PENTECOST WEEK (PART 10)
"Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?" - 1 Corinthians 12:30 (KJV)
This message is particularly the continuation of Part 9 of our devotional message. You may visit our link: https://wordfortoday.netlify.app/, to have the full background thereof.
First of all, let us understand that the manifestation of the Spirit through the gift of tongues is peculiar to the New Testament dispensation only. Indeed, of all the nine gifts mentioned in 1st Corinthians 12 verses 8 to 13 (Word of Wisdom, Word of Knowledge, Faith, Healing, Working of Miracles, Prophecy, Discerning of spirits, Diverse kinds of Tongues and the Interpretation of Tongues), only tongues and interpretation of tongues were NOT in operation in the Old Testament. This is to mean that tongues and interpretation of tongues have a special place for the believer in the New Testament era. It follows therefore that if you are a believer under the New Testament era and you don't function in tongues and interpretation of tongues, you'll be shortchanged because you'll function below capacity. It's as though one was functioning under the Old Testament dispensation. This is the bitter truth! But this is unfortunately the case with many Christians today who don't speak in other tongues.
Tongues by way of the manifestation of the Spirit is a crucial spiritual exercise for the New Testament believer. Part 9 of our devotional, above cited, contains reasons why we must speak in tongues.
One of the reasons why people don't speak in other tongues and don't delight in the gift of interpretation of tongues today is the false interpretation given to 1st Corinthians 12 verse 30:
"Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?" Many interpret this verse to excuse and exclude themselves from functioning in tongues.
Before Apostle Paul asked whether all spoke in tongues, etc, it's important that we get a background of what led to his questions. Actually, the Apostle had begun a discussion on ministry gifts (see 1st Corinthians 12 verses 28 to 29). So, when he asked whether all spoke in tongues, etc, he was referring to tongues as a ministry gift. Basically, this verse is talking about believers in Church that are called to the prophet's office as ministry gifts through the diversity of tongues and interpretation of tongues. Now, do all stand in the prophets office with the ministry of diversity of tongues? Of course not!
"So don't take that question out of its scriptural context and conclude. It is readily apparent from this verse that not everyone will speak in tongues." This passage isn't talking about spiritual gifts such as speaking in tongues given to individual people. No, it's talking about ministry gifts given to the Church. And in First Corinthians 12 verse 30, it's talking about people called to the prophet's office as ministry gifts through the diversity of tongues and interpretation.” (Kenneth E Hagins, “Tongues: Beyond the Upper Room.”)
But tongues as a manifestation of the Spirit of God (1st Corinthians 12 verse 13) must be spoken by every believer (Mark 16 verse 17; Ephesians 6 verse 17) for varied spiritual reasons, many of which are mentioned in Part 9 of our devotional, aforementioned. Again, a Christian that doesn't speak in tongues in this New Testament era is like a man living under the Old Testament principles. Definitely, he can't do well today!
If for no other reason, we speak in tongues because tongues or rather, praying in the spirit constitute part of the Armoury of God mentioned in Ephesians 6 verses 14 to 18; and God's command is:
"Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. ... that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." - Ephesians 6 verses 11 verses 13)
PRAYER:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for baptizing me in the Holy Spirit with the gift of tongues to function appropriately in my Christian walk. Amen.