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Monday, March 24,
2008
Mumbo Jumbo
1 Corinthians 13:1-2 Though I speak with
the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as
sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. (2) And though I have the gift of
prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I
have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I
am nothing. (KJV)
Ever pick up an instrument when you were
younger or watch a child handle a new instrument, say a guitar or a set of
drums? They will strum the guitar or beat away at the drums, which
eventually gets to the point of irritation to the listener. The same holds
true in the Church as well. There are people who think speaking in tongues
makes them more spiritual or something which is what Paul dealt with and
spoke of in the above verses. Now to listen to someone who is trained and
practiced with an instrument it can produce a sound that is familiar and
easy to listen to, while the flip side can be something loud and
boisterous, something or someone that gets old fast, not pleasant to be
around. If our motives for the things we do are anything other than a pure
motive of love, then we too will be nothing more than an instrument that is
making sounds but nothing worth listening to. Love means that we are more
interested in the edifying of someone else rather than trying to draw
attention to ourselves and make ourselves seem so spiritual because we can
speak in an unknown tongue.
1 Corinthians 14:7-11 And even things
without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a
distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?
(8) For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself
to the battle? (9) So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy
to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak
into the air. (10) There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the
world, and none of them is without signification. (11) Therefore if I know
not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a
barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me. (KJV)
Again we see that when one goes to attend
a fellowship of believers, whether it is a Bible study or a church service,
you are going there to get built up and edified not to put on a show. If
you want to make a lot of noise and act like a child rather than go to the
church service you would be just as well served to hang out in the day care
center with the other younger noise makers, who at least have an excuse. So
before you get all caught up in the commotion of trying to prove yourself
some spiritual giant, it would do you well to be quick to hear and slow to
speak, something that bodes well with any of our daily encounters.
1 Corinthians 14:23-25 If therefore the
whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues,
and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not
say that ye are mad? (24) But if all prophesy, and there come in one that
believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of
all: (25) And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so
falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you
of a truth. (KJV)
I am kind of jumping around here with the
scriptures, but we will get back to the point on this subject. I can tell
you for myself and from what others have shared with me over the years
concerning an organization they were checking out, nothing turned them off
quicker and quenched the Spirit faster than having a bunch of childish
people rattling off in tongues, because the people doing it were not using
wisdom, but rather putting on an outward show.
Thayer’s definition for mad:
3105
mainomai- to rave as a maniac
to be mad, to rave; used of one who so
speaks that he seems not to be in his right mind
Is this really the first and possibly
last impression one would want to make with someone seeking truth? This
would be like going to a foreign film at a theatre and not having any
captions to explain the dialogue. How about if you paid to go to a concert
and the person that got up on the stage didn’t have a clue how to play an
instrument, wouldn’t you be dissatisfied to say the least? So how do you
think the so called Christians come off when they act like a bunch of
lunatics in the name of Christianity, would it be something our Lord would
approve of? If you are motivated by anything other than the love of God, it
doesn’t make any difference how much faith you have or how many scriptures
you can rattle off or how much you think you are accomplishing for the
Lord, it’s all for naught unless it is brought forth in love. Greater love
has no man than to lay down his/her life for the brethren, fellow believers,
putting their needs before your own.
1 Corinthians 12:28-31 And God hath set
some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers,
after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments,
diversities of tongues. (29) Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all
teachers? are all workers of miracles? (30) Have all the gifts of healing?
do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? (31) But covet earnestly the
best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way. (KJV)
God has set an order in His church, which
He describes as the body of Christ. If you are called to be a teacher,
don’t try to be an apostle or prophet. Do you have an understanding as
verse 30 refers to in the area of tongues or the interpretation of them, or
are you just imitating someone else by thinking the more you can speak in
tongues and the louder you are the more others will think you are
spiritual? The best gift we can covet and hold to is the gift of Christ,
and everything in the above verses is a result of the manifestation of Him.
So now it is a matter of learning how to operate effectively in the Spirit
so that we can provide the need not only for ourselves, but be able to
build up those that are seeking as well.
Proverbs 15:2-4 The tongue of the wise
useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness. (3)
The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.
(4) A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a
breach in the spirit. (KJV)
The tongue is an extension of the heart;
so what is in the heart is what the mouth will speak. Before you act,
before you speak something into existence ask yourself ‘is this something
that is spiritual and will bring life to the hearers, or is it something
that is confusing and rather than lead someone closer to the Lord it will
drive them away?’ So if something is not peaceable then it is not of God;
and I can assure you that a lot of this mumbo jumbo stuff sounds more like
a voodoo chant than something that is going to build up and edify someone.
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