|
| |
Tongues is NOT a Gift
Originally posted on Messiah's Simple Truth Forum
by "Don" September 9, 1999
Speaking in Tongues is NOT A GIFT. A “gift” is something that is voluntarily
transferred from one individual to another without compensation.
The GIFT is “holy spirit” from God, the GIVER, who is THE holy spirit. Speaking
in Tongues is NOT holy spirit. Speaking in tongues is a MANIFESTATION of the GIFT of holy
spirit. A “manifestation” is the act or process of showing or making evident or
displaying something.
And since Speaking in Tongues is NOT a GIFT, but rather a MANIFESTATION “OF” the
Gift, one must first HAVE the Gift, to MANIFEST it. A good analogy would be to compare it
to getting the Measles. Measles is a disease. The “manifestation” of the disease
is little red spots all over your body. You cannot manifest the spots until you first get
the disease. Understand?
In the Bible, whenever something is RECEIVED “subjectively” the Greek word
“dechomai” is used [just like getting the Measles]. Whenever something is
RECEIVED “objectively” into manifestation, the Greek word “lambano” is
used [like the appearing of the little red spots associated with Measles]. Being baptized
in THE NAME of Jesus Christ, is being born-again or RECEIVING [dechomai –
subjectively] the gift of holy spirit from God, the giver. And Speaking in Tongues is
RECEIVING it [lambano – objectively] into manifestation.
When we confess Romans 10:9 from the heart, we RECEIVE [dechomai – subjectively] the
gift of “holy spirit”, which is “the Comforter,” which is POWER
[dunamis – potential power and ability] from on high” [Luke 24:49], which is
“the seed of Christ in you,” which is “the inner man,” which is
“the faith of Jesus Christ.” All of this is “wrapped up” in what is
known as the GIFT of holy spirit. We receive this one gift from God, the GIVER of the
gift, [who is THE Holy Spirit] by grace, not of works lest any man should boast [Ephesians
2:8,9]. And we all receive the same amount – the measure of faith [Ephesians 4:7
Galatians – and are completely complete in him. God is not a respector of persons
– we all receive the same amount. But God IS a respector of conditions – without
faith [believing] it is impossible to please God.
This GIFT is a token, a down-payment of our inheritance [Ephesians 1:13,14].
This GIFT of holy spirit is POWER, potential power [Luke 24:49 and Acts 1:8]. Just like a
stick of dynamite is POTENTIALLY powerful. However, it can be touched, handled and carried
around without EXHIBITING its power. But there is one very important TRUTH regarding a
stick of dynamite – you must first HAVE a stick of dynamite if you want to
demonstrate what it can do!!! The “manifestation” of the potential power that is
within a stick of dynamite is the act of “blowing one up.”
The GIFT of holy spirit can be MANIFESTED, [exhibited, demonstrated] “9” ways.
These 9 things are NOT GIFTS, but “manifestations” of the ONE GIFT. And each of
these 9 manifestations are PROFITABLE, or beneficial to us. And when ALL 9 are used, it
allows us to “profit withal”.
Now when you read passages from the Bible that use the word RECEIVE [such as in Acts
chapter 8] it will now make more sense, and we UNDERSTAND what is actually going on.
Acts 8:14-19
(14)Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received
[dechomai – subjectively, ie. born-again] the word of God, they sent unto them Peter
and John:
(15)Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive [lambano
– manifest] the Holy Ghost [the gift]:
(16)(For as yet he [it – the gift] was fallen upon none of them [meaning that they
had not yet manifested, which was unusual. The normal thing was always to
“manifest” and this was not happening]: only they were baptized in the name of
the Lord Jesus [ie. born-again].)
(17)Then laid they their hands on them, and they received [lambano – manifested] the
Holy Ghost [the gift].
(18)And when Simon saw [he saw the manifestation of the gift] that through laying on of
the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,
(19)Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive
[lambano] the Holy Ghost [the gift from God]
Understanding that speaking in tongues is not the gift, but the manifestation of the gift,
and understanding the usage and meaning of the 2 Greek words “lambano” and
“dechomai”, we can now begin to get a better understanding of just what speaking
in tongues IS, and what it IS NOT. [The definitions of these 2 Greek words are from
“A Critical Lexicon and Concordance to the English and Greek New Testament”, by
E.W.Bullinger, page 626.]
Agape,
Don
|
