Properly & Orderly

Part 2 - All Things decently... orderly...

We are looking at 1 Corinthians 14:40, "Let all things be done decently and in order." There are three areas of concern here. First, we interpret "all things." Second, how we pursue these things is important. We must pursue our causes in an orderly way. Third, we walk by the Spirit when we follow biblical and constitutional procedures and conduct ourselves with common decency.

As we begin this lesson, what does "all things" refer to in this text? The immediate context of 1 Corinthians 14:40 relates to the discord and disorder within the worship of the church, specifically the use of prophecy and tongues (chapter 14). This immediate context is part of the section beginning with chapter 12 where Paul discusses things spiritual. He talks about the spiritual gifts, the parts of the body functioning together by the power of the Spirit, and the special ministry gifts to the church (chapter 12). Paul then looks at the primacy of love, the premier fruit of the Spirit. The "all things" of 1 Corinthians 14:40 therefore includes all those things pertaining to worship, the use of various gifts in the church, the relationships of the members of the body, and the outworking of love within the body.

The broad context of the book as a whole indicates further issues embraced by "all things." The discord and disorder with the church at Corinth begins with a party spirit (1 Corinthians 1:11-13). There also seems to have been an air of spiritual superiority among the members (1 Corinthians 3:1-4, 4:6-7). At the same time there was the grossest of sin, incest, permitted in the church (1 Corinthians 5:1). In addition, these Christians were suing one another in civil court rather than attempting to settle their disputes civilly within the church (1 Corinthians 6:1). There was confusion regarding the marital relationship (chapter 7), eating meat sacrificed to idols, Christian liberty, causing offence to brothers and sisters (chapters 8-10), and the place of women in God's economy (1 Corinthians 11:1-16). Finally, there was profound disorder in the celebration of the sacrament of the Lord's Supper (1 Corinthians 11:17-34). There are many subjects included here. They include relationships, morality, marriage, Christian liberty, women's issues, and the sacraments. Paul gives counsel in all these areas including worship. Then he exhorts, "And [But] let all things be done decently and in order."

Calvin says of our text, "From this we acquire (as I have said) a general principle, which tells us the purpose of the organization of the Church (Ecclesiae politia) ought to be serving." In other words, the church is so structured and the ministries so carried out that all things are done decently and in order.

From the immediate context, the text refers to preaching and teaching. This certainly includes counseling. The text embraces the other elements of worship, singing, public prayer and Scripture reading, and our giving in tithes and offerings. From the broad context we see the text applies to the conduct of meetings, private and public. It applies to how Christians interface with the world. It pertains to marriage. It relates to parents dealing with children as they approach marriage. It refers to all the relationships within the church from application to the so-called weaker brother to application to the Sacraments. In other words, our text has broad implication. All areas of life connected to Christ are to be decent and in orderly. That is, how we conduct our lives before Christ is just as important what we do. The manner we approach our cause is as important as the cause itself. We'll begin to pursue the manner and the how next time.