Tongue Tied
By: D. James Heffner
The most sublime form of stupidity is using Scripture to argue Scripture. I intend to avoid this error by allowing the Word to speak on it's own accord; you choose the version - several different ones may be helpful so you can see what each translation provides for each scripture I reference. So that, like in a court of law, the preponderance of the evidence will sway the verdict of the Jury - you the readers. As a member of the "jury" you must remain unbiased and be willing to examine the "evidence" to learn what it actually says about the truth. For it is the truth, as revealed by the Holy Spirit, which we seek regarding the subject of spiritual gifts.
Although there are hundreds of thousands of people worldwide in Christian Churches who are "speaking in tongues" there none-the-less remains a significant number who question this as a valid experience. This is not a "new" controversy, it has raged for years as sincere people attempt to deny the working of the Holy Spirit within the Body of Christ. Why? It is my personal belief that there are those within the Christian Ministry who fear a loss of "control" over their denominations, congregations and fellowships. They invoke Paul's admonition in 1 Corinthians 14:40, "But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way." while ignoring what precedes it. Is it possible they did not read verse 39, which is the summation for all Paul wrote beginning in Chapter 12 and concluding with Chapter 14?
My dear Christian brother or sister, are you so blinded and deafened by teaching from those in the pulpit that you cannot read and understand such clear teaching on Spiritual gifts, of which tongues is only one, and one which Paul expressly warns against forbidding? I hereby challenge you - read and pray, pray and read what Paul wrote to the Corinthians about Spiritual gifts, ask the Holy Spirit to show you the truth of what it means to be a Spirit Filled Christian. Orderly worship is not "dead" worship it is alive with the power of the Holy Spirit! Is there no "power" in your singing of hymns in your church? Are there sick in your church pews that are never prayed over to be healed? Is your pastor's preaching so lifeless you cannot wait for the sermon to end so you can "escape" out the doors of the Sanctuary?
I am not condemning where you worship, only asking if there is the Life of Christ through his Holy Spirit within the walls of your house of worship. As Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 3: 17-18, "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." . Or are you in bondage to a form of godliness Paul warned about in 2 Timothy 3:1 5, "But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God-- having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them.".
Isaiah the Prophet declared, "Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues God will speak to this people, " (Isa 28:11). Jesus himself said, "And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; " (Mark 16:17). And so it was on the day of Pentecost, "All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them." (Acts 2:4). Now remember, this experience was shared by 120 who were in the house not just the Apostles. It is also recorded in Acts 19:6-7 that, "When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve men in all.". "All well and good" you say "but what about what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 13: 8-10?", "But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.".
My response is read the whole thing! We are living in an era where I can safely say that "knowledge" has not passed away! Mankind has been "gifted" with an abundance of knowledge over the last 100 years that has led to a man actually walking on the Moon. Diseases that decimated millions over countless centuries have been either erased or tamed. Science, in it's quest for understanding, continuously returns in wonderment at the organization and beauty of Creation; there are scientists who deny God as there are ministers of the cloth who deny the Holy Spirit - yet God continues to reveal Himself despite theological or scientific mankind's protestations.
If knowledge has passed away then no one can achieve Christ-likeness, let alone be saved from sin if such has already happened, "It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ." (Ephesians 4: 11-13). Thus, I submit to you that tongues have not ceased, prophecy has not ceased and knowledge - especially of The Son of God has not ceased either; none of us have reached the unity of the faith or are mature having attained the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. That "day" is yet to arrive!
What hope have those who lack spiritual gifts? If you have the Holy Spirit then God has gifted you. There are those who profess Christ but disavow the Holy Spirit; is their assemblage then nothing more than vanity, at worst a funeral - little wonder their hymns are more like funeral dirges. If they have not the presence of the Holy Spirit to convict them of sin and lead them to repentance they are dead in their sins and trespasses. But to those who are "open" to the Holy Spirit's gifts Paul promised, "Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful." (1 Corinthians 1: 7-9). Jesus said in Matthew 7:11, "If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!".
My purpose is not to convince you of anything, nor try to discredit your house of worship or the doctrine of your denomination that "job" belongs to the Holy Spirit. All I am asking is for you to take a close hard look at what the Scriptures, which we all agree are as 2 Timothy 3:16 17 claims, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.". The decision is yours.
(Scripture references taken from the NIV provided by the International Bible Society)
