"God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints." I Cor. 14:33
Confusion, in our text, refers not to mental bewilderment, as we sometimes employ the term, but to social disorder. Sometimes rendered "tumult," it essentially describes a state of things the opposite of "peace." Where there is peace, there is no confusion; where there is confusion, peace is wanting. The same word is used in Acts 19:29, where it is written, "And the whole city was filled with confusion." The scene there was on of social turmoil, and that is the idea here, where the context addresses the confusion and commotion caused by the unrestrained exercise of the gift of tongues.
The condition the term implies is referred to by the apostle James as the consequence of envy and strife. "For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work (Jas. 3:16)." The vanity associated with the inappropriate exercise of tongues at Corinth had generated "turmoil," and is used by the Holy Spirit to set this principle before us, "God is not the author of confusion, but of peace…;" a principle of broader application to disorder in the church, rooted in strife.
Concerning this root of confusion or turmoil in the assembly, consider the following from the wisdom of Solomon:
"Hatred stirreth up strifes; but love covereth all sins." (Prov. 10:12, cf. I Pet. 4:8)
"Only by pride cometh contention…" (Prov. 13:10), and,
"As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife." (Prov. 26:21)
"An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgressions." (Prov. 29:22)
"It is honor for a man to cease from strife, but every fool will be meddling." (Prov. 20:3)
The potential of strife, and hence of confusion, is discovered in Prov. 17:14 — "The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention before it be meddled with." In other words, once begun, it is nearly impossible to contain!
The path to confusion, or turmoil, in the church, then, is marked by pride, which was undoubtedly the problem giving rise to the tongues speaking turmoil in the church at Corinth, by a contentious spirit, anger and hatred. (Note the escalating intensity!) The potential is deadly, and the admonition is therefore issued in the New Testament, "Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves (Phil. 2:3)." That admonition is particularly focused on the leadership in the church when we read, "And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will (II Tim. 2:24-26)."
The question then arises, if God is not the author of confusion, who is? The answer is obvious, but the Holy Spirit gives it to us explicitly through the apostle James: "But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, There is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is f rom above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace (James 3:14-18)." The devil is a troublemaker; Christ is a peacemaker. Clearly, confusion - turmoil - is the end result of a chain reaction ignited by the adversary, Satan, and carried forward by the carnality evident in the pride and prejudice of the fallen human spirit, unaltered and unrestrained by the Holy Spirit.
If there is "confusion" (turmoil) in your church, it is probably not generated by the charismatic vanity that plagued the church at Corinth, but the roots will be the same, though the foliage may be different. In any case, the fruit is deadly, as the condition of many a church in America today testifies.
The corrective, if there is to be one, will require each believer to examine and judge, not others, but himself in the the light of this question: "Am I, in this assembly, a peacemaker or a troublemaker?" When, in the light of God's word, you get an honest answer to that query, you will know under whose banner you are really marching! Then "walk in the Light!"
Yours for the peace of God in the fellowship of the saints,
"Pastor" Frasier
Confusion, in our text, refers not to mental bewilderment, as we sometimes employ the term, but to social disorder. Sometimes rendered "tumult," it essentially describes a state of things the opposite of "peace." Where there is peace, there is no confusion; where there is confusion, peace is wanting. The same word is used in Acts 19:29, where it is written, "And the whole city was filled with confusion." The scene there was on of social turmoil, and that is the idea here, where the context addresses the confusion and commotion caused by the unrestrained exercise of the gift of tongues.
The condition the term implies is referred to by the apostle James as the consequence of envy and strife. "For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work (Jas. 3:16)." The vanity associated with the inappropriate exercise of tongues at Corinth had generated "turmoil," and is used by the Holy Spirit to set this principle before us, "God is not the author of confusion, but of peace…;" a principle of broader application to disorder in the church, rooted in strife.
Concerning this root of confusion or turmoil in the assembly, consider the following from the wisdom of Solomon:
"Hatred stirreth up strifes; but love covereth all sins." (Prov. 10:12, cf. I Pet. 4:8)
"Only by pride cometh contention…" (Prov. 13:10), and,
"As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife." (Prov. 26:21)
"An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgressions." (Prov. 29:22)
"It is honor for a man to cease from strife, but every fool will be meddling." (Prov. 20:3)
The potential of strife, and hence of confusion, is discovered in Prov. 17:14 — "The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention before it be meddled with." In other words, once begun, it is nearly impossible to contain!
The path to confusion, or turmoil, in the church, then, is marked by pride, which was undoubtedly the problem giving rise to the tongues speaking turmoil in the church at Corinth, by a contentious spirit, anger and hatred. (Note the escalating intensity!) The potential is deadly, and the admonition is therefore issued in the New Testament, "Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves (Phil. 2:3)." That admonition is particularly focused on the leadership in the church when we read, "And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will (II Tim. 2:24-26)."
The question then arises, if God is not the author of confusion, who is? The answer is obvious, but the Holy Spirit gives it to us explicitly through the apostle James: "But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, There is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is f rom above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace (James 3:14-18)." The devil is a troublemaker; Christ is a peacemaker. Clearly, confusion - turmoil - is the end result of a chain reaction ignited by the adversary, Satan, and carried forward by the carnality evident in the pride and prejudice of the fallen human spirit, unaltered and unrestrained by the Holy Spirit.
If there is "confusion" (turmoil) in your church, it is probably not generated by the charismatic vanity that plagued the church at Corinth, but the roots will be the same, though the foliage may be different. In any case, the fruit is deadly, as the condition of many a church in America today testifies.
The corrective, if there is to be one, will require each believer to examine and judge, not others, but himself in the the light of this question: "Am I, in this assembly, a peacemaker or a troublemaker?" When, in the light of God's word, you get an honest answer to that query, you will know under whose banner you are really marching! Then "walk in the Light!"
Yours for the peace of God in the fellowship of the saints,
"Pastor" Frasier
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