Spiritual Gifts - Part
18
Charles E.
Wigg
The Apostle then goes
on to show the importance of having a brother present who was able to accurately
translate what the one who spoke in a foreign language said. This is most
important because without the language being accurately translated, the
congregation would not be able to understand what was said, and thus would not
be edified. The importance of accurate translation cannot be over-emphasized
either. I have heard of the case of a brother from Scotland who was visiting his
brother who was then serving the Lord in Andhra Pradesh, (India). This gifted
minister of the word, was speaking in the most exalted English as he delivered
the message. But the brother who was translating had no idea what the gifted
visiting speaker was saying, so thinking that the visitor would realize, he just
made up some silly things to entertain those that were present.
I heard of
another case of a preacher from Operation Mobilisation, who only knew English
and was preaching in one of India’s northern states. He was most impressed with
the fluency of his translator, and after the message was about to congratulate
him on doing an excellent job, only to discover that his translator knew hardly
any English. He then asked him, if you don’t know English, how is it that you
can translate. To which the translator replied, in broken English, “you preach
gospel, and I preach gospel”. The visiting speaker might just have well remained
quiet on that occasion.
Accurate translation is essential as the
following incident, (that was told me by a student of languages), will show. In
Guyra, New South Wales Australia, lived a man who had been a missionary in New
Guinea. This man was a student of languages, and had quite some knowledge of
Gaelic, (considered to be one of the oldest languages in the world). After
settling in Guyra, it was his custom to visit places where they spoke in
tongues. At the appropriate time he would rise to his feet and say some silly
thing in Gaelic, and then sit down again. A ‘translator’ or ‘interpreter’, would
then stand up and make some spiritual message out of what he had said, while the
congregation approved of what was taking place??
Having laboured for the past thirty years
in many of India’s States and language areas, I have had many such experiences
upon which I could draw, but let the foregoing suffice.
From verse fifteen to seventeen, Paul shows
the importance of our spirits, (personal) and our minds, (understandings) both
being united and fruitful whether we are praying, singing, or giving thanks. He
stresses the idea that we should know what we are saying, or singing. To be
fervent in spirit is not enough in such matters. I will relate the following
story that was told to me by an agent of the company which was represented in
Queensland by a certain gentleman, (a company that sold musical instruments such
as organs etc).
On one occasion he was visited by a
representative of that company whom he considered to be a genuine believer. This
man had called on him previously, and he was able to advise and help him in
spiritual matters. But on his last visit, he seemed quite excited, telling my
friend that he had sung at a Christian convention, and at a certain point
something came on him, and he sang like he had never sung before. But my brother
could discern that he was on dangerous ground, and cautioned him to be most
careful. The singer never came again, but on the due date another traveller
came. When my friend inquired as to where the singer was, he was told that he
was now in a mental hospital!! Let us beware lest anything similar should happen
to any of my readers. It has been claimed by another that Satan is able to
counterfeit any of the gifts of the Spirit. Bur he cannot counterfeit the gift
of salvation, let us major on that, and avoid anything else where we might be
deceived!