Speaking of Tongues

Holman Bible Dictionary defined Glossolalia or speaking in tongues as “Spiritual gift involving ability to speak in foreign language(s) not previously studied or to respond to experience of the Holy Spirit by uttering sounds which those without the gift of interpretation could not understand.” Millard Erickson stretched to us the different observation, guidelines, argument of the speaking in tongues. Although I’m not interested so much on this topic because of my past experienced but as I read the book there are things that I’ve learned. First, the gifts are bestowed to the church for edification of the whole body.  Perhaps it edifies the church physically and spiritually but in the other hand not all Christian functions like that, since glossolalia is just one of the gifts. As Paul said again and again  “there are different kinds…, but the same…” and concluded that “all these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.” So glossolalia is not for everybody but only for selected one that help the church’s edification.

I would rather understand Paul as he wrote the Corinth church. As if he was motivating the Christians to exercise the gifts that were given to them. In 1 Corinthians 14 I noted the phrase “I would like every one of you to speak in tongues…” so, it suggest of Paul’s encouragement to them. Acts 2 says “they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak different languages…” everybody in that room were experienced glossolalai. Likewise Paul experienced glossolalia and he wanted to inspire the Corinthian church to do the same. I don’t know if the Corinthian church did what Paul said just like what we, CAMACOP are doing today. I believed that the Holy Spirit dwells in me and he gives me some gifts. Some CAMACOP churches exercise glossolalia and I observed in Davao that they started right but ends with division, some reputation and integrity were injured because of this teaching. Somewhere in Luzon, I visited one of the churches, and the leader said “I will not trust pastors because they only want our cash” he was referring to the deliverance ministries where the pastor challenged and got all their possessions during that night. After two weeks he found out that the Rolex watch that he offered was using by that pastor. Not only was the church damaged but the reputation of the pastors as well.

Well, I agree with Erickson that we need “to evaluate each case… we cannot assume that everyone who claims to have had a special experience…” because our enemy find holes to disturb Christians as 1 Peter 5:8 says “your enemy the devil… he is like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour…” so as Christian we would stand firm in the Lord.

I would rather go with discerning spirit than speaking in tongues, because God gave direct revelation to individuals who would communicate that revelation to the church. It was the basis before the scriptures completed. “Those having this gift were given the supernatural ability to determine if the revelation was from God or if it was false.” How? If there are two or three who spoke the revelation of God in the church those having the gift of discerning  spirits are to determine if it is from God (1 Cor. 14:29; cf. 1 Thess. 5:20-21). I believed that as a church, we are united in Christ by “being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose” as Philippians two narrated.