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Why Can’t a Believer Walk with an Unbeliever?

Hi M____,

Thank you for your question. I am not unsympathetic toward your situation. I have been where you are in my own time and place, so I know how you feel, but the Truth still remains for those who are given to receive it:

2Co 6:14  Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
2Co 6:15  And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
2Co 6:16  And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
2Co 6:17  Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean [thing]; and I will receive you,
2Co 6:18  And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

First, I want to acknowledge that what the scriptures require of us really are incapable of being received by the natural man within us.

Rom 7:17  Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:18  For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Rom 7:19  For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Rom 7:20  Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.
Rom 7:21  I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

What you are essentially asking is, “Why cannot two walk together even if they don’t agree? Why cannot righteousness have fellowship with unrighteousness? Why cannot light have communion with darkness? Why cannot Christ have concord with Belial or a believer have part with and infidel?” Finally, you are asking me why the temple of God cannot have agreement with idols?

Why are you asking me these questions? The answer, and I understand this from personal experience, is because you simply do not want to be told “Be not unequally yoked together with unbelievers.” You want to have a relationship with this young lady whether you are “unequally yoked together” or not, and you think of this as “love”.

You ask me:

The answer to that question is, if you are already married to an unbeliever before God calls you and opens your eyes and gives to you a desire to please Him above all else, then yes, the unbeliever will still be sanctified by the believer.” Nowhere is that promised to take place in this age. Like the salvation of all Israel, it is simply promised to come to pass eventually.

Rom 11:25  For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
Rom 11:26  And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
Rom 11:27  For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.

When “the fullness of the Gentiles is come in… all Israel shall be saved… when I shall take away their sins.” When will that happen? These verses do not deal with the time-line of events. They simply state what the events will be, just as does the promise that the unbelieving spouse will be sanctified by the believing spouse, if that couple is already married when one of that couple comes to know our Lord.

Can an unbelieving spouse become a believer in this age? Of course, he or she can, but that is not inherent in the verses which say the unbelieving spouse will be sanctified by the believing spouse. Notice what that verse does say. Do not add to or take away from it.

1Co 7:14  For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.

The children are holy because “the whole lump is holy”, not because the unbeliever was promised to become a believer in this age.

Rom 11:16  For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.

The only time-line in this verse is the word “firstfruit.” The firstfruit is ‘first’, but when are we told that all Israel will be saved, and when are we told that the “lump is holy also?” Here are the verses which answer those questions. One of them is quoted above and is here again in this same 11th chapter of Romans.

Rom 11:25  For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
Rom 11:26  And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob:
Rom 11:27  For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.

When will “all Israel be saved?” We are not left to speculate or think above what is written” (1Co 4:6). Here is when “all Israel will be saved.” Here is when “the fulness of the Gentiles will be come in.”

Eze 16:55 When thy sisters, Sodom and her daughters, shall return to their former estate, and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their former estate, then thou [“All Israel”] and thy daughters shall return to your former estate.

You say:

Good works and compassion for those who are hurting in this world, while yet being incapable of receiving the strong meat of God’s Word, is the very essence of what the scriptures refer to as God’s “strong delusion.” Ghandi “portrayed Christ more than most who profess”, but he was still a Pagan Hindu.

So on the one hand we have “strong meat” which is spiritual and “cannot be received by the natural man”, and on the other hand we have “strong delusion” which is physical and cannot be resisted by the natural man.

1Co 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
1Co 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned.
1Co 2:15 But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.

“He that is spiritual judges all things…” So much for those who teach that Matthew 7 teaches us that Christians cannot discern between good and evil. Christ taught no such thing. It is right there in that same chapter where Christ admonishes us all to be merciful in judgment that He also makes this statement:

Mat 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
Mat 7:16  Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Mat 7:17  Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
Mat 7:18  A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Mat 7:19  Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Mat 7:20  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

What is the fruit of the spirit?

Gal 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

What is “love?” There is simply no way around this fact:

1Jn 5:2  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
1Jn 5:3  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

The good works and compassion for those who are hurting in this world, which your young lady friend may display, can indeed be the product of God’s love within any of us. However, those good works stink in God’s nostrils if they are used by us to replace obedience to God. It is right there in that same seventh chapter of Matthew:

Mat 7:20  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Mat 7:21  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Mat 7:24  Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Mat 7:25  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
Mat 7:26  And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
Mat 7:27  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
Mat 7:28  And it came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine:
Mat 7:29  For he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.

Strong delusion replaces the love of God with physical good works and a genuine, albeit, physical love and compassion for those who are hurting in this world.

2Th 2:7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
2Th 2:9  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
2Th 2:10  And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Th 2:11  And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2Th 2:12  That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

“All power and signs and lying wonders” are undeniable “good works in thy name.” Just look at how good Job saw himself as being:

Job 29:12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless and him that had none to help him.
Job 29:13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy.
Job 29:14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem.
Job 29:15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame.
Job 29:16 I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.

Job was a very “good man” from a worldly perspective. Your young lady friend may have some of these same attributes, but look at what God thinks of such an attitude which ignores His sovereignty and His expressed commandments to obey Him in all things:

Job 40:8 Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?
Job 40:9  Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him?

The answer to all of these questions, just like all the questions concerning being unequally yoked together with an unbeliever is a thunderous NO!!! No, we cannot disannul God’s judgment, and no, two cannot walk together unless they agree that God’s words are to be supreme in their lives.

If you have any hopes of serving God, you cannot say that you love this young lady while you ignore the plain, clear and hard to receive commandment of God, which is the very definition of love:

1Jn 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God [including your young lady friend], when we love God, and keep his commandments.
1Jn 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

I am going to take this opportunity to remind you of a scripture I feel sure you already know. You say in this email, “I know she doesn’t understand Biblical things.”

If that is so, then be very careful that you do not let yourself become emotionally involved with an unbeliever. I am not saying that you should not have emotions of compassion and concern for her physical well being, but you also say “[I] feel that I have fallen in love with her.” Whatever you do, do not fall for the lie that “love” is uncontrollable. The only thing that you and I cannot control is the beast that we are by nature. Christ alone can control that beast within us.

Rev 13:7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.

Rev 13:16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:

We cannot in and of ourselves conquer this beast, but in Christ we can overcome and be victorious over this beast.

Php 4:13 I can do all things in him that strengtheneth me. (ASV)

Rev 15:2 And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God.

It is in the love of Christ that I remind you that the scriptures plainly warn us that two cannot walk together unless they agree:

Amo 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

So we are given very solid and good advice:

2Co 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
2Co 6:15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
2Co 6:16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

It is true that God can and does “call light out of darkness” and that He “Works all things together for good”. It is equally true that He commands us to love our brothers in the only way we can be sure is true Godly love. That love is revealed in these two verses.

1Jn 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
1Jn 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

I would be completely negligent if I failed to mention these verses of scripture to you at this time. It is utter hypocrisy to say, “Lord, Lord” and declare our love for God and our brothers and sisters in Christ, while we ignore all of His admonitions and commandments concerning how we are to conduct our lives in this world.

Luk 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

So if you truly love this lady, you will obey God, and put Him and His commandments above your own will, and you will be praying fervently “Not my will but thine be done”, as Christ prayed.

On the other hand, you can ignore the saying of Christ concerning not being unequally yoked together and allow your “deceitful above all things” heart to tell you that you will overcome any evil that comes your way, and you will “sanctify your unbelieving girlfriend”, while you are in the very process of disobeying God, and your house will be built upon the sand of the desires of your deceitful heart.

Jer 17:9  The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?
Jer 17:10  I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

If you put your desires above the commandments of God, your lady friend will not respect or love you for it.

The very last thing in this world that you need is to be unequally yoked together with an unbelieving wife who has problems with mental stability and is bipolar. I know from the personal experience of friends in this exact situation that the mental instability seen before marriage is even more pronounced once the day-to-day married life has settled in. You cannot disobey God and expect to overcome this affliction in the life of your friend.

On the other hand, if you tell the Lord that all you want in this life is the strength to put Him and His kingdom first, even ahead of this young lady, then she will admire and respect you for putting God’s Word and the strength of your convictions first in your life, and if you can truly give this young lady up for Christ, then and only then, God may see fit to give her to you.

Mat 10:39  He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

“Losing our life” is not speaking physically. It is speaking of giving up our desires to please and obey the sayings and the Words and the commandments of Christ and His Father.

You ask if I have ever written anything on mental disorders, so I am sending you the links to what I have written on this subject.

You Shall Receive Power – Part 1
You Shall Receive Power – Part 2
Mental Illness

I hope this is of some help to you.

Be patient. Wait until after the Lord has dragged this woman to Himself, and then, if it is His will, He might see fit to give her to you as a wife.

What you will decide to do here is already written in God’s book of your life, but He alone knows what is written there for you to do in this particular situation.

Psa 139:16  Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them. (NASB)

I pray that these words and scriptures are seen for what they are, and that you are given to escape this tragic mistake you infer you want to make by becoming unequally yoked with an unbeliever who is also suffering from a mental disorder.

Your brother in Christ,

Mike

]]> Orthodox Ministers Publicly Praying For The Elect https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/orthodox-ministers-publicly-praying-for-the-elect/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=orthodox-ministers-publicly-praying-for-the-elect Fri, 29 Jan 2010 05:00:01 +0000 http://www.iswasandwillbe.com/?p=3621

Hi Mike,

Tonight I had a talk with a former elder who spiritually lives in Babylon. It was a long conversation, and it was very clear that we are not of the same mind.
Mike, the conversation ended, and he wanted to pray with me…. and I said no. I told him that I could not invite him into my spiritual house. He asked me if we weren’t brothers, and I told him we are brothers in the way Joseph and his brothers are brothers. Mike, he was shocked, and it was hard for me to do it, because I don’t think he understood.
Did I do what God commands to do? Did I do the right thing not praying with him… he wanted to do the prayer. Please help me out.

Your brother in Christ.
R____

Hi R____,
Thank you for your question.
You ask me if you did the right thing by not allowing an orthodox Christian minister to pray over you?

You are exactly right when he asked you if you were not brothers, and you told him, yes, in the sense that Joseph’s ten brothers were his brothers who wanted him dead. Now tell me the truth, can you imagine Joseph asking his ten brothers to come and pray for him when they came down to Egypt to buy bread from Joseph??? The person buying the bread does not pray for the person who is selling the bread!!!
Rest assured you did the right thing! Can you even picture Jesus Christ allowing the Jews who had just eaten His miraculous loaves and fishes, and the very same Jews which believed on Him and yet wanted to kill him and were of their father the Devil (Joh 8 30) to pray for Him and ask God to cast the Devil and his doctrines out of Christ? This is exactly what that minister would have done if you had allowed him to do the praying.

You say:

That minister’s lack of understanding has nothing to do with whether you should let him pray over you, as you say he wanted to do.
Here is Christ confronting that minister who wanted to pray over you. Read about that man right here:

Joh 8:31  Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, [ then] are ye my disciples indeed;
Joh 8:32  And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Joh 8:33  They answered him, We be Abraham’s seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?
Joh 8:34  Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.
Joh 8:35  And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: [ but] the Son abideth ever.
Joh 8:36  If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
Joh 8:37  I know that ye are Abraham’s seed; but ye seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.
Joh 8:38  I speak that which I have seen with my Father: and ye do that which ye have seen with your father.
Joh 8:39  They answered and said unto him, Abraham is our father. Jesus saith unto them, If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham.
Joh 8:40  But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.
Joh 8:41  Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, [ even] God.
Joh 8:42  Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.
Joh 8:43  Why do ye not understand my speech? [ even] because ye cannot hear my word.
Joh 8:44  Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.
Joh 8:45  And because I tell [ you] the truth, ye believe me not.
Joh 8:46  Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?
Joh 8:47  He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear [ them] not, because ye are not of God.

Orthodox Christian ministers do not “hear God’s words”. They are ‘of their father the Devil’. They ‘do the deeds of their father’, and they do not understand Christ’s speech because they cannot hear His word, simply because they have not yet been given to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of God.
You and I were just such men only yesterday. But when we were in such a state, we would have had no business praying over the person who was feeding us with loaves and fishes or selling us grain to keep us from starving.

Heb 7:7  And without all contradiction the less is blessed of the better.

As presumptuous as the orthodox ministers considered Christ to be, and as presumptuous as Joseph’s brothers considered Joseph to be, Christ and Joseph were nevertheless “the better” in God’s eyes, and they were ordained by God to do the blessing and the praying over others. Christ did the praying over the sick. He never once asked a blind man to pray for Him.
I hope this all helps you to see clearly that you did the right thing when you refused to let that orthodox man who is spiritually starved to death and spiritually blind as a bat to pray for you to be given spiritual food or spiritual sight.

Your brother in Christ,
Mike

]]> Marriage and Being Unequally Yoked https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/marriage-and-being-unequally-yoked/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=marriage-and-being-unequally-yoked Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:00:01 +0000 http://www.iswasandwillbe.com/?p=3401

Sir,

I am a fairly new believer in salvation for everyone. I have a very important question that has been bothering me. I am currently married to a “Christian.” When I told him of my new beliefs, he basically told me that it was all false and I should be careful not to be led astray. He also told me to not share or teach anyone about my beliefs in universal salvation because I would be leading people to hell. He prays for me each day that I would be wise which basically he is saying to think like he does. My question is this: is it okay to remain married to someone who does not believe in the same Christ that I believe in? In someone who says he loves me and will tolerate our differences on universal salvation? The differences in our beliefs is causing me to draw away from my husband in that I know he will not see the truth unless God reveals it to him. Is staying married to him part of the fiery trials that I must endure in this lifetime? Or can I in good conscience divorce and remarry someone who also believes in universal salvation?
I really need your advice. I have not felt close to my husband for over 10 years and now with the difference in our beliefs, I cannot see continuing on in a relationship with someone who does not believe the same as me. However, I want to do what my Lord sees as right. Please help!!!

D___

Hi D__,

Thank you for your question. The short answer is that being married to an unbeliever is no reason to seek a divorce. Scripture seems to be especially clear on this subject. As long as your husband is not forcing you to disobey God or to deny the Christ you have come to know, then these words are the answer to your question.

1Co 7:13  And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.
1Co 7:14  For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.

Those words were written just for you at this time in your life. The way you have worded this letter makes it appear that you have been dissatisfied with your husband for some time, and you now want to use your doctrinal differences for an excuse to leave him. I do not mean to impute any motives to you. I don’t know you from Adam, but I do know Adam, and Adam did what he wanted to do instead of what God said. You have taken a vow to God that you would love your husband for better or worse, till death. So do all that is in your power to regain the love you once knew with him.
Having said what I feel needs to be said to you at this point, I want to point you to the very next verse:

1Co 7:15  But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.
1Co 7:16  For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?

Being a married man, I can testify to my wife’s persuasive powers. A wife is in a position to exert incredible influence upon her husband for both good and evil. I thank God that He has given me a wife who fears Him and wants only to see my own growth in Christ. Seek that for your husband first. No God- fearing person is seeking an excuse to dissolve their marriage. It is the unbeliever who leaves. The spirit doesn’t even contemplate the reverse. It is not the believer who leaves. Then, when the unbeliever does leave, “a brother or a sister is not bound in such cases.”
I hope you are aware that God already knows what is in your future and has already written it all down in His book:

Psa 139:16  Thine eyes did see mine unformed substance; And in thy book they were all written, Even the days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was none of them.

What you do tomorrow with what you have been given to know and understand, was all decided before the world began. It was all given to you in Christ, at that time.

2Ti 1:9  Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

I have written much more on this subject in the paper entitled The Law of Moses Versus The Law of The Spirit. It is under the section dealing with the 7th command against adultery. It is a major part of that paper, and I would suggest that you read what I have written there. It is in the Essential Reading section on iswasandwillbe. com in the upper left corner of the home page. Read that paper and then if you still have questions, please get back to me.
God loves you, and He seeks only what is best for you. Do all you do to serve and please Him, and this whole situation will work itself out for your good. That is a promise from God Himself.

Rom 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to [ his] purpose.

This trial is custom designed for your good, and it will, in the end do just that.
My prayers are with you. I hope the scriptures I have shown you in God’s Word will in some way help to give you the comfort and the peace of mind all prophecy is intended to produce within us all.

Rom 15:4  For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.

Your brother in Christ,
Mike

]]> Tongues https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/tongues/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tongues Mon, 01 Sep 2008 05:00:01 +0000 http://www.iswasandwillbe.com/?p=5085 Not All Receive the Gift of Tongues
Posted March 11, 2004

Hi M____,

Yes, Paul makes it very clear that all who receive the Holy Ghost do not receive the gift of tongues when he lists all the gifts and offices and then poses seven questions. The obvious answer to every one of those seven questions is an emphatic, no! His point being that each member of the body has a different function. No one sincerely seeking to know the mind of God on this subject, can read the twelfth chapter of 1 Corinthians and conclude that everyone who has the Holy Ghost has to speak with tongues. Read that chapter. After each verse ask yourself, “Does this person have to speak with tongues to have the Holy Spirit?” The only verses where the answer is yes will be the verses which deal with the gift of tongues. Yet they all have the “selfsame Spirit.”

1Co 12:11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

Tongues are mentioned only three times in the book of Acts:

  1. When they were first given on the day of Pentecost in Act 2, as a sign to the Jews from all over the world, followed by Peter’s witness to all those Jews.
  2. At Cornelius’ house, as a sign that the gospel was to go to the Gentiles, again followed by Peter’s witness to both the Gentiles present and to Peter and the Jews that were with him that the gospel had, indeed, been given to the Gentiles.
  3. To the 12 men at Ephesus, again as a sign, to the very “Jews of Asia,” who were later to be so instrumental in attempting to stop Paul’s ministry. “Tongues are for a sign to unbelievers.” That is the only scriptural purpose given for this gift. Tongues, in scripture, are always real languages.

Let’s just let the scriptures speak for themselves. I will embolden a few words for emphasis:

1Co 12:1 Now concerning spiritual [gifts], brethren, I would not have you ignorant.

1Co 12:3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and [that] no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. [There; if you have Christ, you have the Spirit]
1Co 12:4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
1Co 12:5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
1Co 12:6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
1Co 12:7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
1Co 12:8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
1Co 12:9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;
1Co 12:10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
1Co 12:11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
1Co 12:12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
1Co 12:13 For 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.
1Co 12:14 For the body is not one member, but many.
1Co 12:15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
1Co 12:16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?
1Co 12:17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?
1Co 12:18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
1Co 12:19 And if they were all one member, where were the body?
1Co 12:20 But now are they many members, yet but one body.
1Co 12:21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
1Co 12:27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
1Co 12:28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
1Co 12:29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
1Co 12:30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
1Co 12:31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

The many members with many gifts and functions have only one “Holy Ghost”- verse 3. The “more excellent way” is the way of ‘agape,’ love, that seems to be totally ignored when seeking to know one’s spiritual condition. Speaking with ‘unknown tongues’ is by far a more reliable sign of how close one is to God in the mind of many than the “more excellent way” revealed in ‘the love chapter’ of 1 Corinthians 13.

These gifts here in 1 Corinthians 12 are listed in descending order of importance. Tongues are always last. Paul concludes with the admonition to “covet earnestly the best gifts.” Why then is it that the emphasis today is the exact opposite? Apostles, prophets, teachers, workers of miracles, gifts of healing, helps, governments are all around, but they can’t hold a candle to the popularity of ‘unknown tongues.’ Why is that? Could it be that a healing is a bit harder to perform? Well, in truth, that is certainly not the case for God, but that is the case for the Adversary. And yet it seems that the only gift being sought so diligently by most Christians is ‘unknown tongues.’

Again, the obvious answer to every question Paul poses is NO! Not every one who receives the Holy Ghost, talks with tongues, and NO one talks in ‘ unknown tongues’ because they are not even mentioned in scripture.

The “Holy Ghost,” is “Christ in you.” That is why He said, “The Father will take of mine and give to you.” That is why Christ said, “I will not leave you Comfortless. I will come to you.” [Be sure to read Is God A Trinity? on the web page.]

Of all the conversions mentioned in the book of Acts, from the 3000 on the day of Pentecost to the Ethiopian eunuch, to all the people Paul and Barnabas brought to Christ, to Paul and Silas’ jailer, etc., tongues are mentioned only three times. 1 Corinthians 12 explains why. Not every part of “the body,” needs the same gift. Besides that, the only tongues mentioned in Acts 2, or anywhere else in scripture, are real languages, spoken clearly by people who weren’t even able to interpret what they were saying. They were of no value to the person speaking, as far as being edified by what was coming out of their own mouth. However, those words were very edifying to “unbelievers.”

Act 2:5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem [unbelieving] Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.

These as yet unbelieving Jews knew that these men were all uneducated “Galileans.”

Act 2:7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
Act 2:8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?

The languages spoken by those given the gift of tongues are enumerated:

Act 2:9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
Act 2:10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
Act 2:11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
Act 2:12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this? [This was a “sign to unbelievers”]

I have never denied that on the day of Pentecost, that “they all spoke in other tongues [languages].” But this is a bonafide gift of God. This is the real thing. If the Spirit is moving in this way as is claimed, why have we not one modern case of such an event. Television news magazines have from time to time been forced to admit to a bonafide healing. Ppersonally, I have yet to see or hear of any such event as was witnessed by thousands on the day of Pentecost. I want to experience such a miracle, but I want it to be as real as it was that day when “speaking with tongues … profit [ed] you, …[by] speak[ing] to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine” (1Co 14:6). This is what happened with real languages on the day of Pentecost, and every time tongues are mentioned in scripture. Again, there is no mention in scripture of ‘unknown tongues.’

We know this is so because Paul goes on to tell us that the tongues he is discussing in 1 Corinthians 14 are so real he makes this statement:

1Co 14:7 And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds [Distinction means that it has significance to someone in the room], how shall it be known what is piped or harped?
1Co 14:8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound [how in the world can anyone be certain about a language that is not mentioned in scripture and is understood by no one on earth?], who shall prepare himself to the battle?
1Co 14:9 So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood [does this sound like Paul is talking about ‘unknown,’ tongues], how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air.
1Co 14:10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification.
1Co 14:11 Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me.
1Co 14:12 Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.

That last verse is in contrast to: He that speaketh in an [foreign] tongue [when there is no one there who needs that particular tongue] edifieth himself [hey, look at me, I’ve got my gift]; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church (1Co 14:4). The “edifieth himself” of this verse is not talking about spiritual edification, because the man himself does not understand what he is saying in the language he is speaking. Nevertheless, it is a real language under discussion, as real as the languages on the day of Pentecost, or Paul would never have made the statements we have just quoted or the statement that follows that: “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” (1Co 14:5).

An ‘unknown’ tongue would serve no purpose whatsoever. It is a false ‘sign’ because none can possibly know whether it was being properly interpreted, because it isn’t even a language. That is why Paul poses the question, “How shall it be known what is spoken?” (verse 9). Paul is not even talking about ‘unknown tongues.’ He asks that question in the context of having no one around who would be benefited by the real foreign language being spoken. ‘Unknown tongues’ as that phrase has come to be understood, are not even part of the discussion in 1 Corinthians 14, or anywhere else in scripture.

The phrase “at salvation” is not in the scriptures. I am not intending to offend you, but the way you have framed this question, demonstrates that you are not aware that ‘salvation’ is a continual process. Of course you receive the Holy Ghost when you receive Christ. The Holy Ghost is the Holy Spirit. Both English words ‘ghost’ and spirit’ are translated from the same single Greek word ‘pneuma‘. The Greek is Hagios Pneuma. The translators have done us a very great disservice by not giving this Greek phrase a consistent translation.

Getting back to the subject of ‘salvation,’ Paul says:

Rom 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.

How does “salvation nearer” square with the concept of “at salvation?” And again he says:

Eph 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, [Why not ‘Holy Ghost?’]

Then he also reveals this:

Php 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

These verses reveal that ‘salvation’ is a continual “working out” process. We receive the ‘Holy Spirit [Ghost] of promise immediately “after ye believed.” Just because the twelve men at Ephesus had never even heard of the Holy Spirit does not mean that one must wait for a “separate work of the Spirit.”

‘Work, works, working or workings of the Spirit’ – none of these are scriptural phrases. Nevertheless, “there is one Spirit” is a scriptural phrase.

So, to answer your question as to what I believe, based on these and many other like scriptures, I do believe that you receive the Holy Spirit immediately upon conversion, but I do not believe that you are mature in the Spirit at the moment you become aware of your need for a Savior, and the fact that a Savior has been provided. Salvation is an ongoing process. Though you have been given God’s Spirit, right from the beginning, God’s Spirit does not yet have you complete right from the beginning. The steps involved in our maturing process are outlined for us in Israel’s experience and history. Paul tells us so in 1 Corinthians 10:11.

1Co 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

I am sending you another email on this subject of The Seven Steps To Salvation.

Peter ‘laid hands’ on no one at Cornelius’ house. Yet they were given the Holy Ghost:

Act 10:44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
Act 10:45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Act 10:46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God.

As Paul’s ministry matured, he was brought by God’s Spirit to see that many things he once did were simply no longer necessary for him

There was a time when Paul baptized. Later he tells us:

1Co 1:14 I thank God that I baptized none of you, but Crispus and Gaius;
1Co 1:15 Lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name.
1Co 1:16 And I baptized also the household of Stephanas: besides, I know not whether I baptized any other.
1Co 1:17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel:

And then he tells us:

Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word.

It was to Paul that God first revealed that the ritual of circumcision was totally uneccessary. There was a period where anointed cloths were sent out from Paul’s presence for the healing of others. God honored these actions because they were done in faith, as they still are by some. But as Paul matured, he became aware that sometimes our faith is “tried.” Not all our prayers are answered, anointed cloths or not, hands laid on or not.

He tells Timothy, who apparently suffered digestive issues, to drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities (1Ti 5:23).

Again we are told:

2Ti 4:20 Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick.

Again Paul’s faith was tested:

Php 2:25 Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants.
Php 2:26 For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick.
Php 2:27 For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow.

Why didn’t Paul just send Timothy an anointed cloth or lay hands on him and pray for his healing? I feel sure that Paul had prayed fervently for Timothy’s “often infirmities.” Does anyone doubt that Paul prayed for either Trophimus or Epaphroditus? Of course Paul prayed for them all. Their healing was not in God’s will at that time, but Paul’s faith did not depend on outward signs. Likewise our Faith must be based on more than outward displays. If not, the fiery trial of our faith will shake anything that can be shaken.

To answer your question directly, circumcision, water baptism, foot washing, the Lord’s supper, anointed cloths and the laying on of hands, are all outward displays of one’s faith. They are not a sin any more than “another who is weak in the faith eats herbs.”

Rom 14:1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.
Rom 14:2 For one believeth that he may eat all things: another, who is weak, eateth herbs.

So it is with those who must have these displays of their faith. I believe in laying my hands on a person when I pray for them, but I do not for one minute believe that this ritual is a requirement for an answered prayer. You cannot do physical things to become spiritual.

Tongues are no exception to that truth. When we take the spiritual truth of the new covenant and turn them into physical requirements like water baptism and ‘unknown tongues’ we are not fooling God at all. He still will have our heart.

No, I haven’t. Christ healed the sick, had all knowledge and prophesied. Yet He never once spoke in an unknown tongue. The same is true of every one of the apostles. As a matter of fact they did all these things before they were even converted. Yes, they did!

Luk 10:1 After these things the Lord appointed other seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come.

Mat 10:5 These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying,

Mat 10:8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

The 12 and the 70 performed miracles before they were even converted.

Luk 10:17 And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord,even the devils are subject unto us through thy name.

Years later, the night of His apprehension by the Jews, Christ tells Peter:

Luk 22:32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

Spiritual gifts are not a Biblical equivalent to the fruit of the Spirit. They are not even in the same league. I cannot over-emphasize this. Paul tells the Corinthian church:

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:

Do you see that? The Corinthians “came behind in NO GIFT. Yet in the next breath Paul tells them:

1Co 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
1Co 3:2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
1Co 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

So do not measure a man by the gifts he possesses. Measure him only by the fruit he produces. How does he react to being mistreated? Is he even capable of “loving his enemies?” That is a far better measure of a man’s spiritual condition then whether he can pray for the sick and experience healings. It is far superior to ‘unknown tongues’.

If you insist on equating ‘unknown tongues’ with the Holy Spirit, with no other reason than the fact that on three occasions in the book of Acts (Pentecost, Cornelius’ house, and the Ephesian converts) people spoke in a new language, then you alone must decide, “Am I asking sincerely, wanting only to know the truth of the word of God on this subject, or am I attached to a personal ‘idol of the heart?'” I cannot answer that question for you. I can tell you that ‘unknown’ tongues have no basis in the scriptures. Known languages? Sure! However, the word ‘unknown’ is not in the Bible regarding tongues. God will not give you a stone for asking for a fish, but if you come to His word with your mind already made up, and then try to make His word fit into your heart’s idol, then yes, God will answer you according to the multitude of your idols of your heart.

Keep this attitude. Ask God not to deceive you but to give you a love of the Truth.

2Th 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:

Maybe you already have read Strong Delusion. If not, please be sure to do so.

Posted March 11, 2004

I have never said ‘we should not be speaking in tongues.’ Here is what I did say:

There! That is my commentary on the tongues part of 1 Corinthians 14 – ‘The Tongues Chapter.’ I believe it is true to the scriptures. I simply cannot vouch for something God has given me no experience in. When I witness a true Acts 2 tongues experience, I will immediately share it with my reading audience. Just because I have never experienced something does not mean that others haven’t.

You cannot show me where I have ever said that the gift of tongues has passed from the scene. It is true that I believe that as one matures gifts become less and less of a factor in one’s faith. I have gone on the record as saying that any gifts we possess should rest upon our faith and not vice versa. In other words, our faith should not depend upon the number of gifts we possess and the number of prayers we have answered. This would lead to nothing less than immaturity and a whole church full of spoiled rotten spiritual “babes in Christ.” I welcome anyone, who has never spoken in French, being able to communicate the gospel to someone who does not know English but only French. That is the true Acts 2 experience. Anything less is a sign to no one and is without scriptural basis.

There were no ‘unknown,’ tongues on Pentecost, at the home of Cornelius, or at any of the cities where Paul met believers who had been ‘baptized into John’s baptism.’ The word ‘unknown’ is never used in conjunction with tongues. All the tongues spoken at Pentecost are enumerated in Acts two:

Act 2:7 And they were all amazed and marveled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
Act 2:8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?Act 2:9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
Act 2:10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
Act 2:11 Crees and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
Act 2:12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?

Incoherent ‘unknown tongues’ would never have produced such questions and such astonishment. Rather they would have produced just what Paul tells us they produce when virtually no one can understand what is being said:

1Co 14:23 If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?

If this is true of a real tongue, how much truer is it of a non-existent, ‘unknown’ tongue? My personal ‘experience’ has demonstrated the truth of that statement on several occasions when I was a believer in ‘unknown tongues.’ I do not despise what I once was. I thank God for that experience. If I had not been there, I would not be able to write this email with any sense of conviction. However, I have asked God to help me to rid myself of any ‘idol of the heart.’ This ‘I-have-the-baptism-of-the-Holy-Ghost-and-you-don’t’ doctrine was one of the first ‘idols of the heart’ I had to give up. It was no easier for me than it will be for you. As long as you come to the word of God with your “experience” ahead of scripture, you are exactly where Ezekiel says the elders of Israel were when they came to “enquire of the Lord:”

Eze 14:1 Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me.
Eze 14:2 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Eze 14:3 Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them?

Their ‘experience’ had led them to preconceived conclusions, and they wanted God to now put His stamp of approval upon their ways.

Eze 14:4 Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols;
Eze 14:5 That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.
Eze 14:6 Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations.
Eze 14:7 For every one of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to a prophet [comes to God’s Word and adds ‘unknown’ where the Lord simply said ‘tongue’ or language] to enquire of him concerning me; I the LORD will answer him by myself:
Eze 14:8 And I will set my face against that man, and will make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of my people; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
Eze 14:9 And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.

God answers us according to the multitude of [our] idols;

Eze 14:10 And they shall bear the punishment of their iniquity: the punishment of the prophet shall be even as the punishment of him that seeketh unto him;

“I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols,” means that if you have your mind made up about this, or any subject, before you go to the scriptures, if you are not sincere in seeking only the mind of God, then God will use your own deception to deceive you. For example:

Mat 25:24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, [This is a false doctrine] reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
Mat 25:25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
Mat 25:26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:

The Lord did not even bother to show this man how wrong he was. He answered him “according to the idol of his heart.”

Mat 25:27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
Mat 25:28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.

David puts it this way:

Psa 18:26 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.

Now, with these stern warnings against allowing anything other than the word and mind of God to be our guide, let’s go two chapters earlier, to where Paul poses this question:

1Co 12:28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
1Co 12:29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
1Co 12:30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
1Co 12:31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

These gifts are all listed in order of importance, ‘First … secondarily … thirdly…’ etc. The answer to every question asked here is emphatically, No! Yet according to what I understand you to be saying, your answer to this question would be, “No, except for the gift of unknown tongues, because if you don’t have that gift then you cannot be ‘built up in your faith’ to be a prophet, teacher or a worker of miracles, etc. Without the baptism of the Holy Ghost, which equates to speaking in unknown tongues, you cannot build up your faith.”

Am I wrong about what you are saying? I know that is exactly what I used to think in my puffed up immature spirit. The Truth revealed in these questions, however, is that God does not give any one of these gifts to everyone. Neither does He give all of these gifts to any one person.

The “fruit of the Spirit,” is not ‘unknown tongues.’

Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
Gal 5:23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Gal 5:24 And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.
Gal 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
Gal 5:26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

Verse 26 is speaking directly to those who believe that their physical “experience,” has somehow given them a spiritual edge over those who merely bear the “fruit of the Spirit.”

I have had acquaintances of mine who have discussed my page and my teachings with their Charismatic friends. Inevitably the first question out of the mouth of the charismatic is not, “Does Mike Vinson have love, joy, peace, etc.? Has he crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts?” No, the first question from charismatics is invariably, “Does he speak in tongues?” The word ‘unknown’ is understood. It is strange to me that with all the tongues all around that the only ones spoken on the day of Pentecost (I mean known languages that serve as a useful ‘sign to unbelievers’) are not to be found anywhere here in Georgia. I have heard a lot of ‘tongues’ spoken here in Georgia.

Certainly, a true Pentecostal experience would be very edifying. A language is being spoken by a person with no training in that language, and it is being understood by people who know that the person speaking that language doesn’t have training in the language he is speaking. This is a miracle. Faking this experience and telling your followers that this is just as good as what happened at Pentecost, edifies no one but the person who falls prey to this doctrine. He can now feel spiritually superior to his fellow Christians who haven’t yet been able to have this “experience.” Why would God speak to anyone in a language that exists nowhere on earth and then “interpret” it? The word “interpret” means that it is a known language, and yes, when a person speaks fluently in a known language in which he has no formal training, this is the exact same thing as prophesying. Furthermore it becomes, under those true Pentecostal conditions, a powerful “sign, not to them that believe but unto them which believe not.” None of this is true for what is passed off as a language spoken nowhere on earth.

Yes, there is, and that ‘tongue that no man understands howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries’ is an earthly language that is uninterpreted. It clearly tells us that it is “speaking mysteries” – not speaking incoherently.

The ‘no man understandeth him’ is merely a statement of fact when you have someone speaking French when there is no one around who understands French. Paul is having to tell these overzealous and immature Corinthian ‘carnal… babes in Christ’ that they ought not be abusing their gifts to simply show off or “edify himself.”

I am going to cut and paste my comment to this verse:

1Co 14:2 For he that speaketh in an [unknown – this mistaken insertion is quoted as if it were scripture] tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth [him]; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.

Since “no man understands him,” Paul says, “He edifies himself.” This is not a compliment, nor is it advice. It is a reprimand, and is contrasted with “edifying the church” (vs 4).

1Co 14:3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. [This is the preferred gift of this chapter.]
1Co 14:4 He that speaketh in an [unknown – leave this word out. It was not in the original texts.] tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.

Here is one of the least quoted verses of this chapter, and it is the heart of this chapter.

1Co 14:5 I would that ye all spake with tongues [I wish all my children could receive the gift of languages, not mumblings], 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.

This is the required product of both prophesying and tongues. I, too, would rather that my children prophesy than speak in languages.

1Co 14:6 Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?

Paul is telling us, with this verse that the gift of languages should be used for the purpose of edifying the church, not to demonstrate for the whole congregation that this brother has ‘received his gift.’

What you are saying to me, and to all those without what you consider to be ‘the baptism of the Holy Ghost’ is that we cannot be ‘built up’ without speaking in an unknown tongue because we don’t know what we should ask for, and therefore if the Holy Ghost does not ask for the things we need in a language that cannot be understood then we (those of us without this gift) are at a disadvantage, and will never have the things we need presented to the Father because we don’t have the gift of unknown tongues.

If I take your statement: “a man with a theory is at the mercy of a man with an experience” and live by it, then I must confess that my “experience” has been that God did not begin to open my eyes to all the truths of His Word, for which you have expressed your gratitude, until I matured to the point that I did not consider my ‘gift of tongues’ and my ‘gift of interpretation of tongues’ to make me any closer to God than those without such gifts. Eventually I was brought, through the scriptures, to see the truth about ‘unknown tongues.’ At that point I saw that I had to choose between a doctrine that I had stood up for for all my life, and the truth about that doctrine which I was beginning to see in the scriptures. Any revelation I have received has come to me since I have seen through the false doctrine of ‘unknown,’ (a word not found in the original in 1 Corinthians 14) tongues. The only thing better than having an experience is seeing through an experience. If King Saul could have seen through his experience at Endor, he would never have fallen in battle. God had told Adam that he would return to the dust. The serpent had told Adam that he would not surely die. Saul’s “experience” lined up with the serpent’s lie, and Saul went with his ‘experience’ and against the scripture. So in the final analysis a man with an experience had better be at the mercy of the scriptures, because the scriptures are dictated to by neither ‘experience’ nor ‘theory.’

That is not what Paul says at all. Here is what he does say:

1Co 14:14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.

I left ‘unknown’ out, because it was added to the Word of God.

1Co 14:15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
1Co 14:16 Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?[Does that sound like Paul was speaking of a secret prayer language?]
1Co 14:17 For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.1Co 14:18 I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:
1Co 14:19 Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that [by my voice] I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an [unknown] tongue.
1Co 14:20 Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.

Read and reread that last verse. Don’t overlook the whole point of this chapter. Paul favors and encourages “understanding.” Yes, he does say not to forbid to speak with other languages, with the understanding that you seek out an interpreter first and do it for a sign to unbelievers and do it in order and not all at one time. ‘Unknown tongues’ is an unscriptural phrase found nowhere in this or any other chapter in scripture.

You apparently want me to believe that if I pray with the understanding that I am not ‘praying in the Spirit.’ I don’t think you realize what you are implying. You are saying that if Paul (or I) were to pray with the understanding, then we would not be praying in the Spirit. You go as far as to quote Jdg 20 as proof that we are to pray in unknown tongues. Here is Jude 20:

Jud 1:20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,

Do you see now how you are equating ‘unknown tongues’ to the words ‘Holy Ghost’ here in Jude 1:20. You point to that scripture and ask me if I can’t see that we are to pray in unknown tongues. The plain scriptural answer is I do not see the words ‘unknown tongues’ anywhere in the book of Jude or anywhere else in scripture. The kind of tongues being spoken of here are revealed in verse 21. We need not speculate:

1Co 14:21 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.

There it is. Paul makes it clear that what he is talking about throughout this chapter are the “tongues… and … lips [of] other… men.” This is a reference to Isaiah 28:11-12, where Isaiah is prophesying the impending fall of the northern kingdom of Israel at the hands of the Assyrians. The ‘men of other tongues’ referred to there are men of the Assyrian tongue.

We know from the book of Acts that Paul was at least bi-lingual. Nowhere are we told that Paul had the gift of tongues. Paul is not making that claim here. You have to read that into the text.

1Co 14:27 If any man speak in an tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.
1Co 14:28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.

Does that sound like Paul is encouraging the Corinthians to speak in ‘unknown tongues?’

1Co 14:6 Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?
1Co 14:7 And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?
1Co 14:8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?
1Co 14:9 So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air.
1Co 14:10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification.
1Co 14:11 Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me.
1Co 14:12 Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.

Does one single verse of this section of this chapter sound like Paul is encouraging you to pray in an unknown tongue? I appreciate your zeal. It seems that many people who come to my site are charismatics who are serious and zealous to serve God. I repeat Paul’s advice:

1Co 14:12 Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.

That is what Paul is encouraging these zealous but “childish” (Chapter 13), and “carnal” (chapter 3), Corinthians to do in this chapter. There is not one word about praying in an ‘unknown tongue here or anywhere else in the Bible.

That is the exact opposite of what Paul is saying. Here is the proof:

1Co 14:19 Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my [clearly understood English] voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an [foreign] tongue.
1Co 14:20 Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.

Every time you see that word ‘understanding’ Paul is contrasting it with the much abused gift of languages that these zealous but mislead and ‘carnal’ ‘babes in Christ’ wished to posess. Paul is right up front with these people. He first tells them:

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:

Then only two verses later he tells them:

1Co 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and [that] there be no divisions among you; but [that] ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
1Co 1:11 For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them [which are of the house] of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
1Co 1:12 Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
1Co 1:13 Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?

Then in the next breath he is telling us this of this congregation:

1Co 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
1Co 3:2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able [to bear it], neither yet now are ye able.
1Co 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
1Co 3:4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I [am] of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

But they “came behind in no gift,” and they were especially proud of their gift of languages.

I know, I did, too.

I welcome a true Pentecostal experience with the true gift of true “men of other tongues and of other lips.” I see through the zeal that has led me and millions of other sincere ‘babes in Christ’ to fall for a very poor counterfeit of what actually happened on the day of Pentecost.

1Jn 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

I appreciate you sharing this with me. I hope that “a man with a theory is at the mercy of a man with an experience. I cannot deny this baptism in the Spirit” does not mean that you and I can no longer discuss this subject. I believe that a man with an experience should “try the spirits” just as diligently as a man with a theory. The Truth of the scripture is determined by neither ‘experience’ nor ‘theory.’

I have the same concern for you and for your spiritual welfare. Let’s both pray that God will remove any idol of our heart and reveal His Truth to us. That is truly and honestly all I want.

God bless!

God bless you as you seek to know the mind of Christ.

Joh 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

Mike

December 27, 2003

Part 1

C____ wrote:

Where is the scripture for this belief? Paul asks ‘Do all speak with tongues?’ This teaching would have you believe that if you don’t, then you cannot ‘build up your faith.’ That is simply not so. God never intended to give anyone all the gifts, and He certainly never intended to give everyone the least important of the gifts, that is the gift of tongues.

1Co 12:28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, [and eighth and last] diversities of tongues.
1Co 12:29 [Are] all apostles? [are] all prophets? [are] all teachers? [are] all workers of miracles?
1Co 12:30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?1Co 12:31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: [‘rather that ye may prophesy’] and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

I do not believe that any of the gifts are ‘passed’ any more than I believe that the law is ‘passed’ or ‘done away’ for those still coming to Christ. The law is necessary to bring us to Christ, but after that faith is come we are no longer under the schoolmaster (Gal 3:19-23). So it is with gifts. They are necessary to lead us to Christ, but eventually (1Co 3:13) every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. Every man’s work will be tried by fire. Our prayers will not always be answered, and our gifts will sometimes force us to “leave Trophimus sick at Miletum” (2Ti 4:20). This is in spite of promises like: (Jas 5:15) And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. All this simply because our Creator has decided that we should count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing [this], that the trying of your faith worketh patience (Jas 1:2-3).

I could not agree more. I only hope that you realize that I am in that same boat.

Thanks for reading my discourses and thank you for your kind words about our ‘insight.

As I said, I was reared a Pentecostal, and I have heard thousands speak in ‘unknown’ tongues over the years.

You say:

No, I have never had such an experience. I have never witnessed anything resembling an Acts 2 experience. Please don’t take that fact to mean that I do not believe that God cannot give someone today the ability to speak in a language (‘tongue’) that they have never spoken in before. I know good and well that God can do that, but I have never witnessed it. All I have ever seen were unscriptural ‘unknown tongues.’

Why do I call them unscriptural? Simply because there is not one time in the scriptures where anyone is ever said to have spoken in an ‘unknown’ tongue. As I am sure you are aware, every time you see the word ‘unknown’ in the KJV, it is in italics. The italics were used by the translators to let us know which words they added to the text to ‘help make the meaning clearer.’ Since Anglicans (King James was an Anglican) are not generally tongues speakers, I seriously doubt that they meant ‘unknown’ in the sense that today’s Pentecostals mean it. It is undeniable that the person speaking ‘in tongues’ on the day of Pentecost did not understand what they were saying as they spoke was heard “every man in his own language” (Act 2:6). Nevertheless, what they were speaking was not a non-existent tongue but “every man in his own language.” It was the same at Cornelius’ house, because Peter said it was:

Act 15:8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;

All languages mentioned in scripture are known languages. They are not the incoherent syllables run together and passed off as the experience of Pentecost. This is obvious delusion. Here is what Paul had to say about the tongues he was discussing: I have adopted this as my own understanding of this particular gift:

1Co 14:1 Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. [Through out this chapter Paul contrasts the gift of ‘prophecy,’ (he that prophesieth speaketh unto men [to] edification, and exhortation, and comfort vs 3) with the gift of tongues.]
1Co 14:2 For he that speaketh in an [unknown – this mistaken insertion is quoted as if it were scripture] tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth [ him]; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. [Since “no man understands him,” Paul says “he edifies himself.” This is not a compliment, nor is it advice. It is a reprimand, and is contrasted with “edifying the church” (vs 4).]
1Co 14:3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. [This is the preferred gift of this chapter]
1Co 14:4 He that speaketh in an [unknown – leave this word out] tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church. [Here is one of the least quoted verses of this chapter, and it is the heart of this chapter.]
1Co 14:5 I would that ye all spake with tongues [I wish all my children could receive the gift of languages, not mumblings], 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. [This is the required product of both prophesying and tongues. I, too, would rather that my children prophesy than speak in languages]
1Co 14:6 Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine? [Paul is telling us, with this verse that the gift of languages should be used for the purpose of edifying the church, not to demonstrate for the whole congregation that this brother has ‘received his gift.’]
1Co 14:7 And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped? [If this verse is not the death knell of the doctrine of ‘unknown tongues,’ then I do not know what Paul’s point is. Please enlighten me.]
1Co 14:8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain [‘unknown’] sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?
1Co 14:9 So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air. [Paul is talking about real languages!]
1Co 14:10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices [actual languages] in the world, and none of them is without signification.
1Co 14:11 Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice [this real language], I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me. [This is Paul’s assessment of a language that no one understands]
1Co 14:12 Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church. [I really admire the zeal of unknown tongues talking Pentecostals. But just as Paul (who was not even dealing with counterfeit tongues, but with abuse of a real gift), I, too, would rather that ye prophesied: for greater [is] he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues…]
1Co 14:13 Wherefore let him that speaketh in an [unknown – foreign] tongue pray that he may interpret. [What profit are ‘unknown tongues?’ They are ‘a sign’ to no one. There is nothing to ‘interpret.’]
1Co 14:14 For if I pray in an [unknown – foreign] tongue [when there is no one there who would understand that tongue and therefore no one for whom this tongue would ‘be a sign’], my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. [Again, this is an admonition not to abuse God’s gifts just to draw attention to one’s self.]
1Co 14:15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit [only if it is “a sign to unbelievers,” and therefore “edifies the church”], and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit [only if it is a “sign” and “edifies”], and I will sing with the understanding also.
1Co 14:16 Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?
1Co 14:17 For thou verily givest thanks [in a real language] well, but the other is not edified.
1Co 14:18 I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all: [We have no record of Paul ever having a Pentecostal experience and speaking in a language he did not understand. “Praying in the spirit” is not synonymous with, nor exclusive to, praying in a foreign language. “Praying with the spirit” is not to be understood as something we should desire to do without understanding what we are saying. That is the exact opposite of the tenor of this whole chapter. It is certainly not to be understood as “the spirit praying for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” If it were to be taken that way, then those who did not have this least desirable gift, would not have such a mediator. What Paul is saying is “I will [always] pray with the understanding also.” Paul considered himself to be just as unedified by speaking in a language he didn’t understand as the church would be unedified if it could not understand what was being said. This chapter is an admonition against abusing a real gift with a real purpose to it. That purpose was most certainly not to edify the one with the gift. Tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not. They, therefore, are certainly not “the initial evidence of the gift of the Holy Spirit.”]
1Co 14:19 Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that [by my voice] I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an [unknown] tongue. [Some day God will open the eyes of Oral Roberts, Gloria and Kenneth Copeland, Billie Byrne and all others who have this false doctrine of ‘unknown tongues,’ to see the truth of this verse. Mind you, Paul is speaking of a real language, not a counterfeit, when he makes this statement.]
1Co 14:20 Brethren, be not children in understanding: [Don’t abuse this real gift, just to draw attention to yourself.] howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding [this word is the theme of this chapter] be men.
1Co 14:21 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. [This verse is quoted from Isaiah 28 and is a prophecy of the invading Assyrian armies.]

Isa 28:9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? [them that are] weaned from the milk, [and] drawn from the breasts.
Isa 28:10 For precept [must be] upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, [and] there a little:
Isa 28:11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. [This verse alone should give the lie to the false doctrine of ‘unknown tongues.’ The Assyrian ‘tongue’ may not have been understood by Israel, but it was certainly a real language.]

1Co 14:22 Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe. [This is THE purpose for tongues! The exact opposite of the doctrine that tongues are ‘proof of the initial evidence of the gift of the Holy Ghost’.]
1Co 14:23 If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in [those that are] unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad? [As well they should, even if the languages are real, much less when people by the hundreds of thousands are falling for a very poor counterfeit.]
1Co 14:24 But if all prophesy, [speak clearly in plain English which he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort] and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all:
1Co 14:25 And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth. [Because he could understand what was being said.]
1Co 14:26 How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue [to be used as a sign to an unbeliever and to edify the church, not for self edification], hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
1Co 14:27 If any man speak in an [unknown – foreign] tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.
1Co 14:28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God. [This verse proves that it is incumbent upon the person with the gift of languages to seek out an interpreter prior to the service, before he begins to speak in a language that most of the audience may not understand. If there is not an interpreter, “let him hold his peace.” It does not say. ‘Let him speak first and hope that there is someone there who can fake an interpretation of a non- existent language’]
1Co 14:29 Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.
1Co 14:30 If [anything] be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace. [This verse was flagrantly violated by Gloria Copeland and her friend Billie Byrne, on TBN just last night, as they demonstrated how we were to “pray together in unknown tongues.” “Not doing this is what is holding the church back from maturing and becoming a more effective witness for Christ,” they falsely affirmed. This is pathetic, unscriptural nonsense!]
1Co 14:31 For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. [What group of ‘unknown tongues’ talkers practices this verse.]
1Co 14:32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. [They teach just the opposite; ‘You can’t control the Spirit.’]
1Co 14:33 For God is not [the author] of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. [This verse amounts to nothing less than ‘Quenching the Spirit,’ to some ‘unknown tongues’ practitioners.]

There! That is my commentary on the tongues part of 1 Corinthians 14, ‘The Tongues Chapter.’ I believe it is true to the scriptures. I simply cannot vouch for something God has given me no experience in. When I witness a true Act 2 tongues experience, I will immediately share it with my reading audience. Just because I have never experienced something does not mean that others haven’t.

You cannot show me where I have ever said that the gift of tongues has passed from the scene. It is true that I believe that as one matures that gifts become less and less of a factor in his faith. I have gone on the record as saying that any gifts that we possess should rest upon our faith and not vice versa. In other words our faith should not depend upon the number of gifts we possess and the number of prayers we have answered. This would lead to nothing less than immaturity and a whole church full of spoiled rotten spiritual “babes in Christ.”

Christ told doubting Thomas: Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen [ gifts displayed and prayers always answered], and yet have believed (Joh 20:29).

James tells us:

Jas 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
Jas 1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
Jas 1:4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

For some reason, our Creator places great stress upon this thing called ‘patience.’ So much so that He says: In your patience possess ye your souls (Luk 21:19). Babes in Christ, constantly caught up in demonstrations of the gifts they possess and believing that they can “concerning the works of my hands command you me” (Isa 45:11), cannot even discern an admonition from advice or a compliment.

It is “strong meat” to be told that God intends to try the faith of every son He receives. Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is (1Co 3:13). My prayer is simply, ‘give me the strength to endure to the end.’

Your brother in Christ,

Mike

Part 2

Hi C____,

You did not at all offend me. I, too, am at a disadvantage, when communicating by email. It is hard to determine one’s ‘tone of voice’ in an email.

When I ask a direct question, please don’t take it as anything but that. I am just trying to learn what you are thinking and why you believe as you do. I have learned a lot from those who are willing to take the time to tell me why they see the scriptures as they do.

As a matter of fact, I was ‘edified’ by what you had to say about Isaiah 28. All those who are still controlled by ‘the first Adam’ and are opposed to ‘Christ in you’ are indeed ‘foolish buffoons.’

Whether immature Christian, Islamic or total heathen, they are all acting as “evil men.” This is exactly what God uses to punish His own rebellious children.

Isa 10:5 O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation.
Isa 10:6 I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.

Isa 10:11 Shall I not, as I have done unto Samaria and her idols, so do to Jerusalem and her idols?
Isa 10:12 Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria, and the glory of his high looks.

These verses tell me that God always has and always will use the heathen to punish His own hypocritical people.

Here it is again from David’s perspective:

Psa 17:13 Arise, O LORD, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from the wicked, which is thy sword:
Psa 17:14 From men which are thy hand, O LORD, from men of the world…

It seems to me that ” the Lord GOD of hosts shall make a consumption, even determined, in the midst of all the land” (Isa 10:23).

Isa 34:2 For the indignation of the LORD is upon all nations, and his fury upon all their armies: he hath utterly destroyed them, he hath delivered them to the slaughter.

I believe that these 21st century ‘Crusades’ that we have embarked upon are only “the beginnings of sorrows.”

Mar 13:8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.

While these scriptures seem clear to me, I believe that the weight of the scriptures are directed toward ‘the beast within,’ not some man in a temple made with stones.

Ecc 3:18 I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.

This is just some ‘food for thought.’

I appreciate your fellowship.

Mike

November 24, 2003

Hi P__,

Thanks for reading the web page. Thanks especially for your question. You ask:

No, there is no such distinction ‘in scripture.’

Yes, I am aware of this distinction in the minds of those who believe in ‘unknown tongues.’ I notice that you have not used the phrase,’unknown tongues,’ and I don’t know how you personally feel about this subject. If we are interested in The Truth, then our ‘feelings’ become secondary and irrelevant. I am going to approach this question as I do every question I receive and answer with only one criteria; what saith the scripture?

“Some teach that there are two types of tongues; a quiet, personal prayer language and another to edify the church aloud.” I ask simply, where is the scripture for this teaching? I know very well how it is deduced, because I was raised an interdenominational Pentecostal. I spoke in ‘unknown’ tongues with the others in my church. Our ‘tongues’ were as good as anyone’s. I was as sincere at that time as I am presently in my desire to know the mind of God and to let Christ live His life in me. I love those who believe in ‘unknown tongues’ and appreciate the sincere desire to please God that many of these brothers have. Having said that, I am compelled to add that I was not, however, as informed of The Truth at that time as I am 40 years later. At that time I also believed in ‘free moral agency’ and another Satanic doctrine, the doctrine of an eternal burning hell for immortal souls.

Simply by the grace of God I have been shown in the scriptures that Adam, as he came from the hand of the Creator, was totally unfit for eternal life in the kingdom of God and had not yet ‘put on immortality.’

1Co 15:50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.

Eze 18:4… the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

I now reject the teaching of an immortal flesh and blood Adam, or an inherent immortal soul. They are “Idols of the heart” (Eze 14:9).

I have been shown that instead of ‘free will’ the scriptures teach, (Rom 9:16) … it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. (Php 2:13) For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. (Eph 1:11) In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

I now reject the teachings of free will and of free moral agency. It is an “Idol of the heart.”

Instead of eternal burning hell, I have been shown that God (1Ti 2:4) … will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. (1Ti 4:10) For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially [not exclusively] of those that believe. (2Pe 3:9) The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (1Jn 2:2) And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours [believers] only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

I now reject the teaching of eternal hell fire or eternal death. They are both “idols of the heart.”

Likewise when I saw that…

1Co 14:2… he that speaketh in a tongue [a foreign language, when there is no one there to interpret] speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.
1Co 14:3 But he that prophesieth [speaks in ‘plain English’] speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
1Co 14:4 He that speaketh in an [foreign] tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church [and what is the point of this statement?].
1Co 14:5 I would that ye all spake with [foreign] tongues, but rather that ye prophesied[ speak in a language everyone understands]: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.
1Co 14:6 Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you [anyone who speaks in ‘unknown tongues’ care to answer this question of Paul’s], except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?1Co14:7 And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped? [Does this sound as if Paul is talking about ‘unknown tongues’ understood as unknown to any culture on earth?]
1Co1 4:8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound [unknown tongues], who shall prepare himself to the battle?
1Co 14:9 So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood[ here is the force of this entire chapter], how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air.

1Co 14:3… he that prophesieth [speaks in ‘plain English’] speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.

So I repeat:

1Co 14:4 He that speaketh in an [foreign] tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.

At that point I decided to, (1Co 14:1) Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.

I was shown that even though Paul could, (1Co 14:18) … speak with tongues more than ye all:

1Co 14:19 Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an [foreign] tongue.

How many people who claim to have the gift of tongues have this scriptural attitude?

Finally, I was shown the purpose for tongues. I now know that (1Co 14:21) 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. [So the ‘tongues under discussion are, “men of other tongues.”]

1Co 14:22 Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe[not ‘the initial evidence of the gift of the Holy Ghost’], but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe [this is the “language… to edify the church aloud,” as you put it.]

Now that I know the function of ‘tongues,’ I understand how the ‘tongues’ spoken on the day of Pentecost were used by the ‘Holy Ghost.’ They were for a sign to them [the Jews] that believed not. What tongues were they speaking? We don’t have to guess. We are told specifically:

Act 2:8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
Act 2:9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
Act 2:10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
Act 2:11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.

So the 120 on whom the ‘Holy Ghost’ came on the day of Pentecost, did not understand what they were saying, but they were speaking in one of the above listed ‘tongues.’ No one ever spoke in a “tongue of angels.” The reason we have this phrase in scripture is to distinguish it from human languages. In the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an [foreign] tongue [even a foreign ‘tongues of angels’].

Co 14:2… he that speaketh in a tongue [a foreign language, when there is no one there to interpret] speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. [This is not a word of praise, it is a reprimand. The solution to this infantile behavior of verse two, which simply “edifieth himself,” is verses 3-5.]
1Co 14:3 But he that prophesieth [speaks in ‘plain English’] speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.1Co14:4 He that speaketh in an [foreign] tongue edifieth himself [when no one understands him]; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church [and what is the point of this statement?].
1Co 14:5 I would that ye all spake with [foreign] tongues, but rather that ye prophesied[ speak in a language everyone understands]: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying [ as well as the person or persons for whom it is “a sign.”]

Once this scriptural purpose for ‘tongues,’ as a “sign to them that believe not,” is understood and believed in, the false doctrine of ‘unknown tongues’ falls away. The ‘unbeliever’ may be a called out saint, such as Peter at the house of the Gentile, Roman centurion, Cornelius. Still, “tongues were for a sign to them that believed not.” It took a duplication of the exact event that occured on Pentecost to convince Peter and all of the Jewish apostles, that God was no longer bound by physical descent in His dealings with mankind.

This was but one of the many (Joh 16:12) “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now” that Christ had referred to on the night before His apprehension by those of the ‘church’ of His day.

Part of the problem involved here is that very few people notice that we are given the scriptural definition of ‘prophecy’ here. How is prophecy defined? (1Co 14:3) He that prophesieth speaketh [speaks in ‘plain English’] unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.

Now since (2Ti 3:16) All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: “All scripture” is therefore prophecy. ‘Doctrine’ is certainly ‘edification,’ and ‘instruction in righteousness,’ is certainly ‘exhortation.’ But for what purpose? To prove that we have ‘the initial evidence of the baptism of the Holy Ghost?’ Is this the purpose for anything given to us? No, such phraseology is without scriptural basis whatsoever. Though it may not always be pointed out in the context, such as Acts 19:1-5, we are assured that the purpose for tongues, even here, is “for a sign to them that believed not.” God is not into edifying the flesh. Paul exhorts us, “rather seek to prophecy” for this purpose: (2Ti 3:17) That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Now let’s examine the events of Act 19:1-5.

Act 19:1 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,
Act 19:2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
Act 19:3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism.
Act 19:4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
Act 19:5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Act 19:6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
Act 19:7 And all the men were about twelve.
Act 19:8 And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.

Notice that immediately after these disciples receive the gift of tongues, he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God.

As with Peter, and as with the Jews at Pentecost, these disciples receiving the gift of languages was “for a sign to them which believe not.” The Jews of the synogogue were as obstinate as the Jews at Jerusalem. They were as attached to their privileged position as ‘descendants of Abraham’ as was Peter, while he napped on the roof of the home of Simon the tanner.

“John’s baptism” knew nothing of “Christ [‘dying daily’ to the things of the flesh] in you the hope of glory”

Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what [is] the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

There is one other point that needs to be brought out in this 14th chapter of I Corinthians.

1Co 14:28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.

This verse does not say, ‘Speak first and wait to see if someone can interpret.’ Paul says it is incumbent upon the person with the gift of tongues to use his gift wisely, as “a sign to them that believe not.” He was to “keep silence in the church” if he had not first determined whether someone was present who was capable of interpreting this particular tongue.

1Co 14:29 Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.
1Co 14:30 If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.
1Co 14:31 For ye may all prophesy[ even an interpreted language was to edify] one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.
1Co 14:32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.
1Co 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

In summary, Paul gives us his understanding of the place and comparative importance of tongues:

1Co 14:19 Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an [foreign] tongue.
1Co 14:20 Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.

If only this were the attitude of us all, we would all “in understanding be men,” at least on this one subject.

Again, I do not disdain those who are more concerned with the gift of tongues than with the gift of prophecy. It was only yesterday that I was just such a person. However, yes, to answer your question, “When that which is mature is come that which is in part shall be done away.” Here it is:

1Co 13:9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part [We have just been shown how tongues stack up to prophecy].
1Co 13:10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
1Co 13:11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. [Why interpret something no one on earth understands in the first place? That is “a sign” to no one.]
1Co 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
1Co 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

In closing, let me point out that, in Peter’s case at Cornelius’ house, he said:

Act 15:7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.
Act 15:8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us;

What God had “given them… even as he did unto us,” was real languages which served “as a sign to them which believed not.” Paul was not discussing “tongues of angels” in 1 Corinthians 14. He certainly was not discussing what is passed off as ‘unknown tongues’ in the ‘charismatic’ world of today. This was ‘the real thing.’ It was so powerful that it served as a “sign to them that believed not.” Take it from someone with personal experience, ‘unknown tongues,’ often serve the exact opposite purpose and drive away many who are honestly seeking to know The Truth.

I hope I haven’t offended you. That is certainly not my intent. But I have discovered that many who have experienced ‘speaking in unknown tongues’ find it difficult to admit that they have been believing in, and partaking of, a counterfeit. I myself had just such a struggle. It was a real relief to get to where I did not feel superior to those who had “not yet been baptised with the Holy Ghost.”

I hope this has been of some help to you.

Let me hear from you.

Your brother in Christ,
Mike Vinson

]]> When Everyone Turns Against Us https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/when-everyone-turns-against-us/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=when-everyone-turns-against-us Fri, 28 Dec 2007 04:00:00 +0000 http://www.iswasandwillbe.com/?p=5441

Greetings Mr. Vinson,

First off I would like to say Thank you that your works have ceased, and our Lord works through you, to reap such wonderful Truths and share the Knowledge of Him who is saving us in this age.  I would like to keep this as brief as I possibly can, however I have much to say and ask, for I know that you are a busy man “reaping where you have not sown and gathering where you have not strewed” for you had nothing to do with me being dragged unto the Lord at the first, but yet now you have much to do with this dragging process.

I’m 22 years old, married, no children, kicked out of Babylon a year and a half ago, I have a physical ailment concerning my intestines they’re inflamed, and it is hard to even eat any thing that won’t upset them, in a constant fight to lose my life for Him daily, and in the midst of all this, the fire!  My marriage is by far the most revealing and fiery of relationships that I obtain for this is where I must die the most; it’s also hard because my wife thinks that what we have been through is all punishment because she doesn’t understand the chastisement of the Lord yet.  She also believes that there is hell, some sort of free will, and many other teachings of Babylon, what sort of a head over her am I if she believes these? 

We went to a bible study the other day that taught nothing but heresy, and when it was my part to answer in the discussion, obviously I brought up what I’ve been taught and you know the outcome. I feel like I’ve been forsaken by all except the Lord.  When all the disciples and apostles fled and left Jesus in the Garden scene, and how all in Asia be turned away from Paul, and how Joseph was given (sold) away by his brothers, I understand that “as he is so are we in this world”; is this correct what I go through, have you been through this or still going through it, even w/ your wife? Unfortunately she won’t study for herself some truths, and that’s fine, I believe she is unknowingly keeping her part in this book, and now going through losing her first Love experience.  

Mr. Vinson I thank you for your precious time and I’ll let patience have it’s perfect work in me awaiting your response. One more question, concerning a time frame for the fire and chastisement: does it only end after we have the Lord’s character in the specific area w/ which we are being purified?

In Christ, S____

Hi S____,
Thank you for your very encouraging words. It really does help to realize there are those who appreciate our service through Christ.
I’m sorry that your wife has not yet been given the understanding God has graced you with.  You mentioned how you have been drug to the Lord.  That is the key for ALL of us whose eyes have been opened to deeper truths of His Word.  You are now being drug, and it is not yet her time.  Your example of patience and continued walking as God would have you walk will be an example for your unbelieving wife that will bear fruit. But as she can ‘be won’ by your behavior (I Pet. 3:1), this time of trial will build patience in you.  That is a godly fruit!

Jas 1:3  Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
Jas 1:4  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

1Co 7:14  For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.

Patience is a very important fruit that will have an affect upon your wife.  There are MANY in the body of Christ that walk in similar steps to you.  You have some wonderful, spiritual loving sisters that not only have unbelieving spouses, but in some cases must endure mental and at times physical abuse at the hands of their own mates for believing the way they do.  And you also have brothers in Christ that have experienced losing jobs, homes and their families because they have stood fast to their beliefs.
It is a hard road that is promised to us in the flesh.  And as you realize from the tone of your letter, it will help accomplish the ‘burning out’ of the flesh. 

Act 14:22  Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

Unless God opens the eyes, and even at times when He does, some experience a very hard time dealing with the doctrines of hell and free will.  For some, the matter of not having a free will is one of the hardest things for the flesh to give up.  The beast on our personal throne does not want to be dethroned.  Only Christ living in us can kick this beast out.
It can be very lonely especially when your life partner is not being given ‘eyes to see’ at the same time.  I have been very blessed in that regard.  These joyous truths are meant to be shared.  And our first choice in sharing these wonderful truths should be our beloved wives.  It is hard indeed, and I have spent many hours in emails and phone conversations with men and women who are going through the trials you now find yourself enduring.  It IS an endurance race – we are told those who will take part in that blessed first resurrection will be those who endure to the end.  End of what?  The very end of our physical lives.

Mat 10:22  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

Luk 21:19  In your patience possess ye your souls.

Jas 5:10  Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.

Jas 5:11  Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

While we will experience the fiery trials that will mold us into God’s perfect work all our lives, it does get easier with time and spiritual growth. But while one head of our beast is being subdued, it is done only to prepare us to fight and overcome the next head of that seven- headed beast. And ‘seven’ is not a literal number which you can count off and say “well, I have those seven heads behind me now, so I can take it easy” That is not intended to be our lot. Seven heads just means that we are a complete beast, and that is what our flesh is.

1Pe 4:12  Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
1Pe 4:13  But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

Here is an entire parable warning us against ever becoming complacent about our spiritual accomplishments:

Luk 12:16  And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
Luk 12:17  And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
Luk 12:18  And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
Luk 12:19  And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, [ and] be merry.
Luk 12:20  But God said unto him, [ Thou] fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
Luk 12:21  So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

Is this parable speaking of physical goods? To the physical minded, of course it is. To those whose minds are spiritual, it has an even higher meaning. It becomes an ‘Is, Was and Will Be’ Truth about fighting against complacency to the end.
Your physical infirmities will definitely be in our prayers.  The stress you are under with family and friends turning their backs on you because of your beliefs does not make it any easier on your afflicted intestines!  I pray that the peace that passes all understanding will help you to deal with the physical pain you are surely enduring.
You are not alone in your struggles.  As Elijah, who felt he was the only one serving God, found as we read in Hebrew 11 that God had reserved 7000 who had not bowed the knee to Baal, so you are a part of the body of Christ, and we are all one body in Christ.

Rom 12:5  So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

As such we are to ‘bear one another’s burdens.’

Gal 6:2  Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.

And…

Gal 6:9  And let us not be weary in well doing: f or in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

God bless your walk,
Mike >

]]> Tongues of Angels https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/tongues-of-angels/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tongues-of-angels Wed, 13 Jun 2007 05:00:01 +0000 http://www.iswasandwillbe.com/?p=5089 ‘What are the tongues of angels?” Well, if you take the charismatic answer, there would be tens of thousands of different angelic nations, each with its own ‘tongues of angels.’ I remember as a very young child asking my father how it was possible for the person speaking in ‘tongues’ to say the same thing over and over again, yet when the ‘interpretation’ was given, the English invariably contained many more varied words than the ‘unknown tongue’ had. Back then, the English ‘interpretation’ was always in King James English. But I digress. What is Paul trying to express when he states, though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity [agape], I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal? Have we, right here, been told that Paul had indeed spoken in some ‘unknown tongues of angels?’ No, nine out of ten times the word translated ‘though’ here is usually translated ‘if.’ So this is a hypothetical question. It most definitely is not a statement of fact! I have no doubt that the zealous Pentecostal or charismatic will point out that Paul most definitely had spoken in the tongues of men as if this obvious fact proves that therefore he is telling us that he had actually spoken in some ‘unknown’ language of angels. But this ‘idol of the heart’ so called ‘logic’ falls apart in the full light of the next two verses:

1Co 13:2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

1Co 13:3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

Now all any spiritually honest person has to do is to ask himself, did Paul actually remove any mountains? Had he actually given his body to be burnt? The answer to these questions is as obvious as the answers posed by Paul himself in the previous chapter, where he proves that not everyone who has the Holy Ghost possesses all the gifts of the Holy Ghost. No one has all the gifts, and certainly not one of the gifts of the Holy Ghost is required to be shared by every believer. Here are those very revealing questions:

1Co 12:29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?

1Co 12:30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?

The answer to all seven of these questions, for any honest person, is a resounding ‘No, all are not apostles, all are not teachers, and all do not work miracles! Yes, all these worketh that one and the selfsame [ Holy] Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will (1Co 12:11). Yet all do not possess the gifts of healing, all do not speak with tongues, and all do not interpret. And yet Paul assures us:

Rom 8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the [ Holy] Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Paul does not distinguish between ‘the Spirit of God’ and ‘the Spirit of Christ.’ As we are plainly told they are “that one and the selfsame Spirit” (1Co 12:11). ‘Unknown’ tongues are unknown to the scriptures. They discourage those who are too honest to “receive them,” and they “puff up” those who, as I myself once was, have a “zeal for God but not according to knowledge” (Rom 10:2).

When I use the words ‘spiritually honest,’ I am not at all implying that Pentecostal and charismatic people are all spiritually dishonest people. Quite to the contrary, my experience has been that some of the most honest people I have ever known have been charismatics and Pentecostals. And I am not telling you that I was at one time spiritually dishonest. That is not my point. But once I saw the truth revealed when honestly answering Paul’s seven questions; once I saw that the reason “no man understands him” was simply because there was no man there who needed or understood that language, and there was no one there to interpret that language; once I saw that the gifted person was to first determine if there were someone who could interpret his foreign tongue which would be a “sign to unbelievers; once I saw that “in the Spirit he speaketh mysteries” simply because those speaking real languages on the day of Pentecost did not understand what they were speaking, but that there were others there who did; once I saw that the only reason given in scripture for this gift of tongues was as “a sign, not for believers, but for unbelievers;” once I saw that in the law it is written, ‘with men of other tongues [ not angels 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;’ once I saw that the “tongues of angels” matter was a hypothetical question; once all of this became clear, then I would have been a spiritually dishonest person to continue clinging to what I now knew to be scripturally unfounded beliefs.

Once truth is seen, if at that point, we do not relinquish our faulty doctrines; then what was up to that point simply a matter of having “a zeal for God but not according to knowledge” (Rom 10:2), has now progressed to become an “idol of the heart” (Ezekiel 14:1-10). Let us look carefully and prayerfully at these verses:

Ezekiel 14:1 Then came certain of the elders [ Today’s leading ministers] of Israel unto me, and sat before me.
Ezekiel 14:2 And the word of the LORD [ The scriptures] came unto me, saying,

Ezekiel 14:3 Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart [ false, unscriptural doctrines], and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face [ living and acting in accord with their heart’s idols]: should I be enquired of at all by them?

Ezekiel 14:4 Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart [ continues to cling to his false doctrines after the truth has been presented to him], and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet [ Comes to the Bible trying to force it to fit his heart’s idol]; I the LORD will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols [ God Himself will “send them strong delusion,” and it will be “according to” what they want the Bible to say. It will be “according to the multitude of their idols”];

Ezekiel 14:5 That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.

Ezekiel 14:6 Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols [ relinquish your scripturally unfounded doctrines]; and turn away your faces from all your abominations [ living in accord with your unfounded teachings, like: ‘free moral agency,’ ‘the immortality of the soul,’ and it’s accompanying ‘eternal hell fire’ doctrine, the ‘secret, pre- trib rapture, the teaching of tithing in the new covenant, and yes, the unscriptural teaching of ‘unknown tongues.]

Ezekiel 14:7 For every one of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to a prophet to enquire of him concerning me; I the LORD will answer him by myself:

Ezekiel 14:8 And I will set my face against that man, and will make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of my people [ God’s “people” are not in “buildings made with hands;” they “come out … of Babylon”]; and ye shall know that I am the LORD.

Ezekiel 14:9 And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the LORD have deceived that prophet, and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.

Ezekiel 14:10 And they shall bear the punishment of their iniquity: the punishment of the prophet shall be even as the punishment of him that seeketh [ unto him];

‘Unknown tongues’ are not an idol of the heart until one is faced with the truth of the scriptures on the subject. But once we see the truth on this or any other false doctrine, if at that point we begin to reason, ‘My whole church believes and teaches this doctrine. Surely my minister and many other great men of God cannot be wrong about this doctrine. Besides I have believed and taught many others this doctrine all my adult life. Why, if I change my tune now, no one will ever believe a word I ever say again.’ These and a thousand other arguments just like them are the building materials of “idols of the heart.” Any criteria other than ‘what saith the scriptures’ is nothing less than an “idol of the heart.”

Getting back to your question about the ‘tongues of angels,’ in 2Co 13, after reiterating the point that he had made in the first three chapters of this epistle, that you can “come behind in no gift:”

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:

And yet these very same ‘gifted’ tongues- endowed Corinthians we are told were yet “carnal.”

1Co 3:1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.

1Co 3:2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.

1Co 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?

1Co 3:4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

After reiterating this point in Chapter 13: ‘though I have all gifts and have not love,’ Paul then tell us what it really is that truly distinguishes a man who has come to know Christ:

1Co 13:4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

1Co 13:5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
1Co 13:6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

1Co 13:7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

I can well remember how I used to bristle at any suggestion that my ‘unknown tongues’ were not of God. But the scriptures themselves constrain me to confess that the Truth is “forbid not to speak with tongues,” but ‘unknown tongues,’ as I have said, are unknown to the scriptures.

I cannot speak for others, but as I understand the scriptures, every verse from Genesis to Revelation is part of the ‘revelation of Jesus Christ.’ Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end and everything in between. As such, His word has the same qualities. What this means is that all the gifts of God are still available when they are needed for those who are not yet brought to the point that they can function without them. This is true for every newborn babe in every generation. It is an obvious fact that as long as all of one’s prayers are answered, his faith will never be tried or proven. Spiritual maturity, as the experiences of Paul and all the apostles show, necessitates that we will not always enjoy the benefits of the gifts of the Spirit. It is because we have grown to the point that we value the fruit above the gifts that we are able to be weaned from the outward demonstrations of faith. We cannot have our spiritually mature cake and eat it too. Children need gifts. Mature adults need to give to others whatever it takes to bring them to maturity.

No child yet has ever matured by getting everything he wanted. Withholding the gifts of childhood are a necessary step to spiritual maturity. ‘Charity,’ the true measure of spiritual maturity, “beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things” (1Co 13:7). “Enduring all things” is a strong indication that at some point in the development of every generation of the Christian experience, our faith will be tested.

1Co 13:11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

1Co 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

1Co 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

If the gift of real tongues is simply not available today, then neither is the gift of knowledge and neither is the gift of prophecy; we need never ask for healing, and we can never expect to see a miracle. I have yet to witness an Act 2 experience, but I have witnessed healings that, though not instantaneous, were nevertheless miraculous. If Christ truly “is, was and will be,” then the same is true of His Word. It too, “is, was and will be.” If you haven’t yet done so be sure to read Biblical Examples Of Rightly Dividing the Word. It will give you a valuable tool for understanding the way the apostles themselves used the word of God. That tool is not even allowed in the hermeneutics and exegesis of today’s orthodox seminaries.

Joh 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

]]> Tongues and Faith https://www.iswasandwillbe.com/tongues-and-faith/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tongues-and-faith Fri, 07 Jul 2006 05:00:01 +0000 http://www.iswasandwillbe.com/?p=5087 I saw a story on the evening news about one year ago. Peter Jennings introduced it as “a segment of our program tonight will deal with the phenomenon of ‘glossolalia.’ It has now gone mainstream.” That may not be an exact quote, but it is very close.

I received an e- mail last night asking about ‘the tongues of angels,’ of 1Co 13. I will be answering that today. Again the part Paul is deliberately trying to de- emphasize is the part that is being emphasized. Paul, in chapter 13, is, in essence, flatly stating that you can speak in real foreign languages that you have no training in and yet “have not love [agape].” It is undeniable that Paul spoke “in the tongues of men.” But the “of angels” is in the same category as “give my body to be burnt.” Paul had spiritual gifts in their proper perspective. A “carnal … babe in Christ,” with spiritual gifts, would never be able to deceive Paul on any point because Paul was not looking for ‘gifts’ or ‘experiences,’ but for the “more excellent way,” the ‘agape‘ in the life of any man. It is only ‘agape,’ that ‘never passes away.’

Wherever spiritual gifts are mentioned, ‘tongues,’ are always last on the list and healings are always ahead of tongues. Remembering that fact, look in Galatians where Paul tells us that he had an, “infirmity which was in my flesh,” which many believe was a disease in his eyes.

Gal 4:13 Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto you at the first.

Gal 4:14 And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ Jesus.

Gal 4:15 Where is then the blessedness ye spake of? for I bear you record, that, if it had been possible, ye would have plucked out your own eyes, and have given them to me.

Gal 4:16 Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?

I again remind you that Paul could not convince God to heal Trophemus, Epaphroditus or Timothy with his “often infirmities.” If Paul’s faith had been based on a constant physical display of gifts, as Pentecostals require with their ‘gift of unknown tongues,’ then Paul’s faith would have failed him. But Paul knew that gifts were for newcomers. A newborn babe is not “chastened and scourged,” as a young adult is. You don’t spank a new born baby. You wait till it can begin to respond to your instructions. That happens to be a whole lot earlier than most people in today’s society believe, but that is another subject for another time. I am today posting two new letters. One has to do with the different steps that a Christian takes toward maturity. The other has to do with the prophetic sequence of events. Both reveal that maturity is, by God’s own sovereign plan, a time consuming process that is designed to “try our faith” (Jas 1:2-4). God fought the Egyptians for Israel, at the very beginning. Later they were required to do their own fighting, even before they had ever ‘crossed over Jordan,’ and while they were yet uncircumcised. Never ever fail to realize that even though God tells us to ‘go out and fight the Amorites,’ that in reality, the real truth is that “ I have [ already] given them into your hands.” These things “are written for our admonition.” As in life itself, God ‘carried Israel’ for a very short time. The earlier we encourage our children to stand on their own two feet the better off they are. And the sooner the ‘trying of our faith,’ begins, the better off we are.

Having prayers answered, and answered soon, is essential, for those with untried faith, that is for new born babes. It would absolutely inhibit the spiritual growth of a more mature ‘uihos.’

In conclusion, “forbid not to speak with [ foreign] tongues,” but have nothing at all to do with ‘unknown tongues.’

1Co 14:9 So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air.

God bless you as you mature in Him,

Mike

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