| ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ( C ) GIFT OF TONGUES : DO ALL CHRISTIANS HAVE IT ? All Christians were never meant to have the gift of speaking in tongues nor was that spiritual gift ever used for personal edification ( to build up, strengthen, to instruct and encourage intellectually, morally or spiritually ).. The apostle Pauls� instruction on the spiritual gifts in the 1st book of Corinthians helps explain why this is the case; 17. If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? 18. But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. 19. And if they were all one member, where were the body? 20. But now are they many members, yet but one body. - 1 Cor. 12:17-20 In chapter 12 of 1st Corinthians, Paul uses the example of the human body to help describe how the spiritual gifts of God had been distributed among the Christian members of His church. Notice Pauls� reasoning. The whole body of a person can�t be composed of just an eye, for there would be no ear to hear with. The whole human body can�t be composed of only an ear because then there would be no nose to smell with. If the whole human body were constructed of only one body part then where would the other parts be which fully form the entire body ? Pauls� reasoning concludes that it takes many members or parts in order to have an entire human body. Therefore, with this example of the human body, Paul is directing his readers to have the same mindset regarding the gifts of the Holy Spirit. If all the church members operated in the gift of speaking in tongues, there would not be room for the other gifts to operate and function. If all the church members operated in the gift of the word of wisdom, there would again not be room for the other spiritual gifts to function in the church. All Christians, ( that is to say, all of the spiritual members of the whole body of Christ ), can�t just operate in only one gift and still sufficiently function as an entire spiritual body. There is more than just one spiritual gift and therefore God distributed those various and differing gifts amongst the believers. In doing so, some Christians operated in one gift and some in other gifts. Thus, it stands to reason that not every Christian in the body of Christ would have the gift of speaking in tongues. Some would have it while others had different spiritual gifts. In addition to the example of the function of the human body, Paul gives this spiritual insight as to how God gave His gifts to the church; 4. Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. 7. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 8. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9. To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10. To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: 11. But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. 12. For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. - 1 Corinthians 12:4-12 Pauls� instruction is clear. Not all Christians, not all of the church members, operate and function in the same gifts. One part of Christs� body, the church, operated and functioned in one gift or ability while another part of Christs� body operated and functioned with an altogether different gift or ability. Suffice it to say that the notion and mindset which believes that all Christians should have the gift of speaking in tongues is a mindset not supported by Gods� Word. Such thinking is in direct contrast to the instruction and reasoning that Paul gives in chapter 12 of 1st Corinthians regarding the spiritual gifts. The Christians in Pauls� time did not all have and operate in the gift of tongues. The instruction which Gods� Word provides with specific regard to His spiritual gifts and how they are distributed among the believers simply opposes the mindset of the present day tongues movement which sees a necessity for all Christian believers to speak with tongues. The instruction of Gods� Word opposes a mindset which believes that when a Christian is baptized in the Holy Spirit then that Christian will speak with other tongues in order to show evidence of the baptism. Unfortunately however, in the last 100 years or so of the church, there certainly has been a belief that all Christians, ( who are baptized in the Holy Spirit ), will have and operate in the gift of speaking in tongues. Such belief and activity is not supported by holy scripture and thus helps to lend further evidence that the present day so called gift of tongues which many Christians claim to have is not the Biblical gift. In addition to all of these things, the apostle Paul provides these restrictions concerning the use of gift of tongues in the church; 27. If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. 28. But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God. - 1 Cor. 14:27-28 Many occasions I have been in churches and various Christian gatherings in which the instruction of these verses were clearly not followed. Many occasions I have been in churches in which many, if not all, the members would allegedly � speak in tongues �. Moreover, there was no interpretation provided. Certainly, how could anyone make an interpretation with everybody speaking at once. No interpretation can occur in such a situation. If the tongues movment which has occurred in the church over about the past 100 years were truly the operation of the spiritual Biblical gift, then at the very least the church members should be spiritually minded enough to follow the simple guidelines and instructions from Gods� Word regarding the use of that gift. In addition to these things, take note of Pauls� reasoning in verse 23; 23. If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad? - 1 Cor. 14:23 Pauls� concern and his necessity for restricting the use of the gift of tongues in the church was to prevent a mentality and an accusation of madness within unbelieving Jews towards Gods� people, the Christian church. Nevertheless and unfortunately, as I have stated recently, if the tongues movment which has occurred in the church over about the past 100 years were truly the operation of the spiritual Biblical gift, then at the very least the church members should be spiritually minded enough to follow the simple guidelines and instructions from Gods� Word regarding the use of that gift. However, the blatant disregard, evident in the tongues movement, of Gods� spiritual instruction concerning the use of the gift of tongues with the necessary gift of interpretation helps further prove that the so called speaking in tongues within the tongues movement of the present day church is not the Biblical gift of the Holy Spirit. Finally, take note of the line of reasoning from these words of scripture in the 12th chapter of 1 Corinthians; 27. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. 28. And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. 29. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? 30. Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? - 1 Cor. 12:27-30 Pauls� spiritual instruction regarding the gifts, particularly the gift of tongues, is quite clear. He asks the self evident question in verse 30, � do all speak with tongues ? �. The obvious answer is no due to the fact that the scriptural instruction in chapter 12 in which Paul asks the question sufficiently shows that God did not distribute any one spiritual gift to every single member of the church. Take note of verse 28. God set, appointed, some in the church. In other words, Paul is showing that various gifts, offices of operation, and levels of responsibility were allocated to some church members rather than all. Thus, not every church member functioned with the spiritual gift of prophecy, only some did. Not every church member functioned with the spiritual gift to govern, only some did. And clearly so was the case with the gift of tongues. Not every church member functioned or had the ability to speak with other tongues. This Biblical evidence with specific regard to the gift of speaking with other tongues shows a clear distinction from the false activity of speaking in tongues which has ocurred in the Christian church over the approximate past 100 years. Moreover, such a restriction of the gift of tongues that is evident in scripture further proves that that particular gift was never meant for the personal edification of the Christian believer. Yet, many Christians of the past century have promoted the idea that the gift of tongues provides the benefit of personal edification. Further proving the distinction between the present day false activity of tongues and the true Biblical gift. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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