{"id":1945,"date":"2018-07-24T03:49:59","date_gmt":"2018-07-24T03:49:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/leadinghorsestowater.net\/?p=1945"},"modified":"2018-12-30T20:34:06","modified_gmt":"2018-12-30T20:34:06","slug":"speaking-in-tongues-part-iii-or-love-and-the-gifts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/leadinghorsestowater.net\/?p=1945","title":{"rendered":"Speaking in Tongues – Part III or Love and the Gifts"},"content":{"rendered":"

In Part I & II of my blog article entitled\u00a0Speaking in Tongues<\/em> we established from the Scriptures some important teachings about speaking in tongues.\u00a0 Let’s review them before we continue.\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n

The sign gift of tongues is introduced in the book of Acts.\u00a0 This gift\u00a0 is presented as the ability to speak another language without ever having learned it.\u00a0 We learned from the apostle Paul that whenever the gift of tongues was exercised, unbelieving Jews were present.\u00a0 We learned from Paul’s quote in Isaiah 28, that the gift of tongues was a sign of coming judgment to the unbelieving Jew.\u00a0 We learned through Paul’s teachings that not all (some) received the gift of tongues, but that all Christians are baptized into the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit upon believing.\u00a0 Therefore, tongues cannot be the manifestation of the baptism of the Holy Spirit as established church practice.\u00a0 We\u00a0also mentioned the relatively small number of times the gift of tongues is referred to in Scripture.\u00a0 The majority of those references consist of Paul’s instructions to the Corinthians who were abusing the gift.<\/strong><\/p>\n

As we consider the people to whom Paul was writing we need to remind ourselves that the Corinthians were Christians.\u00a0 They had all the gifts, but the Corinthians were spiritually immature.\u00a0 Their immaturity is reflected in their self-centeredness.\u00a0 These gifts were not being used to edify others but rather to edify themselves.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Corinthians had many problems which manifested their spiritual immaturity and lack of biblical love*:\u00a0 jealousy and pride concerning each other’s spiritual gifts; misuse of their spiritual gifts; disunity in the body and sexual immorality; a lack of church discipline; gluttony and drunkeness at the Lord’s table; going to court against one another; and doctrinal issues.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Apostle Paul inserted the love<\/em> chapter into his teaching on the gifts between I Corinthians chapters 12 and 14.\u00a0 Paul inserted the instructions on love because biblical love is what makes it all work.\u00a0 \u00a0 Biblical love is the remedy for self-centeredness.\u00a0 Biblical love is the fruit of the Spirit.\u00a0 It is obvious that the Corinthians were not walking in the Spirit.\u00a0 They had among themselves all the spiritual gifts, but without walking in the Spirit and manifesting the fruit of the Spirit which is love, those gifts were useless.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Importance of Biblical Love*<\/strong><\/p>\n

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become\u00a0as\u00a0sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>And though I have\u00a0the gift of\u00a0prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>And though I bestow all my goods to feed\u00a0the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profiteth me nothing.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

The Characteristics of\u00a0Biblical Love*<\/strong><\/p>\n

Love suffereth long,\u00a0and\u00a0is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself,\u00a0 love is not puffed up, l<\/strong><\/em>ove doth not behave itself unseemly, love seeketh not its own, love is not easily provoked, love thinketh no evil;<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Love rejoiceth not in iniquity, but love rejoiceth in the truth; l<\/strong><\/em>ove beareth all things, love believeth all things, love hopeth all things, love endureth all things.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Biblical Love* Is Enduring…..Forever<\/strong><\/p>\n

Love never faileth: but whether\u00a0there be\u00a0prophecies, they shall fail; whether\u00a0there be\u00a0tongues, they shall cease; whether\u00a0there be\u00a0knowledge, it shall vanish away.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/em>For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Biblical Love* Is of Greatest Value<\/strong><\/p>\n

And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these\u00a0is love.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Biblical Love* Is to be Pursued<\/strong><\/p>\n

Follow after love,……..I Corinthians 13:1 – 14:1a<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n