Author : Keith Sharp
The U.S. Census Bureau, in its 2004 religious statistics, lists six denominations among the largest in the U.S. that would properly be called Pentecostal or Charismatic. These six denominations had a combined membership in 2001 of 6,864,000, up from 5,089,000 in 1990. Of course, this doesn’t account for many smaller denominations that fit this category, nor does it mention the millions who remain in more traditional denominations yet believe in tongue speaking, miraculous divine healing, and other miraculous spiritual gifts. Of course, all have in common the belief they possess one or more of the miraculous spiritual gifts the Holy Spirit gave to first century Christians. Thus, we should heed John’s warning concerning all such claimants:
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1)
It is the primary purpose of this study to do just this: test the claims of those today who claim to use miraculous, spiritual gifts.
Primary Text
In First Corinthians 12:1, the inspired apostle introduced a new section of his letter by commenting, “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant.” There follows, in chapters twelve, thirteen, and fourteen the most complete discussion of spiritual gifts ever penned by inspiration. Near the conclusion of this great dissertation, Paul advised, “But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant” (1 Corinthians 14:38). Paul had given a complete discussion of the subject, and, if any still did not understand spiritual gifts, he would simply have to remain ignorant.
Since these three chapters contain such a full revelation of the mind of God pertaining to spiritual gifts, this study will primarily center in them as the basis by which to measure the doctrine and practice of modern Charismatics.
Definition of “Spiritual Gifts”
The word “spiritual” in First Corinthians 12:1 means “emanating from the Divine Spirit, or exhibiting its effects and so its character… produced by the sole power of God himself without natural instrumentality, supernatural (Thayer. 532). Thus, two related characteristics of these gifts are discerned from the term “spiritual.” They are the results of the direct work of the Holy Spirit separate from the word (1 Corinthians 12:4,7; Acts 19:6). Furthermore, they are supernatural, i.e., miraculous, and not to be naturally explained (Acts 2:4-21).
The term “gifts,” added by the translators in First Corinthians 12:1, but found in the original in verse four, is defined as:
a gift of grace; a favor which one receives without any merit of his own… extraordinary powers distinguishing certain Christians and enabling them to serve the church of Christ, the reception of which is due to the power of the divine grace operating in their souls by the Holy Spirit (Ibid. 667).
Modern Charismatics take their name from the Greek term rendered “gifts,” i.e., “charisma.” The biblical usage of the word emphasizes that the power to perform these miracles lay, not in the human vessels who actually employed them, but in the Spirit of God who graciously bestowed them. For instance, although Paul considered himself personally “not worthy to be called an apostle” (1 Corinthians 15:9); nonetheless, “by the grace of God” (1 Corinthians 15:10), he was “in nothing… behind the most eminent apostles” (2 Corinthians 12:11).
Spiritual gifts were the abilities, imparted to Christians directly by the Holy Spirit, to do supernatural or miraculous deeds. They were given by the Spirit’s grace and not because of personal worthiness on the part of the recipients. Thus, they were manifestations of the Holy Spirit and were to the glory of God, not of man.
How Can We Know?
You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led. Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:2-3).
Ask any Pentecostal, “How do you know you have a spiritual gift?” Probably the reply will be to the effect “I can feel it! It is a deep-down, better-felt-than-told experience. And I can speak in tongues!”
In the above passage the apostle Paul warned the Corinthians against this very attitude. It is the attitude of subjectivism, looking within oneself, to one’s own opinions, feelings and experiences for guidance rather than looking to God’s word as our perfect objective standard. It is walking by sight rather than by faith (2 Corinthians 5:7; Romans 10:17).
The apostle reminded the Gentile Corinthians that, when they were pagans, they were deceived by “dumb” (mute, unable to speak) idols. The pagan Greeks, and the Corinthians were Greeks, worshiped their many gods through images (idols) of the gods. These gods had priests and priestesses. E. R. Dodds, in his book The Greeks and the Irrational, says of the pagan priestess who spoke as the oracle of Delphi, “The god entered into her and used her vocal organs as if they were his own, exactly as the so-called ‘control’ does in the modern spirit- mediumship (as quoted by Jividen. 42). The ancient pagan religion these Corinthians had left practiced precisely the kind of “glossolalia” (tongue-speaking) claimed by modern charismatics. It was better-felt-than-told, mystical, ecstatic, and unintelligible. The inspired apostle reminded the Corinthian Christian that charlatans had fooled them by this practice once, Obviously, the subjective experience of glossolalia could not be the test of the reception of spiritual gifts.
If tongue speaking is not the test, what is? In verse three Paul illustrated the answer. The pagans claimed to have miraculous ability, but they denied that Jesus was Lord. Since they refused to confess the very Christ who sent the Holy Spirit and to whom the Spirit bore witness (John 15:26), their claims had to be false. On the other hand, one who confessed Christ could truly claim to be led by the Spirit, since the Holy Spirit, through the testimony recorded in the word, provides the only evidence we have that Jesus is Lord. Can we not be led simply by the Spirit-revealed New Testament to confess that “Jesus is Lord” (cf. John 20:30-31; Philippians 2:11)?
There is a principle behind this illustration – The Holy Spirit is the author of all spiritual truth (John 16:13). Anyone actually led by the Spirit of God. will believe, teach, and practice the doctrine of Christ, the truth revealed by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 14:37).
In perusing Frank S. Mead’s Handbook of Denominations in the United States, a classic work regarding the various religious bodies in our land, I counted at least 51 separate denominations, all teaching doctrines that contradict one another, yet all claiming to be led directly by the Spirit of God. Furthermore, they all offer the same “proof” of direct, miraculous guidance by God’s Spirit – their own subjective experiences. How could all these “Spirit filled” preachers and teachers, all contradicting one another, be led by the same “Spirit of truth” (John 16:13)? Does the Spirit of truth actually contradict himself? Is God “the author of confusion” after all (I Corinthians 14:33)?
What do we conclude? Anyone led by the Spirit of truth, whether miraculously or through the word, will believe, teach, and practice truth and only truth. Those who claim today to have spiritual gifts obviously fail this divine test miserably and utterly. Therefore, they fail to meet the first standard erected by the Spirit of God Himself to determine whether or not one is led by the Spirit, and their claims must be flatly rejected.
Unity of Source
Unity is a vital facet of the faith. Although there are three Persons in the Godhead, they are one (Matthew 3:16-17; Deuteronomy 6:4). Even so, though we as Christians are various members of the Lord’s body, we must be one (1 Corinthians 12:12—27).
The over-riding purpose of spiritual gifts was to help the first century church achieve unity of the faith (Ephesians 4:7-13). The ability of these powers to thus help the church lay in the one source of the gifts.
The general theme First Corinthians chapter twelve is the paramount purpose of spiritual gifts, i.e., that of unifying the body (verses 12-14, 20, 25).
In verses four through six of this chapter Paul began the discussion of this purpose by revealing the unity of source of spiritual gifts. He declared, “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.”
In his great sermon on Pentecost, Peter called the marvelous deeds Jesus wrought to confirm his claim to be the Son of God “miracles, wonders, and signs” (Acts 2:22). The word “miracle” means “power” (Vine. 3:75) and refers to the source of Jesus’ deeds; they were the power of God. The term “wonder” is defined as “something strange, causing the beholder to marvel” (Ibid. 4:228) and indicates the result of the deed upon the beholders. A “sign” is that “by which God authenticates the men sent by him” (Thayer.573) and has reference to the purpose of the mighty works.
Paul also used three words for the miraculous abilities imparted Christians by the Spirit of God. They are “gifts,” “ministries,” and “activities.” “Gifts,” associated with the Holy Spirit (verse 4), indicated that the Spirit’s grace was the source of the miraculous power. There were different kinds of power, but they were all from one Spirit. The term “ministries,” credited to the Lord (verse 5) refers to “service,” (Arndt & Gingrich. 183) and demonstrated the purpose of the gifts. They were never given for selfish use but for the edifying of others at a time when the revelation of the New Testament was incomplete (1 Corinthians 12:7; 14:12, 19, 26; Ephesians 4:7-16). “Activities” connected with God (verse ;6), referred to the “effect” (Thayer. 215) produced by the miracles and demonstrated the result of the gifts.
The Holy Spirit gave spiritual gifts as a part of his work of revelation. The Lord served the first century church through these administrations. God saw to the effects of the miraculous powers to his own glory.
Just as Jesus’ deeds were described as to their source, effect, and purpose, so the inspired apostle described spiritual gifts as to their source, effect, and purpose.
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Jesus’ Deeds |
Spiritual Gifts |
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Acts 2:22 |
1 Corinthians 12:4-6 |
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source |
gifts |
| wonders |
result |
ministries |
| signs |
purpose |
activities |
The Gifts Listed
Charismatics sometimes claim many strange gifts, including “the gift of tears” and “the gift of pimples” (Newsweek). The real list of the gifts miraculously bestowed by the Holy Spirit upon first century Christians is contained in First Corinthians 12:7-11.
There was first “the word of wisdom” (verse 8). The term “wisdom” refers to the “broad and full intelligence” (Thayer. 581). Paul uses the term of “a knowledge of the divine plan, previously hidden, of providing salvation for men by the expiatory death of Christ” (Ibid. 582). The phrase “word of wisdom” refers to “the ability to discourse eloquently of this wisdom” (Ibid).
The “word of knowledge” (verse 8) was “the deeper, more perfect and enlarged knowledge of this religion, such as belongs to the more advanced (Ibid. 119) and the ability to communicate this knowledge.
“Faith” (verse 9) in this context is not saving faith, for that comes by hearing God’s word (Romans 10:17), and, of course, all Christians possess it, else, they would not be Christians (Hebrews 11:6). Rather, it was the ability to work miracles in general, which required faith on the part of the one performing the wonder (Matthew 17:19-20; Mark 16:17-18).
“Gifts of healings” (verse 9) was the miraculous ability, without the aid of the
physician’s art or of medicine, not only to heal the sick and infirm (Acts3:l-10), but also to raise the dead (Acts 20:9-12). By the way, if you know a “faith healer” who will attempt to raise people from the dead, tell him to meet me at the graveyard. Each time he brings life into one corpse, I will raise two from the dead! And I don’t claim to be able to work miracles.
The “working of miracles” (verse 10) pertained not just to miracle working ability.
“The word (“working”- KS) does not signify to work simply, but to work in another” (MacKnight. 186). This was the power to impart spiritual gifts to others (as MacKnight affirms, Ibid.). The New Testament uniformly attributes this power to the apostles and to them alone (Acts 8:12-17; 19:1-7; 1 Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:6). Since one had to be an “eye witness” of the raised Lord to be an apostle (Acts 1:21—26), and since Paul was the very last such witness (1 Corinthians 15:8), there are no apostles alive on the earth today. Since there are no apostles alive on the earth today, there is no one to impart spiritual gifts, and the gifts by necessity have ceased.
“Prophecy” ( verse 10) was the ability to miraculously speak for God (cf. Exodus 4:15-16; 7:1-2). A prophet was a spokesman for God, his work was to prophesy (preach by inspiration), and his message was prophecy (a message inspired of God).
The “discerning of spirits” (verse 10) denoted the miraculous ability to distinguish between truth and error and to know another’s mind, without the aid of his speech (Acts 5:1-11).
The “different kinds of tongues” (verse 10) was the power miraculously supplied to speak a human language which the speaker could not have learned by natural means (Acts 2:4-11). In Acts 2:4,6,8,11 the terms “tongues” and “language” are used interchangeably. When the apostle declared, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal” (1 Corinthians 13:1), he was not indicating there is a language peculiar to angels. He supposed an hypothetical, even imaginary, case of the highest order of power to speak in tongues to indicate its emptiness apart from love. The word “unknown” before the term “tongue” in the King James Version in First Corinthians fourteen is in italics, indicating the word was added by the translators and was not a part of the original text. Thus, the tongues of that chapter are the same as those of Acts chapter two, real human languages.
The “interpretation of tongues” (verse l0) was the miraculous ability to translate a language the person could not have learned by natural means.
All these miraculous gifts were given by the same Spirit of God, according to his own will (1 Corinthians 12:7, 11). They were. thus. not for a person’s private benefit, but for the spiritual good of all (1 Corinthians 12:7).
I believe it is obvious to every candid reader that these gifts are not what Pentecostals or Charismatics practice. Furthermore, since there are no apostles on the earth today to impart these gifts, they must by necessity have ceased. The modern Charismatic movements are therefore judged to be unscriptural as well as unreasonable.
The Purpose of Spiritual Gifts
“In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will” (Ephesians 1:11). As a part of the deluge of sports personality stories leading up to the 1974 Super Bowl, one writer described coach Bud Grant of the Vikings as a man whose every word has a purpose. Actually, no mere mortal is so purposeful with all that he says, but God is. He “works all things according to the counsel of His will.” His every word and action are in keeping with his “purpose.”
What was the purpose of spiritual gifts? In I Corinthians 12:12-30, the apostle Paul stressed the unity of the body of Christ which resulted from the proper use of spiritual gifts. He emphasized, “But now indeed there are many members, yet one body.”(verse 20). This unity was to be achieved by the works that resulted from the spiritual gifts verses (verses 28-31). The primary purpose, then, of the gifts of the Spirit was to achieve the unity of the body of Christ.
But how did the gifts expedite unity? In Ephesians 4:7-13 the apostle speaks of the “gifts to men” Christ gave “When He ascended on high.” These certainly included spiritual gifts, for they enabled some to be “apostles” and some “prophets.” The purpose was that “we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (versec13). Thus, by attaining maturity of knowledge through spiritual gifts, the church was to attain “the unity of the faith.”
Both apostles and prophets revealed the faith (Ephesians 3:1-6). That faith was fully and finally revealed by the apostles and prophets of the first century (John 16:13; Jude 3), and there is none left to be made known (Galatians 1:6-9). Thus, by “speaking the truth in love” ( Ephesians 4:15), which truth was fully revealed in the first century, we have “the unity of the faith” (Ephesians 4:13), which is “the unity of the Spirit” (Ephesians 4:3).
When Paul penned First Corinthians, the revelation of the faith was incomplete. He explained, “For we know in part, and we prophesy in part” (1 Corinthians 13:9). The spiritual gifts were needed for edification (1 Corinthians 14:3-26; Romans 1:11). The preeminent principle governing the use of these gifts in the assemblies of the saints was “Let all things be done for edification” (1 Corinthians 14:26).
The revelation of God’s will to man having now been completed, we “may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” by study and application of its inspired precepts (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Thus the entire purpose of spiritual gifts in the realm of edification is now accomplished by the inspired Scriptures, and those who seek to be edified by miraculous gifts today simply lack faith in the sufficiency of the Scriptures which were written by spiritually gifted men.
Mark reports that those who preached in the first century were “confirming the word through the accompanying signs” (Mark 16:20). These signs, partially enumerated by the Lord in Mark 16:17-18.were the spiritual gifts. Since inspired preachers in apostolic times could not appeal to a completed copy of the New Testament to sustain their preaching, as evangelists can today, they confirmed it by miracles (e.g., Philip – Acts 8:5-13). Therefore, these signs confirmed the revelation that it might be the divine basis of unity.
But we now have a completed and fully confirmed revelation, proven “both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit” (Hebrews 2:1-4). Thus, people who now seek further confirmation of the word by “signs” simply lack faith in the miraculous confirmation of the first century. If the miracles of the Lord and inspired writers are not enough for them, “neither will they be persuaded, though one rise from the dead” (Luke 16:31).
The purpose of spiritual gifts was to help accomplish the unity of the Spirit. They aided the body of Christ by empowering the apostles and prophets to reveal the faith and confirm that revelation by miracles, thus edifying the saints. Thus, the “one Spirit” of Ephesians 4:4 implies unity of revelation. The revelation has both been completed and confirmed, and that confirmed revelation is fully adequate to edify. Thus, spiritual gifts have fully served their purpose “according to his own will” (Hebrews 2:4). Since God “works all things according to the counsel of His will,” spiritual gifts, having fulfilled their divine purpose, have ceased.
The Duration of Spiritual Gifts
Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:8-13).
Pentecostal denominations like to call themselves “Full Gospel” churches because they believe in the modern use of spiritual gifts. They contend that we who do not accept their purported miracles leave out part of the Gospel. Of course, most Pentecostal people themselves leave out a vital part of the Gospel, baptism for the remission of sins. But I charge that they leave out yet another essential portion of the Gospel, and that in regard to spiritual gifts themselves. Pentecostal people fail to preach the “Full Gospel” when they leave cut or distort the apostle Paul’s teaching about the duration of spiritual gifts.
Paul declared, “prophecies … will fail” (i.e., “be done away” – New American Standard Bible). He affirmed, “tongues … will cease” and supernatural “knowledge … will vanish away.” Spiritual gifts were, by direct statement of the inspired apostle to cease. When should this occur?
In First Corinthians 12:31b – 13:7 the great apostle eloquently demonstrated the importance of love as the guiding principle in the use of spiritual gifts, as well as the guiding star of the Christian’s life. In verse eight he drew a contrast between love and the miraculous abilities. “Love never fails,” but gifts “will cease.”
Why were spiritual gifts to cease? “For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.” Miraculous gifts were for a time of imperfect knowledge, when the mystery of God’s will for man was not fully manifested.
“But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part shall be done away.”
Here is a plain statement concerning when spiritual gifts should cease. All must and most do agree, because of the statement in verse nine, that the “in part” in verse ten is spiritual gifts. If we can determine what “that which is perfect” is, we will know when miraculous gifts were to cease.
Pentecostals contend that the “perfect” is Christ and that spiritual gifts will continue until his return. But this position has key flaws.
The word “perfect” means “having reached its end…, finished, complete (Vine. 3:173-4), “finished; wanting nothing necessary to completeness” (Thayer, 618), “having attained the end or purpose, complete” (Arndt and Gingrich. 816). Thus, James exhorts, “But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing” (James 1:4). It is axiomatic that the perfect is of the same substance as the partial. If a slice of a pie is cherry, it doesn’t take a genius to figure out the complete pie is cherry. The partial of the context is knowledge. “For we know in part and we prophesy in part.” Thus, the perfect is complete knowledge. When complete knowledge of God’s will came, that which pertained to partial knowledge, spiritual gifts, would cease. By the end of the first century the full revelation had been given (cf. Jude 3). At that time spiritual gifts ceased.
Furthermore, Paul contrasted “faith, hope, love” with spiritual gifts in verse thirteen by revealing that faith, hope, and love abide. “Now” of verse thirteen is not an adverb of time, meaning “at this time” but one of logical sequence, meaning “as it is” (Findlay, EGT, 2:901). Since faith, hope, and love will continue to abide after “that which is perfect has come,” if this refers to Jesus’ second coming, faith and hope will continue even after the resurrection. But saving faith is in that which we do not see (Hebrews 11:1), and our hope is for the resurrection of the blessed which will occur at the Lord’s return (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18). At that time faith will become concrete knowledge, and hope shall be fulfilled, for “hope that is seen is not hope” (Romans 8:24-25). This is the very reason love is greater than faith and hope (1 Corinthians 13:13). It will abide undiminished, yea even stronger, after the return of the Lord, whereas faith will become sight and hope will become reality.
“That which is perfect” is the completed revelation from God. Therefore spiritual gifts ceased when the New Testament was completed.
This position harmonizes with the fact the purpose of spiritual gifts has been fulfilled. Also, it conforms to the reality that only apostles could impart spiritual gifts, and there are no apostles on the earth today. It is in perfect harmony with the truth that the New Testament is a perfect (complete) revelation and that it alone can make us the complete servants of God. Therefore, spiritual gifts are not needed since the New Testament has been completed.
Thus, contrasted with a complete revelation (the New Testament), spiritual gifts were for a time of incomplete knowledge: And, by Paul’s direct statement, when the complete revelation came, the incomplete gifts would cease. To affirm that spiritual gifts are still with us now is to deny the completeness of the New Testament revelation.
Paul clarified this truth by two illustrations in verses eleven and twelve. In verse eleven he used the comparison of the man and the child. The speech, emotions, and thoughts of children are immature (incomplete). But they are necessary steps toward maturity (completeness) of the man. But, when maturity is reached, immaturity has lost its usefulness and is put off. Thus, spiritual gifts were for a time of incomplete revelation as necessary steps to completed revelation (cf., Ephesians 4:7-16). But, when the revelation was completed, the incomplete was put off.
In verse twelve the inspired writer employed the figure of the mirror. In Paul’s day, mirrors were commonly made of burnished metal and were poor reflectors. Thus, the apostle contrasted the faint, poorly discernible image one could see in such a mirror with the perfect discernment of seeing face to face. Obviously, this illustrated that spiritual gifts were for a time of imperfect knowledge (incomplete revelation), whereas the completed revelation would yield complete knowledge of God’s plan (cf. Ephesians 3:1-6).
Paul concluded, “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” After spiritual gifts had ceased these three great qualities of character continued. Hence, the time schedule of First Corinthians 13:8-13 runs thus: spiritual gifts were to cease with the completed revelation; faith, hope, and love are to continue until Christ returns; and love shall ever abide as the great quality which makes us like God (Matthew 5:43-48; 1 John 4:8; 2 Peter 1:2-4) and as the bond of fellowship with God and all his redeemed ones in eternal bliss. This is the Full Gospel.
Pentecostal Error
Revelation Christ’s
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Spiritual Gifts |
Spiritual Gifts |
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Faith, Hope, Love |
Faith, Hope, Love |
Faith, Hope, Love |
Complete Return
Truth
Revelation Christ’s
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Faith, Hope, Love |
Faith, Hope, Love |
Love |
Complete Return
Once a local Pentecostal preacher visited our assembly and then invited me to attend where he preached. Since our times of assembly did not conflict, I accepted, being careful not to participate in or lend approval to their unscriptural worship. The people engaged in displays of “tongue speaking,” with several of the women speaking at one time while others sang. Special groups entertained with vocal and instrumental music, while the audience shouted their approval and clapped their hands. Supposedly, these people were led by God’s Spirit to worship the Father.
I believe spiritual gifts have fulfilled their purposes and ceased. But, just suppose the miraculous powers were still with us. Are the Pentecostal assemblies in harmony with the Lord’s regulations of spiritual gifts?
In First Corinthians chapter fourteen, Paul revealed the regulations of spiritual gifts in the assemblies of Christians. At the conclusion of these rules for the use of miracles in public worship, Paul warned, “If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord” (verse 37). Here is the way to determine if a man, claiming to be led by the Holy Spirit, is genuinely so led. If he is, he will acknowledge and follow all the teaching of the apostles. The apostolic doctrine, the New Testament, is the standard by which all religious teaching and practice should be judged.
These regulations of spiritual gifts, therefore, had to be followed. How did the inspired apostle regulate the gifts of the Spirit?
In First Corinthians 14:1-5 Paul argued the superiority of prophecy to tongues. It seems that all Pentecostal people desire ardently to speak in tongues, yet the apostle relegated this ability to last place in order of importance among miraculous gifts (l Corinthians 12:28). Tongues were of lesser importance because, unless interpreted (translated), they did not edify (verse 5).
In verses six through nineteen the apostle demonstrated that tongues, in order to help the church, had to be interpreted. If the audience could not understand what the tongue speakers said, the tongues were useless. Every language (tongue) in the world has a purpose, the conveyance of ideas (verse 10). Their purpose is not mere display. If a person uses a language (whether through the miraculous gift of tongues or through natural knowledge) for the sake of display, he has misuses the language. The principle is “let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel” (verse 12). To speak in a language the audience doesn’t understand, without translating that tongue, was an abuse of the gift of tongues, because the audience was not edified.
Thus, Paul concluded his argument by observing, “yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue” (verse 19). The gift of. tongues was useless if it did not edify. A language the hearers did not understand could not edify. Therefore, it would be better to speak just five words in the native tongue of the speaker and the audience (in our case plain English) than to speak ten thousand inspired but unintelligible words. Let the imagined tongue speakers of today take heed.
In First Corinthians 14:20-25, the apostle Paul argued that brethren were to take into account the different purposes of tongues and prophecy in their use. He exhorted, ” Brethren, do not be children in understanding” (verse 20). Children are impressed by bright, shiny toys rather than by useful tools. Thus, the Corinthians were displaying childish thinking by their use of the gift of tongues as a vain show. So, too, do the Pentecostals who imagine have this gift.
The apostle explained, “tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers” (verse 22). The proper use of the gift of tongues was demonstrated by the apostles on the day of Pentecost. They, Galileans, expounded in many languages with which they were totally unfamiliar. The hearers, men who had spoken these languages from childhood, understood what the apostles proclaimed and recognized in this a notable miracle (Acts 2:1-11), Thus, they, unbelievers to man, were led to realize the inspiration of the speakers and to give audience to what they spoke. Therefore, about three thousand obeyed the gospel that day (Acts 2:41). The purpose, then, of miraculous tongues was to confirm the spoken word to those who were not Christians. They had and have no use in assemblies of believers.
Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind? (1 Corinthians 14:23)
This would be the natural reaction if you walked into a room full of people, all of your own nationality, who were speaking various languages, all totally foreign to your understanding. This misuse of tongues was completely wrong. What do Pentecostal people today expect us to think when we hear a dozen of them jabbering at the same time in unintelligible gibberish?
In verses twenty-six through thirty-eight of chapter fourteen the beloved apostle gave specific regulations for speaking in tongues and prophesying in the public, worship assembly. The great, over-riding principle was “Let all things be done for edification.” (Verse 26) Gibberish does not edify.
In verse twenty-seven Paul commanded, “If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret.” If Pentecostal tongue-speaking were real, they disobey the divine regulations for their public use.
“But,” our Holiness friends reply: “We can’t control our speaking; the Spirit of God forces us to speak.” To which the inspired apostle Paul in turn replies, “And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets” (verse 32). By their own power of rational thought, the prophets could decide when and when not to exercise the miraculous gift.
“For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace…” (verse 33). God has never condoned vain display or tumult in worship, and those who so worship do so in direct rebellion against the precepts of God.
In verses thirty-four and thirty-five the inspired writer forbid the wives of the prophets to ask their husbands questions aloud in the assembly. The principle is that of feminine subjection. In First Timothy 2:11-12, the same writer applied this identical principle to the teaching of women and commanded, “And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence.” How can Pentecostal people claim to have the “Full Gospel” and yet allow women to preach in a position of authority over men?
Having declared the absolute authority of his regulations of these miraculous powers (verses 37-38), Paul summarized and concluded in verse forty by demanding, “Let all things be done decently and in order.” How could any person even imagine that a Pentecostal assembly, with its clamor, confusion, vain display and revelry, is “done decently and in order”?
Just suppose that spiritual gifts were still with us, a supposition that contradicts the word of God. Even then, would the Pentecostal assemblies be in harmony with the Lord’s regulations of spiritual gifts? No! Absolutely and emphatically, No! All people truly interested in obeying Christ Jesus must reject these clamorous displays as vain worship. “Let all things be done decently and in order.”
Conclusion
It has been the primary purpose of this study to test the claims of those today who avow the use of spiritual gifts. We have chosen to investigate the great treatise by the apostle Paul concerning these gifts, contained in First Corinthians chapters twelve through fourteen, comparing his inspired principles with modern claims, as the means of accomplishing this purpose. It is now in order to sum up our investigation I will do this by constructing a series of logical arguments, based on the scriptural principles we have discovered, which demonstrate that spiritual gifts have ceased and that modern claims for these miraculous abilities are fraudulent.
I believe modern claimants to spiritual gifts are in error because God is not the author of lies.
First Argument:
Major Premise: Truth is consistent, i.e. it never contradicts itself.
Minor Premise: God’s word is truth (He cannot lie). – John 17:17, Titus 1:2
Conclusion: Therefore, God’s word is consistent, i.e., it never contradicts itself.
Second Argument:
Major Premise: God’s word is consistent, i.e., it never contradicts itself.
Minor Premise: Modern claimants to spiritual gifts contradict each other (All claim to be led by the Spirit of God in what they teach and offer the same “proof” of possessing the gifts, their experiences.) – cf. United Pentecostals, Church of God, Assembly of God, Mormons, Catholics, etc.
Conclusion: Modern claimants to spiritual gifts do not follow God’s word, and God is not the author of their lies.
I believe spiritual gifts have ceased because no one today can impart spiritual gifts.
Major Premise: The apostles alone had the power to impart spiritual gifts.
Minor Premise: There are no apostles on the earth today.
Conclusion: There is no one on the earth today who can impart spiritual gifts.
I believe spiritual gifts have ceased because they have fulfilled their purposes. The paramount purpose of spiritual gifts was to help achieve unity in the body of Christ by providing the means for revealing and confirming the faith whereby the saints might be edified.
First Argument:
Major Premise: The purpose of spiritual gifts was to reveal all the truth of the gospel. Minor Premise: All the truth of the gospel has been revealed.
Conclusion: Spiritual gifts have fulfilled their purpose.
Second Argument:
Major Premise: The purpose of spiritual gifts was to confirm the word.
Minor Premise: The word has been confirmed.
Conclusion: Spiritual gifts have fulfilled their purpose.
Third Argument:
Major Premise: The purpose of spiritual gifts was to edify in the absence of the completed, written word.
Minor Premise: The word is now completed, written and completely adequate to edify. Conclusion: Spiritual gifts have fulfilled their purpose.
I believe spiritual gifts have ceased because the New Testament says they have ceased.
Major Premise: Spiritual gifts were to cease “when that which is perfect has come” (the New Testament is complete).
Minor Premise: “That which is perfect” has come, i.e., the New Testament is complete. Conclusion: Spiritual gifts have ceased.
I believe modern claimants of spiritual gifts are frauds because they do not do what was done by those who had spiritual gifts in the first century. They do not miraculously speak known human languages. They do not raise people from the dead, drink deadly poison without ill effect, handle poisonous snakes without harm, or actually miraculously heal the sick or infirm. If they claim these powers, let it be documented by neutral, trained observers.
I do not believe Pentecostals are led by the Spirit of God because they blatantly violate Spirit- revealed principles of public worship. Their assemblies are disorderly. They have “tongue- speakers” with no interpreters. Women interrupt supposedly spiritually gifted men and teach over men. They use instrumental music in worship. Their worship is for entertainment rather than for edification (solos, quartets, choirs, bands, etc.).
The spiritual gifts employed by first century Christians have often and aptly been compared to the scaffolding used in the erection of a building. While the building is incomplete, the scaffolding is good, even essential. But once the building is complete, the scaffolding has fulfilled its purpose and is removed. If a worker were to desire to leave that scaffolding up, he would either manifest an ignorance of the purpose of scaffolding or demonstrate his lack of faith in the fact the building was complete. While the faith was incomplete, spiritual gifts were good, even essential. Once the faith was complete, they fulfilled their purpose and were removed. If one expresses a desire for the use of spiritual gifts now, he either manifests an ignorance of the purpose of spiritual gifts or demonstrates his lack of faith in the fact the New Testament is complete.
Spiritual gifts have ceased. Modern claimants to miraculous abilities are either lying frauds or deluded dreamers. Do not place your faith in emotional experiences. Let your faith stand in the miraculously revealed and confirmed, complete word of God. Experiences will deceive you and lead you astray. The word of God will show you the truth and lead you to heaven. Will you not give up the delusion of experiences for the truth of the word of God?
List of Works Cited
Arndt, W.F., and F.W. Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.
Findlay, G.G., The Expositor’s Greek Testament.
http://www.census.gov/prod/2004pubs/03statab/pop.pdf (2004 information)
Jividen, Jimmy, Glossolalia From God or Man?
MacKnight, James, A New Literal Translation of the Apostolical Epistles.
Meade, Frank, Handbook of Denominations in the United States.
Newsweek (June 25, 1973)
Thayer, J.H., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.
Vine, W.E., An Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words.
