Two articles addressing different aspects of the Atongues@
debate recently arrived in my email inbox. The authors=
views provoked several responses regarding the nature and function of the gift
of Atongues.@
In the first article I read, the writer was responding to the
cessationist-continuationist argument (Did some of the Amiraculous@ gifts cease after the apostolic era,
or have they continued into the present day? By the way, are not all spiritual
gifts miraculous to some extent?) That author, in his article, supported the
concept of continuation of all gifts. He did focus more on the so-called gift
of tongues than any of the other dramatic gifts.
Now, the thrust of the writer=s
position, from my perspective, is valid: all the gifts continue to this day. On
the other hand, as will be shown later, my view of one of the gifts is not the
same as the writer of the article on cessationism vs. continuationism.
Nonetheless, arguing some or all of the gifts have ceased strikes at the heart
of the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. The author rightly stated, Anot a single clear verse of Scripture .
. . teaches that the workings of the Spirit would alter or cease.@ Yet, in a kind of conflicted way, he
said Awe should
see today exactly what was seen in NT days.@
If the work of the Holy Spirit has neither been altered nor
changed, then we must be seeing and experiencing today what believers in the NT
era saw and experienced. The above referenced author seems to take a view others
often express: we believers can hinder the work of God. He stated, AThe question is whether the changes
from that era to this are what God wants or are evidence that we have in some
way quenched the Spirit.@
I have two responses to that statement and the belief we can hinder God=s work. Is God sovereign? If so, he
gets what he wants in spite of what we do or do not do. Further, based on Paul=s statements to the Philippians (1:6
and 2:13), God is the one who started a good work in us, he is working in us
still, and will complete his work. The concept of quenching the Spirit requires
more space than we can give in this article, so we’ll not go there.
Second, is God the author of change, or is he the victim of
change? The Lord said through Isaiah, ARemember
this, and be assured; recall it to mind, you transgressors. Remember the former
things long past, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is
no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times
things which have not been done, saying, >My
purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure=@
Unless the Lord has changed his mind and methods, He still is in control of all
things and will accomplish his purpose. Even Israel in her rebellion could not
hinder God.
So, the Holy Spirit, being the third person of the Trinity,
is bringing to completion in the lives of all true believers the good work God
has started. Jesus said, AMy
Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.@
The author of article on cessationism quoted Paul, who said to the Corinthians,
ABut to each one is given the
manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. . . . But one and the same
Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He
wills.@ (12:7,
11) The Holy Spirit gives gifts (how he workds) to whom he chooses, as well as
giving the gift he decides each believer should have. The Spirit has been
working in the church and in the lives of individual believers since Pentecost.
He still gives gifts Afor
the common good.@
The gift(s) with which the Spirit endows a particular
believer are for the Body, not the individual. Let me restate that comment: no
gift is intended for the personal benefit of the individual believer. Each and
every gift is for the common good of the whole Body of Christ. We find our
place of ministry by virtue of the gift(s) we have received. As individuals, we
are not told to seek any particular gift. But, you might ask, what about 1 Cor.
12:31 and 14:1? Let=s look at
those verses. In v. 31, the verb translated Aearnestly
desire@ is a
second person plural. In the Southern idiom, we would say, AY=all
seek the greater gifts.@
How about 14:1? AY=all pursue love, and y=all seek the spiritual things.@ (Paul did not use the word charisma
in 14:1, but pneumatika. Based on his use elsewhere of that word, we
must understand the term to mean spiritual things, not spiritual gifts.)
The Body, wherever manifested, should, as a corporate
entity, seek to have the greater spiritual gifts revealed through it. In 14:1,
Paul appears to have suggested prophecy (forth-telling, not foretelling) was
one of, if not the most important gift (see 12:28-29). Why should we seek to
have the greater gifts manifested in our local bodies of believers? The greater
gifts (see also Romans 12:4-8, and Ephesians 4:11-13) lend themselves to the
building up of the Body of Christ more than the less significant gifts (cf. 1
Cor. 12:22-25). Further, the function of gifts is the building up of the Body
of Christ, the equipping of the Body (and its individual members) for ministry.
Gifts are not meant to enhance the individual.
The Spirit has been doing just that, equipping the saints
for the work of ministry, through engifted members of the church since Pentecost,
and continues doing so to this day.
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