Charismatic Chaos / A Return to Babel (Sermon Audio)

1 Corinthians 14: Charity, Prophecy, and Tongues

1st Corinthians chapter number 14 starts out with these words follow after charity in desire spiritual gifts. But rather that ye may prophesy. For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men but unto God for no man understandeth him.

The title of this morning's message is charismatic chaos a return to Babel in the scripture reading this morning. We read the account from Genesis 11 of the Tower of Babel where the people of the earth all Spoke one language they were united and they did what they disobeyed the commandment of the Lord to be fruitful and multiply and to go out and to Populate the entire earth the Lord wanted them to move out and scatter across the whole earth.

They said no. We're going to make a name for ourselves. We're going to build a tower unto heaven and the Lord confused their language and Scattered them because they disobeyed so he came down and the King James Version says he confounded their Language therefore that place was called Babel.

In Acts chapter 2 we see a type of reversal of This event on the day of Pentecost Where the Apostles spoke with other tongues and it says that the people gathered there in Jerusalem were from every nation under heaven.

They all spoke different languages. But when the Apostles spoke with other tongues each one heard them speak in his own language, so it was a type of miniature reversal of the judgment at the Tower of Babel.

But unfortunately here in 1st Corinthians 14, which was about 25 years after the day of Pentecost We see in a sense a return to Babel. Because some in the Corinthian Church were speaking with what the Bible calls an unknown tongue a type of Sound perhaps a babbling sound that nobody could understand.

That's what unknown tongue means and Paul begins the chapter by saying follow after charity. That's his conclusion from last week 1st Corinthians 13 known as the love chapter the conclusion of chapter 14 I think is at the end verse 40 Says this Paul says let all things be done decently and in order.

So what does that tell you? Well, it tells you there was some disorder in the Corinthian Church. That's why he had to say that so some of the church members along with lacking love. We've been talking about this.

They were abusing the spiritual gifts in particular the gift of Speaking with tongues and what did this do? It led to chaos in the church. That's why I titled it charismatic chaos. Remember I gave you the definition to the term charismatic today.

You might think of someone who's charismatic. They have a charismatic personality a magnetic type of personality or a group of Christians that are labeled Charismatics according to the Greek term charismatic.

It means a gifting so it's the gifts of the Holy Spirit. That's what charismatic mean, but they were abusing the gifts. And again, it led to Chaos so much so that Paul says skip ahead to verse 23 for a moment.

He says in verse 23 if therefore the whole church become together into one place and all speak with tongues. And there come in those that are unlearned or unbelievers. Will they not say that ye are mad?

So because of their behavior if somebody walks in and doesn't understand what's going on, they're gonna think you guys are crazy. That's what Paul is saying. So it was a chaotic scene to be sure. First one though, it sets the tone follow After charity.

Paul isn't writing this to get on their case. He loves the people in the church. He wants to correct them for their own benefit. So follow after charity wants them to get along with one another so important in a local church follow after charity in Desire the spiritual gifts.

Paul isn't speaking against the gifts. The gifts are of the Holy Ghost. So they're a good thing. It's the abuse. That was the problem. So pursue love desire the gifts, but especially Prophecy now, what is the gift of prophecy?

We hear the word and we think of a prophet a prophet who receives revelation from God and a prophet we Typically think of prophesying as foretelling future events and that is true Prophet in the Old Testament often they did foretell future events and they did receive revelation from God, but remember this Prophecy is not just foretelling.

Prophecy is also forth telling so prophecy is also preaching. The prophets of the Old Testament after all were preachers, so Why does Paul tell them to desire preaching or prophecy over tongues? Well, we see the answer found in verses 2 and 3 look at those.

For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue. Speaketh not unto men but unto God for no man. Understandeth them how be it in the spirit. He speaketh mysteries. He that prophesied speaketh unto men to edification and exhortation and comfort.

You might have noticed by now, I'm sure a few of you have that I'm reading from the King James Version of the Bible and that's not a mistake. I didn't leave my other Bible at home. I just grabbed whatever I could find.

It's not a mistake. Okay. So why am I using the King James Version? Well, because the King James translators they picked up on something that Really is easy to miss. We've already established That the gifts especially the gift of tongues was abused and if you look closely.

And this is generally true when Paul speaks of tongues plural with an S. He speaks about it in a positive way, but when he speaks about a tongue Singular he seems to speak about it in a negative way in the King James Translators picked up on that.

So what did they do? They whenever the singular use of tongue is mentioned in the KJV it calls it an unknown Tongue. Why. Because nobody understood what was being said. Most likely because nothing was being said it was gibberish.

It was it was babbling or maybe like an ecstatic utterances. You see many religions not just Christianity. Christianity We think has its gifts and tongues. Other religions have this too. Christianity is not the only faith that claims tongues or an ecstatic utterance.

So many religions do this. You remember our sermon from chapter 12 how Paul talked about the pagans when they were Gentiles. When they were Pagans they were carried away. Unto these dumb idols Paul says so they we believe they work themselves up into a Frenzy and they got carried away and started losing control over their speech and their behavior and the idea in pagan religion.

Is that now they were giving themselves over to another spirit? So they were no longer being controlled in the flesh. They were now being controlled by a spirit. That was very common in pagan religion and often they would speak gibberish or some sort of ecstatic utterance.

It appears something like that may have been going on here in the church at Corinth. Does anyone remember what Jesus said in Matthew chapter 6? He said when you pray do not be like the heathens. Why. Because they had vain Repetitions, so Jesus said when you pray do not use vain repetitions like the heathen do so sometimes Christians.

And they may be well intentioned and you can just imagine if you were brought up in a church. And this is what they taught. This is probably what you would believe, right? So sometimes Christians whether it's intentional or unintentional.

We pick up on Pagan practices. We live in a pagan world and sometimes we pick up on these practices just a Common example that everybody is familiar with these days take for example yoga, right? Now listen, I realize there's probably there could be one or two people in this church who practice yoga.

You think about it? Stretching. Breathing doing exercises. There's nothing wrong with that. Nothing wrong with that at all. But if you put it together in just the right way, it could be a gateway into Eastern religion so some of these pagan practices could open people up to things they Shouldn't get involved with doesn't always happen, but it is a possibility.

So repeating words over and over again you say well, what's the problem of that? Well, why did they do that there's Christian churches who do this monks will chant. Repeat phrases over and over again.

There are churches. They they will do this. Why do they why do they do that sometimes for hours repeating the same phrase now to you? That may sound strange, but it happens all the time. Why do they do it?

It does something to your mind. Okay, it does have an effect it can put you in an altered state of consciousness and Someone again might say well, what's the big deal? Just repeating words over and over again.

Well, Jesus said don't do it. Don't use vain repetitions. Also, I believe it can open you up to the spiritual realm and that can be very dangerous. The proof of this you could go look later on today. There are a multitude of videos on the internet where Christians supposedly are teaching people how to speak in tongues.

Has anyone ever seen one of those? Videos. I'm the only one okay. Trust me. They exist. Okay. Well, they say you can choose a few syllables a few syllables a few noises. Repeat them and then add in a few others and then boom you're speaking with tongues.

Listen. Nobody can be taught how to speak in tongues. It's a spiritual gift. You either have it or you don't you cannot be taught. So something like that is an abuse and that's probably similar to what was going on Here in Corinth what Paul calls an unknown?

Tongue and listen, we all probably many of us know people who do this and this is not a message of condemnation. Just like Paul's message is not a message of condemnation. It is a message of correction in showing people the truth.

So I think we need to be careful and we should be gracious. If somebody claims the name of Christ, they have a testimony and they're living the Christian life. We should start with grace. Do you agree with that we should start with grace.

Notice. Paul does not say that these people were unsaved. He doesn't say that if anyone does this they're being controlled by other spirits or demons. He doesn't say that Paul wrote this letter from a long ways away.

He got a report. He might not have known all the details. So he's addressing what he heard so he doesn't question their salvation. Nor does he say these people have opened themselves up to the spiritual realm or the demonic realm so Here's the thing just because somebody does this just because someone falls into error no matter what the error is.

We should not automatically condemn them you don't just assume the worst that these Unknown tongues or gibberish is some sort of demonic Counterfeit. There are people who do assume that okay, and I've heard this throughout my life.

There are people who do think that this is perhaps demonic or it is demonic. I want you to be clear on what I'm saying. Okay, so Listen up. I am NOT saying that. I am NOT saying that that is sort of a That it's a demonic Practice.

What I am saying is that it could be in certain cases. So there are people who quote-unquote speak with tongues. It's gibberish and You know, they're well-intentioned and I have friends who do that and you know what?

It's not a message of judgment but I do believe there are people in this world who do that type of thing and they are given over or Possessed with an unclean spirit. So we're not painting with a broad brush.

So you understand that? Everyone nod your head. So I know that you heard that point. All right so it could be a Possibility in certain cases the Apostle John he spoke about false teachers and he claimed and they claimed to be Christians.

And he said they have the spirit of Antichrist. We read that in first and second John. It's clear John said brethren do not believe every spirit but test the spirits. So again in a static utterance and or speaking in gibberish.

It seems pretty clear that Paul is trying to correct them. He isn't saying yeah, that's great. Do it. Keep doing it. Do more of it. That's not what's going on here. He doesn't condemn them. So we don't want to go beyond what the Bible says.

But at the same time it is possible that this could lead to something more dangerous. I think the possibility is left open look at verse 2 again, and I will explain. He says for he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men.

But unto God for no man understandeth him. How be it in the spirit? He speaketh mysteries. In the spirit he speaketh mystery this is out of the ordinary. Okay, you don't read about this. Anywhere else in the Bible or in the teachings of Jesus Jesus never taught his disciples to speak mysteries in some sort of Unintelligible language.

Jesus never taught that so this is out of the ordinary. One Bible commentator says this. That in the Greek because there is no definite article. Before the name of God it could be translated this way.

He that speaketh he speaketh not unto men but unto a God. Not necessarily the one true God. It's similar to what Paul said in Acts chapter 17 where they made an altar with the inscription to what? To the unknown God you say well God is God.

No there Bible says there are many gods now. There's only one God, but there are many gods and that people believe in all these different gods. So they speak unto God it might not necessarily be the one true God and If you think about it if this is a pagan practice the one true God isn't going to accept it.

So that statement by Paul there could go either way is what I'm saying. So we have to remember the Christians in Corinth. They were former pagans. There were the Jewish believers, but all of the Gentile believers.

Which is probably the majority of the church most of those people were probably mixed up in pagan religion. Or brought up in pagan religion so in Corinthians Paul addresses those who ate meat sacrifice to idols.

There were all these temples in the city to these foreign gods or unknown gods, so it's not unreasonable that these pagan practices crept in to the church. And you know what that's always a danger, and it's happened throughout church history where pagan practices find their way into the church or Worldliness we know this happens worldliness finds its way into The church so that's always a danger, that's probably what's going on here in Corinth, but what is Paul's overall point?

Forget the gibberish for a moment. Forget the unknown tongue. He's he's saying you should want preaching. Don't get mixed up. Don't get carried away with all this stuff. It's it's interesting. I mean it is kind of strange.

It's you're gonna catch people's attention. Don't worry about all that don't get mixed up in that he says pursue prophecy. Prophecy or preaching. Why is preaching more important because preaching teaches?

Preaching encourages preaching. Builds up and it can motivate. If someone's just speaking in gibberish is like well. You know that's that's something, but what does it do for you? It doesn't do anything and it was sowing Confusion in the Corinthian Church, and I would make the argument that it continues just to sow confusion.

In churches today look at verse 4 he that speaketh in an unknown tongue edify it himself. That's not the purpose of the spiritual gifts to build up yourself. Imagine if you had the gift of giving well I'll just give to myself.

I Have the gift of helps. I'll just help myself. That's not the purpose of the spiritual gifts so he that speaketh in an unknown tongue edify it himself. That's not good, but he that prophesied edify it the church.

And then Paul says I would that ye all speak with tongues. Of course not everyone did. Not everyone has that gift. And notice there, that's the plural Usage of the word tongue so the legitimate gift of tongues.

I want you to understand this real Tongues was happening in the Corinthian Church the legitimate gift of tongues was happening. But then there was the abuse which is I believe the return to Babel. So he says I would that ye all speak with tongues.

But rather that ye prophesied for greater is he that prophesied than he that speaketh with tongues. Except he interpret that the church may receive Edifying. Now, I'm not going to get into all the different views of the interpretation of tongues.

I'll just say this speaking with tongues the word tongue means language, right? People from every nation tribe and tongue it's a reference to Languages, so if somebody comes into the church, and they speak a foreign language.

You need someone to interpret it. Otherwise, it's not useful. Now it appears to me in Acts chapter 2 on the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit interpreted for that. But here a little later on the gift of Interpretation of tongues is given to men and it's kind of hard to know how all of this works.

With all the ins and outs, but we continue verse 6 now brethren if I come unto you speaking with tongues What shall I profit you except that I speak to you either by revelation or by knowledge or by Prophesying or by doctrine these things are all good.

They are all profitable revelation knowledge Doctrine good things. He says in verse 7. And even things without life Giving sound whether pipe or harp except they give a distinction in the sounds. How shall it be known?

What is piped or? Harped. You know what this is, right? If you get a group of musicians together and Each one is playing the right part and you have a melody there. It sounds good if everyone just Everyone's playing their own thing.

It's just noise. You can't really make a distinction. What's what nobody wants to listen to that? And he says in verse 8 for if the trumpet give an uncertain sound Who shall prepare himself for the battle when the Israelites were in the wilderness and they were camped there?

They didn't know what was around them what nations were around them a threat perhaps. So there would be one Sound of the trumpet which was a call to worship. There was another sound that said prepare for battle and if you got those two sounds mixed up or if the trumpet gave an uncertain sound What was that prepare for battle or you want to know what the sound is so we understand this I think Paul's point.

If musical instruments we expect these sounds to make sense. We can understand that how much more should human Speech make sense verse 9 so likewise ye Except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood.

How shall that be known? What is spoken for ye shall speak into the air? There are it may be so many kinds of voices in the world and none of them is without signification. Now turn we've discussed Acts chapter 2.

I'd like you to turn there for a moment Acts chapter 2 as You're turning I'll read 1st Corinthians 14 verse 11 where he says therefore. By no, not the meaning of the voice I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian.

Unto me can be translated foreigner. We get it. If you talk to a foreigner, they don't speak English. You don't know what they're saying and they don't know what you're saying. That's what he's talking about again from the account from Genesis 11 the Tower of Babel remember Babel became Babylon and Babylon in the Bible is synonymous with ungodliness.

The people who built the Tower of Babel were united and really I think this is a picture or a prototype for the Antichrist and the end times that one world empire where the world will try to unite again.

They tried to do it once God said no he scattered them. It's going to happen again in the end times, but they were united under one leader Nimrod. They all spoke one language and when the Lord saw their pride.

And how they were growing in might and power. What did the Lord do? He confused their language and he scattered them. Lord had he would have known none of it. So I've wondered about this. What's going on today in our nation.

If the Lord looks down upon our nation how we have grown To become the most powerful Nation on the face of the earth and right around the time that we became the most powerful. What did we do? We were turning away from God and we continue to turn away from God and I just wonder if the Lord is Looking down and saying I See what's going on and I'm not going to allow this to get beyond a certain point.

You guys are trying to make a name for yourself. I will come in confuse your language. Isn't there confusion in our culture today? Massive amounts of Confusion and chaos. I believe this is the Lord's Judgment acts chapter 2 in a way As I said is a type of reversal of the Tower of Babel instead of the confusion that exists when everyone's speaking a different language.

What do we see verse 4? And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit Gave them utterance and there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews Devout men from every nation under heaven and when this sound occurred the multitude came together and were Confused because everyone heard them speak in his own Language then they were all amazed and marbled saying to one another look are not all these who speak Galileans he's referring to the Apostles there and how is it that we hear each in our own?

Language in which we were born Parthenians and Medes and Elamites those dwelling in Mesopotamia Judea and Cappadocia Pontius in Asia in Phrygia, I hear it's cold there in Phrygia and Pamphylia Egypt in the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene visitors from Rome both Jews and proselytes, so you had natural-born Jews and Proselytes these people were not Jewish.

They were foreigners. They spoke another language, but they believed in the God of of Israel. So they were there Cretans and Arabs and we hear them speaking in our own Tongues our own languages the wonderful works of God.

Can anybody doubt at this point after reading that that tongues the authentic gift of tongues are foreign languages? I mean, that's literally what it says. That is the clearest definition of tongues in the whole Bible could not be more clear.

Remember last week we brought up the Principle of first mention the first time you see something in the Bible. That's the most clear Explanation study that why this is the first time memory serves me correctly.

Like me if I'm wrong afterwards, but this is the first time anyone ever spoke With tongues and it's very clear. They are foreign languages they each heard in their own language now turn back to first Corinthians 14.

Because it's good to be certain about that. Just have that clear biblical definition of what the authentic gift of tongues was. So as you're turning back to first Corinthians 14 the languages that were confused at the Tower of Babel.

That's where God confused them confounded them. They were brought together on a small scale at Pentecost. But in first Corinthians 14 again, I think we see sort of a return to Babel because it's being confused again with the unknown tongue now the next few verses are Often used by those who believe that speaking in tongues is for today.

I addressed this last week and I think well every church member knows this that we have more scored a church believe that the Authentic gift of tongues has ceased. So I do not believe that Could it happen could God do it?

I mean could it be happening? Yes, it's possible obviously, but we believe that tongues ceased most likely In the first century, but people who believe it is for today they will point to these verses as Evidence that tongues is not a foreign language, but an unintelligible Prayer language that it sounds like gibberish to pretty much everybody but you know, God understands The words and only God that's what they think that this passage is teaching.

I don't think that's what Paul is saying. We know the Apostle Paul by now, don't we? It's quite a guy to say to say the least Paul at times Was sarcastic. I know some people don't like sarcasm, you know, if somebody is sarcastic all the time That's not good.

But Paul at times was sarcastic. Okay, which means I'm allowed to be sarcastic a little bit. I think that's what it means. I Do believe I'm not dogmatic about this, but I do believe Paul is probably being sarcastic here.

Let's just read starting in verse 12 first Corinthians 14. 12 Even so ye for as much as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts Speak or seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church. Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue Pray that he may interpret.

For if I pray in an unknown tongue my spirit prayeth could be Sarcasm but my understanding is unfruitful. What is it then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the understanding also and I will sing with the spirit and I will sing With the understanding also else when thou shalt bless with the spirit.

How shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say amen at the giving of thanks seeing he understandeth not What thou sayest for thou verily give us? Thanks. Well, but the other is not edified.

I thank my God I speak with tongues more than ye all. When you notice again, it's tongues plural so Paul spoke he had the authentic gift of tongues or languages. But Paul says in verse 14 look at 14 again if I pray in an unknown tongue.

My spirit pray. Oh, that's a good thing, right? That's how people interpret that it's a good thing. Wrong. It's not a good thing. Look at verse 19 yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding that by my voice I might teach others also then ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.

Now I admit this is a difficult chapter to interpret up and to this point I can understand why someone might see things a little differently. Not after that verse. Not after that verse Paul literally says I would rather speak five words that you guys can understand than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.

Five words why because he can teach. You'll understand you can get something out of it. Let's see five words thou shall Love thy neighbor. That's better than ten thousand words that cannot be.

Understood you see.

This speaking in an unknown tongue. This wasn't doing the church any good. It was just another thing tearing the church apart. Verse 20 brethren be not children in understanding how be it. In malice be children.

But in understanding be men. So just like in chapter 13 Paul said, you know when I was younger I spoke as a child. Here again, he is calling them to maturity. Speaking in gibberish with all due respect is something Children do or something babies do you say listen if that's the gift of tongues.

I used to speak in tongues. When I was one two years old. My kids all spoke in tongues. I can testify to that. It was gibberish. So here Paul in verse 21 is paraphrasing the Prophet Isaiah. He says in the law.

It is written with men of other tongues and other lips. I will speak unto this people. He's talking about the Israelites and yet for all that will Let me start over and yet for all that will They not hear me see the Kings.

This is why I don't use the King James. And Yet for all that they will not hear me say if the Lord so Paul is paraphrasing the Prophet Isaiah. Showing that the legitimate gift of tongues was a sign of judgment against unbelieving Israel.

Don't miss that. So how do you get that from that? Well, this is where you have to study. It does take time, but it is believed that tongues is a judgment against unbelieving Israel. See the Jews Hated the Gentiles and all of these people they spoke the languages.

On the day of Pentecost they spoke the languages of the Gentiles. So for the Jews who didn't believe remember how some mocked these men are drunk. They're filled with new wine. Those were some of the Jews that did not believe but those who spoke these other languages Gentile languages.

They heard the wonderful works of God. So tongues is a judgment against Unbelieving Israel. Some didn't have ears to hear if you don't believe in Christ. You don't have ears to hear. Some people don't understand the Bible at all.

They don't get any of it. Why they don't have the Spirit of God. They don't have faith. Once you believe it starts to make sense, doesn't it? Look at verse 22 where for tongues are for a sign. Not to them that believe but to them that believe not.

So speaking with the tongue really doesn't an unknown tongue really doesn't have any purpose in the church. Doesn't have a purpose because it's for them. It's not for them that believe. That's what Paul clearly says.

Speaking in this unknown tongue or tongues is not for them that believe. It's for them that believeth not. So it's a sign for them that don't believe. Many scholars believe and I tend to agree with this that the legitimate gift of tongues probably ceased.

By 70 AD. What happened in 70 AD? Can I prove this? No, am I certain about this? No, 70 AD is when the Lord judged Jerusalem. The Romans attacked Jerusalem the temple was destroyed. So we believe by then tongues.

Probably see so tongues. He says 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? Believe. In other words, the church doesn't need tongues.

What does the church need? Prophecy right the top of the church needs a word from God. The church needs preaching. Look at verse 23. We already read this earlier. If therefore the whole church become together into one place and all speak with tongues and there come in those that are unlearned or unbelievers.

Will they not say that ye are mad that you are? Crazy, you guys are out of your minds, but if all Prophesy 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 the heart made manifest and so falling down on his face. He will worship God and report that God is in you of a truth. So tongues causes them to say you're crazy. Preaching gets people saved, right?

What's going to get someone saved speaking in tongues or preaching the gospel. What's going to bring the conviction of the Holy Spirit tongues or preaching repentance of sin? What's going to get through to a person speech that can't be understood or straight talk in sound doctrine?

Answers obvious. Verse 26. How is it then brethren? When you come together. Every one of you hath a psalm. Hath the doctrine. Hath the tongue hath the revelation. Have an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying if any man speak in an unknown tongue.

Let it be by two or at the most by three. That by course and let one interpret so he's laying down some guidelines if you're going to do this. This is how you need to do it. But he says in verse 28. But if there be no interpreter let him keep silence in the church and let him speak to himself and to God.

Could be sarcasm again, and this is my viewpoint. I am not certain of it, but my understanding of this. Paul imposed this rule. To silence the gibberish. I remember years ago Our last pastor here Pastor Larry Riddle once was asked a question about would you allow tongues here at Morse corner Church of course?

I'm standing there. I'm waiting for him to say no no way or something like that. What did he say he said? Yeah. Yeah, we I'd allow Someone to get up and speak in tongues as long as there was an interpreter.

And I think he knew there's no way that's going to happen so go ahead. This will fix that. I think that's what Paul is doing here. He's laying down a rule that someone has to interpret it because he knows nobody can problem solved.

Now legitimate tongues or languages can be interpreted. But nobody can interpret gibberish. Can they and if somebody says they can interpret gibberish. They are not being completely honest. This has happened.

I've heard of this. People have Tested this out, so they'll the video of someone speaking in Tongues, it's modern-day tongue, so it's sounds like gibberish, so they'll bring in somebody. They'll find somebody who claims to have the interpretation they bring them in have them watch it write down the interpretation.

Okay, thank you. See you later. Then they find someone else who has the gift of interpretation of time he comes in. Here's the same video writes down the interpretation do that with five six seven people doesn't matter how many guess what happens.

They all say different things, so what does that prove? This is not Tongues, so this is one rule Paul lays down to fight against the chaos. And it's doing this in a way. You're not saying you guys are wrong.

You're acting like he doesn't do it in a confrontational way. It's quite a clever thing. Verse 29 he lays down now a rule for the prophets who also need to be tested. So not only those who claim to speak in tongues that they need to be Tested the prophets need to be tested.

In first Thessalonians 5 Paul says do not despise prophecies. But test all things hold fast to that which is good. So today when somebody preaches whether it's me Pastor Brussel down the road or someone on TV anytime somebody preaches.

What are you to do? You are to test everything that I say that's why you carry your Bible to church with you. Or during the sermon you have it opened and you're following along. I saw a video a couple days ago the pastor was literally making things up.

I won't mention his name. He's very famous on TV one of the most famous Pastors in all of the country. He was making stuff up right and left. I'm thinking how does nobody Nobody realize this. I suspect somebody does but you can't question the anointed man of God.

That's how that group looks at it. We need to test everything. Test what I say against the Word of God for many false prophets have gone out into the world. You remember they even tested the Apostle Paul.

The Bereans did and the Bible says that they were noble for doing that. Let the prophets speak two or three and let the other judge if anything be revealed to another that sitteth by. Let the first hold his peace.

For he may all or for he may all prophesy one by one that all may learn. And all may be comforted. So things were done in an orderly fashion and People also were to control their behavior. I know this is also obvious look at verses 32 and 33 the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.

For God is not the author of confusion. But of peace as in all the churches of the Saints. So as far as the next few verses we talked about this last week. May have been some disruption from some of the Corinthian women.