Martyn Llyod-Jones (The Sovereign Spirit: Discerning His Gifts):
Now what is the teaching in Scripture with regard to speaking in tongues?
In the first place, speaking in tongues is not the invariable accompaniment of the baptism of the Spirit. I put it like that because there is teaching which has been current for a number of years and still today, which says that speaking in tongues is always the initial evidence of the baptism with the Spirit. It therefore goes on to say that unless you have spoken in tongues you have not been baptized with the Holy Spirit. Now that, I suggest, is entirely wrong
In 1 Corinthians 12.30 the Apostle [Paul] asks, “Have all the gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues?”
Again in 1 Corinthians 14.5 he says, “I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied.” And when he says that he would that they all spake in tongues, he is clearly saying that they all did not. That, it seems to me, should be sufficient in and of itself (pg. 144).
It is possible for a man to be baptized with the Holy Spirit without ever speaking in tongues, and, indeed, without having some of these other gifts which the Apostle lists in this great passage that we are examining (pg. 146).
The next principle we come to is that speaking in tongues is not something that can be initiated by us. Or if you prefer it, a man cannot speak in tongues whenever he likes…You will generally find with people who claim today to speak in tongues that most of them say that they can do so whenever they like…I suggest that puts them in a category outside the teaching of 1 Corinthians 14. This is to me one of the crucial points in the differentiation of true speaking in tongues from counterfeit (pgs. 151-152).
All the gifts are given. What applies to tongues applies also to miracles. Is there any evidence in the New Testament that a man who has the gift of miracles can work a miracle whenever he likes? Of course there is not…I think that this is the most important matter of all, because I suggest that if a man tells me that he can speak in tongues whenever he likes, it is probably something psychological and not spiritual. The spiritual gifts are always controlled by the Holy Spirit. They are given, and one does not know when they are going to be given (pg. 153).
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bonsai
on Aug 30th, 2010
@ 2:17 pm:
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