Speaking in Tongues: The Value of Controversy

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

Satan is, and has to be, a controversialist.  He's chosen to put himself in the position of denying everything God says and does; so he's endlessly busy spreading his "alternative facts" and contrarian viewpoints.

He's still telling the children of Eve the same lie he told Eve, that disobeying God will make life better and greater...not result in death, as God says.  "Has God indeed said...?" (Genesis 3:1).  And he's still arguing (and we still hear those he's deceived by his argument, saying) that Jesus was not really a flesh and blood human being, not God's Son, not the Messiah, and that God didn't literally raise Him from the dead.

But the problem of the contrarian...or better, rebel...mindset is that it is completely controlled by the one it rebels against.  He's infinitely subtle about it: but satan's chosen position can never really be more subtle than an angry child reflexively shouting "It is NOT !!"  to everything his parent says.  We've all seen wise parents turn rebellious outbursts to their purpose.

God turns controversy to His purposes.  Controversy is always about what IS and what is not.  My observation is that God uses the controversies raised by satan's denials to call to our attention what He truly says and does.

Satan's not above manufacturing false ones, to put us off the track; but every real controversy is ultimately about Truth.  Every real controversy arises from satan's questioning what's true: "Has God indeed said...?"  And every controversy, if we perceive it and pursue it rightly, is a way that God affirms His Truth.

That's not to say even real controversies can't put us off the track, and play into satan's hand.  Many people simply hate disagreement, and are easily persuaded to walk away from controversy.  If anyone (it doesn't matter who) disagrees (it doesn't matter why) with anything, they want no part of the matter..."too controversial," and unpleasant.

But when Truth is under attack, I'd question how much "love of Truth" is evidenced by anyone who walks away.  We are told to "...always [be] ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you..." (I Peter 3:15).  If our hope is not in the truth of what God says, and if we are not willing to defend that truth...what claim do we have to being Christians ?

Peter goes on to say that our defense must be "...with gentleness and reverence."  This is the other main way we play into satan's hand in controversy.  We can easily fall into the trap of coming to love...even identify with...the controversy, more than Truth.  When we do, we become, like satan, "controversialists."  And, like satan, our desire in controversy becomes not defending Truth, but destroying others.

All that seems necessary prologue in talking about "speaking in tongues."  The charismata, "grace gifts," "spiritual gifts," have been controversial in our time.  I consider the controversy means God is spotlighting the charismata to our attention: and that all who love Truth will dig into scripture to see what He says about them.

Looking at what scripture says about tongues is the point of my following post.