1Cor 14:36-40 - Who's the Pope of Corinth?

36-40 Or was it from you that the word of God came? Or are you the only ones it has reached? 37 If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord. 38 If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized. 39 So, my brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. 40 But all things should be done decently and in order.

And here, Paul is making precisely the point that scripture, and not culture or custom, dictates what is acceptable in Christ’s church. Again, he enlists a heavy dose of sarcasm by way of a rebuke to the Corinthians for their wayward behaviour.

Who do they think they are? That is the question Paul poses. Are they an oracle of themselves? Do they make the rules? Are they the ones who decide how things ought to be organized in God’s church by following their own urges, passions, interests, preferences, desires and egos? Is it all about them? Are they the focus? Are they the bees knees when it comes to God’s purposes on earth?

Well, obviously the answer to these questions is meant to put them to shame. They are not oracles; they are not laws unto themselves and it is not all about them. How’s that for being harsh? Paul would not make it in most of today’s liberalized, tolerant, non-judgmental congregations. He would be railroaded right out the back door and his Master along with him. {Joh 15:18-21}

And then the coup de grace comes from Paul to all those who would make his inspired admonishments a matter of personal interpretation, or cultural leaning or custom ... He underlines the fact that he is the inspired Apostle revealing to them the will of God through the writings and by applying those writings to their situation. So he is saying that he speaks with the authority of God, revealing the will of God and he thereby implies that any who chafe against his teaching are de facto opposing God Himself, from whom these things come. (And the Catholics thought Peter was the first Pope!!)

Furthermore, he expressly states that those who will not come under the authority of this inspired teaching (teaching about order in the church and its implications for all the described behaviours in this letter) not only fail to recognize the authority of God Himself, but shows him/herself not to be a true follower of the Master. "If anyone does not recognize this he is not recognized." Put up or shut up! Submit to the ultimate Authority or stop claiming to be a Christian! Get with the program!

Now, a word to the over zealous here. These are admonishments designed to lovingly correct aberrant or ignorant behaviour. Neither error nor ignorance of themselves disqualify a person as a disciple of Christ, for we all make many errors and we were all once ignorant of the things of God. Also, we are continually growing in grace and knowledge. It is more a question of the will. When faced with the edicts, instruction, correction, rebuke and the clear will of God what does the professing sheep then do? Well, the true sheep hear His voice and they follow Him. They do not dig in their heels and wilfully defy the Living God. The more instruction and correction the greater the divide becomes between hardening unto damnation and submission unto sanctification and the more light is separated from darkness within individuals and within the body of the church.

Doctrine divides. You betcha it does - as it is designed to do! The Word makes clean by shining light in the darkness and the Spirit separates the waters above from the waters below. The Word is uncompromising; it hardens and justly condemns the reprobate; it prunes the true hearers; it humbles them; it brings about submission to God; it saves and sanctifies.

And so Paul himself ends this section on a conciliatory and balanced note. He is saying don’t throw out the baby with the bath water - but do throw out the dirty bath water itself. There’s nothing inherently wrong with the gifts, nor in desiring to exercise those gifts for the good of all, but they must be exercised in an atmosphere of humility, grace, love, order and decency. This way God is both honoured and seen to be at work in His church, glorifying His name.

It is really all pretty simple, but the sins of lust, pride, wilfulness and covetousness tend to complicate and cloud things wherever they are given rein. No Christian is exempt from such things and this lesson is for all.