A Psalm, Doctrine, Tongue, Revelation and Interpretation 1 Corinthians 14:26

Paul the apostle told the church members in Corinth when “prophesying” is in order, “the secrets of” the unbeliever's “heart” is “made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth”, and in chapter fourteen and verse twenty-six of First Corinthians, Paul declared, “be not children in understanding”, where we read:

How is it then, brethren? when you come together, every one of you has a psalm, has a doctrine, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.

The verse begins, “How is it then, brethren? when you come together, every one of you has a psalm, has a doctrine, ...”. Paul began with the word, “How” or “in what way” “is it then” which means “is it therefore, accordingly, consequently and these things being so”, “brethren” which refers to “fellow believers who are united to others by the bond of affection”? “when you come together” or “at what time the church members gather or assemble”, “every one of you” which means “each of the church members” “has a psalm” or “has a striking and twanging of a musical instrument or pious song”, “has a doctrine” which means “has a teaching, instruction or public speaking”. Paul challenged the church members in Corinth concerning their “gathering times” where “every one” of them had either a “pious song” or a “teaching”.

The verse goes on to say, “... has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.” Paul continued with the words, “has a tongue” which means “has a language or dialect used by a particular people distinct from that of other nations”, “has a revelation” or “disclosure of truth and instruction concerning things before unknown”, “has an interpretation” which means “a interpretation of what has been spoken more or less obscurely by others”. “Let” or “allow and permit” “all things” or “each, every, the whole and everything” “be done” which means “be allowed what has been spoken more or less obscurely by others ” “unto edifying” or “toward building up”. Everything including the spiritual gifts of “tongues, revelation and interpretation” are to be employed for the “building up” of the church.

When we think through these words from Paul, we see how he noted the “spiritual” activities that were occurring within the church. The church members all had “psalms, doctrines, tongues, revelations and interpretations”, and the abundance of these “spiritual gifts” was overwhelming. Paul desired to know how that could be? Jesus Christ desires for His church to be “edified”, and everything that is done within the church should be toward that goal. Regardless of what “spiritual gifts” are available within the church, they are to be exercised so that “everything is done unto edifying”.

Next time Paul instructs the church members, “if any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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