Richard T
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- Mar 25, 2018
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You are right about the baptism, and the corporate gift, but I believe there is more within the gift "various kinds of tongues. "The latter a gift of the spirit as the Holy spirit wills. But what does it do? What operations can it include? How is just speaking in a tongue in a corporate setting a full ministry? So here are the various possibilities that I will list for the gift various kinds of tongues.
1. It may allow the speaker to speak in a foriegn language to hearers that understand. In Acts 2 this occurred but is it the baptism or the gift? To me that is impossible to know from scripture. How can I say that? Because later some prophecied when recieving the Holy Spirit. So they went straight to the gift of prophecy after being baptized in the Holy Spirit. So it certainly could be that some went straight to the gift various kinds of tongues and skipped their own prayer language in Acts 2 at least for the moment. This helps explain why some were seen as drunk. Acts 2 does not reveal that all those spoke in foriegn languages. That some seemed drunk does not seem to indicate a foriegn language but rather something else.
2. Here we agree that the gift various kinds of tongues may include the Holy Spirit beckoning to give a corporate tongue that will be interpreted. I do not necessarily agree that it is a ministry yet. I say that because some new converts can do this. Perhaps it later becomes a ministry but not all that prophecy are set apart, so why would all those that speak in tongues in a corporate setting be set apart?
3. The gift various kinds of tongues renders the reciever far more open to foreigners, cultures, languages etc. Just as there are tongues and tribes in the OT mentioned in Genesis, this operation of tongues if part of the various kinds of tongues is not glossollalia but rather a desire to connect to others. That just as Babel seperated people's tongues and nations, the gift various kinds of tongues brings them together. This connection is supernatural because it is consistent and it motivates the one with the gift. Here is an academic source that helped confirm this to me.
Soal, A.D. & Henry, D., 2018 ‘The reversal of Babel: Questioning the early church’s understanding of the gift of the Holy Spirit in Acts as a reversal of the curse of Babel’, Verbum et Ecclesia 39(1), a1842. https://doi. org/10.4102/ve.v39i1.1842
Granted these ministers do not take the gift far because they do not believe in the other operations of tongues. Still, they have a compelling argument and one that I would include and even expand on in teaching about this gift.
There are some other diversities too. Part of the issue is that for those with the gift various kinds of tongues, especially if set apart for this, can't know exactly what is of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, versus the gift various kinds of tongues. A metaphor might be a race car driver that does not know what is under the hood. A driver that always had a blower on the engine might expect that to be on all cars. A driver without the blower might have no idea what it is. Both can drive but one has an additional gift that can operate. Similarily it is hard for a prophet to know what is simply the gift of prophecy versus the set apart position and ministry of the prophet. Add in the diversity of administrations and operations and you have a powerful set of uses for all the gifts of the Spirit which likely no man can experience or know all things about them. Certainly the bible is rather purposely silent on especially the gift of faith, word of knowledge, and word of wisdom. That over the years we think we have a sense of what they entail, but it is more experienced based than bible based for quite a bit of this. Tongues is even more complicated though because everyone can be baptized but not everyone can excercise the gift "various kinds of tongues." That is exactly why Paul said "not everyone speaks in tongues" he was refering to the gift various kinds of tongues in context, versus the baptism which all can recieve.
Here is a list of uses of tongues from the late Ernie Gruen, a pastor from Kansas. While this too is not complete, it also does not distinguish between the gift "various kinds of tongues" versus the tongue resulting from the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I have thought about this subject some 40 years and I still can not unpack all of it. Again, evidence that the church does not regonize the ministry of those set apart in :"various kinds of tongues" shows that there is a long way to go. Most are likely labeled missionaries and that may also be true in some cases, but there are facilitators in the church that go about doing God's work, bringing the people to God back together and utlizing tongues in a way that most do not even consider.
Another underutilized area of tongues is the ability to pray the mysteries of God and in some cases interpret back a better revelation and understanding of the word. Dave Roberson, minister that spoke in tongues as a lifestyle suggests this and much more. https://daveroberson.org/Media/1600/2011-09.mp3 -Tape, Paul's source of revelation knowledge." It seems possible this is a gift to all, rather than part of the gift "various kinds of tongues.
The Twenty Two Scriptural Values of Speaking in Tongues
Excerpt from pastor Ernie Gruen "(What is the value of the gift of tongues? Who would need or want it?”— Personal Testimony)
1. It is a supernatural way that the deepest part of you, your spirit, is fully released to worship God.
What is the verb in this passage? I Cor. 14:14-15; I Thes 5:23 [Psychology is based on an erroneous assumption
that your intellect is the center of you! [You must see that “tongue’s is prayer by your spirit; this will change your
whole concept. [Have you ever been hurt in your spirit? [The Gift of tongues is the prayer part of the Baptism in
the Holy Spirit!] [It is not gibberish, it is prayer.]
2. It is a supernatural way to sing to the Lord Jesus, a new song of the Lord! I Cor: 14:15
3. It is a supernatural way to bless others with the Spirit, in the Spirit. I Cor. 14:16
Notice the phrase “occupy the room of the unlearned” (Greek idiots = ignoramus, illiterate, uneducated.
4. It is a supernatural way to give thanks well to God -- to keep a thankful spirit! I Cor. 14:17
5. It is a supernatural way to enhance your private devotions. I Cor 14:18-20.
6. It is a supernatural sign to those who do not believe in the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. 1 Cor 14:22
7. Praying in tongues is a supernatural means of staying free from contamination by the ungodly filthy, talk and
actions while at work or school. You can secretly, silently, speak to yourself and God. It builds a wall shutting
everything out. You can shut out unbelief and criticism also. I Cor 14:18 [John Osteen Illustration]
[Five ways to resist the devil: silence, rebuke, rebellion, quote Scripture and praying in the spirit!]
8. It is a supernatural way to speak mysteries to God which the devil can not understand.
(The only way he could understand, would be, that God gave him the interpretation). I Cor. 14:2;
I Cor 13:1--This passage is a reference to an angelic language.
9. It is a supernatural way to build yourself up in the inner man.
This eliminates selfishness from prayers; it is a perfect prayer coming from you spirit. I Cor 14:3-4
10. It is a supernatural way to give a prophetic message to edify the whole church. I Cor: 14:5, 39.
Do you agree with Paul? This message is for a particular person/group, and for a particular situation.
11. The Gift of tongues brings the “rest” of the Lord to those who are weary, yet they would not hear.
1 Cor 14:21; compare Isa 28:11-12 and (Heb 4:9-10).
12. It is a heavenly “refreshing” that lets the Holy Spirit’s life i.e. His fruit flow into you.
Isa 28:11-12; compare Gal 5:22-23. [Speaking in tongues is a Holy Ghost coffee break]
13. It is a way of preaching the wonderful works of God in a language you never learned. Acts 2:1-13.
14. It is a supernatural way of praise and worship -- a supernatural way of magnifying God.
Acts 10:44-46. Since it is worship, it is one of the most important gifts enabling you to express love to Jesus.
[If it is a way to worship, who cares if it is the evidence of anything—you want it.]
15. It is a supernatural way to make intercession according to the will of God, when you do not know how to
pray. Rom 8:26-27, “with groanings that can not be uttered” or articulated in a known language.
[Anna Flowers--Swahili--Ruby the missionary in Africa.]
16. It is a means of watching in prayer—God gives visions or mental pictures while you intercede for others.
Eph. 6:18 [Prayer is the seventh piece of armor in spiritual warfare!]
17. It is a supernatural way to build yourself up in the most holy faith. [Jude 20-21]
Faith is the only item listed both as a fruit and gift of the Holy Spirit.
18. It is a supernatural way to keep yourself in the love of God. [Jude 20-21] See also Rom 5:5 [When you feel
resentment rising up—do three things: shut up; pray in tongues secretly; and do not speak until God speaks.]
19. It is a supernatural way of staying full of the Holy Spirit! It is much more than the evidence of the Baptism in the
Holy Spirit. When a person states that tongues is the evidence of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, it is a watered down
statement. They have understated the truth. It is the divinely appointed prayer method by which you get refilled
every day and thereby live full of the Holy Spirit constantly. [Zechariah 4:6] [Acts 2:4; 4:8, 31; 13:9]
20. The gift of tongues is the gateway into all the other gifts of the Holy Spirit, since it is prayer.
When you pray in tongues the Holy Spirit begins to flow in revelation and power. [See I Cor 12:7-11]
I have found that praying in tongues is the key to moving in the three revelation gifts.
21. It is the supernatural way of taming the tongue. [James 3:1-10.] The tongue that has cursed, argued,
complained, gossiped, slandered, been guilty of backbiting, boasting, and all kinds of foolishness is at last tamed.
A person praying in the spirit can pray a perfect prayer of praise and intercession. Ironically, the unruly member is
the only member of the body that can be perfect before the rapture.
22. It is a unique spiritual gift identified with the New Testament Church, being the fulfillment of the prophecy
by Jesus that believers would speak in tongues. [Mk 16:17] All the gifts of the Holy Spirit, including miracles,
deliverance, and healing occurred in the Old Testament. The two exceptions are speaking in tongues and the
interpretation of tongues. Thus these two gifts are identified with the N. T. Church, the Body of Jesus Christ"
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