Title: "Corinthian Confusion & Chaos"

Text: I Corinthians 12:1 ; 14:23, 26, 33, & 40

INTRO:

I. The Corinthian Church was a Carnal Church Rather than a Spiritual One.

I Corinthians 3:1-4

II. The Corinthians were Walking in Ignorance with Regard to the Proper Understanding & Use of Spiritual Gifts.

I Corinthians 12:1

III. There is a Diversity of Gifts Among the Members of the Body of Believers, but there is One Lord who Administers those Gifts.

I Corinthians 12:4-11

IV. There ARE Gifts of the Spirit which are Supernaturally Given By the Holy Spirit and Exercised By Christians in Accordance with the WILL of GOD.

I Corinthians 12:4-11

V. There is a Purpose for the Giving & Exercising of Spiritual Gifts.

I Corinthians 12:7

VI. There is an Order of Importance within the Classification of Spiritual Gifts.

I Corinthians 12:27-31 & 14:5

VII. The Greatest Spiritual Gift of All , the One through which All Other Gifts Must Flow , is the Agape Love of God.

I Corinthians 12:31 - 13:3

VIII. There is a Variance in Longevity within the Purpose of God for Spiritual Gifts.

I Corinthians 13:8-13

IX. The Corinthians had their PRIORITIES Mixed Up when it Came to Spiritual Gifts because they were Ignorant, & Paul Wrote I Corinthians 12 - 14 to Educate them & Straighten them Out.

I Corinthians 12:1

A. They Majored on Minor Gifts OVER Major Ones.

I Corinthians 14:1-5 c/f I Corinthians 12:28-31

B. They Did Not Exercise Spiritual Gifts IN & Through the Agape Love of God.

I Corinthians 12:31 - 13:1 ; 12:7 ; 14:4-6

C. They Majored on Using Spiritual Gifts for their Own Edification - Rather than for the Edification of the Whole Body of Believers there.

I Corinthians 14:4-12

D. The Spiritual Gift that the Corinthians Majored on the Most was the Gift of Tongues -- Rather than on Preaching (or Prophecy).

I Corinthians 14:1-9

X. The Corinthians had Confusion & Chaos in their Church Assemblies.

I Corinthians 14:23-40

XI. The Corinthian Confusion Centered Around Tongues & a Spirit of Self Promotion in the Assembly.

I Corinthians 14:26-37

XII. The Corinthian Practice of Speaking in Tongues was Such that It Could Not be Tested & Verified or Judged as to the Spiritual Truthfulness of the Message , because No One Knew What was Being Said.

I Corinthians 14:2 ; 14:6-17 ; c/f I John 4:1 &

I Thessalonians 5:21

XIII. The Corinthian Practice of Speaking in Tongues Did Not Serve the Primary OR the Secondary Purpose of God for the Biblical Gift of Tongues in the First Place.

A. To Preach the Gospel to Men IN their OWN Language.

Acts 2:1-11

B. As a Sign for the Unbelievers : Particularly the Unbelieving Jews.

I Corinthians 14:18-22 c/f I Corinthians 1:22

XIV. The Corinthian Confusion Did Not Come from God.

I Corinthians 14:23-33

XV. CONCLUSION :

A. If the Corinthian Confusion Did Not Come from God, then, Neither Did their Practice of Speaking In Tongues & Self Promotion within the Assembly.

B. The Corinthian Tongues were Probably Counterfeit Tongues - Rather than the Manifestation of a Legitimate Spiritual Gift.

1. Their Purpose was Wrong.

2. Their Practice was Wrong.

C. The Fact that Paul Had to Write to Correct the Church's Practice of Tongues & Chaos in the Assembly Should be Seen as Being in Direct Opposition to the Modern Day Pentecostal & Charismatic Movement -- Rather than as a Biblical Justification for it.