Think about the gift of tongues. Though the speaker may not understand his words, they are understood by God (1 Corinthians 14:2, 28). The speaker’s gift is inspired by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:10-11). It uses the speaker’s living voice and has benefit for himself (1 Corinthians 14:2). Yet with all these advantages, the speaker can only use his gift if others can understand its teaching and praise content. Prayer and singing must come from deep within (“spirit”) and be understandable (“mind”).
What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also. (1 Corinthians 14:15)
Here is true liberty: the amazing freedom to approach the living God with living worship. Here is the freedom to worship as God desires—in spirit and truth. Here is the freedom to love, to take others into consideration. “Let all things be done for building up…. so that all may learn and all be encouraged” (1 Corinthians 14:26, 31). If the assembly has no place for an inspired but unintelligible human voice, what does that say about lifeless instruments that convey no teaching value?
The larger context for the first letter to the Corinthians is divisions within the congregation (1 Corinthians 1:10; 11:18; 12:25). The assembly should promote unity. Yet in Corinth the assembly adds to the congregation’s confusion because of selfish attitudes, competing gifts, disorder and sounds that do not teach. Against these, Paul lays a foundational truth: “God is not a God of confusion but of peace” (1 Corinthians 14:33). Compared to the Old Covenant, the New Covenant gives fewer regulations, which leaves more flexibility at the expedient leve —where and when to meet, how to divide duties, and so on. But this new simplicity and flexibility never translates to selfish ‘freedoms’ or a return to past shadows. There are divine principles that govern worship and promote loving unity.