what does the bible actually teach about the gifts, seems to me Paul is quite confident that the gifts are under the authority of those who possess them (see 1 Corinthians 14:32)...
We partially agree, but lets look at that "spirits of the prophets" again, its not "spirits of prophecy" as though the Corinthians were spiritists, heeding spirits.
The genitive "of the prophets" requires Paul is referring to the human spirits of those prophesying, they have control over their own spirits and aren't in a uncontrollable state or ecstasy.
The Holy Spirit doesn't overrule free will, His guidance is gentle and in love. To do otherwise would be against the whole idea of divine creation in love for fellowship.
This "prophesying" is like that seen in modern non charismatic churches during small Bible study:
26 How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. (1Co 14:26 NKJ)
Believers read scripture that "spoke to them" in a special way. One must recall the context, this was before the Bible was completed, they were comparatively speaking, at a disadvantage. They had to go on memory of what was taught, people often do get things wrong.
That it isn't equivalent to scripture prophecy, is expressly stated by Paul:
36 Or did the word of God come originally from you? Or was it you only that it reached? (1Co 14:36 NKJ)
Paul (and the other apostles) prophesied the very word of God (1 Thess 2:13), to the Corinthians, the Word of God reached them, it didn't spring from them during their meetings. Hence two or three mature believers were to judge what was being "prophesied" to ensure consistency with the apostolic faith.
In other words, they could be wrong and not labeled "false prophets" (as would be required if a spirit were speaking through them and they prophesied falsely). Their own human spirit might have misunderstood what was revealed to them, and the mature believers (prophets) could assist correcting the mistake.
That the tongues spoken at this time---by the minority (for only a majority could forbid a practice 1 Cor 14:49), were translatable language even if the tongues speaker didn't understand it, is clear from Paul's insistence it could be interpreted. Interpretation requires syntax, which modern tongues notably lack.
God spoke to the Jews by these tongues, which is impossible if it weren't a language. If no interpreter, then it was not profitable for the church to speak tongues, then prophecy (expository preaching of apostolic teaching) was clearly the better choice:
20 Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature.
21 In the law it is written: "With men of other tongues and other lips I will speak to this people; And yet, for all that, they will not hear Me," says the Lord.
22 Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe.
23 Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind?
24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. (1Co 14:20-24 NKJ)
I believe 1 Corinthians was written around 50 AD, by 66 AD, just before the destruction of the Temple, signs confirming the Word was "of God" are spoken of as having accomplished their purpose, and now are referred to in the past tense, "was confirmed":
3 how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,
4 God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?
(Heb 2:3-4 NKJ)
The destruction of the Temple was the final sign to the Jews Judaism, the old covenant, was over. Tongues were then redundant and clearly phased out, never again are they spoken of.
The clear testimony of scripture is the apostolic faith was "once for all delivered to the saints," resulting in a completed Bible "17 that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work (2Ti 3:17 NKJ) rendering tongues, prophecy and supernatural knowledge unnecessary.
But charismaniacs rose up, ungodly men who turned the grace of God into space for sin. Eyes full of idolatry, they feast on the wealth of their followers, promising freedom while they themselves are slaves to every sort of perversion and sin.
These waterless clouds say "I have a dream," and follow their experiences rather than loving the truth, they take pleasure in unrighteousness.
Publicly railing against glorious ones whose power and strength they cannot fathom, they learned nothing from the Archangel Michael's caution.
These wandering stars imagine they can control demons via magic incantations misusing the name of Christ. They learned nothing from the seven sons of Sceva (Acts 19:14ff), till suddenly they will.
3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.
4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
5 But I want to remind you, though you once knew this, that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.
6 And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day;
7 as Sodom and Gomorrah, and the cities around them in a similar manner to these, having given themselves over to sexual immorality and gone after strange flesh, are set forth as an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
8 Likewise also these dreamers defile the flesh, reject authority, and speak evil of dignitaries.
9 Yet Michael the archangel, in contending with the devil, when he disputed about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him a reviling accusation, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!"
10 But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves.
11 Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah.
12 These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots;
13 raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.
14 Now Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, "Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints,
15 "to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him."
16 These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage.
(Jud 1:3-16 NKJ)
25 "I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in My name, saying,`I have dreamed, I have dreamed!'
26 "How long will this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies? Indeed they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart,
27 "who try to make My people forget My name by their dreams which everyone tells his neighbor, as their fathers forgot My name for Baal.
28 "The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream; And he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat?" says the LORD.
29 "Is not My word like a fire?" says the LORD, "And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?
30 "Therefore behold, I am against the prophets," says the LORD, "who steal My words every one from his neighbor.
31 "Behold, I am against the prophets," says the LORD, "who use their tongues and say,`He says.'
32 "Behold, I am against those who prophesy false dreams," says the LORD, "and tell them, and cause My people to err by their lies and by their recklessness. Yet I did not send them or command them; therefore they shall not profit this people at all," says the LORD.
33 "So when these people or the prophet or the priest ask you, saying,`What is the oracle of the LORD?' you shall then say to them,`What oracle?' I will even forsake you," says the LORD.
34 "And as for the prophet and the priest and the people who say,`The oracle of the LORD!' I will even punish that man and his house.
(Jer 23:25-34 NKJ)
