Program 170: Speaking in Tongues

Modern glossolalia does not fit the Biblical description of speaking in tongues, which was always given for sharing the gospel and, without exception, given in a known language.

Welcome to WLC Radio, a subsidiary of World’s Last Chance Ministries, an online ministry dedicated to learning how to live in constant readiness for the Savior's return.

For two thousand years, believers of every generation have longed to be the last generation. Contrary to popular belief, though, Christ did not give believers “signs of the times” to watch for. Instead, he repeatedly warned that his coming would take even the faithful by surprise. Yahushua urgently warned believers to be ready because, he said, “The Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” [Matthew 24:44]

WLC Radio: Teaching minds and preparing hearts for Christ's sudden return.

* * *Part 1: (Miles & Dave)

Miles Robey: Language. Without some form of language, it’s very difficult to communicate, but not all languages are spoken. In addition to sign language, one language called La Gomera, which is used off the coast of Spain, consists entirely of whistles!

Hi, I’m Miles Robey and you’re listening to World’s Last Chance Radio.

A language of whistles. Do you think that would be hard to learn, Dave?

Dave Wright: That’s really interesting. Makes me wonder if the grammar is more rudimentary. Just how complex of ideas can you communicate by whistling?

Miles: I don’t know. As you know, languages and words have always fascinated me. Did you know that people who speak Chinese use both hemispheres of their brain but people who speak English use only their left brain?

Dave: No, I didn’t know that. I wonder if that explains why an artistic-type of person struggles with English grammar even if it’s his or her native tongue.

Miles: Doesn’t everyone struggle with grammar?

Dave: No, I wouldn’t say so, although English grammar is more straightforward than most other languages. It’s our spelling that is so atrocious with so many exceptions to the rules.

Miles: That’s what we get for adopting so many words from other languages. English has the largest vocabulary of any language in the world with over 250,000 words in it.

Dave: Cambodian has the largest alphabet. Care to guess how many letters it has?

Miles: Uh … 35? 40?

Dave: More.

Miles: More? Uh, 60?

Dave: Try seventy-four.

Miles: Wow! That would take awhile to learn.

But yeah, I like languages and enjoy words.

Dave: How many do you speak?

Miles: Only two, but I’m working on a third. You can never know too many.

Dave: And knowing multiple languages can make for some interesting experiences.

Miles: How do you mean?

Dave: Well, a woman by the name of Amina Chentouf tells about an interesting experience she had while visiting Cairo. Now, I don’t know where she’s from originally, but she was visiting Cairo with her husband and daughter and decided she wanted to visit a famous bazar called the Khan El Khalili bazar. Her husband and daughter weren’t that interested, so she went by herself while they did something else.

She enjoyed the cultural experience, sauntering along, looking at the wares for sale in the little shops. Now, I don’t know if it was her appearance or the way she was dressed, but it was clear that she was a foreigner. In one colorful little shop, she asked the clerk what the price was for a particular item that caught her eye.

Turning to another man, the clerk asked in Arabic, “Hey! How much you want to charge this foreigner for this?”

Miles: Uh-oh! And what did he say?

Dave chuckles: You can see where this is going, can’t you?

“Charge her five times the initial price,” the other man said. “These stupid foreigners always pay!”

So, the first man turns back and says, “If you are interested, Madame, you can get it for almost nothing.”

Miles: And she knew this because?

Dave: Because Arabic is her native language, too!

Miles laughs: Oh, no! So what happened?

Dave: Well, she informed him in perfect Arabic that this foreigner had no interest in purchasing anything from him, turned, and walked out.

Miles: Yeah, you have to be careful. The world’s become so small a place. You should never assume that no one around you understands what you’re saying even if it’s not the native tongue commonly spoken there.

And speaking of tongues, let’s talk about “speaking in tongues.” Paul had quite a bit to say about that in 1 Corinthians 12. First let me ask, is speaking in tongues something everyone can do, and is it something a true Christian should be able to do?

Dave: That’s a good question. A number of Christians believe that the ability to speak in tongues, which Scripture says is a gift of the spirit, is something that is proof you have the spirit.

Miles: Sooo … basically a litmus test of how devout or committed or real a Christian you are?

Dave: Well, that’s what it often comes down to. And, as you can imagine, the pressure is immense. If everyone around you is “speaking in tongues” there’s going to be a tremendous amount of peer pressure to do the same thing, to prove that you’re a committed Christian, too.

Miles: Sure! I hate to say it, but Christians can be the most judgmental, critical individuals around. It’s really too bad and not like Christ at all.

Dave: No. More like the Pharisees than Christ. So, why don’t you grab your Bible there, turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 12 and let’s take a look at what Paul is really saying about tongues and the gifts of the spirit.

Miles: Okay … 1 Corinthians 12 … and which verses?

Dave: Well, let’s just start with verse 1 and make our way through the chapter. It’s important to read the entire thing because this chapter has been misused by quoting some part of it and ignoring other parts.

Miles: All right. It says, uh …

Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Yahushua be cursed,” and no one can say, “Yahushua is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. [1 Corinthians 12:1-3]

Dave: So this is just basic. You’re not going to curse Yahushua if you’re speaking under the inspiration of Yah’s spirit. Likewise, with our fallen natures, we’re not going to be able to see and appreciate Yahushua for who he is except by Yah’s spirit.

That’s just foundational. Now, he’s going to expound and talk about what sets apart believers as different. Go ahead. Verse 4.

Miles: “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.” [Verses 4 to 6.]

Dave: This is still basic info, but it’s important. Here he’s saying there are different kinds of gifts. They’re not all the same, but it’s still Yah’s spirit that dispenses them.

Keep going.

Miles:

Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. [Verses 7 to 11.]

Dave: This passage—what is it? Verses 7 to 11?

Miles: Yeah.

Dave: This is the crux of where people get off and this is what we need to talk about today. There are some very sincere Christians that take this passage to mean that every true Christian will manifest all of the gifts listed here. In fact, the presence—or absence—of what Paul calls “gifts” are taken as evidence of the individual believer’s level of devotion or sincerity.

Miles: I’ve encountered that belief before and, yeah. It really does bring a lot of pressure to bear on the individual. In fact, I’ve wondered if this is the basis for the modern practice of “speaking in tongues.”

Dave: What—the passage? Or the pressure to prove your devotion as a true Christian?

Miles: Well, both. Obviously, this is the passage you’d point to, but also the pressure to prove you can speak in tongues, too. And so what they do is just a bunch of gibberish. Have you ever actually been to a service where they “speak in tongues”? It’s just gibberish. The words have no meaning.

And yet, that’s not how speaking in tongues is presented in Scripture.

Dave: You’re right. In fact, let’s take a moment to read how speaking in tongues is described in Scripture so we have that comparison fresh in our minds. Why don’t you turn to Acts chapter 2?

This is, of course, the Day of Pentecost when the apostles were baptized with the holy spirit. And one of the effects was the ability to speak in tongues. Not gibberish, but other real languages. Why don’t you start reading at, uh … verse 5?

Miles:

Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of [Yah] in our own tongues!”

Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”

Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.” [Acts 2:5-13]

Dave: I was counting up as you were reading and, in addition to the Aramaic spoken in Israel at that time, if you assign a language to every place there mentioned in that list, you’ve got 14 different languages! Judah is listed, but they spoke Aramaic there. So 14 different languages in addition to Aramaic!

Miles: It sounds like different believers were speaking different languages.

Dave: It does, and they probably were. But drop down now to verse 14 and start reading there.

Miles:

Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:

“‘In the last days, [Elohim] says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy,
your young men will see visions,
your old men will dream dreams.
Even on my servants, both men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.’” [Acts 2:14-18]

Dave: So here we have Peter speaking to the crowd. His sermon goes on for quite a ways more, but let me ask you this: is this crowd all hearing Peter for themselves? Or are the other apostles translating for Peter in the 14-plus different languages spoken by the people in the crowd?

Miles: Uh … no. There’s no indication that the crowd needed Peter’s sermon to be translated. They all understood what he was saying.

Dave: So, in a sense, you could say the crowd had the “gift of interpretation,” couldn’t you? They could all understand what he was saying.

Miles: Right. And it wasn’t gibberish!

Dave: No. It was a very well-thought-out, well-presented sermon. The point is, it was understandable. You look up every single instance where “speaking in tongues” is described in the Bible, and it was all with known languages. No gibberish like with modern glossolalia.

But that’s what you get when your native tongue is, say, Hindi, but you don’t suddenly have the ability to speak Japanese, or Quichua, or whatever, but you still have to prove you’re a true Christian. So you open your mouth and what comes out?

Miles: Gibberish. Made-up sounds.

Dave: Right. That’s a huge difference between Biblical speaking in tongues and the modern equivalent. Modern “speaking in tongues” can’t be understood by anyone so what’s the point? I know they’ll claim they’re “speaking to God,” but that’s not why the spirit gifts the gift of tongues.

Miles: Well, sometimes they’ll have someone stand up to interpret what’s being said.

Dave: Sure. And they’ll base that on, uh, verse 10 where the “interpretation of tongues” is listed as a gift of the spirit. But again, we saw the real version of that in Acts 2 where the entire crowd was given the gift of “interpretation of tongues” so that they all understood what Peter was saying. But he wasn’t standing up there babbling mumbo-jumbo nonsense. He was speaking a known language, probably Aramaic, and they were all able to understand what he said.

Miles: So, in a way, the gift of “hearing.”

Dave: Right. Now, we’re working our way through chapter 12 of 1 Corinthians, but I want you to flip over really quickly to chapter 14 because there’s a verse here that shares an important principle about Yahuwah, and it applies here in chapter 12 as much as it does in chapter 14.

Miles: 1 Corinthians 14?

Dave: And verse 33. What does that tell us about Yahuwah?

Miles: “For [Yahuwah] is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.”

Dave: Just as Yahuwah invites in Isaiah 1:18 to “Come now and let us reason together,” in the New Testament, He is still a God of logic, reason, and rationality. He doesn’t manifest the weighty matters of truth in nonsensical gibberish.

Miles: So how does this passage which, so far—I know we haven’t read through the entire chapter yet, but so far—is quite clear. How does it get twisted into being a standard by which one can assess one’s own level of devotion and judge whether or not another is a true Christian?

Dave: Well, there are different explanations given. For example, some people say that the context of these gifts is what should, or can be, manifested in a church meeting. Obviously, not everyone would speak in tongues in the meeting or you’d never get anything done!

This itself is a twist, though. When you take this passage in context with the rest of the chapter, it’s clearly speaking about believers as a whole.

Believers, as members of the body of Christ, have different functions. Not just in church meetings, but as members of the body of Christ. That is the context of this chapter. To claim otherwise is to twist it out of context.

Miles: That’s certainly true. You can see that in verses 9 and 10. Paul lists gifts of healing and working miracles as gifts of the spirit, too.

Dave: Right. But no one is saying that someone, in a church meeting, should stand up and work a miracle or raise the dead or whatever!

Miles: That would certainly be a meeting to remember!

We’re going to take a quick break and when we return, maybe you could explain further how this passage is twisted to support the modern talking in tongues which is so different from what’s described in the Bible.

Dave: Yeah, sure!

Miles: We’ll be right back.

* * *

Advertisement

One of Yahuwah’s greatest gifts is the gift of companionship and friendship with a life partner. Even in paradise, Adam was lonely! Being able to go through life, sharing its joys and sorrows with your best friend, is truly a divine gift.

Sadly, today more marriages end in divorce than ever before. Plenty of studies have been done showing what issues lead to problems in marriage which, if left unresolved, can culminate in divorce. This is valuable information to have. But there are also secrets to having a lasting, happy marriage that enriches one’s life and gives glory to Yah.

If you are married or thinking about getting married, look on our website for the article entitled, “The Mathematics of Marriage.” You can also listen to the program entitled “The Secret to a Successful Marriage.” [Program 90] Your marriage doesn’t have to join the growing numbers of divorce rates across the world. Learn how you can fully embrace Yah’s gift of a lifetime partner. Read “The Mathematics of Marriage” on WorldsLastChance.com. You can also listen to “The Secret to a Successful Marriage” on our website or on YouTube!

* * *Part 2: (Miles & Dave)

Miles: So you said there was another explanation given for the gifts of the spirit being something we should be seeing and doing today?

Dave: Yes, and this is probably the most damaging explanation and is probably the one most responsible for the modern assumption that all this gibberish they do meets the Biblical definition of speaking in tongues, and that is the belief that a true believer should have the ability to operate all gifts all the time.

Now, obviously, not everyone does, so that leaves you with just one conclusion to draw, and that is that they are either unwilling or lack sufficient faith to do so.

Miles: So … guilt.

Dave: Well, they’ll concede that certain people have different strengths and so they’re more naturally adept at one gift or another, but yes: the expectation is that a truly devout Christian will have the ability to operate all gifts all the time. So, again, there’s a burden of guilt on everyone who doesn’t.

Miles: And let’s face it: under that kind of pressure, wouldn’t you let loose a stream of gibberish instead of trying to heal someone who’s on their death bed from cancer?

Dave: Sure! One is easier to fake than the other. But this really comes from a misinterpretation of what Paul is saying here, especially in the early part of chapter 12. Read verses 4 to 7 again, would you?

Miles: “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all.”

Dave: Verse 7. The word, “but.” “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one …” Some Christians emphasize this word, explaining that the use of this word provides a contrast between what came before to what follows next.

Miles: Sooo … “manifestations” are different from “gifts”?

Dave: That’s what they say, yes. So the nine things listed after verse 7 are all manifestations of one gift.

However, that’s imposing a meaning on Scripture that isn’t supported by the original text.

Miles: How do you mean?

Dave: Well, generally the word translated into English as “but” comes from the Greek, alla. This is the word used to mark a strong contrast—which is what they’re saying Paul is trying to do here. But if you look up the actual word, it’s not alla in the original Greek. Instead, it’s de. This word just marks a transition between phrases. In fact, it can be translated as moreover, now, thus, or even and!

Why don’t you read that again, only this time, use the word “and” instead of “but.” Just read verses 4 and 7.

Miles: “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. … And the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all.”

Dave: You can also correctly translate it as: “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. … Thus the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all.”

So, to hang your entire doctrinal point on translating it “but” is incorrect and gets people off the point.

Read verses 7 to 10 again, using “thus.”

Miles:

Thus the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.

Dave: The thing I want you to notice here is that these are all different ways the spirit is manifested but there is nothing here to suggest that they’re all manifestations of the same gift. In fact, if you compare this list of various gifts with other passages of Scripture, you’ll see that these are all gifts, listed in no particular order, and not even an exhaustive list at that!

Miles: Where else does it list gifts of the spirit? I think most of us think of 1 Corinthians 12 when we think of gifts of the spirit.

Dave: Well, uh … there’s Ephesians 4:11 to 13, and—

Miles: Hold on a second. Let me find that. It says:

And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ;

Dave: 1 Peter 4:10 and 11.

Miles:

As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of [Yah]. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of [Yah]. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which [Yah] supplies, that in all things [Yahuwah] may be glorified through Yahushua Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Dave: Romans 12:4 to 8?

Miles:

For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our faith; or ministry, let us use it in our ministering; he who teaches, in teaching; he who exhorts, in exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.

Dave: So you can see that the list in 1 Corinthians 12 is by no means an exhaustive list.

Another important point that is easy to overlook is found in verse 7 of 1 Corinthians 12. Why don’t you read that again? 1 Corinthians 12 verse 7.

Miles: “But—[or thus]—the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all.”

Dave: Notice that the word “manifestation” is singular. It’s not “manifestationS.” It’s simply “manifestatioN.” Singular. The manifestation is the showing forth of the presence of the spirit. There may be and are many different ways the spirit shows forth, but it’s the same spirit. In other words, the proof of the spirit is given to each believer for the common good.

I remember being told once that the “to” in verse 8 should actually be translated “for” and that the word “one” refers to “one profit.”

Miles: Okay, you’ve lost me.

Dave: Read verse 8 again.

Miles: “For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit.”

Dave: Okay, I was told that it should “really” read, quote: “For one PROFIT is given the word of wisdom, and to another [profit] the word of knowledge.”

Miles: Wait a minute. You were told that only prophets were given these gifts? Like Elijah and Elisha?

Dave: You’re thinking of “prophet” as in P-R-O-P-H-E-T. I’m meaning “profit” as in P-R-O-F-I-T.

Miles: Ohhh! Okay. That makes more sense.

Dave: The thing is, there’s nothing in the Greek to support that and it would actually be a mistranslation to impose that meaning.

I think the most common way people misconstrue this passage, though, is to insist that the closer to Yah a believer is, the more devout he or she is, the more all of these gifts will be manifested.

Miles: I noticed that in verse 11 it says: “But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as he wills.”

Who’s the “he” referring to here? The spirit? Or the believer?

Dave: That’s a really good question. Christians who claim that the truly devout will manifest all gifts of the spirit insist that the “he” refers to the individual believer. But when you read that verse in context with the rest of the chapter, is that really what it’s saying? Read from verse 12 and let’s take a look at this in context.

Miles:

For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member but many.

If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now [Yahuwah] has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one member, where would the body be? [1 Corinthians 12:12-19]

Dave: This is a brilliant metaphor Paul is crafting here, and it clarifies just who the pronoun is in verse 11. The pronoun in verse 18 is clear. It’s talking about Yahuwah.

Miles: “But now [Yahuwah] has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased.”

Dave: This is the context of verse 11. So, it is reasonable to deduce that the “he” in verse 11 is referring to the spirit of Yah, and not the individual believer. That’s what is consistent.

Also, in verses 7 to 11, it’s clear that to one believer is given one gift, while to another believer is given another gift and that is supported by his metaphor of a body. So, it’s not as the person wills, but as Yahuwah wills.

Miles: Yeah, I’ve always liked this illustration. You can just hear the smile in Paul’s voice as he asks, “If the foot should say, ‘Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,’ is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, ‘Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,’ is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling?” I love it! That’s a great passage.

Dave: Pay attention to what Paul is not saying here, too. What he’s not saying is just as important as what he is saying.

His point is that Yahuwah has designed a function for every part, and every part is to perform the function assigned. However, he does not say that every part can be every other part if they just will hard enough or have enough faith. The eye can’t be the ear; the foot can’t be the hand if it just has strong enough faith.

Miles: That’s true. It doesn’t say that every individual part should aspire to do every function.

Dave: No! Each individual part has its own function and Yahuwah chooses which part does which function. Yahuwah chooses, not the part choosing for itself.

Miles: You can see that same thing in our work here at WLC. There are the content creators that write for the website and produce narration scripts for the videos. Then there are the many, many translators. There are also those who make the videos, and those who work with the radio programs in the different languages. Then, there are people involved with the technical aspects of posting and updating the website, uploading to YouTube and Twitter. It’s a huge operation but no one person’s work is more important than another’s. It takes all of us to do what we do.

Dave: I thought the content creators uploaded their own work.

Miles: Nope! In fact, I have it on good authority that the person that’s probably our most prolific content creator is, shall we say, “technologically challenged.” If tasked with uploading as well as writing, nothing would ever be added to the website. It takes others, more skilled and knowledgeable in that area, to keep the website current.

Dave: Well, take us, for instance. We broadcast in English. There’s no way we could reach the listening audience of those who broadcast in Arabic, or Hindi, or Mandarin.

Miles: It’s true.

Dave: I really want to get through to the end of this chapter. Would you pick up where you left off? Which verse is that?

Miles: Ummmm … picking up at verse 20. It says:

But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But [Yahuwah] composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. [1 Corinthians 12:20-26]

Dave: Now he’s coming to the climax of this entire chapter.

Miles:

Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. And [Yahuwah] has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way. [1 Corinthians 12:27-31]

Dave: So, this is the point. We’re all members of one body: the body of Christ. Just as Yahuwah formed Adam’s body from the dust of the ground and assigned a certain work to the ears that’s a different work from that given the feet, so has He also assigned us our own particular work as members of Christ’s body.

But we’re all sinners. We’ve still got our fallen natures. We like to assign greater or lesser importance to various body parts just as we like to assign greater or lesser importance to the gifts of the spirit. But that’s not Yah’s plan for us. We’re to work cooperatively with the rest of the body of Christ, always esteeming others as more important than ourselves. And if one part is given the gift of tongues, that would be like part of the body being the mouth. And if another is given the gift of healing, that would be like part of the body being the hands. One is not more important than another, but each is vital in the role Yah has assigned it.

Miles: We always like to puff ourselves up, don’t we?

Dave: It’s our fallen natures which is why, from here, Paul shows his readers “a more excellent way” and that more excellent way, of course, is 1 Corinthians 13, also known as “the love chapter.”

But this entire notion that every believer should possess every gift of the spirit is an idea that has been imposed upon this passage. When you read it in context, it’s clear that Yah gives different gifts to different people.

Miles: I was noticing the marginal reading here for the word “tongues.” “Tongues” sounds so … mysterious, which is why those involved in modern-day glossolalia call their gibberish a “tongue” and claim they’re “speaking to God.” But the marginal reading is simply “languages.”

“Language” by definition is the “communication of thoughts and feelings through a system of arbitrary signals, such as voice sounds, gestures, or written symbols.”

Communication must be two-way. Therefore, by definition, the meaningless, nonsensical gibberish of modern “speaking in tongues” doesn’t fit what the Bible is describing as being a gift of the spirit.

Dave: No, it really doesn’t.

Miles: All right. Stay tuned. Up next, Dave is going to share the secrets of having rock-solid confidence in Yah. We’ll be right back.

* * *

You are listening to World's Last Chance Radio.

WLC Radio: Teaching minds and preparing hearts for Christ's sudden return.

* * *Advertisement

World’s Last Chance provides more than radio programs. Visit our website for articles, videos, computer apps, Bible study aids and more!

WorldsLastChance.com. Preparing a people for Christ’s sudden return.

* * *Daily Mailbag (Miles & Dave)

Miles: Today’s question from our daily mailbag is coming to us from Qatar!

Dave: Where?

Miles: Qatar.

Dave: Huh! I think that’s the first time we’ve had a question from there. Exciting, isn’t it, to see our listening audience spreading!

Miles: Yeah, it is. Qatar is one country that fascinates me. It’s been ranked as the safest country in the entire world.

Dave: What? A middle eastern country ranked as the safest?

Miles: Surprising, isn’t it? But the Numbeo Crime Index ranked Qatar as the safest country in the world with the lowest amount of crime. This was in 2017, 2019, 2020 and again in 2021.

Dave: Wow! So how’d we compare? Where does England fall?

Miles: Weeeell . . . we didn’t do so well, I’m afraid. The United Kingdom came in down at #71.

Dave: Ooo! Ouch.

Miles: China came in at #30.

Dave: Seriously? And we came in behind China?

Miles: Don’t worry. You can dial down your competitive nature. The US came in at #80.

Dave: Yeah, that makes me feel better. Which country was considered the most dangerous?

Miles: For 2021? It was Venezuela. The interesting thing about Qatar is that its safety records make it a really attractive place for expats. Only 12% of the population are actually Qataris. The rest of the population are all foreigners attracted to the good weather and laid-back lifestyle. It’s become quite the melting pot.

Dave: Interesting. I never knew that. So, what’s our question for today?

Miles: Well, it’s one I think a lot of our listeners will be able to relate to. It says: “How are some people so confident in Yahuwah? No matter what happens in their lives, their confidence remains strong. It’s something I have always struggled with. I want to have confidence like that but, if I’m being strictly honest, I don’t. How can I have confidence like that, too?”

Dave: The secret to having rock-solid confidence in Yahuwah is in having a personal relationship with Him. Not one where your experience is limited to listening to a sermon about Him once a week, but one where you are personally acquainted with Him.

Basically, what it boils down to is confidence comes from personal knowledge. For example, if I were to come to you and tell you about, say . . . a dentist. No one likes going to the dentist. But if I were to tell you about a new dentist I’d gone to that was able to help me and was very gentle and good and didn’t hurt, you’d be interested, but you might still be worried and even scared when you went to your first appointment with her. However, if—based on your own experience with the dentist—you found that everything I’d claimed was true and then some, you’d have confidence in this dentist being good and careful and not painful. You see what I’m saying?

Miles: Yeah. It’s the difference between personal experience versus hearsay.

Dave: Right. Hearsay can be believable but if someone more convincing comes along, your beliefs can change. On the other hand, personal experience is far more convincing because you experienced something for yourself, so you know for yourself something is true based on your own experience.

Let’s take a moment here. I want you to think about someone important to you, someone you really trust. And, just to make it a little more challenging, it can’t be a parent. You have a name in mind?

Miles: Yep!

Dave: All right, then. Tell me: how did you learn to trust this person?

Miles: Well, uh … I spent time with her. I got to know her. I shared with her plans and hopes and dreams; my beliefs. I listened as she shared with me. And, as we got to know each other, we had experiences that proved to both of us we could trust the other person.

Dave: That’s how friendships are formed. That’s how trust is developed and a trusting relationship with Yahuwah is no different. You have to actually put in the time getting to know Him on a personal level if you want to have confidence in Him. Spending time in His word every morning is a great way to get to know Him.

Also, talk to Him! Not just a running list of all your needs and wants, but about the little things, too.

Miles: Yeah, I’ve noticed that my day just seems to go better when I start it with prayer. I know mornings—especially workday mornings—are always busy. But allowing time for prayer really sets the day up right. Have you noticed that, too?

Dave: Absolutely! But I’m not just talking about prayer following your morning devotions, although that’s important, too. You don’t have to be kneeling with your hands folded and your head bowed when you talk to Yah. Talk to Him throughout the day! On your way to work, before an important business call. Let your thoughts go to Him. You can chat with Him about the little matters, too. This is how we develop friendships with other humans; it’s how we can develop one with our Creator, too.

Miles: I like how you said that. Chatting with Yah about the unimportant things, too. It’s so easy to pray vending-machine prayers. You know what I mean?

Dave: Uh … why don’t you tell us what you mean?

Miles: Well, you put in some money or swipe your card at a vending machine, and you get out of it what you expect to get. (Usually!) A lot of people pray that way. They go through the motions: kneel, bow their head, fold their hands, close their eyes. Perhaps use a bit more formal language: thee’s and thou’s. You know what I mean. Then they begin their prayers but it’s often nothing but a list of asks! “Help me remember what I studied for this test; help me say the right words to this client …” Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. It’s all “Help me, give me; give me, help me.” And there’s nothing wrong with asking for Yah’s help. He wants us to! But how many of us take time to actually thank Him for all He does for us? How many of us have prayed prayers where absolutely nothing was asked for?

Dave: Hmmm. That’s a good point. Reminds me of something I read once. It was a question and it asked: “What if you woke up tomorrow and the only things you had were what you’d thanked Yahuwah for the day before?”

Miles: Uh … yeah. I think most of us would be rather poor!

Dave: Powerful thought, isn’t it? So, again, getting know to Yahuwah on an experiential basis for yourself is the key to having confidence in Him.

I’d like to share just a few Bible verses on having confidence in Yah. Would you please turn to Proverbs 14 and read verse 26 for us? That’s Proverbs 14:26.

Miles: Uh … yeah … it says: “In the fear of Yahuwah there is strong confidence, and His children will have a place of refuge.”

Dave: When we know Yahuwah as it is our privilege to know Him—not based on hearsay but based on our own personal experience with Him—then we will have strong confidence no matter what happens in life.

Now, turn to Jeremiah 17 and read verses 7 and 8. This is a beautiful description of how our lives are impacted when we develop confidence in Yahuwah. You have it? Go ahead.

Miles:

But blessed is the one who trusts in Yahuwah,
whose confidence is in him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit.

Dave: Go to 1 John chapter 5 now and read verses 14 and 15. There’s nothing wrong with asking Yahuwah for what you need. Like you said a moment ago, He wants us to! But when we do, we need to take the time to notice when He answers our prayers because this is what will inspire confidence in our hearts that He hears us and cares for us. Go ahead: 1 John 5:14 and 15.

Miles: “This is the confidence we have in approaching [Yahuwah]: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of Him.”

Dave: This is why people who have confidence in Yah, have confidence no matter what is going on in their lives. Through sickness, through the loss of job or loved one, their confidence remains strong. Why? Because they know Yah and know that He loves them.

Okay. A couple more. Read Isaiah 40 verse 31 for us.

Miles: All right, uh … it says: “Those who hope in Yahuwah will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

Dave: Confidence in Yah is what gives the believer stamina to overcome every one of life’s trials.

Miles: I like Psalm 118 verse 8. It says: “It is better to trust in Yahuwah than to put confidence in man.”

Dave: Amen! Humans will fail us. After all, they’re only human. But Yahuwah never will.

This was something David knew well. He didn’t have an easy life! Let’s read what he had to say. Go to Psalm 27 and read the first three verses. If anyone had cause to fear, it was David but instead, no matter what happened, he maintained his confidence in Yahuwah. Go ahead. Psalm 27, verse 1 through 3.

Miles:

Yahuwah is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
Yahuwah is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?

When the wicked advance against me
to devour me,
it is my enemies and my foes
who will stumble and fall.
Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then I will be confident.

Hmm. What a great promise!

Dave: Exactly. To conclude, I’d like to read Romans 8 verses 31 and 32. It says: “What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If [Yah] is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own son, but gave him up for us all—how will He not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”

Miles: Don’t stop there! Keep going. I love Romans 8. If any chapter can inspire confidence in Yah, it’s this one. Starting at verse 35 it says:

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

No! In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of Yahuwah that is in Christ Yahushua our Lord. [See Romans 8:35, 37-39.]

Dave: Amen! That’s beautiful.

You want to develop confidence in Yahuwah? Spend time with Him on a one-on-one basis. Look for the ways He has already blessed you. Gratitude for gifts received inspires confidence, and confidence strengths faith and love.

Miles: So simple and yet so profound. It’s something each one of us can do to grow our confidence in our heavenly Father.

If you have questions, comments, or prayer requests, just go to WorldsLastChance.com and click on Contact Us. We look forward to hearing from you!

Up next is Elise O’Brien with another promise you’ll want to claim. Stay tuned!

* * *Daily Promise

Hello! This is Elise O’Brien with today’s daily promise from Yah’s word.

It was Monday evening, April 4, 2022. The night began as most other evenings. Seventeen-year-old Brittaney Deaton was sleeping in an RV trailer that was parked in her parents’ yard. Little did she, or her parents, know what awaited them.

Some time during the night, the wind picked up. It blew and blew hard. Brittaney woke up and knew by the violent rocking of the trailer that she needed to get to the safety of the house. However, when she tried to open the door, she found she couldn’t. The wind had blown so hard that it had actually wedged the trailer’s stairs against the door and they were now blocking it shut.

Meanwhile, Brittaney’s mother and stepfather had heard the winds of what later was determined to be an E-2 tornado. They knew Brittaney wasn’t safe. Shaun Zeleny, Brittaney’s stepfather, raced outside to make sure his stepdaughter made it safely inside. Shaun quickly unblocked the door but just as Brittaney jumped to the ground, a huge gust of wind shoved hard at the trailer. It rolled over Brittaney and Shaun, with Shaun’s body taking the brunt of the weight.

The weight was crushing. Power lines were down on roads so it took two hours before Shaun, lying in the mud severely injured, could get help. At the hospital, doctors discovered that in addition to a broken nose and broken femur, all of his ribs were broken, and one of his ears had been nearly ripped off and had to be sewn back on.

Shaun admits that, at the time, he thought he was going to die, but that fear was quickly replaced by determination to survive. He wanted to live for his wife and stepdaughter. Word spread of Shaun’s actions that likely saved Brittaney’s life. The media started calling him a hero, but Shaun quickly shrugged that aside. “Any loving parent would have sacrificed themselves for their children,” he said.

Watching the news footage of the event and the interviews of Shaun and his family, I was reminded of Yahuwah’s love for us. He will search through the darkest storm, overcome the greatest mountain of difficulties just to seek out and save the lost. And through it all, His love for us never wavers.

When you feel crushed by life’s unexpected trials, know that Yahuwah still cares, and He is still working everything out for your ultimate good.

One of my favorite gospel hymns says, quote:

Life is easy, when you’re up on the mountain
And you’ve got peace of mind, like you’ve never known
But things change, when you’re down in the valley
Don’t lose faith, for you’re never alone

For the God on the mountain, is still God in the valley
When things go wrong, he'll make them right
And the God of the good times, is still God in the bad times
The God of the day, is still God in the night

Ezekiel 34 says:

‘For thus says Adonai Yahuwah: “Indeed I Myself will search for My sheep and seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep, so will I seek out My sheep and deliver them from all the places where they were scattered on a cloudy and dark day … I will feed them in good pasture, and their fold shall be on the high mountains of Israel. There they shall lie down in a good fold and feed in rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I will feed My flock, and I will make them lie down,” says Adonai Yahuwah. “I will seek what was lost and bring back what was driven away, bind up the broken and strengthen what was sick.” [Ezekiel 34:11-12, 14-16]

We have been given great and precious promises. Go and start claiming!

* * *Part 3: (Miles & Dave)

Miles: So, this probably goes without saying after today’s program, but I just want to be crystal clear on this. Do you have to speak in tongues to be saved?

Dave: Well, let me ask you: do you have to buy your wife an anniversary present?

Miles: Uhhh … I’ll take that as a yes?

Dave: Seriously?

Miles: Well, you know what they say! “Happy wife, happy life!”

Dave: No, but seriously. Say you’ve lost your job. Money is tight. Do you really have to buy your wife a birthday present?

Miles: No. It’s an easy way to show her I love her, and she likes getting them, but a gift is a gift. There’s no “have to” about it.

Dave: And the same with speaking in other languages. It is a gift Yah gives when it is necessary for the sharing of the gospel. It’s certainly not something that somehow “proves” our devotion or Christianity, and its presence or absence should never be a standard by which we judge another’s spirituality. Ever. That’s just wrong.

Miles: Judging is just wrong. Christians should be the least judgmental people on earth, but too often we’re the most judgmental.

Dave: Sadly, you’re right. And that brings us to where Paul left off in chapter 12. He wanted, instead, to show his readers a “better way.” Why don’t you read that for us? 1 Corinthians chapter 13. And as you read, bear in mind that what Paul is describing here is what he calls “better” than speaking in tongues.

Go ahead.

Miles:

If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Dave: This is what we are to seek: the love that is patient and kind and forgives. Love that puts others above oneself and is never full of pride. When we do this, we won’t be judging ourselves or others on whether or not we think we or they possess—or lack—the gifts of the spirit. Those are Yah’s gifts to bestow as He sees fit. Our part is to love as Christ loves, without judgment.

Miles: Amen. Reminds me of that gospel song that says, “They will know we are Christians by our love.” That’s the light we’re to show the world: the love of Yah.

Join us again tomorrow, and until then, remember: Yahuwah loves you . . . and He is safe to trust!

* * *

You have been listening to WLC Radio.

This program and past episodes of WLC Radio are available for downloading on our website. They're great for sharing with friends and for use in Bible studies! They're also an excellent resource for those worshipping Yahuwah alone at home. To listen to previously aired programs, visit our website at WorldsLastChance.com. Click on the WLC Radio icon displayed on our homepage.

In his teachings and parables, the Savior gave no “signs of the times” to watch for. Instead, the thrust of his message was constant … vigilance. Join us again tomorrow for another truth-filled message as we explore various topics focused on the Savior's return and how to live in constant readiness to welcome him warmly when he comes.

WLC Radio: Teaching minds and preparing hearts for Christ's sudden return.