1 Corinthians 14:24-25 But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believes not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all:… I. CONVERSION EFFECTED BY MEANS. 1. The door of the sanctuary should be an open one (ver. 23). Restrictions should be swept away. Non-church-goers are often such through the action of church-goers. 2. Means should constantly be employed in the sanctuary. The gospel should be preached. The presence of "unbelievers "and unlearned should be borne in mind. II. PROBABLE MEANS OF CONVERSION. 1. Order and propriety in the sanctuary. The building is not unimportant, for there are some churches in which it is difficult to be converted. The services should be decorous, or the stranger may think we are mad. But dulness and coldness are not decorous. 2. Worship. Song and prayer have won not a few — but both may hinder. 3. Preaching should be — (1) Intelligible — not over the heads of the people. (2) Sensible — not under their heads. (3) Direct (ver. 24), so that the hearer may feel that it is meant for him. (4) Searching — manifesting the secrets of the heart. (5) Scriptural. III. TESTS OF THE SUITABILITY OF THE MEANS. 1. What do the unbelieving and ignorant think of them? Some will scoff; but what will the common-sense and sincere think? What ought they to think? 2. What results will follow? Are they those of ver. 25? If not something is amiss. Is it the want of the Holy Spirit? (E. Hurndall, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: |
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