FUNDAMENTALS OF DISCIPLESHIP
THE GIFTS
OF THE SPIRIT – XXII
THE GIFT
OF DIVERS KINDS OF TONGUES - II
1 Corinthians 12:10 …to another diver kinds of
tongues…
Before
we continue any farther into this discussion, we need to insure one concept is
absolutely in place.
1 Corinthians 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and
have not charity (love), I am become as
sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
If
love does not motivate the public exercise of tongues the person speaking is as
“sounding brass” or “a tinkling cymbal.”
What does this mean?
Matthew 6:2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before
thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily
I say unto you, They have their reward.
The
collection point at the temple was a brass trumpet-shaped flute that would
allow the coins deposited from the outside of the building to roll through the “trumpet”
and drop into a repository inside the building.
The travel of the coins would “sound the trumpet” so anyone within
hearing distance would know that someone was making a contribution to the
treasury of the temple. The hypocrites
did this in such a way as to draw attention to their gift. The purpose was that
others would think highly of them. Their
gift was not given to benefit others. It
was given to achieve public admiration.
Paul
explains that love should be the motivation for any public exercise of the gift
of divers kinds of tongues. If the
objective is not to “benefit” or “profit” the assembly, the public use of
speaking in tongues should be withheld.
My personal experience in assemblies all across the United States of
America confirms this glory-seeking use of this gift. Many speak in tongues in order to be heard by
others. This selfish exercise of the gift undermines the purpose for which the
gift has been given. The abuse of this
gift is why this gift is the most controversial of the gifts.
The
apostle has much to say about this gift. Let’s take a look at his comments.
1 Corinthians 14:
2 For he
that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto Elohim: for
no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.
3 But he
that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and
comfort.
Paul
offers several contrasts between tongues and prophecy. Tongues is speaking unto IAUE. Prophecy is speaking unto man. This is one litmus test by which one can
judge the interpretation of tongues. If
the interpreter begins with, “Thus saith the Lord,” he is making up the
interpretation, because tongues is not IAUE speaking to us; it is us speaking
to Him.
Tongues
speaks mysteries. Prophecy speaks to
edify, exhort and comfort. This is, in
my opinion, one of the two most powerful objectives of this gift. When one speaks unto IAUE in tongues, the man’s
spirit is aided by the Spirit of IAUE to inquire into the things of IAUE,
things that are not yet known by the man; for they are still mysteries to him.
It prepares the “ground” of the man’s heart to receive revelation into the
things of IAUE, especially revelation knowledge of the Scriptures; but it is not
necessarily limited to that. It is
common…even expected, that one who speaks in tongues receives revelation into
the Scriptures and other things, for IAUE deposits the understanding within the
man in response to their discussion of those mysteries.
For
example, if I have been studying a passage of Scripture and seem to have a
block in my understanding of it; or if I understand what it says, but only
academically, speaking in tongues can release to my spirit what I need in order
to grasp the truth. Remember our early
posts discussing the difference between doctrine and revelation, the marketing
or advertisement of truth, and the actual purchasing and tasting of the
truth? Most of us “know” a lot of what
the Scripture teaches, but very little of it is actually “real” to us in our
inner man; otherwise, it would be manifested in our lives.
We
“believe” that what we read in the Scripture is the inspired word of IAUE, and we
consent to it being true; but we don’t really own the product. For example,
John 14:12 says that the works Messiah did, we will do also…and even greater
works than he did we will be able to do because he was going to go to his Father. That meant that in going to his Father, he
could send us the Holy Spirit which would empower and enable us to do the same
and greater works that he had done in his earthly ministry. ALL of us, I suspect, believe that this verse
is true; but less than 1% of 1% of all believers actually do the works of
Messiah (much less greater works). Why
is this? It is because we believe the advertisement
(the doctrine) of the truth but we not possess a revelation of the truth. Speaking in tongues can help place the
revelation of that mystery within us to be discovered.
Again,
if we are faced with a decision, and we do not possess the wisdom of IAUE upon
the matter, praying in tongues can bring understanding to our spirit to know
what IAUE would have us do.
Another
illustration: Whenever I hear the siren
of an emergency vehicle or fire engine, I immediately begin praying in tongues
in order to speak unto Elohim on behalf of whatever crisis my fellow man may be
facing that required the EMS vehicle or fire truck to be dispatched. I do not know how to pray for the situation
with my understanding because the only thing I know about the situation is that
it is an emergency. I have faith that my
prayer is precise, relevant and answered by IAUE.
4 He that
speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth
edifieth the church.
I
mentioned above that speaking mysteries with IAUE was one of the two most
powerful objectives of this gift. This is
the second one. When I speak in tongues
I am edifying myself. This word “edifies”
means to build up as in constructing a building. It strengthens my own spirit. It brings
illumination to me (as explained above).
It “charges” my spirit like charging a battery. Ministry in the spirit wears you down. It can be physically exhausting. Praying in tongues recharges your
spirit. Even Messiah got up a great
while before day to spend alone-time with his Father to prepare for each
day. During that time, he was empowered
for his day, illuminated regarding what would happen during the day, what he
was to speak and preach during the day; and he saw the works of his Father that
he would be expected to perform during the day.
All of that was accomplished during his prayer to his Father. Praying in tongues is our vehicle for
accomplishing the same preparation.
Jude 20 But ye, beloved, building up
yourselves on your most holy faith, praying
in the Holy Spirit,
21 Keep
yourselves in the love of IAUE, looking for the mercy of our Master
Yahushua Messiah unto eternal life.
Jude
confirms that praying in tongues (praying in the Spirit) edifies
ourselves. It builds us up in our
faith. It also keeps us in the love of
IAUE. That does not mean that it keeps
IAUE loving us; on the contrary, it keeps us motivated by the love of IAUE in
all we say or d; protecting us from selfish motives…keeps us from becoming
sounding brass or tinkling cymbals.
5 I would
that ye all spake with tongues but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is
he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret,
that the church may receive edifying.
6 Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what
shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by
knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?
7 And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp,
except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is
piped or harped?
8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare
himself to the battle?
9 So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be
understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the
air.
10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of
voices in the world, and none of them is without signification.
11 Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be
unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian
unto me.
12 Even so
ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel
to the edifying of the church.
All
may speak in tongues. All may
prophecy. Those enablements are
available to all disciples. When Paul
says that one who prophesies is greater that one who speaks in tongues unless
it is interpreted, he is not saying that tongues with interpretation is the
same thing as prophecy. IAUE has not
given two gifts that must work together in order to do the same thing as a
third gift. Prophecy is greater than tongues only in that it edifies the church
because the assembly knows what has been spoken. Speaking in tongues without interpretation is
of no benefit to the assembly unless the assembly understands what is spoken. If tongues is interpreted, then and only then
is the assembly benefited.
13 Wherefore
let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret.
14 For if
I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is
unfruitful.
15 What is
it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the
understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with
the understanding also.
16 Else
when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of
the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not
what thou sayest?
17 For
thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.
We
who speak in tongues are instructed, here, to pray that we also be able to
interpret tongues. This is not
optional. Why? So both we and those who hear us may be
edified, may understand what is said.
This way we may both pray and sing in the spirit and then interpret what
has been prayed or sung in tongues.
Notice that speaking or praying in tongues is within the full control of
the speaker…to speak or not to speak…at any time. Last week we observed in the first
manifestation of this gift that the 120 on the day of Pentecost spoke as the
Spirit gave them utterance. THEY did the
speaking. The language that came out was
provided by the Spirit. (Man can choose
when to speak, how loudly or quietly to speak and whether to speak or
sing. The gift manifests by the Spirit
providing the utterance when man chooses to speak or sing.)
18 I thank
my Elohim, I speak with tongues more than ye all:
19 Yet in
the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my
voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.
20 Brethren,
be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in
understanding be men.
Again,
Paul emphasizes the importance of the assembly understanding what is being
spoken, in order that they may benefit from it.
He repeatedly reinforces this issue because in Corinth, the assembly was
filled with show-offs who spoke in tongues in order to be heard of men…to sound
the brass and tinkle their cymbals. Paul
basically tells them here to grow up and behave as adults.
We
will pick up with v. 21 next week. There
are still several issues regarding this gift that we need to discuss.
Kingdom
heart: a heart that offers no resistance to the
performance of the will of IAUE.
No comments:
Post a Comment