1 Corinthians 12:1-3
1 Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant.
2 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols.
3 Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.[/QUOTE]
Do you profess that Jesus is Lord with all your heart?
If yes, than according to Paul, you have the Holy Spirit.
Mainstream Pentecostalism has many millions of people believing that if they don't speak in tongues than they don't have the Holy Spirit. But Paul says otherwise. Our confession of Christ is enough evidence that the Holy Spirit is evident in our live.
But what are these gifts then. Read on.
4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.
6 There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.
7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good.
The gifts of the spirit are given for the common good of what? The body of Christ. Not you or I. Gifts of the spirit are used for edification and evangelism. Not as evidence that you or I are filled with the Holy Spirit. Paul said at the beginning of the chapter that if you confess Christ as Lord you are filled. So the fact that we are believers together and confess Christ is enough evidence that you and I are both filled.
But what about the gifts?
To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit,
9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit,
10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.
11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.
There is no doubt about it that there are Spiritual Gifts. Actually 9 of em. In verse 11 Paul says something that is completely missed by most pentecostals today. The Holy Spirit give to us as HE determines not what we think we should have because our denomination or some friend or our, God forbid, our Pastor says so.
Most churches today teach that Tongues is THE ONLY initial evidence. But that is just not true. Tongues can be a evidence, but it is not the ONLY evidence. Tongues was so prevelant in the Book of Acts because it was used as a tool of evangelism. Not because each believer needed evidence of the new converts. Why was 3000 added to the church on the day of pentecost. Not because of Tongues ONLY. But because tongues was used as a tool of evangelism. It caught the attention of those listening because they heard their own language being spoken by those who should not. Then Peter using many of the other gifts of the spirit gave the sermon of his life and 3000 were added to the church.
Just because tongues is mentioned more than the other gifts in Acts does not make it the pinnicle or the only evidence we should look to for the infilling. Paul said, our confession shows that the Holy Spirit is in ones life.
Acts is a historical book. It is a book of snapshots. Events that took place in the first century church. The only way that we could build doctrine and theology from Acts is if Acts contained close to all the events in the first century. Because it doesn't we have to use other NT writtings. And Paul is the best resource.
So if everyone is to speak in tongues why does Paul say this at the end of Ch. 12...
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
28 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.
29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?
30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?
31 But eagerly desire the greater gifts.
Paul is clearly making the point that not everyone will excersize all the same gifts. Early in the chapter Paul explains that we are a body. And that body is made up of different parts. Imagine if we all talked in tongues but no one ever excersized none of the other 8 gifts. Think if our bodies were all made up of noses. We wouldn't be very effective, and we would die. Same with the body of Christ.
So remember this.
You proclaim Christ as your lord. That is evidence that you are filled.
There are 9 gifts of the spirit. Not just tongues.
As Paul said, seek out what the Spirit wants YOU to have and not what everyone thinks you should have.
Your gift maybe teaching, Faith, wisdom, prophecy, Discernment, Knowledge, healing or miracles... Let the Holy Spirit work in you. And if He wants you to have tongues you will, WHEN IT IS NECCESSARY. Tongues today are spoken so much that most of it is not genuine. Sorry to say that. But tongues had a purpose back in the First Century. It wasn't used like it is being used today.
Seek out a gift that will benefit the body of believers that you belong to. And if they insist on you speaking in tongues as evidence, tell them to read 1 Corinthians 12.
