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A QUESTION OF GIFTS

 

Peter with pentecost

Paul with corinth

the word of god with love

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rev. Dr. Robert E. Donaldson

 

Th.D., M.A. (Hons.), B.D., B.A., Dip.Ed.,

of the Presbyterian Church in America

References to The Shadow of a Mighty Rock (1992 & 1996)

are to a trilogy on Christian apologetics, by the author, also

published ON THE WEB by –

 

World Wide Web Witness Inc.

This work:

1996

Revised January 1998

 

ISBN 0 9586992 5 9

 

 

I. INTRODUCTION

Many are and have for years been exercised by certain questions relating to Pentecostal teachings. Indeed we might think of some of the chief of these as:

QUESTIONS: QUAINT,
QUERULOUS,
QUIRKISH OR ... SINCERE.

Are unintelligible tongues commanded by the Bible for the churches ?

Should they have major emphasis ?

Are they a necessary or sure sign of conversion ? or of some kind of sanctification ?

If they occur, should they be a joint church act ? or single ?

How do they compare with intelligible speech for the purposes of God in churches ?

What is their real thrust and purpose ?

The panoramic place of Pentecostalism, amid modern movements, in the terrain of history, is of great interest. This however is not regarded until the epilogue, lest the basic questions be confused. Yet when these are done, and we have examined its particular features, its place broadly in our time will be of more interest, and more profitable to consider.

Does such a thing as unintelligible speech, with or without someone to try to explain it, make it right to join with any others, of whatever beliefs, who also so speak ?

How do tongues relate to the word of God, in its teaching, in its preaching ?

What happened at Pentecost in this regard, and what at Corinth ?

Should Pentecostalism be called Corinthianism ?
Why ? or why not ?

What is 'Holy Laughter', and how does it relate to the Bible ... and to 'tongues' ?

Was such a thing as speaking in tongues predicted in the Old Testament ? if so, for what purpose ?

CONTENTS

I. Introduction (above)

II. A Question of Gifts 1-37

III. Mark 16:17 and Acts 11:17,

on Tongues
39-47

IV. The Tongue of Truth and Brotherly Love

49-57

V. Pentecostalism - and Frequent

Mistakes, Misinterpretations -
in brief

59-64

VI. Pathology : A Panorama for Pentecostalism
and a Place for Rome 65-71
 

VII. On the All-Sufficiency of God
and the Covenantal Keeping
of the Contrite 73-76
 

VIII. Survey of Sights in the Relevant Scene
- The End of the Rocky Road:

Moving from Regulative Dangers
from Experience
to Determinative Powers for it:

Surveying in the Context of Pathology:

Elements of Pentecostalism, Schullerism,

the World Council of Churches, and

the Confession of 1967
77-81
 

IX. Finale ... Christ, Signs and

Salvation
83-91
 

X. Appendix 1

A Spiritual Supplement on Seeking Guidance
93-100
 

XI. Appendix 2

A Structural Supplement
on Prophets and Prophetesses
101-112
 

XII. Appendix 3

on 'Holy Laughter'
113-123
 

XIII. Appendix 4
on
multi-functionality of gifts

125-131

 

See Also ELTHAM on
Tongues and Authority, the Bible and Revelation,
for a brief pithy summary.

 

Robert E. Donaldson Th.D.

1996 (Revised January 1998)

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