1 Corinthians 12:10-1410To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: 11But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. 12For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 13For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 14For the body is not one member, but many. (1 Corinthians 12:10‑14) is the only place in the epistles where the teaching as to tongues is to be found. It will be found to be largely CORRECTIVE. Please make a careful note of this. The Corinthian saints were specializing in the spectacular gifts, if they may be so described. The apostle corrects this. And please note that the spectacular gifts were not the mark of a company characterized by special spirituality. Indeed the Apostle tells them plainly, " Ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?" (Chapter 3: 13).
Was there not frightful immorality allowed in their midst without shame? Were there not divisions among them? Was there not evil doctrine in their midst, some denying the very resurrection? Were there not surfeiting and drunkenness accompanying the solemn occasion of the Lord's supper? Such was the condition of the assembly which was glorying in these showy gifts.
Nor was the Lord unmindful of their condition, for He laid His gracious hand of government upon them, and many were weak and sickly among them, and many were even taken away from the earth, where their lives were so dishonoring the name of the Lord.
We will now indicate the practices that obtain in these movements, and see if they agree with the Scriptures. The first we will speak about are