Speaking in Tongues for What Purpose?

Transcript

GR 1355
06-03-07
Speaking in Tongues – For What Purpose?
1 Corinthians 14:1-5
Gil Rugh

We're studying the book of 1 Corinthians together, and we come to chapter 14 in our study today, so if you'd turn to 1 Corinthians 14, that will be our starting point. We'll be looking at a few other passages but not a number, we'll be referring to some but we'll be focusing our attention in 1 Corinthians 14 after we get started. This whole subject of spiritual gifts is one that is important to every one of us. It deals with how God is accomplishing His work in His church today. There are differing opinions on the subject of spiritual gifts and how they are to function. One thing I want to be sure of, I want everything that God intends me to have as His servant. I would hate to get to the end of my ministry and stand before Christ and have Him say, your ministry could have had a much greater effect, you could have accomplished much more if you had. . . . If there are more blessings, if there is a greater ministry of the Holy Spirit, then we must have it. But the only way we can find out what God has for us as His people, what God intends for us as His church, is that we carefully search the scriptures because there He unfolds for us what His will is.

A number of years ago, early in the years of my ministry here, I had a number of people praying for me to get the Holy Spirit in a greater way. And they indicated to me they were praying for me. They wrote some letters and I contemplated some of what was going on in the world and in the churches in the United States and there came a point in time when I finally closed myself up in my study and I did tell the Lord, Lord, I have to have everything that you intend me to have, to have the greatest possible ministry in honoring you. Lord, I have to be able to find it in your Word. I can't trust other people's experiences and stories. And so I determined I would try to search the scriptures, read what I could, study what I could. And I came to some of the conclusions that we've been looking at, which were a reinforcement in many ways, of convictions that I had when I began my ministry.

Turn to Ephesians 1:22, and He, referring to God the Father, put all things in subjection under His feet, referring to Jesus Christ. And gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. And there we have that analogy that was used by Paul in writing to the Corinthians of the church being the body of Christ. Jesus Christ is the head of the church, has sovereign authority over the church, and so it is His will and His Word that must be obeyed in the church.

Turn to Ephesians 4. And here he talks about the role of spiritual gifts in the development and growth of the church. Ephesians 4:7, but to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. And we looked at this passage when we talked about spiritual gifts back in 1 Corinthians 12, that as a result of the resurrection of Jesus Christ the Holy Spirit was given in a new and special way that the church might function as the body of Christ. Various gifts were given to the church, individual believers were empowered by the Holy Spirit to function in a way that will enable the body of Christ to function as God intended. And down in verse 12 we are told these gifts were given for the equipping of the saints, for the work of serving, to the building up of the body of Christ, to bring us to unity and maturity, godly character.

Now God's work in the world today focuses in the church. And we can be sure the world, the flesh and the devil will consistently be opposed to the work of God in the world today. So we ought not to be surprised when there is conflict, disagreement in the church. To undermine, to oppose, to hinder the work of God in the world today, you must hinder the work of the church. You must weaken the work of the church. That's why this subject of spiritual gifts is of utmost importance. How are we as a church to function? How are we to be honoring God and growing to maturity to bring Him glory? By functioning properly under the authority of Christ and the exercising of gifts He has given.

Come back to 1 Corinthians 14. In our previous study we did some introductory materials in a summary survey way to prepare us for chapter 14. Let me just remind you of these areas we covered.

1) The clearest explanation of the meaning of tongues is found in Acts 2. That is the only place where tongues is defined for us, if you will, in a clear way. There is obviously an earthly, foreign language and everyone was spoken to and heard their languages being spoken.
2) Secondly, the other references to the book of Acts, Acts 10 and Acts 19, also are references to people speaking in foreign languages they had not learned. Peter says that was the exact, same kind of event that occurred in Acts 2, it was people speaking in foreign languages. Incidentally, we read in a variety of materials this past week, and I was reminded that a number of those from the charismatic and neo-Pentecostal position also agree that all the tongues in Acts and in 1 Corinthians have to be of the same nature, of the same kind. We'll have more to say as we move through our passage.
3) Thirdly, we commented that the church at Corinth was founded in Acts 18. The third occurrence of speaking in tongues occurs in Acts 19 during Paul's ministry in the city of Ephesus. So we ought to understand that the situation in Corinth and the gifts that were bestowed on that church occurred in connection with Paul's ministry there. That occurred before his ministry at Ephesus in Acts 19. The tongues in Acts 19 were speaking in foreign languages. That's good evidence that the tongues in the church at Corinth were also foreign languages. In fact, you remember, according to 1 Corinthians 16, Paul wrote the letter to the Corinthians, 1 Corinthians, while he was ministering at Ephesus and on the Third Missionary Journey. He unfolds it beginning in Acts 19.
4) All the use of the word “tongues,” outside of the Acts and 1 Corinthians refers to foreign languages. And we looked particularly at the eight references in Revelation. And all the use of the word tongues in the Bible, outside of 1 Corinthians and Acts, where the question is refer to foreign languages or your physical tongue.
5) Fifthly, we noted that Paul's instructions to the Corinthians, now remember this, through the early part of the letter right up to chapter 14, emphasized that they should be concerned for others, not themselves. This is true in the discussion of Christian liberty in chapters 8-10, the discussion of spiritual gifts in chapter 12, the discussion of love in chapter 13, and it will be true throughout the discussion of chapter 14.

Now we're ready to look into the details of 1 Corinthians 14, and this is where some of the disagreement exists. Among those of the charismatic persuasion who believe that tongues and other gifts of the Spirit are present today and those like the position we have here, that some of these gifts ceased with the completion of the New Testament.

Look how chapter 14 begins, verse 1. Pursue love, yet earnestly desire spiritual gifts. This connects closely to the end of chapter 12. Look at chapter 12 verse 31, earnestly desire the greater gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way. As we noted, the more excellent way was the way of love in chapter 13. So chapter 12 ended, I will show you a still more excellent way, it's the way of love. So chapter 14 begins with the command given in the present tense, pursue love. That word denotes a diligent pursuit, a strong unrelenting pursuit after something. It's like runners in a race giving every ounce of their energy and strength to reaching the finish line. Believers in light of chapter 13 are to be on the relentless pursuit of manifesting and demonstrating love in all that they do.

The second command, another present imperative, something that is to characterize us, is to earnestly desire spiritual gifts. That word earnestly desire is another strong word. Not as strong as the first word, pursue, but denotes an intense desire for something. That word was also used back in chapter 12 verse 31, earnestly desire the greater gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way. You see how Paul has brought this together. The more excellent way was love and he unfolded that in chapter 13. Then chapter 14 begins, pursue love relentlessly. And also, intensely desire spiritual gifts. And that would be instruction in verse 31 of chapter 12. So when he told them to intensely desire spiritual gifts he wanted to put those in their context, the more excellent way. Now as we return to the subject of the gifts particularly, and the gift that was a problem at Corinth, the gift of tongues, Paul pulls these two ideas together with the command.

We also should note, when he says earnestly desire spiritual gifts, he uses the word here that he used at the beginning of the discussion. Back in chapter 12 verse 1, now concerning spiritual gifts. You'll note the word “gifts” is in italics; it's been inserted. The word pneumatica, based on the word pneuma, which is the Greek word for spirit. So you could translate it, now concerning spiritual things, concerning things of the Spirit. The other word that is used most commonly through chapters 12-14 for spiritual gifts is the charisma, “charismatic.” Charis being the Greek word for grace. So in the word that we have beginning chapter 12 and beginning chapter 14, the things of the Spirit emphasizes the fact that these spiritual things, these gifts are a result of the Holy Spirit's ministry in the life. The other word, charismatic, emphasizes that the gifts are a result of God's grace. So it's the Spirit of God working as a result of the grace of God that enables the believer to function in love, exercising the gift that God has given him.

Earnestly desire these things of the Spirit, these gifts. But especially that you may prophesy. Now this instruction is consistent with his instructions back in chapter 12 at the end of the chapter. Verse 28, God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers. Most important gift for the church was the gift of apostle. But there were no new apostles. We'll get to this when we get to chapter 15. We've looked ahead on this matter in connection with the gift of apostle. Paul was the last of the apostles. The second most important gift was the gift of prophecy. So what Paul tells the Corinthians is earnestly desire the greatest gift available to you at the local church, the gift of prophecy. The gift of prophecy was the supernatural ability to receive revelation from God and then communicate it to people in their language so they could understand it. That's what a prophet did—received a message from God and then gave it to the people. We'll say more about this gift in a moment.

So he's telling them, put your focus on the gift that is greater. And the contrast will be with the gift of tongues. The problem is the Corinthian church focused on the gift of tongues. Now let me just make a couple of statements and then you'll see how they unfold. The gift of prophecy involves receiving revelation from God and speaking it forth in the language of the people. The gift of tongues involved receiving a revelation from God and then speaking it in a foreign language that you had not learned. So think about the impact of the gift of tongues. Think about it with my gift. I don't get direct revelation, but I teach you the Word of God. Now think about it if you would come here every Sunday and I would stand up and speak in a different foreign language that I had not studied. Think how much more exciting it would be to say to your neighbor or the person you work with, why don't you come to church with me Sunday and you will hear my preacher speak in a foreign language that he never studied. I don't believe he can do that. Yes, come. That would be a lot more exciting than saying come hear my preacher preach. I've heard a lot of preachers preach, I think I'll pass. But come hear him speak in a language that he never learned, and he can do it with a variety of languages. So you can see how at Corinth this gift of tongues becomes the focal point. It has a spectacular character about it that the gift of prophecy doesn't. The gift of prophecy involves direct revelation, but here you just have someone standing up saying what God has said. With the gift of tongues you have them communicating in languages they never learned. Obvious miracle occurring. But they are to focus their desire on the gift of prophecy.

The explanation, for one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Now we come to areas that create a wide chasm between the position that we hold as a local church and those of the charismatics. Very important matter. One who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men, but to God. What Paul does on these matters of the Spirit and spiritual gifts, he focuses down on two speaking gifts—the gift of tongues and the gift of prophecy. In fact the verb, to speak, is used 24 times in chapter 14. Paul wants to talk about gifts that involve communication, verbal communication. One who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men, but to God. Now for the charismatics, they take this to mean that speaking in tongues involves a special, supernatural ability to communicate with God in prayer and praise beyond the abilities of normal human languages.

Let me read you what one commentator who is charismatic writes. Such a person is speaking to God. That is, he or she is communing with God by the Spirit. The tongue speaker is not addressing fellow believers, but God, meaning therefore, that Paul understands the phenomenon basically to be prayer and praise. Now it's very important, and that's why we spent a message just looking at background materials for chapter 14. And then as we begin chapter 14 we note how closely it connects to the end of chapter 12. We cannot separate what he says in verse 2 from what he has said about spiritual gifts. This is not a unique conversation between an individual and God.

Note Paul's explanation. For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men, but to God. Why does he not speak to men, but he only speaks to God? For no one understands. For a time we had some people who had immigrated here from Russia attending our church. They would have their own service then because they didn't understand English and we didn't understand Russian. We could have had a Russian pastor stand up here and give an outstanding presentation of the Word of God in his Russian language and none of us would have understood. You know the only one who would have understood? God, because He understands all the languages. But it wouldn't have helped any of us; none of us would have understood. That's what Paul says. The one who speaks in a language, a foreign language, isn't speaking to men but to God. Why? The very fact he is speaking a language here that is not native, it is not part of the language of this congregation, so no one here can understand. The only one who understands what he is saying is God.

In his spirit he speaks mysteries. Now you'll note the word his there is in italics. Those italicized words mean they are not in the original Greek text, but they've been inserted to perhaps help the understanding. I think that maybe confuses it here. Literally, but in spirit he speaks mysteries. Remember verse 1, earnestly desire things of the Spirit, pneumatica, pneuma, “Spirit,” things of the Spirit. Here one who speaks in a tongue is speaking in the Spirit. He’s speaking mysteries in the Spirit. In other words, the Spirit of God is using that person who is speaking in tongues, a foreign language they haven't learned, to reveal mysteries. Now a mystery in the Bible is something that has not before been revealed, something that now God is choosing to make known about Himself, His purposes, His plans that had not before been revealed. When he says no one understands for he speaks mysteries, no one understands meaning no one present, because no one speaks the language. It is qualified in the context because if you have the gift of interpretation you can understand, then you can interpret it. I mention that because there are some writers who say no one understands means no one on the face of the earth could understand this language, so it can't be some kind of foreign language. The context determines no one in the audience speaks that particular language. But a person with the gift of interpretation does understand and they are able to interpret.

The mysteries, the new revelation from God. Paul uses the word mysteries on a number of occasions. Let me read you what one person has written that I think is correct. Everywhere in Paul's writings mysteries were truths about God and His program that for a time remained hidden but were at that moment revealed through the inspired writer. So here is new revelation from God. The problem with this for the charismatics is, why would God give revelation and then have that person speak is back to Him in tongues. If that's what tongues are in chapter 14, the ability to communicate with God in prayer and praise, God reveals something new to this person and then this person speaks it back to God? Charismatics don't think that would make any sense, and they're right. So what they try to do is redefine the word mystery here.

Let me read you from a couple of charismatic writers. And I have taken two writers of substance, Gordon Phee and J. Rodman Williams, because I don't want you to think I'm just taking from the fringe of the charismatic writers. Phee's commentary on Corinthians is probably one of the top two or three commentaries on the book of 1 Corinthians. He's a scholar, teacher in an evangelical seminary. J. Rodman Williams has been known as the theologian of the charismatic movement and has written a three-volume theology. So I want you to know I'm not trying to taint things by bringing in fringe writers in the charismatic movement, but those who would be of substance.

Gordon Phee puts it this way. It is possible that mysteries mean something similar to its usage in 13:2. And look at chapter 13 verse 2, if I have the gift of prophecy and know all mysteries. And what Gordon Phee is saying is the word “mysteries” there would mean what it normally means—new information God is revealing. And it's possible that's the meaning of mystery in chapter 14 verse 2. However, he says, more likely. It carries here the sense of that which lies outside the understanding, both for the speaker and the hearer. After all, mysteries in 13:2 refers to the ways of God that are being revealed by the Spirit to His people. Such mysteries would scarcely need to be spoken back to God. Now maybe he just ought to think that mysteries mean mysteries. And in the context of this subject of spiritual gifts he's already used it in chapter 13 verse 2. Why would you change the meaning? He doesn't give any reason for changing the meaning except it won't fit his theology if he does it. So he says, more likely it carries here the sense of that which lies outside the understanding, both for the speaker and the hearer. But he gives no support that that would be his meaning. He just says it is so. Now we have to be careful, because people say something with conviction, pretty soon we say it must be true. It's only true if it is biblical.

J. Rodman Williams writes this in his theology. The word “mysteries” as used by Paul usually refers to those secret and hidden truths of God made known my special revelation. However, in the Corinthian context Paul is obviously not referring to those mysteries of God. Why is he obviously not referring to those mysteries of God? I thought it was obvious. He was. Rather, Paul is here referring to the fact that speaking in tongues by its very nature as spiritual utterance of the Holy Spirit is transcendent speech, the content of which must be more than the mind can achieve. He goes on to note that Paul uses the Greek word, musterion, we just carry it over into English, mystery, 21 times. However, this use in chapter 14 is the only exception to its general usage, meaning new revelation from God. Here it is something that could not be understood by human minds and expressed by human language. Well wait a minute, that's not what the word mystery means, not what it means in any of its other 20 uses in the Bible, it's not what it means in the context. Back in chapter 13 verse 2 everyone agrees, why would I change the meaning here? Well it wouldn't make any sense to say a person is communicating to God new truth that God just revealed to him. God didn't reveal it to him to reveal it back to God. That's right. You’ve misunderstood the first part of the verse.

The reason the one who is speaking in a tongue speaks to God not to men is because no one among men that he is speaking to understands that particular language. But he is still speaking mysteries. The problem is he is speaking them in Russian and nobody here speaks Russian, for example. Don't have to begin to redefine everything. And this becomes the pattern. In fact, we'll see J. Rodman Williams, the theologian of the charismatic movement, will end up saying the gift of tongues in chapter 14 is different from the tongues in chapter 12. Otherwise the tongues of chapter 14 won't be what I want them to be. We'll move on. What happens, is they are presupposing what they want the interpretation to be, and then trying to read it into the passage.

Look at verse 3, but one who prophesies speaks to men for edification, exhortation, consolation. So the contrast is between what tongues accomplishes and what prophesies accomplishes. And since no one can understand what the person speaking in a foreign language that no one present knows, then they can't accomplish edification. But the one prophesying doesn't have the gift of languages, so he is only speaking in the language of the people that he ministers to. And so he edifies them, builds them up, and has a ministry of exhortation, encouragement, challenge, comfort. It's used of the prophets in Acts 15:32, Judas and Silas in their prophetic activity.

So you'll note, prophecy is accomplishing something for the body of Christ, it is building them up, it's encouraging them, it's comforting them. Speaking in a language you don't understand, you could sit here for an hour and if I'm not speaking in English you don't get any benefit out of it. You just heard words, and all you could say is I'm sure they meant something, but they didn't mean anything to me, so I didn't learn anything, I didn't profit. Some of you have been in other countries and you know how difficult it is to sit there. I've sat in church services and they're speaking in another language and I'd sit there for an hour. And I'm sure they meant well, and from the reaction of people around me I'm sure it was good. But it didn't help me a bit, because when all is said and done I didn't learn anything, I didn't understand anything. I know God did, the people who knew the language did. But when one prophesies, received a revelation from God and they communicated it into the language of the people he built them up, he exhorted them, he comforted them.

All right, go to verse 4. One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself. Now you'll note the contrast that is going on here. Something is said that is not understood, something is said that is understood. Something is said that does not benefit and edify the people listening, something is said that does edify and benefit the people that are listening. That's the contrast going on. One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, one who prophesies edifies the church. Now we get this self-edification. Tongues is beneficial for edifying yourself. That's why we spent the time to look at the background. What are we to be doing? Is that a valid purpose in the use of a spiritual gift?

I was thinking about this last night as I sat in my study, and as is my practice, when I think about teaching a passage I end up going through it. Now I'm not always talking out loud like I am now, but I'm sitting there and I'll be going through in my chair the motions, and I'm talking. I sometimes sit there for hours teaching a passage. Helps me think it through and how I want to explain it and so on. So can I come out and say, well I edified myself last night with my spiritual gift. What did you do? I taught myself. You say, that's not really what the gift of teaching is for. Nobody uses the spiritual gift of teaching that way. If you said to me, well why don't you go home and edify yourself, teach yourself? That would be a put-down. But somehow with tongues, that's a good thing to be desired, because doesn't verse 4 say, one who speaks in a tongue edifies himself? Yes, it says that, but that's not a valid use of spiritual gifts. Go back to chapter 12. Remember, Paul wrote this as a letter, they didn't have chapter and verse divisions. It's just part of the discussion and explanation of spiritual gifts.

Back in chapter 12 verse 5, he's talking about the varieties of gifts given by the same Spirit in verse 4. He says, there are varieties of ministries. Remember that word, “ministries? “ We get the word, “deacon” from it. There are varieties of ways of serving. Come down to verse 7, to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. It's for the good of others, that's what the spiritual gifts are given for.

Go over to 1 Peter 4. Peter is speaking about spiritual gifts. Note what he says in verse 10, as each one has received a special gift, a gift of God's grace, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold, multifaceted grace of God. God has bestowed on you a spiritual gift, not for your benefit, but for the benefit of others, so you can serve others. So when Paul says the one who speaks in a language that no one understands, then applies himself, that is not saying something that they should do. In fact he's going to tell them later, if there is no one to interpret, don't say anything. Do it at home alone. Well what would you think of any other spiritual gift? You tell me, Gil, I don't think you ought to preach at Indian Hills anymore. Go preach to yourself in the bedroom. That's not saying, everybody who has the gift of preaching ought to edify himself by preaching to himself alone. I mean read the context. What's the gift for? You are not a good steward of the grace given you in that gift if you are using it for yourself, because it's to be used in serving others.

Back up to Ephesians 4. In this context where we read the spiritual gifts that were given to the church, look at verse 12, they were given for the equipping of the saints, for the work of serving, to the building up of the body of Christ. Down in verse 16, the whole body being fitted and held together by that which every joint supplies. I mean, the whole analogy of the body, there is no occasion for my hand just to go off and do something for itself. Everything it does is in the context of its relationship to the body. In every spiritual gift there is a certain benefit that comes from exercising it. I mean, I am blessed and encouraged as I preach the truth of the Word of God. But my gift is not given so I can preach to myself and build myself up. Nor is the gift of tongues given so we can speak and communicate to ourselves or just to God. None of the gifts, we read the gifts were given so you could do something for God in that context in your relationship for the body. Now that is done in the context of serving Him. We read the section in Romans 12:4-13. Same emphasis on spiritual gifts, in fact he brings the whole issue of love in following his discussion of spiritual gifts.

Back in 1 Corinthians 13:5, love does not seek its own. The gifts are given for the good of others, to serve others. Love doesn't seek its own. Pursue love, relentlessly pursue it. Knowledge puffs up, love builds up, chapter 8 verse 1. Chapter 10 verse 23, let everything be done for edification. So when I read verse 4, one who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, that's not a blanket, flat statement that stands on its own. Look at the contrast. One who prophesies edifies the church. Now who is doing what God gave the gifts to accomplish? The one who edifies the church. I don't think it could be any more clear. I scratch my head as I read through the material of those trying to promote a unique charismatic experience here for all believers, like speaking in tongues. I say, I can't understand it, it makes no sense. The one who speaks in a tongue edifies himself. Isn't that good? Well that's not the purpose of the gifts. As I taught myself as I went over my message last night, I benefitted, but that wasn't a use of my spiritual gift. Now I am using it for your benefit. There is no grounds to pull tongues out and say, that's special. Read it in its context. Edifying the church is the goal.

Then we come to verse 5. Then why in the world did Paul say, now I wish that you all spoke in tongues? That's what he wishes and you can't soften this word, thello, to wish. It means this is his wish, his desire. Now what are we going to do here? Paul says, I wish you all spoke in tongues, but back in chapter 12 verse 30 Paul said, all do not speak with tongues, do they? Now in chapter 14 verse 5 he says, I wish you all spoke in tongues. Well to get around this what is the charismatic answer? Let me read you. One final footnote about Corinth. Paul also speaks of glossalalia, speaking in tongues, as a manifestation or gift of the Holy Spirit that not all possess. To understand how these individualizing statements in chapter 12 relate to the generalizing ones quoted above in chapter 14, there is need to recognize that Paul first refers to diverse gifts or body ministry and later to the fact that the whole congregation could speak and did speak in tongues. It was the interplay between the individual gift of tongues for body ministry and the congregation wide ability to speak in tongues that created some of the tensions in the Corinthian church. In other words, the gift of tongues in chapter 12 has a different purpose than the gift of tongues in chapter 14. In chapter 12 the gift of tongues was for the benefit of the body, in chapter 14 it is a special gift of tongues that everybody should have, and it is for your own personal edification.

You know where we have come? We have come full circle back to the same problem the church at Corinth had that Paul is trying to correct—an improper, unbiblical emphasis on the gift of tongues. Now we've said the real spiritual gift that everyone should have is the gift of tongues. Well that doesn't fit chapter 12. Well then we'll just redo it. Chapter 12 is a different kind of gift with a different purpose. Now how would you ever read this, just reading from chapters 12 through 14 and get the idea that the tongues of chapter 14 are different in purpose than the tongues of chapter 12? I mean you turn what Paul is writing on its head. I wish you all spoke in tongues. I could stand up here and say, I wish you all preached. You're not going to, but it is a blessing, it's an honor and a joy to do it. I wish you could all do it, but you won't.

Come back to chapter 7, this is not a new concept. In chapter 7 Paul is talking about sex in marriage and the gift of celibacy. He has the gift of celibacy. Look at verse 7, yet I wish, thello, same verb, same form of the same verb. I wish that all men were even as I myself am. However, each man has his own gift from God, one in this manner and another in that. Basically the same kind of issue as the gifts. I wish everybody had the gift of speaking in tongues, but he has already said in chapter 12 they're not going to. Why are they building a case, these writings by J. Rodman Williams. Then you have footnotes on the word thello, the verb, to help you explain that you can't soften this word thello. It has to mean this is really what we desire for everyone. What about chapter 7 verse 7, I wish you were all celibate. But it can't be, because you are not all gifted to be celibate. Everyone has his own gift. Doesn't change the fact he says I wish you all were. Paul had the gift of speaking in tongues. It seems that the apostles, part of the apostolic gift was that they had all the gifts. We've referred to this in connection with the study of the gift of an apostle. So of course he had the gift of speaking in tongues, and every spiritual gift is a blessing from God. So of course Paul could say, I wish you could all speak in tongues. But you know what he also goes on to say? But even more I wish you could prophesy, because that is a greater gift. Therefore the charismatics have to say that we still have the gift of prophecy given today because Paul desired that everyone prophesy so everyone must prophesy, it's God's intention that everyone prophesy, so direct revelation is still given. Because this can't be the same gift with the same purpose of chapter 12, because then my charismatic theology would be wrong. We have to have a more biblical reason than that. A very shimple fact, I wish you all spoke in tongues, I wish you all prophesied. I could wish you all had all the gifts, but you don't.

Greater is the one who prophesies than the one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets. So in the context back in chapter 14 verse 5 he indicates the contrast. Greater is the one who prophesies than the one who speaks in tongues. But if everyone is supposed to speak in tongues and everyone is supposed to prophesy, who is greater and not greater anyway because we're all going to have both gifts. I mean, what's the issue here? If God intends everyone to speak in tongues He even intends it more that everyone prophesies. So who care whether the one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, because everyone is going to have both gifts anyway. Reduced to silliness.

Greater is one who prophesies than the one who speaks in a tongue, unless he interprets. What happens? When God gives a revelation of a mystery, new truth to someone who has the gift of languages, that person speaks that forth in Russian (since I've been using that) and someone steps up and interprets that. Now it benefits, it edifies, it builds up the body because that is God's truth. Sometimes in other countries I have preached and I preach in English, it's the only language I can preach in. And so I preach in English and I say a statement or two in English, then the translator translates it and preaches it in Portuguese, Spanish, whatever. And then the people understand and are edified. Without that translator, my speaking would not edify anyone, would not build up anyone. That's the contrast Paul is drawing.

So the one who speaks in tongues, unless it is interpreted, he can't edify, build up the church. But the one who prophesies builds up the church any time he speaks his prophecy, because he is always speaking in the language of the people. So that the church might receive edifying. That's the goal, not that the individual might edify himself, but that the church might receive edifying. There is no reason anywhere in the context here to presuppose a different kind of gift of tongues, a different gift of prophecy so that we can ignore chapter 12. I mean it flows very consistently. There is nothing in the context that would indicate such a change.

So one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, because if I'm speaking in a language you don't understand, I don't edify you. There must be understanding for edification to take place. We were in China, went to a Chinese service, they spoke in their language and I didn't understand a word. I go out of there and say I was really edified, I could say I really enjoyed being there, it was really beneficial to observe the people and their enthusiasm and so on. But I didn't learn a thing from the message. The idea that you get benefit and it can bypass your mind and it's just something that happens in your feelings, and we're going to get into this as we move through chapter 14, is an unbiblical, anti-biblical concept. The goal of gifts is to edify the church. So the gifts are to be used in edifying the church. The gift of tongues is the same gift of tongues that's talked about in chapter 12. The gift of prophecy in chapter 14 is the same gift of prophecy talked about in chapter 12. And not everyone gets that gift, any more than everyone gets any of the other gifts. So concentrate on the speaking gift here that will benefit the church—the gift of prophesying. And if there is no one to interpret, then the person with the gift of tongues can be quiet, not to use his gift. Simple unfolding.

You know this whole emphasis fits our day. It's interesting, the rise of psychology in the church and the rise of the modern day charismatic movement run parallel. Modern day charismatic neo-Pentecostal movement has usually marked its beginning in 1960 with the experience of an Episcopal priest, Dennis Bennet, in California. It's a focus on self, a focus on experience. And so, so much of what supports this is an experience. I'll be reading occasionally as I've done today other, one of the supporting evidences that one of these writers uses is the statement of a Dominican priest on tongues. What do I and a Dominican priest have in common on salvation matters, on Holy Spirit matters? We don't agree on the doctrine of salvation. What do I have to learn from him on how the Holy Spirit works in the life of a believer?

I close with this. I've shared before, back in the '70s I was in California doing some study. And I was down at Melodyland, and at that time Melodyland was the headquarters of the charismatic movement in the United States. They had a school of theology there and J. Rodman Williams was a professor of theology, the man I referenced who has a 3-volume theology. And I was visiting with him about his beliefs and the school of theology there. I knew something of the school, I knew something of his background and I said, you were Presbyterian. You have professors here who are Lutheran, Episcopalian and so on. I said, what gives unity to your school of theology with the diversity of doctrine that these men hold? Without missing a beat he said to me, it is our common experience in the Holy Spirit. You cannot make experience the defining characteristic, it must be the truth of the Word of God. I can't say, now we've had an experience, and the Catholics have had it, the Baptists have had it, the Episcopalians have had it, the Lutherans have had it, so we're going to have this experience now define us and we're going to come and reinterpret the Bible in a way that will be consistent with our experience. Now experience has replaced scripture as authority. That's what's happening I fear, here. The people are taking experiences and now trying to redo scripture. This is not the same tongues in chapter 14 as in chapter 12, but that wouldn't fit my experience. And I can't say not everybody has the gift of tongues because I want everybody to promote this experience because this is what will give us unity when all of us have the same experience with the Holy Spirit then we can have unity regardless of what other doctrinal beliefs we have. Some kind of experience, a spurious experience, becomes the doctrinal foundation for a movement that permeates the church today.

It's a whole emphasis on self. You know the world, the flesh and the devil work in harmony. The focus of scripture is on the living God, on the revelation He has given, and then on His purposes in us serving others.

Let's pray together. Thank you, Lord, for your truth. Thank you that you intend that we study it, that we be diligent students of it, that we toil and labor in examining and working through it. It is precious, more precious than gold. You, the living God, have spoken. We have your words preserved for us. Lord, we would desire to be diligent students of truth. Lord, we want everything that you intend us to have, to experience the fullness of your blessing, the riches of all your work in our lives as your people. Lord, we would only find your purposes and plans as they are reviewed in your Word. Guard us from desiring those things which may seem appealing, but they are not what is promised in your Word. May we as a church be faithful to this truth. May we humbly submit ourselves to the truth of the Word and desire to be conformed to it and Lord, that we might serve you in a way that will honor you. We pray in Christ's name, amen.