The Greek word for gift is charisma. The Charismatic Movement is, as the name suggests, occupied with the gifts poured out upon the early church, and especially the miraculous gifts of healing and speaking in tongues. In this they have fallen into the same snare as the church at Corinth.
The assembly at Corinth came behind in no gift (1 Cor. 1:7). Despite this, their problems were numerous: divisions, carnality, immorality, and even the denial of the resurrection! Each of these are addressed by the Apostle Paul in his first epistle. To this mix we must also add the abuse of gift. The Corinthians liked to speak in tongues and the Apostle devotes much of chapters 13 and 14 to this subject—as the spirit moved them, they exercised their gift (1 Cor. 14:26, 29). But what spirit was it? It wasn’t a manifestation of the Holy Spirit.
Fundamental to the error held by Charismatics is their misunderstanding of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. To them it is something one experiences after salvation (distinct from the indwelling of the Spirit,) filling them with the power of the Spirit for witness and ministry. In their view, the baptism of the Holy Spirit is something to be sought after and prayed for. Some also believe that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is accompanied by speaking in tongues.
These teachings are at variance with the Scriptures. As to the first, this has been addressed. I will merely repeat what the Apostle Paul gives us: “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” (1 Cor. 12:13). The baptism of the Holy Spirit incorporated the first believers into the body of Christ, the church. There is nothing here about a second blessing or the filling of the Spirit. As this is the only verse which gives us the doctrinal significance of the event, any alternative interpretation is nothing but an invention on man’s part. After Pentecost we have no examples of, nor do we receive instruction for, prayer for the Holy Spirit—not for the Spirit’s indwelling and certainly not for the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
As to the teaching that tongues must accompany the baptism of the Holy Spirit, in one sense this is correct. On both the day of Pentecost and at Caesarea, when the Holy Spirit was poured out upon those believers (baptizing them into that one body), they did indeed speak in tongues (Acts 2:4; 10:46). The error lies in viewing the baptism of the Holy Spirit as individual—as something to be experienced by every believer.
In my student days, I was standing one afternoon by the gates of the university waiting for a ride from my brother. As I stood beneath the shady trees framing the entryway, I was approached by a young man who asked me as to the state of my soul. I received his greeting gladly; it was encouraging to encounter another believer—they were few and far between. While I don’t question the young evangelist’s faith, what he went on to say, however, was completely foreign to me. He told me that unless I had spoken in tongues, I could not be sure of my salvation! That speaking in tongues was a necessary part of the Christian experience was as disturbing then as it is now. The young man went on to claim that when an individual received the Holy Spirit in the New Testament it was always accompanied by tongues. There were certainly such cases: “When Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied” (Acts 19:6). About that time my brother arrived, and our conversation ended. It wasn’t until sometime later, as I was reading through the book of Acts, that I realized the falseness of his statement. There we find occasions where one received the Holy Spirit or was filled with the Spirit and yet there is no mention of tongues (Acts 4:8; 8:17; 9:17; 13:52, etc.). No doubt there was something that evidenced the presence of the Spirit with the individual, but to insist upon tongues is adding what Scripture does not say.
Satan is a wily enemy. We know that he has used deceptive spirits in the past to put words into the mouths of men: “I will go forth, and will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets” (1 Kings 22:24). We should fully expect him to do the same today. “Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Eph. 6:11). I do not suggest that all cases of tongues are the work of a false spirit, or even the majority for that matter. However, the pressure to speak in tongues (imagine if your salvation depended on it) can lead one into deceiving themselves, or, worse yet, opening themselves to Satanic influence. Speaking in tongues is a miraculous gift easily laid claim to. Without an interpreter, who can judge? Even with an interpreter, who can be sure that they are faithfully translating?
The saints at Corinth contended for the display of their spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 14:23, 26), but it wasn’t for the edification of others; it was for self-edification (1 Cor. 14:4), or, we might say, self-glorification. Paul writes: “Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. ... He that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort” (1 Cor. 14:1, 3). Why this fascination with tongues? How does it glorify God? Especially when the babbling presented today as tongues is perceived by unbelievers as madness (1 Cor. 14:23).
Consider for a moment the disciples of the Gospels and compare their conduct with that found in the book of Acts—what accounts for this great difference? We see, for example, little of the Peter we know from the Gospels in the one preaching in Acts two. This great difference is to be accounted for by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. They were not the same men. Their courage, the powerful preaching, this is the Holy Spirit at work. The apostles were “unlettered and uninstructed men”, but their preaching was a cause of wonder. Furthermore, “they recognized them that they were with Jesus” (Acts 4:13). It should be our desire that others might recognize that we, too, have been with Jesus. This is the manifestation of the Holy Spirit in our lives that we should seek after—not tongues and not sign gifts.
Tongues were given as a sign for those who did not believe, and especially the unbelieving Jew. “In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord. Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not” (1 Cor. 14:21-22). We see a fulfilment of this at the day of Pentecost. “There were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. ... How hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? ... We do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God” (Acts 2:5, 8, 11). For a Jew to hear the wonderful works of God in any tongue other than Hebrew was truly marvelous—Hebrew had been, and still is, uniquely associated with the Jew’s religion. Expressing the things of God in a gentile tongue had unprecedented significance. “Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you” (Rom. 10:18-19).
Although I do not dismiss the possibility of speaking in tongues in this present era—and by that, I mean in a known foreign language as on the day of Pentecost—it was a gift that served a unique purpose in the early days of the church. At that time, it was a clear and visible testimony to the power of the Holy Spirit. Miracles, however, do not save (John 2:23-24; Luke 16:30-31). The Holy Spirit’s testimony has now been fully revealed in the Word of God and both Jew and gentile, just as with Israel of old, resist that testimony (Acts 7:51).
Although Paul spoke in tongues (more than them all) he would rather speak five words in the assembly “with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue” (1 Cor. 14:18-19). It is remarkable that the only Scriptural teaching we have concerning tongues, encourages us not to use them! “He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church. I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying” (1 Cor. 14:4-5). Paul doesn’t deny the gift of tongues nor the blessedness of it; but there is something better—those manifestations of the Spirit which edified the assembly. Note also, in saying, “I would that ye all spake with tongues”, it is evident from this verse that this gift was not universal. There isn’t a single passage of Scripture that expresses the necessity of speaking in tongues—as evidence of salvation or otherwise.
Some believe that those who speak in tongues speak in the language of angels. They quote the Apostle Paul: “He that speaks with a tongue does not speak to men but to God: for no one hears; but in spirit he speaks mysteries” (1 Cor. 14:2). “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels” (1 Cor. 13:1). As to the first verse, it is an unjustified extrapolation to suggest that this supports the argument. If one spoke Russian, Mandarin, or Hindi, it would profit me nothing though God would understand. As Paul later says: “If I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian [foreigner], and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian [foreigner] unto me” (1 Cor. 14:11 JnD). No mention of angels here! As to the second, Paul used this expression to show that even if he could speak in all the various tongues of men, and more than that, in the tongues of angels, without love he might as well be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. We cannot conclude from this that Paul, or anyone else, spoke in the language of angels. The gift of tongues was God’s answer to the confusion that resulted from Babel (Gen. 11:1-9); it was not to add to it. In First Corinthians thirteen, Paul considers those things which puffed up the saints in Corinth—tongues, prophecy, understanding, knowledge, faith (vss. 1-2)—and shows that without love the exercise of these gifts benefited no one. Towards the end of the chapter, Paul plainly says: “Love never fails; but whether prophecies, they shall be done away; or tongues, they shall cease; or knowledge, it shall be done away” (v. 8 JND). Prophecy and knowledge shall be done away with when “that which is perfect is come” (v. 10 JND). Concerning tongues, however, it does not say “shall be done away” nor does the tenth verse speak of it; verse eight plainly says that tongues shall cease.
The Spirit of God does not occupy us with ourselves but with the Lord Jesus Christ. It cannot be stressed enough that the proper witness of the Spirit of God is not the exaltation of man, nor even the Holy Spirit, but the Lord Jesus Christ. “When the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of Truth, which proceedeth from the Father, He shall testify of Me” (John 15:26). The Lord also told His disciples: “The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you” (John 14:26). The Holy Spirit is our Teacher, bearing witness to the truth and recalling the words of the Lord Jesus. “When He is come, the Spirit of Truth, He shall guide you into all the truth: for He shall not speak from Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear He shall speak; and He will announce to you what is coming. He shall glorify Me, for He shall receive of Mine and shall announce it to you” (John 16:13-14 JND).
We have been focusing on the abuse of spiritual gifts, and especially sign gifts, and yet, it is just as important to recognize that we each have a gift. “The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal” (1 Cor. 12:7). We are to be good stewards of the gift that we have received; we are not to leave our gift unused: “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Pet. 4:10). There are times, as with Timothy, when we may need to be encouraged to use the gift that we have received: “Neglect not the gift that is in thee” (1 Tim. 4:14). And there may also be occasions when we are discouraged and must be reminded to rekindle the gift that is within us: “I put thee in mind to rekindle the gift of God which is in thee” (2 Tim. 1:6).
There is considerable diversity of gift. Some are public, for example, prophecy and teaching—these are for the ministering of the Word and the edification of the church. Others are more private, such as shepherding, helps, or giving (Eph. 4:11-12; 1 Cor. 12:27-31; Rom. 12:8). Wondering which gift we have is a common concern. Such preoccupation, however, has the unfortunate tendency of directing our thoughts inward. If, on the other hand, we prayerfully go on in a godly, faithful walk for the Lord—not living in the flesh satisfying its lusts (1 Pet. 4:2-3)—daily reading the Word, waiting on His guidance, I have no doubt that He will lay on our heart a burden appropriate to our gift. Our service will not be undertaken with great fanfare, but quietly for the Lord.
Gift is not to be confused with ability. It is a mistake to look to our abilities to decide what gift we may have—this is to reason from the spirit of man and is often confused with the leading of the Spirit of God. Moses demurred from the task God gave him because he wrongly reasoned from his abilities (Ex. 4:10). God will give us both the gift and the ability. “Unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability” (Matt. 25:15). Likewise, “unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ” (Eph. 4:7). By confounding gift and ability, some have chosen a path which does little to glorify God and much to glorify and amuse man.
The Lord uses whomever He chooses. “I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase” (1 Cor. 3:6-7). Service is not about the servant; it is about the One whom we serve. When we get our eye upon others, and measure ourselves against them, our hearts can easily become envious. “They measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise” (2 Cor. 10:12). A focus on self and gift will always result in a competitive, striving spirit as we find at Corinth. “For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?” (1 Cor. 3:3). “For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work” (James 3:16).