Why I Left The Tongues Movement - By Alfred H. Pohl

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REASON # 4

AN UNDER-EMPHASIS OF OTHER DOCTRINES, PARTICULARLY THE CROSS-WORK OF CHRIST

The over-emphasis we placed on tongues resulted in an under-emphasis of other important doctrines. Especially was this true regarding the principal and main message of the Church—the preaching of the basic and simple Gospel of Jesus Christ in His death, burial and resurrection (1 Cor. 15:1- 4).

QUESTION # 1: Is there any one doctrine or message that the Church should emphasize above all others ?

QUESTION # 2: Is there a danger of becoming unbalanced, lopsided?

I believe that the answer to both questions is a definite "Yes!" This becomes clear when we study the Corinthian Epistles. In their over-emphasis of tongues they had failed to give the simple Gospel of Christ the place of supreme importance that it should have in the Church. They were majoring in the minors. They had become lopsided in doctrine and consequently in practice. This is a constant danger to the churches, even in our day. We have to be on guard constantly that we do not go to unscriptural extremes.

For an example, let me tell you what a Christian brother told me recently about an encounter that he had with a Tongues believer. This man said to my friend, "Brother, have you ever talked in tongues?" My friend's reply was "No." To this he [the charismatic] said, "Well, then, you've got nothing!"

While I, as a young preacher, was ministering in the Tongues Movement, I was informed one day that the leaders of our denomination were critical of my preaching. They said that I was preaching the cross too much and not mentioning tongues enough! That greatly disturbed me! I did want the approbation of our Elders, and I did want to do what was right. You see, I grew up under the ministry of a godly pastor who knew the Gospel and emphasized it. He loved and taught the Book of Romans and emphasized the importance of the cross of Jesus Christ and justification by faith. Now, I was being told to change my emphasis in the ministry. What was I to do ?

Once again, I was driven to the Scriptures. The Corinthian church was the great tongues-speaking church, so I began to read and study about the tongues' emphasis. But as I read I discovered that, though I was out of step with the Corinthian church, I really wasn't out of step with Paul. I read in chapter one of 1 Corinthians such verses as 18 and 23:

"For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God."

"But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness." And verse 24 continues: "But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God."

And then when I got to chapter two, verse two, I read these words of Paul to the Corinthian church:

"For I determine not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified."

I was greatly relieved and encouraged. I might have been "Out of step" with my denominational leaders but I was "in step" with Paul! I was in good company! For obviously Paul was dealing with the very problem that I was facing.

Did you notice where Paul put his emphasis? Yes, he was determined that nothing, not even tongues speaking, would take the place of the all- important message of the cross—the simple but powerful Gospel of Christ!

Now please note the words "among you" (1 Cor. 2:2). Paul was writing this to the great tongues-speaking church of his day. (Incidentally, tongues speaking is not mentioned as occurring in any other of the churches to which epistles were written.) Paul, if he had sought popularity and an "in" with the Corinthians should have mentioned the cross plus tongues (perhaps he should have called it the "Full Gospel"?), but he didn't! He was "hewing to the line." To Paul the "preaching of the cross" was all-important, and nothing was to detract from it. But in doing so, he made himself one of the most unpopular preachers to the Corinthian church. I think I know a little about that too—"He preaches the cross too much, and doesn't mention tongues enough"!

In his second letter to the Corinthians, chapter 11, verses 3-7, Paul again reminds the Corinthians of the importance of the simple, basic "Gospel of God" in a church's faith and proclamation. We read verse 3: "But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ." Notice his words, the simplicity that is in Christ. It is, I repeat, the perennial temptation for a church to drift away from this simplicity of the Gospel and add to or subtract from it. Let us beware! Paul then goes on to warn them about ending up with "another Jesus," "another spirit," "another gospel." Sobering words!

One more thought: Have you ever noticed where Paul places his definition of the Gospel? Yes, in his Epistle to the Corinthians, the tongues-emphasizing church! But not only that. It follows right after his thorough teaching on the gifts, and particularly his dealing with the gift of tongues in chapters 12-14. We find his gospel definition right in the beginning of chapter 15, verses 1-4. After showing the Corinthians their error of tongues emphasis, Paul now tells them where their emphasis should be.

Notice his words:

"Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the Gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; And that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures."

Notice how he begins: "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the Gospel." The word "moreover" is also translated "now." Paul is saying, "Now brethren." Having just concluded his teaching about the tongues-abuse issue in their church, he is saying, in effect, "I have something more important to `declare unto you'." Imagine Paul having to, at this point in time, declare the Gospel to the Corinthian church! You see how far they had drifted from it by wrong emphasis. They had become lopsided, unbalanced. So Paul is forced once again to declare that simple Gospel to them that he had preached to them when he started their church.

And the simplicity of that Gospel is embodied in the three cardinal points of Paul's definition in verses 3-4: "Christ died for our sins ... He was buried, and ... He rose again!" That is the Gospel that Paul preached, by which alone sinners are saved, and which was, is, and always will be the paramount message of the Church. Satan will try his utmost to stop that message. Sometimes he uses fanaticism and wrong emphasis on the part of Christians to accomplish his ends.

Let us not disappoint our Lord by not emphasizing the Gospel or adding to or subtracting from it. For it alone remains the message of God to a lost world. With Paul (Rom. 1:16), let us always say: "For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth."

Reason #5--Their "experience" orientation