The Ideal Church

1 Corinthians 14:34-40 One person supposedly made this statement why he was not a member of a church. He said, “I have never found a perfect church; therefore I am not a Christian.” To which his friend replied, “When you find that perfect church, don’t join it.” Do you see the point? If he did join, it would no longer be perfect. He would spoil it. Probably every congregation has its good points and bad points, and likely the membership would be able to list them. Which side would be longer? I don’t know. We hope the good points outweigh the bad points. The reason there is this difference is very simple. The members are all human beings. And all human beings have some good points and some bad points. Even people who are Christians still have a few bad points. In every human organization, there is a need for ideals that challenge for improvement. That is true in the church. In I Corinthians 14:34-40 Paul sets forth THE IDEAL CHURCH: 34 Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but [they are commanded] to be under obedience, as also saith the law. 35 And if they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church. 36 What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only? 37 If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. 38 But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant. 39 Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. 40 Let all things be done decently and in order. The Ideal Church, according to Paul, has several distinguishing MARKS. These marks make it recognizable. The first distinguishing mark is: THE PLACE OF WOMEN IN THE CHURCH 34 Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but [they are commanded] to be under obedience, as also saith the law. 35 And if they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church. The apostle makes a sharp statement when he says that the women are to “keep silence in the churches.” Their presence is there, but they are to have a low profile. In I Corinthians 11:2-16, the apostle Paul taught how women may pray or prophesy. That was not limited to the home. It seemed also to be applicable to the church. They ought not to pray or prophesy with unveiled heads. Under the circumstances he is addressing in I Corinthians 14, they are to keep silent. A little reflection may help us to understand why he said that. It may be that their more emotional and psychological constitution formed the basic reason. Women are more emotional than men and often go to extremes. In the midst of the condition described in verse 26, they might be inclined to extremes: “How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation.” Under those circumstances, they might have been inclined to be quite emotional and quite vocal. So the apostle Paul instructs them to have their personal relationship with their husbands. This assumes of course that the husband is the head of the home. Some years ago I was listening to a man who was promoting Vacation Bible School material. He said, “When you go to the home to find out whether the children will come to Vacat...