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There is an added perspective, which is crucial and confirmatory of all that precedes. It is this : the attitude of Jesus Christ Himself to SIGNS, in which the extraordinary and stunning would come (cf. that promised by Isaiah to King Ahaz, Isaiah, where the king was invited to ask! upwards to heaven, or downward to the abyss).

When JESUS was asked - What sign do you show us? He replied - NO SIGN!...(Matthew 12:38-39), "An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah". The sign - His burial and bodily resurrection on the analogy of the Prophet Jonah himself coming forth out of the burial in the large fish.

Of course there WERE a myriad of signs for those who would quietly, Scripture in hand, head and heart, choose to 'read them' - (cf. Matthew 11:4-6). The point however is this: those who sought signs were witheringly rebuked. There was enough already if their hearts were really willing; and they were sent to the chief areas, on which their souls would depend (cf. I Corinthians 15:1-3, 12-14). Isaiah 35 for example had already specified enough for close comparison with the inimitable and epochal woks of Christ. They were already without excuse.

Self-seeking blindness on the part of those who have merely to enter the light... is not approved. God in His bounty gives abundance; but to seek glut is greed.

It can also be imperious, ungodly or even connivance with the flesh, with its sensationalism and love of show.

At that, even the healing miracles could well be associated with warnings not to tell about them.¹⁵ There was a danger, too evident, that power and provision would become the centre of attention, not sin, sacrifice and redemption; and nowhere is it more evident than in the temptations from the devil (Matthew 4) and in the aftermath of the feeding of the 5000 (John 6:15-20). The king of experience, of sensation, of satisfaction, without the kingdom of heaven with its arduousness, redemption and simplicity of entrance (John 1:9,27-28): this was to be distanced, the people delivered from this cheap and soppy substitute for salvation and spirituality.

Thus SIGNS could be directly denied when requested at the initiative of those seeking the display of the gifts of God (and in particular the charismata, that sub-set - I Cor. 12:4 - which was so dramatically in force in Corinth). It is still the same (I Cor.12:11). Similarly the obsessive carnality of the disorder and profusion of rushing rabbles of 'gifts' was rebuked by Paul, in favour of edification in all things, of order and direction (I Corinthians 14).

Secondary matters could become primary; primary matters could be mishandled, misconstrued or not construed at all, panache and worldliness could invade by the Trojan horse of such seekings; but the necessity was to focus on the Cross through faith, without which the displays would merely dazzle (Galations 6:14).

Indeed, a further reason for divine discretion and wariness in giving such gifts is stated. It was to a "wicked and adulterous generation" that Christ said NO! to such requests, EXCEPT for the sign of the prophet Jonah. Many of them might not have believed that, though it is the most obvious of miracles; and if they did not, what further need was there? As Jesus had Abraham say to a sensationalistic request, in parable form, coming from a man in hell, who wanted his brothers warned (further than already): "If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead" - Luke 16:31. The thought of the man pictured in hell was this - If anyone goes to them from the dead, they will repent! Would they ? Multitudes in Israel did not.

'Signs' to add sensationalism to emotional indiscipline already present : these were not prescribed by the Great Physician.

He did His work, and in the process fulfilled the prophesied criteria of the Messiah, the divine identikit for recognition of the Christ. In the process, He distributed as He would , when He would and how He would. As Herod found, there is far from being an guarantee of the type of divine action that would satisfy a soured palate, a greedy heart, or some substitute for faith.

In this case we see Christ could act as if He had no ears, not responding at all to Herod's desire for an "exhibition" (Luke 23:6ff.).

This is the sort of thing that relates to one of the sources of 'Holy Laughter', by report : a threatening demand for God to act, or else ... the person praying would vent his displeasure! Herod certainly did; but he is not entirely commended, being named 'that fox'! (Cf. p. 8 supra.)

It is quite foolish and wholly unscriptural to make 'demands' of God. Leave that to the priests - as one of them says : What the priest says God has to do! But it is not so really : "Therefore, receiving a kingdom that cannot be moved, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and Godly fear : for our God is a consuming fire"(Hebrews 12:28-29); "Holy and reverend is his name" (Ps. 111:9); "God is greatly to be feared in the congregation of his saints, and to be had in reverence of all those who are about him" - Psalm 89:7, cf. Psalm 63; 69:29-33, 111:9-10, 119:20, 29:2: "Give to the Lord the glory due to His name: Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness." Even Christ was submissive at Gethsemane, and in doctrine spoke what His Father COMMANDED (John 12:49).

The sign to be given, then, by divine discretion and desire, it was this : the sign of the prophet Jonah, and Christ, Messiah would be buried and arise from the very ground, after being rejected by the elders and the priestly hierarchy, the ecclesiastical machinery, in this case, largely one of unbelief (Matthew 16:21).

Signs then are as He wills in terms of His higher purposes, are never for or in themselves; the spectacular may invade for a season (as with Elijah, Elisha), but various forms of judgment, rebuke and discretion can affect the willingness of that same Lord who rebuked Herod with no response, to suffer the insolent desires, or greedy ramblings of experientially footloose, existentially vagrant or merely childish disciples.

Thus, to ponder the case of Mark 16: taking poison - rather being given it - without harm may indeed occur - at God's discretion. I have trusted Him more than once in dubious circumstances in this regard, while bent upon His work. It is however no automated phenomenon, as has been demonstrated earlier. As to the 'new tongues' already discussed for the same scripture, earlier: if the 'newness' means savoury spiritual speech with salt, it does indeed follow, and that broadly; though it is not always or in all equally conspicuous. Non-sensationalist, non-exhibitionist, non-grabbing, non-compulsive, non-obsessive speaking with tongues may also occur, from time to time, if deemed apt by the Almighty; and as to that, there is more than a little doubt. In Paul's priority list, 5 words with MIND versus 10,000 without it, is more than good measure. Such things therefore are doubly not to be sought: it is presumption, first, and false priority, second.

In fact the babble-type tongues are not even mentioned in 2 of the 3 chief references to the gifts in the body of Christ, in Paul's writings - namely Romans 12 and Ephesians 4. This relatively obscure gift, then, can operate in the seasons of God's choice, and in the situations He considers to demand it. As to these (point 8, pp. 9ff. supra), they have an elemental involvement in rebuke of one kind or another. In one aspect, it is like caning: it IS sensational, certainly, but it is both more than that, and less than the lovely thing that might perhaps have been, instead ... Indeed, the sort of "new tongue" which is certainly required is the one coming from an "illuminated" spirit (Ephesians 1:17-18), the meaning applied through the force of the word of God (I Corinthians 14:5, II Timothy 4:2).

OBSESSION, AND THE FOCUS OF FAITH

As to Pentecostalism, it is then in grave danger of exhibitionism and sensationalism, each wholly contrary both to the clear example of Christ and to the express teachings of Paul: to an extent sometimes more, sometimes rather less. Obsessive seekings of lower gifts can readily lead to the heresy of abusing them also, say as evidence of conversion - by which stage the work has embarked on grand heresy: sequestrating first things with second, and second things from their divine discretionary use, in the first place. This is quite simply, in such a case, an exercise in spiritual pathology.

What further aggravates the case is this: not only is such a cry false, unscriptural, unwarranted, fatally contrary to divine discretionary principles and stated priorities. It is worse. Especially when tongues occur in a disorderly environment (several at once, more than 2 or 3 and so on), one which does not itself obey the order of the word of God, they are readily faked. Soon exhibitions of experiences, or their provision in such modes and settings, can replace the word of God and the Cross of Christ, as the essential minimum of Christianity, and the only proper immediate test of conversion (Galatians 6:14, 3:15, I Corinthians 15:1ff., Galatians 1:6-9, John 6:51-54, Romans 10:9).

What is needed is not this wholly unscriptural emphasis on babbling - and that is not a derogatory but a scriptural concept as shown earlier - but the old emphasis on the unchanging word of God. Abuse of it by rebelling against its prescriptions of gifts is no evidence of conversion. It is in fact evidence of something very different.

The question is this: IS the life built by faith on the foundation of Jesus Christ, Him crucified, and in the transformed body that was slaughtered, raised from the dead, deity Himself ? (I Corinthians 3:11, John 5:24, 8:24, Matthew 16:13-17). HAS the substitution of Christ as sin-bearer been accepted by the repentant sinner (I Peter 2:22-24)? Has he/she been redeemed (Matthew 20:28, Ephesians 1:4-11), and so assured in Christ of eternal life and salvation ? (Refer pp. 3-4 supra.) Is there reverence for God ?

You remember what Peter got when he presumed in addressing Christ on his own concept of what the Lord SHOULD do! (Matthew 16:22-23). This, in error, then Peter on that occasion did, instead of "trembling" at God's word, in humble contrition (Isaiah 66:2). So the word teaches us! A good understanding have those who KEEP His commandments, we are advised (Psalm 110:11), and those who love the Lord KEEP HIS WORDS (John 14:21-23), as distinct from those who do not love Him (I Corinthians 16:22; Psalm 119:18,20, John 15:7).

Each must then ask him/herself: Do I keep these His words, in my heart and in the clear direction of my life ? Is this my purpose and practice, earnestly (if imperfectly) sought with more desire than my daily bread ? Do you keep the commandments because you love Him ? for the love of God is the first and chief commandment. Indeed, if this is missing as 1 Corinthians 13 tells us, you have nothing at all - EVEN IF you should SPEAK with the tongues of men and of angels (and as to that, it is a considerable advance on what Paul deems tongues, in 1 Corinthians 14!).

Do you operate by faith (Hebrews 11:6ff.), depending on the Lord, and not on man (I John 2:27, Matthew 23:8-10) ? Is this faith then in the living, resurrected Christ whom you wholeheartedly expect to - "Return again in a way like that in which he went" ? (Acts 1:11, 3:19-21).

If so, perhaps gifts of this or that kind may work also in you, receiving what He chooses to give you, taken humbly and serviceably: not for display or for dominion but for help and holiness (Matthew 20:20-26). Not for self-expression, not for self-fulfilment, but for Christ's service all must function.

The power of God is real, and tepid and anaemic liberalism has encouraged its unmasking by the church's re-emphasis of that power. THIS however is NOT to be done wisely in the follies of self-imposed 'requirements' to cavort or disport, brandishing gifts, and abusing their ordering. ONLY in the spirit and order of going given by God are we to proceed, if reactionary manoeuvring is to be avoided! Otherwise, readily does correction through self-importance often become the next new error.

That power was shone categorically in the resurrection of the body of Jesus Christ; not in the meeting of popular appeal for 'a sign' (Matthew 12:39). Let God act, and let His signature be the 'sign', at His will (Ephesians 1:19).

Moderation in private assertions; God-fearing reverence to doctrine and what is to be done: here is the simple ground of progress in such vacillations, claims and counter-claims. To the word of God, let us not add; or from it, subtract: but let it be done.

This then is the profile of the real issues.

FLOWERS, WHAT KIND, AND IN WHAT STAGE OF BLOOM ?

Meanwhile, different varieties and hues of Pentecostal and charismatic influences range over a wide spectrum. Some are frankly heretical, demanding works (albeit, of gifts - versus Ephesians 2:8, Roman 3:28, Galatians 3:1-6) to show conversion. Apart from all else, Galatians 3 is addressed to them. "Are you so foolish ?" questions the apostle. He is dismayed and grieved at their perilous fascination with specialised results, where the primary causes should be in point; with fruits where the planting should be; with what they perform, when it is what God has performed which is foundationally in view ! WAS IT NOT BY FAITH that you began! Paul berates them. Read then Galatians 3:10-13 for the proper and prescribed apostolic function: this, Paul used instead of the fraudulent one, exposed in the earlier verses of the same chapter. (Cf. Matthew 16:15-17, I Corinthians 3:11, 1:23-25.)

It is like 'flowers of evil' - in various stages; but to bloom, they grow - and some flowers are merely aphid-ridden. However this sensationalistic, sometimes exhibitionist, experientialist rocketing away from the scripture (expression contrary to God's expression in His word is, in fact, self-assertive): it is a thrust that brings no good. It can injure or even ignore the real search for sanctity as well (I Thessalonians 5:23, Philippians 3:8-9, II Peter 1:5-11), a much more heavenly matter of growth with understanding (cf. Jeremiah 9:24). It can thus be guilty of arrogance towards God (I Corinthians 12:11) that is most unchildlike; and eventually it may displace the Gospel as the sure base, and obedience to the word of God as the sure signal - John 8:30. (Cf. pp. 44ff., Deliver us From Dispensationalism... in Biblical Blessings. )

Beware of men! This is the word of Christ; beware of false prophets - Jesus Christ, He is the same yesterday, today, forever (Hebrews 13:8). His everlasting Gospel (Revelation 14:6, Galatians 1:6-12, 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, II Timothy 1:9, Jude 3, Titus 3:10, Romans 16:25-26) does not change; nor does His word grow. (See Matthew 10:17, 24:24, 7:15; Jeremiah 7:1-14, 23:21-31; John 14:26, 15:22-24, 12:47-50, Galatians 1:6-10, 1:11-16; Jude 1-3; Revelation 22:18; Proverbs 30:6; Matthew 7:21-24, II Peter 1:1-3, 18-19. Cf. Appendices C-D, The Shadow of a Mighty Rock.)

You cannot 'negotiate' with God concerning His word (Galatians 1:9-12; 3:1-5). What each must 'negotiate' rather is that narrow door which leads to life (John 20:9, Matthew 7:13) - by faith. Then in Him is everlasting security in the grace, love, peace and truth of God (John 10:27-29; Isaiah 26:3-4, 32:17, 33:17, 66:2, 55:1-8). Then shall be found this in its season:

XA Spiritual Supplement on Seeking Guidance

In these days of multiple philandering with Pentecostalism, even where gross departures from the Scripture may be involved, there are two dangers which are conspicuous in this field of practical living.

One is this: "I felt led" - pastor shrivels, or gapes, depending on posture.
Why ? One reason is this: it is sometimes the preliminary to wild erratic, selfish, self-indulgent psychic disturbances and exuberances, void of team-concept, harsh in subjectivity, not scriptural, not tested, a sort of spiritual vacancy. Hence, some pastors might shrink. The classic case is one where the person feels led to join the choir, and the choir director's tests reveal a startling lack of capacity to sing... Others may feel led to seek spiritual experience in the latest rollick of holy laughter, and so forth. It can breed division, bypass scripture and constitute some kind of unofficial second Session or governing body.

As to the other reaction readily imaginable to such a statement: the pastor may invoke blessing, feel how spiritual his people are becoming and give himself up to anything from happy and undiscerning tolerance to a variety of spiritual voyeurism by which he shares in these wonders from above.

Do not mistake. They may be. That is not the fundamental point. It is a question of the criteria invoked. It is a vulnerable area, as are many estates in the pastorate, if you do not follow the word of God. You may merely react to 'all this talk of leading', and throw out the guidance of God in His spiritual governance wrought how He will - for it is always unwise to limit the Holy One of Israel (Psalm 78:41). How do you do this fearful thing ? Simply by not having faith in Him according to His word. How do you achieve this ungodly distortion ? It is not difficult. You may :-

a) not bother to have studied His word to know His will where it IS declared.

b) not bother to have checked what you DO know of it, and leave it to a vague and undisturbed memory. Again...

c) you may fail to apply the word of God to the case, by being mentally slack, spiritually

torpid, or moved by the lusts of the flesh, ungoverned desire for this or that, ranging

from a quiet life to spiritual excitement.

d) you may not specifically consider the Second Commandment, omitting from the view

the rest of the church.

e) you may give short-shrift to the First Commandment (fatal if you want to keep the

Second one - I John 5:2), letting man or self or culture or 'success' or 'my idea of

getting fruit' or any other consideration evacuate GOD from the centre.

f) you may, on the contrary, act as if God really WERE dead, in a sort of sultry spiritual

odyssey in your soul, in which the living God does not appear (assuming here of course the case that the person is not a Christian).

g) you may 'swallow' the anti-reality pill, as if God had stopped using power since the

days of the apostles, or did so except on the mission field, or some other man-made

LIMIT. This is despite the condemnation of such things in II Timothy 3:5; and further despite the fact that this disease of the soul is predicted.

h) you may, hence, unwisely ignore divine guidance when it comes:

whether through a combination of circumstances and counsel from several,

or from the clarification of spiritual principles in your mind,

or in terms of a 'constraint' such as Philip had (Acts 8:26), at the hand of an angel, or as Paul had without one (Acts 16:6), or as Paul had via a
vision (* 16) (Acts 16:9).

i) you may again, bow down in voluntary worship of angels, as if they had power to

alter or ordain the word of God, which they emphatically do not; and this is the opposite

spiritual deviation (Colossians 2:18).

j) you may act without faith, allowing impressions and sensations to rule you, instead

of the word of God through faith.

k) you may fail to ask in faith (James 1:5-6), thus

inheriting a promise ... as it were, a divine withholding tax, for WITHOUT FAITH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE GOD.

l) you may rebelliously, or in callow spiritual sleepiness wallow outside holiness of life (Psalm 66:18-19).
God may prove you and try you (Psalm 66:10),

purify your motives,

manifest your confusion or your compromise; and the remedy is -

to be teachable

and to learn and to live on the highway of holiness (Isaiah 35:8).

This is not a matter of 'sinless perfection' (I John 1:8), which is delusion. Rather it involves
voiding of known sin through the blood
(I John 1:9, 2:1), indeed through
the advocacy and the blood of Christ,
applied by His Spirit in the seal on believers (Ephesians 1:13),

impressed at conversion and never cancelled (Ephesians 1:11), by Him who knows His own from the start, and before it (Ephesians 1:4).

It involves repentance and preparedness to test your ways, in patient prayer (Ephesians 6:18, Romans 8:26-27, Psalm 139:23).

It results in this wonder: that 'the wayfaring men, though they be fools, will not err in it' (Isaiah 35:8-10): how vast a blessing this is! BE, as it were, a very fool, yet HIS WISDOM will suffice you! You might not fully grasp the specialised and sure gifts of spiritual kindness in the ONE who LEADS you in the paths of righteousness, will never leave you nor forsake you, and has provided for you, yes and for your children in terms of the wisdom and situations you need, whatever is good. (Cf. Romans 8:28, Acts 2:39 - see also my work, "3 Presentations of Baptism" which is neither propounding baptismal regeneration nor breach of covenant on the other extreme! See also in Questions and Answers, The Word that Speaks - Q & A, 9, 10, 11 and 12,on the whole topic.)

IF however you simply believe in Him whom by faith in terms of His New Covenant in His blood, you have received; and act in Him in whose power your life is covered, and follow His word, allowing that, by faith, it is right and appropriate to expect an answer to any good thing you need for His sake: then guidance is yours.

In Christ's name (I John 5:13-14), what is needed for godly living is available (II Peter 1:4). In Christ's graces, equally, seek to grow (II Peter 3:18): indeed the failure to do this can be a sort of heresy or rebellion! Add what He provides (II Peter 1:5-9): knowing that while you ARE kept by the power of God to an inheritance incorruptible, reserved for you, if you are a Christian - if you are His, through faith in Him according to His New Covenant in His blood: BEING KEPT is a vital and dynamic totality. It is not merely formal, but functional, assured but evidenced, sketched but experienced, formulated but found. In this, indeed, you are WITH HIM and HE is with YOU; and when THAT happens, spiritual growth is assured.

In such a context, seek guidance. You will never outgrow either the word of God or the liberty of the Spirit by which He will answer believing prayer as He will, in accord with the principles and promises and precepts in His word. As you grow, you will as a child of God, continue to need the word and the life of the Son.

Do not mistake. They may be. That is not the fundamental point. It is a question of the criteria invoked. It is a vulnerable area, as are many estates in the pastorate, if you do not follow the word of God. You may merely react to 'all this talk of leading', and throw out the guidance of God in His spiritual governance wrought how He will - for it is always unwise to limit the Holy One of Israel (Psalm 78:41). How do you do this fearful thing ? Simply by not having faith in Him according to His word. How do you achieve this ungodly distortion ? It is not difficult. You may:-

a) not bother to have studied His word to know His will where it IS declared.

b) not bother to have checked what you DO know of it, and leave it to a vague and undisturbed memory. Again...

c) you may fail to apply the word of God to the case, by being mentally slack, spiritually torpid, or moved by the lusts of the flesh, ungoverned desire for this or that, ranging from a quiet life to spiritual excitement.

d) you may not specifically consider the Second Commandment, omitting from the view the rest of the church.

e) you may give short-shrift to the First Commandment (fatal if you want to keep the Second one - I John 5:2), letting man or self or culture or 'success' or 'my idea of getting fruit' or any other consideration evacuate GOD from the centre.

f) you may, on the contrary, act as if God really WERE dead, in a sort of sultry spiritual odyssey in your soul, in which the living God does not appear (assuming here of course the case that the person is not a Christian).

g) you may 'swallow' the anti-reality pill, as if God had stopped using power since the days of the apostles, or did so except on the mission field, or some other man-made LIMIT. This is despite the condemnation of such things in II Timothy 3:5; and further despite the fact that this disease of the soul is predicted.

h) you may, hence, unwisely ignore divine guidance when it comes: whether through a combination of circumstances and counsel from several, or from the clarification of spiritual principles in your mind, or in terms of a 'constraint' such as Philip had (Acts 8:26), at the hand of an angel, or as Paul had without one (Acts 16:6), or as Paul had via a vision (Acts 16:9). {In this field, see next section, and also 16 *}

i) you may again, bow down in voluntary worship of angels, as if they had power to alter or ordain the word of God, which they emphatically do not; and this is the opposite spiritual deviation (Colossians 2:18).

j) you may act without faith, allowing impressions and sensations to rule you, instead of the word of God through faith.

k) you may fail to ask in faith (James 1:5-6), thus inheriting a promise ... as it were, a divine withholding tax, for WITHOUT FAITH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE GOD.

l) you may rebelliously, or in callow spiritual sleepiness wallow outside holiness of life (Psalm 66:18-19). God may prove you and try you (Psalm 66:10),

purify your motives,

manifest your confusion or your compromise;

and the remedy is to be teachable and to learn and to live on the highway of holiness (Isaiah 35:8).

This is not a matter of 'sinless perfection' (I John 1:8), which is delusion. Rather it involves voiding of known sin through the blood (I John 1:9,2:1), indeed through the advocacy and the blood of Christ, applied by His Spirit in the seal on believers (Ephesians 1:13), impressed at conversion and nevercancelled (Ephesians 1:11), by Him who knows His own from the start, and before it (Ephesians 1:4). It involves repentance and preparedness to test your ways, in patient prayer (Ephesians 6:18, Romans 8:26-27, Psalm 139:23). It results in this wonder: that 'the wayfaring men, though they be fools, will not err in it' (Isaiah 35:8-10): how vast a blessing this is. BE, as it were, a very fool, yet HIS WISDOM will suffice you!

You could ignore the specialised and sure gifts of spiritual kindness in the ONE who LEADS you in the paths of righteousness, will never leave you nor forsake you, and has provided for you, yes and for your children in terms of the wisdom and situations you need, whatever is good. (Cf. Romans 8:28, Acts 2:39 - see also my work, "3 Presentations of Baptism" which is neither propounding baptismal regeneration nor breach of covenant on the other extreme! See also in Questions and Answers, The Word that Speaks - Q & A 9, 10, 11 and 12, on the whole topic.).

IF however you simply believe in Him whom by faith in terms of His New Covenant in His blood, you have received; and act in Him in whose power your life is covered, and follow His word, allowing that by faith it is right and appropriate to expect an answer to any good thing you need for His sake, then guidance is yours.

In Christ's name (I John 5:13-14), what is needed for godly living is available (II Peter 1:4). In Christ's graces, equally, seek to grow (II Peter 3:18): indeed the failure to do this can be a sort of heresy or rebellion! Add what He provides (II Peter 1:5-9): knowing that WHILE you are kept by the power of God to an inheritance incorruptible, reserved for you, if you are His, through faith in Him according to His New Covenant in His blood: BEING KEPT is a vital and dynamic totality. In this, indeed, you are WITH HIM and HE is with YOU; and when THAT happens, spiritual growth is assured.

In such a context, seek guidance. You will never outgrow either the word of God or the liberty of the Spirit by which He will answer believing prayer as He will, in accord with the principles and promises and precepts in His word. As you grow, you will as a child of God, continue to need the word and the life of the Son.

To grow however, as you know from your own children, or those whom you see, is not an option. We happily teach our children many things, guiding and comforting. WHILE they are not yet like us, we have to give more guidance; but while they are children, they will need some. Never let false impressions of maturity lead you to limit the Lord as to He modes of His guidance, or as to the total sufficiency of His word, in all doctrine, and principles and promises.

The counsel against the extremes of ungoverned subjectivity and dead formalism comes, then, from the Bible with its two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12), while the sparkling silver comfort comes from the glistening of this sword, and the dazzling beauty of the Lord himself, whose word it is - the living God.

In guidance, then, as in many other spiritual areas of the Christian life, there are the extremes of reckless, hapless rush, on the one hand, and of unbelieving formalism, on the other. In this, as in so many other topics, task areas and functions: it is necessary to abide in the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27), watching with prayer (Acts 20:28), active in faith (Hebrews 11).

The objective criterion of the word of God, definitive, determinative (cf. pp. 4, 62-63 supra, & I Corinthians 2:9-11, Matthew 5:19-21, Proverbs 30:6; and The Shadow of a Mighty Rock esp. Appendixes C,D, and Ch.1) must first rule in one's life, as the arteries rule the course of the blood from the heart.

ALL of it rules (Acts 20:19-27); and within this concourse of magnificence, one must abide in Him who, being living, manifests Himself as He will (John 14:21-23, Acts 2:17). Nor is it right to move in philosophic leaps, as if personal abiding is 'mere subjectivity'. In this era, then, personal dreams, visions, manifestations can no more be scripturally excluded from godly life per se (cf. Psalm 78:41), than may God's word be adjusted or added to, by them (cf. pp. 4, 36ff., 43-48, 62-63, 73, 91-92 supra)! It is GOD who is objective; His word verified and definitive: it is for HIM to lead and show as He will (Psalm 32:8-9,73:24, Isaiah 58:9-11, James 1:5-6,), WITHIN those counsellors, His words, which HE has set forth to be believed, received and ground for operation. We must neither add to, nor subtract from His word, nor limit the Holy One of Israel in determining ahead of time, how He will direct us, within that word. He is alive; and we must be so too (John 14:19).

In this as in all, the Christian must be faithful. Like an electric railway train, once one is on the tracks laid down, there is a wonder of opportunity for driving, viewing and participating in the life upon the way. But once deviate from those tracks . . .

Thus it is not a matter of a preferred or 'added' section of His word and wisdom, or of a fascinating dereliction from His will, His word or His way; but of abiding in the living and changeless Christ, His words abiding in you (John 15:1-5,7, 14:21-23, 8:30, Ephesians 6:18, Isaiah 58:13-15, 26:2-4, 33:14-20). HE is the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE. His is not so in succession, or episodically, but constantly, integrally and intimately; to the world, whether they like it or not, as offered; to the Christian, who DOES like it, as taken, and for all time, in His everlasting Gospel, the good news of which abounds on all sides.

Rejoice therefore with trembling (Psalm 2:11), and devoted to Christ, following Him, growing in Him, showing Him in testimony, great is your blessedness from the all-sufficient God, who IS love; for He is glorious in holiness, excellent in praises, doing wonders (Exodus 15:11). As to that, there is none like Him (Psalm 72:18, 71:19).
 
 

In 1 Corinthians 11:5 we find reference to a woman who 'prophesies'. In Ch.14, we read of 2 or 3 prophets speaking, and 'let others judge' (v.29).

Then we find this: "If anything is revealed in another, who sits by, let the first keep silent". Then come principles :

i) spirits of prophets are subject to prophets.

ii) God is not the author of confusion by of peace.

iii) the women are to keep silent in the church.

How shall we understand the principle iii) together with I Cor. 11:5 ?

It would seem quite apparent that women in the formal church service are not to present what has become clear to them, in the form of public expression. This is made explicit in v.26 - 'Whenever you come together, each of you...'. This is the formal congregation of the Lord, like the old Covenant Assemblage of Deuteronomy 29. It is official, total, formal functioning as a church body.

It follows that the reference noted in I Cor. 11:5 is something else, is some other sort of meeting. A Prayer Meeting is such a meeting, as also is a women's meeting. But what of I Timothy 2 ? Here we learn that teaching by name is excluded for women in the formal meeting of the people. Here once again it is the teaching element which is excluded in formal public worship (*17). It is explicitly and emphatically excluded; and this moreover with grounds relating to the Fall, possibly as a discipline, possibly as a corollary, possibly as both; but certain it is, that teaching from women in the church assembly is simply forbidden. It is far removed from being any kind of contemporary cultural issue.

Now we go somewhat further. Since prophesying does occur on the part of women, and beyond doubt this is excluded in the formal, public worship service, what is the status of such action on the part of women elsewhere ? At once I Cor. 11:29 comes into action. Such teaching as falls under this (quite different from Old Testament) prophesying is not only subordinated to review, but to public review ON THE SPOT. In other words, this sort of 'prophesying' is :

i) not authoritative

ii) not permissible to women in the formal public worship service.

Since the I Cor.11:5 reference includes an element of submissiveness on the part of women, in the form of a head covering in terms of public seemliness, it follows that this is public; as indeed the term 'prophesying' in addition to 'praying' makes clear. What however is the public but partial sort of meeting in view ?

It would appear that at a prayer meeting a woman may not only pray but give some suggestions, some sharings of meanings, in a non-authoritative way, this being doubly conditioned:

i) by the generic character of such prophesyings, always subject to review.

ii) by the implications of, and stated grounds for the head covering.

Is it ever then possible for women to 'prophesy' in ANY sort of public meeting ? It depends. IF you are going to follow what is written (and for the broader context, see earlier, in A Question of Gifts), then the answer can only be to submit to what is written, rather than to extend the submission of women past what is written, by an act of non-submission. It is, admittedly, rather ironical that in the name of authority, people should deny to women what is given to them BY authority! It is not necessary to be a feminist in order to object to that kind of manipulation. To our question, the answer, then, is 'yes'.
 
 

However, it is no less sure that women have NOTHING to do with the formal presentation of church doctrine. This is for the pastor primarily, for the elders significantly (Acts 20:28, I Timothy 2), and ALL of these must be men *¹⁷. Women must be permitted to pray in public meetings, but NOT at the formal total church service; and to share understandings likewise, with however a similar emphatic exclusion.

They may NOT be elders, let alone pastors, but should NOT be prohibited in such sharing of illuminations in the word, elsewhere. These however are NOT authoritative, are by nature reviewable and examinable on the occasion itself. This in turn implies that it is not only of a wholly different order to Old Testament presentations, such as those of Jeremiah, who had to speak whether they should hear or forbear, whose brow had to be made like bronze to resist their resistance (1:18-19, 1:9, cf. 5:1,23,31, 6:27). Jeremiah was 'set as an assayer' that he might try their way. Indeed, it is by contrast, in the 'prophesying' à la I Corinthians 14, and 11, that the 'prophet' himself is being assessed immediately!

There is here nothing to do with the formal deposition of doctrine: and it is not the case of formal teaching (Titus 1:9), let alone scripture writing (I Cor. 2:9-13). It is thus neither inscripturation nor authorisation. It is sharing of illumination, and for women, this occurs never at formal¹⁸ public worship.

WHAT WE LEARN

This makes it clear that there has been an event of great magnitude in I Corinthians 11-14. Acts 2:18-19 makes such scope apparent, indeed quoting from Joel for the period till Christ's return; so it is a long-standing matter that women are assuredly going to engage in such work. It is then, entirely unsatisfactory to tell them to abstain from such sharings in meetings, outside formal, public worship.

Having said that, one must at once inscribe what is given as to limits:

a) one at a time

b) outside the formal arena of worship

c) without any authority whatsoever

d) a matter of sharing for consideration

e) a spirit of submissiveness

f) a genuine divine help.

Since so much rages in this area, which like so many others seems to live to a substantial extent by the clangour of unscriptural extremes, it is appropriate to be most explicit as well as most careful in drawing from scripture alone, what is to be done.

As earlier shown, the gifts in view are not in our power to limit or delete till the return of Christ. Women may not and may NEVER contribute to formal doctrine as an authoritative expression of the church's teaching. They may never be elders. They may never be ministers. In the formal, public worship service, they may only be silent in all matters which RELATE to doctrine, teaching, questioning, impartation of a didactic kind. In less formal meetings, such as women's meetings, prayer meetings, counselling meetings, WHERE the meeting is not intended for formal instruction, but for sharing and comparing and mutual interaction, they may in due order of course speak or pray. Are these who with men are 'heirs together' of the grace of God and of the blessed inheritance to be deaf-mutes, or recipients only ? So emphatic is the negation of such a proposition, that Paul even tells women WHAT TO WEAR, in one aspect ... WHILE they so contribute in prayer! Anything more absurd than to imagine such sartorial instruction, let alone when principles which make it so important in public, are attached, it would be difficult to conceive: IF the apostle excluded such action.

THAT could be compared to a 'commandment' that a woman, in committing adultery, should NEVER fail to wear her wedding ring, for it is :

1. an expression of being bound to her faithful husband.
2. an expression of not being a merely autonomous agent, and so on.

All of this is what the word of God teaches and orders. Philosophy masquerading as 'reformed' or 'Biblical' which ignores or even seeks to controvert these written rules ordained in the word of God written, is contrary. It is, variously, a subjection of the word of God to the traditions of men (Mark 7:7), or an insolence in the face of divine authority (cf. I Cor. 14:26, 2:9-13), from the premises of the power of human thought: an errant proposition indeed!

Such deeds of doctrinal derring-do in the face of divine law are unwise, divisive and disjoined from the declared will of God.
 

THE COMMUNICATION OF SAINTS IN COVENANT WITH THE LORD

Let us however look more broadly at the principles underlying such liberties.

The Bible clearly states of mankind (Genesis 1:27), that "in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them". Each is in that image of God: gender differentiates, but is variation within kind, and this 'kind' is in the image of God - able to hold intelligible communication with Him - as each with the other, on the same premises: "heirs together" (I Peter 3:7). Each is able to have inter-personal relations with God, to relate to a sovereign covenant from God - and in principle, to turn away from God (Proverbs 1) ... being fully answerable to God, possessed of that spirit which God gave.

Women are indeed specialised in child-bearing, and in the church, men in authority; but they are so in a context of sacrificial love (Ephesians 5:25) and intense inter-personal regard. Each and all must answer to God. Only in Christ is there both security and wisdom that is eternal, for any; and it is sufficient for all.

Within the structure: interchange, illumination, function, service, team-work, prayer, mutuality, sharings of understanding are all part of the riches of the body of Christ, which is neither to be divided nor impoverished, whether by devisings, aspirings or other select items of schism.

Having differentiated authority and other function, in particular communication, we must follow the word, blasting it neither with confusion nor presumption; and especially, avoid reading out what God has written in.

What then of authority ? As man, under Christ, is the "head of the wife, so Christ is the head of the Church" (Ephesians 5:23, Colossians 3:18-19, I Peter 3:7-8). In it He set first apostles, then pastors and elders (Ephesians 4:11, Titus 3:5-9).

The apostles in the Lord made manifest the foundation (Ephesians 2:20), the church being "built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone", whom also the prophets announced in advance (Romans 16:25). These ? they reveal Christ as the centre, cynosure and paragon, so sent by the Father, so placarded by those sent, He Himself being that foundation which is unique, indispensable and personal. Says the apostle Paul, "Other foundation can no man lay, than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ" (I Cor. 3:11).

Pastors and elders, then, are themselves subject to Him, risen and declaring that by His word will men be judged, and that He will be the judge (John 5:21-22). Elders therefore are subject to the ingrafted word, which is able to make wise to salvation; and they then must operate at a different and specialised level, in one aspect, in their posts. They must be willing with authority to controvert error, correct (Titus 1:9), discipline and teach, the last being the speciality of that teacher-elder, the pastor.

Even they, however, must do it with gentleness (I Timothy 1:3), not as lords (I Peter 5:3), though with wolves and such, there is indeed room for sharpness (Titus 3:10, I Cor. 4:21, 1:9-10, II Cor. 10:5, 13:2-5), as Christ Himself showed amply enough (Matthew 23!).

Further, all must be subject to one another (I Peter 3:7-8, 5:3): remembering that the one who would be 'great' must function as 'the servant of all' - Matthew 20:26.

Reverting specifically to the gift of prophecy as depicted and defined in the New Testament epoch, in I Corinthians, it would of course be wholly to be expected that this gift of prophecy would relate to and be operative in all pastors, since authority without illumination could be barren, and of that austere grimness which can be so difficult to bear. LIGHT must always shine where function is found in the kingdom of heaven. That their task is even more specific and specialised than this, has been shown. It is however no less so!

The church is a body, and it is set in a kingdom, called the kingdom of heaven. Its Head is Christ. Its rules are His words, the Bible. No church should be satisfied with a substitute for that holiness without which no man shall see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). No citizens of the kingdom of heaven (I John 2:27, Philippians 1:19-21) are to be divorced from their inheritance, should be depressed in their citizenry, should be given a narrow constricted life in the place of that more abundant life promised - John 10:10. Elders in particular are operators in the church where Christ rules it as His body in His kingdom: not generators or degenerators or delimiters. If moreover elders are this, much less are men not so selected to operate, to oppress.

The kingdom of heaven has its structure, its authority, its rules for transmission of doctrine among faithful men, for pastors, and for gifts. (I do not speak here simply of grace, courtesy, pitifulness, consideration... I Peter 3:8-12; but such things are always applicable).

Gifts have their place and function, their operating instructions, like so many other gifts which one is blessed in receiving. It is unwise to ignore these directions; rebellious to transgress what is written from the Lord when it is explained; sinful whether explained or not, doubly so in the face of knowledge. For ... to whom much is given, from that one, much shall be required.

First then let us be careful, that whatsoever things are written, these things be done; neither capitulating to the philosophic intrusions of permissiveness and laxity, nor to the reactionary devices of authoritarianism and schism - this time of men from women! Let us all be subject indeed to one another, to the word of God and to the intense need to bring the realities of redemption to a watching world without the debacle of philosophic fluxes added - lest this happen, or in order that the other desire or device be contrived or ... managed.

Has one not even heard of one elder who would have women not pray at a prayer meeting, lest they later arise to other offices! Whose authority is that, however ? The authority of man, let us recall, before the word of God, is zero. Even Paul said this: "We can do nothing against the truth, but for the truth" (II Cor. 13:8), and if one a master-builder in the church (I Cor. 3:10) speaks thus, how much more should every man who is not an apostle! That building has already all its foundations (Ephesians 2:20), and grows upon these!

In such expressions of authority we should all now earnestly seek ('covet' if your like) nil-achievement. Here, blessed indeed is the one who fails to achieve anything at all; for that road is to ruin (cf. Matthew 7:24-27).

There are specialities; we are sufficiently aware of that; but there are also sharings, cases, differences, provisions. Let us then possess our possessions, and with nil rebellious self-assertion, either of man or of woman, abide in the word of God, wherein love is shown and inestimable blessing is received (John 14:21-24).

Let us now look in some historical perspective at our present area. Just as arrant forms of Pentecostalism which have for so long ignored the clear teachings of the Bible on the use and place and programs for gifts, are now bringing upon themselves - if not perhaps derision, then a feeling akin to horror in the unscriptural cacophonies of 'holy laughter' ¹⁹ : so erroneous reactions may begin to parallel these. If thus the end of that frequent Pentecostal way of experiential, existential, unbiblical excesses is now to be seen, like the end of a life of luxurious indulgence on the part of a young man, viewed after a car accident resulting from drunken driving: then equally response to such tragedies must be scriptural. We do not need a multiple accident through ungoverned reaction to this or other such stimuli!

All should ponder carefully this: that zealous over-reaction has always been the danger in the face of lax ineptitude. For example, the Pharisees wrought amid whom ? why, the Sadducees! The Sadducees, whom did they stir more than the punctilious, but pseudo-papal Pharisees!

Reaction is not the way of wisdom, which rather is spiritual response in and to the word of the Lord, abiding in His presence: restoration (of what has been removed), correction (of what has erred) and continuance in those things which you have learned, just as Paul advised Timothy²⁰ . The word must not be used as a whip, to be moved by the will of man to drive the beast; but as a light to instruct all of the flock, on what is to be done, and not to be done, on where treasures may be found. This action should be taken as all compare scripture with scripture, like the Psalmist of Psalm 119: breaking for his longing for the word, and for the understanding and implementation of it; not breaking it! (119:20), whether for the world with its obnoxious cultures, or the worldly-wise 'correctives' of man, woman or child.

Avoiding the philosophies of harassment and of indulgence alike, wisdom will evermore abide in the Lord, and follow His word; while love will love to do it, and do it because of Him who having died for sin, gives example to us, who should be CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST, not impaling His word, which like the Lord Himself, is lovely.

He was crucified once; alive from the dead, let Him be followed always, while His words are cherished, not insulted by autonomy, ignored by fever or replaced by reaction.

This topic of 'Holy Laughter' has been touched on earlier (cf. pp. 118-9 & 26, 52, 85), and now it is time to give it particular attention in scriptural context.

This topic of 'Holy Laughter' has been touched on earlier (cf. pp. 119 & 36, 52, 85), and now it is time to give it particular attention in scriptural context.

Is 'Holy Laughter' a gift ? As indicated on p. 17 supra, it is NOT listed in the apostolic roll of gifts, nor is role accorded to it, whether in the Ephesians 4, Romans 12 or I Corinthians cases. Further, Paul tells them at Corinth, that they "come short in no gift, eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ" (I Corinthians 1:7). Equally, Paul tells them that "God has appointed these in the church: FIRST, apostles, SECOND, prophets, THIRD, teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues."

This list is in order of priority for performance, starting with the apostles themselves, and is EMPHATIC on the DISTRIBUTION: in EACH case, there is particularity, not universality to Christians, just as the apostles were most particular, and far from universal in their numbers! , just as it is in context here with a church with a church which lacked no gift! We may not add to the word of God, as Proverbs 30:6 advises us (and as one might hope common sense might indicate, in view of the disparity of the parties...), nor may we rebuild what the master builder built (I Corinthians 3:10). He administers with wholly divinely donated authority (I Corinthians 14:37), in terms of enunciating "the commands of the Lord". Not his, but the Lord's are these directions. That is what Scripture teaches.

The scope for this status quo ? It is till the Return of the Lord Jesus Christ: that is the panorama in view from the Master Builder Paul, as he surveys the scene of gifts. Will we then ADD to the word of God, to the master plan, to the priorities of listed gifts, or to their number, the giggle with or without a gaggle of it, the writhing, the grunting, incoherent mirth, uninterpreted muttering, guffaws and the like ?

Is the church to be remodelled so that God is NOT to be held in reverence in the assembly of the saints, NOT to be greatly revered, not indeed, to be revered, indeed to be treated with laughter amidst His praise, without assignable meaning, certainly without interpretation and so without edification, and so without any semblance of conformity to the canons of the Old Testament or of the New (I Corinthians 14:26,12-14, Psalm 89:7) ? Remodelled ? of course it is, by devils, where they can get their hands on it (II Corinthians 11:2-13, II Peter 2:1-4).

Will there then be remodelled a different church with a different spirit, another Jesus and another Gospel (II Cor. 11:4) as Paul exposed from the first ? Will God so act ? Far from it: Satan will do so (I Timothy 4:1, II Peter 2, II Timothy 4:1-3, Revelation 16:12-15). In the last of these Bible references, we are advised amid such mutabilities and 'magic', to KEEP OUR GARMENTS CLEAN. They are to be washed, for Christians, with the blood of the Lamb, not with that of the beast, no not that of the 'Beast Coming 0ut of the Earth', who had ''two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon"(Revelation 13:11).

God has said what He wants and wants what He has said

(John12:48-50, Matthew 5:17-19, John 7:17, 8:31). As for the apostle Paul, MASTERY in building was his; through him, DIVINE PREDICTION OF DECEPTION, DELUSION AND MUTATION in spiritual things comes thick and fast, from the days of Acts before his imprisonment in Rome (Acts 20:28ff.) till the days just before his death (as noted above). WARNINGS of being spotted with or through these spiritual delusions, depravities and departures are numerous. GIFTS are listed in summary style, and on 3 occasions without room for delinquent oddities. Indeed, ANY ungoverned, unseemly or uninterpreted sort of laughter in the ASSEMBLY OF THE PEOPLE OF THE LORD is as far from being in view, as is the far side of the moon (cf. Hebrews 12:17-26).

Not only is this so. THE PRINCIPLES OF ALL PROCEDURES IN THE PUBLIC ASSEMBLY ARE FULLY REHEARSED IN A DISTINCTIVE, ARTICULATE AND EMPHATIC MANNER. No UNSEEMLINESS, no DISORDER, nothing WITHOUT EDIFICATION; communication TO BE intelligible OR made so, AND IF THE LATTER, THEN ONLY IN 2 OR 3 CASES, NOT LEAST BECAUSE OF THE OVERWHELMINGLY GREATER IMPORTANCE OF PROPHECY, with its coherence, intelligibility and divinely given edification.

THESE are THE RULES from Paul (I Corinthians 14:37, 2:9-13, II Peter 3:15-17). It is Paul or Pentecostals in these matter; and if some Pentecostals would return to Pentecost, and find there manifest contradiction between their name and that used by the Scripture, then they could the better look at Corinth, both AVOIDING its declared pitfalls in confusion and profusion, AND ACKNOWLEDGING THE DECLARED AUTHORITY OF PAUL, who stated the spiritual rules (cf. pp. 11-18 supra).

Are 'TONGUES' however a gift ? In the sense shown here, yes. DO they raise the question of unintelligible speech, leading to downgrading of the same ? Certainly ( I Corinthians 14:7,19), in the church, this is done. WHAT happens to such unintelligible speech, in the public eye ? LIMITED to 2 0r 3, and INTERPRETED prophetically, these are its authoritative restraints and constraints, if it should occur, be deemed apt by the Almighty who knows how and when to humble His people. Yet HOW do you interpret the unintelligible ... communication of wild laughter. The rebuke to learned aridity without faith is one thing, as the apostolically certified Old Testament reference makes clear; but the laughter, the derision is not now on the part of God but on that of man, who presumes to THIS form of unintelligibility without the pretext of interpretation to cover false gifts, charismatic poseurs and multitudinous performers. The circus aspect, arising through disobedience to the rules, and at times autonomous directives to exercise this or that gift as if it were man's and not God's prerogative to direct such matters, now reaches its epitome.

Interpret then ? How do you interpret a semi-colon repeated a million times ? What is the meaning of "the" and "ornousy", repeated ? In short, speech is for communication, contrived unintelligibility is for interpretation, and ungoverned laugher is the evocative and swelling height of unintelligibility when divorced from verbal context, even if it were fitting, orderly, seemly and edifying (I Corinthians 14:23,26, 13:4-5, 14:26).

These cited principles are UNIVERSAL, APOSTOLIC TESTS (from him who stated, TEST ALL THINGS - I Thessalonians 5:21): and they are provided for the public arena and meeting. We are not to make a surrogate psychology blast its way into the meeting, allowing "feelings of relief, release or refreshment" to masquerade as the criterion of spiritual authenticity.

If this were to be done, we might as well explicitly dispense with the apostles, their lists, their principles, their master-building, yes and with the cross and the resurrection too, making the whole matter that of ANOTHER JESUS, whom they did NOT RECEIVE, ANOTHER SPIRIT WHO WAS NOT GIVEN AND ANOTHER GOSPEL WHICH Paul did not preach (II Corinthians 11).

But as to that, as to the concept of taking what you feel you want, and paying providers for their innovations: it is a gross perversion of the proclaimed principles of the apostles. It becomes in the end, an anti-apostolic, alternative builder special, harassing a harrowed earth (II Peter 2:1, II Timothy 4:1-3), with only this consolation, that it has precisely the alien and autonomous seeming spirit predicted. In the very midst of its intrusion into the directions of divinity, it is fulfilling His anterior analysis, His antecedent remarks, His exposures in prophecy concerning what was to be. In that respect, the last laugh is certainly His; though it is, this laughter, no laughing matter.

Unwise is it so to be beguiled, when so based, so warned and so taught by the apostolic team (II Peter 3:5-16). That such developments are predicted makes it none the less pitiful, poignant and calamitous for those so misled. Yet it is not the first or the only invasion of the precincts of the church by foreign influences: this time in the direction of what even the secular world knows AND PROVIDES as 'laughter therapy'.

Alas, in Christian and Biblical terms, this is not for healing; and did not the prophet Jeremiah in his day speak of a people 'slightly healed' (Jeremiah 6:12, 8:11), "saying, Peace, Peace, when there is no peace!" ... It is not new, unheralded or unexampled.

Yet, worse than this, not only does such a phenomenon in church as this false euphoria, mock the mastery of Paul, his DIVINELY ENUNCIATED principles of SEEMLINESS, ORDER, DECENCY, with EDIFICATION ( be edified by a million semicolons, or guffaws! but don't forget to tell us what they mean, or to economise to 2 or 3 with prophetic interpretation of the giggles, wriggles or risibilities, will you ? ) ... "in all things": it does more. It MOCKS THE REVERENTIAL REALITY OF SPIRITUAL APPROACH TO GOD. Beyond even that, it SUPPRESSES THE DIRECT COMMANDMENTS TO THIS EFFECT.

True, 'slain for a lamb, slain for a sheep' has attraction for some! IF you ARE going to rebel, do it in the grand manner, some may say. But this is not wise, just as the folly of obsessive gambling is not wise. The Bible repeatedly COMMANDS US HOW we are publicly to approach the Lord. To ignore this is one thing (though "a good understanding have those who keep His commandments'" - Psalm 111); yet to contradict and to teach so, THIS is simple heresy and REQUIRES SEPARATION from such delinquency (Romans 16:17-19). Nothing comes without a cause, nor is there anything without consequences. The rash may by symptomatic of much or little; but it has cause. When it comes to rebellion, the cause cannot be small; nor can the consequences, except there be repentance.

Whether we look at Moses' example (Exodus 3:5) where his very sandals had to be removed from his feet, or the song of praise following the MIGHTY WORK of God in the Exodus from Egypt (Exodus 15:11): - WHO IS LIKE YOU, O LORD ... GLORIOUS IN HOLINESS, FEARFUL IN PRAISES, DOING WONDERS..." , OR AT THE REALITY OF NEARNESS TO God as shown in Exodus 24:3-18, in His 'consuming fire' magnificence (cf. Hebrews 12:18-29), we see the need of meekness (Isaiah 66:2-3), of a readiness to 'tremble at His word', things which we are instructed, God greatly prizes; as this also, being 'poor and of a contrite spirit'. What indeed does Hebrews 12:28 tell us ? that we should 'serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear; for our God is a consuming fire'. This is one fire that the children of God will not play with...

And what then ? It is TO THIS MAN THE LORD WILL LOOK! That IS WHAT He says there in Isaiah 66. Tremble ? Not guffaw. AT His word, not boldly contradict it; being 'poor', not rich in riot or shaking with mirth! Did even a child come to his/her headmaster, to receive forgiveness, instruction or edification, and find there scope to roll, writhing in laughter before him, either as a prelude to or a means for instruction, help or sympathy ?

Such mirth in the face of the favour of the time and concern of the headmaster would be conceived as gross presumption (Psalm 19:11-13). But we are not left to such things: "Rejoice with trembling", says David (Psalm 2:11), and "Serve the Lord with fear" (cf. Psalm 89:7). Craven fear ? Of course not, but with reverential poverty of spirit, neither self-affirmatory nor self-magnificatory but with that blessedness of which Jesus spoke:

Blessed are the poor in spirit,
said the Lord Jesus in the beatitudes (Matthew 5).

How beautiful it is, and how due to the Lord: "Therefore, receiving a kingdom that cannot be moved, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and Godly fear : for our God is a consuming fire" (Hebrews 12:28-29); "Holy and reverend is his name" (Ps. 111:9); "God is greatly to be feared in the congregation of his saints, and to be had in reverence of all those who are about him" - Psalm 89:7, cf. Psalm 63; 69:29-33,111:10, 119:20, 29:2: "Give to the Lord the glory due to His name: Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness." Even Christ was submissive at Gethsemane, and in doctrine spoke what His Father COMMANDED (John 12:49).

Thus Hebrews advises us, in full and explicit marriage with the events in Exodus, that we should not refuse Him who speaks: "For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven" - 12:25.

ONCE then He shook the earth, but now, says the writer of Hebrews, He has promised,

YET ONCE MORE I SHAKE NOT ONLY THE EARTH,

BUT ALSO THE HEAVEN!

What CAN be shaken, will be, leaving only what cannot be shaken. Such is the message here. To this indeed, it adds what we have just seen:
"Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace by which we may serve God acceptably." But how ?

We are told:

"Serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear." And to that, let us reflect with meditation, even to that summarily explicit statement, what is added ? This: "For our God is a consuming fire". (Cf. p. 67 supra.)

Is 'love' then forbidden ? Far from it. The love of God is chaste, seemly, seeks reality and those who are poor in spirit for friends.

These things are also shown thus - Jesus said:

If anyone loves Me, he will keep my word: and My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our abode with him - John 14:23. Indeed, to talk of divine intimacy,

He who has my commandments, and keeps them, he it is who loves Me: and he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him - John 14:21.

It is not in presumption and disorder, nor is it in RANK DISOBEDIENCE TO MULTIPLIED SCRIPTURES ON REVERENCE TO GOD, BUT IN POVERTY OF SPIRIT AND OBEDIENCE THAT INTIMACY GROWS. Did not Jesus say,

"You are my friends if you do whatsoever I command you!" ?

Moreover, in the Great Commission in which the necessity of proclaiming THE GOSPEL is announced, He equally states this: "Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you", and THEN:

AND LO, I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS,

EVEN TO THE END OF THE WORLD.

"Holiness, without which no man will see the Lord",

(Hebrews 12:14) is indeed a beautiful thing; but its wings are neither those of presumption nor of simple, repetitive, multi-dimensional disobedience of spirit, attitude and action. 'Holy laughter' as a phase and craze is a pseudo-serendipitous substitute for reality, a defilement of truth, and a mischief to escape in the pilgrimage of faith (I Peter 2:11-12).

Endnotes:

1, 89, 1085. Matthew 8:14, 9:30.

16. Endnote on Vision:

The whole subject of visions, noted so saliently in Joel 2 as quoted by Peter at Pentecost, is subject to enormous misunderstanding.

We have previously noted the POWER of God as a dominant feature in the exercise of His Lordship (cf. 71 with *14 at that point, 73 & pp. 3ff. supra; compare pp. 3, 89,108), no less than patience; and of course all in the milieu of love. Denial of the power of God is a testimony of end-time lethargy and hypocrisy (II Timothy 3). Vision is merely one expression of the power and presence (cf. John 14:21-23) which is not poetry but reality. Such direct beholding of the things of God is to be conspicuous as the great day of the Lord approaches, we read in the Pentecostal address (not some Corinthian one!) of Peter.

Like so many other things of God, it has been ruthlessly copied, parodied, used in false prophets, aborted, contorted by Satan and his angels who masquerade as those of light, though darkness is both their home and their destiny. That such visions have nothing whatever to do with new doctrine has already been stressed, since the canon is closed, and closed with a bang, as earlier exposited (pp. 90-91: with pp. 112-123, 36-37 at *9, 43, 46, 78-81, 95ff. at *16, 111 at *20 in this volume; cf. The Shadow of a Mighty Rock, Appendices C-D, esp. p. 1161).

Their misuse is no ground for their abandonment; as well "abandon" any other Christ-authorised actuality to which He addresses His own words. That would be one more example of pastoral convenience being served before divine authenticity. We have had enough of that, no less than existential experientialism as a substitute for the ministry of the word of God as written, and of the once for all delivered faith of Jesus Christ as written.

What is crucial to note is this: such refreshments are entirely in the Lord's gift, accrue but are not demandable, provide manifestation (to use Christ's term in the noun form) of the glory of God, but are no base for instruction to others or doctrine for oneself. Like New Testament prophecy as defined for the age in I Corinthians 12-14, it is moreover assessable where there is any question of impact on the church. Doctrine it can never provide, and it may never be focussed, as one can see from Paul's enormous reticence concerning a man in Christ who 14 years before had seen visions. There is also protection against pride resulting from it, as Paul's thorn in the flesh would indicate.

Finally of incisive importance is this: such visions have been greatly given as prophesied would be the case at Pentecost, in deed from Joel. That Pentecostalism has abused them in many cases is no ground for the denial of their reality and proliferation. Satan's contemptible copy-catting may deceive all but the elect; but the Lord's people resist and do not fear him; for stronger is He who is in them, than he who is in the world. The word of God is fulfilled in this multiplication, as also in the attempt at duplication by Satan. Blessed be He who knows all things, and foretells the future as though it were the day at hand. {End.}

17. II Timothy 2:2 similarly implies men to be the agents in the transmission of authoritative doctrine. (For thorough treatment of this, see The Significance of Specialisation, and The Dance of Life in A Spiritual Potpourri). As to liberty in prayer, however, that being directed to God and not (properly) to men at all: this fact has no bearing, except where the intention of prayer is wrong, or its spirit is astray.

18. Galatians 3:26-28 has no bearing on these issues; for its topic is status, acceptance in the Gospel for Christ's sake, (despite sin, and this freely (Galatians 2:22-25, Romans 3:21-26). Solidarity in Christ does not obliterate functional differentiation, and being one in Christ does not at all imply being clones.

Indeed, differentiation of disciples is a topic extensively exegeted by Paul (Ephesians 4:7-16, I Corinthians 12; 14; Romans 12), who tells us we have "gifts differing according to the grace given us" (Romans 12:6), that these are sovereignly disposed (I Corinthians 12:11), include leadership (Romans 12:8), and are unified in the body of Christ as in a body, though exceedingly different (Romans 12:5, 1 Corinthians 12:16). He even likens it to a quarrel, if things were to be misapplied in the sense of homogeneity - "Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body", says the ear; but " IS IT THEREFORE NOT OF THE BODY!" (Romans 12:16).

My little finger and my big toe are members of equal status in my body: but their function is very diverse ... Claims that qua body members, they must have equivalent function: these act as if to overthrow Paul's teaching on differentiation in function, which in particular, he specifically expounds in the male-female differentiation aspect (I Timothy 2, I Corinthians 14).

It must clearly be borne in mind, however, that reaction to such anti-Pauline teaching - as would homogenise male-female functions in Christ's service - gives no excuse for equally anti-Pauline exclusion of the speech and prayer of women in appropriate public meetings, of which there are many; as shown.

19. See Appendix 3 - On Holy Laughter, pp. 111ff. infra.

20. The whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27) is no partial in any sense. Cf. John 8:31, I Timothy 4:6, 6:3-6, II Timothy 2:2, 4:2-4, 3:14, Galatians 1:6-10.

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