Example of How We Pick and Choose Scripture Today

Job 39; Job 40; 1 Corinthians 13; 1 Corinthians 14
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Scripture

1 Corinthians 14

5 I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be edified.

18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19 But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.

33b…As in all the congregations of the saints, 34 women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says. 35 If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home; for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.

39 Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. 40 But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.

Observation

Did you know that the International Mission Board made a policy against anyone having a habit of a private prayer language? In fact, if you have one then you cannot become an IMB missionary. Wade Burleson, a trustee of the IMB has been in big trouble with fellow trustees because of his stance against this policy and a policy about baptism, which in my opinion is just as bad.

We Baptist are supposed to be men of women of the Bible. The Bible is supposed to be our guide, but oh how we can pick and choose what we decide to say is valid and what we decide to say should not be applied to us today. Just read I Corinthians 14 and see what I mean.

I am not advocating speaking in tongues, and I don’t have a private prayer language, but if I had one I don’t believe that it should disqualify me from being an IMB missionary. God is God. And if he wants someone to speak to him in a private prayer language who am I to tell that person that they are wrong. The Apostle Paul gives good counsel about the gifts, but he adds that we should not forbid the speaking of tongues.

My question in all of this controversy is what was the motivation behind establishing the two policies? I believe that behind it all there is a heart problem. Our board already had guidelines about these two items.

When you allow a policy to be written that would exclude the President of the organization Jerry Rankin from ever serving as an IMB missionary again because he has admitted to having a private prayer language I think that you have to question the underlying motivation for the policy. Jerry Rankin was picked to lead the IMB over all of the other 5,000+ missionaries for a reason and it was known when he was placed in that position that he had a private prayer language.

What changed?

There was no abuse on the mission field that caused the board to establish this policy. Was it because a new group of trustees came in with a different view of scripture?

Something is wrong.

Why didn’t leadership support our President? I guess that is what bothers me about all of this more than anything. It was a slap in his face. And now the Board of Trustees have censored one of their own for speaking out against those policies and saying that he spoke negatively about them.

Oh how we pick and choose!

Application

I will continue to pray for the leadership of the IMB and I will continue to pray for the leadership of the Board of Trustees that they have wisdom and discernment to do the right thing.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank you for your Word. Thank you that it is powerful and it changes lives. I pray for our leaders today. Give them wisdom. Give them insight. Help them to do the right thing. It seems that they are caught up in things that are not worthy of their time and energy. Help them to focus on the lost. Help them understand that making rules and punishing people that break their rules is not what they were called to do. Give them your wisdom Lord. Amen.


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