However, are there only nine aspects of the manifestation of the Holy Spirit as power? Verse 28 says, “And God has placed some in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers; then works of power, then gifts of healing, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues.” The nine aspects in verses 8-10 do not include helps and administrations, for example. Verse 28 also speaks of apostles and teachers, which we cannot find in verses 8-10. Verse 8 mentions the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge, but these may not include teaching. Of the items in verse 28, some are mentioned among the nine items, and some are not. It is clear that at least apostles, helps, and administrations are not included among the nine. Therefore, we cannot say that those nine items are all the items of the manifestation of the Holy Spirit.
Mark 16:17-18 says, “And these signs will accompany those who believe: in My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it shall by no means harm them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will be well.” The first sign mentioned here is casting out demons. To be sure, this is an aspect of the manifestation of the Holy Spirit upon us as power; if someone casts out demons, he must be in the power of the Holy Spirit. However, this is not one of the nine items in 1 Corinthians 12. Of the five items mentioned in Mark 16, only two-speaking with new tongues and healing the sick-are included among the nine. The other three-casting out demons, picking up serpents, and drinking something deadly but not being harmed-are not included.
Hebrews 2:4 says, “God bearing witness with them both by signs and wonders and by various works of power and by distributions of the Holy Spirit according to His will.” Only works of power and distributions of the Holy Spirit are included in 1 Corinthians 12. Signs and wonders are not included there. This is a strong proof that those nine items are not all the aspects of the manifestation of the Spirit. To be sure, casting out demons cannot be confused with any of the nine items; it is a separate item. Therefore, we should not believe that those nine are all the aspects. Besides those nine, there are others.
It is needless to say that if we do not have speaking in tongues, we can still have the manifestation of the Holy Spirit; even if we have none of those nine items, we still can have the manifestation of the Holy Spirit. Those today who insist that we must speak in tongues to prove we have the manifestation of the Holy Spirit are carelessly wrong, so wrong that they damage the Lord’s people in this matter.
I have spent much time to study the Word and the present situation with respect to the so-called Pentecostal movement and speaking in tongues. I began to study in this way in July of 1932. At that time I visited one of the most prevailing Pentecostal movements in China. I stayed with those people, and I attended their meetings. By 1935 I myself had been helped in this matter, and I had the experience of speaking in tongues. In the following year, I helped many people also to speak in tongues. The first article I wrote on this subject was published in Chinese in 1936. It dealt with the two aspects of the work of the Holy Spirit and included something about speaking in tongues. By this you can see how long I have studied this matter. Through all this study I have become clear.
In the past more than twenty years, the churches in the Far East have practiced the way of the outward gifts several times, and we learned something from this experience. After much study I have learned that the entire Scriptures make it clear that speaking in tongues is not the initial evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and it is not a necessity. Speaking in tongues is only one of many aspects of the manifestation of the Holy Spirit as power upon us.
People such as the Brethren and other fundamental Christians say that speaking in tongues is something devilish. They insist that this kind of miraculous gift ended with the apostolic times, so that today there is no more speaking in tongues. I do not agree with this; they are too extreme. Up to today there is the real, genuine speaking in tongues. Yet I do not agree that speaking in tongues is the necessary and initial evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Speaking in tongues is only one of many aspects of the manifestation of the Holy Spirit. First Corinthians 12 clearly says that it is one of nine aspects, and as we have seen, these nine are not all the aspects. Besides these, there are other aspects, such as casting out demons.
Acts 2:16-18 says, “But this is what is spoken through the prophet Joel: ‘And it shall be in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream things in dreams; and indeed upon My slaves, both men and women, I will pour out of My Spirit in those days, and they shall prophesy.’” Here are two additional items-visions and dreams-that are not listed among the nine in 1 Corinthians 12. On the day of Pentecost, Peter clearly said that in the last days the Lord would pour out His Spirit upon His people, and that some of them would prophesy, some would have visions, and some would dream things in dreams. Although the disciples on the day of Pentecost spoke in tongues, the prophecy of Joel mentions nothing about tongues. Nevertheless, Peter said concerning the day of Pentecost, “This is what is spoken through the prophet Joel.”
Many people insist on speaking in tongues, but the prophet Joel did not insist on it. Rather, he said that some would prophesy, some would have visions, and some would dream things in dreams. I myself have had some wonderful dreams in the spirit, but I have not seen any visions with my sight, although I have seen visions in the spirit. However, visions and dreams, as well as casting out demons, are not listed among the nine aspects of the manifestation of the Holy Spirit as power upon us. This again proves that those nine are not all the aspects. Even if those nine were all the items of the manifestation of the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues is only one of them. How then can we say that speaking in tongues is the necessary or even the initial evidence of the Spirit? This is too extreme.
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