But "Do All Speak With Tongues?"
"Do all speak with Tongues?"
That question comes straight out of Scripture.
And the obvious answer is, "No."
But let's look at the context.
("A text, without a context, is nothing but a pretext.")
The larger context is several chapters long.
1 Corinthians 12-14 is Paul's discussion on the gifts of the Spirit.
Now, Paul is highly educated. He knows how to introduce a subject, how to cohesively expound on it, and how to conclude. He's not taking rabbit trails in the middle, to deal with other subjects. Everything in these three chapters is directly related to spiritual gifts. Even the love chapter (ch.13.) And even "let your women keep silence..." (14:34.) Which we will deal with later.
As Paul introduces the subject of gifts, he delineates three points of view from which he will treat this subject:
1) Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
2) And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
3) And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
(1 Cor. 12:4 -7)
And this is exactly what he proceeds to do!
Verse 8 begins a discussion from the first point: that we all have differing gifts, from One Holy Spirit. This is not a complete list of all the gifts possible from the Holy Spirit, because that's not Paul's point. His point is that we all have different gifts, and each gifting is needful for the body.
Then, in verse 27, Paul changes gears. "Now," he says... and this is often what a good speaker does. When he's changing from one point to the next, he gives a little signal. This is what Paul is doing.
He just covered his first point. Now he's moving on to the second.
"Now, you (plural) are the body of Christ, and members in particular."
Each of you are are particular members, of this body made up of many parts.
Now we have arrived at the immediate context where we find our opening question, "do all speak with tongues?"
Read carefully:
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.
Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
(1Cor 12:28-30)
All of this flows as one cohesive thought. To be correctly understood, the thought must remain connected.
The questions are directly connected to each other, and all the questions are directly following that list. And that list is of LEADERSHIP IN THE CHURCH.
This is not a discussion of gifts among the rank-and-file members. It is talking about LEADERSHIP GIFTS.
Not all members of the church will be in leadership.
And not all leaders have all of the leadership gifts.
Some leaders are apostles, others are prophets, teachers, workers of miracles, etc.
You see, in the previous list, earlier in the chapter, there was no ranking. Among the members of the body, all the gifts are equally needful.
But in leadership, there is rank. God has first set the apostles, then the prophets, etc.
Now, it is in this context, that the question is asked, "do all speak with tongues?"
And in this context, the answer is obviously, "No."
Because in the context of who has God set into leadership, not everyone is set there.
Let's look at this from a different point of view.
This list of questions in verses 29 and 30 also asks, "are all teachers?"
Now, every single human alive teaches. Older brothers teach their younger brothers. Unmarried aunts teach their little nieces. Even newborn babies teach their mothers. Every one of us teaches something by our lives, whether good or bad.
But not all of us are "set in the church" as teachers.
Another question in that list: "are all prophets?"
Again, the obvious answer is, "No. Not all are prophets."
Yet, Paul says,
"Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy." (1Cor 14:1)
"I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied:"(1Cor 14:5)
"For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted." (1Cor 14:31)
Isn't it God's will, based on these verses, that we all prophesy?
Why then would He ask, "are all prophets?" just 2 chapters earlier?
The question "do all speak with tongues?" must be understood the same way.
1. Even though God has "set some in the church" to teach in a leadership function, that doesn't mean the rest of us won't ever teach.
2. Even though God has "set some in the church" to prophesy in a leadership function, that doesn't mean the rest of us won't ever prophesy.
3. And even though God has "set some in the church" to speak in tongues and interpret, in a church leadership function, that does not mean the rest of us won't speak in tongues!
In fact, 1 Corinthians 14 tells us that God DOES want us all to be able to speak with tongues:
"I would that ye all spake with tongues." (1Co 14:5)
Therefore, we all can know it is God's will for every single person to be able to speak in tongues.
He explicitly said so.
That question comes straight out of Scripture.
And the obvious answer is, "No."
But let's look at the context.
("A text, without a context, is nothing but a pretext.")
The larger context is several chapters long.
1 Corinthians 12-14 is Paul's discussion on the gifts of the Spirit.
Now, Paul is highly educated. He knows how to introduce a subject, how to cohesively expound on it, and how to conclude. He's not taking rabbit trails in the middle, to deal with other subjects. Everything in these three chapters is directly related to spiritual gifts. Even the love chapter (ch.13.) And even "let your women keep silence..." (14:34.) Which we will deal with later.
As Paul introduces the subject of gifts, he delineates three points of view from which he will treat this subject:
1) Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
2) And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.
3) And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.
(1 Cor. 12:4 -7)
And this is exactly what he proceeds to do!
Verse 8 begins a discussion from the first point: that we all have differing gifts, from One Holy Spirit. This is not a complete list of all the gifts possible from the Holy Spirit, because that's not Paul's point. His point is that we all have different gifts, and each gifting is needful for the body.
Then, in verse 27, Paul changes gears. "Now," he says... and this is often what a good speaker does. When he's changing from one point to the next, he gives a little signal. This is what Paul is doing.
He just covered his first point. Now he's moving on to the second.
"Now, you (plural) are the body of Christ, and members in particular."
Each of you are are particular members, of this body made up of many parts.
Now we have arrived at the immediate context where we find our opening question, "do all speak with tongues?"
Read carefully:
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.
Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
(1Cor 12:28-30)
All of this flows as one cohesive thought. To be correctly understood, the thought must remain connected.
The questions are directly connected to each other, and all the questions are directly following that list. And that list is of LEADERSHIP IN THE CHURCH.
This is not a discussion of gifts among the rank-and-file members. It is talking about LEADERSHIP GIFTS.
Not all members of the church will be in leadership.
And not all leaders have all of the leadership gifts.
Some leaders are apostles, others are prophets, teachers, workers of miracles, etc.
You see, in the previous list, earlier in the chapter, there was no ranking. Among the members of the body, all the gifts are equally needful.
But in leadership, there is rank. God has first set the apostles, then the prophets, etc.
Now, it is in this context, that the question is asked, "do all speak with tongues?"
And in this context, the answer is obviously, "No."
Because in the context of who has God set into leadership, not everyone is set there.
Let's look at this from a different point of view.
This list of questions in verses 29 and 30 also asks, "are all teachers?"
Now, every single human alive teaches. Older brothers teach their younger brothers. Unmarried aunts teach their little nieces. Even newborn babies teach their mothers. Every one of us teaches something by our lives, whether good or bad.
But not all of us are "set in the church" as teachers.
Another question in that list: "are all prophets?"
Again, the obvious answer is, "No. Not all are prophets."
Yet, Paul says,
"Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy." (1Cor 14:1)
"I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied:"(1Cor 14:5)
"For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted." (1Cor 14:31)
Isn't it God's will, based on these verses, that we all prophesy?
Why then would He ask, "are all prophets?" just 2 chapters earlier?
The question "do all speak with tongues?" must be understood the same way.
1. Even though God has "set some in the church" to teach in a leadership function, that doesn't mean the rest of us won't ever teach.
2. Even though God has "set some in the church" to prophesy in a leadership function, that doesn't mean the rest of us won't ever prophesy.
3. And even though God has "set some in the church" to speak in tongues and interpret, in a church leadership function, that does not mean the rest of us won't speak in tongues!
In fact, 1 Corinthians 14 tells us that God DOES want us all to be able to speak with tongues:
"I would that ye all spake with tongues." (1Co 14:5)
Therefore, we all can know it is God's will for every single person to be able to speak in tongues.
He explicitly said so.
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