"Unknown tongues"

I've got several thoughts bouncing around in my head that I believe will teach some short, scriptural lessons so I think that I'll just put them down here on paper (or, more technically correct, the screen) and float them out there for you to consider.

My first little lesson is based upon a passage written by Paul in 1 Cor. 14:2-9 where he's talking to the Corinthians about speaking in "unknown tongues." IE: A language that the listeners don't understand. I thought about this passage when I was watching an old western/comedy movie a while back entitled "Texas Across The River." Here's why I connected the two; the movie and the passage by Paul.

One scene in the movie has a troop of cavalry pursuing one of the main characters and the officer in charge keeps yelling orders that the troopers can't understand. Two of the soldiers keep looking at each other and asking "What'd he say?" I know, it doesn't sound funny here, but if you watch the movie, it's hilarious. Now, even though it's a funny scene, it speaks to what Paul is saying to the Corinthians about speaking in a language that no one else understands.

In other words, all it does is cause confusion. Paul uses a couple of allegories in getting this message across to the members at Corinth. He uses musical instruments, the "pipe and harp," as in playing a song and says they have to sound the notes distinctly or no one can tell what's being played. They won't hear the melody, so to speak.

The other allegory he uses is the "trumpet" as it's used in a military setting. This is what reminds me of the movie. Paul says that if the bugler doesn't sound his notes clearly, the soldiers won't know what they're supposed to do. IE: Do we charge or retreat? Like the two troopers in the movie: "What'd he say?"

The lesson, in the words of this author is: babbling in some gibberish or unintelligible words, doesn't further the cause of Christ one iota. It just causes confusion which makes it antithetical, contrary, oppositional, and several other big words, to the Gospel. We could even throw in the word hostile.

Next lesson: There's a beautiful old hymn entitled "Gathering Flowers For The Master's Bouquet." That song came to mind when I heard a preacher once say in his sermon that the Lord's bouquet isn't made up of just one kind of flower. He was referring to the members of The Church being from all nationalities and walks of life. When Christ said "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature" that means the results of that preaching will cause the Body to consist of souls from all over the world. From all nations and all the different levels of society.

What brought the memory of the hymn and the sermon to my mind? Actually something very simple. Something that we see all the time and since it's so common to us, we never seem to notice it or if we do, we don't see it in a scriptural sense. I'm referring to America's national motto: E PLURIBUS UNUM. It's on every dollar bill and on the Great Seal of America. It's meaning: "FROM MANY, ONE."

I know that the Church doesn't have a motto made up of man's words, but wouldn't those three Latin words accurately describe the Church? And don't those words fit with the "ONE'S" that we find in Ephesians the 4^th chapter? Where we read that we're all "ONE BODY" united in "ONE SPIRIT" and worshiping "ONE LORD, ONE FAITH, ONE BAPTISM" and "ONE GOD AND FATHER OF ALL."

And if you think about the "bouquet of Christians" occupying God's "vase" (my metaphor for the Church) doesn't our motto fit that also? From all the flower beds of the world, "FROM MANY, ONE." The Master truly has a beautiful bouquet.

I just mentioned the word "baptism" and I'd like to use it for our last short lesson today. Countless sermons have been preached on baptism and the need for it, plus it being commanded by Christ. (Mt. 28:19 and Mk. 16:16) But for some reason, some do not seem to grasp why it's necessary. I'd like to offer a simple little lesson, one that I once used in teaching a class, that I feel explains its necessity about as simply as I know how.

Baptism is a cleansing of the soul. You see, we're all issued one by God at the time of conception. (Eccl. 12:7) If we think of our soul as a "garment," we soil our garment while we go through life here on earth. Maybe "soil" is too soft of a word because we see the Bible talk in places about the "filth of the world." We are continually getting into places where we're getting our "garment" filthy. To borrow Isaiah's words when he describes our "righteousness" we've turned our pure, clean and perfect "garment" into "filthy rags." (Isa. 64:6)

Now here is why we need baptism. That soul, that "garment" we were issued will someday return to God. (Again see Eccl. 12:7) It cannot go back to God in a filthy condition and be acceptable to Him. If it returns in that condition, it will be rejected and will not be allowed to remain where He is. I think you have a pretty good idea where "rejected" souls are sent.

Simply put, our "garments," our "souls" have to be cleansed while they are here on this earth and baptism is the only laundry available and capable of doing that.

Now I told you this lesson in my words, but let me cite the words of the Apostle Peter to you in closing: "The like figure (Noah) whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ." (1Pet. 3:21)

Ron Covey