Morning Moments

Tongues is for Babies!

Today I want to do something ridiculous merely to prove a point.  I want to show just how foolish it is to take Scripture out of its context to prove a point.  What I am about to do is not what I believe, BUT it is the same interpretation technique that many about which I have been referring in previous studies have and do use.

AGAIN, let me say that I am ONLY doing this to prove how easy it is to arrive at a WRONG conclusion.  THAT conclusion being:  Tongues is for Babies!

Consider:

1. At Pentecost, one might consider those who received the Holy Spirit as "babes in Christ", even though they had prior knowledge of Him.  The same would be true of the 3,000 and the 5,000 to follow.

2. Cornelius, though a worshiper of the one true God would fall into the same category as those as Pentecost, by receiving the Holy Spirit for the very first time.  We might consider that being "born of the Sprit".

3. Now continue with me to 1 Corinthians 12 where we find reference to the same Holy Spirit gifting ONE with a message of wisdom, ANOTHER, a message of knowledge, ANOTHER...ANOTHER...ANOTHER, different kinds of languages...

4. NOW to Chapter 13 - and here is whee we get wild with interpretation - "If I speak human or angelic languages(vs 1)...as for languages, they will cease(vs8)...when I was a child, I spoke like a child (vs 11)...when I became a man I put away childish things (vs 11).

So, by faulty deductive logic, may I thus come to the conclusion that tongues is as baby talk that no one can understand, but when I grow, I can then communicate in an intelligible manner.  Again, this is not true Biblical interpretation, but I go to the extreme to prove the point.

Paul clears the entire matter up in the 14th chapter of 1st Corinthians to those who will be honest about it!  After making is PERFECTLY CLEAR in Chapter 12 that each is gifted differently according to the desire of the Holy Spirit, He says here:

The one speaking in tongues -

1.  Is NOT speaking to men but to GOD. (vs2)

2.  Builds himself up. (vs 4)

3.  Is not as great as he who prophecies. (vs 5)

4.  The exception is when the the church is built up by the interpretation (vs 5) which would make the interpretation a prophecy (presentation of truth - mysteries of or as in Acts, the Mighty works of God).

5.  VERSE 6 SAYS - "But now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in [other] languages, how will I benefit you unless I speak to you with a revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching?  7. Even inanimate things that produce sounds - whether flute or harp - if they don't make a distinction in the notes, how will what is played on the flute or harp be recognized?  8 If fact, if the trumpet makes an unclear sound, who will prepare for battle?  9 IN THE SAME WAY, unless you use your tongue for intelligible speech how will what is spoken be known?  For you are speaking in the air.  10 There are doubtless many different kinds of languages in the world, and all have meaning.  THEREFORE, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker, and the speaker will be a foreigner to me.  SO ALSO YOU - since you are ZEALOUS for spiritual gifts, seek to EXCEL IN BUILDING UP THE CHURCH.

The later part is perfectly CLEAR, but most tongues speaker could care less what the Scripture says!  AND THAT is what brings such conflict!  Most are more concerned with themselves than they are with edifying the Body of Christ.  I am not saying ALL are, but I will say MOST are.  Most are as babies who do not care upon whom they spit up, so long as they get all of the bottle they desire.

I WILL CONCLUDE the tongues issue FROM THE TEXT in my next post!  Please read this one very carefully.

BLESSINGS!