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哥林多前书14：13-25：13所以那说方言的，就当求着能翻出来。14我若用方言祷告，是我的灵祷告，但我的悟性没有果效。15这却怎么样呢？我要用灵祷告，也要用悟性祷告；我要用灵歌唱，也要用悟性歌唱。16不然，你用灵祝谢，那在座不通方言的人，既然不明白你的话，怎能在你感谢的时候说”阿们”呢？17你感谢的固然是好，无奈不能造就别人。18我感谢神，我说方言比你们众人还多。19但在教会中，宁可用悟性说五句教导人的话，强如说万句方言。20弟兄们，在心志上不要作小孩子；然而，在恶事上要作婴孩，在心志上总要作大人。21律法上记着：主说：“我要用外邦人的舌头和外邦人的嘴唇，向这百姓说话，虽然如此，他们还是不听从我。”22这样看来，说方言不是为信的人作证据，乃是为不信的人；作先知讲道不是为不信的人作证据，乃是为信的人。23所以全教会聚在一处的时候，若都说方言，偶然有不通方言的，或是不信的人进来，岂不说你们癫狂了吗？24若都作先知讲道，偶然有不信的，或是不通方言的人进来，就被众人劝醒，被众人审明。25他心里的隐情显露出来，就必将脸伏地，敬拜神，说：“神真是在你们中间了。”
上帝清晰的话语要比神迹奇事更有力量。第21节经文引用 了《以赛亚书》28章11节，当时上帝审判以色列民。因为他们拒绝听从他的话语，拒绝悔改，所以他警告他们说，他将藉着外邦人的舌头（方言）向他们说话。当亚述人将他们掳掠分散到其他地方的时候，这些外国人的语言（方言）肯定让他们想起了上帝的审判。
耶稣升天后的五旬节那天，上帝赐给他在耶路撒冷的门徒说方言（外国语言）的能力，那些曾经被亚述人掳掠分散又回到耶路撒冷的以色列民，可以用他们自己国家的语言听到福音信息。哥林多人正相反，他们说方言是为了炫耀作秀。如果有来访者来参加敬拜，他们的方言对于福音是一种阻碍还是一种帮助呢？保罗说他宁可用别人能理解的语言说五句教导人的话，也不愿用未知的语言说一万句话。哥林多人在聚会上一定是在作秀，以至于保罗花了很长的篇幅讨论这个话题，而且态度非常坚定。这对我们又有什么意义呢？上帝的话语应该被清楚的宣讲出来，甚至是那些不了解圣经话语的来访者也能明白！祷告：主耶稣，我们很容易满足于“教会的语言”，以至于我可能无法完全体会在这在一个非信徒听起来感受如何。在我讲道和教导的过程中，请帮助我，即使是那些从来没有听说过上帝话语的人也能听懂！我如此祈求是奉你的名。阿们。
1 Corinthians 14: 13 That is why a person who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. 15 So what is to be done? I will pray using my spirit, and I will pray also using my understanding. I will sing using my spirit, and I will sing also using my understanding. 16 Otherwise, how will an uninformed person say the “Amen” after you give thanks, since he does not know what you are saying? 17 To be sure, you are giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up. 18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19 But in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue. 20 Brothers, do not be children in your thinking, but be like babies in regard to evil, and be mature in your thinking. 21 It is written in the law, “By different tongues and by foreign lips I will speak to this people, and even so, they will not listen to me, says the Lord.” 22 Therefore, tongues are a sign meant for unbelievers, not believers, whereas prophecy is for believers, not unbelievers. 23 So if the whole church comes together in the same place and all speak in tongues, and uninformed visitors or unbelievers come in, won’t they say that you are crazy? 24 But if all prophesy and some unbeliever or uninformed visitor comes in, he is reproved by all and judged by all, 25 the secrets of his heart are revealed, and under those circumstances he will fall down on his face and worship God, declaring, “God really is among you!” (EHV)
God’s clear word is more powerful than signs and wonders. Verse 21 quotes Isaiah 28:11, where God was passing judgment on his people. They refused to listen to his Word and repent, so he warned them that he would speak to them with foreign tongues. When the Assyrians scattered them to other places, the foreign language of their captors would be a reminder to them of God’s judgment.
When God gave his disciples in Jerusalem the ability to speak in tongues on the day of Pentecost, it was so that those who had been scattered by the Assyrians and who came back to Jerusalem could hear the message of the gospel in their own native language. The Corinthians, on the other hand, were speaking in tongues just for show. If a visitor came to their worship, would that hinder or help the gospel? Paul says he would rather speak five words in a known language than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue. The Corinthians must have been putting out quite the show in their meetings for Paul to spend so many words on this subject and to speak so forcefully. So what’s the point for us? Let God’s Word be proclaimed clearly in a way that even the uninformed visitor can understand!
Prayer: Lord Jesus, it’s so easy to become comfortable with “church” language that I may not fully understand how it is heard by the unbeliever. Help me to preach and teach in a way that can be understood even by someone who has never heard your Word before. I ask this in your name. Amen.