The Devotional – 1064 – Foot Steps in First Corinthians, on going

The Devotional – 1064 – Foot Steps in First Corinthians, on going

A week or so ago I referenced a man who thought it was his mission in life to kill the captain of our ship. His claim was that God, (more likely “a god”) informed him to do this. Another individual was sent to a hospital ship for mental evaluation after running throughout a ship I was stationed on with no clothing on. To keep people from apprehending him he had found a very sturdy length of chain and was swinging it to keep people at arm’s length away from him. When he was finally subdued he was hearing voices and answering those voices as if he were in a normal conversation. You may be thinking that these are extreme cases of psychopathic behavior. True it is the label we assign to people who are mentally out of control, but in many, these evaluations are limited and do not go beyond a chemical imbalance or some other applied – medical diagnosis. We mainly are willing to accept the diagnosis because, we have little knowledge of these actions, in other words we assume human medical terms over supernatural ones.

CHALLENGES & COMMENTS – 1 Corinthians 14:6-19

The LORD Jesus Himself did not refer to those whom He cured as having a chemical imbalance – Luke 13:10-17. Even Luke the physician did not re-diagnose the woman’s condition of “infirmity” as being weak of malnutrition, or some other chemical or functional disability. Luke agree with the LORD that Satan had bound this woman to the infirmity for eighteen years. The term infirmity here in this text is not absolutely physical, but it is a sense of being defeated in life. (Feebleness of body or mind).

So here is the rub! Scripture most always interprets scripture; in fact I take more confidence in this than I do in any other means of interpretation. Look at what the apostle says in 1 Corinthians 14:6c. “What shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation (Ephesians 1:17), by knowledge (1 Corinthians 2:1-5), or by teaching (Titus 2:11-15)? Also there are those objects in life that have (no life), these cannot think or act without the input of human life. If you or I are behind the “trumpet” and it makes a sound that is not noteworthy, do we not say embarrassingly… excuse me; knowing that we are expressing “bad air”! And if I were behind the trumpet it would all be bad air!

What about language, do you know a language well enough to read it and write it? Congratulations! There are many, even millions who have no knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Honestly, can you speak to them, or would you even try? No you would not try since all of the languages of the world are not without meaning. There is specific significance in EVERY language and the tongue you say you have has little significance or meaning, so we tread on very thin ground. Ground that Satan possess to destroy life. Abundant Life does not come from the first half of John 10:10 it comes from the second half.

Also I would before closely off this morning have us look at 1 Corinthians 14:15-19 intently. The apostle starts with section with the words; “What is the result then?” Namely this; most all of those who claim they have the gift of speaking in tongues say they are praying to God, we ought not deny this since we have no significant proof or meaning to measure by. Yet the apostle does say that he has this ability but also says that he would rather speak FIVE words of intellect (understanding), than ten thousand words in a tongue without understanding. That is logical, is it not! It is very clear that to ignore scriptural teaching of this is that we are willingly “self ignorant” or "arrogant"!