By Pastor Dave Farmer

Topic#17 The Third Argument – Part 2

Summary

   This is the completion of the third argument, and what we learn is unexpected and astonishing, 1 Corinthians 14:20.  This verse carries a powerful rebuttal toward those in the family of God who speak in tongues as well as a warning.  

Paul's Warning:  Your Spiritual Life Is In Danger

1 Corinthians 14:20 Expanded Translation

Brethren! stop being children [spiritually immature] in the way you think, yet with reference to wickedness (living in the Cosmic System) you must become infants [innocent as a baby], in fact you must become mature in the way you think. 1

   There are three commands given to the Corinthian church, and each must be understood in the light of the context.  What have we been studying?  The misuse of the gift of tongues in public worship at Corinth and how disruptive this has been to the primary goal set by God for all the churches.  Edification is the divine standard, not size, the number of members, wealth, the number of the rich and famous you have, or any other value we may ascribe to, such as how friendly the church is or missionary-minded the church is, or even how busy with the ministry the church is.  All of these good things are secondary to the principle of edification.  The ongoing question for leaders in the church is:  Are we doing everything we can to promote the congregation's spiritual growth?  When we subordinate God's priority to our way of thinking, the subject of the first command becomes a reality. 

The First Command is "stop being children [spiritually immature] in the way you think."

   Paul calls those who were using the gift of tongues in worship "children."  This is not an expression of affection but a term of rebuke, "stop becoming children."  Please note that this negative command is addressed to those practicing the gift of tongues.   This kind of "imperative mood" forbids an action already in progress.  I can't help but notice the repetition of the principle we studied before, that those who possess the gift of tongues think they are the most spiritually mature. 2  Paul disagrees. They are called spiritually immature!  

   Based on this Scripture, I want to tell my brethren practicing tongues that you should take this verse seriously.  It says you will not spiritually grow when you center your Christian life on emotion and experience.  In fact, you are in danger of divine discipline just as the Corinthians were experiencing, 1 Corinthians 11:30 "For this reason, many among you are weak [warning discipline] and sick [intense discipline] and a number sleep [sin unto death]." 

The Second Command - "yet with reference to wickedness (living in the Cosmic System) you must become infants [innocent as a baby."

   God's design for the Christian Way of Life is for us to grow spiritually, but there is another possibility so grave that you must not miss what is taught here.  It is found in the word KAKIA, which is translated as wickedness. KAKIA belongs to a group of words that Paul uses to describe Satan's plan and policy. 3  Here is the warning:  If you as a believer do not grow spiritually utilizing all the provisions in the Plan of Grace, you will eventually enter the Cosmic System.  Let me say clearly: Satan and his demon army are against any church whose primary goal is to help believers grow spiritually or individual believers who are positive toward the Word and spiritually advancing.  Satan cannot afford to have in any generation a church filled with spiritually mature believers.

1 Peter 5:8 

Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 

1 Peter 5:9 

But resist him, firm in your faith [DOCTRINE], knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world. 

   We must stand firm in the promise of our Lord Jesus that the gates of Hades will not overpower us, Matthew 16:18.  We must not be ignorant of the doctrines that explain the reality of the cosmic system, Ephesians 6:12.  We must abide in the teaching that will keep us on the road to glory, 2 Peter 3:18. 

   This verse should bring tears to our eyes.  Here is a church that has succumbed to false doctrine.   The ability to speak in a tongue is not a sign of spiritual maturity.  It is false and a grave error!  It is hard to come to this conclusion, especially if we believe that those who speak in tongues are our brothers and sisters in Christ as I do.  Sadly, I also believe they are wrong about the gift of tongues.  Now comes Paul's stinging, eye-opening criticism, WICKED!  I am forced to conclude by his use of this special word that the Corinthians are fighting against God.  It gives me no pleasure to say this; it is painful to point this out.  The truth is God has a plan, and any deviation from it will place us into the Cosmic System, the system that Satan rules over. 4 

   For the individual believer, indifference and apathy toward the Word of God will harm you spiritually.  Using Paul's analogy, if you do not highly value your seat of edification in the church, you are on a downward path toward discipline and misery.  Mature believers are winners in the spiritual conflict, whereas immature believers who remain immature will end up inside the Cosmic System. On the other hand, positive growing believers who appreciate the teaching of the Word of God will increase spiritually and eventually crack the maturity barrier.  

   Again, when we substitute our plan--the desire to speak in tongues and hold the view it is a sign of maturity--with God's plan, we are on the wrong path.  God's plan is for us to grow in Christ through the face-to-face teaching of the Word of God.  Man’s plans will turn our spiritual lives into shambles.  In contrast with being on the road to glory, we will be on the road to pain.

   Peter's warning to the Christians in his ministry:

2 Peter 2:1,2

[1] But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. 

[2] Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them, the way of the truth will be maligned;

   Finally, whenever a church decides that the teaching of the Word of God, the edification principle of 1 Corinthians 14, is of lesser importance than fellowship, evangelism, or even the pursuit of spiritual gifts, that church eventually will enter the cosmic system, and be under the influence of Satan.  Inside the cosmic system of false ideas, applications, and doctrines, that church will cease to have an impact for the Lord Jesus Christ, and as Peter says, "the way of truth will be maligned."  See 1 Corinthians 3:1-3.

The Third Command "You must become mature in the way you think."

   Paul does not provide the mechanics, "the how to's," but instead, he challenges them to fulfill the goal of reaching spiritual adulthood. Indeed, the high ground is not attained through speaking in tongues but by receiving instructions through teaching the Word of God.  Our Heavenly Father has given every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ one spiritual goal for a lifetime.  This single purpose is summed up by Paul in the phrase, "Be mature." 

   Paul repeatedly talked to the various congregations about the divine purpose for their lives after salvation.  It was to grow spiritually and reach spiritual adulthood.  Take for instance, the Apostle Paul's message to the Philippians:

Philippians 3:13 

 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: 

forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 

Philippians 3:14 

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 

   Paul was talking about spiritual maturity and "becoming perfect." This concept is synonymous with 1 Corinthians 14:20, "Become mature."  The same root words are used: one is an adjective, the other is a verb, but both are about spiritual maturity.

Paul is driving toward the goal.    

   He says the single most important purpose in my life is driven by a desire to fulfill the will, plan, and purpose that God has for my life.  When I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior, He gave me a spiritual life to live.  This life has but one goal: to become more and more like our Lord Jesus Christ in character and conduct.  This is the mark of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

   A second-generation leader in the Church, an Apostle Paul's missionary team member, whose name is Epaphras, prayed daily for the church.  What did he pray?  He prayed that the Colossi Church would stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.  

Colossians 4:12 

Epaphras, who is one of your number, a bondslave of Jesus Christ, sends you his greetings, always laboring earnestly for you in his prayers, that you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God. 

   Their doctrinal viewpoint informed their walk of faith.  So when they prayed, what would be important to say to God as they intercede for the churches?  Two requests in the daily prayer of this pastor.  First, is that they would be perfect.  This is an unfortunate interpretation.  The word "perfect" is the same in the original language of 1 Corinthians 14:20, "mature."  What was the goal that Paul and Epaphras had for the Colossian Christians?  They desire that they may be mature--spiritually mature. 

   The second part of his prayer is that they will become absolutely convinced that this is the Will of God.  What is God's will?  What does God want us to do?  HE WANTS US TO GROW UP.  Simply stated:  It is God's will that you grow spiritually.  Now, Paul commands the Corinthians using the imperative mood so that we understand this is God's will and not good advice but His direct will.  What isn't God's Will? It is not God's will for them to remain spiritual children or to allow false doctrine to lead them into the Cosmic System. If you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, you are under orders from your commander-in-chief to reach the high ground of spiritual maturity and stand firm in that doctrine until the Lord Jesus comes for you.  As Paul wrote the Philippians:

Philippians 1:27 

Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I will hear of you that you are STANDING FIRM in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith [DOCTRINE-what is believed] of the gospel; 

Summary

1. Those who spoke in tongues at Corinth made their emotional experience more important than God's Plan and design for worship in the church.

2. God's plan was edification.  See 1 Corinthians 14:3,4,6.  They were no longer innocent, for their conduct, priorities, and motivations were outside the system that God designed.  

3. Refusing to go along with God's plan, they entered the system that Satan created to thwart spiritual growth and defeat the Plan of Grace. Their conduct, priorities, and motivations were outside God's designed system, 1 Corinthians 14:3.

4. Eventually, if this is not corrected, they will become the enemies of God and have the same characteristics as those mentioned in Philippians 2:18,19:

18] For many walk [believers], of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping,

that they are enemies of the cross of Christ,

19]  whose end is destruction [sin unto death], whose god is their appetite [emotional pattern],and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things.

Finally, we must change the way we think if we live the Christian Way of Life in a way that pleases, honors, and glorifies our Father in Heaven and our Savior seated at his right hand.  Your life has meaning, purpose, and definition only as it aligns with the Will of God.  This is a lifelong pursuit:  

Philippians 1:5

being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you [ providing you spiritual life] will carry it on to completion [same word - teleios, meaning maturity] until the day of Christ Jesus.

I join with Paul in prayer for you:

Colossians 1:10 

 And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.

__________

ENDNOTES

1 See Appendix C for the exegesis of 1 Corinthians 14:20 to support expanded translation.

2  The misconception of Tongues, Topic #5.  

3 The Vocabulary of Evil

A. Hebrew words for evil. 

1. ra’a [142 Times] to be evil, bad. This is the verb.

2. ro’a [19 Times] badness of quality; evil as a quality.
3. ra [663 Times] adjective for bad, evil; also a masculine noun for evil, misery
4. aven [78 Times] nothingness, vanity, evil

5. rasha [34 Times] verb to act wickedly.

6. resha [30Times] noun masculine -wicked -violent crime 

7. rasha [293 Times] adjective meaning wicked, those under the influence of evil, guilty of violating a standard.

8. Risha [ Noun fem - 15 Time] wicked  

Approximately 902 passages in the Old Testament.

B. Greek words for evil.

1.  poneros [142 Times]: adjective for evil, worthless, degenerate, and as a noun, it is used for evil intent, evildoer, evil one [ Satan].
2. ponerai [8 Times] feminine adjective for sinfulness, maliciousness

3. phaulos [6 times]: evil, worthless, wicked.

4. kakoo [6 Times]: to treat badly.  This is a verb.

5. kakia [381 Times]: depravity, wickedness.
6. kakos [56 times]: adjective for evil, bad, worthless.

7. kakos [18 Times]: adverb for wickedly.

There are compound expressions, such as evil-doers [3 Times].  The total number of all these words in the Greek New Testament adds up to 700 times. 

4 See Glossary in Reference Section: The Cosmic System.