Rev. David Holwick ZI
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
October 28, 1990
1 Corinthians 14
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I. Confrontation with Pentecostalism.
A. My first experience of hearing "speaking in tongues."
B. Similar to a further salvation experience.
1) Traditional Pentecostals - don't speak in tongues, no Spirit.
II. Overview of Pentecostalism.
A. Brief history.
1) Acts 2 and following chapters.
a) Very little stress on it.
b) Paul briefly mentions use in worship.
2) Montanists in second century. (fringe groups)
a) Leader, Montanus, prophesied and spoke in tongues.
b) Celibacy and strict moral standards.
3) American frontier revivals (Kentucky).
a) Ecstatic dancing.
b) "Barking."
4) Azusa Street revival in Los Angeles, 1906.
a) Assemblies of God.
b) Emphasis on tongues and supernatural gifts.
5) Mainline infiltration of "charismatics."
B. Impact of Pentecostalism.
1) Appeals to our culture.
a) We worship the mind and intelligence and feel empty.
b) People want to experience something beyond this life.
1> "Transcendence." #710
2> Proof that their faith is real, powerful.
c) Note interest in New Age, occult.
2) Television evangelism.
a) Main stars are charismatic.
b) Robert Tilton is latest ratings favorite.
Newsweek quote:
"Satan, you demonic spirit, I bind you in Jesus' name.
Loose those finances.
Mountain of bills, be thou removed.
Be cast into the sea.
Go. Go. Go.
La-ba-sue." 10/29/90,p 21
#1302
3) Hugely successful missions outreach.
a) Notably Latin America.
b) Soviet Union.
c) Baptist churches in Dominican Republic influenced.
III. Baptist reaction.
A. Of all denominations, Baptists are least influenced.
1) Emphasis on Bible.
a) New "revelation" not trusted.
2) Emphasis on rationality.
a) Discouragement of emotional excess.
B. Negative images of "holy roller" religion.
C. Yet Paul warns:
1) Don't despise spiritual gifts. 1 Thess 5:19-20
2) Seek the gifts. 1 Cor 14:1,12,39
IV. What tongues are.
A. Acts.
1) Known languages. Acts 2:8
2) Signifies acceptance of new groups.
a) Samaritans (implied tongues) Acts 8:18
b) Gentiles Acts 10:45
c) Disciples of John the Baptist Acts 19:6
B. 1 Corinthians 14.
1) Human / angelic languages. 13:1
2) Used in public and private worship.
a) (use is not stressed in Acts)
b) Appears to be a form of praise or thanks. 14:17
3) For present age only, but lasts till the end. 13:9-10
V. Paul's assessment of tongues.
A. Public limitations.
1) Others don't understand tongues. 14:7-9
a) Irrational - the mind doesn't profit, only spirit. 14:14
2) Outsiders will think you are insane.
a) Sign to them - but negative. 14:22
b) Drives away to judgment.
3) Public tongues must be interpreted. 14:27-28
a) Same result as prophecy.
b) Limit to 2 or 3 people. 14:27
c) Keep orderly and controlled. 14:33,40
1> Not truly "ecstatic", since controllable. 14:30,32
2> When freedom becomes chaos it is not spiritual.
B. Private value.
1) He personally spoke in tongues. 14:18
a) Unusual - no other reference by him to this.
b) He valued it as a private devotion, not public. 14:5, 19
2) Prayer and songs could be in tongues. 14:15
3) Good for all believers, but not possessed by all. 12:30
a) Pentecostals make it definite sign you possess Spirit.
1> False teaching.
b) TV evangelist scandals show you can speak in tongues
and still sin.
VI. Paul's assessment of prophecy.
A. Nature of prophecy.
1) Old Testament.
a) Prophets spoke "word of God."
b) 100% accurate, or stoned to death.
2) New Testament.
a) Prompting from God, not inspiration.
1> Scripture is ultimate authority.
2> Paul ignored Christian prophecy sometimes. Acts 21:4
b) Prophecies can contain error, must be sifted.
Acts 21:10,33
c) Teaching is more authoritative.
1> Apostles are equal to OT prophets.
3) Content of NT prophecy.
a) Encouraged, exhorted, convicted of sin. 14:3; 24-25
b) Sometimes involved future telling.
B. Beneficial to church.
1) Understandable, rational.
a) Didn't put up barriers.
b) Reached outsiders, convicted them of sin. 14:24-25
Example in Baptist church:
A missionary speaker paused in the middle of his message.
"I didn't plan to say this, but it seems the Lord is indicating
that someone in this church has just walked out on his wife
and family.
If that is so, let me tell you that God wants you to return to
them and learn to follow God's pattern for family life."
The missionary did not know it, but in the unlit balcony sat a
man who had entered the church for the first time just
moments before.
The description fit him exactly, and he made himself known,
acknowledged his sin, and began to seek after God.
from #1298
2) Thus a "sign" to believers - God is at work. 14:22
VII. Application to today.
A. "Tongues" not standard behavior in our church.
1) But a few privately describe themselves as charismatic.
2) We need to be more open to God's leading, and not despise
others who have different experiences from us.
B. Dangers.
1) Over-emphasis on supernatural easily leads into heresy, cults.
a) Experience-oriented.
b) Not everything supernatural is from God. Rev 13:13
1> Satan can perform "signs and wonders." 2 Thess 2:9
2) Irrational nature of gifts can lead to anti-intellectualism.
C. Benefits.
1) Spiritual fruit has been produced by movement.
a) Vital and aggressive.
2) We are often too rational, predictable.
a) God works in mysterious ways.
b) It is proper to humble ourselves and our minds.
c) Paul advocates tongues. 14:5
3) But in public worship Bible stresses understandableness.
a) Not a "leap of faith into the dark."
b) Christians are always under control.
D. We need to seek God, and ask him to be among us in a powerful
way.
1) Is God truly present in this church?
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