| UNDERSTANDING GOD'S USE OF TEMPORARY GIFTS AND MIRACLES IN THE FIRST CENTURY |
| In 1 Corinthians 12:8-11, those gifts of the Spirit had rules, and were for a temporary time. When the church began on earth, those nine miraculous gifts helped confirm the word and will of God. Those were miracles, in which God allowed supernatural acts. Those gifts continued until the written new testament was completed. After the first century, those special gifts had ceased. To claim such gifts today is against God. The fulfilled purpose, which is better, has come. That is the perfect law of liberty, written in scripture, which is the gospel of Christ. |
Why They Did "Speak With Other Tongues" ACTS 2:4
Theme: What man needed, God supplied. "...God shall supply all your need...",
PHILIPPIANS 4:19.
[Note: As usual in the Bible "man" here is generic (1 Timothy 2:4, Greek anthropos, as
in anthropology) thus meaning mankind, male and female (Contrast with Greek aner in 1
Timothy 2:12, meaning male).
Theme: What man needed, God supplied. "...God shall supply all your need...",
PHILIPPIANS 4:19.
[Note: As usual in the Bible "man" here is generic (1 Timothy 2:4, Greek anthropos, as
in anthropology) thus meaning mankind, male and female (Contrast with Greek aner in 1
Timothy 2:12, meaning male).
MAN NEEDED: To be saved from being lost in sin. GOD SUPPLIED: Jesus Christ, the
"Son of Man", to show the way back to God. LUKE 19:10.
"Son of Man", to show the way back to God. LUKE 19:10.
MAN NEEDED: A way for all people to be of one faith. GOD SUPPLIED: The gospel of
Christ, "the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first,
and also to the Greek." ROMANS 1:16.
Christ, "the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first,
and also to the Greek." ROMANS 1:16.
MAN NEEDED: A way for those of "every nation" to hear the saving gospel in his "own
language". GOD SUPPLIED: "Galileans" (apostles) whom God enabled to "speak with
other tongues". ACTS 2:1-21; JOEL 2:28-32. "Tongues" here means "languages". In
order for the gospel to be understood by people of all nations, God enabled some to
speak foreign languages which they had never studied. Speaking in tongues means
speaking in other languages. Such gifts of miracles were to benefit disciples in the first
century.
language". GOD SUPPLIED: "Galileans" (apostles) whom God enabled to "speak with
other tongues". ACTS 2:1-21; JOEL 2:28-32. "Tongues" here means "languages". In
order for the gospel to be understood by people of all nations, God enabled some to
speak foreign languages which they had never studied. Speaking in tongues means
speaking in other languages. Such gifts of miracles were to benefit disciples in the first
century.
MAN NEEDED: A change of mind whereby he would welcome the conversion of both
Jew (circumcised) and Gentile (uncircumcised) into the church of Christ. GOD
SUPPLIED: The "like gift" to Gentiles (ACTS 10:45; 11:17) as He had given to the
Jewish apostles "at the beginning" (ACTS 11:15). ACTS 10:15,28,34,35,45,46; ACTS
2:1ff; 11:1-18.
Jew (circumcised) and Gentile (uncircumcised) into the church of Christ. GOD
SUPPLIED: The "like gift" to Gentiles (ACTS 10:45; 11:17) as He had given to the
Jewish apostles "at the beginning" (ACTS 11:15). ACTS 10:15,28,34,35,45,46; ACTS
2:1ff; 11:1-18.
MAN NEEDED: To overcome ignorance and confusion concerning nine spiritual gifts,
which were used by God to bring the early church into perfect maturity. GOD
SUPPLIED: The knowledge that "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body,
whether we be Jews or Gentiles ..." 1 CORINTHIANS 12:1,8-13; EPHESIANS 4:4-6.
which were used by God to bring the early church into perfect maturity. GOD
SUPPLIED: The knowledge that "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body,
whether we be Jews or Gentiles ..." 1 CORINTHIANS 12:1,8-13; EPHESIANS 4:4-6.
MAN NEEDED: To understand that the spiritual gift of knowledge was only "in part",
and that the spiritual gift of prophecy was only "in part", etc. GOD SUPPLIED: "That
which is perfect", which is "the perfect law of liberty". This is the complete written new
testament law of Christ, which is the fulfillment of all nine miraculous gifts (1
CORINTHIANS 12:8-10), including tongues (languages). 1 CORINTHIANS 13:10;
JAMES 1:25.
and that the spiritual gift of prophecy was only "in part", etc. GOD SUPPLIED: "That
which is perfect", which is "the perfect law of liberty". This is the complete written new
testament law of Christ, which is the fulfillment of all nine miraculous gifts (1
CORINTHIANS 12:8-10), including tongues (languages). 1 CORINTHIANS 13:10;
JAMES 1:25.
I. God supplied the miracle gift of speaking other languages in order to help bring man
the salvation that he needed. So they did not need to recruit language interpreters.
the salvation that he needed. So they did not need to recruit language interpreters.
II. Since Adam and Eve, it has ever been a temptation of man's carnal nature to covet
the power of the Giver, instead of obeying the purpose of the gift. (Examples: money,
position, sex, intelligence - all wonderful benefits, but all very misused by sinful man).
the power of the Giver, instead of obeying the purpose of the gift. (Examples: money,
position, sex, intelligence - all wonderful benefits, but all very misused by sinful man).
III. During the first century, God gave the spiritual gift of tongues to: (1) Break through
international language barriers; (2) Overcome hatred between Jews and Gentiles; and
(3) Guide the church until the new testament was written.
international language barriers; (2) Overcome hatred between Jews and Gentiles; and
(3) Guide the church until the new testament was written.
IV. After the first century, the scripture had already been fulfilled which said: "...tongues,
they shall cease" (1 CORINTHIANS 13:8). The new testament had been published and
written down for the whole world to read (EPHESIANS 3:1-6). Today, the tongues gift is
no longer needed, no longer authorized, and no longer possible. (Note: Whatever claims
of miracles man makes after the first century are not "gifts" as God used in first
century.)
they shall cease" (1 CORINTHIANS 13:8). The new testament had been published and
written down for the whole world to read (EPHESIANS 3:1-6). Today, the tongues gift is
no longer needed, no longer authorized, and no longer possible. (Note: Whatever claims
of miracles man makes after the first century are not "gifts" as God used in first
century.)
V. When people today speak "Yabba Dabba Doo" and call that "tongues," they are
causing problems in communication. During the early years of the church, God used
the gift of languages for solving problems in communication
causing problems in communication. During the early years of the church, God used
the gift of languages for solving problems in communication
VI. This matter of tongues is explained in the Bible, and neither depends on what
people see, nor what people say. Our faith must be rooted in what God said. The
following passages reveal some scary truths about "unexplainable events". The
question is not even "what happened?" The question is, "What is God's will for me? 2
THESSALONIANS 2:9,11; 2 CORINTHIANS 5:7; ROMANS 10:17; GALATIANS 1:6-9.
people see, nor what people say. Our faith must be rooted in what God said. The
following passages reveal some scary truths about "unexplainable events". The
question is not even "what happened?" The question is, "What is God's will for me? 2
THESSALONIANS 2:9,11; 2 CORINTHIANS 5:7; ROMANS 10:17; GALATIANS 1:6-9.
VII. To "speak with other tongues" (ACTS 2:4) was allowed by God in the first century in
order to: Solve the language problem; Break down the wall of enmity between Jews and
Gentiles who would become Christians, and; Reveal and confirm the word until there
came "a more sure word of prophecy" (2 PETER 1:19) when the new testament was
written.
order to: Solve the language problem; Break down the wall of enmity between Jews and
Gentiles who would become Christians, and; Reveal and confirm the word until there
came "a more sure word of prophecy" (2 PETER 1:19) when the new testament was
written.
OvercomingSelf.net
Help Your Self article #17