More Than You All
I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all: (1 Cor 14:18)
That is quite a claim. Paul out talks the Corinthians? At times everyone was shouting in unknown tongues at the same time in the church meeting, seeing who could outdo the others for volume. Paul corrects the excess and abuse. He instructs in the way that tongues should be properly used in the church. Paul does not shame the people for being zealous of spiritual gifts. He explains that he speaks in unknown languages more than any of the believers in Corinth or maybe all of them put together. Obviously, he is not referring to a church meeting. He had just explained that they were overdoing it as it is. He cannot mean that he speaks more in a church meeting than any or all of them. He is referring to private use of tongues and more so than any of these people do. The Corinthians might speak in tongues an hour or so per week, when they are all gathered together, perhaps daily. Paul probably is referring to his use of tongues for several hours per day. In the case of the people, it would be as a public spiritual gift in the church. In Paul's case it would be the same enabling in essence but privately for the purposes of revelation and insight, prayer and worship, intercession, and personal power for ministry.
It is probable that the origin of our New Testament and of our understanding about the Gospel of Jesus Christ came through Paul's praying in tongues and then interpreting it before a scribe or secretary to be written down. If praying/speaking in unknown languages was so essential for Paul, it seems odd that we have no scriptural narrative about him receiving the ability to speak in tongues. There are several accounts of the first Jewish believers and then the early Gentile believers receiving the Holy Spirit and the manifestation of tongues. If this was so essential to Paul's ministry and thus for the majority of our New Testament, why is there no account of Paul speaking in tongues other than what he says to the Corinthian believers?
Why is there no Biblical account of how fast sheep grow wool or how much grain is in a mouthful that an ox eats? Why is there no Biblical account of Paul receiving such an important thing as unknown tongues? All of these things are too common to be reported. I do not mean that they are not important. It is just that they are too obvious and familiar to be mentioned.
Actually, we do have an example of Paul receiving unknown tongues. In Acts 19 Paul asks some Ephesian disciples if they have received the Holy Spirit. They do not know what he is talking about. When they do receive the Holy Spirit, they began speaking with tongues (v. 6). Here receiving the Holy Spirit is related with speaking with tongues, at least Biblically. In Acts 9:17 Ananias comes to Saul and prays for him to be healed of blindness and to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Immediately, he is healed of blindness. It must be inferred that he also received the benefit of Ananias' prayer to be filled with the Holy Spirit. We saw in Acts 19:6 that the Bible equates receiving the Holy Spirit with tongues. It was just too common for the Bible to mention that he spoke with tongues, again, after establishing it as a Christian norm.
The speaking in tongues in Acts 2 becomes a base for what happens in chapter 10. Here, at Cornelius' house, tongues is evidence that God has received the Gentiles as part of the same Body as the original Jewish followers of Christ on the famous Day of Pentecost. We read a third narrative in Acts 19 to show that speaking in tongues is a Christian thing, not just a Jew and/or Gentile thing. Other than those 3 accounts we do not read of a narrative where anyone speaks in tongues, specifically. At this point it is just assumed that receiving the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues is a Christian thing, same as believing on Jesus and being born again is a Christian thing. Two or three examples are given in the Bible of being saved and speaking with tongues. This is enough to establish the norms of the Christian life throughout all the Church Age. It does not have to be repeated on every page to make it valid.
13 ... he (The Holy Spirit) shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: ...
14 He shall glorify me: ...
15 ...he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you. (John 16)
Jesus said that when the Holy Spirit comes to indwell the believers, he will point to Jesus and not to Himself. My article suggests that Christians who will not pray in tongues (because they refuse to) are not normal Biblical Christians.
Note: I would be ashamed again to tell you how many years I have personally struggled with this. Therefore I cannot be impatient with brothers and sisters who are loaded down with doctrine that contradicts Jesus' teachings and the words of Scripture. However, as I come to see its great importance I want everyone to know what the Bible says and be free from the slavery of “doctrines of men”.
The Holy Spirit will not talk of Himself. He will glorify Jesus.
If someone honors Jesus, the Holy Spirit has great satisfaction because His most important desire is realized. He will indwell and help Christians where He is permitted. Many non-Charismatics can have very successful Christian lives and ministries. Therefore, it sounds as if supernatural gifts are optional. It's nice if they are present but if not, it doesn't matter. While being satisfied that Jesus is glorified, the Holy Spirit must be extremely saddened that He is not permitted to aid and work through believers the way that He would like.
In writing (or speaking) to the believers at Corinth, Paul says that he speaks with unknown tongues more than they do. Paul was not around in Acts 2 or Acts 10. He is just a regular believer called to do a great work of laying the foundation of the Church that all believers follow until Jesus comes again.
Dec. 31, 2024