Posted by Nick Ashton on December 23, 19100 at 06:26:56:
In Reply to: Speaking in Tongues posted by Phil on November 16, 1998 at 07:20:08:
The point I would like to make is that "THE GIFTS" of the Spirit
are the meetings-use of attributes that ALL spirit-filled people have.
i.e. for *giving* to the church using the faith, knowledge, tongues
that they all have privately !
It is for precicely this reason that Paul has to write to them reasoning
that it is wrong for ALL to speak in tongues in meetings (as explained
more in 14:23, 27). *If* only some of them could speak in tongues, the
problem would never have arisen !
The passage ALSO says "to ONE is given FAITH, to another . .wisdom . .
knowledge etc" vv8-10, would you be consistent and say that only one /
some Christians have faith and knowledge too ? or would you make
toongues DIFFERENT from the other attributes in the list ?
This passage is NOT about what different Christians get when they
*receive* the Spirit . . . this is dealt with in Acts (where we NEVER read of
"some getting the gift of tongues", we read that they "all" did), and also in
the early part of the letter:-
1Co:1:4: I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God
which is given you by Jesus Christ;
1Co:1:5: That in every thing ye are enriched by him, in all utterance,
and in all knowledge;
1Co:1:6: Even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you:
1Co:1:7: So that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the coming of
our Lord Jesus Christ:
In any particular meeting, God wants only 2 or 3 to speak out in tongues,
each with interpretation. So, all members should pray in tongues privately, but
when a meeting comes along, they may or may not use a "gift of tongues".