Tongues Series 9 of 10 Oct. 10, 2012
A In 2006, Benedict Carey wrote on research done at the University of Pennsylvania on speaking tongues.
1 The article, available on the New York Times website, relates of “the passionate, sometimes rhythmic language-like pattern that pours forth from those who speak in tongues.”
a The research team took 5 women as they were speaking in tongues and “found that their frontal lobes–the thinking, willful part of the brain through which people control what they do—were relatively quiet, as were the language centers.”
b These images have been shown in Psychiatry Research; Neuro-imaging and show that the images support people’s interpretation of what was happening.
aa Team included Dr. Andrew Newberg, Donna Morgan, Nancy Wintering, and Mark Waldman.
bb The language part of the brain is quiet. . . seems that God is talking through them.
cc Science seems to support that genuine tongues comes from outside the believer.
c Research found that the person receives positive affects, pleasure, and positive emotions.
2 Science affirms that tongues comes from outside the mind of the believer! (Science understands but cannot explain.)
B The Gifts of the Spirit don’t promise unity in the Church.
1 1 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. Acts 2:1 (NASB)
We are told that before the Holy Spirit was poured out that the believers were already together before the Holy Spirit descended!
a Unfortunately, there has been disunity at various times since Pentecost.
b The Corininthian church had tongues and its share of problems.
2 Just because a congregation/believer is “Spirit-filled” does not mean the church/believer is immune to carnality, sin.
I Nine Things Speaking in Tongues Does Not Do.
A At Corinth, Tongues does not stop division/disunity (1 Cor. 1.10-11).
10 Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.11 For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe's people, that there are quarrels among you. 1 Cor 1:10-11 (NASB)
B At Corinth, the power of the cross was minimized while problems were magnified (vs.11-17).
11 For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe's people, that there are quarrels among you.12 Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, "I am of Paul," and "I of Apollos," and "I of Cephas," and "I of Christ."13 Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius,15 so that no one would say you were baptized in my name.16 Now I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any other.17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void. 1 Cor 1:11-17 (NASB)
1 The Corinthians were so concerned about who had been baptized by whom.
a Modern day equivalent of, “What church are you a part of? or “How many times the pastor asked you to lunch?”
b Paul was essentially saying with all the focus on problems you take away the focus from the cross, rendering the power of the cross void!
2 When the church makes anything more important than salvation through the Cross of Christ they are in for trouble.
C At Corinth, there was a carnal immaturity that dominated the church.
1 1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ.2 I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able,3 for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men? 1 Cor 3:1-3 (NASB)
a Just because someone speaks in tongues doesn’t mean they can’t act like childish.
aa Not a mark of spiritual maturity.
bb In this passage is the proof!
b The people at FBC Corinth spoke in tongues but Paul still had to bottle feed them milk like they were newborn baby believers.
2 There were Spirit-filled Christians but they still acted like they were “like mere men.”
a Selfishness, pride, & envy.
b Acting like lost people even though they spoke in tongues.
D At Corinth, they still engaged in immoral behavior.
1 1 It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father's wife. 1 Cor 5:1 (NASB)
a It is actually reported . . .
aa The sexual immorality/lifestyle choices of the Corinthian church was not a secret, private sin.
bb Not limited to one or two members, but was ramped among the congregation.
b . . . that there is sexual immorality among you . . .
aa This church was known for two things: speaking in tongues & being nasty.
bb Side thought: The news of the sin of the Confessing Christians spreads quickly by unbelievers.
c . . . and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles . . .
aa The church members were engaged in behavior that not even lost people dare talk about.
bb In the church, a man was in a relationship with his father’s wife. . . and the church didn’t rebuke him for his actions.
cc This tongue-talkin’, devil-stompin church accepted this man in their fellowship without once every calling him out!
2 Speaking in tongues does not stop immorality (church or Christian)
E At Corinth, Speaking in tongues did not bring humility.
1 2 You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst. 1 Cor 5:2 (NASB)
a Paul preached that because of the open sin in their flock they should have been at altar/prayer closets weeping/repentant over the situation.
b Instead, full of pride because they spoke in tongues/filled with the Holy Spirit.
2 We too often sees this same scenario played out in the church today.
a Fellow believers/church leaders have blindly turned their eyes away from sin; build a smokescreen over sin.
b “Corinthian pride”
F At Corinth, Speaking in tongues did not stop believers from suing each other.
1 1 Does any one of you, when he has a case against his neighbor, dare to go to law before the unrighteous and not before the saints ?2 Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? If the world is judged by you, are you not competent to constitute the smallest law courts? 1 Cor 6:1-2 (NASB)
a Paul isn’t saying that legal recourse is a sin/bad thing.
aa Frivolous lawsuits with other church members is wrong.
bb Disagree without destroying relationships.
cc Matthew 18 (Follow what is at the heart of that passsage)
b Paul was concerned because the membership had so little respect for the church’s authority to settle its own disputes.
aa The church had wisdom, truth, equity, justice, love, kindness, generosity, and understanding.
bb Why are you taking your problems outside of the family to be settled?
c Remember how the sexual immorality sin spread among Gentiles (lost)? Same idea applies here!
aa Just as there sexual sin was disparaging the cross, so does this kind of trivial, immature, and self-serving behavior.
bb It amazes me how everyone in town knows when a church has a internal strife.
2 No longer just because gossips at the beauty/coffee shop, stories/slander can be posted for all the world to see with the “Post” button.
a We must be careful that the power of the cross is not made, through our own questionable behavior, of no effect.
b We must constantly question or actions/attitudes.
aa If all we want is revenge or gain then we’re not concerned about the unity of the Body or glorifying the Lord.
bb Tongues did not stop petty bickering between Christians.
G At Corinth, Tongues did not promote healthy marriages
1 10 But to the married I give instructions, not I, but the Lord, that the wife should not leave her husband11 (but if she does leave, she must remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband should not divorce his wife. 1 Cor 7:10-11 (NASB)
a A lot of ground is covered in two verses (land mines)
b v.10, Paul gives a command from that Lord on various issues that Corinth had asked him about.
aa Should a spouse separate? (No. But if it has already happened let them remain unmarried or, reconcile.
bb Should a saved person stay married to an unsaved person? (As long as the unbeliever is contend to stay married, stay married.)
2 How does this fit into tongues? There were all kinds of marital problems in the lives of those who operated in tongues.
H At Corinth, Tongues did not guarantee doctrinal soundness.
1 12 Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised;14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. Cor 15:12-14 (NASB)
a The Corinthians were denying one of the basic tennets of the Christian faith; Resurrection.
aa Some may say, “if you believe in Jesus that’s good enough, that’s what really saves you.”
bb Believing in Jesus is not the same thing as being saved.
b Tongues present but not doctrinal soundness.
2 Some churches who operate in miracles, tongues, and prophecies are often times not sound doctrinally.
a Because these churches are in error in some of their doctrines, opponents of the gifts would say because they are in error in some things, then all their signs are unsound.
b IL. Lake’s haircut.
I At Corinth, Tongues did not increase giving and promote church prosperity.
1 In the first century, the Christians in Judea were greatly persecuted & troubled.
a Gentile churches would take up collections and send them to Judea to help their brothers out in Israel.
b 1 Cor. 16.1-2, Paul had to tell the Corinthian church to give to their sister churches in Israel.
1 Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also.2 On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come. 1 Cor 16:1-2 (NASB)
2 Tongues didn’t make the Corinthians more prone to sacrificial giving or anymore prosperous personally.
Conclusion:
A The reason speaking in tongues does not do any of these things is very simple: none of these are the purpose of speaking in tongues.
1 Tongues doesn’t denote spiritual maturity (or even correct living).
2 Believers would do well to remember that.
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