Excerpt from a personal letter, dated 25th November 1974
My attitude to the question of Tongues and other gifts is this: I have never been able to accept the traditional teaching as stated particularly, perhaps, by Warfield, that all gifts came to an end at the Apostolic era. I cannot see any scriptural warrant for this teaching; indeed it seems to me to be a kind of dispensationalism which renders much of the epistles useless. For instance it implies that the teaching of 1 Thessalonians 5, verses 19 - 21 has no application today. All I say is, that while it is clear from the history of the Church that certain gifts seem to have been in abeyance over the centuries the Holy Spirit in His Lordship may give them at any time. Indeed there is clear teaching that towards the end of this age such gifts are likely to reappear in great power, and at the same time many counterfeits.
The result of all this is that while I am very unhappy about this Charismatic Movement, and regard it as a real danger to the true Church and the Gospel, because it implies constantly that doctrine does not matter at all, I am equally concerned that we should not become guilty of "quenching the Spirit" and tying ourselves up in a dead orthodoxy.
The result of all this is that while I am very unhappy about this Charismatic Movement, and regard it as a real danger to the true Church and the Gospel, because it implies constantly that doctrine does not matter at all, I am equally concerned that we should not become guilty of "quenching the Spirit" and tying ourselves up in a dead orthodoxy.
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3 comments:
The last paragraph sums up alot: We need to have balance in everything. Proper doctrine is going to lead to that.
http://www.graceonlinelibrary.org/articles/full.asp?id=40|40|282
MP
IS there anything that tongues can do to teach/edify/encourage the Body of Christ that is not in His word already?
If so, I got a question or two, if not, what exactly is the issue at all?
pm
I think it should be obvious that the Biblical definition was that people would speak in a language they had not previously learned. Acts seems to make that clear -- and the scriptures also teach that God gave a gift of "Diversity of languages". As soon as someone claims to have a word from God we are bound to it -- I would much rather stay safe with that which I am to the utmost assured is true.... the scriptures, especially since these "gifts" they mention don't seem to measure up to what it teaches.
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