Grace and Gift

Last weekend two sisters who were so much influenced by the charismatic movement of today's Christianity came with one specific question on the gift of tongue speaking. The topic of tongue speaking has been overemphasized that those who do not speak in "tongues" have been reckoned as "not receiving the Holy Spirit and/or not being genuinely saved." Ridiculous! 

To help the sisters who have been misled by some "pastors," we used the Bible to answers their questions. 

1 Corinthians
12:28  And God has placed some in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then works of power, then gifts of healing, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues.
12:29  Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all have works of power?
12:30  Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret tongues?
12:31  But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And moreover I show to you a most excellent way.

Genuine tongue indeed is a spiritual gift, but it is just one of the many gifts, and not the unique gift. The Bible clearly says, "But earnestly desire the greater gifts." This greater gift is the gift of love in 1 Corinthians 13. And in 1 Corinthians 14, the charge is even more sever, "Pursue love, and desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy."

1 Corinthians 14
14:1   Pursue love, and desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.
14:2   For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one hears, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries.
14:3   But he who prophesies speaks building up and encouragement and consolation to men.
14:4   He who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but he who prophesies builds up the church.
14:5   I desire that you all speak in tongues, but especially that you would prophesy; and greater is he who prophesies than he who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, that the church may receive building up.
14:6   But now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what will I profit you, unless I speak to you either in revelation or in knowledge or in prophecy or in teaching?

With all these Bible verses we explained the gifts that we have to desire for, especially prophesying. For prophesying one needs to grow in life, be filled with the word of God, and also be filled with the Spirit to speak God into people. This builds up the church. As we ministered on this line using the word, one of the sisters wept in joy, as she was so supplied by the ministry of the word. The other sister who was so obsessed with tongue speaking finally confessed that her doubts about the confusion surrounding tongue speaking was finally cleared. 

To strengthen the explanation further we also used Acts 2 to explain the real meaning of tongues, not a mysterious sound but a dialect.

Acts 2:11Cretans and Arabians, we hear them speaking in our tongues the magnificent works of God?

Note on the Recovery VersionGk. glossa, used for two things in this chapter: the speaking organ in v. 3, and dialects in this verse and v. 4, referring to the dialect in vv. 6 and 8. This evidence leaves no ground for saying that tongue-speaking may be merely a voice or sound uttered by the tongue, the speaking organ; it must be a dialect, because what the disciples spoke in tongues (vv. 4, 11) were all different dialects (vv. 6, 8). In this sense, tongues and dialects are synonymous, used interchangeably in these verses.

Besides, speaking in tongues is not the only signs of being filled with the Holy Spirit, the other signs are speaking with the word of God with boldness, and being filled with joy.

Acts 4:31   And when they had so besought, the place in which they were gathered was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness.Acts 13:52  And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.

Sometimes, such question is worth answering for the sake of the edification of the believers and equipping them with the word of God. Many times, not knowing the word of God properly can lead one to some kind of religious bondage. In this case, "tongue speaking" is one bondage the believers are stuck with, either in speaking or not able to speak. The truth clarifies the confusion and sets one free from all bondages.

Another gift that is overemphasized is the gift of healing. Genuine healing is very much there as the Lord Himself is the Physician of physicians. I and my family have also been healed in many cases just by prayer and exercise of faith. But we never boast of it, and hardly I have spoken about it. I also do pray for the healing of some saints and new ones who does indeed receive healing. But this is just a gift, the healer is the Lord through the believers' faith. The healing should never be exalted above the Healer, the Lord Jesus Christ.

In my study of the word, a particular verse with footnote is very significant.   

2 Tim. 4:20 - Erastus remained in Corinth, and Trophimus I left at Miletus sick. 

Why did the apostle leave in sickness one who was so intimate to him, without exercising healing prayer for him? Why did he not exercise his healing gift (Acts 19:11-12) to cure Timothy of his stomach sickness rather than instruct him to take the natural way for healing (1 Tim. 5:23)? The answer to both questions is that he and his co-workers were under the discipline of the inner life in that time of suffering rather than under the power of the outward gift. The former is a matter of grace in life; the latter is a matter of gift in power—miraculous power. In the decline of the church and in one’s suffering for the church, the gift of power is not needed as much as the grace in life.

Today, the Lord may bless us with different kind of gifts, including the first of healing. Praise the Lord for those, and they must be exercise properly with Christ as the main focus, the Head, center and circumference, always giving glory to the One who heals. Besides, there is a greater thing we must pay heed to; the growth in life. The growth in life is much more worth and to be desired more than the gift of healing. The apostles did exercised their gifts of healing initially in their ministry and it was needed, but later on, they depended mostly on the growth in life and took the natural way of healing under the discipline of the Holy Spirit rather than an instant healing that may not require any spiritual learning.

Shepherding new ones also has many benefits; not only the ones shepherded were blessed, but much more, the one who shepherds.

Lord, as you may grant us gifts, so much the more, grant us the grace to grow in life unto maturity.