"DO YOU HAVE A TESTING MINDSET?"

A Testing Mindset‏
by David Cloud

One thing that a Christian must develop if he wants to have spiritual victory is a testing mindset. This means that he must learn to test everything by the Bible to see if it is right or wrong, true or false.

I thank the Lord that the man who led me to Christ taught me this so that I started out my Christian life with a testing mindset. It has protected me from many spiritual pitfalls. Traveling together from south Florida to Mexico, we stopped at a Christian bookstore somewhere on the Gulf Coast. I think it was Mobile, Alabama. He bought me a King James Bible , and then he pointed to all of the books that were for sale and said, “You must be very careful and test everything by God’s Word. You can’t trust man; you can’t trust the “big names.” The Bible warns that there will be many false teachers.”

It was with this wise counsel that I began my Christian life.
The testing mindset is despised today among most professing Christians, even “evangelicals.” I recall the first ecumenical conference I reported on. It was in New Orleans in 1987 and there were tens of thousands of attendees representing 40 different denominations. Roman Catholics formed a large presence. There was even a Roman Catholic mass each morning. One day I was talking with an Episcopalian lay leader and he gave me his testimony of salvation which sounded Scriptural. I then said something to the effect, “If you believe the Bible and know the Lord, how can you be comfortable in the midst of this heretical stew?” He replied, “You need to relax more; you are too afraid of being deceived.”

That is dangerous and very foolish advice in light of the warnings that follow.

Matthew 7:15-17
1. Jesus warned that false prophets will deceive men. We should not be surprised that there are so many false churches today. We must expect that there will be false prophets and we must be careful so we will not be deceived by them.

2. Jesus said that the false prophets will appear as true prophets outwardly and by this means they deceive the unwary. They have Bibles; they talk about Jesus and salvation and good living. They have churches and teach doctrine.

3. False teachers are known by their fruit (vv. 16-20).
a. The fruit is not works; in verses 22-23 Jesus says that false teachers will do “many wonderful works.”
b. The fruit is biblical salvation (v. 23), obedience (v. 21), and doctrinal truth.

The sure fruit of a false teacher is his false doctrine (Acts 20:30; Rom. 16:17; Gal. 1:6-7; 1 Tim. 1:3; 2 Pet. 2:1; 1 John 4:1-2). Consider Mother Teresa. She did many good works in caring for the poor and sick in the neediest parts of the world, but she didn’t know Christ and trusted in a false gospel and taught heresies. The 2007 book Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light contains statements made by the nun to her Catholic confessors and superiors over a period of more than 66 years. She continually referred to her spiritual condition as “my darkness” and to Jesus as “the Absent One.” In March 1953 she wrote, “... there is such terrible darkness within me, as if everything was dead. It has been like this more or less from the time I started ‘the work.’” At the suggestion of one confessor she wrote the following to Jesus: “I call, I cling, I want -- and there is no One to answer -- no One on Whom I can cling -- no, No One. -- Alone ... Where is my Faith -- even deep down right in there is nothing, but emptiness & darkness. ... When I try to raise my thoughts to Heaven -- there is such convicting emptiness that those very thoughts return like sharp knives & hurt my very soul. -- I am told God loves me -- and yet the reality of darkness & coldness & emptiness is so great that nothing touches my soul.”

In 1962 she wrote: “If I ever become a Saint -- I will surely be one of ‘darkness.’”

In 1984 we interviewed Sister Ann of the Missionaries of Charity, which is Mother Teresa’s organization. Ann was working with elderly people in Nepal, and she said that they do not try to convert dying Hindus to Christ but simply instruct them to pray to their gods.

Matthew 24:4-5, 11, 24
1. Jesus warned again that there will be false prophets and they will multiply at the end of the church age. The closer we draw to His return the more spiritual deception we can expect to encounter, and we are seeing that in our day. Most churches are not true to the Bible. False teachers abound.

2. Observe that the deception of the end times will be so effective that “insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” That is powerful deception. How diligent and cautious we must be!

3. It is the believer’s responsibility to protect himself and his loved ones by being cautious and having a testing mindset.

4. Jesus warned that false teachers will deceive through “signs and wonders.” This brings to mind the Pentecostal-Charismatic movement, which has a great emphasis on miracles. In light of Jesus’ warning, we know that just because a preacher’s ministry is accompanied by alleged miracles does not mean it is of God. Every ministry must be tested by the Bible , and by the Bible alone.

5. Jesus warned about false Christs, and the world abounds with them today. The Christ of the Roman Catholic Church is a consecrated wafer and a weak man in strong Mary’s arms. The Christ of Jehovah’s Witnesses and Unitarians is not God. The Christ of the Mormons is a brother to Satan. The Christ of the New Age gained mystical wisdom in India. The Christ of the Da Vinci Code is a married man. The Christ of Liberation Theology is a freedom fighter. The Christ of the Jesus Seminar brand is a confused man that didn’t know what he was doing. The Christ of Christian rockers is a party dude. The Christ of the emerging church is an environmentalist. The Christ of Islam didn’t die on the cross.

John 8:31-32
1. The only way to know the truth and to be set free from sin and error is to continue in Jesus’ Word. Notice that He didn’t say “words” plural but “word” singular. This refers to the inscripturated Word, the Bible . The Word of God has been written under divine inspiration, canonized, and preserved for us in the Bible. Therefore, if we want to know the truth, we need to read it, study it, memorize it, meditate on it, obey it, and test everything by it.

2. This is the only way, and it is also a sure way . Jesus gives His solemn promise that if we continue in His Word we WILL know the truth. This is one of the promises that motivated me to study the Bible diligently as a young Christian and to persist over the past 37 years. I want to know the truth, and Christ has given me His promise. Many voices within Christianity claim that we cannot be certain of what doctrine is correct, so we should just get along, but Jesus gave His promise that we can know. Compare John 7:17.

Acts 17:11
1. The Jews at Berea are commended for testing everything carefully by the Scriptures. This isn’t popular in modern Christianity but it is called “noble” in God’s Word.

2. Notice that they searched the Scripture daily. Before you can test anything by God’s Word you must first study it.

1 Thessalonians 5:21
1. We are admonished to prove all things. This is a far-reaching obligation. We should test everything in our lives by God’s holy Word, not only Christian teaching and “church” things but also job, friends, fashion, entertainment, marriage, child training methods, music, and all other things.

2. We are also admonished to hold fast that which is good, which refers to those things that are in accordance with and approved by God’s Word.

2 Corinthians 10:5
1. God wants the believer to bring every thought into captivity to the truth. What a far-reaching command! .

2. We do this by filling our minds with God’s Word and letting it measure every thought that enters our hearts.

3. The human imagination is a great spiritual battleground and must be guarded jealously. The modern entertainment industry aims its heavy guns at man’s imagination. Satanic-led entertainment creators want to corrupt the imagination through sensuality and turn it from the living God through the creation of vain worlds. There is particular danger for believers in the genres of science fiction and horror.

2 Corinthians 11:3-4
1. There is great spiritual danger for Christians (2 Cor. 11:3-4). Paul was afraid for the Corinthian believers because they were not careful about doctrine.

2. The devil complicates doctrine (“corrupted from the simplicity,” 2 Cor. 11:3). Examples of this are theological modernism, Calvinistic Reformed theology, and emerging church doctrine. The truth of God’s Word is exceedingly deep, but it also has a basic simplicity that is comprehensible to ordinary people (Luke 10:21).

3. Paul warned of false Christs, false gospels, and false spirits. The believer must be careful not to believe someone just because he talks about Christ or the gospel or the Spirit. Everything must be carefully tested by God’s Word.

4. We see in verse 4 that the teaching of the apostles is the standard for the truth (“whom we have not preached”). We have the teaching of the apostles in the New Testament Scriptures. This is the “faith once delivered to the saints” (Jude 3) by which we are to measure teaching and practice.

5. The devil is clever and must be resisted with much wisdom and zeal (2 Cor. 11:3).

6. Broadmindedness in doctrinal matters is evidence of carnality, not spirituality. Because the Corinthians were carnal (1 Cor. 3:1-2), Paul knew they might “well bear with” the false teachers (v. 4). This does not mean they would necessarily follow the false teaching but they would put up with it; they would not resist it properly. Being able to “see both sides” is not a mark of spirituality. There is only one side to the truth! The way of truth is narrow (Mat. 7:14).

7. False teachers imitate true teachers (2 Cor. 11:13-15). They don’t invent new things; they pervert the old things. They have churches and Bibles and preach Jesus. The closer something is to the truth, the more difficult it is to discern its error.

Colossians 2:8
1. Again we are exhorted to beware of false teachers. We must have a testing mindset.

2. Notice that false teachers desire to “spoil.” The idea is to rob. False teachers want to rob believers of their absolute confidence in the truth of God’s Word and in the grace of Christ and to replace this with human tradition and philosophy.

3. The way to defeat these false teachers is to hold fast to the Bible as the divinely-inspired Word of God and as the sole authority for faith and practice (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Revelation 2:2, 6
1. The church at Ephesus was commended for testing false teachers and for rejecting them. Jesus was pleased with this. It is something that every individual believer and every church should emulate.

2. Observe that the church felt very strongly about this matter. They labeled the false teachers “liars” and hated their deeds.

Proverbs 14:15
The book of Proverbs contrasts the wise with the foolish. In this proverb, the foolish person is said to be gullible and easily deceived because he doesn’t carefully test everything by God’s Word. The word “simple” here does not refer to simple-minded; it refers to gullible. The “simple” reads Christian books and hears sermons and attends conferences and takes everything in without testing it.

Psalms 119:128
1. The Psalmist gives the example of loving God’s Word and hating everything that is false. That is a testing mindset. The Bible is the absolute standard for truth, and by comparing everything in life with this Standard we can be protected from error.

2. We see that the believer should be passionate about the truth. The Psalmist was not neutral or half-hearted in this matter. He held God’s Word in great esteem and hated every false way.
________________________________________Distributed by Way of Life Literature

EIGHT GLIMPSES OF THE GENUIS OF CHARLES SPURGEON

Eight Glimpses of the Genius of Charles Spurgeon
by Mike Ross — last modified May 29, 2010 11:55 PM
Spurgeon's genius sprang from his latent gifts enhanced by the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

Eight Glimpses of the Genius of Charles Spurgeon
by J. J. Brown

J. J. Brown is the former Chairman of Spurgeon's College Council, and Secretary of Spurgeon's College (London). He still serves at the Spurgeon's College Archives, where memorabilia, artifacts, and other materials from Spurgeon's era are housed for viewing.

#1 - His Spiritual Depth
He was utterly dependent on the Holy Spirit — "If we have not the Spirit which Jesus promised, we cannot perform the commission which Jesus gave." His simple trust in God which enabled him to face the eventualities and tasks of a demanding life was sustained by earnest prayer. "Prayer has become as essential to me as the heaving of my lungs."

#2 - His Preaching Power
He was acclaimed as "the greatest preacher in an age of great preachers." At the age of 17 he drew hundreds to churches in Cambridgeshire. At 19, thousands attended his ministry in London. Congregations were spellbound as with his bell-like voice he expounded Scripture in plain and memorable language. His preaching was accompanied by pastoral care and philanthropic work. The Stockwell Orphanage, which accommodated 500 children, was said to be his greatest sermon.

#3 - His Uncompromising Stance
"If a minister is not sure about his message let him keep quiet until he is." The Bible is to be expounded, not criticised. The Gospel is a message to be proclaimed, not debated. His strong assertions let loose some painful controversies. But he stood his ground and refused to betray his conscience.

#4 - His Reading Talent
As a young child his toys were books. He learned to read them early and quickly. Eventually he could read six ordinary books at a sitting, and as many substantial volumes in a week. A retentive memory and a computer-like recall system provided grist for the mill of preparation for sermons, lectures, and books. Spurgeon's magazine The Sword and the Trowel often contained as many as fifty book reviews from his pen — sufficient proof of his capacity.

#5 - His Generous Giving
Much of his personal money was used for the support of his College, his Orphan Homes, and other institutions which he founded. In addition, many individuals benefited from his benevolence.

#6 - His Evangelistic Passion
"If I had worlds to buy one of your souls, I would readily give them if I might but bring one of you to Christ." The front cover of the earliest volumes of his published sermons carried the motif of Moses with the serpent of brass to which poisoned people looked to find life. The motif is surrounded with the text — "We Preach Christ and Him Crucified." Spurgeon thus remembered his own conversion experience when he was urged to look to Christ. His whole ministry was designed to point people to his Saviour. He founded his Seminary in order to equip preachers to be evangelists as well as pastors.

#7 - His Observant Faculties
His eyes were open and his ears attuned to the sights and sounds of the world around him. Many of his sermons are illuminated by the things he saw and heard. The rural environment in which he spent much of his boyhood coloured his thought and speech. He developed the character of "John Ploughman," and preached a series of "Farm Sermons." He was also a shrewd observer of human nature, sharpened by his experience of interviewing prospective ministerial students. He was quick to see human need and equally ready to provide practical help.

#8 - His Nonconformist Mould
Among his ancestors were those who suffered in the cause of religious freedom. His father and grandfather were Independent (Congregationalist) Ministers. Their churches were self-governing, free from State control. Spurgeon's nonconformity bred innovation — he rejected clerical attire, and he refused ecclesiastical titles. He preferred a platform to a pulpit. He was not averse to preaching in secular buildings. He published a sermon every week from the year 1855 until he died in 1892 [and previously unpublished sermons from Sunday & Thursday evenings continued to be printed weekly until 1917, finally ceasing during World War I].

Conclusion
Spurgeon's genius sprang from his latent gifts enhanced by the ministry of the Holy Spirit. His voice, his command of language, his inimitable style, his sensitivity, imagination, passion and intellect were all at the disposal of his Lord and Saviour. Through his College, his Child Care Charity, his churches, his printed sermons and published books...
"He being dead yet speaketh."

Listen for his word through the book you hold in your hand.

J. J. BROWN is the author of The Adventures of Charles ($4.00),
an excellent new children's biography about C. H. Spurgeon (Pilgrim Publications).

NOTES OF INTEREST
A Message For Today
by Dr. Raymond Brown
— Former Principal, Spurgeon's College

It is an immense delight to me to know that Spurgeon's sermons are still in demand and that these masterly expositions originally published as The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit are available to modern readers.

Spurgeon's sermons are so utterly BIBLICAL. He had an intense desire to let Scripture speak for itself, and time and again in reading the sermons one rejoices in their expository character. He was deeply influenced by the English Puritan tradition and shared their desire to make the message of Scripture absolutely clear and deeply convincing.

Spurgeon's sermons are so utterly CHRISTOCENTRIC. He had a passion to exalt Christ, and time and again he focuses our attention on the Person and Work of Christ. He is not interested in marginal issues or peripheral concerns. Whatever his subject, in the end the reader is brought face to face with the Saviour of mankind.

Spurgeon's sermons are so utterly RELEVANT. To read them in our own decade is not to take a journey into the archaic past, or to study an outdated style peculiar to Victorian England. His masterly analysis of man's sad condition and his rich exposition of man's only Hope brings the modern reader face to face with reality.

Anyone who reads these sermons cannot fail to be helped. A preacher who studies them with care will derive inspiration and insight from any time he devotes to them. I am glad that the ministry of this great preacher lives on.
— Brown's comments here are from the
Jacket Cover for MTP Vol 49, Year 1903

(Note: Raymond Brown is not related to J. J. Brown, above)

PILGRIM PUBLICATIONS

The Life and Ministry of the Prince of Preachers

Introduction to C H Spurgeon (1834-1892)
by Mike Ross — last modified Jul 05, 2010 08:34 PM
"We Preach Christ and Him Crucified." -- The motto of Spurgeon's ministry and Metropolitan Tabernacle church (based on 1st Cor. 1:23-24 and John 3:14)

"I take my text, and make a bee-line to the CROSS." - Spurgeon
"The best preacher is the man who charges his gun with all he knows, and then - before he fires - puts himself in." (from W. Y. Fullerton's Biography of Spurgeon - page 197)

C. H. Spurgeon's blessed ministry was grounded in the holy scripture of 1st Corinthians 1:23-24 "But we preach CHRIST CRUCIFIED, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God."

Based on the Biblical declaration of John 3:14, "And As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up," the striking emblem was his motto and appeared on the cloth-binding spines of the original New Park Street and Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermon Series volumes.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892) was a noted British Baptist minister who preached to throngs of souls at the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London, England (which held a total capacity of 6000 people, including Standing Room only). Greatly blessed by the Holy Spirit, his success and worldwide popularity were due in large measure to a genius intellect, natural gift of oratory, thoroughly biblical expository messages, along with the fervant prayers of his congregational Tabernacle members.

In 1854, just four years after his conversion, Spurgeon, then only 20, became pastor of London’s famed New Park Street Church. The congregation quickly outgrew their building, moved to Exeter Hall, then to Surrey Music Hall. In these venues Spurgeon frequently preached to audiences numbering more than 10,000—all in the days before electronic amplification. In 1861 the congregation moved permanently to the newly constructed Metropolitan Tabernacle. Spurgeon's many writings and brilliant sermons are still widely published today, testifying to his timeless appeal.

How C. H. Spurgeon found Christ --
"I looked to Him; He looked to me;
and we were ONE forever." (CHS)
Isaiah 45:22 --
"Look unto me and be ye saved all the ends of the earth,
for I am God, and there is none else."

Who is on the Lord's side? Who? Wounded on the battlefield, I raise myself on my arm and cry to those around me, and urge them to espouse my Master's cause, for if we were wounded or dead for His sake all would be gain. By the splendour of redeeming love, I charge each believer to confess his Lord, and live wholly to him. Yours for Christ's sake, - C.H. SPURGEON

Excerpt from C. H. Spurgeon's Letter
read to his congregation on January 17, 1875
-- Published in the Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit
(Vol 21, Year 1875, pg. 48)

CREMATION

FRIENDS:

Nowadays, people even so-called "born again christians", have followed the ways and
methods of the world. This is true even in death, in the matter of how we deal with the body of a loved one who have gone ahead into eternity.

May I strongly suggest that you read and study the following article on the above subject matter. It will do you well to be Biblically informed.

Authentic, Genuine & True "born again" Christians are Bible Believers. As such, the Holy Bible (KJBible), God's Precious Pure Word, is and must be "Final and Ultimate Authority" for faith and practice even in the matter of how one's body is to be interred after physical death.

Manny


CREMATION: WHAT DOES GOD THINK?

Updated March 9, 2010 (first published via the FBIS January 10, 1998) (David Cloud, FBIS, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org;–

In a book on the subject of Christian funerals, a writer gives the following advice regarding cremation:

“Personally, the minister may or may not approve of such proceedings. Privately, he is free to hold any opinion that he will. But officially he should keep an open mind. In the Christian religion there is nothing that frowns upon cremation or requires burial.”

Is this sound advice? Is cremation a matter of Christian liberty? In certain places land space is so crowded that burial plots are very expensive and in some cases there are efforts by the governments to discourage burial in preference to cremation. That this problem has become acute in Singapore is referred to in the following official statement made by the Bible Presbyterian Church of Singapore in May, 1987--

“1. There is an increasing number of cremations in Singapore even amongst Christians. 2. It is quite evident that our Government favours cremation by improving the facilities of the existing crematoria and columbaria, and by increasing the cost of burial while keeping down the cost of cremation. 3. Some non-Bible Presbyterian pastor have spoken and written in favour of cremation and have officiated at cremations while some non-Bible Presbyterian churches have even built columbaria. 4. Those who favour cremation claim it is more hygienic, cleaner and cheaper. 5. They see cremation as a convenient form of disposal of the dead. 6. Cremation does away with burial plots that need to be upkept and falls in line with our Government’s stress on strategic land use” (Far Eastern Beacon, July 1987, p. 4).

In light of this situation, the Bible Presbyterian Church of Singapore has taken a clear and commendable stand for the Word of God and against the practice of cremation. We have included their statement on this issue in the back of this booklet.

CREMATION INCREASING IN NORTH AMERICA

The number of cremations in North America is increasing dramatically. In 1975, only 6% of the people who died were cremated. By 2007 this had increased to 34%. In Hawaii, the percentage of dead that are cremated is 66%, Washington 64%, Nevada 65%, Arizona 59%, Oregon 63.7%, Montana 59%, Alaska 58%, Colorado 56%, Maine 53%, California 52%, Florida 51%, Wyoming 46%. (The states with the least percentage of cremations per death are in the “Bible Belt” -- Alabama at 9.5%, Mississippi and Tennessee 10%, Kentucky 12%, Louisiana 15%.)

The 2005 statistics for Canada are as follows: British Columbia 79%, New Brunswick 61%, Alberta 59%, Manitoba 53%, Nova Scotia 50%, Quebec 47%, Ontario 47%, and Saskatchewan 46%.

According to the cover story in the December 5, 1995, issue of USA Today, the rising acceptance of cremation has coincided with a drop in “religious barriers to cremation.” It is interesting that this secular newspaper noticed the connection between religion and cremation. The disposal of the body after death is a religious matter. One’s beliefs will determine such choices. Historically, burial has been a testimony of faith in the bodily resurrection. Historically, cremation has been practiced among those, such as Hindus, who deny the bodily resurrection and who believe in reincarnation. Historically, wherever the Gospel of Jesus Christ has found acceptance, pagan practices such as cremation have been rejected. The increase in cremation in North American society has paralleled the wholesale rejection of the Bible in this same society. As paganism increases its steely hold on American and Canadian hearts, cremation becomes increasingly popular.

THE METHOD OF CREMATION IN THE WEST

The following is excerpted from USA Today, December 5, 1995:

“The three-hour process of burning a body and grinding it to small fragments often takes place away from loved ones’ eyes. The body, usually dressed but stripped of all jewelry, slides into “retort”--a brick-lined oven that looks like a big bread oven.

“Pacemakers are removed because their batteries can explode at high temperatures. Silicone breast implants, which can’t be removed, are creating problems for crematory operators who say remains often stick to the melting silicone.

“The gas or oil-fired ovens are heated to about 1,700 degrees. Although often called ashes, the remains are actually bone fragments. These are swept with a giant hoe-like scraper from the bottom of the retort and put in a container to cool down. Any large debris, such as dental crowns or hip prostheses, is removed.

“Everything is then ground to granule-sized pieces. The whole process takes about three hours. The result is about six pounds of remains compact enough to fit in a shoe box.”

For the following reasons, we are convinced that the practice of cremation should be rejected by God’s people:

CREMATION HAS A HEATHEN ORIGIN AND PURPOSE

Cremation, as just described and as practiced today in the more technically advanced nations, no longer has the physical ghastliness associated with cremations performed in the less developed parts of the world. The modern method, as we have seen, incorporates the use of an exceedingly hot incinerator which reduces the body to ashes quickly, and the entire process is done out of the view of loved ones and the public.

Not so in places like South Asia, where we have lived and served Christ for nearly 20 years. It would seem that any Christian who could stand beside the “holy” River Bagmati in Kathmandu, Nepal, and observe the burning of the body of a Hindu and the heathen death rituals, would cast aside in repulsion every thought of cremation being an acceptable Christian practice.

Some years ago, I stood three or so feet from a burning corpse with a missionary pastor from Singapore and his wife who were visiting us. The head was already burnt beyond recognition and the skull was split open due to internal expansion from the heat of the fire. The lower legs and feet were unscorched, as they were protruding from the pile of burning wood and stubble upon which the man’s body lay. The professional Hindu burners were poking the body from time to time to keep the members in the fire and adding stubble and wood as needed. The bones were contracting and popping; the bodily organs were frying and the juices sizzling in the intense heat.

My wife, a nurse with experience working with lepers in a hospital in a very remote part of Asia and in an intensive care ward in the United States, stood with another friend observing the ghastly sight from a distance, unwilling to come closer. The air for a hundred yards or more was filled with the unmistakable, stomach-turning stench of burning human flesh. When the fire had burnt most of the body, the ashes and remaining members were shoved into the river.

This is cremation as has been practiced by heathen religions for centuries, but without the sanitization adopted in more technically advanced areas.

Would you treat your loved ones so? Is this an acceptable Christian practice? No sir, cremation is a heathen practice. It is of heathen origin and serves heathen purposes. Why do the Hindus and those of other heathen religions cremate? It has a connection with their belief in reincarnation.

There is nothing Christian about cremation. We were standing that day, as I have many other times, observing cremation in the surroundings from which the practice arose--idolatrous, Christless heathenism.

GOD’S PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS PRACTICED BURIAL

At the outset let me answer an objection sometimes made at this point. The objection is, “Yes, God’s people in the Bible practiced burial. The example is clearly there. But are we bound to follow these examples; they are not direct commands?” The answer is given in Romans 15:4. “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning ...” And again in 1 Corinthians 10:11 we read, “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” In these passages God is telling us that we are to follow the Bible’s examples as well as its direct instructions.

Following are just a few examples.

Abraham was buried (Genesis 25:8-10)
Sarah was buried (Genesis 23:1-4)
Rachel was buried (Genesis 35:19-20)
Isaac was buried (Genesis 35:29)
Jacob was buried (Genesis 49:33; 50:1-13)
Joseph was buried (Genesis 50:26)
Joshua was buried (Joshua 24:29-30)
Eleazar was buried (Joshua 24:33)
Samuel was buried (1 Samuel 25:1)
David was buried (1 Kings 2:10)
John the Baptist was buried (Matthew 14:10-12)
Ananias and Sapphira were buried (Acts 5:5-10)
Stephen was buried (Acts 8:2)

EVEN WHEN BURIAL WAS DIFFICULT

Even in difficult circumstances God’s people in olden days practiced burial. For example, Joseph’s body was kept for over 400 years in Egypt and then carried through the 40 years of wilderness wanderings before being buried in Palestine, the Promised Land. We read of this in Genesis 50:24-25; Exodus 13:19 and Joshua 24:32.

How much simpler it would have been for the Israelites to have cremated Joseph, then carried his ashes with them in a tiny container! But this they refused to do. Joseph, a follower of the one true God, a man who looked forward to the bodily resurrection, was given an honorable burial. From this important example, we learn that even if cremation is less expensive or easier than burial, it is still to be rejected, as the Israelites rejected the economical and simpler way to carry Joseph to the Promised Land.

BURIAL LOOKS FORWARD TO RESURRECTION

“For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body” (Rom.8:22-23). See also 1 Cor. 15:20-23; 2 Cor. 5:1 and 1 Cor. 15:51-57.

The reason God’s people have always been careful to practice burial is not difficult to understand. We believe in a bodily resurrection. Yes, the buried body will decompose in time. Yes, there are occasions in which Christians die in ways which render burial impossible--in the sinking of ships, in house fires, etc. But when at all possible we bury. Why the trouble? Because it is our certain hope that the same individual will be raised in the same body, only changed.

The physical body is called the seed for the resurrection body. When planted, a seed decomposes, and the new plant comes forth. The Bible uses this to illustrate resurrection.

“But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come? Thou fool, that which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die: And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain, it may chance of wheat, or of some other grain; But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body. ... So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power; It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body” 1 Cor. 15:35-44

Notice that the Apostle answers those who would ask how it is possible for God to raise again a decomposed body. The terminology used by the Holy Spirit in this passage is that of husbandry--planting seed. The farmer does not destroy his seed; he plants it, then from the decaying seed comes forth the new life. Such is burial and the resurrection. When we bury a Christian loved one, we are planting the seed for the resurrection body! It is a powerful testimony of our unwavering faith in God’s Word regarding the promise of bodily resurrection.

Contrast heathenism. They have no such knowledge or hope. The Hindus and Buddhists, for example, believe in reincarnation. Yes, they believe in a human soul which is distinct from the body. But they do not believe that soul, once departed from the body at death, will be resurrected in any relation whatsoever to the first body. Rather they believe the soul will be reincarnated in another entirely unrelated body, or into a non-physical sphere of existence.

Were those who were buried in Old Testament times buried with a knowledge of resurrection? Yes, God’s people have had some knowledge of a bodily resurrection from the earliest days. The book of Job is commonly considered to be the oldest book in the Bible. There is no mention in the book of Job concerning Israel, or Jerusalem, or Palestine, the temple or the Jewish kingdom, and it is most likely that Job was a God-fearing man who lived in the days prior to Abraham. Yet we see in Job 19:25-27 that this ancient man of God had thorough knowledge of the bodily resurrection.

“For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.”

God’s people have always buried their dead with this magnificent hope burning in their hearts. “We will see that brother or sister again in that same body, only changed, glorified!” Hallelujah! Only through the death and shed blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ can we have this certain hope. He has taken upon Himself on the cross the punishment for our sins, carried our sins into the grave, and rose again in eternal triumph three days later. When an individual thoroughly acknowledges his sinfulness before God, repents (changes his mind about and desires to turn from his sinful, self-willful life) and receives Jesus Christ as his or her Lord and Savior, the sin debt is paid, and eternal life and glory is promised from God the Father. Part of this heritage in Christ is the glorified resurrection body.

GOD PRACTICES BURIAL
Another reason I believe burial is the will of God for His people is seen in the fact that God Himself buried Moses: “So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord. And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day” (Deuteronomy 34:5,6).

CREMATION IS A SIGN OF GOD’S CURSE
Throughout the Bible the destruction of a human body or of an object by fire is used as a sign of divine wrath. Consider with me some examples:

The example of Sodom and Gomorrah (2 Peter 2:6)
The example of Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10:1,2)
The example of the men who rebelled with Korah (Numbers 16:35)
The example of idols (Exodus 32:20; Deut. 7:25; 2 Kings 10:26; 1 Chron. 14:12)
The example of magic books (Acts 19:18-19)
The example of unsaved cast into the lake of fire for eternal punishment (Revelation 20:15)

FOR A PERSON NOT TO HAVE A PROPER BURIAL WAS CONSIDERED A DISHONOR
A key example of this is Jezebel who, because of her wickedness, was eaten of dogs (1 Kings 21:23-24). Again, we read of the Midianites “which perished at Endor: they became as dung for the earth” (Psalm 83:9-10). Shall we dishonor our loved ones by failing to give them a proper Christian burial?

THE CHRISTIAN’S BODY BELONGS TO GOD; IT IS NOT OURS TO DESTROY BY FIRE OR BY ANY OTHER MEANS

“What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

When something does not belong to me, but is only borrowed from its rightful owner, I certainly have no right to destroy it. If the master destroys his own possession, that is his prerogative, but such does not belong with the borrower. This is true of death and the Christian’s body. The body is not ours to desecrate or destroy. If God chooses to allow a Christian to die in a house fire, that is His prerogative. But the Christian himself has no such freedom to chose to destroy his own body. And Romans 14:8 reminds us that this is true both in life and in death! “... whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.”

GOD HAS PLAINLY CALLED CREMATION WICKEDNESS
“Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Moab, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he burned the bones of the king of Edom into lime” (Amos 2:1).

THE LORD JESUS WAS BURIED, AND HE IS OUR GREAT EXAMPLE
“Then took they the body of Jesus, and wound it in linen clothes with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury. ... There laid they Jesus therefore. ...” (John 19:38-42)

Just as the Lord Jesus Christ was buried in certainty that He would rise again on the third day according to the Scriptures, even so is the Christian said to rest at death. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord, as the Apostle Paul testified (2 Cor. 5:9 and Phil. 1:21-23). The body without the spirit is dead (James 2:26). The dead body sleeps in the grave while the redeemed soul waits in glory for the great resurrection day.

In light of the above Bible facts, the statement, “In the Christian religion there is nothing that frowns upon cremation or requires burial,” proves to be untrue. Of course we cannot force people either to bury or not to bury. And we know that the manner of one’s burial does not affect his resurrection.

But we do believe these things are important, and we are convinced that Christian leaders and God’s people should patiently share these truths in the churches and with friends. In these days of widespread apostasy and doctrinal confusion a clear voice in all matters of Bible teacher is urgently needed.

Isn’t it wonderful that in Christ Jesus the sting of death has been removed! We no longer must live in fear of death, but in hope of the dawning of that Perfect Day! Let this be the Christian’s testimony: If I die before Christ returns, lay my body to rest in quiet sleep to await that Day. Please don’t treat me as the heathen treat their loved ones.

WHAT IF MY LOVED ONE ALREADY HAS BEEN CREMATED?
Many sincere Christians have approached me after reading this book or after merely seeing the title of the cover, and have expressed deep concern about the status of their loved ones who have already been cremated.

I always remind these friends that the way the body is disposed of has no eternal consequences. While I strongly believe cremation is contrary to Scripture and is therefore not something a Christian should do, the most important question is whether or not the deceased had trusted Jesus Christ as his or her Savior, whether or not that one had been born again.

The question of whether someone is buried or cremated is a decision which primarily affects the living rather than the dead. Burial witnesses to our faith in the bodily resurrection, but the witness is to the living. Burial honors the body of the deceased, but this honor, again, is something which relates largely to the living who witness the burial, because the soul of the deceased has already departed.

The soul of the saved person goes to be with Christ immediately upon death (Phil. 1:23; 2 Cor. 5:8; 2 Tim. 4:6; Lk. 23:43). The soul of the lost man or woman descends to hell immediately upon death (Lk. 16:22-23; Rev. 20:13). That which is done to the body after death does not affect the soul’s condition nor the future resurrection.

Thus, if a loved one has been cremated, it’s not something to fret about. It is over and done with and has no eternal consequences. If that loved one was saved through the blood of Jesus Christ, the fact that he was cremated certainly didn’t keep him out of heaven!

A similar situation arises with those Christians who have loved ones who have determined to be cremated. Many in such a situation have asked me what they should do about this matter. An example would be a wife whose unsaved husband wants to be cremated. Another example is a son or daughter whose parent wants to be cremated.

The only thing that can be done is to try to explain with that loved one the things we have shared in this study. We have seen many Christians change their mind about cremation after reading this booklet. Again, the most important issue is whether or not that loved one is born again and is ready to meet God. Sometimes the very discussion of this topic can offer an opportunity to share the Gospel. One man who was dying in a hospital was saved after his sister read this booklet to him and discussed his need to be saved.

May the Lord encourage your heart and give you wisdom in dealing with these sensitive but crucial subjects with your loved ones.

_________________________

BE IMMERSED!

Be immersed in God's Precious Pure Word. Fill your heart/spirit and mind
with the powerful life-giving Word of God, the creator of
heaven and earth. (Hebrews 4:12).

Listen, Read, Study, Memorize and Meditate on them daily.
Then, chose to Keep, Heed, Hearken, Obey them at all cost
without delay and hesitation. (Rev.1:3; 2 Timothy 2:15; Psalm 119:11;
Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:1-3).

Then,

Psalm 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
12 O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusteth in thee.

Will be a daily reality in your life!

A PRIVATE PRAYER LANGUAGE?

Updated July 6, 2010 (first published March 6, 2006) (David Cloud, FBIS, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org;

Pentecostals and Charismatics often teach that there are two types of tongues described in the New Testament: the “public language tongues” of Pentecost and the “private prayer” tongues of 1 Corinthians 14:4 -- “He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.” Some call this distinction “ministry tongues” and “devotional tongues.”

Early Pentecostal leaders understood that biblical tongues were real earthly languages. They even thought they would be able to go to foreign mission fields and witness through miraculous tongues without having to learn the languages. Those who attempted this, though, returned bitterly disappointed!

“Alfred G. Garr and his wife went to the Far East with the conviction that they could preach the gospel in 'the Indian and Chinese languages.’ Lucy Farrow went to Africa and returned after seven months during which she was alleged to have preached to the natives in their own 'Kru language.’ The German pastor and analyst Oskar Pfister reported the case of a Pentecostal... ‘Simon,’ who had planned to go to China using tongues for preaching. Numerous other Pentecostal missionaries went abroad believing they had the miraculous ability to speak in the languages of those to whom they were sent. These Pentecostal claims were well known at the time. S.C. Todd of the Bible Missionary Society investigated eighteen Pentecostals who went to Japan, China, and India ‘expecting to preach to the natives in those countries in their own tongue,’ and found that by their own admission ‘in no single instance have [they] been able to do so.’ As these and other missionaries returned in disappointment and failure, Pentecostals were compelled to rethink their original view of speaking in tongues” (Robert Mapes Anderson, Vision of the Disinherited: The Making of American Pentecostalism).

The conclusion was soon reached that their “tongues” were not earthly languages but a “heavenly” or special prayer language; and those are the terms we have heard frequently at large Charismatic conferences, such as those in New Orleans in 1987, Indianapolis in 1990, and St. Louis in 2000. The tongues that I heard in these conferences were not languages of any sort, but merely repetitious mumblings that anyone could imitate. Larry Lea supposedly spoke in tongues in Indianapolis in 1990, and this is a key example of what is being passed off for tongues in the Charismatic movement. It went something like this: “Bubblyida bubblyida hallelujah bubblyida hallabubbly shallabubblyida kolabubblyida glooooory hallelujah bubblyida.” I wrote that down as he was saying it and later checked it against the tape. Nancy Kellar, a Roman Catholic nun who was on the executive committee of the St. Louis meeting in 2000, spoke in “tongues” on Thursday evening of the conference. Her tongues went like this: “Shananaa leea, shananaa higha, shananaa nanaa, shananaa leea…” repeated over and over and over.

If you think I’m making fun of these people, you are wrong. This is taken directly from the audiotapes of the messages. If these are languages, they certainly have a simple vocabulary! My children had a more complex language than that when they were still toddlers.

Michael Harper says: “In the short history of the Charismatic Renewal speaking in tongues has become rare in public, but continues to be a vital expression of prayer in private (These Wonderful Gifts, 1989, p. 97). He says this type of “tongues” is “a prayer language: a way of communicating more effectively with God” (p. 92). He claims that this experience “edifies” apart from the understanding: “Modern Western man finds it hard to believe that speaking unknown words to God can possibly be edifying. ... All one can say is ‘try it and see’. I can still remember today the moments when I first used this gift, and the immediate awareness I had that I was being edified. This is one of the most important reasons why the gift needs to be used regularly in private prayer” (These Wonderful Gifts, p. 93).

Harper says he is mystically aware of being edified even though he does not know what he is saying. He also says this “gift needs to be used regularly” and is therefore something important for the Christian life.

To prove his point he simply invites the skeptical observer to “try it and see,” reminding us that experience is the Charismatic’s greatest authority. (The “come and see” approach creates a new problem, though, for the Bible never says to “try tongues” or to seek after tongues and never describes how one could learn how to speak in tongues. In the Bible, speaking in tongues is always a supernatural activity that is sovereignly given by God.)

Even some that do not claim to be Pentecostals or Charismatics have this experience. Jerry Rankin, head of the International Mission Board (Southern Baptist), says he speaks in a “private prayer language” and contrasts this with the practice of “glossolalia.”

“I do have a private prayer language, have for more than 30 years. I don’t consider myself to have a gift of tongues. I’ve never been led to practice glossolalia, you know, publicly, and I think the spiritual gifts clearly in the didactic passage of the Scriptures are talking about the public uses, edification and gifts in the church. ... I've never viewed personally my intimacy with the Lord and the way His Spirit guides me in my prayer time as being the same as glossolalia and subjected to that criteria. ... I just want God to have freedom to do everything that He wants to do in my life and I’m going to be obedient to that” (“IMB president speaks plainly with state editors about private prayer language,” Baptist Press, Feb. 17, 2006).

It is a wonderful thing to desire to do God’s will wherever that leads, but He will never lead contrary to His own Word in the Scriptures. For the following reasons we are convinced that the Bible does not support the doctrine of a “private prayer language.”

FIRST, IF THE TONGUES-SPEAKING OF 1 CORINTHIANS 14 IS DIFFERENT FROM THAT OF ACTS 2, THE BIBLE NEVER EXPLAINS THE DIFFERENCE. We leave “tongues” in the book of Acts (the last mention is in Acts 19:6) and we do not see them again until 1 Corinthians 12-14. If the “tongues” in this epistle is a different type of thing than the “tongues” in Acts, why doesn’t the Bible say so and plainly explain this matter so that there is no confusion?

SECOND, PAUL SAID THE TONGUES SPEAKER EDIFIES HIMSELF (1 Cor. 14:4). That would not be possible unless the words could be understood, because throughout the fourteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians Paul says that understanding is absolutely necessary for edification. In verse 3 he says that prophesying edifies because it comforts and exhorts men, obviously referring to things that are understood to the hearer. In verse 4 he says that tongues speaking does not edify unless it is interpreted. In verses 16-17 he says that if someone does not understand something he is not edified. Words could not be plainer. If there is no edification of the church without understanding, how is it possible that the individual believer could be edified without understanding? This is confusion. The word “edify” means to build up in the faith. Webster’s 1828 dictionary defined it as “to instruct and improve the mind in knowledge generally, and particularly in moral and religious knowledge, in faith and holiness.” The words “edify,” “edification,” “edified,” and “edifying” are used in 18 verses in the New Testament and always refer to building up in the faith by means of instruction and godly living. For example, in Ephesians 4 the body of Christ is edified through the ministry of God-given preachers (Eph. 4:11-12). Thus, the fact that Paul said the tongues speaker edifies himself (1 Cor. 14:4) is proof that he understands what he is saying.

THIRD, PAUL SAYS THAT TONGUES ARE AN EARTHLY LANGUAGE (1 Cor. 14:20-22). If the tongues-speaking in 1 Corinthians 14 were some sort of “private prayer language,” why would Paul give this prophetic explanation of it and state dogmatically that it is an earthly language? He does not say that only some “types of tongues” are languages.

FOURTH, IN 1 CORINTHIANS 14:28 PAUL SAYS THE TONGUES SPEAKER SPEAKS BOTH TO HIMSELF AND TO GOD. “But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.” This means that he can understand what he is speaking. Otherwise, how could he speak to himself? Does anyone speak to himself in “unknown gibberish”?

FIFTH, THERE IS NO EXAMPLE IN 1 CORINTHIANS 14 OF A BELIEVER SPEAKING IN TONGUES PRIVATELY AND THERE IS NO ENCOURAGEMENT TO DO SO. What about verse 28? “But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God” (1 Cor. 14:27-28). This says nothing about praying in tongues privately. It is talking about the exercise of gifts in a public meeting. Paul says that if there is no interpretation, the individual tongues speaker should keep silent and pray to God, but he says nothing about getting off by oneself and praying privately in tongues. One must read all of that into the verse.

SIXTH, IF THERE WERE A “PRIVATE PRAYER LANGUAGE” THAT EDIFIED THE CHRISTIAN’S LIFE IT WOULD BE VERY IMPORTANT AND THE BIBLE WOULD EXPLAIN IT CLEARLY and circumscribe its usage as it does the use of tongues in the church.

SEVENTH, A “PRIVATE PRAYER LANGUAGE” THAT HELPED THE CHRISTIAN TO BE STRONGER IN HIS WALK WITH CHRIST WOULD DOUBTLESS BE MENTIONED IN OTHER PLACES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT IN THE CONTEXT OF SANCTIFICATION AND CHRISTIAN LIVING. In fact, though, it is never mentioned in any such context. The apostles and prophets addressed many situations in the New Testament epistles and gave all things necessary for holy Christian living, but they never taught that the believer needs to speak in a “private prayer language” in order to have spiritual victory or to find God’s guidance or to be healed or to be able to fall asleep or any other such thing. If there were such a thing as a “devotional prayer language” that built up the Christian life and made the Christian stronger spiritually, Paul would doubtless have instructed the church at Corinth to spend more time speaking in devotional tongues, but he gives no such counsel.

EIGHTH, IT IS NOT POSSIBLE THAT TONGUES-SPEAKING COULD BE A NECESSARY PART OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE, BECAUSE PAUL PLAINLY STATES THAT NOT ALL SPEAK IN TONGUES (1 Cor. 14:29-20). Some will ask, “Why, then, does Paul say, ‘I would that ye all spake with tongues’” (1 Cor. 14:5)? The answer is that Paul was not saying that all did speak with tongues or that all could speak with tongues; he was merely expressing a desire that the exercise of spiritual gifts be done and that it be done right. In 1 Cor. 7:7, Paul uses exactly the same expression in the context of celibacy. He said, “For I would that all men were even as I myself...” We do not know of any Pentecostals or Charismatics who take this statement literally by teaching that it is God’s will for every believer to remain unmarried, but they take the same expression in 1 Cor. 14:5 as a law. There is a strange inconsistency here.

NINTH, ALL OF THE NEW TESTAMENT’S INSTRUCTION ABOUT PRAYER TAKE FOR GRANTED THAT PRAYER IS A CONSCIOUS, WILLFUL, UNDERSTANDABLE ACT ON THE PART OF THE BELIEVER AND THAT HE IS SPEAKING TO GOD IN UNDERSTANDABLE TERMS. We see this in Jesus’ instructions about prayer. “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen” (Matt. 6:5-13). This is a conscious, understandable prayer. We see the same thing in Paul’s instructions about prayer (e.g., Rom. 15:30-32; Eph. 6:18-20; Col. 4:2-3; Heb. 13:18-19). There is not one example of a prayer recorded in Scripture that is anything other than an individual speaking to God in conscious, understandable terms. In fact, Christ forbade the repetitious type of “prayers” that are commonly heard among those that practice a “private prayer language.” “But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking” (Mat. 6:7). Yet I have oftentimes heard “prayer tongues” that sound like this: “Shalalama, balalama, shalalama, balalama, bubalama, shalalama, bugalala, shalalama....” Whatever that is, it is not New Testament “tongues” and it is not New Testament prayer.

TENTH, EVEN IF WE WERE TO AGREE THAT 1 CORINTHIANS 14 REFERS TO A “PRIVATE PRAYER LANGUAGE,” IT WOULD NOT BE SOMETHING THAT COULD BE LEARNED OR IMITATED. Whatever is described in 1 Corinthians 14 is a divine miracle, but this is contrary to the Pentecostal-Charismatic practice whereby people are taught to speak in a “prayer language.”

ELEVENTH, TO USE THE GIFT OF TONGUES AS A “PRIVATE PRAYER LANGUAGE” WOULD BE TO DESTROY ITS CHIEF PURPOSE, WHICH IS A SIGN TO UNBELIEVING ISRAEL. Former Pentecostal Fernand Legrand wisely observes: “By using this sign in private, some think they can profit from ONE of its aspects, while ignoring the others, but you cannot dismantle a gift and retain only one of its components. A car is a complex mechanical object that is driven as an entity or is not driven at all. You cannot take the wheels for a run and leave the body and the engine in the garage. When a car is running it is the whole car that moves. In the same way, TONGUES WERE NOT TO BE SLICED UP LIKE A SAUSAGE. They were to edify the speaker AND the others AND be a sign for the Jewish unbelievers AND be understandable or be so rendered by interpretation. They had to be all that at the same time. The gift was inseparable from its one and only unchanging purpose: to be a sign for non-believing Jews of the universal offer of salvation (Acts 2:17; 1 Cor. 14:20-22)” (All about Speaking in Tongues, p. 67).

TWELVTH, THOUGH I HAVE HEARD MANY EXAMPLES OF “DEVOTIONAL TONGUES” OVER THE PAST 33 YEARS, I HAVE NEVER HEARD ANYTHING BUT GIBBERISH. What I have heard is not languages of any sort but mere repetitious mutterings that anyone could imitate. Larry Lea’s “tongues” at Indianapolis 1990 went like this: “Bubblyida bubblyida hallelujah bubblyida hallabubbly shallabubblyida kolabubblyida glooooory hallelujah bubblyida.” I wrote that down as he was saying it and later checked it against the tape. Nancy Kellar, a Roman Catholic nun who was on the executive committee of St. Louis 2000, spoke in “tongues” on Thursday evening of the conference. Her tongues were a repetition of “shananaa leea, shananaa higha, shananaa nanaa, shananaa leea…” This is taken directly from the audiotapes of the messages. If these are languages, they certainly have a simple vocabulary!

THIRTEENTH, THE PRACTICE OF LEARNING HOW TO SPEAK IN TONGUES THAT IS POPULAR AMONG PENTECOSTALS AND CHARISMATICS IS UNSCRIPTURAL AND DANGEROUS. If we were to agree that there is such a thing as a “private prayer language” and that it would help us live a better Christian life and if we were to accept the Charismatic’s challenge to “try it and see,” the next question is, “How do I begin to speak in this ‘prayer language’?” A chapter in the book These Wonderful Gifts (by Michael Harper) is entitled “Letting Go and Letting God,” in which the believer is instructed to stop analyzing experiences so carefully and strictly, to stop “setting up alarm systems” and “squatting nervously behind protective walls.” He says the believer should step out from behind his “walls and infallible systems” and just open up to God. That is a necessary but unscriptural and exceedingly dangerous step toward receiving the Charismatic experiences. Having stopped analyzing everything with Scripture, the standard method of experiencing the “gift of tongues” or a “private prayer language” is to open one’s mouth and to start speaking words but not words that one understands and allegedly “God will take control.” Dennis Bennett says: “Open your mouth and show that you believe the Lord has baptized you in the Spirit by beginning to speak. Don’t speak English, or any other language you know, for God can’t guide you to speak in tongues if you are speaking in a language known to you. ... Just like a child learning to talk for the first time, open your mouth and speak out the first syllables and expressions that come to your lips. ... You may begin to speak, but only get out a few halting sounds. That’s wonderful! You’ve broken the ‘sound barrier’! Keep in with those sounds. Offer them to God. Tell Jesus you love Him in those ‘joyful noises’! In a very real sense, any sound you make, offering your tongue to God in simple faith, may be the beginning of speaking in tongues” (The Holy Spirit and You, pp. 76, 77, 79).

This is so grossly unscriptural and nonsensical it would seem unnecessary to refute it. There is absolutely nothing like this in the New Testament. To ignore the Bible and to seek something that the Bible never says seek in ways the Bible does not support and to open oneself uncritically to religious experiences like this puts oneself in danger of receiving “another spirit” (2 Cor. 11:4). 2 Corinthians 11:4 (King James Version)
4For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

FOURTEENTH, THE FACT IS THAT BIBLICAL TONGUES WERE REAL EARTHLY LANGUAGES, AND THIS IS A FOUNDATIONAL TRUTH. Any doctrine of tongues that reduces this practice to mere gibberish of any sort that is not a real language is unscriptural.

QUESTION: If tongues can be understood by the speaker, why does Paul say, “For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful” (1 Cor. 14:14)?

ANSWER: The Pentecostal-Charismatic movements find justification in this verse for their doctrine that tongues-speaking is some sort of communication that bypasses the intellect and understanding. Pastor Bill Williams of San Jose, California, says that the awareness one has through tongues is “beyond emotion, beyond intellect. It transcends human understanding” (“Speaking in Tongues--Believers Relish the Experience,” Los Angeles Times, Sept. 19, 1987, B2). Charles Hunter says, “The reason some of you don’t speak [in tongues] fluently is that you tried to think of the sounds. ... You don’t even have to think in order to pray in the Spirit” (Hunter, “Receiving the Baptism with the Holy Spirit,” Charisma, July 1989, p. 54).

But if 1 Corinthians 14:14 means that the tongues-speaker is speaking “beyond his intellect” or something of that sort, it would be the only place in Scripture where such a doctrine is found. Nowhere else does the Scripture say that man’s spirit can operate properly without the understanding or that God operates on man’s spirit in such a manner that he does not understand the communication or that there is some sort of spiritual level of communication that bypasses the understanding. In this same epistle, Paul said, “For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him?” (1 Cor. 2:11). Thus, man’s spirit is that part of him that knows and understands. Eph. 4:23 says the believer is to “be renewed in the spirit of your mind.” Obviously this involves understanding, because Romans 12:2 says we are “transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God..”

What is Paul talking about in 1 Corinthians 14:14, then? Most commentaries say that he is referring to the tongues-speaker’s understanding in relation to others rather than to his own understanding.

Barnes: “Produces nothing that will be of advantage to them. It is like a barren tree; a tree that bears nothing that can be of benefit to others. They cannot understand what I say, and, of course, they cannot be profited by what I utter.”

Adam Clarke: “... my understanding is unfruitful to all others, because they do not understand my prayers, and I either do not or cannot interpret them.”

The Family Bible Notes: “...according to another and preferable view, it bears no fruit to others, since it communicates nothing to them in an intelligible way.”

Jamieson, Fausset, Brown: “"understanding," the active instrument of thought and reasoning; which in this case must be "unfruitful" in edifying others, since the vehicle of expression is unintelligible to them.”

John Wesley: “‘My spirit prayeth’--By the power of the Spirit I understand the words myself. ‘But my understanding is unfruitful’--The knowledge I have is no benefit to others.”

Matthew Henry: “but his understanding would be unfruitful (1 Cor. 14:14), that is, the sense and meaning of his words would be unfruitful, he would not be understood, nor therefore would others join with him in his devotions.”

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge: “That is, ‘not productive of any benefit to others.’”

The context of 1 Cor. 14:14 supports this interpretation:

“Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest? For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.” (1 Cor. 14:13-17).

Paul says the tongues-speaker should pray both with the spirit and with the understanding, and it is obvious that he is talking about the understanding of those who are listening, because he says, “Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?” In 1 Corinthians 14:13-17 Paul is saying that the tongues-speaker should give an interpretation of his tongue so that he is not the only one that understands what is being said, because if he prays in a tongue that is not interpreted those who are listening cannot understand and cannot therefore be edified.

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KNOWING GOD'S WILL

KNOWING GOD’S WILL

Enlarged June 9, 2010 (first published December 8, 2009) (David Cloud, F B I S, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143, fbns@wayoflife.org;)

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness” (Romans 12:1-8).

We see in Romans 12 that God has a great work in this world and He has called on His people to participate. There is a perfect will of God for each believer. If you are saved, you are called.

We see that the will of God must be proven. Salvation is a gift but God’s will is a prize to be sought.

Further, the will of God is not a future possibility but a present reality. If you don’t do the will of God today you won’t know the will of God tomorrow.

Following salvation, there are four steps that are emphasized in Romans 12 for those who want to know God’s will.

1. Knowing God’s will requires doing the will of God today (Romans 12:1-2).

The Bible speaks of the will of God as something that we do today, not something we hope for tomorrow. If the believer frets about the present and is only looking to the future and hoping for a different circumstance, thinking that he will serve God when things change, he will never do the will of God. We must leave the future in God’s hands and use the opportunities of the present, no matter how difficult. God is in control of the circumstances of our lives (Romans 8:28; 1 Cor. 7:17-24). To fret against the circumstance is to fret against the will of God. This is the great sin that the Israelites committed repeatedly in the wilderness (1 Cor. 10:10)

This is true for new Christians. The will of God starts right where you are by accepting the circumstance in which you find yourself and doing everything that you know to do to grow spiritually and to serve Christ. The first year after my conversion, I didn’t know what the Lord wanted me to do as far as a particular ministry. I only knew that I needed to learn the Bible and be faithful to church and start doing everything that the Bible taught me to do, so that is what I did. I worked operating a printing press to make a living, but that was not my life. My life was seeking and serving Christ and preparing myself for His will. In this way I was able to get the full benefit from that opportunity and to build a good foundation for the time to come.

This is true for the unmarried. I had a friend at Bible College who spent a lot of time worrying about finding a wife, so much so that he was hindered in his ability to concentrate on his studies. If I am not married, I need to recognize that this is an advantage for the present, that I have more time to devote to the Lord, and I need to use that time and trust the Lord about the future (1 Cor. 7:32-34). God is the Author of marriage, and He knows how to bring the right partners together at the right time.

This is true for the married. Regardless of whether your mate is saved or unsaved, it is God’s will for you to remain married and to serve Him in that circumstance (1 Cor. 7:12-17).

This is true for young people. Youth is both an advantage and a disadvantage. The young person must dedicate himself to knowing and serving the Lord in his youth and not wait until some later time. Too many young people waste their youth, throwing it away on vanity, foolishly thinking that they will get serious about life when they get older.

2. Knowing God’s will requires surrender and dedication (Romans 12:1).

Presenting one’s body as a living sacrifice to God is a free-will decision. God does not force us to be saved, and He does not force us to devote our lives wholly to Him after salvation. He wants us to do this from a willing heart. Thus, there are hard choices that must be made for those who want to know God’s will. I must choose to dedicate myself to Christ rather than to the pursuit of selfish desires. I must deny the flesh and pursue the Spirit. Most people devote their lives to money, pleasure, ease, comfort, security, prestige, and such things. The child of God has the privilege of pursuing a higher calling.

This is a decision that is motivated by God’s love. We love God because He first loves us. We do not pursue the will of God in order to be saved; we pursue it because we are saved and we want to please the One who has saved us by His grace through the great price that was paid on Calvary.

This is a reasonable decision. It is reasonable because knowing and serving God is the purpose of life (Ecclesiastes 12:13). It is reasonable because life apart from God’s will is vanity. That is the theme of the book of Ecclesiastes. It is also reasonable to dedicate my life to Christ because God’s will brings great reward (Hebrews 11:24-27). A missionary once said, “A man is not unwise to give up that which he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.”

This is a personal decision. Young people are often deeply concerned about what other young people are thinking and doing. There is “peer pressure,” but if I want to know God’s will I must move beyond that and focus my attention on pleasing God alone.

This is also a daily decision. Dedicating myself to the Lord’s will is not something that can be done once; it must be done repeatedly. Many times a person will get fired up at a church meeting or a summer camp or a Bible conference, and he or she will surrender to the Lord’s will, but due to the pressures of life and spiritual warfare this decision can fade away if it is not renewed daily.

3. Knowing God’s will requires separation (Romans 12:2).

At the very heart of knowing God’s will is the issue of separation from the evil things of the world. It is not optional, because God is a holy God.

The word “conformed” implies that we are weak and can be molded. The world is evangelistic. It is not content to mind its own business. It seeks to conform the believer to its philosophy and lifestyle.

Separation is thus absolutely necessary to know God’s will. Consider the following verses: Ephesians 5:11; Titus 2:12; James 4:4; 1 John 2:15-17.

The world has poured into Christian homes and churches through the rock & roll pop culture, but the believer that wants to know God’s perfect will must reject it and pursue holiness and righteousness.

Consider 2 Timothy 2:22, which teaches that separation is not just a “negative” issue.

We see here that separation is a matter of spiritual and moral protection. Timothy was told to “flee also youthful lusts.” That is the image of running from some great danger. God does not want to take pleasurable things away from His people. He is the Author of every good gift (James 1:17). When He made Adam and Eve, He put them in the loveliest Garden one could imagine. He designed it for them to provide every wonderful and pleasurable thing. God is not some cruel person who wants to harass people with meaningless laws. God is the most compassionate Person in existence. His command to separate from the evil things of the world is designed to protect us from spiritual and moral destruction. It is designed to keep us out of the devil’s cruel clutches.

In 2 Timothy 2:22 we are also reminded that separation is a heart matter. Timothy was instructed to pursue holiness “with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” If the heart is right, the believer will respond positively to the Lord’s command to separate from evil. Before I was saved, I grew my hair long as a flag of rebellion and pride. I refused to cut it for love or money, but after I was saved I cut it when I was challenged by an elderly woman that long hair was not befitting a young man who claims to be a follower of Christ. I cut it because my heart was right with God and I wanted to do His will instead of my own, and I did not want to offend people. That is why I gave up smoking and quit listening to rock & roll and many other things.

We also see in 2 Timothy 2:22 that separation is a replacement matter. Timothy was instructed not only to flee from sinful things but also to “follow” godly things. It is not enough to give up sensual music and worldly fashions and friends that hinder one’s spiritual walk; the child of God must add godly friends and sacred music and edifying literature and wholesome activities and get busy in the service of Christ.

4. Knowing God’s will requires transformation (Romans 12:2).

Knowing God’s will requires not only dedication and separation; it also requires spiritual transformation. This is the way of victory over the world. By transformation the image of Christ can become fashioned in the believer so firmly that the world cannot mold him into its own foolish and corrupt image.

Spiritual transformation comes by the renewing of the mind, and the renewing of the mind comes through God’s Word. We must learn to think God’s thoughts and that is what transforms the life, and this comes through reading and studying and meditating on God’s Word. See Psalm 119:9; John 8:31-32; 1 Peter 2:2.

It has been said that a dusty Bible indicates a dirty heart, and the Bible will keep you from sin or sin will keep you from Bible.

Spiritual transformation comes by the power of the Holy Spirit. We must yield to Him, put Him in the driver’s seat. This is what it means to “be filled with the Spirit.” See Galatians 5:16-17; Ephesians 4:30; 5:18.

Further, spiritual transformation is a process. It doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time and persistence and dedication. It requires building godly habits like Bible reading and private prayer and church attendance, and then continuing in them.

5. Knowing God’s will requires ministry (Romans 12:3-6).

To know God’s perfect will it is not enough to surrender to Christ and to separate from the world and to read the Bible; we must also get busy serving the Lord. It is not a matter of waiting around for something to happen; it is a matter of getting busy doing what I know that I should do at any given time, and as I do this, God leads me in His perfect will step by step, day by day, week by week, year by year. As we read the Bible we must obey the Bible, and if we do this we are walking in God’s will.

In Romans 12 we are reminded that there are two aspects to the ministry. There is a general ministry (Romans 12:9-21) and a specific ministry (Romans 12:6-8). Every believer has a particular gift and ministry, and we find that particular calling by getting busy in God’s general calling, which involves walking in obedience and holiness. As the believer does the things that he knows God wants him to do, such as obeying one’s parents and loving one’s wife and honoring one’s husband and being faithful to church and sharing the gospel and separating from evil things and tithing and praying, God leads him along and reveals His particular calling more and more clearly.

We see in Romans 12 that knowing God’s will requires sober thinking (Romans 12:3). This means I must not think too highly of myself. It involves humility. I must not think that God has given me more than He has. For example, there is a two-foot-tall man in Nepal. He is the world’s shortest man. The Bible says that God made him, and if he were to put his faith in Christ and seek God’s will, he would find that he has a specific calling, but he would have to accept his place. If he were to aspire to be a professional basketball player, he would doubtless be sorely frustrated and disappointed! There are people who can’t sing well that want to be singers, and people who aren’t good with children who want to work in children’s ministries, and men who can’t preach who want to be preachers, and men who aren’t qualified to be pastors who want to be pastors. I have seen many men who have not been content to be what God has called them; they want to be something else, and as a result they cause frustration in their own lives and confusion in the church.

To think soberly also means the believer should not think too lowly of himself. Every believer has a special calling and an important place in the Lord’s work in this present world. In the human body there are many members, and each one of them is important to the overall function of the body. The same is true in the church.

We are also reminded in Romans 12 that the church is essential for knowing God’s will. Paul mentions “the body” in verse 4. That is a reference to the church. It is the pillar and ground of the truth and the house of God (1 Timothy 3:15). It is the God-ordained institution of training and discipling. It is the place of spiritual protection. It is the headquarters for world evangelism (Acts 13:1-4).

Knowing God’s will is not complicated. It simply involves starting where you are and obeying God step by step. See Psalms 37:23.

I have never met a person who regretted finding God’s perfect will, but I have met many that have regretted missing God’s perfect will. Don’t be foolish and throw away the wonderful opportunity that you have to surrender your life to God and to pursue His perfect will.

To make major decisions, such as about marriage and job and education, apart from God’s perfect will is dangerous in the extreme.