Footsteps #145

We have been considering the 8 directives that Paul counselled the Corinthian church with regarding the use of unknown languages in church:

7) The number of participants should be limited (1Cor.14:27). In 1Cor.14:23, Paul rules that:  only two (or on rare occasions, three) should speak in an unknown language and they should do so successively rather than in unison; Also the contributions in other languages should be interpreted. Paul gives similar guidelines for the gift of prophecy (vs29-33).

8) Christian worship should be marked by orderliness and peace (1Cor.14:33, 40).

Try reading chapter 14 and where your version may have ‘tongues’ try substituting the word ‘Chinese’ or some other unknown language, and you will see more clearly the counsel of the Apostle. Or just note this in the key passage – 14:10-12.

In his lists in Rom.12:6-8 and Eph.4:11 Paul does not include the gift of languages.  For Paul, the gift of languages should neither be required (12:30) nor forbidden (14:39).

Setting patterns by looking at the first occurrence of a subject is an important Biblical principle. The gift of languages in 1Corinthians is the same as that in Acts.2 where we first see the Spirit-given ability to speak human languages that one has not learned.  Paul writes to counsel the Corinthians with regard to this gift, which is being over-emphasized and misused. It is significant then to notice that Paul always puts it at the bottom of the list, because they had put it at the top. Acts.2 should be used to interpret 1Cor.14. The gift was given to break down language barriers, the counterfeit will do the opposite.

It may be less important to come to determine the precise nature of the gift of languages at Corinth than to ponder carefully the correctives offered by Paul. These provide boundaries by which we may judge what is misused or false and provide concepts to help evaluate our own public worship.     

Paul’s treatment of spiritual gifts provides important criteria by which the Christian can evaluate modern claims of the Spirit’s gifts. It also challenges us to invite the Spirit truly to renew our public worship.