1 Corinthians 14 Study Guide/Psalm 23 (24) Study Guide/Message about Free Will...

PROPHECY, SUPERIOR TO TONGUES & ORDER IN WORSHIP

1 CORINTHIANS 14:1-40

14:1: WE ARE TO DESIRE or want the gifts of the Spirit, but PURSUE THE LOVE OF GOD- (St. John Chrysostom)- Noted the difference... Chase love, he writes: make every effort to retain her...To find this love one strains himself, and leaves not off until he lay hold of it...

14:2: IN THE ORTHODOX CHURCH, WHAT ABOUT ONE WHO SPEAKS IN A TONGUE??? Historically, God judged the builders of the Tower of Babel-(Genesis 11:1-9), dividing their unity by confusing their language...At Pentecost Vespers we hear-"of old there was confusion of tongues because of the boldness of the tower builders." Then, "God condemned the infidels..." But at Pentecost, "the Spirit of Christ illuminated the fishermen..." At Babel, there was "confusion of tongues": At Pentecost, "the vision of tongues has been renewed..." In the Church, as the NT, the gift of tongues is last on the list of the gifts-(1 Corinthians 12:10, 28), temporary (1 Corinthians 13:8), primarily for the edification of the one who speaks-(v. 4), and difficult to understand-(vv. 11, 14): St. John Chrysostom concluded his notes on tongues-"neither altogether useless, nor very profitable...

14:22-23: SPIRITUAL GIFTS are for all men, Christians and non-Christians: But tongues do not edify most Christians and fail to convert UNBELIEVERS-(v. 22), instead repelling them and suggesting that Christians are OUT OF THEIR MIND-(v. 23):

14:25-33: THIS IS A COMPASSIONATE EXHORTATION to the one who claims to possess the gift of tongues...This passage explains why the practice of tongues is not part of the Divine Liturgy, which is to be entered into as God's living word: In worship we know GOD IS TRULY AMONG US-(v. 25) because we have His prophetic word in our ears and upon our lips: Paul is here guiding a church that is severely out of balance: GOD IS NOT THE AUTHOR OF CONFUSION-(v. 33): and the truly spiritual can control themselves-(v. 32): True spirituality is manifested in preparedness, propriety and order, courtesy, and control...If the Spirit is truly moving, there is PEACE: This is already a tradition of the Church-(v. 33):

14:34-36: AN EARLY TRADITION in the Church is that women shall KEEP SILENT and not talk during the Liturgy: While they are permitted to prophesy-(1 Corinthians 11:5) they are not allowed to simply converse-(see also 1 Timothy 2:12): With spiritual gifts-(1 Corinthians 12:12-27), all are equal in Christ, while the order of the original creation remains in the new creation...

14:37: ONE CAN PICTURE PAUL as he writes thinking back over his hard sayings in Chapters: 12-14: He is clear this is God's work, not man's!!!

PSALM 23 (24)

PSALM 23 (24): The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein. 2 For He has founded it upon the seas, And established it upon the [a]waters.

3 Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place? 4 He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to an idol, Nor sworn deceitfully. 5 He shall receive blessing from the Lord, And righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6 This is Jacob, the generation of those who seek Him, Who seek Your face. Selah

7 Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. 8 Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, The Lord mighty in battle. 9 Lift up your heads, O you gates! Lift up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. 10 Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah

PSALM 23 (24): is a prophecy of the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ-(the first day of the week, v. 1; see also Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:2; Luke 24:1; and John 20:1): His Resurrection proves (1): He is the Creator of the world, which He owns-(vv. 1, 2); (2): He is worthy to ascend on high as the Forerunner of the Church-(vv. 3-6; see also Hebrews 6:19-20; Hebrews 7:26; and Hebrews 9:24); (3): He is the King of glory, who destroyed death and Hades-(vv. 7-10; see also Revelation 1:18; and Revelation 4:8-11):

Is the freedom to choose between what is good vs what is evil: Free will is just one aspect of Human Nature which was created in God's image...The Orthodox teachings are this, is that sin stains the image of God, but does not and cannot destroy it, the image of God that is...As human being created in the image of God, we are given the right to accept or completely reject the Gospel and the Words of God, but in doing so must be willing to accept all the consequences that follow from their choice of free will... (see also Genesis 3:22-23 & Revelation 3:20):

This is my issue with abortion the complete disregard of human life, it seems to me and this just my opinion and will take it up with the Lord later, those who support abortion have no room to speak ill of those who participate in a form of human genocide (Eugenics) frankly your choice of free will makes you no better-we all have to face our consequences, none of us get a free pass from that judgement seat of Christ!!!