The Importance of Gifts Part VII
Today we reach the last two gifts found in 1 Corinthians 12, and I believe that these last two gifts are the most dangerous and misunderstood. Often, these two gifts are used in an unbiblical way and can deter others from seeking out God. The gifts that we will be discussing today are the gifts of tongues and interpretation of tongues.
As always, we will begin by looking at the definitions starting first with the gift of tongues. This gift is described as “of uncertain affinity; the tongue; by implication a language (specifically one naturally unacquired)” G1100. While the gift of interpretation of tongues is “to translate” G2059. When we look at the definitions of these two gifts, we see that one must work together with the other. To have a gift of tongues, there must be someone who can translate the words that are being said. So then how can these two gifts be dangerous? It is by simply using them in an unbiblical way.
When I was younger, I went to a church camp where I was instructed by the leaders to make up my own prayer language, that this would be a language between myself and the angels who would then pass on my prayers to God. Even though I was not a born-again Christian then, I knew that couldn’t be right, and this was one of many reasons why I walked away not only from that church but from God. It was not until many years later that I had someone instruct me that what they were asking was not Biblical.
A Biblical use of these two gifts goes back to where these gifts come from, “11 All these things are produced by the one and same Spirit who gives what he wants to each person.” 1 Corinthians 12:11. A Biblical use of the gift of tongues will be someone who uses a language they may not have previously known in order to share God’s glory, but in order to ensure that it is a gift from the Holy Spirit, there must be an individual who possesses the ability to translate that language. The gifts come from the Holy Spirit and are used to glorify the Lord.
However, there is another way that these two gifts can be dangerous, and that is denying their existance today. The foundation of the Christian faith is that God’s word is true and the ultimate authority. If you start denying that one of the gifts of the Spirit no longer exists, then the next line of thinking is that the others do not exist, and God’s word is not true about this aspect, how can it be true about anything else? Do not fall into the thinking that just because we don’t see it occurring on a daily basis, does not mean that these two gifts are no longer around today.
Seek the truth and encourage one another,
Alex