Rules for Talking in Church
1 Cor. 14:1-39
When I was little, one thing I remember about going to church was that I was supposed to be quiet. My mom and dad made it clear that there were dire consequences for disobeying this rule. Even passing notes was considered breaking the rule. As far as I was concerned, church was a time to be quiet. Of course, it was ok to sing. You could even mumble an “amen” at certain places, but the general rule of thumb was, “keep your mouth shut and your ears open.” Now, you are looking at a talker. Maybe that’s part of why I became a preacher, so I could talk in church.
Did you know that in the Bible there are rules for talking in Church? God’s word takes talking in Church seriously. This 14th chapter of 1 Corinthians is all about talking in church. Let’s notice the things he says about appropriate talking and inappropriate talking in Church.
First, we find that there is an unusual feature in this Corinthian church that we don’t see here today. People were talking in other languages. Evidently many of the Christians here had received the spiritual gift of tongues and they enjoyed showing it off at church. What instruction does God’s word give about this?
1. Whatever you say in church needs to be understandable to all.
2. A better gift than tongues is the gift of prophecy, because it helps those that hear it the first time.
3. If a person is able to speak in tongues, but there is no one there to interpret what is said, he must be silent and speak to himself and to God. (vs 28).
Second, we find that the church in Corinth is full of people with something to say.
In fact, Paul says: When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation… (vs 26) Each of those five things has something to do with talking. It looks like everyone that came to church there in Corinth came with something to say or sing. This was a very talky church group. I’ve been in Bible classes like that at times. The teacher asks a question and it hits a nerve. Suddenly everyone in the class has a comment. We generally take turns, but if the subject is exciting enough, people start talking with the person next to them. But in order to get the picture of what the Bible is addressing here, lets use our imagination for a minute: just imagine that it is the middle of worship and everyone is talking at once. And let’s also suppose that some of the group are speaking in French, Russian, Spanish and Greek. With that in mind, let’s also imagine that you are a visitor just walking into the building when something like that is going on. What would you think about this church? Well, that is the picture we have of a Corinthian Church of Christ service according to this passage. It wasn’t just the men speaking out, the women seem to be joining in as well.
What does the Bible say about this kind of situation? Is it good? No! It is hindering them and not helping them at all. The picture we get is not of a group of people in a church building with a pulpit and pews, but more of a fellowship hall full of people all talking together or here and there, someone speaking in a tongue. It is chaotic. So Paul uses a word three times in this chapter that only occurs 10 times in the whole Bible. The word is sigao. (Occurrences of “sigao,” which means, be silent. Luke 9:36; 18:39; 20:26; Acts 12:17; 15:12; 15:13; Romans 16:25; 1 Cor. 14:28, 30, 34).
Twice about men and once about women, Paul says, let them be silent in church. Here are the rules of silence:
1. If you are a tongues speaker and there’s no one there to interpret, be silent. 28.
2. If you are speaking and someone else receives a revelation with something to say, be silent. 30.
3. If you are a woman in the assembly, you are not allowed to speak, but must be silent. 34.
In the church, there is to be one speaker at a time. And Paul says that two or three sermons is enough. Most of you would agree that two sermons per Sunday, spread out over two services are enough. For some of you, one is more than sufficient.
Now, when it comes to singing in church today, we all speak together at the same time, men, women and children. But we do it in unison as we follow the song leaders direction. It would have been interesting to see the singing in Corinth. They didn’t have song books as we do. While they may have had a copy of the Psalms, not everyone would have had a copy. For this and other reasons, they seem to have done singing a little differently than we do it. Very likely, the person who brought a psalm or hymn, who we might designate as song leader, sang it solo for the church to hear and learn. We know that they did sing songs together as well. But since singing was considered teaching, it is highly probable that a man would teach it to the congregation who after learning the song would sing it together by memory. Paul comments to another church… Col. 3:16 Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
As we study this chapter carefully, we notice that there is a central controlling purpose behind whatever we say in church whether spoken or sung. That principle is found in verses 3,4,5,12, &26. It is summed up in these words in verse 26: Let all things be done for edification. When that purpose is fulfilled, it not only blesses the church but it also becomes obvious even to visitors that God is present.
From what we have studied, here are some applications that we need today:
1. What is preached and taught here must fulfill the purpose of building up this body to be obedient to God.
A. It is not enough to simply say what is true. It is not enough to simply preach things from the Bible. The motive of the messenger is important. The Bible has been used to do as much damage for the kingdom of God as it has to build up God’s people. 1 Timothy 1 comes to mind where Paul says, 5 But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 6 For some men, straying from these things, have turned aside to fruitless discussion, 7 wanting to be teachers of the Law, even though they do not understand either what they are saying or the matters about which they make confident assertions.
B. We need to reflect the heart of God in what we say. When the word of God is spoken here, we also must follow the goal of that instruction, which is to edify those who hear what is said and help them walk more closely with God. We have a goal for the instruction here, that is the same goal God’s word tells us here: the teaching and preaching here should produce love from pure hearts, good consciences and sincere faith. I love what God’s word says in Malachi 2 about the priests: 5 "My covenant was with him, a covenant of life and peace, and I gave them to him; this called for reverence and he revered me and stood in awe of my name.
6 True instruction was in his mouth and nothing false was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and turned many from sin.
7 "For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, and from his mouth men should seek instruction--because he is the messenger of the LORD Almighty. The preachers or teachers or song leaders in this church must be men who revere God, speaks with true instruction, walk in peace and uprightness, and preserve the knowledge of God. This will turn many from sin and cause others to seek instruction from the Lord. God’s speakers are his messengers. Paul says in 1 Cor 14: 37 If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord’s commandment.
2. We can expect that when we speak in Church as God instructs us here, that others will see God’s presence here with us.
This is what the Bible says here in verse 24 But if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, 25 and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, "God is really among you!" What is done here in this assembly of worship needs to make God’s presence known so clearly that anyone in the assembly knows it. Have you seen God here lately? You should. The Lord is present and welcome in our company. We are here in the name of Jesus Christ, assembled before the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We thank God for his presence and we hope that you know by our worship that God is truly among us.
