Subject: speaking in tongues |
Bible Note: Yes, thank you kindly, you did explain what you believed speaking in tongues was about. My understanding is from Scripture (KJV) and I am sorry but I must believe what Paul is telling us. The Pentecostal Church which I have attended has no one speaking in tongues but they are all lovely believing followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. The big question has always been, when did these gifts cease ? The answer is that the sign gifts ceased at the end of the Book of Acts. Why was this so? Paul explains this in 1 Corinthians 13:8-12ff. However, what does he mean in verse 10 by "But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part WILL BE DONE AWAY." The gift of tongues, prophecy and knowledge were only in part, they were incomplete. They did not communicate the full knowledge that the Lord had to reveal. In Greek, as in English, this is a neuter pronoun,"that thing which is perfect." Paul was not writing about the coming of "HE who is perfect." but of the coming of a "thing" which is perfect. When it came, then the gifts which were only "in part" would cease. In the letters written during the Acts period, the Lord had only revealed to Paul "part" of the dispensation of grace (Eph 3:2)but He had not revealed the entire message to Paul. It was still only "in part" during the Acts period, but with the close of the Book of Acts, the Lord completed the revelation of the "MYSTERY" (read Eph 3:3,4,9 and Col 1:26,27 etc). "That which is perfect" was finally revealed in ALL ITS FULLNESS to the Apostle Paul and, at that moment, those things which were only "in part" passed away from God's Program. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 13:12ff "Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known." When Paul wrote "now I know in part," he used the common word for "know," the Greek word "gnosis" but then, when he wrote "but then I shall know.." he changes the word from "gnosis" to "epignosis," TO FULLY KNOW. In other words Paul has full knowledge of God's message of Grace for US TODAY. I hope this will help you understand why and when speaking in tongues is no longer today. Peace and Grace in Christ Jesus, Ken John. |