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- Preaching the Living WORD through
the Written WORD - 2 Tim 4;:2 - |
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DIFFICULTIES IN CHURCH WORSHIP (CH 11-14): THE USE AND ABUSE OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS (CH. 12-14) 1Co 14:21-22 (2/8/12) Grace Bible Church, Gillette, Wyoming Pastor Daryl Hilbert I. THE PURPOSE OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS WAS
EDIFICATION (1Co 14:1-12) II. THE PERSEPCTIVE ON TONGUES THAT IS MATURE
(13-20) III. THE PURPOSE(S) FOR TONGUES (21-26) A. Tongues were a Sign of Judgment to
Unbelieving Israel 1. Paul links the Corinthians immaturity in
regard to tongues with their lack of knowledge of God’s Word concerning the
purpose of the gift of tongues (1Co 14:21).
2. Paul quotes Isa 28:11-12 to show the true
purpose for tongues. It was in essence a sign of judgment to unbelieving
Israel. a) Because Israel refused to hearken unto
God’s message proclaimed by Isaiah, God would chastise them by sending
another message, only it would come through by “strange tongues.” These
“strange tongues” in Isaiah’s context were the foreign languages of the
Assyrians who assailed Judah, reminiscent of the promise of judgment through
foreign nations (Deu 28:49-50 cp. Jer 5:15). b) When unbelieving Israel heard the “strange
(foreign) tongues” (through the gift of tongues) at Pentecost, it was a sign
of judgment for rejecting the Messiah. But sadly, they still would not
“listen” to God. c) This is also another strong argument to
show that tongues were a foreign dialect not and angelic or unintelligible
language. d) There are other purposes for the sign of
tongues, but not for the purposes that the Corinthians were using tongues.
Paul reinforced that tongues were not a sign to believers but for specific
unbelievers (Israel) in vs. 22. B. Tongues were a Sign for Salvation to the
Gentiles 1. With the new transition of the coming of
the Holy Spirit, many in the church, which at that time were mostly comprised
of Jews, did not believe that Gentiles could be saved apart from Judaism. 2. We find that the gift of tongues was
shown in only two incidents (other than the Day of Pentecost in Act 2:3-11)
to be a sign that Gentiles received salvation and the Holy Spirit through
faith alone in Jesus Christ. a) Act 10:46 (1) Act 10:46ff and the preceding context
revealed that Peter had a vision of being told to eat unclean meat. When God
replied, “What God has cleansed, no
longer consider unholy,” this also symbolized that the unclean
Gentiles could also be saved (Act 10:9-15 cp. 28). (2) Peter preached the gospel to the Gentile
Cornelius and others (Act 10:34-46) who received Christ as Savior and also
were given the Holy Spirit. (3) Afterwards Peter met with the apostles and
relayed the truth that Gentiles could be saved, manifesting tongues as
evidence in this case (Act 11:1-18). b) Act 19:6 (1) Paul found a group of believers in John’s
message of repentance (Act 19:1-4). When he asked if they received the Holy
Spirit, they had not even heard of the Holy Spirit who indwells believers.
They believed and were baptized. When Paul laid hands on them they received
the Holy Spirit and they began speaking in tongues (Act 19:5-6). (2) Other than these two references in Acts we
do not have another account or teaching that speaking in tongues was the
evidence of salvation. (3) They also began prophesying and yet no one
makes prophesying a criterion for the evidence of salvation. c) In Rom 11:11-13, Paul taught that because
of the disbelief of the Jews, salvation has come to the Gentiles. Like the
judgment of tongues, salvation to the Gentiles was to make them jealous and
return to the Lord. C. Tongues were a Sign to Affirm Apostolic
Authority 1. Upon the apostles and prophets lay the
foundation of truth for Christianity, Christ being the cornerstone (Eph
2:20). In order to affirm such authority on the apostles, they were given the
sign gifts, including tongues (2Co 12:12; 1Co 14:18). 2. Not only did the gift of tongues affirm
apostolic authority, but it also affirmed the particular apostolic message of
the gospel (Heb 2:3-4 cp. Gal 1:8-9; Rom 15:18-19). 3. When Paul laid hands on the believers in
Act 19:6 they received the Holy Spirit, not the norm but in order to show his
apostolic authority. 4. In 1 Corinthians 13:8c, Paul
authoritatively revealed that tongues would cease before the “perfect” came. 5. In Corinthians 14, Paul was exercising
his apostolic authority on those who were misusing the spiritual gift of
tongues. In fact, Paul only mentioned tongues in his letter to the
Corinthians. He did not mention them prior in his letters (Galatians, 1&2
Thessalonians, Romans) or later (Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians,
Philemon, 1&2 Timothy, or Titus). D. Tongues were Not a Sign for Evangelism 1. On the day of Pentecost, Peter preached
the gospel and about three thousand souls were saved (Act 2:14-41). Did he
preach the gospel in tongues and are tongues for evangelism? a) Though Peter was one of those who spoke in
tongues (dialects) he did not preach the gospel in tongues. Otherwise,
it would have been the gift of multiple and simultaneous tongues. However,
nowhere in the Scripture do we read of such a description of the gift of
tongues. b) He therefore spoke in the common tongue of
the day so that the crowd could understand and receive Christ. If anything,
tongues attracted attention so that the gospel could be preached in the
common tongue in that instance (Act 2:14). (1) …we should understand that Peter
undoubtedly spoke in the local vernacular (whether some form of Aram. or
koine Gr.) and not in a foreign language, for apophthengomai [“declared”]
relates more to the inspired nature of the message than its mode. Expositor’s Bible Commentary in loc. (2) Peter probably spoke in Aramaic, the
vernacular language of Palestine and thus familiar to his hearers, who
included the men of Judea (The residents of Jerusalem), and all who live in
Jerusalem (The multitudes who had flocked there to celebrate Pentecost). MacArthur New Testament Commentary in
loc. (3) Thus, Peter delivers his sermon in one
language. We surmise that he spoke his native Aramaic, which the multitude
understood. And at the conclusion of his sermon, the crowd responds (v. 37). Baker New Testament Commentary in loc. (4) Peter did not preach in tongues; he
addressed his audience in the everyday Aramaic that they understood. The Bible Expository Commentary (5) The Biblical accounts testify to the fact
that whenever the gospel was preached to the unsaved, it was entirely apart
from speaking in tongues.
(Gromacki, The Modern Tongues Movement, pg. 104) (6) While God miraculously interpreted Peter’s
praise for the people gathered together in Jerusalem, He did not use tongues
as an instrument for communicating the gospel. Instead, when Peter addressed the
crowd, he did so in the street language of the day ---secular koine Greek. (Hanegraaff,
Counterfeit Revival, pg. 156) c) There is no mention in the Scriptures as
to the use of tongues with evangelism. Whenever we have an account of any of
the apostles preaching the gospel, it is always in the common tongue not with
the gift of tongues (Act 5:42; 8:4, 12, 25, 35, 40; 13:32; 14:15; 15:35;
20:25; Rom 1:9; 1Co 1:17; 2Co 4:5; Gal 1:16; Phil 4:15; 1Ti 2:7; 2Ti 4:2; Heb
4:2; 1Pe 1:12 etc.). d) In the three major portions which give
detail about tongues, evangelism is never alluded to. (1) 1 Corinthians speaks of the abuses and
instruction of tongues. Evangelism in not mentioned because tongues will lead
the unbeliever to conclude it was madness (1Co 14:23; Act 2:13). Even in the
reference that “tongues are for a
sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers” (1Co 14:22), there is no mention of
evangelism and would be associated with the preceding verse concerning
judgment to unbelieving Israel. (2) In Act 10:46, Peter preached in the common
language and after being saved, the Gentiles praised God with the gift of
tongues, not evangelized. (3) In Act 19:6 Paul spoke to the men in the
common tongue and though they prophesied and spoke in tongues after receiving
the Holy Spirit, we have no record of evangelism through their tongues. E. Tongues were Not a Sign for Personal
Edification (Devotional) 1. Paul never would endorse the current
movement that states that the gift of tongues has value for personal devotions
to God and self-edification. 2. Though some see 1Co 14:2 and 14 as an
approval of “closet tongues” (private devotion and prayer), chapter 14 is
showing the futility of tongues for that purpose. a) Tongues do not speak to men because no one
understands (1Co 14:2). Even the tongues speaker may not understand (1Co
12:30) and is instructed to pray for interpretation (1Co 14:13). Of course
God understands because God understands all dialects. b) If even the tongues speaker does not
understand, his mind is unfruitful and no edification has taken place (1Co
14:14; cp. 1Co 14:7-8). For this reason it is not a gift to be sought that
will edify the church either (1Co 14:9, 13, 17). c) The purpose for tongues was not
devotional but for a sign of judgment to unbelieving Jews (1Co 14:16-21). F. Tongues were Not a Sign for Evidence of
Spirit Baptism 1. The gift
of tongues is not an evidence of Spirit baptism, filling of the Holy Spirit,
or salvation. 2. When an individual trusts in the finished
work of Christ, they receive the Holy Spirit and are baptized by the Holy
Spirit, with or without the gift of tongues. a) There
were only two instances of where tongues gave proof of anything and it was
that Gentiles could be saved (Act 10:46; 19:6). There is no record that even
the three thousand souls saved on the day of Pentecost spoke in tongues. b) Paul taught that the normal doctrine of
receiving the Holy Spirit in Eph 1:13 was by believing, in spite of the
affirmation of apostolic authority in Act 19:6. c) All believers are baptized by the Holy
Spirit immediately upon believing (1Co 12:13). There is no interval or second
blessing. d) Furthermore there is nothing mentioned
concerning tongues being the evidence of spiritual baptism, which is the
placing of a believer into the body of Christ (1Co 12:13). e) The filling of the Spirit (Eph 5:18),
which is the personal yielding to the Holy Spirit’s will in the Word, is
often confused with spiritual baptism. Neither are said to have anything to
do with the gift of tongues as evidence. IV. OBSERVATIONS AND
APPLICATIONS A. Understanding the purposes
for tongues will lead the Bible student to realize that the apostolic
authority of the Bible for we hold in our hands has been affirmed. B. Understanding the purposes for tongues
will lead the Bible student to realize that tongues as well as the teaching
of the Word, gratefully allows Gentiles and Jews to be saved. C. Understanding the purposes for tongues
will lead the Bible student to realize that tongues has ceased, is not for
today, and that we were given everything we need in the Word and in the Holy
Spirit to evangelize and edify. D. Understanding the purposes for tongues
will lead the Bible student to realize that the purposes for tongues in the
current Tongues Movement is unbiblical and we must be guard against error. |
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