Do all the believers have the gift and authority

to speak in tongues and prophesy?

    When Paul said “I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy," he said it because many believers had those gifts within that church and he was trying to bring order to the procedures of the church; indeed there were many gifts of the Spirit in that church. Having said that, he was not saying to them that they can all prophecy or speak in tongues as if those gifts were given to all of them just because the all had the Holy Spirit. We must be careful not to create a false teaching and a false expectation, that the devil may then perpetuate in different ways to harm the Church.

Let's first see the following verses, as they are misused, separate, out of their context.

1Co 14:5 Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up.

1Co 14:23-24 / If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your minds?

24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all,...

1Co 14:31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged,

---We see, that taken out of context, this all may make someone think that they all had these gifts, but that is not the case. He is just telling them "When all of you that have the gift of tongues or prophesy, do it with/in order." The proof of this is so clear, one is left in awe at how this false teaching is still held by many. To start off, in light of verse 1 and the previous to last verse 39, they/we are clearly told:

1Co 14:1 Pursue love, and EARNESTLY DESIRE THE SPIRITUAL GIFTS, especially that you may prophesy.

1Co 14:39 So, my brothers, EARNESTLY DESIRE TO PROPHESY, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.

---In other words he is saying to them, You all don't have these gifts, I want you all to desire them and ask for them. As for all of you that have these gifts, I want you to use them, but in a god pleasing order.

This is again pointed out in verses 26-27:

1Co 14:26-27 / What then, brothers? When you come together, EACH ONE has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.

27 IF any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret.

--But there’s more where that came from.

   Even two chapters earlier, Paul uses the same words (!) with even further elaboration, clearly telling them that they DO NOT have the same gift and adds that they should all desire the higher gifts; listen:

1Co 12:29-31 / Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?

30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?

31 But EARNESTLY DESIRE THE HIGHER GIFTS gifts.......................

---So, Paul admonishes them three times to earnestly desire gifts, that is, gifts they don’t all have!! Yes, contrary to what many falsely teach, all genuine Christians DO NOT HAVE the gift of tongues, DO NOT HAVE the gift of prophecy. You must simply, GET OVER IT and stop leading brethren to fake these gifts, so to feel they belong and so that they are not of lesser spiritual quality!

And there’s more and more coming! Previously, two chapters prior, Paul had made this same fact clear to them saying:

(Pay attention to the words "each" and "to one" and "to another.")

1Co 12:7-11 / To EACH is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

8 For TO ONE is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and TO ANOTHER the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit,

9 TO ANOTHER faith by the same Spirit, TO ANOTHER gifts of healing by the one Spirit,

10 TO ANOTHER the working of miracles, TO ANOTHER prophecy, TO ANOTHER the ability to distinguish between spirits, TO ANOTHER various kinds of tongues, TO ANOTHER the interpretation of tongues.

11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions TO EACH ONE INDIVIDUALLY AS HE WILLS.

---So anyone teaching that all believers have the same gifts just because all have the Holy Spirit in them, is spreading a very dangerous false teaching.

    Last, but certainly not least, Paul writes the same to the Roman brethren:

Rom 12:4-8 / For as in one body we have many members, and the members DO NOT ALL HAVE THE SAME FUNCTION,

5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.

6 Having gifts THAT DIFFER ACCORDING TO THE GRACE GIVEN TO US, let us use them: IF prophecy, in proportion to our faith;

7 IF service, in our serving; THE ONE who teaches, in his teaching;

8 THE ONE who exhorts, in his exhortation; THE ONE who contributes, in generosity; THE ONE who leads, with zeal; THE ONE who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

----So, how can so many preachers teach contrary to such a clear teaching, is the troubling question... Even more, how do they get away with it? We can just marvel at how much out of context their teaching is... I mean, is Jesus Christ really the Shepherd leading them or have they handed over His authority to "pied pipers"?

    Will you (those it may concern) repent in front of your church if you perpetuated lies contrary to the above truth? God may remind you of this day, on that Day. May you allow your spirit to submit to Him in time, amen.

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