Should Christians Expect Miracles Today? Objections and Answers from the Bible, Part 2, by Wayne A. Grudem
In this connection, Robertson argues that tongues were a “sign” of the transition between God’s dealing with Israel and His dealing with all nations.35 That might possibly be true in some contexts (such as Acts 2), but it is totally foreign to the context of 1 Corinthians 12-14, where Paul makes no mention of the Gentile inclusion or of judgment on the Jews—he contrasts not “Jews” and “Gentiles” but “believers” and “unbelievers.” And because he does not specify Jewish unbelievers, while there were certainly Gentile unbelievers visiting the church at Corinth as well, we must understand “unbeliever” here as referring to unbelievers visiting the church at Corinth as well, we must understand “unbeliever” here as referring to unbelievers generally (both Jewish unbelievers and Gentile unbelievers). Paul is using Isaiah 28:11-12 not as a prediction about Jewish unbelievers, but as an example or illustration (with reference to unbelievers generally). Realizing this, Carson is right to conclude that Paul cannot be speaking here of tongues as a sign of a covenantal curse on unbelieving Jews.36
Moreover, neither Robertson, Gaffin nor MacArthur, all of whom use this “covenantal curse” interpretation to argue against tongues today, take into account that Paul’s solution in this passage is not to forbid the use of tongues altogether, but to direct that tongues be used with interpretation, or used privately (1 Corinthians 14:27-28).
13. Since Paul says that a person who speaks in tongues “edifies himself” (1 Corinthians 14:4), isn’t it better to avoid tongues and seek other gifts that edify the Church?
This objection wrongly assumes that we should never do things to edify ourselves. But certainly that is incorrect. We should read our Bibles daily, pray seek to grow in holiness and so forth. As we grow in Christian maturity, we are better able to serve Christ and edify His Church.
This objection also makes the mistake of drawing a conclusion that is contrary to Paul’s own conclusion in this very chapter. However much Paul warns against using tongues without interpretation in church, he certainly views it positively and encourages it in private. He says, “He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church” (1 Corinthians 14:4). What is Paul’s conclusion? It is not (as some would argue) that Christians should decide not to use the gift or decide that it has no value when used privately. Rather, he says in 1 Corinthians 14, “what am I to do? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also” (v. 15). And he says, “I thank God that I speak in tongues more than you all” (v. 18); “Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy” (v. 5) and “Earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues” (v. 39).
Category: Pneuma Review, Spirit, Spring 2000
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