Your Sons & Daughters Shall Prophesy - Prophetic Gifts Today In The New Testament Church

The Prophetic Confusion at Corinth

or when the combination tongue-interpretation presents a meaningful devo tional message (an interpretation) from God's heart to the congregation. Unless tongues are used divinely to communicate a message to a for eign visitor 16 or with interpretation as a message to a church, a spiritual tongue is a language best utilized as a form of prayer to God. Prophecy, on the other hand, is God speaking to men and women, communicating what the Spirit is saying to the churches, so it is a word from God. Both forms of spiritual language are inspirational, tongues as devotion to and prophecy as communication from God. Here are nineteen points of comparison and emphasis between tongues and prophecy:

6omparisorr"€harrof 1 Eorinthians 14

Prophecy People-directed, corporate language to edify all with divine communication Speak to men (v. 2) Speak understandable message of edification, exhortation, consola tion (v. 3) Edify church (v. 4) Preferred; "greater" (v. 5) More valuable (v. 5) Profitable to church (v. 6) Distinct sounds have significance (vv. 7-9) Words easily understood (v. 9) Mind sings, too (v. 15) Others blessed (v. 16) Five understandable words (v. 19) In understanding, men (v. 20) Sign to believer (v. 22) "God is among you" (v. 25) "One by one, so that all may learn" (v. 31) Speak to all when inspired (v. 31) "Covet to prophesy" (v. 39, KJV) Edifying to church (v. 12) Spirit and mind pray (v. 15)

Tongues God-directed, personal, spiritual language, mainly for devotional prayer 1. Speak to God (v. 2) 2. Speak "mysteries" in Spirit (v. 2) 3. Edify self (v. 4) 4. Desired for all (v. 5) 5. Important, esp. with interpretation (v. 5) 6. Not profitable to church (v. 6) 7. Indistinct sounds bring confusion (vv. 7-9) 8. "How will it be known?" (v. 9) 9. Interpretation needed (v. 13) 10. Spirit prays, mind unfruitful (v. 14) 11. Spirit sings (v. 15) 12. Others not blessed (vv. 16-17) 13. 10,000 meaningless words (v. 19) 14. In understanding, children (v. 20) 15. Sign to unbeliever (v. 22) 16. "You are mad" (v. 23) 17. 2 or 3 with interpreter (v. 27)

18. Be silent when no interpreter (v. 28) 19. "Forbid not tongues" (v. 39, KJV)

Verse 3. Speaks to men. This key verse carefully sets out the parame ters of prophecy in a church body, just like chalking out the boundaries of a volleyball court.17 This verse defines and identifies the "purpose or 217 ■

Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker