For the past year, I have been preaching through the book of 1 Corinthians.  This past Sunday I began the section on Spiritual Gifts from chapters 12-14.  In anticipation of questions that I might receive when preaching through these chapters, I decided to submit to our church a position paper (below) explaining my position on the miraculous gifts.  

POSITION PAPER ON THE MIRACULOUS GIFTS

by Graham Hale

In recent years, miraculous gifts have received significant attention in certain Christian circles, polarizing believers and splitting many churches. The goal of this paper is to present a concise biblical perspective on the miraculous gifts. 

1.    WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT SPIRITUAL GIFTS?

Scripture is clear that spiritual gifts are important.  In 1^st Corinthians 12:1, Paul stresses the importance of God’s people discovering, receiving and using these gifts.  He also teaches that these gifts are not to be divorced from the church, but are to be exercised publically for the common good.  He says in 1^st Corinthians 12:7,

To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 

In Ephesians 4, Paul explains how the Lord has given all believers gifts he expects them to use, and has placed his people in local assemblies to use their gifts to build up the body of Christ (4:12). 

2.    THE ABUSES OF THE MIRACULOUS GIFTS

Though I do not agree with the Cessationists, who argue that the miraculous gifts ceased in the first century, I do take an open-but-cautious view when it comes to the miraculous gifts because of the ways they have been misused and abused by certain individuals in certain churches.

Many today are guilty of doing the same things Paul accused the Corinthians of doing in 1^st Corinthians 12.  They are rejecting the gifts God has given and are pursuing the showy and miraculous gifts, believing them to be more important and more spiritual.  Paul says in 1^st Corinthains12:29, 

²⁹ Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? ³⁰ Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?

The answer of course is…no.  Truth is, God has uniquely gifted each individual and expects each to use those distinct gifts to bless the church in a unique way.  Paul says in vv. 17-18, 

¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? ¹⁸ But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.

Paul clearly states that the church needs diversity.  It does not need believers refusing to accept and exercise less showy gifts, and it does not need all believers pursuing the same miraculous gifts.  Instead, the church needs all believers to identify and accept their own unique gifts and exercise them for the purpose of building up the body and blessing the church.

THE MIRACULOUS GIFTS

Several passages in Scripture provide a list of the spiritual gifts. 

Romans 12	1 Corinthians 12	Ephesians 4	1 Peter 4
prophecy	wisdom	apostles	speaking
service	knowledge	prophets	service
teaching	faith	evangelists
exhortation	healing	pastors and teachers
leadership	working of miracles
giving aid	prophecy
acts of mercy	ability to distinguish spirits various tongues interpretation of tongues

Of all these lists, the one given in 1^st Corinthians has drawn the most attention because it mentions the miraculous gifts of healing, working of miracles, prophecy, tongues and the interpretation of tongues. 

HEALING

Many people have abused the gift of healing.  It has been overemphasized and counterfeited, and has also been the source of much pride.  Scripture is clear that the gift of healing is simply the ability to call on God to heal the sick through supernatural means. The purpose of healing is to reveal God. 

WORKING OF MIRACLES

The gift of miracles is the ability to call upon God to do supernatural acts to reveal His power.    Though some claim to witness them on a regular basis, miracles are, by definition,
rare. 

Scripture is clear that there are two ways God works in the world.  One is through miracles and the other is through providence.  A miracle is when God intervenes into the natural world—when he disrupts the flow of normal life to accomplish His purposes.

Providence is another way God works in the world and accomplishes His purposes.  Providence is when God does not interrupt the normal course of life, but instead, works in and through it.  With providence, God sovereignly weaves events and circumstances together to fit His purposes perfectly. 

Though God works in both of these ways, He primarily works through providence—through the laws of nature He has created. 

PROPHESY

Of all the gifts mentioned, the gift of prophesy poses the biggest threat if abused.  Many claim they have received new revelation from God and share it as if it holds equal weight with the teachings of the Bible.  That’s how many cults have started and false systems of belief have been formed—all from this misunderstanding of prophesy.

Scripture refers to the gift of prophesy in two ways.  It either refers to those who speak the words God has already spoken or to those who speak new revelation.  There was a time when God communicated new truth primarily through the prophets.  The author of Hebrews tells us,

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets.   Hebrews 11:1

However, now that we have God’s completed word, there is no need for additional revelation.  There is only a need to take what God has said and share it with others—that too is prophesy. 

TONGUES

Of all the gifts, none are more mysterious, misunderstood and misused than the gift of tongues.  Though many today claim to have this gift, many different descriptions of it are given, with different ways the gift is administered, and different reasons given for why it’s important.  These misunderstandings have led to abuses in this practice.  For example, in many churches, multiple people speak in tongues at once during the service without interpreters, a practice which is confusing, disorderly, unedifying and unbiblical.  Below is what I believe the Bible teaches about tongues.

WHAT IS TONGUES?

Speaking in tongues is when a person speaks aloud during a worship service in a language unknown to him or her.  It is clear that the gift of tongues was given by God to the church in the first century.

OCCURRENCES OF TONGUES IN THE NT

The Jews (Acts 2:4, 11)

The Gentiles (Acts 10:44-47)

The Ephesians (Acts 19:6)

The Corinthians (1 Cor 12-14)

PURPOSE OF TONGUES

The NT specifies two reasons for the gift of tongues along with the other miraculous gifts of healing, miracles, etc.  The first purpose of these gifts is to confirm God’s spokesmen (Acts 8:6-8).  When these gifts are exercised rightly and not counterfeited, it shows that the one exercising the gift is a true spokesperson for God.  It also gives further authority to an already authoritative message. 

The second reason these gifts are important is because they unify believers.  They show us that the God who was at work in the first century church and at work in the lives of men like Noah and Abraham and David is just as active in our lives today.

IMPORTANCE OF INTERPRETATION

In 1^st Corinthians 14, Paul makes it clear that when someone exercises the gift of languages, interpretation is required.  He says at the end of v. 27,

Let someone interpret. 

In other translations it says, Let one interpret.  The Greek puts emphasis on the word one.  He also says in v. 28 that the speaker is to keep silent if the designated interpreter is not present.  Why all these rules?  Because this gift is to be exercised in an orderly manner with one or two, but no more than three, speaking in turn (v. 27) with one translator. 

Interpretation is also required because when this gift is exercised, the message must be understood by the hearer or it is of no benefit to anyone.  Paul is clear in the latter half of 1^st Corinthians 14 that if spiritual gifts do not serve to edify others, they are of no benefit to anyone.

CONCLUSION

In the final analysis, though I take an open-but-cautious view when it comes to the spiritual gifts—though I believe that the Spirit dispenses those special gifts today, I know that we should not set our lives to seeking them.  God bestows them upon His people sovereignly—He alone determines who the recipients will be (1^st Cor. 12:11).  Our calling is to accept them from God and exercise them for Him and His glory. 

Appendix I

TONGUES ARE HUMAN LANGUAGES

The New Testament texts dealing with the gift of tongues seem to suggest that tongues are human languages.  For example, the word translated tongue is the Greek word glossa which means language.  Also, we see that which was spoken by the disciples on the day of Pentecost were actually human languages of the world, unknown by the speakers.  This fact is apparent from the context of Acts 2, where people from various nations heard the disciples speak each in their own native language (v. 8). 

When the Gentile converts were speaking in tongues and praising God, Peter said that the Lord gave them the same gift that the disciples had at Pentecost, when foreign languages were spoken (Acts 10:47).  Peter repeated this fact to his friends in Jerusalem.  He explained, As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning (Acts 11:15). 

Though many agree that actual human languages were used in Acts 2 and 10, they argue that the later use of tongues among the Ephesians and Corinthians were different.  Many argue those with the gift in these churches spoke in heavenly language, and they support this idea by using several statements Paul makes in 1^st Corinthians.  For example, in chapter 13 Paul speaks of the tongues of men and of angels, thus apparently allowing for the possibility of angelic language. 

It is important to note that in 1^st Corinthians 13:1-3, Paul is using what is called hyperbole.  Hyperbole is an intentional exaggeration used to make an important point.  Notice the breakdown of what he says…

·         “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels”

·         “If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge”

·         “If I have a faith that can move mountains”

·         “If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames”

Notice he says, If I have the gift of prophesy (which he has) and all knowledge (which he doesn’t have).  He says, If I have faith (which he has) and the ability to move mountains (which he doesn’t).  Following this pattern, it’s safe to say that Paul did not speak in the tongue of angels—he is exaggerating. 

Many have also argued that Paul speaks of unknown tongues in the following chapter in 1st Corinthians 14:2.  What many fail to realize there is that the word translated unknown was added by some translators.  That word (unknown) does not appear in the original Greek. 

Appendix II

THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

When Paul talks about the baptism in the Spirit and when he talks about drinking of one spirit in 1^st Corinthians 12:13, he is talking about an occurrence that happens for all believers at the moment of salvation. 

There are times in Scripture when the word baptism is used to talk about identification and this is one of those times.  When Paul talks about the baptism in the Holy Spirit, he is saying, “Just as we were brought together in Christ and identified with him, crucified and made righteous in him, and made co-heirs with him, so we have also been brought together by, indentified with and made one through the Holy Spirit.

All believers, without exception, at the moment of salvation have been indwelt with, have access to and have been empowered by the Holy Spirit.  Therefore, all of us are one.  There aren’t upper tier and lower tier Christians—there aren’t first class free and Jewish and second class slave and Gentile Christians. 

Though many believe that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is a separate experience from salvation which should be sought out and is experienced by some, but not by all believers, Scripture says otherwise.  It makes no sense that Paul would call for unity, as he clearly does in 1^st Corinthians 12, and then in the next few verses introduce a doctrine that divides.