| This divisive topic has
separated many of God's people. Largely because
it has been misunderstood and misinterpreted.
Those who have the true
gift of "tongues" are rendered
ineffective to the very people the gift was
intended to witness unto... because of the false
teachings by some
congregations who teach that if you do not
possess this gift you are NOT
saved or born-again. A
false doctrine!
Let's see what the true word of God has to say
about this so we can forever put this divider
aside and grow in the love and knowledge of the
Holy Spirit of God and His Son Jesus. The
Apostle Paul was correcting
his church in Corinth for their improper handling
of the tongues issue...
Many misinformed preachers do not understand this
and they falsely teach that in order to show
evidence of your spiritual being, you must
possess the gift of tongues. This is a false
doctrine and a great divider - which is of Satan!
I
am going to show the entire chapter 14 of 1st
Corinthians however I will underline the
scriptures to which I am referring.
1st
Cor, Chapter 14:
The Gifts of
Tongues and Prophecy...
The
first 5 verses below, which are underlined,
clearly explain that the gift of tongues is one
of the lesser gifts! To argue against this is to
call the bible and the Apostle Paul a liar.
1Let love be your
highest goal, but also desire the special
abilities the Spirit gives, especially
the gift of prophecy. 2For if
your gift is the ability to speak in tongues,
you will be talking to God but not
to people, since they won't be able to understand
you. You will be speaking by the power of the
Spirit, but it will all be mysterious. 3But
one who prophesies is helping others grow in the
Lord, encouraging and comforting them.
4A person who speaks in tongues is
strengthened personally in the Lord, but one who
speaks a word of prophecy strengthens the entire
church.
5I wish you all had the gift of speaking
in tongues, but even more I wish you were all
able to prophesy. For
prophecy is a greater and more useful gift than
speaking in tongues, unless someone
interprets what you are saying so that the whole
church can get some good out of it.
6Dear brothers
and sisters, if I should come to you
talking in an unknown language, how
would that help you? But if I bring you some
revelation or some special knowledge or some
prophecy or some teaching--that is what will help
you. 7Even musical instruments like the flute or
the harp, though they are lifeless, are examples
of the need for speaking in plain language. For
no one will recognize the melody unless the notes
are played clearly. 8And if the bugler doesn't
sound a clear call, how will the soldiers know
they are being called to battle? 9And it's the
same for you. If you talk to people in
a language they don't understand, how will they
know what you mean? You might as well be talking
to an empty room.
10There are so many different languages in the
world, and all are excellent for those who
understand them, 11but to me they mean nothing. I
will not understand people who speak those
languages, and they will not understand me. 12Since
you are so eager to have spiritual gifts, ask God
for those that will be of real help to the whole
church.
13So anyone who has the gift of speaking in
tongues should pray also for the gift of
interpretation in order to tell people plainly
what has been said. 14For if I pray in tongues,
my spirit is praying, but I don't understand what
I am saying.
15Well then, what shall I do? I will do both. I
will pray in the spirit, and I will
pray in words I understand. I will sing in the
spirit, and I will sing in words I understand. 16For
if you praise God only in the spirit, how can
those who don't understand you praise God along
with you? How can they join you in giving thanks
when they don't understand what you are saying? 17You
will be giving thanks very nicely, no doubt, but
it doesn't help the other people present.
18I thank God that I speak in tongues
more than all of you. 19But in a church meeting I
would much rather speak five understandable words
that will help others than ten thousand words in
an unknown language.
20Dear brothers and sisters, don't be childish in
your understanding of these things. Be innocent
as babies when it comes to evil, but be mature
and wise in understanding matters of this kind. 21It
is written in the Scriptures,
"I will speak to my own people
through unknown languages and through the lips of
foreigners. But even then, they will not listen
to me," says the Lord.
22So
you see that speaking in tongues is a sign, not
for believers, but for unbelievers; prophecy,
however, is for the benefit of believers, not
unbelievers. 23Even so, if
unbelievers or people who don't understand these
things come into your meeting and hear everyone
talking in an unknown language, they will think
you are crazy. 24But if all of you are
prophesying, and unbelievers or people who don't
understand these things come into your meeting,
they will be convicted of sin, and they will be
condemned by what you say. 25As they listen,
their secret thoughts will be laid bare, and they
will fall down on their knees and worship God,
declaring, "God is really here among
you."
A Call to
Orderly Worship
26Well,
my brothers and sisters, let's summarize what I
am saying. When you meet, one will sing, another
will teach, another will tell some special
revelation God has given, one will speak in an
unknown language, while another will interpret
what is said. But everything that is done must be
useful to all and build them up in the Lord. 27No
more than two or three should speak in an unknown
language. They must speak one at a time, and
someone must be ready to interpret what they are
saying. 28But if no one is present who can
interpret, they must be silent in your church
meeting and speak in tongues to God privately.
29Let two or three prophesy, and let the others
evaluate what is said. 30But if someone is
prophesying and another person receives a
revelation from the Lord, the one who is speaking
must stop. 31In this way, all who prophesy will
have a turn to speak, one after the other, so
that everyone will learn and be encouraged. 32Remember
that people who prophesy are in control of their
spirit and can wait their turn. 33For God is not
a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the
other churches.
34Women should be silent during the church
meetings. It is not proper for them to speak.
They should be submissive, just as the law says. 35If
they have any questions to ask, let them ask
their husbands at home, for it is improper for
women to speak in church meetings.
36Do you think that the knowledge of God's word
begins and ends with you Corinthians? Well, you
are mistaken! 37If you claim to be a prophet or
think you are very spiritual, you should
recognize that what I am saying is a command from
the Lord himself. 38But if you do not recognize
this, you will not be recognized.
39So, dear brothers and
sisters, be eager to prophesy, and don't forbid
speaking in tongues. 40But be sure that
everything is done properly and in order.
I,
personally have been surrounded by dozens
of misinformed, tongues-speaking-persons - all
laying hands on me and caught up in a frenzy that
would scare the hell out of a newcomer. I simply
arose and told them to shutup. Through
discernement I knew it was of the wrong spirit...
I am not shy when it comes to calling down
misinformed, preachers and practitioners of false
doctrine... If I attend your congregation - be
prepared for a rude awakening if you pull false
Christian doctrine or practices out of your bag
of tricks.
While
I do not possess the gift of tongues I do not
deny it. I do however know that the charismatic
tongues-crazed congregations should apply the
written word of God more wisely to avoid dividing
Christians on this issue.
No
hard feelings but I demand the true meaning of
scripture and true Christian practices to be used
in a meeting of Christians. So should you!
Now,
let's deal with the teaching that the bible is
the literal and infallible word of God... No
exceptions! Take a look at verses 34 & 35 ...
34Women
should be silent during the church meetings. It
is not proper for them to speak. They should be
submissive, just as the law says. 35If they have
any questions to ask, let them ask their husbands
at home, for it is improper for women to speak in
church meetings.
Well,
what do you think? Are you going to treat the
bible as a buffet - where you pick and choose
what you like? I for one believe that Jesus would
have disagreed with Paul on the issue about women
stating their witness or their minds in the
congregation. Jesus had many women disciples who
were outspoken and faithful... I am not trying to
sow dissension or doubt but I believe the bible
is the word of God conveyed through men who were
less than perfect and some degree of
understanding, concerning culture, time
difference and translation should be considered.
There are many translations since the original
scrolls were written - - - are you going to base
your eternity on which translation to accept?
Take the bible in its entirety and the overall
truth and meaning... and that is to encourage a
personal relationship with The Father through His
Son Jesus Christ, our Savior!
Sorry
if I stepped on a few toes but sometimes there is
no other way to communicate a thought to a
brother or sister in the Lord. After all - SOULS
MAY BE AT RISK - NO SMALL THING!
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