Good order

OK, this morning it's going to be hard to keep my bias from showing, so I'm just going to state it right up front. I'm a diehard Calvinist, which means that I tend to approach my faith first of all from an intellectual angle. It also means that I want things to be done "in good order," as our Church Order says.

Paul seems to agree with me in 1 Cor 14:26-33. In those verses he describes a controlled, orderly way for prophesying and speaking in tongues to be done in worship. If someone speaks in tongues, a few (but not too many) should interpret; if there is no interpreter present, the speaker should keep silent. Two, maybe three prophets can prophesy. If someone has something to say, the speaker gives way. The reason? "For God is not a God of disorder but of peace." (v33).

See, that's what I hated about the charismatic services I've been in: They seemed so chaotic. All those spirits moving everywhere, people babbling over here, dancing over there, falling down in the aisles. OK, that's probably exaggerated, but it felt that way to me. So I want to point to verse 32 and say, "Hey! The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets -- says so right in 1 Corinthians. So control yours, please!"

But before I get too smug, there's something I need to make sure doesn't go overlooked: Paul is describing a worship service where people are going to speak in tongues, complete with interpreters, and there are going to be prophets prophesying. Paul doesn't banish the Spirit from worship, he simply points out that the Spirit isn't going to be disruptive because by nature He's orderly.

In the end, I think we still have a lot to learn from Pentecostal Christians. I don't like saying that, because I don't like their brand of worship. But I have to admit I'm mostly talking preference when I say that, not Biblical conviction.

What I'm really saying is I don't want to be stretched that far. I don't want to draw attention to myself, I don't want to lose control of my mouth (do enough of that already), and I sure don't want to be slain. I like worshiping with my brain - it's calm.

Maybe I need to pay more attention to those stirrings of emotion I sometimes feel in church, and not squelch them when I feel them. Even if it means a tear or two, or maybe even my hands go up. Some people might even look at me funny. But there must be something there, or Paul wouldn't be so matter-of-fact about it. 

For him, it was normal. For me, it ought to at least be worth thinking about.