NEO-PENTECOSTALISM and the CONTEMPORARY CHURCH
by Kent D. Maxwell
A special study paper on the Person, Work, and Gifts of the Holy Spirit, presented to the 41st GENERAL CONFERENCE, CHURCH OF THE UNITED BRETHREN IN CHRIST
INTRODUCTION: THE HOLY SPIRIT AND THE CONTEMPORARY CHURCH
There is an unprecedented movement of the Holy Spirit in our day not witnessed before by our generation. The Jesus movement, the Jews for Jesus, the Pentecostal experience, and others are all testimonies to the fact. It is necessary that we as United Brethren take seriously what the Holy Spirit is doing in our day and that we make certain we as a denomination, local churches, pastors, and lay people are where the Spirit is moving.
The particular phenomenon of the Holy Spirit's movement to which I have been asked to address myself is that which has been described as the Neo-Pentecostal experience, referred to by many of its adherents as a charismatic revival. It is usually identified with the gifts of the Spirit, especially speaking in tongues. It is differentiated from the earlier Pentecostal movement at the turn of the century in that it is occurring within the mainline denominations. The Neo-Pentecostal movement is experiencing rapid growth among both Protestants and Catholics. A recent article in The Indianapolis Star called attention to this fact: "Its growth is reflected in figures from national conventions of Catholic pentecostals at Notre Dame. The first national convention drew only 50 people, but 12, 000 attended last year, and plans are being made to accommodate 20, 000 people when it is held at Notre Dame in June." Such conventions on an interdenominational level are being held throughout the nation in various cities, a new phenomenon in itself, which is also testimony to the growth of the movement. More and more of our pastors and lay people are becoming involved in the Pentecostal experience of speaking in tongues, and others are asking what it's all about. Because of the enthusiasm of the initiates in the
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movement and the guarded defensiveness of those who are not involved, some of our churches are caught in the throes of suspicion, hostility, and division.
There is much prolific writing being done on the subject today of which new volumes constantly appear on the shelves of religious bookstores. Our pastors and lay people are buying these and are being influenced by them. Some find in these what they believe might be the solution to their own spiritual barrenness and lack of productivity and personal Christian joy in their lives. Where a spirit of openness exists among fellow Christians within our fellowship and one feels free to speak his mind, our people are talking about the Pentecostal movement and what they indeed are experiencing in their own lives relative to it. Some say they are or have been praying for the baptism in the Holy Spirit with the subsequent manifestation of speaking in tongues. Others reveal their struggle with it through the words recently spoke to me by one of our pastors, "I'm not asking the Lord to give me the gift of tongues as a sign of the Spirit's infilling but only to confirm His presence in my life through souls won to Christ. " Inherent in his statement is an uncertainty about the Holy Spirit's fullness: as relates to speaking in tongues.
It is my hope and prayer that I shall realistically deal with this phenomenon in this paper and reach some conclusions which will be helpful both to those who are within the movement and those without. I have sought to study every passage of Scripture in both the Old and New Testaments to discover what indeed the Scriptures have to say about the Holy Spirit. In addition I have read much on the contemporary Charismatic movement and the person of the Holy Spirit. I have earnestly prayed that as I study,, meditate, and write that I shall be true to the Word in Holy Scripture and true to the Spirit as He expresses Himself through and to me.
HOLY SPIRIT - HIS PERSON
I assume the traditional, orthodox doctrine of the Person of the Holy Spirit. He is indeed divine, ". . . equal in essence or being . . ." with the Father and the Sons. Being God, the Holy Spirit possesses those attributes and characteristics identified with God, These would include omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence. Holy Spirit possesses life and is assigned holiness in Holy Scripture. He is eternal and eternally proceeds (John 15:26) from the Father and the Son. The Nicene Creed states, "And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together, is worshipped and glorified" (quoted by Walvoord).1 The Athanasian Creed states, "The Holy Ghost is of the Father and of the Son, neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding" (quoted by Walvoord).2
As a Person, the Holy Spirit possesses those qualities that are characteristically identified with personality. He possesses the essential of mind or of intelligence, life, will, the ability to communicate, emotion, etc.
A particular doctrine or facet regarding the Holy Spirit requires discussion. It has to do with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. There are many who make a great difference between the "baptism of [or by] the Holy Spirit" and the "baptism in the Holy spirit." Argument is advanced that Jesus is the Baptizer in the Holy Spirit which is an experience usually subsequent to and different from regeneration; whereas, the baptism of the Holy Spirit is the regeneration experience itself effected by the Holy Spirit and making one a member of the body of Christ (I Corinthians 12:13). An objective look at Holy Scripture offers little support for such a viewpoint. It is prob-
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ably true that all the New Testament references to baptism involving the Holy Spirit could be translated "baptized in the Holy Spirit." The expression, "baptized with [or by, etc.] the Holy Spirit" occurs in several places in the English translations of the New Testament, namely, Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16, John 1:33, Acts 1:5 and 11:16, and I Corinthians 12:13. In each of these cases the ASV of 1901 renders the phrase "in the Holy Spirit." The NEB renders I Corinthians 12:13, "For indeed we were all brought into one body by baptism, in the one Spirit, whether we are Jews or Greeks. ..." The reason for the translation "in" instead of "with" is accounted for by the presence of the Greek preposition en. Gould comments regarding Mark 1:8, "The absence of the art. indicates that the Spirit is regarded here as an element, a pervading presence, like the air, in the ocean of which we are submerged."3 Plummer holds the same position in relation to the Spirit being considered the element in his commentary on I Corinthians 12:13.4 In relation to Luke 3:16, Plummer justifies the use of the word "with" before water and "in" before Spirit: "The simple dat. marks the instrument or matter with which the baptism is effected; the en marks the element in which it takes place (John 1:31). "5 According to the statement of John the Baptist, cited in the Gospel passages above in which he stated that he baptized with water but that Jesus would baptize in the Holy Spirit and to which Jesus refers in Acts 1:5 and Peter in Acts 11:16, it is pointed out that indeed Jesus is the One Who baptizes in the Holy Spirit. From a textual standpoint it must be argued that the baptism in the Holy Spirit refers to the regeneration or conversion experience whereby Holy Spirit comes to indwell the believer and to effect his participation in the church. It cannot properly be regarded as an experience subsequent to the salvation experience. At the time of his baptism in the Holy Spirit, the believer is inwardly cleansed and purified from his sin, a condition or experience symbolized in water
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baptism. The gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38) referred to by Peter is the experience of regeneration or baptism in the Holy Spirit whereby He comes to dwell in the believer and the believer in Him. This mutual indwelling may be what Paul refers to in I Corinthians 12:13, ''For also in one Spirit we all were baptized into one body . . and all were made to drink one Spirit." How beautifully this fits with what is recorded in John 7:37-39:
. . . Jesus stood up and proclaimed, "If any one thirst, let him come to me and drink. He who believes in me, as the scripture has said, 'Out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water.'" Now this he said about the Spirit, which those who believed in him were to receive; for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.
Another matter closely related to the discussion on the baptism in the Holy Spirit also requires attention,, that of being filled with the Holy Spirit. The reference, Ephesians 5:18, is generally translated, "And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery; but be filled with the Spirit". It is interesting to note that the Greek text contains the preposition en before the word for spirit. It seems this would necessitate the translation, ". . . be filled in spirit." Such a rendering is offered in the alternate reading in the margin of the ASV of 1901. Abbott declares that the meaning of the words as they are in the Greek text are". . . wholly unsuitable to the idea 'filled with'".6 He seems to favor the rendering, "Be filled in spirit." Foulkes7 also discusses this issue, though he does not take the strong stand assumed by Abbott. It would seem, however, that "in spirit" would be the better rendering, but this in no way removes the need and possibility of being filled with the Holy Spirit. Indeed it seems that the context would require being filled with the Holy Spirit in spirit. The Acts of the Apostles makes references to being filled with the Holy Spirit (2:4; 4:31; 9:17; 11:24; 13:52). It was out of the experience of being filled with the Holy Spirit that the disciples began to speak in other tongues at Pentecost, rather
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than simply from the experience of being baptized in the Holy Spirit. The infilling of the Holy Spirit is usually, but not always, subsequent to salvation and is to be the continuing experience of the believer, so indicated by the tense of the verb—present imperative in the Greek. It was by being filled with Holy Spirit the disciples spoke and witnessed with boldness and did many other wonderful deeds.
HOLY SPIRIT - HIS WORK
The Scriptures provide much insight into the Holy Spirit's work in the world and in the believer. From the earliest verses of Genesis through the book of the Revelation the Bible speaks of His works and how by virtue of these He is related both to the Godhead and to mankind.
It is obvious in Genesis 1:2 that Holy Spirit participated in the work of creation. According to the Gospel of John, Christ the Word was also involved in this task. Creation must have been a joint effort on the part of the Spirit and Christ and probably also the Father. In addition to his original activity in creation, the Holy Spirit continues to create and sustain life (Psalm 104:30; Isaiah 32:15). Obviously spiritual life has its origin for the believer in Christ through the Spirit.
The Holy Spirit in both the Old and New Testaments anointed the servants of God for special tasks which they were to do. Moses, Joshua, and the prophets in the Old Testament are notable examples as are Peter and Paul in the New Testament. At times, especially in the Old Testament, this anointing seemed to be a more or less temporary experience of the person involved. In the New Testament, it seems to be a permanent abiding of the Holy Spirit. There are some who make much of this difference between the Old and New Testament ages, saying that in the Old Testament the Holy Spirit was only a temporary possession or indweller of the person involved; whereas, in the New Testament He permanently indwells the believer. I do not believe, however, that a fool-proof case can be made for this difference. For example, in Numbers 27:18 (RSV) we read, "And the Lord said to Moses, 'take
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Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit. . . .'" David also prayed in Psalm 51:11b, ". . . and take not thy Holy Spirit from me" (RSV). The prophet Micah says, "But as for me, I am filled with power, with the Spirit of the Lord, and with justice and might, to declare to Jacob his transgression and to Israel his sin" (Micah 3:8, RSV). Those who argue strongly for the difference, believe that statements such as that in Ezekiel 36:27, "And I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to observe my ordinances" is a reference to Pentecost as a totally new experience. Swete comments,
In the New Testament as in the Old the Spirit of God is God at work in the world, with this difference only that the field of His spiritual operations is vastly widened, and the manifestations of Divine power and wisdom, connected with the Spirit are proportionately more impressive and more permanent.8
There was a newness about Pentecost, but I have my doubts it can be identified with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. It seems to me that it has more to do with a universal power for witnessing for all believers. It can be safely argued, however, that one of the works of the Holy Spirit is to anoint or indwell the servants of God for service.
The Holy Spirit is the Giver of the charismata or spiritual gifts. At least some of the charismata were manifested by the Holy Spirit in Old Testament times. Obviously prophecy was present as the Spirit of the Lord came upon people and they spoke a revelation from God. Another gift maybe indicated in Job 31:8, "But it is the Spirit in a man, the breath of the Almighty, that makes him understand." This might be identified with the gift of knowledge or wisdom. Isaiah was at least conversant with the Spirit as the imparter of gifts as he prophesied concerning Messiah, "And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord" (Isaiah 11:2). Calvin comments, "Accordingly, the Prophet . . . shows that the gifts of the Spirit are laid up in him, first, generally, and next, particularly
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. . . . "9 In his treatise on the spiritual charismata, the Apostle Paul makes the comment concerning Holy Spirit that "All these are inspired by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills" (I Corinthians 12:11).
The Holy Spirit guides God-fearing people. He also serves as their protector. He is involved in judgment upon those who resist God and rebel against Him. There were times the Holy Spirit seemed to literally transport people, e.g. Phillip in Acts.
The Holy Spirit effected the incarnation of Jesus Christ. Matthew is very clear that the conception of the Lord Jesus in the Virgin Mary was an act of the Holy Spirit. This is not to imply in any sense of the word that sexual relationships of God with a human being occurred but instead a miraculous act of the Holy Spirit whereby the conception of Jesus was made possible. Holy Spirit filled Jesus for ministry and provided the power that raised Him from the dead (Romans 8:11).
The Holy Spirit's primary activity in the world among Christians is in reference to Christ Himself. In promising the Spirit Jesus said that "he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you" (John 14:26); "he will bear witness to me" (John 15:26); "he will convince the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in me; of righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged" (John 16:8-11); "He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you"(John 16:14). As Jesus promised the Holy Spirit--the Paraclete (Comforter, KJV; Counselor, RSV; also Helper and Advocate--"'one who is called to someone's aid'", Arndt and Gingrich Greek Lexicon)--He was assuring His disciples and all Christians of the Spirit's help in understanding Himself, what He said, what He was purposing for them to do, and to witness concerning Himself (Acts 1:8). Even a casual reading of the book of Acts would seem to indicate that the
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real test of the Spirit's fullness within the believer is the boldness with which he gives witness to Christ. A Spirit-filled Christian will be a witness for Christ. David J. Du Piessis, a leader in the charismatic movement, must be correct when he writes, "People who are baptized in the Spirit and then continue to walk in the Spirit are not primarily 'tongue-talkers,' but they become inveterate 'talkers' or witness for Christ the Savior."10 The primary work of the Holy Spirit is to make Jesus Christ known first in the heart, mind, and life, and spirit of the believer and then through him and his witness to the unregenerate. It would appear in Acts that witnessing is the sign or evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit seals the believers (Ephesians 1:13,14) and as such serves as the mark of God upon the Christian of his relationship with God. He guarantees to the believer his total inheritance in Jesus Christ which specifically has to do with the assurance of the Christian's final and total redemption in the life which is to come but which may also include the special blessings and provisions which are his as a child of God in this world and this life.
The Holy-Spirit inspired the writers of Holy Scripture and gave to them the message they were to communicate, even though they at times did not fully understand what it was they were writing. He entrusts the truths of the Gospel to the believer (2 Timothy 1:14) and interprets the word to him, making it possible for the believer to understand the Scriptures (2 Peter 1:20,21; I Corinthians 2:6-13).
The Holy Spirit inspires within the believer the confession, ''Jesus is Lord" as opposed to "Jesus be cursed" (I Corinthians 12:3). The test for recognizing the Spirit of God is the confession, "Jesus Christ is come in the flesh" (I John 4:2, 3). Holy Spirit confirms the mutual indwelling of the believer and Christ (I John 3:24; 4:13). Holy Spirit witnesses with the believer's spirit to assure the latter of his
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sonship relationship with the Father (Romans 8:15b, 16; Galatians 4:6).
The Holy Spirit establishes the message of His servants (I Corinthians 2:4). He strengthens the believer in the inner man (Ephesians 3:16). He assists the believer in praying (Ephesians 6:18; Romans 8:26, 27). He sanctifies or sets apart to God the believer "for obedience to Christ" (I Peter 1:1,2). He inspires freedom among the believers (2 Corinthians 3:17). The Holy Spirit is the author of and promotes unity among the believers (I Corinthians 12; Ephesians 2:8; 4:1-6; Philippians 2:1). The Christian's life and walk are inspired by the Holy Spirit and are contrasted with the unbeliever's walk which is lived out in the realm of the flesh while the believer's life is lived out in intimate fellowship with God through the Spirit (Romans 8; Galatians 3:5; 4:28-31; 5:16-26; 6:8). Through the help the Spirit gives, the believer waits for the hope which he has (Galatians 5:5). The Holy Spirit writes the laws of God upon the hearts of men, giving them the desire to please God (Hebrews 10:15,16).
Much more could be said about the works of the Holy Spirit and what He does in and through the believer and in the world at large, but time and space do not allow for such an indulgence.
HOLY SPIRIT - HIS GIFTS
Probably no facet regarding the Holy Spirit engenders more controversy than that relating to the gifts of the Spirit. There is a wide divergence of opinion concerning the exact nature, purpose, and permanence of the gifts among various so-called charismatic groups as well as among those not so identified.
The word gift comes from the Greek word charisma which means "a gift (freely and graciously given), a favor bestowed" (Arndt and Gingrich). Several English translations (KJV, RSV, NEB, ASV) render the Greek word neumatikon (I Corinthians 12:1) also as "gifts" but a more precise translation would be "spiritual things." The Authorized and American Standard versions indicate the freedom taken in translation by placing "gifts" in italics.
Spiritual gifts in the strictest significance of the words refer only to special endowments made possible through direct action of the Holy Spirit. They are not simply natural abilities that are consecrated to the Lord and so designated "spiritual gifts." These can become spiritual gifts when infused by the Spirit and' raised to a new, supernatural level by Him. Some rather practical gifts of the Spirit are evident in Exodus 31:1ff where the Lord supernaturally equipped people to prepare the tabernacle "See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri . . . and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, for work in every craft." For purposes of this paper, the discussion regarding spiritual gifts will be confined to New Testament passages.
There are at least three New Testament passages which list various gifts. Two
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of the lists include the Greek word charismata (I Corinthians 12:8ff. and Romans 12:6-8). The other passage is Ephesians 4:11 where the Greek is translated, "And he gave some" (KJV and ASV) or "And his gifts were" (RSV and similarly NEB). The list in I Corinthians 12:8-10 contains the utterance of wisdom, the utterance of knowledge, faith, gifts of healing, working of miracles, prophecy, ability to distinguish between spirits, various kinds of tongues, and the interpretation of tongues. I Corinthians 12:28-30 lists apostles, prophets, teachers, workers of miracles, healers, helpers, administrators, speakers in various kinds of tongues, and interpretation of tongues (implied in the context). Romans 12:6-8 includes prophecy, service, teaching, exhortation, giving, giving aid or leading, and showing mercy. . Ephesians 4:11 contains apostles, prophets, evangelists, and pastors and teachers. The gifts that are the most controversial are those which have been designated "sign gifts," "service gifts," "supernatural gifts," and various other titles. These include specifically the word (utterance) of wisdom, the word of knowledge, faith, healings, working of miracles, prophecy, discerning or distinguishing spirits, tongues, and interpretation of tongues. For the most part there is little problem with what some speak of as the "office gifts"--teachers, evangelists, pastors, and apostles and. prophets, especially when these last two are considered in their broadest possible understanding as missioners and preachers. Most of the other "helping gifts" cause little difficulty.
As it relates to "sign gifts," the controversy centers in the permanence of them as gifts given to the church, especially tongues and the interpretation of tongues. Those within the charismatic movement, for the most part, feel that these are permanent gifts of the Holy Spirit to the church and are to be exercised continually. Those who disagree cite as evidence that these were temporary and not permanent gifts of the Spirit to the church, the almost complete absence of them in the history of the church except among some who were heretics (the Montanists), the presence of
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some of these gifts--especially tongues--among nonchristian and heathen societies, and I Corinthians 13:8-12 which they believe indicates that the gifts of prophecy, knowledge, and especially tongues would cease with the completion of the New Testament canon. Hardly any of these can be considered conclusive arguments, and Clarence Craig says that the coming of the perfect is a reference to ". . . the coming of the new age",11 the most reasonable interpretation of the word "perfect" rather than to the completion of the canon. Some assert that the tongues being employed among the charismatics today can not be identified as coming from the Spirit of God but are psychological in nature. Charles R. Smith, a strong advocate of this position, also believes that contemporary tongues is neither good nor evil in nature but feels that they can be used to express praise to God or capitalized upon by demonic powers for evil purposes. He does not favor the use of tongues by Christians because of this and other problems.
It seems to me that the arguments for a temporary giving of the "sign gifts, " limiting them to the apostolic age, and for identifying the modern expression of tongues as simply a psychological phenomenon are at best inadequate and inconclusive and cannot be supported by Scripture. An objective look at Scripture calls for a recognition of the validity of all the gifts mentioned above and possibly others too and that they may very well find expression in the contemporary church life. Special study committees of the United Presbyterian Church in the United States and the Lutheran Church, Missouri Synod arrived at this same conclusion.
We cannot . . . follow the view of some theologians that the purely supernatural gifts ceased with the death of the apostles. There seems no exegetical warrant for this assumption. Rather are we to "test the spirits to see whether they are of God, " since each one of the charismatic gifts had its counterfeits and frauds.12
It is true that Satan has his counterfeits for the gifts and that Christians often
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abuse or misuse their spiritual gifts.
Paul in discussing the spiritual gifts in I Corinthians 12 to 14 was obviously seeking to bring a proper understanding into the Corinthian Church regarding the "sign gifts," Before discussing these passages in detail, it seems advisable to give a definition of the various gifts listed in I Corinthians 12:8-10. Fr. Joseph E. Orsini offers concise definitions of these gifts which are in substantial agreement with my understanding of them. The first two some exegetes would limit to the understanding and application of Holy Scripture.
1. The ability to give wise advice, or the word of wisdom
2. The ability to say the right word to someone who is seeking the will of the Lord, or the word of knowledge
3. Special faith to act in a special need
4. The power to heal the sick
5. The power to perform miracles
6. The power to prophesy, that is, the ability to be used by the Lord to guide and direct His people
7. Discernment of spirits--the power to know whether evil spirits are speaking through those who claim to be giving God's message
8. The gift of tongues--the ability to pray in languages not learned in the normal manner
9. Interpretation of tongues--the power to understand the manifestation of tongues to the profit of the community13
Because of limited space and time and since the controversy in the contemporary church is primarily concerned with tongues, interpretation of tongues, and prophecy, I shall confine the balance of this portion of the paper to these three gifts. If it can be established that these may find expression in the church, then there should be little problem with the remaining gifts.
The primary problem with which Paul was dealing in I Corinthians 12 to 14 was an unhealthy and excessive emphasis upon tongues. Evidently there were those in the church who exercised the gift of tongues and degraded those who did not possess the gift, and there were others who failed to appreciate their own gifts because they
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lacked the more spectacular gift of tongues which would easily identify one as a "spiritual Christian" In any event there was a division within the church over the issue of the spiritual gifts.
One of the first things the Apostle did was to provide the Corinthians with a test by which they could judge an utterance in tongues, and that was, ". . . no one speaking by the Spirit of God ever says 'Jesus is cursed!' and no one can say 'Jesus is Lord' except by the Holy Spirit" (I Corinthians 12:3). Some while speaking in tongues evidently cursed Jesus, and the Church failed to understand that an evil spirit as well as the Spirit of God could prompt one to speak in a tongue and so they failed to deal with the person and may have been about to be led astray into error by such utterances as they had been before (v. 2). There have been and are instances in the contemporary movement where the speaker in tongues has blasphemed the name of Jesus and has spoken obscenities. Placing too high a value on tongues as a sign of being filled with the Spirit may cause one to be blind to this problem area.
It is important to note also that the various gifts have the same Giver and that He, the Holy Spirit, gives them to the church for the common good or to profit and help the entire fellowship (I Corinthians 12:7; 14:12, 26c). The final decision as to what gift or gifts an individual exercises rests with God through the Holy Spirit: "All these are inspired by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills" (I Corinthians 12:11) and "God has appointed in the church . . . (v. 28). A properly functioning church requires the appreciation of the gifts of others as well as of one's own. There is a proper place for desiring a particular spiritual gift (12:31a; 14:1), but when one desires and prays for a gift he should be concerned to receive a higher gift, especially prophecy, that he might be of greater assistance to the church. It seems reasonable to believe that Paul when urging his
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readers to desire the higher spiritual gifts, was suggesting to them to consider the needs of the fellowship and then desire that which would be of the greatest benefit to that fellowship. The desire for a spiritual gift is to be in submission to the will of God. Paul lists the gifts in their order of importance (but ". . . the classification according to rank ends with 'teachers'. . . . "14), and he sees their importance in the light of the total fellowship rather than for one's own personal benefit. Paul's emphasis on love in chapter 13 provides the motivation for desiring the gifts. One should be more concerned to express love than to have a particular manifestation of the Spirit.
In chapter 14, the Apostle discusses the value of prophecy in the public service over that of tongues. Many of the contemporary charismatic leaders view tongues as prayer to God and see its purpose as being primarily devotional. The Scriptures seem to indicate this as well: "For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God . . ." (I Corinthians 14:2); "I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also. Otherwise if you bless with the spirit, how can any one in the position of an outsider say the 'Amen' to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are. saying?" (vv. 15,16). David J. Du Plessis, a leader in the international charismatic movement, believes that the tongues at Pentecost were also prayer and praise to God. He bases his conclusion on the verse, ". . . we hear them telling . . . the mighty works of God" (Acts 2:11).
The value of tongues is for self-edification, "He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself ..." (I Corinthians 14:4a). This seems to be the reason the Apostle discourages its use in the public service. But if it as a supernatural gift of the Spirit finds expression among contemporary believers, then it can be legitimately exercised
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for self-edification to fit the believer for service to Christ and the Church. It is amiss, however, to insist or teach that every must or should have the experience of speaking in tongues as a sign that he has been filled with the Spirit. Quite the contrary is indicated by Paul who in I Corinthians 12:25, 30 asks rhetorical questions that have an implied negative answer that not all must share in any one or all of the spiritual manifestations indicated, One of those is, "Do all speak with tongues?" (v. 30b). Tongues is not the "sign" of the "baptism in the Holy Spirit" or the infilling of the Holy Spirit. It is a means for prayer by which the Christian can he edified and also pray when "... we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with sighs too deep for words" (Romans 8:26b).
Those who deny that Paul placed value on speaking in tongues are hard pressed to explain his statements, "I thank God that I speak in tongues more than you all" (I Corinthians 14:18) and, "Now I want you all to speak in tongues . . ." (I Corinthians 14:5a). He definitely, however, teaches that they have little place in the public worship service. If one is in a public service and begins to speak in tongues, then he is to pray for the power to interpret. If indeed he is unable to interpret his utterance or if there is no one present who can interpret or if three-people have already spoken in the assembly in tongues, then he is to ". . . keep silence in the church and speak to himself and to God" (I Corinthians 14:29). This undoubtedly means praying silently in the tongue much like one does with his own thought patterns or else under his breath. The person with a tongue need not worry about grieving the Spirit if he remains silent, for in church it is better to speak five words with the mind in order to instruct than ten thousand words in a tongue (I Corinthians 14: 19) and also ". . . the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets" (14:32). It is also important to take note of the Apostle's instructions, ". . . do not forbid speaking in
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tongues" (I Corinthians 14:39b). Because of a personal distaste for this particular manifestation of the Spirit, one may be inclined to disparage it or teach against or seek to prevent its use by fellow believers within the fellowship. This would seem to be contrary to the simplest and most logical understanding of the text. A leader in a service or other responsible person would have the authority to limit the expression in the public service, but it seems that no one would have the authority to forbid one to exercise it on an individual basis or in a group where the participants were like-minded.
Something needs to be said about the place of interpretation as a gift if tongues is a means of prayer and praise to God. Interpretation is not to be confused with translation but instead is an act of the Holy Spirit whereby a person is enabled to make known to the fellowship what has been spoken in a tongue. A prophecy will sometimes follow that interpretation, thus accounting for the longer length. Since tongues is probably always prayer to God, interpretation of the tongue will also be prayer. A message that is not prayer that follows the interpreted prayer is a prophecy. More will be said about prophecy as a gift shortly.
Comment also needs to be made regarding tongues in the book of Acts. It is clear this phenomenon occurred at Pentecost (Acts 2), in Caesarea (Acts 10), in Ephesus (Acts 19), and may very possibly have occurred in Samaria (Acts 8), though the evidence is inconclusive here. Various exegetes argue that in each of these instances--Jerusalem (Pentecost), Caesarea., and Ephesus--the speech was an unintelligible ecstatic utterance. Charles R. Smith so argues and bases his conclusions on the charge of drunkenness and on the use of the Greek verb laleo which he says, "In classical Greek . . . means to 'prattle' or 'babble'. . . ."15 He insists that at Pentecost if languages had been intended, Luke would have used the verb lego
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which he says, ". . . refers to rational or logical expression. . . ."16 He also believes that Luke's use of heteros rendered "other" which means '"another of a different kind'" in Acts 2:4 instead of alios which means "'another of the same or similar kind'" is further evidence of ecstatic speech.17 Some who deny the presence of spoken languages at Pentecost insist on a miracle of hearing to explain, "And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?" (Acts 2:8). Probably the most common and correct view is that Pentecost was a miracle of the Spirit in which known languages were spoken, and Caesarea and Ephesus represented unknown speech like that in Corinth. It is impossible to conclude with certainty whether the tongues at Pentecost were unintelligible, ecstatic utterances or actual languages which may have sounded unintelligible to the residents of Jerusalem who may have been the ones to level the charge of drunkenness.
The Apostle Paul places much higher value on the gift of prophecy, especially as it is expressed within the fellowship of the church. He delineates the purpose for prophecy: ". . . he who prophesies speaks to men for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation" (I Corinthians 14:3). The value of prophecy is that it serves to edify the church. It seems that in the Biblical sense, prophecy to be properly understood must be a revelation from God. The context seems to indicate that Paul is referring to prophecy in the use of the word "revelation" in I Corinthians 14:26, "When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation." The prophecy may be either foretelling or forthtelling in nature, but the latter is probably the more commons. It does not seem proper to equate prophecy with preaching which is probably more teaching than anything, but many charismatics believe that there is probably more prophecy in preaching than what we usually recognize. For example, many times the preacher as he preaches receives
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a truth which he had not considered before, shares it with his audience, and then speaks later of the Spirit's special anointing in the sermon. That "special anointing," according to many in the present charismatic movement, may very well be the Holy Spirit inspiring a prophetic utterance that serves to edify, encourage, or comfort the hearers. It is because prophecy is spoken in the language of the assembly and so is directly and easily understood that Paul says, ". . . earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy" (I Corinthians 14:1). There are restrictions that are to be observed in the expression of this gift also. "Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said" (I Corinthians 14:29). There is not to be an unlimited number of people speaking in any one service, and what is said by those who do speak is subject to the scrutiny of others. Even in prophetic utterances, the prophet does not have license to say whatever he wants and then to defend it as coming from the Lord. It must meet the test of serving to build up, encourage, and comfort the church. Claiming inspired utterance while haranguing the fellowship or individuals within the fellowship is a false claim and may be the result of demonic pressure. This is not to say the reproof would necessarily be altogether eliminated.
A scripture passage that has caused much consternation is I Corinthians 14:20-25.
20. Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; be babes in evil, but in thinking be mature.
21. In the law it is written, "By men of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me says the Lord. "
22. Thus, tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is not for unbelievers but for believers.
23. If, therefore, the whole church assembles and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad?
24. But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convinced by all, he is called to account by all,
25. the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you.
CONCLUSIONS
From the study of Holy Scripture and reading I have done in the preparation of this paper, I have come to some conclusions which may be helpful to our fellowship.
1. It is exegetically unsound to speak of a "baptism of the Holy Spirit" separate from the conversion or regeneration experience. One receives the gift of the Holy Spirit when he repents and is baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sin (Acts 2:38). He is also at that moment baptized in the Spirit into the body of Christ and so enjoys an intimate relationship with God in the Spirit and is made a part of the body of Christ, the Church.
2. There is the possibility of being filled with the Holy Spirit. It is this experience which is not once-for-all but is to be a continuing experience in the life of the believer that empowers him for service, especially a bold witness for Jesus Christ.
3. It is also exegetically unsound to speak of "speaking in tongues" as the evidence of being filled with the Spirit. Nowhere do the Scriptures even so much as hint at this conclusion. Even in the book of Acts where the experience of the early church is related, there are only three definite occurrences of speaking in tongues and these under special circumstances while there are several passages stating that the disciples were filled with the Spirit with no mention whatever of speaking in tongues.
4. There is no biblical basis for the denial of the operation and expression of the gifts of the Spirit, the charismata. There is no solid scriptural support to assert that the gifts of the Spirit passed with the apostolic age. Even "apostles" should probably in many instances be considered in the broad sense of missionaries
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rather than restricted only to those first century disciples who saw Christ in the flesh and were commissioned by Him to evangelize.
5. It is perfectly legitimate for a Christian to desire a specific spiritual gift or gifts. His desires must he in submission to God and the Spirit to give to him as the Spirit wills. He should desire the gift which would have the greatest benefit for the fellowship. It is probably true also that one may not become the permanent possessor of a gift, but that with many individuals the gifts may vary from time to time. This would be especially true of the supernatural or sign gifts. A Christian may also be entrusted with more than one gift at any given time.
6. It is inappropriate to forbid the use of the gifts (tongues is especially mentioned, I Corinthians 14:39). It is, however, both appropriate and necessary for the leader of a service to exert authority and to regulate the expression and use of the gifts in the public service. It is also required that those under the authority of a spiritual leader submit to the leader's authority.
7. The evidence does not support the contention of some that the charismatic movement is made up of people who are psychologically and mentally unsound. A comprehensive study conducted by Gerlach and Hine (1967, 1968) demonstrated this.
In a well-designed and controlled study they found that there is no empirical evidence to support theories that such a movement occurs because of the (a) social disorganization, (b) economic deprivation, or (c) psychological maladjustments or personality characteristics that predispose an individual to join a movement. Older psychological explanations of glossolalia as a concomitant of schizophrenia or hysteria have been found to be no longer defensible or acceptable in the light of recent socio-cultural and psychological data.19
It must be recognized that individuals with neurotic personalities are frequently drawn to the more dramatic religious movements. In a charismatic prayer meeting one may observe a disturbed individual and may note bizarre manifestations or statements coming from such an individual. Disturbed individuals also participate in the regular organized activities of the Church. Therefore, it is suggested that the group and the movement not be evaluated on the basis of the problems of a few of
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its members who come seeking help and advice.....Although disturbed individuals occasionally may be attracted to the charismatic movement, there is no evidence that they exist in greater proportion in the movement under question than in the organized church.20
8. To love is the highest aspiration a believer may have in relation to both the local Christian fellowship and also the holy catholic church. This can be the expression or manifestation of the Holy Spirit within every believer that makes possible the unity which the Spirit inspires. Every Christian should seek to be a master craftsman in loving.
9. The gift of tongues seems to be open to more abuse than many of the other gifts of the Spirit, but it is still to be accorded a place among the gifts and allowed expression. The Presbyterian statement is worth noting:
. . . the practice of speaking in tongues, when inspired by the Holy Spirit, should neither be despised nor forbidden. At the same time, tongues should not be over emphasized; normally they belong to private worship. Christians who have experienced, through speaking in tongues, a revitalizing of their faith should be on guard against forming divisive cliques within the congregation. On the other hand, those who have received no unusual experiences of the Holy Spirit should be alert to the possibilities of a deeper understanding of the gospel of Christ and a fuller participation in the gifts and fruit of the Spirit—of which love is is the greatest (I Cor. 13:13).21
In conclusion I should like to make some observations and statements which could serve to provide a reasonable approach to the charismatic movement currently being experienced by some of our pastors and lay people. I should urge that our church accept the legitimacy of the Holy Spirit's fullness, especially as it relates to the spiritual gifts, recognizing that these may indeed be expressed by some of our people. Those who experience the charismata should seek to find positive expression for their gifts within the framework of the local church but be discreet and not try to force their gifts and ideas onto others or make those who have not had their own particular spiritual experience feel that they are inferior Christians. Where an individual or group has had a Pentecostal experience, the
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pastor or the Bishops be available for counsel and help to assist the person in his new experience. Where a group with the Pentecostal experience in a local church desires to use the church facilities for prayer meetings, the provision should be made through the Board to make facilities available to them under the same conditions that would apply to other groups. Their meetings should be open to any who might want to attend. Those who have had such an experience should be advised about the problems which can be encountered by attending unfamiliar group meetings where there is an unbalanced charismatic emphasis and should be discouraged from doing so. A spirit of mutual respect between pastors and lay people and other pastors and general officials needs to be cultivated so the need for charismatics to go outside our local church or denominational structure for fellowship will be unnecessary. This will happen if it is forbidden or if there is not mutual confidence and trust in the midst of varying spiritual experiences. An acceptable and helpful bibliography of books and tapes should be prepared and made available to pastors and lay people to help them become informed about the Pentecostal movement. The positive aspects of the movement should be discovered, and we as a church should learn from them. In all of our church life and worship, effort should be expended to develop an appreciation for experience of the supernatural in our midst. It may be true even in our church that we have a cold intellectualism about God in which we are "... holding the form of religion but denying the power of it" (2 Timothy 3:5). God may be using the current charismatic revival to awaken the church to her spiritual state and to call her to renewal. Donald Gee's observation may be correct:
Probably one reason why there has apparently been an excessive manifestation and exercise of the gift of Tongues during recent years is the abnormal spiritual condition of a church that has drifted tremendously from New Testament standards, and in nothing more than its denial of the supernatural.22
FOOTNOTES
1John F. Walvoord, The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit, A Study in Pneumatology, Dallas Theological Seminary, Dallas, Texas, c. 1943, p. 11.
2Idem.
3Ezra P. Gould, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel According to St. Mark, One of The International Critical Commentary series, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, c. 1896, p. 9.
4Archibald Robertson and Alfred Plummer, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the First Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians, One of The International Critical Commentary series, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, n.d., p. 272.
5Alfred Plummer, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel According to St. Luke, One of The International Critical Commentary series, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, n.d., p. 94f.
6T.K. Abbott, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Epistle to the Ephesians, One of The International Critical Commentary series, Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, c. 1916, p. 162.
7Francis Foulkes, The Epistle of Paul to the Ephesians, v. 10 of the Tyndale New Testament Commentaries, Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, n.d., pp. 151f.
8Henry Barclay Swete, The Holy Spirit in the New Testament, Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, c. 1964, p. 289.
9John Calvin, Commentary on the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, v. I, translated by William Pringle, Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, c. 1948, p. 375.
10David J. du Plessis, The Spirit Bade Me Go, Logos International, Plainfield, N.J., c. 1970, p. 40.
11Clarence Tucker Craig, "Exegesis," The First Epistle to the Corinthians, v. 10 of The Interpreter's Bible, Abingdon Press, New York, c. 1953, p. 188.
12General Assembly of the United Presbyterian Church in the United States of America, "Report of the Special Committee on the Work of the Holy Spirit," Office of the General Assembly, Philadelphia, c. 1970, pp. 7, 8.
13Fr. Joseph E. Orsini, Hear My Confession, Logos International, Plainfield, N.J., c. 1971, pp. 77, 78.
14Robertson and Plummer, op. cit., p. 280.
15Charles R. Smith, Tongues in Biblical Perspective, BMH Books, Winona Lake, Indiana, c. 1972, pp. 35f.
l6Idem.
17Ibid., p. 36f.
18Howard M. Ervin, This Which Ye See and Hear, Logos International, Plainfield, N.J., c. 1972, p. 93.
19General Assembly, op. cit., p. 11.
20Ibid., p. 16.
21Ibid. , p. 47.
22Donald Gee, Concerning Spiritual Gifts , Gospel Publishing House, Springfield, Missouri, n.d., p. 60.
A full bibliography will be furnished upon request.