Gifts and speaking in tongues – Disagreements with Protestants
In this sermon, His Holiness Pope Shenouda III explains the topic of spiritual gifts and speaking in tongues, clarifying the Orthodox understanding in contrast to the mistaken views spread by some Protestant groups, especially Pentecostals and Charismatics.
🔹 First – Fruits vs. Gifts:
His Holiness emphasizes that the fruits of the Holy Spirit are more important than the gifts, citing St. Paul’s words: “I show you a more excellent way,” meaning love, which is greater than faith, hope, or any gift, including speaking in tongues. Love never fails, while tongues will cease.
🔹 Second – Gifts are not proof of holiness:
He warns against believing that speaking in tongues is proof of being filled with the Holy Spirit or of holiness, clarifying that a pure life, faith, repentance, and good works are what save a person. Even those who have gifts may perish if they live without humility and righteousness.
🔹 Third – Source of the gifts:
Gifts are a grace from God alone, given to whomever He wills and whenever He wills. No one has the right to give them to others. It is wrong for someone to lay hands and claim to impart “the fullness of the Spirit,” for the coming of the Holy Spirit is a sacramental priestly act through the holy Chrism (Myron).
🔹 Fourth – Danger of pride and vain glory:
Pope Shenouda warns that gifts can lead to pride unless accompanied by humility. Therefore, God sometimes allows weakness in those with gifts, as He did with the Apostle Paul and Jacob the patriarch, to keep them from arrogance.
🔹 Fifth – The necessity of concealment:
Whoever receives a gift must hide it from people, for gifts are given for the edification of the Church, not for self-glory. He gives examples of saints such as St. Abram of Fayoum and St. Serapamon who hid their gifts in great humility.
🔹 Sixth – Understanding speaking in tongues:
He explains that the gift of tongues in the apostolic era was a means of preaching the Gospel to nations in their languages, not meaningless sounds. It was rare, not for everyone, and meant only for the benefit of the Church.
🔹 Seventh – Understanding before display:
He stresses that God is a God of order and peace, not of confusion. A few understandable words that build up others are better than thousands of meaningless sounds. Teaching and prophecy (preaching) are therefore greater because they benefit believers.
🔹 Eighth – The true spiritual aim:
The goal of Christian life is not outward manifestations but love, humility, and the building up of the Church. The true gift is that which glorifies God and benefits others in peace and order.
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