-
What doctrine(s) can you think of that do not appear to come from the plain teaching of the Word of God but do serve as distinctive beliefs for particular denominations of Christians? How do you respond to those who defend such beliefs?
-
6 Replies
-
This is the result of an Indepth exegetical study
TONGUES AT CORINTH: Languages, not Ecstasies!
The Character of the Corinthian Tongues
Scripture itself suggests that these Corinthian tongues — just like those on the day of Pentecost — were not incommunicable ecstatic utterances. They were clearly linguistic — that is, spoken in translatable and recognized human languages. Compare I Cor. 14:21f and Isa. 28:11f with Acts 2:4-11.
The international ancient trading city of Corinth had a very unusual location — on the slender isthmus in Central Greece, between the two much larger land-masses of Northern Greece and Southern Greece, and also between the Adriatic and Ionian Seas to the west and the Aegean Sea to the east. Corinth’s location there was thus similar to that of Panama City in the new world –on the thin waist of Central America, between the two great continents of North America and South America, and also between the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the east.
In the international trading centre of Panama City today, at least twenty different languages are regularly spoken. So too in ancient Corinth. There, none of those various foreign languages was to be spoken during worship in the Corinthian Church –unless translated. If so used, those foreign languages were always to be translated into the Corinthian Greek dialect — so that all present could understand the message concerned.
According to the earliest extant comments — those of the 185 A.D. Irenaeus and the 190f A.D. Clement of Alexandria — the Corinthians tongues were clearly linguistic (and therefore not ecstatic).
Situated on the Grecian isthmus in perhaps the greatest international trading centre of the ancient world, Corinth was a truly multilingual citadel of “bombastic language” and “chattering speechmakers.” Yet the Christian congregation there “had gone wrong in the use of spiritual gifts.” Many demeaned the most excellent gift of prophecy, and “thought that tongues were more valuable.” So Paul “condemns the fault of holding forth noisily and unknown tongues” — alias languages unknown to the listeners.
Keep in mind that when the apostles asked Jesus to teach them how to pray He said in Matthew 6:9
[9]”Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name…. He didn’t say pray like this
“Buttabumbapa ta ta ta”! He used real words and expects the same from you.
Paul is very clear that you MUST speak with clearly understandable words,
1 Corinthians 14:6-9
[6]But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what will I profit you unless I speak to you either by way of revelation or of knowledge or of prophecy or of teaching?
[7]Yet even lifeless things, either flute or harp, in producing a sound, if they do not produce a distinction in the tones, how will it be known what is played on the flute or on the harp?
[8]For if the bugle produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle?
[9]So also you, unless you utter by the tongue speech that is clear, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air.
Many believe that they have been restored pure lips, but if you see that there is clearly a conjunction at the beginning of Zephaniah 3:9
[9]”For then I will give to the peoples purified lips, That all of them may call on the name of the Lord, To serve Him shoulder to shoulder.
“For then I will” means God will do something before He gives purified lips. Read verse 8!
Zephaniah 3:8
[8]”Therefore wait for Me,” declares the Lord, “For the day when I rise up as a witness. Indeed, My decision is to gather nations, To assemble kingdoms, To pour out on them My indignation, All My burning anger; For all the earth will be devoured By the fire of My zeal.
God has yet to gather ALL the Nations and Kingdoms and pour out His indignation and burning anger upon them, making it clear that this is a prophecy yet to be fulfilled. In other words, we do not have pure lips, but long for the day in which we will.
-
The doctrine of Apostasy is clearly taught in scripture. One can forfeit their gift of salvation due to the free will that is given by good exhibited before and after salvation.
-
I have had some experiences of doctrines that do not appear to from the plain teaching of God that are distinctive beliefs of particular denominations. One church I went to believed that you can lose your salvation. I believed with all my heart believers cannot lose thier salavation. Another doctrine that came up was baptism by sprinkling isok or do people have to be submerged. That divided the whole church I was at and it was so sad. I went back over all the scriptures again, prayed, and asked God to reveal truth about this doctrine. this is the worst… My daughter, now, believes in preterism, that Jesus already returned in 70 AD. She will not even go to any church because the pastor does not preach correctly because of their view that “Jesus is coming”. She has a verse for every one of her points. I am currently learning how to interpret scripture through this class and others so that I can understand her view and also mine.
-
I agree with Sidney that speaking in tongues is not required to show proof of being a true follower of Jesus, though it is a gift of the Holy Spirit that believers can receive. I would explain to my Pentecostal brother or sister in Christ that the Bible is very clear about salvation, and speaking in tongues is not a requirement in the verses about how to become a believer in Jesus. It is always important to speak to other people in a loving manner, so I would do my best to defend my beliefs in a loving and calm way.
-
The doctrine of the necessity to speak in tongue is taught by some denominations as the proof of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I respond to those who defend such belief by a systematic study of the Word of God.
