the manifestations are to be used in the church.
SNT – 248
Format: audio
Publication Date: 07-10-1966
Victor Paul Wierwille was a Bible scholar and teacher for over four decades.
By means of Dr. Wierwille's dynamic teaching of the accuracy and integrity of God's Word, foundational class and advanced class graduates of Power for Abundant Living have learned that the one great requirement for every student of the Bible is to rightly divide the Word of Truth. Thus, his presentation of the Word of God was designed for students who desire the in-depth-accuracy of God’s Word.
In his many years of research, Dr. Wierwille studied with such men as Karl Barth, E. Stanley Jones, Glenn Clark, Bishop K.C. Pillai, and George M. Lamsa. His formal training included Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Theology degrees from Mission House (Lakeland) College and Seminary. He studied at the University of Chicago and at Princeton Theological Seminary from which he received a Master of Theology degree in Practical Theology. Later he completed his work for the Doctor of Theology degree.
Dr. Wierwille taught the first class on Power for Abundant Living in 1953.
Books by Dr. Wierwille include: Are the Dead Alive Now? published in 1971; Receiving the Holy Spirit Today published in 1972; five volumes of Studies in Abundant Living— The Bible Tells Me So (1971), The New, Dynamic Church (1971), The Word's Way (1971), God's Magnified Word (1977), Order My Steps in Thy Word (1985); Jesus Christ Is Not God (1975); Jesus Christ Our Passover (1980); and Jesus Christ Our Promised Seed (1982).
Dr. Wierwille researched God's Word, taught, wrote, and traveled worldwide, holding forth the accuracy of God's "wonderful, matchless" Word.
1Co 1:2; 13:1; 14:1, 2
1Co 14:2-6
1Co 14:6-15
1Co 14:15-21; Isa 28:11, 12
1Co 14:21-28
1Co 14:29-37
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DRAFT
Snt-0248-PowerInTheChurch.-
Take your Bibles and turn to 1 Corinthians tonight. 1 Corinthians the 14th chapter.
If you will remember, 1 Corinthians chapter 1, verse 2 tells us that the Book of Corinthians is addressed to the church. If the Book of Corinthians is addressed to the church, then it’s addressed to you and to me because we belong to the church. It is addressed to the men and women after the Day of Pentecost. And, of course, you and I live in this age of grace after the Day of Pentecost, and we live in the church, the body of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Chapters 12, 13 and 14 of Corinthians are just like a great sandwich. They are terrific meat of the Word of God in this Book of Corinthians. The Book of Corinthians was addressed to the church in a remarkable way. I have taught this in other classes, so tonight again I’d like to set it before some of our people. Some who are in here tonight who just finished the foundational class.
The Book of Romans was the first great revelation given to the church. And because they failed to adhere to the greatness of the revelation in the Book of Romans, and they got into practical error, God had the Book of Corinthians written to get people out of their practical error due to their failure of adherence to the revelation of the Book of Romans.
Galatians was written because people had gotten into doctrinal error because of their failure to adhere to the principles set forth in the Book of Romans. You know you don’t get doctrinal practices until after you have practiced error for a while. After you’ve been in the wrong for a while, and you’ve done wrong things. Then you make a doctrine out of that wrong teaching or that wrong action. This is why the Book of Galatians is God’s revelation to the church to correct the doctrinal error that had crept into the church due to the failure of the practical error from not being obedient to the revelation given in the Book of Romans.
That’s a remarkable truth. And if you will read those books in the light of which I have just stated, they will become much more meaningful and alive to you.
Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians, again have the same type of relationship as Romans, Corinthians and Galatians. The great revelation of Ephesians, their practical error crept into the church and God had the Book of Philippians written to correct it. And then He had the Book of Colossians written to correct the doctrinal error that had crept into the church because of the failure of adhering to the Book of [Ephesians 00:03:06].
And so, tonight, in the Book of Corinthians we will be dealing with practical errors that have crept into the church because of their failure of adhering to the revelation given in the Book of Romans.
The 13th chapter of Corinthians has the word ‘charity’ in it. And I want to explain this word ‘charity’ once more to you because the charity that is used in the King James is the word ‘agapeo’ or ‘agape’, which means love of God.
Now, this love of God is a tremendous thing, but we’ve got to separate the difference between the love of God which we get via the spirit or via faith, and the love of God which we get by the renewed mind. Salvation is by grace, not of works. Remember? It is of faith, not of works, lest any man should what? Boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9:
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
And since it is of faith, that love of God that comes when we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and that God raised him from the dead, that love is a gift of God to us. Not of works, but of grace. Then the love of God in the inner man, the love of God in the inner man is by grace. Therefore, any love of God that I can manifest, any love of God, class, that I show forth, any love of God that you show forth cannot be spirit. It has to be in the renewed mind.
And remember the scripture where we put on up here: In the renewed mind according to the image of God who created him in here? So the love of God in the 13th chapter of 1 Corinthians is nothing more and nothing less than the putting on of the love of God in the renewed mind in manifestation according to the gift that God has given within the inner mind.
And no person dare take this 13th chapter out of its context. The 13th chapter, if you’d put it at any other place in the Bible than where it is, your Bible would not fit. You dare not take the 13th chapter out without talking about the 12th or the 14th. This 13th chapter sets like a dike. It sets like a [inaudible 00:05:33]. And it ties together the greatness of the revelation of 12 and 14.
In the 12th chapter of 1 Corinthians, you have the record of the gifts of the spirit and the manifestations. That’s set. And they’re not set in order, they’re simply mentioned because of the error that has crept into the church, the practical error. And he starts building these things improperly. That’s why the revelation is given.
In the 13th chapter, it tells you how these manifestations operate for profit for you. For profit for you. It says,
1 Corinthians 13:1:
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels,… [if I] have not… [the love of God in the renewed mind in manifestation], I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
Nothing wrong with speaking in tongues or any of the manifestations. It’s me. Something wrong with me if I do not renew my mind with the love of God and put it in a manifestation. Because any person operating the manifestations of the spirit outside of the love of God, the manifestations will still operate and they’ll still bless the other person, but they will not bless you, the operator.
And, therefore, you would be the loser. And God never expected His people who minister the Word of God or who help someone else, to be a loser. He’s got you on the winning side. And He tells you in 1 Corinthians 13 that you and I can never lose if we will renew our minds and put on the love of God in manifestation, and then operate the manifestations. And it will come back to us with interest and with a tremendous blessing.
Then, in the 14th chapter of 1 Corinthians, he deals with only basically three manifestations of the spirit. Those three manifestations are called the worship manifestations because they are used in a worship service, like we use them here tonight. They’re used in a believer’s meeting, like you heard them used tonight. Both tongues with interpretation, and prophesy in manifestation here tonight, that all of you people heard and the people listening to the radio heard. These are the manifestations that he is dealing with in 1 Corinthians 14.
He only deals with those three because the Corinthian church in practice had gotten out of alignment and harmony. And God by revelation puts this 14th chapter down to set these manifestations in their absolute and accurate order in the church.
And, people, this is addressed to us. This chapter must be understood by the church. And so, tonight, we will take this 14th chapter. And by God’s grace and mercy and with His wonderful guidance, we expect to make it living and real so that everybody understands every word and every verse in it. So you just believe faith and just God [inaudible 00:08:25], it will be so.
Chapter 14, verse 1.
1 Corinthians 14:1:
Follow after charity, [follow after the love of God in the renewed mind] and desire spiritual gifts,…
The word ‘gifts’ is in italics which tells you that it was added by the King James translators and was not in the Stevens Greek text from which they translated it. The word ‘gifts’ has to have the same treatment in 14:1 as we gave it in chapter 12 verse 1, where we had to scratch it out. The word ‘spiritual’ is the word ‘pneumatikos’; things of the spirit or spiritual matters. You might even leap to literally say, spiritual manifestations.
1 Corinthians 14:1:
Follow after… [the love of God in the new mind], and desire…
The word ‘desire’ is the word ‘zelo’. It’s the word by which we get the English word ‘zealous’. One who is really zealous. One who’s always pushing. One who’s always out there [inaudible 00:09:34]. That’s the word ‘desire’.
1 Corinthians 14:1:
Follow after… [the love of God in the renewed mind], and desire [zealously desire] spiritual… [things. Spiritual matters. Get hungry for the spiritual things of God, in other words], but rather that ye may prophesy. [Where? In the church.]
That’s the key. Time and time and time again, in the 14th chapter, if you will just read the words in the church into the text, it will fit like a hand in a glove, for 1 Corinthians 14 is addressed to the church.
Now, he said he desired that we have spiritual matters and spiritual things inside of the church. But inside of the church, he’d rather have prophesy than anything else. And he’ll explain it in a moment why, or it will come up as to why he’d rather have prophesy. Maybe I better tell you first and then, when we get to it, it will reiterate itself and you’ll understand it even better.
Tongues with interpretation never, never has any F-O-R-E in it, foretelling. Tongues with interpretation is only a foretelling, a declaring, a manifestation of God’s Word in the people’s midst which will edify the people by exhorting and comforting them. While prophesy inside of a group of believers, the church – inside of the true church, the whole group of believers – prophesy has the possibility of having F-O-R-E in it. Foretelling. And if there was any foretelling in it, this would be something extra to that particular church. And, therefore, he says, he would rather have prophesy.
Verse 2.
1 Corinthians 14:2:
For he that speaketh [he that speaketh] in an unknown tongue…
The King James men put the word ‘unknown’ in italics. They added it to tell everybody or let everybody know that if a person was speaking in tongues it would be unknown; the speaking would be unknown to the speaker.
1 Corinthians 14:2:
For he that speaketh in [a tongue,] an unknown tongue speaketh not unto [what?] men,…
He is not speaking unto men. Because, if tonight I am not speaking in tongues to you now, am I? I am speaking in a known language. And I’m not speaking unto God, I’m speaking to you. I’m talking to you and our radio audience. This is who I’m speaking to. I’m not talking to God, I’m talking to you.
Now it says, very plainly,
1 Corinthians 14:2:
… he that speaketh in…[a] tongue speaketh not unto men, but [he’s speaking] unto [whom?] {God:}…
So, when you speak in tongues you are speaking to whom? God. And if you understood it or if the people all understood it, it wouldn’t be speaking to God it would be speaking to whom? The people. To man. So he says very pointedly that, when you speak in tongues you’re speaking to God. Well, isn’t that wonderful that God has designed a way whereby we, His sons and His daughters, His children, can talk to him?
I love to talk to people. I love to talk to my friends, my loved ones like you people in here. I love to visit with you, I love to talk with you. How much more should we not love to talk to our heavenly Father? And He made is possible. He made it possible that we could do this.
1 Corinthian 14:2:
… [he] speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him;…
The word ‘him’ again is in italics. Scratch it out. The reason that is not true is because of the record in Acts chapter 2. On that memorial day… That memorable day. It was memorial too I suppose for a lot of things, but it was memorable anyways. On that original day of outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the 12 apostles when they received they spoke in tongues. But the miracle was that what they spoke as the Spirit gave them [inaudible 00:13:49], that there was a group understood Peter, here was a group understood Thomas, there was another group understood Matthew.
And therefore you cannot leave the word ‘him’ in verse 2. For it is not true that every time a person speaks in tongues that no man understandeth him. They did understand them on the Day of Pentecost. But, take the ‘him’ out, and it means what it says and it says what it means.
1 Corinthians 14:2:
… for no man understandeth…
When you speak in tongues, you do not understand what you’re saying. If you understood it, it would not be what? Tongue.
1 Corinthians 14:2:
… for no man understandeth…; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.
Howbeit? For in the spirit he speaketh. So when you speak in the spirit you’re speaking in tongues. And speaking in tongues, you’re speaking divine mystery. You’re speaking mysteries. Mysteries are divine secrets between God, who is your Father, and you who are His son or His daughter. Shouldn’t Christians really want to talk to their Father? To speak divine secrets, mysteries between God and man. How God can inspire the individual? Give him revelation? Build him up within so he can receive great knowledge, great information from God? That’s the speaking of mystery.
Verse 3.
1 Corinthians 14:3:
But he that prophesieth…
To prophesy is to speak in the language of the body of the people present. The language of the body of this people is English. If this were a church in Germany, it would perhaps be in German. If this were in India, it might be in Hindi, or Gujarat, or Tamil, or one of the other 14 major languages of India. But, whatever the body is, he that prophesieth will speak in the language of that body.
1 Corinthians 14:3:
… he that prophesieth speaketh unto men… [why are they speaking unto men? Because it’s in the language of the body of the people present. They can understand it. Speaketh unto men] edification,…
The word ‘edification’ is the same word like the basic word for house. Mansion. Edify means to build up. We talk about a big edifice. A big house we call a big edifice. When we prophesy in the language of the body of the people, it will build up the house. It will build up the house by putting foundation in it. Brick, mortar, stone. Make it strong.
It will build up the body of believers by doing two things; by exhorting them and comforting them.
1 Corinthians 14:3:
… and exhortation, and comfort.
To exhort means to encourage. It will encourage us when we have a word of prophesy in our midst as we had tonight. It will comfort us. Give us quiet serenity, quiet peace. And, people, the church needs to get quiet. The church needs to come out from among them and again tap the resources on how to get still inside without being all aflutter and all nervous and all shook. That’s right. And you don’t have to go to the drug store so often to buy sedatives and all the rest of it. If you were in a believers meeting where there is prophecy in operation and you hear the Word of the Lord, you believe what you hear, it settles your nerves down. It quiets your flipping stomach, and a few other minor things, because it’s comfort to God’s what? People. Don’t you see it?
That’s why it edifies. It builds you as a believer by exhorting you and by comforting you.
Now, tongues with interpretation will do the same thing, but we’re not at that yet. We’re going to show you these things as we go along.
Verse 4.
1 Corinthians 14:4:
He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself;…
Since no one understands what he speaks in tongues, which we have just read in a verse before, in verse 2. If a man speaking in tongues does not understand it, then his edification could not be in his mind, could it? He could not be edified in his senses. Well, there’s only one place he can be edified when he speaks in tongues, and that’s is in the spirit. He is edified in his spirit. God is spirit. God is spirit. And as I speak in tongues, God’s spirit edifies His spirit within me, which is the new birth. Which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Which Ephesians says is the inner man. The spirit edifies that spirit of God which is in me, which is God’s gift to me. It edifieth.
1 Corinthians 14:4:
He that speaketh in... [a] tongue edifieth himself; [where? In the spirit. He builds himself up spiritually] but he that prophesieth edifieth [or builds up] the [what?] {church.}
Why? Because prophesy is in the language of the body of the people [inaudible 00:19:11]. And that would edify you in the spirit? Nope. Doesn’t edify your spirit, it edifies your what? Your mind. That’s why when he prophesied tonight in the language of the body of the people, it edified your mind immediately. But if someone had spoken in tongues all night and not given the interpretation, the person speaking would have been edified. But what about the rest of the body? We would not have been edified.
And this is addressed to the church. And inside of the church, everybody, everybody has to be blessed. Everybody’s got to be edified. You came here tonight, you’ve got to go home edified. If we miss this tonight, we’re out of alignment and harmony. There’s something wrong. God has to edify you. And He did it if you have ears to hear. Sure.
Verse 5.
1 Corinthians 14:5:
I would that ye all spake with tongues,…
Well then, why don’t you? Well, what’s the will of God? Is the Word of God the will of God?
1 Corinthians 14:5:
I would that ye all spake with tongues,…
It means what it says and it says what it means. Because when you speak in tongues, what are you going to do for yourself? You’re going to edify what? Your mind? No, you spirit. And boy we need it. We need to edify our spirit.
1 Corinthians 14:5:
I would that ye all spake… [in] tongues, but [inside of the church, read the rest. He’d] rather that ye [what?] prophesied:…
Why? Because prophecy is in the language of the body of the people present, and it will edify everybody. While speaking in tongues would only edify the speaker – and that would be selfish, wouldn’t it? If I spoke in tongues all night here tonight, would the speaking in tongues edify me? Sure. But what about you?
I can just imagine all of you coming back next Sunday night again. Boy, if you did you’d be mighty stupid. That’s right. That’s right.
That’s why it says,
1 Corinthians 14:5:
I would that ye all spake… [in] tongues, but [inside of the church, he’d] rather… [have us to] prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth [now watch it] than he that speaketh with tongues, except… [except, except, except he does one thing. What?] interpret, [the reason being] that the church may receive edifying.
And the word ‘receive’ if I remember correctly is the word ‘lambano’. Am I right? That the church may lambano this building up. Isn't that something? Look at that tremendous truth.
And they use this argument to say, well, you see it says, the first part of the verse, ‘I would you all spake in tongues’. But it’s not important, because he turns right around and says, ‘I’d rather have you prophesy.’ Baloney. Why don’t you read the rest of the Word? Why don’t they read the rest of the verse? Why don’t they read the rest of the verse? Sure, speaking in tongues without interpretation is definitely limited to your private prayer life, but speaking in tongues with interpretation is for the body of believers. For them, if the interpretation would be in English in this group, and that interpretation would edify, exhort and what? {Comfort.}
Then, what’s the difference between speaking in tongues with interpretation in a believers’ meeting, and giving a word of prophecy in a believers’ meeting? There are two reasons. One we will read later on, the one I will give you now.
Namely, I gave it to you already. Tongues with interpretation will be a foretelling, a declaring of God’s Word to God’s people which will edify them via exhortation and comfort. There will never be any F-O-R-E telling in it. While prophesy, prophesy has the possibility in it of having some foretelling in it. Foretelling, not just [inaudible 00:23:20]. But that foretelling in that prophesy to the church would already corroborate what God had first told you via his spirit.
Verse 6. By the way, this sets all these great truths of Corinthians in order in these first five verses. From now on, we just begin to explain. We just now take them apart and put them all back together as we keep going on.
1 Corinthians 14:6:
Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you,…
That’s right. He said, if I came to you people in Corinth and I spoke in tongues, what profit would it be to you? None, because they could not what? Understand it. It would profit him, it would edify him, but it wouldn’t edify or build up the church. That’s why he said,
1 Corinthians 14:6:
… except I… speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine? [which is right teaching].
Then he uses an illustration. Verse 7.
1 Corinthians 14:7:
And even things without life giving sound, whether [organ or piano] pipe or harp…
It says in the King James, right? All right. Tonight you listened to organ and piano. It’s the same type of illustration.
1 Corinthians 14:7:
… whether pipe or harp, [organ or piano] except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is [organed or what is pianoed? What is] piped or [what is] harped?
See it? If Rhoda had not played Onward Christian Soldiers according to the notes, or if Mrs. Owens on the organ had not played it, how would we have known what was piped or harped? Would we have known whether it was organed or pianoed? We wouldn’t. They wouldn’t.
So it is with the Word of God. So it is. Now, watch this. Verse 8.
1 Corinthians 14:8-9:
For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to… battle?
So likewise ye, [verse 9] except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall [just] speak into the [what?] {air.}
Sure. If I spoke in tongues which words could not be understood, it’d just be like speaking in the air. But if spoke in tongues and interpret it, it wouldn’t be like speaking in the air for you would all understand. And, inside of the church, everybody has to be edified.
Verse 10.
1 Corinthians 14:10:
There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world,…
So many different kinds of tongues. Many different kinds. You’ll notice a little while ago in 13, 1 Corinthians 13,
1 Corinthians 13:1:
Though I speak with the tongues of [what?] men and of [what?] {angels,}
Every tongue that has ever spoken is either a tongue of men or a tongue of angels. If it’s a tongue of men, then it could be understood someplace upon this earth. But if it’s the tongue of angels, it’s a little difficult.
1 Corinthians 14:10:
There are,… so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them [not a one of those speaking in tongues] is without signification.
Verse 11. The first word is the word ‘but’.
1 Corinthians 14:11:
… [But] if I know not the meaning of the voice, [or that tongue that’s being spoken] I shall be unto him that speaketh a… [foreigner], and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian [or a foreigner] unto me.
Can you understand that? Simple. Let’s say none of you understood German here tonight, and I understand German. And I would start speaking in German. [inaudible 00:27:34]. Now, if none of you understood German, I would have been a what to you? A foreigner. All right. Suppose all of you understood German and I didn’t. Then I would be a what to you? Now that’s exactly what he’s talking about, only related to the matter of speaking in tongues, interpretation and prophesy.
Verse 12.
1 Corinthians 14:12:
Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous [there’s that word ‘desire’ again, zealous] of spiritual gifts, [‘gifts’ is italics, scratch it out. Spiritual matters. Spiritual things] seek [seek, seek] that ye may excel to the edifying [the building up] of [what?] {the church.}
You see why the church is the key to the whole thing? The church, the body of believers who’ve been born again, they’ve got to be edified. What I do at home, in my office, or in my living room, or in my bedroom, that’s my business. But what I do out in the public, among God’s people, in the church, that’s not just my business, that’s your also. For you must be edified as well as me. We got to seek doing that which will excel to the edifying, the building up of the body.
Verse 13 says,
1 Corinthians 14:13:
Wherefore [because of this, that the body has to be edified] let him that speaketh in… a tongue pray [to do what?] {that he may interpret.}
That’s what it says, that’s what it means. Anybody who speaks in tongues in a believers meeting must interpret. Must interpret. If he does not interpret, he is out of order for the church will not be what? Edified. And inside of the church, everybody’s got to be edified.
1 Corinthians 14:13:
Wherefore let him that speaketh in… [a] tongue pray…
Not the word pray, fold your hands and close your eyes and do nothing, just mumble a bunch of words. The word ‘pray’ is the word ‘to believe’. When you pray, you do one thing. What? Believe. If you don’t believe, you aren’t praying anyway. When you speak in tongues, let him believe. When he’s through speaking to give one thing? What? The interpretation. Why? Because the church must be what? Edified.
1 Corinthians 14:13:
Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret.
And, people, right here is where you have to stop, take a breath, look the situation over. Because some of you people have been in meetings where one person spoke in tongues and somebody else interpreted. You have been in meetings where one individual, many times a lay person, would speak in tongues, and the preacher would interpret. That cannot have been an interpretation. Because the scripture says that the person who speaks has to do what? The interpreting.
But because they cannot sense knowledge-wise distinguish between interpretation of tongues and prophecy, they have concluded that if someone in the audience spoke in tongues and I, the minister, interpret it, I was giving the interpretation. I was not giving an interpretation, I was giving a word of what? Prophesy.
Because tongues with interpretation equals what? And because they did not understand the fine lines of demarcation here in the Word of God, they’ve been in confusion a lifetime. And they’ll stay there, class, until they come back to the integrity of God’s Word, and are obedient to God’s Word and change their thinking according to God’s Word. Until that time, they can just stay in confusion because God can’t help them. God can only help us when we rightly divide the Word, and then are willing to change our mind and make our lives concur and cohere and gel with the accuracy of God’s Word.
Verse 14.
1 Corinthians 14:14:
For if I pray…
Who’s doing the praying? No, he is. Paul is talking about himself now. He is talking now about praying in an unknown tongue. He is talking about prayer in an unknown tongue. Could this be for the whole body of believers? No. Because, if it was for the body of believers it had to be interpreted and it could not be a prayer.
Class, all speaking in tongues… Well, let’s turn it around. All praying in the spirit is speaking in tongues, but not all speaking in tongues is praying in the spirit. Got it? When I pray in the spirit I am speaking in what? Tongues. But when I’m speaking in tongues, I’m not always doing what? Praying in the spirit.
For instance, in a believers meeting like we have here tonight, when someone spoke in tongues was that a prayer? No. It was speaking in tongues, which was interpreted. And the interpretation edified, exhorted and comforted God’s people. Had that been a prayer and the interpretation would have been given, the interpretation would have been a what? Prayer. A prayer. Follow? That’s what.
Now, this is real simple if you understand God’s foreknowledge. If you understand God’s foreknowledge. For instance, tonight, before that first person spoke in tongues, did God know whether that person would interpret or not? He knew. He knew in His foreknowledge that that man would interpret. So his message in tongues was not a prayer this way a down, it was a message to be interpreted so the church would be edified, exhorted and comforted.
Now, suppose she spoke in tongues and God knows ahead of time she wouldn’t interpret. Then her speaking in tongues, would it be like his was? No. Hers would be a prayer. Yours would be a prayer or a praise to God, and it’s never interpreted because God knows ahead of time you’re not going to interpret it. But it would have edified her spiritually, but it would not edify any of the other of the body, and that’s why it would be out of order. Follow it?
These lines of demarcation are sharply drawn, but they’re accurate here in the Word. And he means what he says, and he says what he means. For he says,
1 Corinthians 14:14:
… if I pray [if I pray]
He is now speaking in tongues but not in a believers meeting, he is now praying in the what? Spirit. And to pray in the spirit, you’ve got to speak in tongues. But all speaking in tongues is not praying in the spirit.
1 Corinthians 14:14:
For if I pray in… [a] tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is [what?] unfruitful.
It’s unfruitful. It does not gain any more in mental awareness. The same as he was talking about in the opening part of the chapter, what he talked about speaking in an unknown tongue. He’s not speaking unto men, he is speaking unto whom? God. And his understanding…
[inaudible 00:35:25]. What verse was that?
For no man understandeth. Verse 2. Same thing is taught here now, only here he is talking specifically about the praying in the spirit.
Verse 15.
1 Corinthians 14:15:
What is it then? [What about this thing?] I will…
I will. I will. Who’s going to do it? Paul is by his what? Will. And don’t you ever forget it. The will. Every person operating true manifestations of the spirit always has freedom of will to operate. Paul says, “I will.” I will. By my will. He is not possessed. He is not controlled. He is not a [median 00:36:05]. He is not under any influence except his believing, and then God [inaudible 00:36:10].
I will. Whenever anybody’s free will is overstepped, it’s only from Satan. Only. God, the true God, never oversteps free will. Boy, I wish I could cry this from the housetops of our nation. These are those areas where people are relinquishing themselves and just letting devil spirits take over, and allowing their free will to disappear.
People, I didn’t write the book, but it means what it says and it says what it means.
Paul says, I will. Now, how in the world can you will if you haven’t got any? Come on. You can’t. How could you will to be in this great auditorium tonight if you didn’t have a will? If you can will something, you have to have freedom to do it. Right? And when you’re possessed, controlled, or a medium, you have not freedom of will. You are possessed, to use the word. You are controlled. You are set aside. And you no longer have the free will.
And there is not one record, there is not one record in the Word of God where any person was ever possessed by the true God. But there are hundreds of records where they were possessed by devil spirits.
Paul says,
1 Corinthians 14:15:
… I will pray with the spirit,…
He’s going to do praying with the spirit. Is he going to do this in church? No, he is not. Not out loud he’s not going to do it in church. He could do it in church if he sat there and did it how? Silently. But never out loud. So his praying is not for the church, his prayer is for Mr. Paul, the Right Dr. Reverend Paul. That’s right. It’s for the Apostle Paul. It’s for him. He prayed.
1 Corinthians 14:15:
… I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also:…
Two types of prayer. Right? One praying with the spirit, the other’s praying with the understanding. And if he were going to be inside of the church, if he would pray in the church, he’d pray how? Just like I did tonight. Like some of the rest of you did. We pray with our understanding so that everybody could be blessed.
1 Corinthians 14:15:
… I will sing with the spirit,…
I will. I will. Again with the will. I will sing with the spirit. To sing with the spirit is to sing in what? Tongue. To sing in tongue. Well, if you can talk, you can sing. If you can sing, you can talk. So you can sing in the spirit or you can talk in the spirit, whichever you like.
1 Corinthians 14:15:
… and I will sing with… [my] understanding also.
We did that tonight.
The word ‘else’ is verse 16 is the word ‘otherwise’.
1 Corinthians 14:16:
… [Otherwise, if, if] thou shalt bless with the spirit,…
Thou shalt bless with the spirit. How can you bless with the spirit? The only way you can bless with the spirit, if you interpreted it which was spoken in tongues, or you gave a word of prophesy.
1 Corinthians 14:16:
… [Otherwise, if,] thou shalt bless with the spirit,…
The only way you can bless with the spirit otherwise would be in your private prayer life. It’d be a blessing to you.
1 Corinthians 14:16:
… [but] he that occupieth the room of the unlearned…
If I bless with the spirit in my prayer life, my private prayer life, the other fellow can’t understand what I’m doing.
1 Corinthians 14:16:
… [How could he] say Amen at thy giving of thanks,...
It’s a prayer in the spirit. How could he say amen? If I prayed in the spirit, because he wouldn’t what? Understand. He might say amen the wrong [inaudible 00:40:02] said it.
Teaching a class one night and I baited someone, like I do many times in the class. Get them all set for the kill, you know. And here he was, saying amen at everything that was going on. So I just baited him a real trap that if he said amen it’d just be so terribly wrong, everybody would see it. And he said amen at the wrong place. And everybody just hooting and hollering. They all caught it. He didn’t say amen so frequently after it. He watched what he was saying amen after that.
You know, people, sometimes it isn’t whether you say it out loud either. Whether you’ve got it really in your heart is really what counts. I've heard a lot of people say it out loud, didn’t have very much on the inside. And I've heard people sometimes didn’t have very much on the inside anyways, they didn’t say anything out loud either. So one could be just as bad as the other. But, boy, when the greatness of God’s Word lives, that’s… If you can see it and you can just blow on the inside and that thing that effervesces within you, that’s what the Lord’s after.
1 Corinthians 14:16:
… seeing he understandeth not what thou [what?] sayest?
[verse 17] For thou verily givest thanks well, but [what’s the matter with it?] the other… [the other whom? The people in the church are not what?] {edified.}
And inside of the church, everybody has to be what? Edified. So when I bless with the spirit, I’m praying in the spirit, I couldn’t do this in a public meeting out loud because nobody could say amen at the giving of thanks. Even though I would be giving thanks what? Well.
You know what’s the matter with it? Nothing’s the matter with the manifestation, I am out of order. I am out of order. That’s it. The manifestation is still tremendous. And even when a person’s out of order, the manifestation is produced. Isn’t that remarkable. You’re still giving thanks well, but you’re out of order. For the other, church, is not being edified. Isn’t that wonderful?
Verse 18.
1 Corinthians 14:18:
I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than [what?] {ye all:}
Did the Apostle Paul speak in tongues? Ladies in gentlemen, I’d like to ask the ministries across our nation and world tonight, who do they think they are, when that they say they no longer need to speak in tongues? When my Bible says, and yours says, that of all the men who had ever had revelation, no one ever had the abundance of the revelation that the Apostle Paul had. And I know of no man, including the great evangelists of our day and our time, who have reached all Asia Minor in two years and three months with [inaudible 00:42:52]. But I know a man by the name of the Apostle Paul who reached all Asia in two years and three months.
Then it seems to me, ladies and gentlemen, that the least that I can do as a man of God, as a servant to my fellow men, that I too ought to speak in tongues if I want to represent myself as a leader of God’s people in this world in which we live. And that’s why the Word says,
1 Corinthians 14:18:
I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:
And if the ministers want to have the power of God, they got to come God’s way from God’s Word. And if they don’t, they’ll never have it. They may talk about… They may laugh at it, but that doesn’t invalidate or take away the truth. It is still God’s wonderful Word. And when the Apostle Paul said, I thank my God, I speak in tongues more than ye all, then it seems to me that little men like myself, men of God like myself, certainly we ought to be speaking in tongues so that our lives could be uplifting to God’s people among whom we minister.
Well, somebody ought to say amen to that. It was in English.
Verse 19. Hey, verse 18, he couldn’t be doing that in the church, could he? In his private prayer life, right? Because he tells you in verse 19 he’s now going to talk about church.
1 Corinthians 14:19:
… [But] in the church [in the church] I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in… [a] tongue. [what?]
Because five words would edify the body of believers five words worth. John Green Leaf [inaudible 00:44:42] or something. But if I spoke ten thousand words in a tongue, how much would you be edified? None. But if I only spoke five words, at least you’d be edified five words. That’s why he was at the Corinthian church. Because they were all there speaking in tongues, but no interpretation. And the church was not being what? Edified.
And, inside of the church, the church has to be edified. What you do at home is your business, but when you’re inside the church it’s everybody’s business because all God’s people are there. His children, God’s children, are there.
Verse 20. Now we get in the most difficult verses of this chapter. All this stuff has been duck soup until now. Now we get into the most difficult part of this chapter.
1 Corinthians 14:20:
Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be… [what?] children, but in understanding… [for once in your life, grow up. Be a man.]
That’s what he’s saying. Boy, some Christian people go through life being kids all their life. They’re children. They’re bathed in Christ, they never grow up. they never grow up.
And Paul says by revelation,
1 Corinthians 14:20:
Brethren, be not children in understanding:… [of these spiritual things and the things of God that really matter in your life] but in malice be… children,…
That’s right. And have you ever thought about the malice of a child? They just don’t have it. They hit each other in the nose, the next minute you better not touch either one of them – they’ll hit you. So they maybe get in a little difficult one second, but you try to break them up the next second and you’re out of luck.
1 Corinthians 14:20-21:
… but in understanding [he says] be [what?] {men.}
In the law it is written,…
And, by the way, remember this is taken from Isaiah chapter 28, verses 11 and 12.
1 Corinthians 14:21:
In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord.
I want to look at Isaiah 28. Is that Isaiah 28? Yes. Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Songs of Solomon. Isaiah chapter 28. And I want to show you something remarkable here. Verses 11 and 12.
Isaiah 28:11-12:
For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
To whom he said, This is the rest [rest, R-E-S-T. Verse 12] wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not [what?] {hear.}
Look at that. They’re speaking in tongues. And, as he relates it, is the rest. You know what rest is; comfort, peace. This is the rest which causes the weary. And who hasn’t been weary at some time in his or her life as a Christian? But it’s this speaking in tongues which causes the weary to rest, and it is the refreshing to the believer.
It’s the refreshing. It’s like a drink of cold water on a hot day. It’s better than a drink of cold water. It is so refreshingly refreshing.
Now, the thing that I wanted to show you, and you’ll have to check this yourself minutely sometime, is that in 1 Corinthians 14, these verses 11 and 12 are not fully quoted. He just takes out that part out of the middle of those two verses which is apropos to the day and hour in which we are living; namely, the body.
And, going back to the scripture addressed not to us but for our, what, learning, he takes out of that. Now, listen carefully. It’s a great principle. I've taught all of this in the foundational class at one time or another, but hardly anybody applies the principle. Here you’ve got it tonight.
You can go through the Old Testament, all the Gospels and find that which fits into the body of the church in the age in which you’re living. Even though that is written for our learning, you’re allowed to use it in the text of that which we are living to the degree that it confines itself to the days in which this Word is addressed. Understand?
And that’s exactly what he did in verses 11 and 12. He took out, by divine revelation, that which specifically applies to the church, and he set it forth here in this great 21st verse.
1 Corinthians 14:21-22:
… [I’ll] speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord.
Wherefore [verse 22] tongues are for a sign, [now we’re speaking in tongues here in a believers meeting with interpretation. Tongues are for a sign] not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which [do what?] believe.
I’m going to read another verse or two and then I’ll explain.
1 Corinthians 14:23:
If therefore the whole church [the whole church, those who believe and those who believe not, or the unlearned – if they whole church] be come together into one place, and all speak with [what?] {tongues,}…
All speak with tongues at the same time. Everybody speaking in tongues in the church in a believers meeting now. Now you class that just finished the class Friday night, remember how I distinctly separated a believers meeting from a receivers meeting, and a few other details? We’re here talking about a believers meeting. Got it? Not a receivers meeting, in a believers meeting. If the whole
1 Corinthians 14:23:
If… the whole church… come together…, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or [what?] unbelievers, will they not say that… [you’re off your rocker? Will they not say you] are mad?
And that’s just exactly what they’ve been saying. Why? Because the church has been out of order.
1 Corinthians 14:24-25:
But [verse 24] if all prophesy, [and prophesy would be in the language of the body of the people present] and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, [and] he is judged of all:
And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.
Tongues in a church, in a believers meeting, tongues in a believers meeting are for a sign to the unbelievers. Now, that unbeliever is not one who has not been born again. There are people who have been born again, but when it comes to the operation of the manifestations of the spirit, do they believe? Then they are what? That’s what he’s talking about.
That word ‘unbeliever’ here, that word ‘unbeliever’ here is not the Word addressed to those who have never been born again. It is addressed to those who have been born again but they are still not believing.
The unlearned. Prophesy or some place.
1 Corinthians 14:24
… and there come in one that believeth not, [verse 24] or one unlearned,…
The unlearned are the uninstructed. They are the born again ones who have not yet been sufficiently instructed to be transformed by the renewing of their mind. That’s the unlearned. The unbelievers are those who have been instructed, but not necessarily have they been instructed sufficiently to believe to the end of manifesting. Or if they have, they deliberately refuse to do what? Believe.
And so he says, when the unlearned or the unbelievers hear everybody speaking in tongues at the same time, will they not say you’re mad?
Why is tongues with interpretation a sign to the unbeliever? The one who is born again but doesn’t believe God’s Word or hasn’t heard enough of it to believe, why is it a sign to him? I’ll tell you. That unbeliever can sit back in this auditorium or down here on the front pew. And when you hear somebody speak in tongues, you cannot sit there and say, “Well, I can do that alright.” Because you’ll know yourself you can’t do it. That’s why it’s a sign to you. But if somebody prophesies, you’d say, “Oh, that’s just in English. I could do that.” That’s why it says it’s a sign to the unbeliever. Got it?
It’s a sign to him you’re doing something he cannot do. It’s a sign to him that there is the power of God available to him if he’d only renew his mind and start walking on the things of God
The unlearned are the uninstructed, and so they’re still bathed in Christ. Therefore, tongues with interpretation feed those unbelievers, while prophesy with tongue and interpretation will feed both the unbeliever and the unlearned. That’s why he said,
1 Corinthians 14:24:
… if [they] all prophesy, [whatever verse that was, 24] and there come in one that believeth not, or one [who is] unlearned, he is convinced of all, [and] he is judged of all:
The word ‘convince’… There you ought to make a note of this. The word ‘convince’ means by way of loving reproof and rebuke. By way of loving reproof or rebuke. That’s the word ‘convince’.
1 Corinthians 14:24:
… he is convinced of all,…
Why is he convinced? Because in prophesy the body of believers get all fired up, they hear the Word of the Lord. And so there is an unlearned person in here, and that unlearned person, after the service is over with, they lovingly go to him. They witness to him or they witness to her. Or through the message itself there is loving reproof or rebuke to them. Understand? That’s what the word ‘convince’ is.
The word ‘judge’ is the other difficult word.
1 Corinthians 14:24:
… he is judged of all:
And yet scripture says we’re to judge no man, right? The epistles say this. So you have an apparent contradiction. If you have an apparent contradiction, first place you look in your own mind. Do you understand what’s written? If you do, it has to be in translation. This one happens t be in translation.
The word ‘judge’ is the word ‘examine to the end of inquiry’, not passing judgment. He is convinced of all and he is examined, he is judged of all. He is examined by inquiry. As they talk, well you do this thing; you inquire into their life. You find out, well, how can I help you? We say here all the time, CIHU, C-H-I-U. Can I Help You? Can I Help You? We inquire into our people in the camp, [inaudible 00:57:23]. Can we help you? Is there anything we can help you with? This is that word ‘judge’. Isn’t that wonderful?
Verse 25. If these things are in operation; tongues with interpretation and prophesy according to the Word of God,
1 Corinthians 14:25:
… the secrets of… [hearts are] made manifest; and so falling down on his face [which is a figure of speech] he will worship [you? He will worship whom?] God,…
The God who has given such knowledge and wisdom and power unto man. He’ll worship the true God. And then he’ll go home and say, well, boy, God was in that place.
Well, you know what? If God isn’t there you better stay home or find yourself a place where He is.
1 Corinthians 14:26:
How is it then, brethren? [26. Why is it then, brethren] when ye come together, every one of you… [want to have] a psalm,… [everyone has] a doctrine,… [everyone wants to speak in] tongue,… [we all got] a revelation, [from the Lord, or everybody wants to] interpretation. [Look at the last phrase] Let all things be done unto [what?] {edifying.}
That’s the second time he’s told them that. Inside of the church, everything has to be done to edify the body. Good grief. If everybody speak in tongues in this group here tonight, as full as the auditorium is, if you all spoke in tongues and interpret I’d never get to go home. Neither would you. That’s right. Take a Sunday morning. You’ve got a congregation of 2,000, and 36 of them are [inaudible 00:58:59]. And all 36 speak in tongues and interpret. You might miss the fried chicken – or the fried preacher, I don’t know which you’re going to have.
But anyway, verse 27 sets it in order, class.
1 Corinthians 14:27:
If any man [if anyone] speak in… [a] tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course;
You know what the word ‘course’ means? 1, 2, 3. When you have a seven course dinner, you don’t eat it all at the same time. You eat a 1, 2, 3. [inaudible 00:59:38]. That’s by course.
1 Corinthians 14:27:
… and let [what?] one [do what?] {interpret.}
The word ‘one’ is the word ‘each’. The word ‘one’ is the word ‘each’.
I don’t know if we’ll make it or not. They’re giving me time for broadcast is still on. I’d sure like to teach the rest of this to our people listening, but I’ll keep at it. If we don’t make it, we’ll figure it out.
Did you get that? 1, 2, 3 course. And let each one interpret. Why does it have to be each? Because he said a little while ago, let him that speaketh in a tongue do what? Pray that he may what? And God can’t change His mind that quick. God really is always the same, right? Sure. Therefore, you speak in tongues, you interpret. But it has to be course – 1, 2, 3 – like you heard here tonight.
1 Corinthians 14:28:
But [verse 28] if there be no… [interpretation, is the text], [if someone speaks in tongues and he does not interpret, give the interpretation] let him keep silence [let him keep silence] in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to [whom?] God.
Can he do this? And when he does it he’s praying in what? The spirit.
Now verse 29.
1 Corinthians 14:29:
Let the prophets…
And here we’re not talking about the manifestation, we’re talking about the ministry of a prophet.
1 Corinthians 14:29-32:
Let the prophets speak two or three, [and what are they to speak? Let them speak the Word.] and let the… [other prophets, if there are any prophets in the believers meeting, in the church, let them do the judging.]
[And] If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first [prophet who has spoken] hold his [what?] peace.
For ye may all [ye may all whom? All the prophets in a believers meeting. All of those prophets could bring a word of] prophesy one by one, [though] that all may learn, and all [God’s people inside the church] may be [what?] comforted.
[verse 32] And the spirits of the prophets are subject to [whom?] {the prophets.}
And what it says there is true of every man’s life. The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. The prophet is in absolute control of what he does. If the prophet whoops and howls and yells, that’s the prophet. Can’t blame God for it. If he stands on the housetop and jumps off, you can’t blame God. That’s the prophet doing it.
What it says here applies to every spiritual manifestation of God. The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. The spirits within you, you are controlled…
Back up, Wierwille.
You are responsible to keep that spirit of God in control by your free will. Whenever it gets out, it’s Satan and not God. For the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. It does not say that the spirits of the prophets are subject to God. It does not say that God will possess them. It does not say that God will do anything like that. It says the spirits of the prophets are subject to whom? The prophets.
If I stood up on this teaching platform, would it be God making me do this? No. It’d be V. P. Wierwille doing it. People, don’t you ever forget. And don’t let anybody take you down the drain any other way. For this is God’s Word, and God’s Word is God’s will if nobody [inaudible 01:03:05]. Whoa!
Verse 33. For God is the author of confusion. He is what? He is not. Yet in many organizations and groups you would think He would be. If everybody spoke in tongues at the same time, you’d have what? Confusion. But God isn’t the author of it. If God’s not the author of it, then who is the author? Satan. There are only two; either the true God or Satan. So you make up your mind. And it’s the Word that tells us what the true God really expects of us.
1 Corinthians 14:33:
… God is not the author of confusion, but… peace, as in all churches of the saints.
Now, verse 34 we’ve had a lot of hair pulling over.
1 Corinthians 14:34:
Let your women keep [what?]…
He’s not talking about all the women, he’s talking about the women of the prophets, in context. In context. He is talking about the women of the prophets. Remember, scripture interprets itself in the verse or what? Context. You have to always relate the individual word to the verse, the verse to the context.
And for you people going off with us by radio in just a moment, sorry we can’t finish all this. But if you like it so well, why don’t you come to headquarters sometime and you can enjoy it while I finish it up. But anyways, it’s nice having you with us during the broadcast tonight, and God bless you and have a good week all week. You people here, listen to the rest of this. This is terrific.
1 Corinthians 14:34:
Let your women…
[skip in recording: 01:04:34 - 01:04:39]
They used to push down and say, well, a woman is supposed to shut up. She can’t teach in the church, she can’t do this, she can’t do that. Why don’t you ever read the Word? Because Satan has blinded their eyes. He’s given them what the scripture says the [inaudible 01:04:50], they sleep right through it. [inaudible 01:04:54]. Possessed. Sure.
1 Corinthians 14:34:
Let your women keep silence in the churches: [the women of the prophets] for it is not permitted unto them to speak;… [that doesn’t refer to other women. That only refers to the women of what? The prophets. Why? Because God says] they are… to be under obedience,… [to the husband or the man of God to whom they’re married.]
Verse 35.
1 Corinthians 14:35:
And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home:…
Isn’t that sweet? How could a woman who hasn’t got a husband ask her husband at home? Figure that now. Right. Or, how could a woman who had a husband who’s died go over and ask him? He hadn’t been in church that morning anyways.
Isn’t it funny how you can get so confused on the Word of God when it’s so plainly and so simply written? Only what I said a little while ago can only be true. That Satan has given to us a spirit of slumber and he’s blinded our eyes, that when we read it we don’t read truly we read [inaudible 01:06:07]. When we read it, we don’t read it with the understanding that God has put there for us. But Satan has closed our eyes.
He does this through people. He does it through Sunday School teachers, religious periodicals and journals and newspapers and radio and television, and your next door neighbor, and your father and mother and sister and brother. You name them, [inaudible 01:06:27]. He uses men and women to blind our eyes so that when we come to the Word we can’t really see.
And, people, if you think you know the Word, you don’t know it. You still haven’t got [inaudible 01:06:37]. And we stand approved before God as we do one thing; rightly divide the Word of truth. And when we believe that wonderful Word of God and apply it, the things of God come into manifestation. For God is not [inaudible 01:06:51] in answering or keeping His promises. Right? Shoot, yeah.
If those gals want to learn anything, God says, asks your husband at home. You live with him, you sleep with him, you get a chance to talk to him. Go. Women of prophets.
1 Corinthians 14:35:
… let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame…
It’s indecorous. Is that a good English word? Is it? Is that a good English word, Karen? Indecorous? I don’t know. She don’t know either right now. It’s what? Archaic. Well, it’s still archaic [inaudible 01:07:31]. I don’t believe [inaudible 01:07:31]. That’s the only word I can think of in English right now to describe this word ‘shame’. Yes, yes. But it’s out of order in that it isn’t right.
It’s like tonight. If you women wore shorts in here, that would be this word. It isn’t offensive in that sense, it’s just not the thing to do. Now you understand it? It’s just not according to Hoyle. How’s that? Emily Post. It just is not the right thing to do. That’s the word ‘shame’.
1 Corinthians 14:35:
… for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.
What women? The women of the prophets. It’s a shame for them to speak. The word ‘speak’ is the word ‘laleo’, meaning running off of the mouth. That’s the meaning. That’s the word. That’s right. Just yakking, yakking, yakking and saying nothing. That’s what the women of the prophets were doing. Sure.
And that’s why this word by revelation puts the wife of the prophet back in order. Because, you see a prophet can also prophesy, and that’s what I wanted you to see. It [inaudible 01:08:59] the prophets. If there are any prophets in the church, each one of those prophets can bring a word of what? Prophesy.
And that’s why he’d rather have prophesy in the church than tongues with interpretation. Because if there is a prophet in the church, you have the possibility or foretelling. Foretelling. Because the foretelling would always have to come from a man who was a prophet, who was bringing a word of prophecy which also included revelation. Got it?
That’s why he’d rather have prophecy in the church than tongues with interpretation. Because there’s a possibility of a prophet being in the believers meeting. And when he is there, he could bring a message which would not only edify, exhort and comfort, but it would have some F-O-R-E in it. Some foretelling, which would edify the body of believers by exhorting and comforting them. That’s the reason for it.
And these poor gals just had the running off of the mouth there in Corinth. I can just get to see the picture. Little old sister [cube 01:10:06] sitting back there. And her husband, he’s the prophet of God speaking the Word. She gets up, “Honey. Oh, honey. Just a minute, honey. I want to say something to the body.”
God says, shut up, sit down, quit yakking. That’s right. You know why? Because God won’t have any [inaudible 01:10:06]. He tells you that in the next verse. Boy, you talk about being sharp? This Word is really sharp. It says more than shut up, if you can read it [inaudible 01:10:35]. Right.
1 Corinthians 14:35-36:
… for it is a shame for women to… [have the running off of the mouth] in the church.
What? [that’s the emphasis. What? Did] the word of God out from you?...
That’s what he’s saying to those women of the prophets. The answer is, not it didn’t. It only] came it unto you, why? Because their husbands were the men of God. And the man of God was a prophet. And God gave his word to the man of God, for a holy man of God spake as they were what? Moved by the Holy Ghost. Isn’t that wonderful?
Now he shifts again. Verse 37. Very beautifully and wonderfully.
1 Corinthians 14:37:
If any man [if any man, any man] think himself to be a prophet, or [if any man thinks he’s] spiritual,…
Man, what a message. This is addressed to men and women across our nation and world. Right? There are many people who think they’re spiritual, but when it comes to speaking in tongues they never do it. They never operate it accurately when they do do it. And most of them don’t think they could if they wanted to, or didn’t want to.
Let me read you the Word of God, and this is God’s will.
1 Corinthians 14:37:
… [If any man says he is] spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of [what?] {the Lord.}
Then what is the commandment of the Lord regarding speaking in tongues?
1 Corinthians 14:5:
I would that ye all [what?] {spake with tongues,}…
That’s right. I would that you [inaudible 01:12:05] it in a believers meeting, but in your private prayer life I would that you all spake in tongues much. So that you edify your spirit. In a believers meeting, I want you to speak in tongues and interpret, that the body can be edified. In a believers meeting, I want you to bring a word of prophecy, that the unlearned can be built up.
This is a commandment of what? {The Lord.}
Then don’t go out of here and tell me you can’t, for God has never comm…
[end: 01:12:32]