Hi, Michael:
        You said,
|Exactly.  I find it absolutely abhorrent when someone twists the Word of
|God to their own destruction.  It's as if they have an off-the-wall idea
|or teaching and then see if they can make the bible support it.  Instead,
|why not simply take the Word of God as it is, and then build the doctrine
|from the bible?  Perhaps my Cajun brain is a little thick, but it just
|makes good sense to me.
        We teach that if you want to find the truth on any topic,
the only way to find it is to go through the Bible without any
preconceived answer.  Find every Scripture relevant to the topic,
and ask each time, "What saith the Lord".
        As in any area of research, if you approach the word with
the question, "Can I find proof-texts I can use to back up some
particular doctrine?", you assuredly will!  This is obviously
evil if your pet doctrine is false.  But even if it is a true
teaching, you'll still miss the full truth the Bible has to tell
on your topic, if you begin asking questions with your answer
already in mind.
        This is not only a matter of sound hermeneutics, or
method of Scripture interpretation; it is also a matter of valid
scholarship.
        I notice that some of the false teaching about, is given
by persons who are not members of the five-fold ministry of any
congregation or denomination.  In EPHESIANS 4:11-16, we find that
Christ appointed "some, apostles; others prophets; others
evangelists; others, pastors and teachers".  Strictly speaking,
only someone appointed to one of these ministries, and recognized
by his or her own church, has the Scriptural right to give public
teaching!  [Of course, in many churches, it would only be "his";
in view of, "I do not permit a woman do teach" (1 TIMOTHY 2:12).]
 IXTHUS<<
        Yes!,
|I made reference to Acts 2 later on in that same message.  You are exactly
|on track.  It is promised to all believers.  Until that which is perfect
|is come these gifts will be available for everyone who wants them.  The
|reference is found in I Cor 13, "8  Charity never faileth: but whether
|[there be] prophecies, they shall fail; whether [there be] tongues, they
|shall cease; whether [there be] knowledge, it shall vanish away.  9  For
|we know in part, and we prophesy in part.  10  But when that which is
|perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away."
        It is perfectly clear from this passage that prophecies,
tongues and knowledge will all pertain in the Church, until that
day of rapture comes, when
                "We shall see [Christ] face to face.
                 Now I know in part;
                 then I shall know fully,
                 even as I am fully known."
                       --1 CORINTHIANS 13:12b (NIV)
        Note BTW, that people who want to say that tongues and
prophecy have passed away already, usually don't say the same
thing about knowledge; yet the three obviously are all lumped in
together as a package deal, in this Scripture.  This selective
inconsistency is not just poor interpretation, it's plain
intellectual dishonesty!
        [Surely somewhere there must be a proof-text regarding
people who take a text and make it out to say the opposite of
what it actually does say?]
        Note also that this is in 1 CORINTHIANS 13.  The very
next chapter, 1 CORINTHIANS 14 continues and concludes the three-
chapter major discussion of spiritual gifts.  So -after- the
passage you cited, Paul goes on to affirm the use of the gift of
tongues as edifying the individual believer, and having a good
and necessary place in well-ordered worship services.  Indeed he
commands the Church, and therefore all individual congregations,
"be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues"
[1 CORINTHIANS 14:39b (NIV)].
        Anything less than this, is "quenching the Spirit".
        So forbidding speaking in tongues is against the clear
command of Scripture, and against both the plain meaning and the
context of the text you quoted.  But though it's not Scriptural,
it is -according- to Scripture; for it partly fulfills the word
of prophecy,
                But mark this: There will be terrible times in
                the last days.  People will be ...
                having a form of godliness but denying its power.
                Have nothing to do with them.
                                    --from 2 TIMOTHY 3:1-5 (NIV)
        Note, BTW, the command at the end!
 IXTHUS<<
        Thanks for drawing these things to people's attention.
Keep standing firm for the word of God and the truth of His
promises!
    ||        Praise His name!   --Ralph
    ||        Ralph & Gene Ann Wood
    ||        randg.wood@encode.com
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