I Corinthians 14:29  Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.
30  If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.
31  For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.
32  And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.
33  For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

Prophets also need to function in an orderly manner. Godly prophets should know the importance of godly behaviour. It is quite obvious that the church in Corinth was very ignorant of God’s will. They were either poorly taught up to this point or unwilling to receive the truth. As we have noted before, it is interesting that so many in our time are willing to adopt the carnality in Corinth, rather than accept the rebuke and grow from that as the saints in Corinth did.
There are many reasons why a true church needs a pastor. The pastor is the ‘under shepherd’ of the flock. He is under the headship of the “Chief Shepherd”, the Lord Jesus Christ. A true church is not a place for confusion. Everything needs to be done decently and in order.
During the time of this letter, there was still a need for prophets – those who would be directed by God to “foretell” the future. The Scriptures were not yet complete and thus the interim gift of prophecy was still there. The prophets needed to respect one another and they also needed to respect the people who were present. If more than one person is speaking at once, it is difficult to follow all that is said. Some people can pick up on certain points from several conversations at once. However, you cannot pick up the full content of a speaker if more than one is speaking at the same time. God wants us to know the truth. The prophets needed to respect their calling.
We see as well that the prophets were to be judged according to sound doctrine. The Bible never contradicts itself. It all fits together and makes the completed Word of God. The Bible has one Author and that is God. If a prophet would stand up and declare something contrary to the Word of God he was to be rejected.
We know that in the Old Testament there were false prophets who would deny what God told the prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah 23 has some very clear words from God regarding prophets. Zedekiah was a false prophet who defied the Lord. The people tended to believe Zedekiah, rather than Jeremiah. However, Zedekiah was wrong and he would die suddenly. Jeremiah was right and he would suffer at the hands of false prophets and yet he would be blessed of God. It is only through Biblical discernment that we can know what is truth. Of course, we do not have prophets in this sense of the word today. We have the completed record of God and we must judge all speakers in accordance with God’s sure Word.
In verse 30 we see that if the prophet is speaking and another person is given some important information on a point, then the first man needs to give the other man the opportunity to speak. True prophets are not in a power struggle. They are servants of God and they are given limited information from God. God must always be the centre of attention. He is the Creator. He directs certain people for His glory. He never accepts those who want to rob Him of His glory.
This is not to suggest that the preacher needs to allow for others to disrupt a service just because they think they have something important to add to what is being said. As a pastor, I have experienced having some people come to me after the service and suggest that I should have added some other point to what I was saying. Sometimes, they have revealed to me that they were not listening because the “suggestion” they were making was something that I did address in the preaching. Other times, their point might be valid, but they were not called to preach. No pastor is going to cover everything that could be covered on a doctrine, in a single message. God’s Word is a mine that we can never fully grasp in all of our lifetime. The true servant of God understands this and seeks to glorify God in what he says and does. He is not in a power struggle. He is not a politician who is seeking to scratch the itching ears. He serves the Lord and will be appreciated by others who want to know the Lord better.
It is important not to try to beat up a person who thinks he has something to offer. The humble person will accept that the pastor is called of God and directed in his study as well as in his preaching. If there is something that he missed, he can thank the person who informed him and if needed he can address that at a future date.
In verse 31 we see that the prophecy was given by God that all people could learn from it. Thus there needed to be order in the giving of the prophecy. All that hear the prophecy could also be comforted with the truth that was being declared. There is comfort in the Word of God. As we have mentioned we do not have any prophets that foretell the future, now. We have the future given to us in the Word of God. We need to heed what God has given us. False prophets reject what God has given us and they think God has given them some special insight into the future. The wise person rejects that and follows the truth.
In verse 32 we are reminded that the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. No true prophet would simply empty their mind and speak whatever came into their mind. The true prophets like John were led by the Holy Spirit to speak that which God gave them. John did not understand everything he recorded in the Revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was directed to use symbolism at times. We can understand some of that symbolism as we study God’s Word. Some of it will not be fully known until we meet the Lord.
It seems clear that the men who God chose to give us His Word, were students of God’s Word. Yes, He directed them in every word they wrote. They would refer back to other passages and all of that was directed by the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost does not work in a vacuum. He works with those who know the Lord and are serving Him faithfully. Part of that is being wise stewards of the time we are given which includes the serious study of God’s Word.
In verse 33 we are reminded that God is not the author of confusion. There is much confusion today when it comes to religion. There are many people who are confused because they are lost but are trying to make a connection with God on their own terms. They will dabble in the occult and in Catholicism and Mormonism and Charismaticism, etc. The person that is broken and becoming more sensitive to the work of the Holy Spirit in their life, will be drawn into a true local church where they can know the truth. I know God did that for me when I was lost and seeking to find my way. I have also seen God do that in other people’s lives as they seek to know the truth.
There are many who never find the truth because they refuse to let God lead them to the truth. They go through life with their fingers crossed and hope it will all work out for good in the end. They might put on a strong front, but they are lacking a right foundation.
God wants us to know it will all work out for good in the end. He has provided His Word so that we can know we will hear His well done in the end. It is up to us to accept what God says and follow Him.
Today is the Lord’s Day once again. It is the day to get up and get ready to attend a good local church that can help you to know the truth. There is always a blessing for those who walk humbly with the Lord.
Pastor Bartel