Part 8 – General James Green
1 Cor. 14:2 states, “For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men (hear this Mr. Prof. W. J. Samarin?), but unto God; for no man understandeth him (see this tongues is really no problem!); howbeit in the Spirit he speaketh mysteries.” Not only this, but verse 4 tells us that “He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself.” Should we listen to these stupid and ignorant men who know NOTHING about this subject? NO! Tongues has not ceased!!!
One “know it all,” writing about 13:11, “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things,” says that Paul was referring to himself speaking in tongues (which was infantile prattle).
The epistle of 1 Cor. was written around 40 years before the completion of the N.T. (the time when tongues ceased!). If the necessity for tongues ended at the completion of the N.T., then glossolalia was at least necessary before the completed N.T. Did the apostle stop using tongues while they were still necessary? In fact, was there ever a necessity for childish “prattle?” Let us do our own experiment here. If we substitute “childish prattle” for tongues, here is what we get: (related by Pastor Barnett, D.D.)
1 Cor. 14:2—“For he that speaketh in childish prattle speaketh not unto men, but unto God…in the Spirit he speaketh mysteries” (WOW!).
V.4—“He that speaketh in childish prattle edifieth himself” (i.e., build up himself)?
V.5—“I would that ye all spake in childish prattle”?
V. 13—“Wherefore let him that speaketh in childish prattle pray that he may interpret” ?
V.18—“I thank my God, I speak in childish prattle more than ye all”?
V.27—“If any man speak in childish prattle, let it be by two…”?
V.39—“Forbid not to speak in childish prattle”?
12:28—“And God hath set some in the Church, first apostles…prophets…teachers…miracles…, diversities of childish prattle”?
12:8, 10—“For to one is given by the Spirit the Word of wisdom….to another childish prattle”?
Mark 16:17—“And these signs shall follow them that believe; in My Name they shall cast out devils; they shall speak with (in) childish prattle”?
The person who made this “childish prattle” statement is a professor of theology, the president of a theological college! Is it any wonder that students that go through some of these colleges can’t even tie their shoes…or even carry on an intellectual conversation? No wonder tongues is taught to be “devil language!”