Unity: A Study in 1 CorinthiansSample

What does it say?

Everything said and done within the church should edify and strengthen the body.

What does it mean?

It’s important to understand the gifts of prophecy and tongues in order to get a better idea of what Paul is saying in this chapter. There are two different examples of tongues in the New Testament. In Acts 2, God gave the Apostles the gift of languages in order for unbelievers from many nations to hear the gospel in their own “tongue.” It was a sign that God had empowered the message. In Corinth, many believers spoke in a prayer language that had to be interpreted to be understood. Chaos developed because so many people were speaking in tongues at one time. Paul prefers the gift of prophecy, the ability to clearly communicate the message of Christ. God is the God of peace, not confusion. The message of Jesus must be presented clearly in order to strengthen the church and draw others to follow Christ.

How should I respond?

As an orchestra warms up, each musician plays a different portion of the piece of music, making it impossible for a listener to detect the melody. The conductor’s direction brings harmony and understanding to the same piece. Likewise, God never desires chaos and conflict within His church. How are you contributing to order and peace in your church? How can you clearly communicate God’s character and purpose to those in your home, school, or community? Are you contributing to the melody or just making noise?