Speaking of tongues....
I believe it was the Lord who showed me that fruit of the Spirit is like the Fruit on the Tree of life in
Rev 22, and the leaves for
healing are the GIFTS of the Spirit. Leaves catch our attention. FRUIT provides something SUBSTANTIAL to people.
Jesus saw the fig tree full of leaves, but when He went to it He found NO FRUIT. So He cursed it. Fig trees are supposed to bear fruit when they have leaves.
Similarly, believers with lots of gifts and no fruit, like the Corinthians, are a reproach to the cause of Christ.
Paul said the GIFTS, when done IN THE CHURCH, are attention-grabbers. When tongues is given IN THE CHURCH, Paul said an interpretation should always follow. SUBSTANCE must be given to others, not just something to catch their attention.
Paul said he spoke with tongues more than anyone, BUT IN THE CHURCH he'd rather speak in the native language AND FEED SOMEONE with substance from God. Otherwise, he said the unlearned will think we're "mad".
He said that if we prophesy to them and give them something substantial, and more than letting them see tongues, and reveal secrets of their hearts, they will fall down on their faces and say God is in us.
There is too much disobedience to that 14th chapter of 1 Cor. Lots of tongues without interpretation. It does not matter if Bro So-and-so of a 3,000 member church does it or not, the BIBLE said that :
1 Corinthians 14:13-14 KJV (13) Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret. (14) For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is
unfruitful.
1 Corinthians 14:16-19 KJV (16) 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? (17) For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified. (18) I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all: (19) Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.
1 Corinthians 14:23-25 KJV (23) If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers,
will they not say that ye are mad? (24) But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: (25) And thus are
the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.
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