1 corinthians 12-14, the gift of tongues

Read 1 Corinthians 12-14 at Bible Gateway.

We have seen that Paul in these chapters explained the prescribed path of the Spirit, in giving gifts, so that we may identify Him when He is working (and just as importantly, identify imposters when they are working). He has explained the purpose of the gifts of the Spirit and thus the fruit that is produced when they are exercised. He has explained their proper operation and use, privately and corporately. Now let's look at the individual gifts more closely.

The most misunderstood one is no doubt tongues, and it happens to be the one with the most instruction! None of the gifts of the Spirit are a New Testament phenomenon only. There is a tradition among the rabbis, that when Moses made the covenant with Israel on Mt. Sinai, and went up to receive the Torah on tablets of stone, that the Spirit came upon the 70 elders who were with him, and they each spoke in the tongues of the nations (Exo 24:9-11).

There were 70 primal nations that rebelled against YHVH at Babel (Gen 10-11:9), and restoring the 70 nations (and their descendants today) to the worship of YHVH, praising Him in their tongues, is part of God's plan that He is implementing through the Seed of the Woman (Gen 3:15, Rev 7:9-11).

What is even more amazing, is that the day Moses went up to Sinai, was 50 days following their deliverance through the Red Sea (the days of their journeying are recorded in Exodus). Their deliverance through the Red Sea was three days following Passover. Jesus was crucified on Passover, and rose from the dead three days later, on the Feast of Firstfruits! Paul teaches that Israel going through the Red Sea is a type of baptism (1 Cor 10:1-2), picturing those who would come to faith in Jesus Christ and dying, being buried, and rising with Him! Fifty days following the resurrection of Jesus was the Feast of Pentecost (fifty in Greek), or Weeks (in English). On this day the Holy Spirit was given to the ekklesia as they were gathered in the upper room, and they each spoke in the tongues of the nations, magnifying God (Act 2)!

So on the appointed time (moed in Hebrew, translated feast in English) of Passover, Israel was delivered by the blood of the Passover lamb, and on that same day years later, Jesus was crucified for the sins of the world. On the appointed time of Firstfruits, Israel went through the Red Sea, and on that same day years later, Jesus was raised from the dead. On the appointed time of Pentecost or Weeks, Moses went up to Sinai to receive God's Word in Torah, and the 70 elders of Israel spoke in the tongues of the 70 nations as the Spirit descended on them. And on that same day, years later, the Spirit fell upon the believers, and they also spoke in the tongues of the nations. (A whole book could be written about the significance of the Torah and the Spirit given from God on the same day, starting with the fact that the Word (including Torah) and the Spirit are one! But I will stop for now at Eze 36:25-27.)

Back to tongues: it is clear from reading Acts and 1 Corinthians, that there are two aspects of the gift of tongues. One aspect is that it is a gift given to every one who believes upon the Lord Jesus, and a sign that they have received the infilling of the Holy Spirit upon their conversion (Mar 16:17, Act 2:4, 10:46, 19:6). Tongues speak to God (1 Cor 14:2), out of the spirit, through the agency of the Spirit, bypassing the human mind (1 Cor 14:9-11). As such it is a pure communication from us to God, through the Spirit making intercession for us when we do not know how or what to pray, untainted by the thoughts of the flesh or the lies of the enemy (Rom 8:26-27). Paul refers to this private or personal gift as praying with the Spirit, singing with the Spirit, blessing with the Spirit, and giving thanks with the Spirit (1 Cor 14:15-17).

The second aspect of this gift, the public aspect, is often confused, because some do not realize that the Scriptures reveal two separate manifestations of the Spirit, both of which are called tongues. Paul explained all these things to the churches when he was establishing them in person, and since he was writing his letters later on, addressing specific questions or concerns, he did not re-establish as doctrine from the beginning every thing that he had already imparted to them. This is why, when reading Paul's letters, we have to be careful to let the rest of Scripture also inform us on his meaning, so that we do not accidentally distort his meaning (2 Pet 3:14-16).

The private gift, which edifies the individual (1 Cor 14:4), is given to every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ (Mar 16:17). The public gift, which edifies the church when certain conditions are met, is given to some, not all (1 Cor 12:10, 30), its purpose being to profit all in the Body (1 Cor 12:7). The public gift is a declaration of "thus saith the Lord," just as prophecy is. However, since the public gift is spoken in a tongue, the only way it will profit all, is if someone who has the companion gift of interpretation of tongues, follows the declaration in tongues with the interpretation, or translation (1 Cor 14:5, 13). Then the church will be edified, when they understand what the Lord has said to them (1 Cor 14:6-12).

If someone, in a setting of public worship, receives a message in tongues, and there is no one there to interpret, then the proper way to exercise that gift, which reflects honor back to God, is to keep silent and not speak (1 Cor 14:27-28)! Some in the Church today speak their private gift of tongues in the setting of public worship, even though the commandment of the Lord is to refrain from doing so when there is no interpreter (1 Cor 14:27-28, 36-37), because it is a fleshly declaration to all, "The Spirit is operating in me and through me!"

Remember, however, that love is the heart of the things of the Spirit (as 1 Cor 13 is at the heart of the discourse on the things of the Spirit, 1 Cor 12-14); and love does not parade itself (1 Cor 13:4)! Thus the tongue spoken in public worship, out of a fleshly motivation to parade one's spirituality, is a tongue that profits nothing (1 Cor 13:1-3) - not the individual, nor the Body!

There is another mishandling of the gift of tongues, and that is to forbid its operation at all. There are entire denominations that forbid its operation! It is a commandment of the Lord to allow the gifts of the Spirit, including the gift of tongues, to operate (1 Cor 14:37-39)! Only, let their operation be in decency and in order, for the purpose of edifying the Body (1 Cor 14:26, 40).

gifts of the Spirit, 1 corinthians 12-14

Read 1 Corinthians 12-14 at Bible Gateway.

The three chapters of 1 Cor 12, 13, and 14 are instruction to the church concerning that which is of the Spirit. The word “gifts” in 1 Cor 12:1 is not in the Greek. Much that is in these chapters deal with gifts of the Spirit, but that is only a portion of Paul's topic. The greater topic is that which is of the Spirit.

These three chapters form a chiastic structure, and seeing it outlined will help make the big picture topic more clear:

1A 1 Cor 12:1-3 - not being ignorant concerning that which is of the Spirit;
1B 1 Cor 12:4-31 - the manifestation of the Spirit: not for self- exaltation but edification of all; not for competition but cooperation;
--> X 1 Cor 13 - Love, the heart of that which is of the Spirit;
2B 1 Cor 14:1-35 - the operation of the Spirit: not in showboating but edification; not in dishonor but in order, decency, and peace;
2A 1 Cor 14:36-40 - not being ignorant concerning that which is of the Spirit.

Each section of this structure, analyzed individually and in detail, reveals mini- chiastic structures and much truth concerning those who are spiritual. A whole book could be written about these three chapters, there is so much revealed in them.

For example, idolatry leads to ignorance of spiritual things (1 Cor 12:1-2). Of course this would be true, because the greatest truth of the spiritual world is that YHVH is God, He alone is God, and beside Him there is no other. The person who denies this fact does even know the easiest, most basic fundamental of that which is spiritual - he is completely and wholly ignorant.

The deception is that those who are pursuing spiritual “realities” other than YHVH, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, are spiritual. Nothing could be further from the truth! Doesn't the world make much of the Dalai Lama, or earth worship, etc? Doesn't the world elevate those “paths” as enlightened? And yet, those who are spiritual recognize the commandments of YHVH (1 Cor 14:37)! The greatest of which, is that YHVH alone is God, and we who are created, are to love Him will all that we are (Mat 22:34-40)!

The second part of the deception of idolatry is that only those involved in another religion are practicing idolatry - that everyone in the Body is exempt and can gloss over these warnings and assume that they must be spiritual then. Nothing could be further from the truth! Even the antichrist is going to come out from among the Body (1 Joh 2:18-19)! Any number of things can be elevated in the heart above YHVH: the lusts of the flesh; the love of money; reputation or fame or power; talent; fear of man; seeking to be approved of in the eyes of ones peers or the world; children or family; the list could go on and on. There are many famous ministers who have remained faithful to the Lord, and some that we have all heard of, who allowed the love of other things to crowd out the love of YHVH in their hearts. And when they were found out, their hypocrisy was splashed all over the world news.

So do not be awed by the things that the world is awed by. Do not be deceived into thinking that just because someone is doing or saying something that looks spiritual, that they are spiritual. The Holy Spirit does not mix with unholy spirits, and the distinction between them is crystal clear - for those who are submitted to YHVH as God, and who recognize that as God, He has the right to speak commandment, and be obeyed!

Another aspect of the Spirit that comes out in these chapters, is the recurring theme of edification. God doesn't just show off His power because we want to see something amazing, like going to the circus. Or because we hope that if the word gets out that miracles are happening at such and such a church, crowds will come, which means more money in offerings.

Edification is the purpose of the manifestation and operation of the Spirit. “Edify” comes from the same root as “edifice”. An edifice is a building, a large or massive structure. The Greek word translated edify or edification, means to build up (as a building). The root of the word in Greek and Hebrew means “the inhabited home.” Thus, The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish pulls it down with her hands (Pro 14:1). To edify means to establish, to make firm or stable, to cause to grow or multiply, to put in a favorable position.

Guess what? If an outpouring of the manifestation of the Spirit will cause the people in a church or the church itself to destabilize, because perhaps their maturity isn't such yet that fame and crowds will profit them, then that church will not have an outpouring of the Spirit, no matter how much time the prayer team spends praying for one. The Spirit will not do that which does not edify or profit the Body.

But, it is clear from Paul's letter, that the gifts of the Spirit have been given to edify the Body. The ekklesia is to earnestly desire them (1 Cor 14:1)! Pray for them, but then receive all the Spirit gives with joy and thanksgiving! The Spirit gives miraculous gifts - tongues, healings, and miracles - and also what the human mind tends to think of as more mundane gifts - leadership, teaching, exhortation, and helps (Rom 12:4-8) - to the Body! One problem has been, that some of the Church who excel in the traditional things of the Spirit (like teaching) reject the charismatic things of the Spirit (like tongues); likewise, some of the Church who excel in the charismatic de- emphasize the traditional. They are ALL of the Spirit! Let the Lord determine what gift, ministry, and activity of the Spirit is needful at each season, for He gives to each as HE wills (1 Cor 12:11), and let us not be disappointed if it is not one of the showy ones, nor puffed up if it is!

1 corinthians 14

Read 1 Corinthians 14 at Bible Gateway.

Back in 1 Cor 12, we saw that Paul was explaining the prescribed path followed by the Holy Spirit in the gathering of the believers. The ministry of the Spirit and the effects of the Spirit, of healing or miracles or deliverance or power, among the body, will be with diversity, but the same prescribed path will be followed, so that we can recognize the Spirit.

Then Paul seemed to change subjects in explaining the agape love that the Father has for us and that we ought to have for each other. It is not a change of subject, as we can see from the continuation of the topic of the things of the Spirit in this chapter! Love is another aspect of the prescribed path of the Spirit! All the gifts, ministries, and activities of the Spirit are an expression of love from the Father to us, and through us to others. The chapter on love helps us to identify the Spirit, and identify the false spirits. Someone may come in among you and speak charismatically or even do miracles, but if the fruit of that does not express the love of the Father, either to us or through us to others, then, Paul is saying, that teaching, those miracles were not by the influence of the Holy Spirit.

So we have learned that the prescribed path of the Spirit means:

1) the Spirit, and the effect of the Spirit, will testify of Jesus and exalt Jesus as Lord (Joh 15:26, 1 Cor 12:3);
2) the Spirit, and the effect of the Spirit, will never accurse Jesus (1 Cor 12:3);
3) the Spirit, and the effect of the Spirit, will profit the body (1 Cor 12:7);
4) the Spirit, and the effect of the Spirit, will express agape love to us, and through us (1 Cor 13);
5) the Spirit, and the effect of the Spirit, works edification (1 Cor 14:3-4, 26);
6) the Spirit, and the effect of the Spirit, is peace, order, decency, and honoring of others (1 Cor 14:33, 40);
7) the gifts, ministries, and activities of the Spirit are subject to the person through whom the Spirit is working, so that peace, order, decency, and honor may be maintained. The Spirit does not “possess” a person so that he loses the exercise of his free will (1 Cor 14:32).

And something that was not mentioned in these chapters, but is mentioned elsewhere and is important to remember:

8) the Spirit, and the effect of the Spirit, bears witness to the truth and agrees with the Word of God (Joh 16:13).

This is so important, because people today have this crazy idea that the Spirit and the Word are somehow opposed to each other. That if you desire the Spirit, then God's Word and obedience to His Word is somehow legalistic or religious. Or if you desire His Word, and obedience to the truth, then the Spirit with His gifts, ministries, and activities are to be distrusted. The Scriptures do not teach the Spirit opposed to the Word, or the Word opposed to the Spirit, but the Spirit AND the Word:

“The LORD talked with you face to face on the mountain from the midst of the fire.” Deu 5:4

“Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them.” Eze 36:25-27

“Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God.”” Mat 22:29

“But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” Joh 4:23-24

“However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.” Joh 16:13

And many many other places throughout both testaments. The Word (Torah included) is our plumb line, our compass. It lets us know if we are still on the straight path, so that in all our ministry and operation through the Spirit, we do not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. The Spirit, in turn, breathes life into the Word, so that we can not only understand its message aright, but walk out its instructions in our daily lives! Walking by the Spirit does not mean abandoning the Word of God and the instructions it contains - it means obeying those instructions by the power of the Spirit (and succeeding) rather than by the (will) power of the flesh (and failing)!

1 corinthians 12

Read 1 Corinthians 12 at Bible Gateway.

“There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.” 1 Cor 12:4-6

This chapter opens with Paul not wanting the church to be ignorant of that which is of the Spirit. “Spirit” is in Greek, Strong's G4151, from the Hebrew root, Strong's H7307, ruach, jwr resh vav chet. The parent of this root is resh chet, from the ancient pictographs meaning the man outside the fence, or nomad. The Ancient Hebrew Lexicon reveals that all of the words in this family, which have the resh chet as their root, have to do with following a prescribed path. A nomad, even though he dwells as a man outside, follows a prescribed path through the wilderness to care for his flocks, as well as through the seasons.

Other words related to this root are travel; path; the shovel used for winnowing (at the prescribed season of the year), caravan (which follows the same route from point a to point b); an allowance of food or a diet (what is prescribed for that person), millstone (the upper stone follows the same path along the lower stone), wind (which follows set patterns of currents) and the moon, which follows its prescribed path in its cycles and through its orbit.

The breath of a person also follows a prescribed path of inhaling then exhaling. The Spirit, then, is like the breath, or like the wind - you cannot see Him, where He comes from or where He goes (Joh 3:8), but you can see His effects, as He follows a prescribed path. That is what the Hebrew reveals to us that the Greek does not.

In explaining the things of the Spirit, in this chapter, Paul is describing to the Corinthian church, what the Spirit's prescribed path is. We do not need to be deceived by false spirits or lying spirits or demonic spirits - because the Holy Spirit follows a prescribed path that allows us to identify Him.

The Spirit, then gives gifts, ministries, and activities to the Church in order to profit the Body. Gifts is in Greek, charisma, which is from the root Strong's G5485, charis, meaning grace - that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness. The Hebrew root is Strong's H2580, chen, chet nun. The ancient pictographs are of the fence and the seed. Chen, then, is the fence that continues; i.e., when the nomads encamped in a place, the families set up their tents so that all the tents formed a circle - a continuous fence. The tribal clan lived and worked within the circle, within the continuous fence. It was home. It was the place of family, of beauty, freedom, and mercy.

Ministries, in Greek, is Strong's G1248, diakonia, or service - the work of those who execute the commands of another. The Greek is a combination of two words, meaning, raising dust by hastening. Isn't that beautiful? The servant is about his master's business, and is not slack about it either.

Activities, in Greek, is Strong's G1755, energema, or a thing wrought. An activity of the Spirit results in a tangible effect as the result of putting forth power. I think we have made some artificial boundaries by saying that a miracle of healing is a gift of the Spirit, while a pastor who preaches a message of encouragement is tendering a ministry of the Spirit. All the work of the Spirit is a gift - a charis, a chen, a thing of beauty, freedom, mercy, and grace, or that which produces beauty, freedom, mercy, and grace in God's people.

How the Spirit effects grace, then, differs: it can be by the expending of supernatural power, as when someone is miraculously healed. It can be by the gentle leading inside the heart which allows one to forgive another. It can be by the service of the person who derives joy from providing food to the congregation during the weekly assembly of the believers. But the same Spirit that leads a person to clean the church's bathrooms is the same Spirit that reveals truth to the prophet or teaching elder and inspires him to deliver that truth in a clear and compelling way to the congregation. The same Spirit that empowers a widow's prayers of intercession, which no one sees, is the same Spirit that empowers an evangelist to preach so that thousands are saved, which everyone sees.

And then there is the crazy notion that gifts of the Spirit have ceased operating in the church today. It is a rejection of a certain class of charisma - that which is supernatural or obviously wrought by an agency other than man. The ekklesia will need the grace (gifts), ministry, and activity of the Spirit operating among it at least until the Lord returns! But, we have all seen that which gave cause for concern and doubt among the “Spirit- filled.” The Spirit follows a prescribed path, even among His diversities of gifts, ministries, and activities. The Spirit might do something amazing that we have not seen before. But, He will always follow the prescribed path. He will always exalt Jesus and will never accurse Him. The outpouring of His charis, His chen, will always result in profit for the body (vs. 7). And Paul will continue explaining the prescribed path of the Spirit in the next chapters.

Holy Spirit

gifts of the Spirit, romans 12
gifts of the Spirit, 1 corinthians 12
the Father's love, 1 corinthians 13
prescribed path of the Spirit, 1 corinthians 14
gifts of the Spirit, 1 corinthians 12-14
the gift of tongues, 1 corinthians 12-14

romans 12, the gifts of the Spirit

Read Romans 12 at Bible Gateway.

First a little background. God uses several literary devices in Torah to get His point across. He wants to be understood, but He does not throw His pearls before swine (Mat 7:6). His gold and silver requires a bit deeper digging, but treasure can be unearthed for those willing to look for it (Pro 2:1-6)! Some of these are:

The plain meaning of the text. God's Word literally means what it literally says. Duh, but often overlooked.

Patterns and repetition. God establishes patterns in the narrative. Then He often breaks the pattern to draw attention to the break. For an important reason!

Paragraph divisions. The Spirit gave Moses paragraph breaks in the original ancient Hebrew. There are two kinds - a weak division and a strong division. A weak division indicates another facet of the same theme. A strong division indicates a new theme. These paragraph divisions have been preserved through generations by the Hebrew scribes who faithfully copied every letter of Torah. They were discarded by the English translators. But the thing is, often God includes things in one of His paragraphs for a reason - He is trying to make a point! He is trying to teach us something! Where the paragraph divisions AREN'T are often just as telling as where they are!

Comparison and contrast. Examples are: Cain and Abel, Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob and Esau, Israel and Canaan. The Word and the Spirit. Grace and Law. Faith and Works. The contrast between two things throws a spotlight on each, which is revealing.

Original Hebrew. The Torah was penned in ancient Hebrew, God's beautiful language. Investigation into the Hebrew root words in a passage reveals so much that out of necessity translation misses! For example, the Hebrew word for “husband” as in, “For your Maker is your husband,” Isa 54:5, is from the root, lub, bet ayin lamed = ba'al. Of course this word has a negative connotation because the Canaanites worshiped an idol they called Baal. But long before there were Canaanites, there were God's Words in Hebrew and husbands. :) The bet is the picture of the house or family. The ayin is the picture of the eye. The lamed is the picture of the shepherd's staff. The husband, then, is the one who watches over or shades his house(hold) like a shepherd watches over or shades his flock. As God designed things from the beginning. Isn't that beautiful?

Chiastic structures. The Torah is FULL of these things. A chiastic structure is a narrative that has a central point that is THE key point of the passage, and the Spirit points to that point by having the narrative around it zero in on it like an arrow. It happens this way. Let's say there are four elements or ideas in a passage, then the central point, then the same four ideas or elements are repeated after the central point, but in reverse order. There can be any number of elements or ideas. But that they repeat in reverse order around a central point is the key characteristic. I have found these structures in Torah that were one paragraph long, then I have found them that were five, ten, or twenty chapters long, with mini chiastic structures within them. The thing that is amazing, once you begin seeing them, is that the central point often isn't what you might expect it to be! But God has a reason for making His central point the way that it is. Often He is revealing something beautiful and amazing about His character or about Messiah! Sometimes He reveals prophetic pictures! At any rate, He is trying to help us understand Him!

And there are other literary devices that I have not learned yet - I am still a baby in these things!

I bring this up, because as I was studying Romans 12 yesterday, lo and behold, there is a chiastic structure embedded in that chapter! Well, Paul was a Hebrew scholar and a Torah scholar, and these are the kinds of things they studied, and maybe it came out of him without thinking. Or maybe the Spirit was guiding him as He did Moses!

Here is what I found:

1A Rom 12:1-2 be a living sacrifice, not conformed to the world but to God's will;
1B Rom 12:3-5 walk in humility;
CENTRAL AXIS: Rom 12:6-15 the gifts;
2B Rom 12:16 walk in humility;
2A Rom 12:17-21 the world's way contrasted with God's way (will).

Now the central axis is interesting. It doesn't seem at first as if Rom 12:6-8 goes with Rom 12:9-15, but they do go together:

Gifts:
1) Prophecy, 12:6; exhortation for that gift: 12:9 “Let love be without hypocrisy ...”
2) Ministry, 12:7, exhortation for that gift: 12:10 “Be kindly affectionate toward one another ...”
3) Teaching, 12:7, exhortation for teachers: 12:11 “Not lagging in diligence ...”
4) Exhortation, 12:8, exhortation for exhorters: 12:12 “Rejoicing in hope ...”
5) Giving, 12:8, exhortation for givers: 12:13 “Distributing to the needs of the saints ...”
6) Leading, 12:8, exhortation for leaders: 12:14 “Bless those who persecute you ...”
7) Mercy, 12:8, exhortation for that gift: 12:15 “Rejoice with those who rejoice ...”

The instruction about serving in your gift (which is the topic of the chapter, giving our lives in service to God as an acceptable sacrifice), is wrapped around, first, an instruction to not be haughty or think of ourselves more highly than we ought. We can think, because we have this gift, whatever it is, that we are so important. Well, we are important to the Body and to God's plan. But because of Him, not because of us! So never take the cover of humility off of our service in the gifts! Then the package of the gifts, wrapped in humility, is again wrapped in the wrapping of knowing what the will of the Lord is. And not only knowing it with our minds, but living according to it!

So, so many think that because they operate in a certain gift by the Spirit, that if they fudge in their personal holiness here or there, what does it matter? God is using them, isn't He? But the Spirit is here teaching us, that once we have wrapped our service in the gifts in humility, then it needs to be wrapped again in knowing and living the will of God, which can never be discarded!

In so many ways, throughout God's Word, the Lord shows us that His Word and His Spirit are in harmony with each other, and that both are necessary! That they compliment each other and one cannot be properly effective without the other!

I just LOVE God's Word! It is so beautiful in every aspect!