The Corinthian Catastrophe

On the plane ride home from Philadelphia Thursday, I re-read a book from my father's library that I had read when I first became a Christian some 25 years ago. It's called The Corinthian Catastrophe, by George E. Gardiner. I guess I wanted to read it again because I've encountered a number of people in recent years who are very sincere Christians, but who also are very vocal about possessing a "prayer language" or having spoken in tongues. My experience over the years has almost always borne out the fact that those who are involved in speaking in tongues are less mature in their faith and generally less consistent in their Christian walk than Christians who are more grounded in the Word. This has not always been the case, though, so I don't want to appear to be making too broad a generalization. I've seen a drunk woman speaking in tongues, I've heard of non-Christians speaking in tongues. I've been told by a tongues-speaking church member that she doesn't consider herself to be spiritual. A tongues-speaking pastor friend recently resigned his church because he had a problem with pornography. And then there are others who insist that speaking in tongues is the evidence of being filled with the Spirit. I just don't see it. Not in experience. Not in Scripture. But I don't ever want to (1) miss something God has for me, (2) knock something just because I haven't experienced it, or (3) be in error about how I interpret Scripture. So, I decided to re-visit this book, not quite remembering what it said but maintaining a distinct impression that this book had been significant to me in my early years as a Christian (and young pastor).

Here are some interesting tidbits from the book (published by Kregel Publications, Grand Rapids, 1974):

• The baptism of the Spirit happens at the time of conversion (which I have always maintained), and there is no place in Scripture where we are taught to seek the baptism of the Holy Spirit. In fact, no amount of praying, tarrying, or seeking results in the outpouring of the Spirit. Pentecost had to take place 50 days after the resurrection regardless of how much praying the disciples did. It happened in God's timing.
• Speaking in tongues was not the usual occurrence when people were filled with the Spirit. If it had been, then when the Spirit came upon those in Cornelius' house 8 years after Pentecost, Paul would not have reported, "The Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning" (Acts 11:15). Instead, he would have stated that the Holy Spirit came on them "as he had on all the believers." He had to point back to an event 8 years earlier.
• There are only 3 occurrences in the book of Acts of speaking in tongues: at Pentecost (Jews), at Caesarea (Gentiles) and at Ephesus (Old Testament Believers). And each time there were Jews (and at least one apostle) present. The author indicates that the gift of tongues was a sign to the Jews that judgment was coming upon them (see Isaiah 28:11-12). Once Jerusalem was ransacked and the temple destroyed in 70 AD, according to the author, the gift of tongues was no longer necessary. In 1 Corinthians 13:8, Paul says, "But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away." Although prophecy, tongues and knowledge appear in the English translation to be linked together, in the original language there is a clear distinction made. Concerning prophecy, Paul uses a transitive verb in the passive voice. The same with knowledge. But concerning the ceasing of tongues, he uses an intransitive verb in the middle voice. You wouldn't miss it in the Greek. Both prophecy and knowledge will require an outside source to make them cease, but tongues will "cease in and of themselves." Paul goes on in 1 Corinthians 13 to discuss prophecy and knowledge (verses 9-12), showing they will not cease until we see Christ face to face. But no further mention is made of speaking in tongues. They will cease when they are no longer needed (which the author assumes is following the judgment on the Jews in 70 AD). "Tongues were a sign-gift (14:22) for the infancy of the church when Israel was still in her land. A sign of God's impending judgment upon the nation" (compare 1 Cor. 13:11 with 1 Cor. 14:20-22).
• The Corinthian church, which had no shortage of people speaking in tongues, was characterized by immaturity, immorality and heresy. They were spiritual babies. Some of the symptoms of their immaturity were selfishness, division, criticism and toleration of evil. Read 1 Corinthians and you'll see all these characteristics very clearly and plainly.
• "...any movement, teacher or teaching which exalts the Holy Spirit is not of the Holy Spirit! The Holy Spirit always exalts Christ." I've always said this one! See John 16:7, 13-14
• When Paul says he prayed with both the Spirit and with understanding ((14:15), he is not separating the two, but joining them, indicating he prayed with both the Spirit and understanding at the same time. Paul isn't saying he had some sort of prayer language (where he didn't understand what he was saying). There is NO substantiation for that in Scripture! The word glossolalia is always indicative of known languages. And the mention of speaking in the tongues of men and of angels (13:1) -- any time angels speak in Scripture, they always speak in a language understood by men.
• The author believes our modern-day emphasis on tongues comes predominantly from those who are tired of a stale, ritualistic religion. They want an experience. Although it's been said that "a man with an experience is never at the mercy of a man with an argument," if our experiences are not in harmony with God's Word then we should abandon the experience. The author writes, "The desire for experience coupled with instruction, motivation, and the approval of a peer group produces ecstatic speech.... It is a psychological phenomena." He firmly believes what we see today is not the biblical gift of tongues at all. He writes, "The desire for experience has subverted sincere people into involvement with a psychological phenomena which they mistakenly think is 'speaking in tongues.' In the process, because the inhibitions are lowered, many emotional experiences are realized -- euphoria, excitement, release, etc." But just because it feels good doesn't mean it's right.

So, I write all this at the risk of offending some very sincere people whom I love very much. But I want to make sure, more than anything else, that we are a people of the Word of God. Dan and I have always maintained that the greatest evidence of being filled with the Spirit is the fruit of the Spirit, not the gifts of the Spirit. (And Scripture is very clear that not everyone has the same gift.) I think some people are lulled into a false sense of spirituality because they can point to an experience of speaking in tongues. The Corinthian church provides ample evidence that spirituality and speaking in tongues do not necessarily go hand in hand. What I hate to see is people settling for an emotional experience and neglecting to grow up in their Christian walk. Let's be in the Word. Let's be people of prayer and faith. Let's be obedient. Let's be content to experience the sweet presence of God without requiring "proof" or desiring recognition from others. Let's truly seek to be filled with the Spirit.

What do you think?