I Wish that you all spoke in tongues.
1 Cor 14:5 reads:
5 I would like every one of you to speak in tongues,[a] but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues,[b] unless he interprets, so that the church may be edified.
The apostle Paul said he would like everyone of the Corinthians to speak in tongues.
I wonder if Paul know his words would spark such a running battle among 20 century churchmen as is being waged today?
In many circles the gift of tongues receives the most determined putdown of all the Holy Spirit’s manifestation.
Such as
1. “The gift of tongues is an inferior gift!” they
contend
(2) “It is near the bottom of the list!”
(3)”Paul said tongues would cease!” they argue
(4)” Tongues is divisive!”
(5) “It is better to speak five words with the
understanding than 10,000 words in an unknown
tongue!”
These are standard objections from those who are against this practice. But someone who has never experienced the infilling of the Holy Spirit is like a man who has never eaten an orange trying to judge its flavor of oranges—whatever their qualifications
Let’s make a brief examination of these objections.
I. “THE GIFT OF TONGUES IS AN INFERIOR GIFT”
A. Who said so? The Bible certainly makes no such
declaration.
I doubt that a thoughtful scholar would classify
any gift from God as inferior.
B. The Scofield Reference Bible notes, “ The important
gift is that of prophecy” One might just as
logically say that the husband is the important
member of the family. It overlooks that without a
wife there is no husband Nor would there be a
family without both.
C. So prophecy, together with tongues and
interpretation and six other gifts, are spiritual
enablements placed in the hurch for the formation
and development of member of Christ’s body.
D. Even Paul, who said, “Covet the best gifts” (1cor.
12:31), declined to name the best—Someone needing
guidance would not benefit from gifts of healing---
similarly, one desperately in need of healing would
find prophecy inadequate.
E. While Paul was opting for prophecy in the open
meetings, he acknowledged that tongues, when
accompanied by interpretation, served the same
purpose (I Cor 14:5 5I would like every one of you
to speak in tongues,[a] but I would rather
have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater
than one who speaks in tongues,[b] unless he
interprets, so that the church may be edified.
2. THE GIFT OF TONGUES IS NEAR THE BOTTOM OF THE
LIST!
A. This objection doesn’t deserve a rebuttal. It’s
like saying Admiral Zumwalt (the head of the Navy
some years ago) is the least important naval
officer because his name appears near the bottom of
the list.
B. There is no reason to believe that Paul positioned
the gifts in relation to their importance.
3. TONGUES ARE DIVISIVE!
A. Why pick out tongues? Everything God does is
divisive. There has never been a move of God that
didn’t set factions to warring.
The Problem is that people refuse to take God
seriously.
1.Jews wrote many decisions and commentaries to
deaden the impact of the Law.
2. Churchmen have written volumes with the intent
of removing objectionable passages from the
bible.
3.Satan has set liberal churchmen against the gift
of tongues because if is the kiss of the great
Prince upon the cheek of his sleeping beauty—
breath of life to his bride---a thorn in the
flesh to those who would maintain dignity at any
cost.
4. BUT IT IS BETTER TO SPEAK 5 WORDS WITH THE
UNDERSTANDING THAN 10,000 WORDS IN AN UNKNOWN
TONGUE!
(A) Paul was opting for prophecy in the open
meetings:
(I Cor. 14:18-19) 18 I thank God that I speak
in tongues more than all of you. 19 But in the
church I would rather speak five
intelligible words to instruct others than ten
thousand words in a tongue.
(B) The sole purpose of speaking in church was to
instruct others. This could best be done with
inspired utterance (prophecy) in the local
setting.
(1) TONGES Per SE WERE NOT AT ISSUE. At issue were
Tongues or messages in tongues that were not
being interpreted, which tended to disrupt the
services and distract worshipers, while
instructing none.
(2)This is evident from (I Corin. 14:5, 13, 19) 5
I would like every one of you to speak in
tongues,[c] but I would rather have you
prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one
who speaks in tongues,[d] unless he interprets,
so that the church may be edified.
(v-13) 13For this reason anyone who speaks in a tongue
should pray that he may interpret what he says.
(V-19) 19But in the church I would rather speak five
intelligible words to instruct others than ten
thousand words in a tongue
(C) Use of these passages of Scripture to bemean
the gift of tongues overlooks Paul’s own
frequent exercise of the gift in verse 18, “1
thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye
all:” and his injunction to 39Therefore, my
brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not
forbid speaking in tongues. (Verse 39).
(D) The issue was an orderly exercise of tongues.
AT NO TIME DURING HIS DISCOURSE DOES THE
APOSTLE PAUL SUGGEST THAT THE EXERCISE OF
TONGUES BE TERMINATED!
5. “ PAUL SAID TONGUES WOULD CEASE!”
(A) And the same verse said "8 Love never fails. But
where there are prophecies, they will cease;
where there are tongues, they will be stilled;
where there is knowledge, it will pass away"
1. Notice ceasing tongues was sandwiched between
failing prophecies and vanishing knowledge.
(B) I’ll be the first to admit that numbers of
prophecies published in the news media have failed—
one of the most notable seers is said to have a
60/40 ratio ----it takes one false prophecy to
reveal a prophet as false—I’ II stick with GODI
(1) None of His prophecies have ever failed!!
(2) It is obvious that knowledge has exploded
beyond man’s capacity to contain it—more
education—more knowledge today than ever
before!
(C) Why then would anyone forcibly wrench tongues out
of this context and declare that they have ceases.
THIS IS THE CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF WRONGLY DIVIDING
THE WORD OF GOD.
(D) Jesus said, “And these signs shall follow them
that believe; In my name shall they cast out
devils; they shall speak with new tongues;(Mark
16:17)
1. And Paul wrote (1 Corin. 12:28) 28And in the
church God has appointed first of all
apostles, second prophets, third teachers,
then workers of miracles, also those having
gifts of healing, those able to help others,
those with gifts of administration, and those
speaking in different kinds of tongues.
(E) Shouldn’t it be expected that a gift so
patiently placed in the church by our Lord would
remain for the earthly life of the church?
Some Priviledges of Glossila
A. The Spirit Filled Christian’s communication with
God is less restricted.
“2For anyone who speaks in a tongue[a] does not
speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one
understands him; he utters mysteries with his
spirit.[ ( 1 Cor. 14:2)
1.Many use this scripture to put down tongues, but
I want you to notice the privileges cited:
Speaks not unto man but unto God…in the spirit
he speaks mysteries.” What’s wrong with that?
2. Call it a prayer language if you wish. Call it
tongues, or call it the language of heaven.
Whatever you call it, it’s supernatural! It’s
from the Holy Spirit. Too many are laboring in
the valley of expertise when they could be
leaping on the hills of enjoyment!
B. The Pentecostal Christian has the advantage of
personal encouragement.
“He that speaks in an unknown tongue edifieth
himself; but he that prophesies edifieth the
church” (1 Cor 14:4).
C. The third privilege the Pentecostal Christian may
enjoy is intercession in the Spirit.
“For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit
prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.” And
they think, “How silly to pray when I don’t even
know what I’m praying about.
1.But Paul wrote, “And he that searcheth the hearts
knowswhat is the mind of the Spirit, because he
makes interecession for the saints according to
the will of God.” (rom 8:27).
“And John wrote, “And this is the confidence that
we have in Him, that if we ask anything according
to His will, he hears us” (1 John 5:14).
And John goes on to say, “And if we know that he
hears us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have
the petitions that we desired of Him” (V-15).
Paul’s instructions to the Corinthians were not designed to disparage or discourage speaking in tongues. Written by a through charismatic, the letter is clearly pro-tongues:
Notice some of his writings.
1 Cor 14:19, “I thank my God, I speak with tongues
more than you all.”
"I would that you all spoke with
tongues” (v-5)
No, it was written to enable them to cross the bridge over troubled waters, to rest in the security of a mature relationship in Christ through the Holy Spirit, to exercise the gifts of God in a godly and considerate and profitable manner.
“Let all things be done decently and in order”
(V-40) But let them be done!!
“and forbid not to speak in tongues” (V-39)
1.Jesus Commanded them to remain in Jerusalem
until they be filled with the Holy Ghost.
2.You received the Holy Spirit after you are
saved. There is a difference between being born
of the Spirit and being baptized in the Spirit.
3.The Baptism is a free gift!1
4. The same faith that saved you will see you
filled with the Holy Spirit.
5. Two things that can keep you from receiving the
Holy Spirit are
1. Unbelief
2. Failure to yield to the Spirit.
6. It takes FAITH
4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them that ability (or the utterance). (Acts 2:4)
46For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. (Acts 10:46)
