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Status: is logged in The Third View of Tongues Intro Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Epilogue Appendix A Appendix B Notes

Before launching into a study and description of the spiritual gifts and this view of speaking in tongues, there is a need to set out basic principles relating to the charismata.

First, the gifts of the Holy Spirit are for all Christians. God has divided to "every man, severally as he wills" (1 Cor. 12:7.) Not a single Christian believer has been left out. There are some who believe that these spiritual gifts come to every Christian at conversion and are in the life in seed form until the person experiences the fullness of the Holy Spirit. And this would be in keeping with the scriptural principle - Jericho was given into Joshua's hands, but he still had to possess it.

Another vital principle which may cause some shock waves is this: God's gifts and callings are "without repentance" (Rom. 11:29). While the context does indeed relate to Israel, the word used for gift in the original language is charismata.

In this connection I want to point out that those who spoke with tongues in Acts began to do so and continued to do so.

T. J. McCrossan makes this point very well. In his book on this subject¹ he points out that in each of the three cases where tongues are mentioned in the book of Acts (2:4; 10:44-46; 19:6) the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the individuals involved is in the aorist Greek tense. For the layman, this means that something definitely happened at a specific point in time and it was completed at that point - a definite completed act in the past.

Mr. McCrossan goes on to observe that in each of the three passages the verbs used to describe speaking in tongues are all imperfect tense, not aorist. That means that the act was something which occurred in the past and then continued to keep happening.

The coming of the Holy Spirit in the tongues passages was clear-cut and precise in a point of time. The tongues experience, on the other hand, was something that happened and kept on happening - a continuous experience.

And the point the author makes is that the tongues experience in Acts was the gift of tongues which continued to be manifested and that there is no serious way that the Acts experiences can be made to be a "baptism of the Holy Spirit" with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues as distinct from the gift of tongues which is later described in First Corinthians, chapter twelve.

An illustration of this imperfect tense occurs in Mark 5:8 on another subject. Our English Bibles generally say something like this, "Jesus said, Come out of him, you unclean spirit." But the Amplified New Testament makes clear, as does the Spanish with which I am personally familiar, "Jesus kept saying, Come out of him, you unclean spirit." In the liberation of persons from occult bondage, repetitious commanding is many times, though not always, necessary.

This teaching on the imperfect tense repudiates the teaching that the sign of the baptism with the Holy Spirit is one thing, and the gift of speaking in tongues is another. Not only is it impossible to substantiate such teaching scripturally, but the Bible also teaches the opposite: those who speak in tongues continue to do so. Many times I have counselled tongues-speakers along this line. The gifts are permanent.

Again, the gifts because of their very permanence cannot be made to be signs of spirituality. In both the Old Testament and the New it can be demonstrated that spiritual gifts do not make a person spiritual. Take for example Balaam, the prophet. Every time he opened his mouth to prophesy he blessed Israel. His prophecies were flawless because they were obviously prompted of God. But he owned a rebel heart. Though he could not and did not curse Israel, he did pass the word on the side to Balak that the way to destroy Israel was to suck them into idolatry and sensuality.

In the New Testament the Corinthians came "behind in no spiritual gift" (1 Cor. 1:7). They had them all. But Paul makes clear that they were still carnal - charismatic but carnal. That was the view from Corinth.

Psalm 68: 18 has a very interesting and revealing comment: "Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the Lord God might dwell among them."

Though it is interesting that Paul's New Testament quotation of this verse in Ephesians 4 omits any reference to the rebellious receiving gifts, the implication is there. And the possibility that rebellious people might indeed have spiritual gifts is present. The point we are making here is that spiritual gifts do not make one spiritual. The Holy Spirit does that.

Contemporary experience also confirms that spiritual gifts are not signs of spirituality. A preacher who was involved in a sordid affair with another woman defended himself before his wife, saying, "What I'm doing can't be wrong. People are finding the Lord when I preach." And so they were. But he had failed to distinguish between a spiritual gift and spirituality.

In a city in the plains of Colombia I was asked to preach an evangelistic campaign. The meetings proved especially difficult, and one of the reasons was that the last evangelist who had conducted meetings there had been disorderly, deceitful, and treacherous, though beyond doubt, charismatic. People had come as early as 3 o'clock in the afternoon seeking the miracles that were occurring in his meetings. But the evangelist was under discipline from his own respected denomination in Peru. Instead of submitting to correction and discipline, he simply moved his operations to Colombia. Toward the end of his campaign the local pastors had to go to him and rebuke him to his face for his unethical practices.

That such examples might be multiplied endlessly does not negate the possibility or the reality of spiritual gifts. It simple demonstrates what I said earlier: spiritual gifts have no clear connection to spirituality or Christ-adorning behavior. If they are genuine gifts, they are received from the Lord in a spiritual experience. There are many who have begun in the Spirit but have ended in the flesh - gifts operating all the while.

A youthful companion and friend in the ministry experienced the gift of tongues. Years later he was about to repudiate it as invalid. His reasoning was, "I doubted the tongues because I was able to exercise it and live in sin at the same time."

Because of the prevailing attitude toward tongues not too many charismatics confront this issue, but Don Basham is one who does.

 We have mistakenly assumed the gifts of the Spirit were an endorsement of character.

 Although people tend to accept the gifts of the Spirit as the mark of the true or false apostle or prophet, the word of God insists it is Christ-like character, not the miraculous gifts, which determine His status.

 God gives and doesn't take back.

 "For the gifts and the call of God are irrevocable" (Romans 11:29, RSV).

 This scripture verse offers another explanation for the existence of the false prophet who manifests genuine gifts. The word "gifts" used in this verse is the word charismata, the same word Paul uses to describe spiritual gifts in First Corinthians 12. So Paul implies that God gives spiritual gifts to men and no matter what sin a man may fall into, God does not revoke His gifts. Here we have a conflict between what man thinks God should do and what God chooses to do. The understandable human reaction is, "If I were God, I wouldn't do it that way. If I gave a miraculous ministry to a man and he fell into sin, I'd take the power away."

That's the human way, all right: pour out the miracles as long as the man behaves himself, but snatch them away the moment he steps out of line. But that is not God's way.

 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:8-9, KJV).

 Our responsibility is not to try to change God's methods but to understand His ways and flow with them. We need to say with David:

"Shew me thy ways, 0 Lord; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation;..." (Psalm 25:4-5, KJV).

 But since the gifts of the Holy Spirit are not given because a man behaves properly, neither are they removed because a man behaves improperly! ²

A word of caution here. A good man does not necessarily have good doctrine. The most dangerous of false prophets is one who has excellent character - and diabolical doctrine: Paul repeatedly urged Timothy to watch doctrine (1 Tim. 4).

Why God sovereignly bestows His gifts without repentance I cannot say. But Satan knows well how to take advantage of divine order. And as long as Christians make spiritual gifts marks of spirituality they fall into enemy hands. Of the false prophets Jesus repeatedly said, "By their fruits ye shall know them."

Let's consider another principle: God divides severally as He wills. God's gifts are given plurally, in His will (1 Cor. 12:1, 11). This charismatic plurality opens up a wide vista which beckons the believer. Through all his Christian experience he can be and should be coveting the best gifts, remembering always that plurality is in God's will.

I must interject here that just because God divides the gifts as He wills, we need not be paralyzed in our prayers. He can and often does reveal His will concerning specific spiritual gifts. "Covet earnestly" is a strong term in the original language.

But, and this is yet another principle relating to spiritual gifts, the spiritual gifts are not to be demanded. God divides "severally as he wills." To demand what may not be God's will' draws the believer off the security of biblical ground and allows the enemy to substitute the false and demonic.

And let there be no doubt that this happens especially with the gift of tongues, which many tend to demand.

It is often claimed that if one covers himself with the blood of Jesus Christ, there is no danger of deception or the demonic.

But in practical experience a fairly large percentage of charismatic seekers get into difficulty right there.

Why? I, for one, stoutly believe in the protection and efficacy of Jesus' incorruptible blood now. In spiritual warfare on numerous occasions I have claimed and appreciated the present power of the blood of Christ.

But, we would agree, a man could not go out and commit adultery and avoid entanglement with Satan while he committed adultery because he was claiming the protection of Jesus' blood. Adultery has to be off-limits, off biblical ground.

In Moses' time the Israelis in Egypt were protected by the blood on the doorposts. Only the homes of the Jews were protected. Had an Israeli firstborn son ventured out that dark night, he would surely have died.

The analogy is clear. Christians who forsake biblical ground to seek experiences out of God's will are vulnerable. And all too frequently, they are the helpless victims of Satan - because they have foolishly forsaken biblical ground to demand a certain charismatic manifestation. Jesus' blood has lost none of its power. But it is not an indiscriminate cover for all kinds of strange and eccentric behavior.

In passing I have already emphasized that the spiritual gifts are to be coveted earnestly. When we get down to business it is not long till God meets us. The first step in seeking spiritual gifts is always to submit to God's will (1 Cor. 12:11: Heb. 2:4). Once God's will is clear regarding a certain gift, seek with all your heart; you will not be disappointed.

Still another principle: Prophecy is the most desirable gift. Today we live in an evangelical era reluctantly engrossed with the gift of tongues. And I cannot escape this atmosphere, as you have noted by the title of this book.

Imagine what the situation might be around the world if the charismatic emphasis in the church of Jesus Christ focused on inspired preaching. We are especially to desire to prophesy (1 Cor. 14:5). Instead, to our detriment and the enemy's advantage. we are often warring over tongues.

Now a final principle: Not all speak with tongues. We might as easily say that not all are apostles, but not all are seeking to be apostles. Unfortunately, in many situations, all are seeking to speak in tongues. And the Scriptures clearly point to the contrary. In 1 Corinthians 12:29, 30 the answer to each question is presumed to be no. At least that is what the English suggests. But the Greek is stronger. Preceding each of the questions in the original language is the Greek negative mē. The only possible answer is no. Not all are apostles and not all speak in tongues. The series of negatives is especially important when tongues are mentioned because that is where the church is hurting today.

Personally, I feel that to say not all will speak with tongues "in the church" is to evade what Paul is saying here. In verse 27, Paul appears to be referring to the body of Christ, not just to the Corinthian assembly or to a church meeting.

And if the "in the church" emphasis circumnavigates a plain statement of scripture, could it not in some cases blow a hole in the protective dike Paul's teaching seeks to place around Christ's church?

The seeking after tongues also is contrary to the divine exhortation to seek His face (Ps. 27:8), Instead of the head we are absorbed with the hand. Distorted seeking can only beget strange finding. Surely we should seek the Giver, not the gifts!

To insist or imply all must or could speak in tongues is to disfigure the body. There are six places in the New Testament where Paul lists spiritual abilities. In each case there is a context relating to the body of Christ. To magnify one gift is like having a nose a yard long, or an ear draping on the ground. It is wrong to caricature the body of Christ. Each gift in its place fits into the body. And not all the members are the same. Every cell in the body is a microcosm of the whole, but when one cell seeks to be everything, that is cancer.

One other important point I wish to make. It is not accidental that each of the six lists of spiritual gifts basks in a context relating to love. Indeed it can be said that the teaching about spiritual gifts floats upon a sea of love. Love, in another figure, is the lubricating oil which facilitates the function of spiritual gifts.

Love is so important and so powerful that had our Lord insisted that we choose between gifts and love, the choice would obviously have been love. Thank God the way is not that narrow. Our Lord says, "Make love your aim, and desire spiritual gifts." It is like a railroad with two tracks. It is not a monorail.