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Speaking With Tongues
There are three gifts of Tongues described in the New
Testament. Three different gifts, three different uses.
1.
For Evangelism, Acts 2:7-8. People preaching in other native languages
they have never learned.
This gift is rarely seen because it is rarely needed. Most evangelists go
only to countries of familiar tongue, or they rely on interpreters when
they share the Gospel. But there are reports from Africa and other places
where this gift still has taken place. I imagine it occurs much more than is
reported.
2. For Church Edification, 1 Cor 14:19-28. This gift of tongues requires a
prophetic interpretation.
Prophesy is a gift in and of itself, but because there can be disorder, prophesy can only be done by one person at a time, but all may prophesy one
by one in order. Also, in an open congregation, preaching in tongues can
cause confusion if not interpreted aloud in a known language after every
utterance. To keep this gift of Tongues from causing disorder,
it must be accompanied with prophetic interpretation if the utterance of
tongues is an unknown language. The
prophesy that comes after the tongues is called an interpretation of
tongues. Many
churches practice this function of Tongues and prophesy; but the vessels
practicing this gift must be anointed of the Spirit at the time they
manifest. The power of God strikes with
Words when an operator is set apart to the Lord properly in this gift.
3. The Prayer Gift of Tongues, 1 Cor 14:14-15. This is the common gift of
Tongues used for prayer, and is different than the first two gifts in that,
1.
It is not spoken to men, as the first two are, no man can understand the
language, only God [1 Cor 14:2].
2.
Because it is a prayer gift, any or all
believers may [I did not say must] have the gift, as where the first two
gifts, all believers may not.
This is where many confuse scripture passages about Tongues, lumping all
three gifts as one, and not rightly dividing the scriptures; trying to use
all passages in the Bible into one doctrine of Tongues. You cannot do that, there
are three gifts of Tongues, not one.
The passage that says, "do all speak with Tongues?" Checking
the context, it
is talking about ministry gifts;
which is one or both of the first two gifts of tongues we talked about. They
are done in the church by the will of God, and are regulated to an
interpreter (1 Cor 14).
However, what did the Spirit of God mean when He said through Paul, "I would that you all spoke
with Tongues..." He had to be
referring to the prayer gift, because every
Christian prays, but not every Christian is called to prophetic ministry.
"For if I pray in an
unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. 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." 1 Cor 14:14-15
KJV
"Do all speak with Tongues?" No, but it's not because of God; as we read, "I
would that you all spoke with Tongues..." Why is it that all
Christians do not pray in tongues? It has something to do with us; so
He says, "earnestly desire spiritual gifts." It is this seeking, asking and
knocking that determines how "He gives to every man severally as He wills."
Point is, if He tells us to earnestly desire the spiritual gift of tongues,
we need not suppose He is holding out on giving it. Especially since the
prayer gift of tongues is a spiritual language for talking to God alone [1 Cor
14:2], and edifies and builds up the believers in our most holy faith.
Stay hungry for prayer gifts. Some aberrant Christian denominations claim
that if you do not speak with tongues you are not saved. Of course this is
not true, but at least they mean well.
Val. |