Useful Bible Studies > 1 Corinthians Commentary > chapter 14
God does not cause wild behaviour and he does not approve of it. It is against his nature.
He is the God who, at the beginning of the world, arranged everything in order. He chose the proper place for each plant, bird and animal. He created rules for how they should live.
He also made rules for how people should live; but they did not obey him. Since they first began to act against him, people have chosen to be God’s enemies. They have neglected God’s rules and they have refused to give him honour. God wanted them to behave in a proper manner, but they chose not to do that.
However, it is God’s great desire to bring peace into people’s lives – even into the lives of his enemies. By ‘peace’, we mean the calm and content attitude that a right relationship with God brings. God approves of that kind of peace – in fact, it is part of his nature. God offers peace through the death of Christ on the cross (Ephesians 2:13-18). When we invite Christ into our lives, a right relationship with God begins. The Holy Spirit gives us a right relationship with God the Father (Ephesians 2:17-18).
Paul urged the Christians in Corinth not to act in a wild manner when they felt the Holy Spirit’s power. The Holy Spirit was not causing that kind of behaviour; it was just their reaction. It was not happening in other churches.
God had sent his Holy Spirit into their lives to bring peace. He wanted them to be calm and confident in their relationship with him.
So, Christians should behave properly at church. If they do that, God can work even more powerfully among them.
Next part: Women who spoke in the church (1 Corinthians 14:34-35)
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© 2014, Keith Simons.