Some notes on the gift (singular) of tongues (plural)

Act 2:4 “And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost,
and began to speak with other tongues,
as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

A dear Brother shared his understanding of the subject of tongues on the day of Pentecost thus:

"True Biblical Pentecost tongues would mean that I speak in English, and, as I speak, a believer who speaks and understands German hears my words as if I spoke German, and another believer who speaks French hears my words in French, while a third believer who speaks Greek hears as if I spoke in Greek. The Holy Spirit provided miraculous simultaneous translation from one known human language, Galilean, into seventeen other known human languages."

Comments:
This understanding is a novelty indeed; I’m hearing it for the first time.
It is quite contrary to the plain testimony of the Scriptures. Consider these passages:

Act 2:4 “And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

i. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost:
- they were endowed the spiritual gifts by the Holy Spirit; they had received the Spirit before, as the Spirit of adoption

ii. And [they] began to speak with other tongues:
- as a direct result of being filled with the Holy Ghost.
- They speak with other tongues, THAT IS, besides, and different from that in which they were born and brought up, and usually speak, i.e. Galilean.
- They began to SPEAK various languages, one spoke one language, and another, another language. The same person speaks with various tongues, sometimes one language, and at other times another language. [The singular gift of tongues enabled a man to speak numerous and diverse languages.]
- These are the new languages, Christ told them they should speak with, Mr 16:17, languages that they had never heard, learned, nor known before.

iii. as the Spirit gave them utterance:
-  The occasion was special and the opportunity unique – Pentecost. Devout Jews from all nations under heaven were gathered in Jerusalem. Thus, for the occasion, the Spirit specially guided their words, [in different distinct languages.]
- The Spirit of God guided them to speak on the wonderful works of God in saving His people, Acts 2:11, the great doctrines of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
- Even though they speak in different languages, yet in a very orderly and distinct manner, so as to be heard and understood by the people - because the Spirit gave them utterance.

Acts 2:6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. 7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? 8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
- When the news of the Apostles speaking with other tongues was spread ["noised abroad"] multitudes of those devout Jews gathered; they were astonished.
- They heard the uneducated Galileans speaking their languages; the uneducated Galileans DID SPEAK their languages; they were heard, and understood.
- Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? Then why were they able to speak our languages? 
- The cause for amazement and marvel WAS the fact that the uneducated Galileans SPOKE the foreign languages.
- The cause WASN’T that the Galilean tongue was miraculously changed into, and heard AS many other languages. That’s just fiction!
- The miracle was the gift of tongues; the miracle was not the gift of the ears, nor a language morphing into another in transmission.

 Act 2:11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
- “We do hear them SPEAK in our tongues”: the Apostles spoke different languages, plural tongues.
- What tongues they spoke, were the same tongues heard.

He continued,
“Thanks so much for the kind and encouraging note. I believe that the description to which I referred in Acts 2 is quite literal. The miracle of tongues that the Spirit empowered and administered appears in His immediate translation. The disciples spoke in Galilean, but people from the 17 languages named heard in their native language. That is the miracle.”

Comments:
- There was no immediate translation; no translation was needed. They spoke their languages and were plainly heard, and were understood as speaking of the wonderful works of God in redemption.
- The 12 apostles speaking different languages were able to address all the FOREIGN Jews with foreign tongues.
- There were 17 regions named, NOT 17 languages. 

He continued,
I believe the situation in 1 Corinthians 14 was perhaps an attempt to duplicate that miracle. However, Paul specifically requires a translator, and, even with a translator, he imposes a limit on the number of people speaking in a foreign language. The miraculous factor, I believe, is missing in 1 Corinthians 14. Paul requires an interpreter, Verse 27, but none was needed in Acts 2 because of the miracle of the Spirit’s administration. 

Comments:
- It wasn’t an attempt to duplicate the miracle of tongues. If the miracle is indeed the way you have understood, the need for translators is completely redundant!

- Apostle Paul was dealing with speaking in tongues in the context of a church gathered for public worship. There must be orderliness.

- Orderliness in public worship requires TWO things: The number permitted to speak in tongues, and there must an interpreter. This was when the gift of tongues was still in operation; the gift has since ceased.

1Cor 14: 27 If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. 28. But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.

Imagine a church meeting in Corinth in AD60. Let say some Hokkien businessmen from China were led by the Spirit to visit a church. A brother in the church was moved to speak in the Hokkien tongue for their sake. But if there is no interpreter/translator, he should shut up! Why? The rest in the church doesn’t know Hokkien! The church is NOT edified if there is no translator.

Read 1Cor 14:1-5

'... end of the world' and 'the new heavens and new earth'

Subject: '... end of the world' and 'the new heavens and new earth'
Date: Fri, 26 Jan 2007 13:00:28 +0700

Brethren,
Please help me
Mt 24:1-3 read, "And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to show him the buildings of the temple. And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

The Lord Jesus made a momentous statement concerning the complete destruction of the temple. That statement caused Peter to ask among other things, about the end of the world.

Is there a direct connection between Christ's statement of the destruction of the temple and Peter's question on 'the end of the world'? Which world did Peter had in mind - is it the end of the Jewish world, or the end of the world at the end of time?

Peter asked about the coming of Jesus - is this about Christ's second coming, or the coming of the risen Lord to execute His judgment which resulted in the obliteration of the temple and the cessation of the theocratic Jewish nation? Is this coming of Jesus the same as 'the day of judgment and perdition' and 'the day of the Lord' spoken of in 2Pet 3:7,10.

Are Peter's word of exhortation to the fellow Jews in his second epistle (3:10-13) related to the answer he received from Christ in Mt 24?

sing
xinglau@myjaring.net

Brother Sing,
In answer to your question, I submit the following:

In a post written by Elder Bernie, he quotes from Hassell's History as follows:"In reference to the highly important discourse of Christ in Matthew 24; and 25, it is to be observed that Christ is answering three distinct questions of His Apostles: 1st, When the temple and city of Jerusalem were to be destroyed; 2nd, What were to be the signs of His coming; and 3rd, What was to be the time or the sign of the end of the world (Matt. 24:3). The questions, perhaps, amounted to but one in the minds of the disciples at that time, because they probably supposed that these three events were to be simultaneous. It is in accordance with the entire analogy of Scripture prophecy to understand that these predictions had a primary and lower fulfillment in the destruction of Jerusalem, but will have a final and higher fulfillment in the destruction of this sin-polluted world. So the prophecies of Isaiah and Jeremiah were intended to foretell, not only the deliverance of national Israel from Babylonian captivity, but also the far more important redemption of spiritual Israel from the bondage of sin and Satan."  (Hassell’s History, Page 261)

God bless,
Allenne

Dear Brother Sing,
You have asked some very interesting questions.  Please tell us what you think and believe about this passage.
Desiring to learn from you, Ed

Dear Brother Sing,
It  is not my intention to enter into a full discussion of the difficult points of the questions being raised relative to Matthew, chapter 24.

 
I would merely mention that the phrase  "end of the world" which appears in Matthew 24:3 is the same as the phrase that appears in Hebrews 9:26.  

Since I have been away to the Philippines, it is entirely possible that this thought has already been offered but I have not had time to read every post since my return.  However, I am trying to catch up and do want to eventually read every email to FGF while I have been gone.

This is, indeed, an interesting subject and I will continue to read all reponses on this subject.

Your little brother,
Gene

Dear Gene,
I am so pleased that you took the rigorous trip to the Tagalogland so well. I had wanted to ask you to extend your trip and hop over to visit us here. but wifey said that would be a 'cruel' and unkind thing to do. 

Thanks for bringing the Heb 9:26 passage to attention. The same passage was also upon my mind... as expressed in a separate post...
I look forward to the thought of my teachers on this list.
sing

Brother Allen,
Thanks for the pre-packed nugget.
I like something fresh... like raw fish with fresh garlic <grin>.
Perhaps we need to put ourselves into the shoes of the Jewish disciples and think AFRESH to momentous statements of Christ  and its effects upon them. 

I am just thinking... and would like something fresh to think about. My poor and weak stomach does not take pre-packed food well.
Thanks. sing

Brother Ed,
I learn by asking and listening to the thoughts of my teachers.|
I don't know yet what I ought to think of the passage... you give your thoughts to my questions and I would be pleased to learn from you.

eager to learn,
sing

 

The Perseverance of the Saints

(Five Purple Joy in a row.... no, not tulips but Purple Joy
- a reminder that a biblical understanding of P in the T.U.L.I.P.
brings joy, assurance, confidence, and hope
as we sail through the rough and tumultuous seas
to our home. Amen.)

The Basis of the Certainty and Infallibility of the Saints Remaining or Continuing or Persevering in the State of Grace, into which God has effectually called them, is stated thus by the Old School Baptists:

1689.17.2 "This perseverance of the saints depends not upon their own free will, but upon the immutability of the decree of election,(4) flowing from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father, upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ and union with him,5 the oath of God,6 the abiding of his Spirit, and the seed of God within them,7 and the nature of the covenant of grace;8 from all which ariseth also the certainty and infallibility thereof.  4 Rom. 8:30, 9:11,16;  5 Rom. 5:9, 10; John 14:19;  6 Heb. 6:17,18; 7 1 John 3:9; 8 Jer. 32:402. 

The Basis of Perseverance (17:2)

a. The popular fable denied
- "This perseverance of the saints does not depend on them – that is, on their own free will..."

The truth is positively asserted; the perseverance is on these grounds, completely and wholly apart from man.

b. The immutability of God's decree of election
- "It rests upon the immutability of the decree of election which flows from the free and unchangeable love of God the Father."

c. The efficacy of the work of Christ
- "upon the efficacy of the merit and intercession of Jesus Christ..."
- "... and upon the union which true saints have with Him."

d. The unceasing intercession of Christ
- "... intercession of Jesus Christ."

e. The everlasting union with Christ
- "...union with him"

f. The solemn oath of God
- "It rests upon the oath of God..."

g. The abiding of the indwelling Spirit
- "... and the abiding of His Spirit... [and]

h. The presence of the divine seed with them
- "... the seed of God being within them..."

i. The nature of the covenant of grace
- "... and upon the very nature of the covenant of grace."

Perseverance/Continuance in the state of grace is decreed in the covenant of grace. Therefore, it cannot fail.

j. The certainty and immutability of saints perseverance of the saints in the state of grace and salvation.
- "... from all which ariseth also the certainty and infallibility thereof."

All the above are grounded wholly and solely upon the three Persons of the Godhead; there isn't the slightest hint on man's part.

None of the above guarantees any perseverance in a life of faith and holiness; they do guarantee the perseverance of saints in the state of grace and salvation in Christ Jesus.

The former is a fiction and fable invented by the new school Calvinists; it requires the firm resolve and unceasing and active participation of God's children to persevere in a life of faith and holiness.

(Five Purple Joy in a row.... no, not tulips but Purple Joy - a reminder that a biblical understanding of P in the T.U.L.I.P. brings joy, assurance, confidence, and hope as we sail through the rough and tumultuous seas to our home. Amen.)

Preterition damns none; free offer to the dead deceives many

Do you ever charge the dead of wilfully refusing

your generous offer of a bag of French fries?
You can probably charge some living Americans on that.

Preterition and free offer

1. Preterition, being bypassed by God in His sovereign and gracious work of election, damns no man. The righteous LORD God wronged no one in electing many to eternal salvation while bypassing the rest to their just desert.

What damns a man is his own sin.

Romans 6:23

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

2. Free Offer

The "means of grace" are irrelevant to those dead in trespasses and sins, no matter how earnestly and sincerely offered to them. The idea is a fable. Offering food to the dead is a heartless insult and taunting and mockery of the dead; the superstitious and misguided preachers do that. The LORD God does no such evil.

Food is for the living. "Feed... feed... feed My lambs, My sheep, My sheep" saith the Lord, John 21. Feeding has to do with the living; feeding is not to bring to life those that are dead. Feed the living with what? With the means He himself as appointed for His lambs and sheep.

3. The "means of grace" are ordained for the nourishment and discipleship of God's children. It is God's children who are culpable of wilfully refusing the means divinely appointed for their spiritual good and usefulness. Such becomes fruitless; the faith of such is fruitless.

The means of life are relevant only to those who have life; the means of life have nothing to do with the begetting of life. Even so, the means of grace - the ministry of the word, etc - are relevant to those whom God has sovereignly and freely bestowed eternal salvation in Jesus Christ. These are self-evident truths.

2Pe 1:8

For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Failing to give all diligence to add those things mentioned in verses 5-7, one shall become barren and unfruitful.

Mat 13:23 

But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

Anything less leads to fruitlessness.  He "who hath ears to hear, let him hear."
Who have ears to hear spiritual things; who is capable of hearing the things of the Spirit of God? Children of God. 

The parable of the ground (Mt 13) is addressed to God's children among the Jews; it's a parable of the kingdom of God, warning those in the kingdom to hear in the manner that will bear fruit.