SPIRITUAL GIFTS: PART 2 "Now about spiritual gifts, brothers I do not want you to be ignorant." 1 Corinthians 12:1 TONGUES Some say that unless you speak in tongues you have not been baptized in the Holy Spirit. Such teachings are nothing more than a worship of tongues. For scripture very clearly states that not everyone will receive the gift of tongues. For as scripture says; "We have different gifts, according to the grace given us." -Romans 12:6 Answer the following questions: 1. Does this passage mean that to different people different gifts are given? 1 CORINTHIANS 12:7-11 "To one there is given through the Spirit the.. message of wisdom to another knowledge to another faith to another gifts of healing to another miraculous powers to another prophecy to another distinguishing between spirits to another tongues to another the interpretation of tongues... ...he gives them to each man, just as he determines." ANSWER {Now do not begin to say to yourself,"This only applies to the Body, when the church is gathered together". For we are apart of the Body of Christ whether we are gathered in a building or not.} page 2 Now we read in 1 Corinthians 12:27-28, "Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues." 2. Now answer the following questions posed to us in 1 Corinthians 12:29-30. "Are all apostles?" "Are all prophets?" "Are all teachers?" "Are all workers of miracles?" "Do all have gifts of healing?" "Do all interpret tongues?" Now in the same way you answered the questions above you should answer the next one. "Do all speak in tongues"? In summary scripture very clearly says, "We have different gifts, according to the grace given us." -Romans 12:6 page 3 "PRAYER LANGUAGE" Now this unbiblical term "prayer language" is often used to justify that everyone should speak in tongues. In the first place there are some very strong warnings in scripture about making up words like "prayer language", see 1 Peter 4:11, Deuteronomy 12:32 etc.. ROMANS 8:26 is not referring to a prayer language we have, but to the fact that as we pray to God the Spirit will "intercede" for us. Indeed, the scripture here very clearly says that we cannot possibly be speaking in tongues for..."words cannot express" what the Spirit is "groaning". Your mouth and vocal cords could not possibly begin to express what the Spirit is saying. This is the same way that a mother will explain to another person what her baby child is saying. The mother is not speaking through the child, but is interceding for the child. For we are all babies in Jesus and "do not know how to pray" but the Spirit "intercedes" for us. "I WOULD LIKE EVERYONE TO SPEAK IN TONGUES" When Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 14:5 that, "I would like every one of you to speak in tongues", he is making the point that not every one does. That not everyone will speak in tongues for Paul had just made that clear in his letter to the Corinthians. We each have different gifts. Paul is just pointing out the obvious. That he would rejoice if everyone did speak in tongues, but not every one does or will. page 4 IN ACTS Still people like to say that in Acts, whenever the Holy Spirit was given, everyone spoke in tongues. That simply is not true. Tongues are only one of the manifestations of the Spirit given. Times tongues are mentioned: Acts 2:1-4, 10:46, 19:5-7 Instead the Spirit comes mostly with* *Revealing the glory of God. Acts 2:11, 2:23-33, 5:12-13, 6:3, 7:55 *Having everything in common. Acts 2:42-46, 4:32-35 *Conviction and the revealing of sin. Acts 2:23, 2:37, 4:10, 7:51, 8:18-23 *Power and courage. Acts 4:8-9, 4:29-31, 9:17-20, 5:9-10 Scripture never declares that tongues were always given when the baptism of the Spirit comes. It just says that they "saw the evidence of". Which could mean any number of manifestations of the Spirit. What we see is that when the Spirit is poured out different things take place. In one place they spoke in tongues and praised God. While at other times they spoke in tongues and prophesied. For again, God gives as "he determines" and not as you try to make him do. "All these are the work of the one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines." -1 Corinthians 12:11 To say that God gives tongues or a "prayer language" to everyone would be to totally go against all of what scripture reveals. Indeed, there is no such thing as a "prayer language" mentioned in scripture. It is something that has come from the imagination of men. Pentecostals and other groups have missed the point that all who are water baptized have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, {Acts 2:38}. page 5 BEING SLAIN IN THE SPIRIT The phenomena of "being slain in the Spirit" is very unbiblical and sinful. It opens up doors to the demonic world. Any time someone is knocked over and is unconscious of what is going on around them, it is not of God. In short, it is not of God any time someone passes out and cannot remember what took place during that time period. Such things are either of Satan or man. For God most clearly says, "The spirits of the prophets are subject to the control of the prophets." -1 Corinthians 14:32 What God is saying is that He will never pour out His Spirit in such a way that a person loses control! No manifestation from God will so over-power a person that they can't help but speak in tongues or pass out. For... "...God is not a a God of disorder but of peace." -1 Corinthians 14:33 There is deep need of repentance in the Body of Christ over this whole demonic realm of 'being slain in the Spirit'. For surely they cannot be serious that John 18:6 is referring to being slain in the Spirit?! Those were men who were coming to kill Jesus and were thrown down! Maybe they are right. They are coming to kill the Word of God by this belief and disorder and so God was knocking them down to tell them to wake up and repent!! Next time someone gets up from being slain in the Spirit say, "Good, now go and repent of your slaughter of the Word of God!" Surely, they don't mean that REVELATION 1:17 is what your congregation is experiencing. John was totally aware of what was going on. He is able to describe what he is seeing. Now if by "being slain in the Spirit" they mean they just saw a holy Jesus, then that, true Christians can accept. But passing out is a far cry from, "When I saw HIM, I fell at his feet as though dead." page 6 PROPER USE OF TONGUES 1. It is sinful to have everyone speaking in tongues at once. There is no such freedom allowed when the Body comes together. "If anyone speaks in a tongue, two-or at the most three-speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret." -1 Corinthians 14:27 A. At any worship service at the most "three" people are allowed to speak in tongues. B. Someone must "interpret" that tongue. C. And it must be done "one at a time". Indeed, if no one can interpret the tongue the person must not speak in the church with tongues. "If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God." -1 Corinthians 14:28 I mean, think about it. What if you walked into a church and heard everyone singing a different hymn all at once? Or, what if you heard everyone reading a different scripture all at the same time? Would you not say they were crazy?! Yet you walk into church and you will hear many people speaking in tongues all at the same time. What sin and direct disobedience to God's Word. "So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and some who do not understand or some unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind?" - 1 Corinthians 14:23 page 7 No wonder others look and say you are crazy. How you prove that God is not worth following. God is not glorified with such "praise". If you want to speak in tongues do it at home, see all of 1 Corinthians 14. Of course they will say you are "out of your mind" with total justification. For you are "ignorant" of spiritual gifts and how they are to be used. So the next time someone is praying don't be mumbling under your breath in tongues. Listen to what he is saying and then say 'Amen' when he is done. You are in sin when you speak in tongues without order and an interpreter. WE WILL NOT LISTEN TO YOU TEACH If you will not teach and live this then we will not listen to anything you teach! For God tells us to do this. We will ignore you. "If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritually gifted, let him acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord's command. If he ignores this, he himself will be ignored." -1 Corinthians 14:36-38 Therefore: *Weep before God because you teach and practice being slain in the Spirit. *Repent of the idolatry and worship of tongues and of saying that everyone should have a prayer language. *Do not speak in tongues unless you have been given permission and there is an interpreter. *Find out what 1 Corinthians 11:10 means. ************************************************ If you would like more information, or would like to be on the Sound Doctrine mailing list just contact us and let us know. All our tapes, tracts and VHS tapes are free. 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