Topic: Spiritual
Gifts – Common Good or Personal Possession? (Chapters 12-14)
Study Guide
I. THE CENTRAL QUESTION REGARDING “SPEAKING IN
TONGUES” TODAY:
hat is the nature of the “tongues” of 1 Corinthians 14? Are they an unknowable “angelic” language or
simply an un-interpreted human one?
Were they a “private prayer language” – or a corporate gift that was
being selfishly misused? Were they a
private experience and emotional “release” – or were tongues a gift that was
intended to edify the whole church but instead was being misused by the
Corinthians out of personal pride?
II. THREE INTERPRETIVE KEYS TO UNDERSTANDING THE
PASSAGE.
1. To understand the PROBLEM, look at Paul’s
SOLUTION: four times he says they are to “interpret”!
q Verse
5 “unless he interprets, so that the
church may be edified”
q Verse
6 “unless I bring some revelation or
knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction” NOTE that Paul
makes a distinction between the METHOD of communication (how they spoke) and
the MESSAGE (what they said). It was
possible to bring a revelation or word of instruction while speaking in another
language, but such a message wouldn’t be useful (or “edifying”) unless it was interpreted!
q Verse
13 “pray that he may interpret what he
says” (i.e., the speaker translates)
q Verse
27 “someone must interpret” (i.e.,
another person translates)
3. To understand the
PROBLEM, look at the SETTING. Paul
nowhere in this passage says to exercise this gift in private. The
closest he comes to that is in Verse 28, where he says, “If there is
no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to
himself and God.” Even there,
however, Paul pictures a
congregational setting! In fact, three
times he tells the Corinthians to use this gift in church (Verses 5, 6,
27).
The key to understanding Paul’s
entire discussion of the spiritual gift of “tongues” in the first century comes
at the very beginning of the three-chapter section.
12:7 “Now to each one the manifestation of the
Spirit is given FOR THE COMMON GOOD”
KEY POINT: The PURPOSE of the gift of tongues was to
build up the whole church. The PROBLEM in the Corinthian church was that individuals
were misusing that gift out of pride, without regard for the good of their
brothers. Miraculous gifts were a
temporary “scaffolding” until the Spirit of truth (John 14:17) finished his
work of revelation (John 14:26, 16:13) and the construction of the New
Testament/church was complete.
1. When the Holy Spirit was
given on Pentecost (in the only Biblical passage which actually describes
tongue-speaking) the word “tongues” clearly has its customary linguistic
meaning as recognizable human languages (Acts 2:4-12), not emotional
gibberish.
Three times the
foreigners in the audience who had traveled to Jerusalem marveled that the
apostles were speaking in the pilgrims’
“own
native language” (Acts 2:6, 8, 11) despite the fact that the apostles had
not previous learned those foreign languages.
Individuals who assert that tongue-speaking today is some sort of
ecstatic private experience must demonstrate:
- Why the
nature of the gift changed from Acts 2 to 1 Corinthians 14;
- Why
those who claim to practice tongue-speaking today are not exercising the
gift as it was demonstrated by the apostles at Pentecost.
2. The purpose of tongues was to “confirm the word” (Mark 16:17-20);
Hebrews 2:3-4 tells us the word “was
confirmed.” 1 Corinthians 13:8-10 says tongues were temporary and would end
when “perfection comes.” In Ephesians
4:7-15 Paul also says the gifts
would last until the unity of the faith was established. James 1:23-25 says the “perfect law that gives freedom” had come (cf. Jude 3; John
16:13; Matthew 10:19-20).
3. In order for any action to serve the purpose of miraculously
confirming the word, it must by definition be beyond normal human experience
and irrefutable (Acts 4:16; cf. Luke 11:14-20; John 9-10; Matthew 10:8; Acts 2:22; 13:10). Glossolalia (emotionally-prompted
ecstatic utterances) were common ancient pagan cults and have been documented
in numerous cultures and non-Christian religions today. [See Psychology Today,
August 1972, p. 48-50, 78-79]
4. None of the other miracles which confirmed the Word,
such as picking up snakes, drinking deadly poison, healing the sick or raising
the dead, are practiced today – only emotionally ecstatic “tongue-speaking.”
5. We read in Acts 8:14-19 that the miraculous measure of
the Holy Spirit was transmitted “at the
laying on of the APOSTLE’S hands” (cf. Acts 19:6, 2 Timothy 1:6). According to numerous New Testament passages,
there are no individuals today who can possess the qualifications of an apostle
(see Acts 1:21-22, 26; 2:42; 2
Corinthians 12:12; Revelation 21:14).
6. Paul says that
first-century tongues were a sign for unbelievers, while prophecy was a
sign for believers (14:22). Modern-day
tongue speakers reverse this significance.
7. The modern-day “tongue-speaking” movement began in 1900 when a Holiness
group became convinced of two presuppositions:
first, that every Christian must experience the baptism of the Holy
Spirit (which they called “the second blessing”); and second,
that THE sign of receiving such a miraculous baptism must be “speaking in
tongues.” That is, they concluded the way
you can know that you have been given the Holy Spirit is if you speak in
an unusual ecstatic utterance. In this
passage Paul emphasizes that, even
in the first century, not every Christian spoke in tongues
(12:7-11) and that tongues were a subordinate gift (14:5f.) Note:
The Corinthians had received every spiritual gift (1:7) but sadly, Paul had to call them “carnal” (3:1). The mere
possession of the gift of tongues in the first century was clearly not a sign
of spirituality or maturity.
8. Many modern-day “tongue-speakers” emphasize an overpowering
emotional experience, while Paul states
that the gifts being exercised in the first-century could and should be under
the control of the individual (14:32).
PERSONAL OBSERVATION:
I will affirm one point of contact between the first-century
Corinthian Christians who spoke in human languages they had not learned and individuals
in the twenty-first century who practice “tongue-speaking”: both need to beware of adopting an arrogant
attitude of “super-spirituality” and carnal condescension towards those who do
not share their practice! Paul’s
argument in Chapters 12-14 is clear:
genuine spirituality does not produce pride, and congregational
confusion, and division.
At the same time, Paul’s
larger message in 1 Corinthians 12-14 about the supremacy of “love” applies to me,
and to those who share my convictions, as well.
Even though I may disagree with the theology of those who genuinely believe
they are “speaking in tongues” today in the same manner as the Christians in
the first century, I do not have the right to ridicule or scorn any fellow-believer. I must disagree without demeaning, and when
someone is sincerely wrong, I should “speak
the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15).
q 
I believe
every
Christian is “Spirit-filled” if he or she has been born again of the water and
the Spirit (John 3:3) and is allowing the Holy Spirit to work in his or her
life (Galatians 5:16-18, 25) to bring forth His
“fruit” (Galatians 5:22-23).
We shouldn’t over-react and cede the
Holy Spirit to the Pentecostals!
q I
believe I am preaching the “full gospel” whenever I preach the Cross of
Christ and his saving work on my behalf (1 Corinthians 2:2; John 16:13-14).
q I
believe our mighty and sovereign God is able to work in any way He wishes, so
long as it is consistent with His own nature and revealed Word.
q In
the present age, I believe His Spirit chooses to work through His written and
proclaimed Word (Romans 1:16; 10:14-17) which was confirmed by the apostles.
q I
strongly believe the Holy Spirit continues to exercise a personal ministry in
us and through us today (Romans 8).
q I do
believe in prayer requests for healing for those who are sick
(James 5:14-15); I do not believe in
prayer demands (Philippians 4:6; 2 Corinthians 12:7-9), since in His
superior wisdom God may have higher, better plans for my life (Matthew
26:39-42). In addition, I believe our
God is able to work both through divine power and through the medical processes
He created (James 5:14; 1 Timothy 5:23).
q I do
not believe the New Testament indicates that the apostolic gifts (see Mark
16:17-28; 2 Corinthians 12:12) are available to present-day disciples.
q I do
believe the apostles’ doctrine continues to be our authoritative, sufficient
guide (Acts 2:42, 2 Timothy 3:16-17) and their Spirit-inspired Word remains
able to save us (1 Peter 1:23; James 1:21; Hebrews 4:13) today and until the
end of time.
© Dan Williams
