On Tongues and Interpretations
First Corinthians 12 gives basic instructions about the role of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit in the church. Paul begins the chapter by saying, "I do not want you to be uninformed"(v. 1) and references the Corinthians' former lives as pagans serving mute idols (v. 2). All the gifts, Paul writes, come from the "same God who empowers them all in everyone," (v. 6) and are given for the "common good" (v. 7).
Paul then lists the gifts operational in a New Testament church: wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment, tongues, and interpretation of tongues. "All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills" (v. 11). Paul then makes an argument that the church is made up of many individual parts, serving different functions, with different gifts from the list above (vs. 12-19). If all have the same gift, Paul writes in verse 19, "where would the body be?" If all speak in tongues, where's the body and its diverse functioning?
In 12:27-31, Paul writes that there is a gift heirarchy, to phrase it poorly, and that we should desire the "higher gifts" (v. 31). The higher gifts? Apostles, prophets, teachers. The last two gifts mentioned? Tongues and the interpretation of tongues (v. 30). In Paul's mind, tongues and their interpretation is not a higher gift, and therefore not one we should seek after.
Chapter 14 is much more explicit about the role of prophecy and tongues in the church, building on the foundation Paul laid in chapters 12 and 13. Prophecy, according to Paul, is for people's "upbuilding and encouragement and consolation" (v. 3), while tongues are to build up the one who speaks in them. Therefore, tongues are not for the edification of the church of God: "So with yourselves, if with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said? For you will be speaking into the air." Hence, an interpreter is needed to inform others what has been said; otherwise the tongues are useless (vs. 11, 12).
Paul is direct in verse 19, probably because he knew the Corinthian church was being tempted to place undue importance on speaking in tongues: "Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue." Tongues are a sign for unbelievers (reference Acts 1:8 where "power" was to fall upon the church to be witnesses).
I Corinthians 14:27-28 is inexplicable in Oneness Apostolic theology: "If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. But if there is no one to interpret let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God."
Therefore, to appropriately use the gift of tongues, it must meet several conditions:
- It must be a tool for witnessing, for minstering to unbelievers (v. 22)
- Two - three at the most - should speak in tongues (v. 27)
- Each one should speak in tongues in turn (v. 27)
- There should be an interpretation (v. 28)
- If there is no interpretation, tongues should not be used (v. 28)
Paul finishes the chapter by saying, "all things should be done decently and in order," an obvious reference to the appropriate use of tongues in church. It's clear from earlier in the chapter precisely what Paul intended by "decently and in order" - one at a time, not to exceed three, with an interpretation.
Nowhere in this chapter does Paul make an allowance for if tongues are evidence of salvation - clearly he did not believe that, otherwise why would he put a limit on it? Simply, any church that does not abide by these regulations in regard to tongues is not emphasizing decent or orderly worship.
Furthermore, tongues cannot be necessary for salvation (12:30). Paul even rhetorically asks in 12:29-30 when he describes the diversity of the Body of Christ and the resultant Gifts of the Spirit, "Are all apostles?" Obviously, no. "Are all prophets?" Again, no. "Are all teachers?" I'm sure not! "Do all work miracles?" Clearly not. "Do all speak with tongues?" Hmmm... "Do all interpret?" Not here.
It's obvious from this passage alone Paul never imagined a situation in which speaking in tongues could be equated with salvation. I'm certain he would reference this in Romans 1 where he talks about serving the creation rather than the Creator. Tongues are part of God's creation, and any emphasis on them above and beyond that (salvation) is...well...idolatry.
0 comments:
Post a Comment
Post a Comment