I Corinthians 14:40, "Let all things be done decently and in order."

This morning, I do not think that there can be enough said about order. In a world where man makes chaos in everything that he does, we need to be seeking order and peace from the only One who possesses it. If we have peace, order, and unity, then the Lord can be the only One to give the credit.  Many people think that being orderly infringes upon "their rights." They say that being forced to do something does not give them "what they deserve."  If we all got "our rights" or "what we deserve," we would burn forever. This morning, do not give me what I deserve, and my prayer is that I behave myself in an orderly fashion.
 

Paul is here admonishing a church that has gross errors in it. They have problems with doctrine, fornication, idolatry, and order in their churches.  They have turned the communion supper into a drunken feast. Paul has spent roughly 5-6 chapters talking about the conduct that one should have in the service of the Lord. He concludes chapter 14 with a summation of what he has been talking about.

In the house of the Lord, do all things decently and in order. I believe that for our service to be fruitful and edifying, we must do ALL things decently and in order.  To be decent and in order, one must be willing not to be the center of attention. We must esteem each other higher than we esteem ourselves. Being decent and orderly requires that we conduct ourselves in a manner becoming of the saints. Paul admonished Timothy on how to behave himself in the church. My dad once said that one of the biggest compliments he ever received was when someone said, "Your children sure do act differently at church than they do at home."

 At church, we do not play with toys. At church, we do not run around the aisles or buildings.  Are these things acceptable at home? Most certainly, for Solomon said that there is a time and place for different things. Church is a time for a behavioral transformation. We should most certainly behave ourselves wherever we are, but the Lord's house requires a higher standard than anything else. While there, we should dress better, act better, and speak better than we do anywhere else. This is NOT for show. This is giving the Lord the best that we have.

Many people ask me why I wear a suit to church (and then do not take my jacket off). My response is that I should be willing to give my Lord my best at the expense of my own convenience and comfort. Convenience is ok, but it should not come before us giving the Lord what we can. One final thought, being decent sometimes can entail not pushing a matter even though you may be in the right. If doing something may cause discord or divisions, perhaps it is something that can be let go.  While we do stand fast on the doctrine and practice, sometimes arguing over traditions makes us indecent and out of order. May we ever seek the peace of Zion and keep our walk orderly in the sight of our heavenly Father.

In Hope,

Bro Philip