Chapter 4
This is going to be a somewhat difficult chapter, for it will be dedicated to the overcoming of several long-held objections that “speaking in tongues” is not a necessary component of being filled with the spirit, as many churches teach it today.
There are many pastors and teachers in the body of Christ today that either wrongly believe, or a been taught, to use 1 Corinthians 12:29 – 30 as the one of the chief arguments against the idea plainly taught elsewhere in the Bible - that it is the “expressed will of God”, that ALL believers in Christ Jesus should go on from their initial salvation experience to experience a second experience in the Holy Spirit, known by several names, but most commonly as “being filled with the Spirit." And, that the initial “external physical evidence” of receiving that baptism in the Holy Spirit (if it is to follow the biblical model and be along scriptural lines) must be one several, or all of the scriptural evidences for receiving the baptism in the spirit – those being "speaking in tongues," glorifying God, or prophesying. These are the only three actual scriptural evidences or “signs” listed, that were present when the Christians in the book of Acts received the Holy Spirit.
Please notice that I did NOT say, that speaking in tongues was the Holy Spirit, only that it was the main proof or “physical evidence” (external sign, present at the time – validating the legitimacy, and/or receipt, or completion of the infilling). Though “speaking with other tongues” is an important gift that NO BELEIVER should be without, we do not primarily seek to speak in tongues as much as we desire “the giver of Spiritual gifts Himself – and that is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is more important than “tongues,” however, nowhere in the Bible does it say we have to “choose” between the two. In fact, the “external evidence” or “sign” that you have actually received the genuine Holy Spirit, and received it in the measure and the way that the Bible prescribes, is that “You know, when you HEAR IT – that you have it!”
Actually, though “tongues” is the “initial” outward sign or biblical evidence of your “infilling; FAITH, is your initial “internal” evidence. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the [evidence] of things not seen.” Now we know that “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”(Romans 10:17) So where is a promise from the word of God that we can base my faith on - that God the Father will DEFINITELY fill me with the Holy Spirit, if I ask Him to? Luke 11:13, “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” Right there is a great promise to hang your faith on! More on the specifics of “how to receive” this gift (Along with tongues) in a later chapter…
Back to or original question. When Paul says in 1 Corinthians 12:30, "do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?" he is not speaking about or referencing the “other tongues” that the individual believer receives at the “baptism of the Holy Spirit” – He is speaking of something altogether different! Many have tried to take this, and make this mean that Paul was saying, that not everybody does or should speak in an unknown tongue, or speak with tongues; and that is absolutely not what Paul was talking about! You will notice in the list found in verses 29-30, that every question listed, is about an “office of ministry;” not necessarily just a fivefold ministry office, like the apostle, the pastor, and evangelist, etc., but also other offices of ministry in the church, specifically those that might take place during a church service – more on that in a minute.
In the context of verse 29, Paul lists apostles, prophets, teachers, and workers of miracles (or the evangelist). Everything listed in verse 29, is a “5-fold” ministry gift, or an office gift, given by Jesus to the church, and listed in Ephesians 4:11. In verse 30, Paul lists “gifts of healings”, “tongues,” and “the interpretation of tongues” – all of which are listed in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 as gifts given to individuals - but these “gifts” were given to them - to profit the entire body of Christ (when gathered in their individual churches). This is not the individual and personal prayer language given to the believer when they are baptized in the Holy Spirit. In other places in 1 Corinthians, Paul refers to this personal baptism gift as an “unknown tongues” or “other tongues”. But given the context of the rest of verse 30, “gifts of healings,” and the “interpretation of tongues,” - Paul is making a distinction between "the unknown or other tongues” given to the individual believer" and "different kinds of tongues" given to the church for the public church gathering - listed in 1 Corinthians 12:10. Verse 10, lists, among the nine gifts of the spirit; “gifts of healings” (v.9) and “different kinds of tongues,” and the “interpretation of those tongues” (v.10.)
This is a very important distinction; there is a "speaking in other tongues" given to, or at least available to, every believer in Christ Jesus who will receive it through the "infilling of the Holy Spirit," but there is also a “gift of the Spirit,” known as "different kinds of tongues" which Paul says, must be interpreted. Given the context of the list of offices and public church gathering gifts – gifts of the Spirit "ministries" or "functions" mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:29 – 30, it becomes apparent that this is the kind of “tongues” that Paul is talking about, and also, that he considers “different kind of tongues” and the interpretation of those tongues to be a ministry gift given to the church expressly for the public church gathering setting. In almost all of chapter 14, of 1 Corinthians, Paul goes into great detail about how and when these two gifts – working together as a team – are to be used inside a church service in the body of Christ.
Another thing that I would like to bring to light, is 1 Corinthians 12: 4 - 7, "there are diversities of gifts, but the same spirit. There are differences of ministries but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the spirit is given to each one for the profit of all." Many leaders today, especially some of the more mainstream, evangelical churches (but also sadly, in many of what used to be Charismatic, Pentecostal, and Full Gospel churches as well) appear to be teaching, either ignorantly or on purpose, that there is no difference in the gifts listed in Ephesians chapter 4, the gifts listed in one Corinthians 12, the gifts listed in Romans 12, but that they are all “gifts of the Spirit.” There most certainly are differences! Huge differences!
1 Corinthians 12:4 - 6 is not simply “restating the same thing three times,” but Paul is making three separate distinctions, and three different categories of gifts: the gifts of the Spirit, the ministry gifts – given by Jesus, and the different operations gifts, or what some term as "the motivational gifts" given by God the Father. Three distinct categories of gifts, each from a different giver, each with a different purpose, and within each one of these, a unique operation, as it flows through the human vessel that God put the gifts in.
But notice in verse 7, that Paul is going back to his original subject – the “gifts” or manifestations of the Spirit; and he says, "but the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all." These manifestations or gifts of the Spirit are given by the Holy Spirit to the individual believer - for the mutual benefit of everyone in the body of Christ. These gifts of the Spirit are given to the church for public ministry. Public ministry! Many church leaders today have declared from their pulpits and taught in their churches, that the general term "decently and in order" means that there should be no public manifestation of any of the gifts of the Spirit – no prophesy – no tongues with interpretation – no gifts of the spirit in public at any time!
But how can this be right, because Paul spends the entirety of chapter 14 describing in detail - examples of the gifts of the Spirit in operation in a public or gathered church service. He even goes on to make a distinction between the “simple gift of prophecy,” (V.3) and the office of the prophet (v.29,30), stating that if a prophet (that being the office of a Prophet, and not just one in the church who is used by the Spirit to "prophesy" from time to time – but the ministry gift of a Prophet - which may and most likely will prophesy with regularity, but actually, one who is a Prophet in “office” or ministry gift, will most likely be a preacher, and give what God gives him, not only in the gift of prophecy, but through messages preached to the church - much like a pastor would preach to his people.)
How would many pastors feel today, if a prophet stood up, much like Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 14:29, and politely interrupted the current speaker, and asked to be given the floor? Provided that he is “in fact” a prophet, Paul also declares this action to be "decently and in order." How many pastors and churches are willing to make “space” in their “order of service” for theses kinds of manifestations? But the New Testament plainly describes this type of service as both “Decent and in order!”
Again you will notice, in 1 Corinthians 14:26, that Paul says, "how is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together each one of you has a Psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification." Paul tells when these things will happen – he says "when you come together." Paul also lists the things that should happen and declares them to be okay. He lists among other things: a tongue, and interpretation, and a revelation (the Prophets ministry in operation), and he expressly says, "let all things be done for edification." That is just one example of what the Bible declares to be "decently and in order." Given this clear example from Scripture, how far have we the church fallen away from the model given to us in Scripture of what a typical church service could and should look like.
We have brought all this material into the light of day, simply to magnify the fact that when Paul says, “do all speak with tongues, do all interpret?” – he was talking about the gifts of the Spirit - that might be in operation during any given church service or gathering – through the individual members of the body – and for each other.
Notice again that 1 Corinthians 12:10 says,"different kinds of tongues." This means definitely that there is more than one kind of tongues. Paul speaks of “unknown” or other tongues, and Paul speaks of “different kinds of tongues.” We have learned that “different kinds of tongues” is a gift of the Spirit to be used in public ministry - when the gift of interpretation is also present. But other tongues, or what Paul calls unknown tongues are the “tongues” that are given to each believer, who will receive them, at the point where they are filled or baptized with the Holy Spirit. Again Paul says, "I speak with tongues more than the all."
The epistle of Jude makes reference to this in verse 20 – 21, "but you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." According to Jude verse 1, Jude is speaking to "those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ." Jude is speaking to the entire body of Christ, and in these few verses, where Jude pours out his admonitions and warnings to the body of Christ, one of his clearest exhortations to them (and to us) is that he tells them to keep themselves built up by "praying in the Holy Spirit." If this verse was all we had, one might be able to assume just about anything from it, and many might simply assume that praying in the spirit is just simply “a heartfelt prayer in our native language.” But this is simply not the case!
The Bible has not left us alone with Jude verse 20. Back in 1 Corinthians 14:4, Paul says, "he who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.” Paul says here that it he who prays in a tongue (or unknown tongues) “edifies” himself. The word “edify” means to “build up” in Greek. Paul and Jude are talking about the same thing – praying in the Holy Spirit is praying in an unknown tongue, and it “builds you up!” I don’t know about you – but I could sure use some “Being built up” on a regular basis… No wonder the devil fights “tongues” so fiercely – he wants to keep the Christian and the church weak and mostly powerless! More on that later….
In Romans 8:26 we find this familiar verse, "likewise the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself maketh intercession for us with groanings that cannot be uttered." Paul says here that there are times when we ourselves don't know what we are to pray for, and that in those times, that the Holy Spirit Himself prays for us (or through us) with groanings that cannot be uttered. The Amplified Version of the Bible for this verse says, "but the Spirit Himself goes to meet our supplication and pleads in our behalf with unspeakable yearnings and groanings to deep for utterance.”
Again, if this verse was all by itself, we might be able to make of it whatever we chose, but when we compare it with I Corinthians 14:2, "for he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him, however in the spirit he speaks mysteries." And again with verse 14, "for if I pray in a tongue my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful." When the verses of Jude, Romans, and 1 Corinthians are all taken together, it becomes very plain that the “groanings” and things difficult to be uttered, of Romans 8:26 are the unknown tongues that God gives us to speak directly through the Spirit (Or with the Spirit’s help) out beyond our understanding (1 Cor. 14:14) and directly to God Himself (I Cor. 14:2) in our greatest times of need. Paul apparently, so enjoyed his ability to use this gift of God given to him at his baptism in the Holy Spirit, that he proudly proclaimed, "I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all."
So and quick summation, there is a distinction in the New Testament between what is commonly called the gift of the Spirit for the church, known as "different kinds of tongues" and "other tongues" which are available to every believer who will receive them as a gift from the Holy Spirit given to them, that they might have a prayer language which allows them to always pray in the perfect will of God, even when they do not know what they should pray for as they should.
The second item I would like to deal with in this chapter, is the idea that some Christians have been told that these gifts of the Spirit, and specifically speaking with tongues have passed away from the church, with the last of the original apostles, and that they were given to the early church only, until the church was established, and then their time was over. This idea is somewhat more difficult to overcome, not because the Scripture is not very clear on the issue, but because the people that purport this idea to their congregations - have no solid scriptural basis for making this claim. Therefore, it is hard to fight a completely non-scriptural argument with Scripture, if the person you're discussing it with, is not willing to accept the authority of Scripture alone.
If you have been told this "theory" about the passing away of the gifts of the Spirit and “speaking in tongues,” then I simply ask you to keep an open mind, and let the Scriptures themselves convince you that the Holy Spirit has given gifts to the church as well as to the believer, and His gifts to the church and to the individual believer have never passed away, and will never pass away as long as there are believers in the church.
To see this clearly, we will look again at one Scripture we have already studied from the book of Acts, chapter 2. On the day of Pentecost after the believers in the upper room were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance, the crowd outside asked was going on. At the end of Peter's explanation to the crowd, and his preaching of the gospel to them, he plainly states about this form of Holy Spirit baptism (He refers to it as the promise of the Father) in verse 39, "for the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call." He says that both salvation and the baptism of the Holy Spirit (v.38) are for all, and, "as many as the Lord shall call."
Let's look briefly at Deuteronomy 29:29, "the secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law." Here the Bible says that God’s secrets belong to Him alone, but anything that He has ever revealed to the sons of men, becomes ours in perpetuity, from that time on, extending on into forever. But you say, “that's in the Old Testament, that promise has nothing to do with the church today.” I beg to differ!
2 Corinthians 1:20, "for all the promises of God in Him are yes, and in him Amen, to the glory of God through us." Paul declares the same thing in 2 Corinthians that is stated in Deuteronomy 29; every promise that God has ever made stands available to us today, and the answer to our prayer (When based upon God’s written promise) is always yes. If God ever promised it, then it is available today, and the answer is yes!
One last verse, which will be the “capstone” in this argument as to whether or not things in the early church have “passed away,” and are no longer available to the church today: Hebrews 13:8, "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." Even though it is not part of our text, it is worthy to note that the very next verse in Hebrews 13, starts out by saying "do not be carried about with various and strange doctrines..." It's almost like the writer of Hebrews was saying - Jesus will always be just the same as He is in the Bible, SO, don't be easily moved into some new doctrine – like after the church was fully established tongues and all the gifts of the spirit passed away. I say with all the gentleness of my heart, the “passing away” doctrine is man-made – rubbish!!
Every gift that Jesus, the Father, or the Holy Spirit has ever given to the church, was never taken back, nor did it ever pass away. Romans 11:29, speaking about gifts of God, and the fact that they never pass away or are ever taken back by God, says, "for the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable.” Notice it says “Gifts” as well as callings! That should just about settle it - if God ever gave it, He will never take it back or revoke it – Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Amen!
So in summary of where we are thus far in our study: 1.) when you receive Jesus as Savior and Lord, you are born of the spirit, but both Jesus and the apostles taught a second experience, commonly referred to in the Bible as "being filled with the spirit" or "being baptized in the Holy Spirit." 2.), in the book of Acts, every time a group of people or individual was “filled” with the Holy Spirit, the SINGLE common thread of each of those events was that the people "spoke with tongues." 3.) we have made a distinction between the “gift of the Spirit” given for public ministry - that operates in tandem with "interpretation of tongues," which is called "different kinds of tongues," which is distinct from that which is referred to in the book of Acts as "speaking with other tongues." The first, being, expressly for public ministry, and the edification of all believers, and the second, being, a personal prayer language given to us by the Holy Spirit to aid us personally in prayer and spiritual growth. And 4.), hopefully we have been able to show - based upon the authority of God's written Word, that any promise that God has ever made, or revealed to his people, is still in force, and the answer is YES to us today through Christ Jesus. And also, that the infilling of the Holy Spirit is just such a promise, and as such, never changes in its nature or character, and never passes away, so as long as there is still a church with believers in it left on planet Earth.
The “infilling of the Holy Spirit, with the biblical “external” evidence of “speaking in other tongues” is just as real and available today, as it ever was, AND according to Acts 2:39, the infilling of the Holy Spirit and speaking with tongues is available right now to ALL believers - …”to all who are still far off, as many as the Lord shall call.” My friend, if you have been called into salvation through Jesus Christ, then you are just as surely "called" to receive the “baptism of the Holy Spirit,” and just as “called” to receive the gift of your heavenly prayer language, or “speaking with other tongues” If Jesus saved you, He has called you to receive the rest of these gifts as well. Will you open your heart to receive this “gift” from the Father God Himself? (See John 14:16)
Oh boy, now on to the really good stuff! In the next chapter, we begin to talk about all the reasons for “speaking in tongues” and all the great and powerful blessings and victories that it can and will bring into your life, “IF” You Will “Let” “the Spirit give you utterance.” (Acts 2:4)
No comments:
Post a Comment