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Praying in the Spirit: Some Marvelous Effects of Praying in the Spirit

| April 15, 1999 | no comments

 

Personal tongues: All spoke in tongues simultaneously (Acts 2:1‑4; 10:44‑46; 19:1‑7).

Congregational tongues: One person at a time is to speak (1 Corinthians 14:26-27).

Personal tongues: Tongues need not be interpreted (Acts 10:44‑47; 19:1‑7).

Congregational tongues: The gift of interpretation is required; tongues must be interpreted before ministry takes place (1 Corinthians 14:28).

Personal tongues: Tongues are spoken for personal edification (1 Corinthians 14:4).

Congregational tongues: Tongues are spoken to edify the church (1 Corinthians 14:12‑13).

Personal tongues: The baptism in the Holy Spirit, which is evidenced by tongues‑speaking, is for all believers (Acts 2:38-39).

Congregational tongues: The ministry of tongues is not for all believers (1 Corinthians 12:30).

Personal tongues: The giver is the Father through the Son (John 14:16; Acts 2:33).

Congregational tongues: The giver is the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:7‑11).

The gift of tongues is not unique in the sense that it is a ministry gift for some, yet may be exercised by all other Christians as well. This is a common feature among the gifts. For example, the Scriptures teach that all Christians should give; all Christians should show mercy; all Christians should help; all Christians should witness; all Christians should serve. Every Christian should practice all of these, even if he does not have the corresponding ministry‑gift of, say, serving or preaching. Likewise, all may speak in tongues, but all do not have the gift of tongues for use in ministry.

“If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:13)

We see further evidence that all can have the personal gift of tongues in Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 14:23. Here he suggests that the whole church can come together and speak in tongues: “So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and some who do not understand or some unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind?” Paul does not recommend that this be done in a fashion that would give offense to unbelievers; nevertheless, if the potential is there, the point is proved‑all may speak in tongues (Ervin, These, p.108).

The Pentecostal‑charismatic interpretation of 1 Corinthians 12:30, “Do all speak in tongues?”, resolves the apparent discrepancy. This verse has been a stumblingblock to numerous sincere Christians who feel with Gelpi that it is “decisive exegetical evidence” (p.75) that tongues do not accompany every baptism in the Holy Spirit. But to insist that this verse means that God wills some Christians never speak in tongues, creates a contradiction damaging to Paul’s credibility and the Spirit’s supervision of the Scriptures.

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Category: Spirit, Spring 1999

About the Author: Robert W. Graves, M. A. (Literary Studies, Georgia State University), is the co-founder and president of The Foundation for Pentecostal Scholarship, Inc., a non-profit organization supporting Pentecostal scholarship through research grants. He is a Christian educator and a former faculty member of Southwestern Assemblies of God College in Waxahachie, Texas, and Kennesaw State University (adjunct). He edited and contributed to Strangers to Fire: When Tradition Trumps Scripture and is the author of Increasing Your Theological Vocabulary, Praying in the Spirit (1987 and Second Edition, 2017) and The Gospel According to Angels (Chosen Books, 1998).

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