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Speaking in "Tongues" 2 Views Penticostal And Church of Christ

Speaking in "Tongues" By Tom Brown Speaking in tongues is the most talked about phenomena in Christianity. Pentecostalism and the Charismatic movement has brought speaking in tongues to the forefront, and these branches of Christianity are without doubt the fastest growing segments of Christianity. These movements are impacting the world even more than the reformation did. Yet with all the talk about speaking in tongues, few understand what it's all about. It is the least understood subject among believers. People will be surprise to find that the Bible mentions speaking in tongues thirty-five times. That is a lot, so this subject should not be cast lightly aside as unimportant to the Church. God does not fill His book with things of minor importance. Many people who have never spoken in tongues speak as though they're experts in this field, when in reality they teach only from theory. Who should know more about tongues: those who speak in tongues or those who don't? Well, shouldn't we learn from those who do speak in tongues!? Since I do speak in tongues, I feel that I can bring scriptural wisdom with experience in this article. This column will clarify common misunderstandings and show the importance and benefits of speaking in tongues. WHAT GOOD IS IT? The Apostle Paul writes, "He who speaks in tongues edifies himself...I would like every one of you to speak in tongues" (1 Corinthians 14:4,5). With these positive statement about tongues, why do so few Christians speak in tongues? I believe the answer is because there is very little sound, logical and scriptural teaching as to the scope and value of speaking in tongues. Recently I spoke to a group of Mormons at the University Ward on North Oregon Street. I shared my testimony on how God saved and filled me with the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. After the talk, the number one question the students asked was on speaking in tongues. One inquisitive student asked, "What does speaking in tongues do for you?" I answered, "It does exactly what the Bible says it does: He who speaks in tongues edifies himself." The word "edify" means to "build up" or "charge up"--much like charging up a battery. We all need a spiritual charge. All of us at times feel spiritually drained. One of God's ways to charge your spirit is through speaking in tongues. A HEAVENLY LANGUAGE Many people inaccurately define speaking in tongues as "speaking gibberish" or "talking nonsense." The truth is, speaking in tongues is the most intelligent, perfect language in the universe. It is God's language. What language do you suppose people speak in heaven? Languages are given their name based on the countries they come from. For example, English comes from England. Spanish comes from Spain. Italian comes from Italy. Well, where does tongues come from? It comes from Heaven! Tongues is the heavenly language. It is what is spoken in heaven; the only difference is that the people in heaven understand what they are saying. Here on earth Paul says, "For anyone who speaks in tongues does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understand him; he utters mysteries with his spirit" (v. 2). Jesus says that those who believe in Him will "speak in new tongues" (Mark 16:17). The word "new" means appearing for the first time. No one had spoken these languages before. Contrary to bad theology tongues is not an ability given to preach the gospel in the language of foreigners. This would make tongues "old" languages. It is only appropriate that "new tongues" should be spoken by those of the "new birth." It is natural and normal to speak in the language of your birth. We are born again from above, therefore we should speak the language from above--that language is called "new tongues." SHOULDN'T TONGUES BE UNDERSTOOD? The first to speak in tongues were the disciples. This occurred on the day of Pentecost. People often think that on this day the disciples were speaking human languages, because the people could understand what they were saying. I don't believe this is true because there was a two-fold miracle taking place on this day: the miracle of speaking and hearing: The first miracle was the speaking in tongues. The second miracle was the enabling of some to understand the tongues. Not everyone understood the tongues, because some onlookers made fun of the disciples and accused them of being drunk (Acts 2:13); this clearly shows that they did not understand the tongues. And the ones who did understand the tongues were perplex because each one heard only their own native language not the languages of the other people (v. 6). The Bible tells us that there were over fourteen foreigners representing many nations, speaking different languages. Yet each person heard the disciples praising God in their own language. They exclaimed, "How is it that each of us hears them in his own native language?" (v. 8) They could not figure out how this was possible. It is clear that the disciples were not "preaching" the gospel in tongues, they were instead "declaring the wonders of God" (v. 11). They were not speaking "to men but to God" (1 Cor 14:2). The people were simply listening in on their praises to God. It wasn't until Peter stood up to speak to the crowd in one common language that the gospel was preached. So tongues are not supernatural human languages given to the apostles so they could preach in languages they did not naturally learn. The disciples were not speaking human languages; they were speaking in unknown tongues. But God enabled those whose hearts were opened to understand what the disciples were saying. Sometimes this happens today. You see, the miracle was in the hearing of the people. THE BAPTISM IN THE SPIRIT Let us look carefully at the first scriptural account of speaking in tongues: When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. (Acts 2:1-4). This experience is what John the baptist and Jesus called the baptism in the Holy Spirit. This was the fulfillment of Jesus promise, "In a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 1:5). Every Christian believes in baptizing in water. But few accept the better baptism--the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Since you were willing to be baptized in water, shouldn't you also be willing to be baptized in the Holy Spirit? Theologians often confuse the baptism in the Holy Spirit with salvation. They often regard these two experiences as being the same. This confuses believers. They incorrectly assume that salvation is the same as the baptism in the Holy Spirit. The Bible does not teach this. The Bible clearly teaches that the baptism in the Holy Spirit is a separate experience from salvation and comes after a person is saved, although it can occur at the time of salvation. The story of the Samaritan converts plainly proves this (see Acts 8:5-25). Philip preached to them about Christ. The people joyfully accepted the gospel and was born again. They confirmed their faith by being baptized as well. Yet, despite the fact that these folks were truly saved, Philip called for the apostles to come and pray for them that they would receive the Holy Spirit. It is clear from this story that being saved is not the same as receiving the Holy Spirit. (Although the Holy Spirit is definitely involved in salvation.) Another biblical story illustrates this fact (see Acts 19:1-7). Paul met some disciples of John the Baptist. He thought they were believers in the Lord Jesus, because they talked so much about repentance. Paul, unaware that they were only disciples of John, yet knowing something was missing in these men, asked them an obvious question, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" The question itself proves that Paul, including the early church, believed that it was possible to be a believer in Jesus without having received the Holy Spirit. If receiving the Holy Spirit was automatic at conversion, then why did Paul asked the question, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" THE PHYSICAL EVIDENCE I was baptized in the Holy Spirit at the First Assembly of God church on Montana. The preacher asked for those wishing to dedicate themselves to the ministry to come forward for prayer. The first to come forward was a tall, slender fellow name Timmy. I thought, "If Timmy can go forward, I can too." So I followed him down to the front of the podium. Without notice, something invisible hit Timmy, and down he went on the floor. Almost immediately, something hit me too. Down I went, prostrate on the ground. I began to weep uncontrollably. God's presence was all over me. This went on for several minutes. The thought occurred to me, "This must be what my church has been talking about all these years. What is happening to me must be the baptism in the Holy Spirit." No sooner did I think that when I heard this scripture in my mind, "And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues." If I'm filled with the Holy Spirit, then I'll speak in other tongues, I reasoned in my mind. Right then, I began speaking in other tongues--and I haven't stopped yet! Glory to God! You see, the physical proof of the baptism in the Holy Spirit is the same evidence that the disciples had: speaking in tongues. You may have other evidences as well, but the one evidence you should have is speaking in tongues. There are five examples in the Bible of people receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit (see Acts 2:4; 8:17; 9:17; 10:44; 19:6). In three out of the five examples we are told that specific signs took place. In the other two examples, the manifestation of physical signs taking place are implied, but not mentioned. Based on these two cases we cannot build any solid evidence as to what should happen when someone is baptized in the Holy Spirit. However, based on the other three examples we can build a good, solid case as to what should happen when someone is baptized in the Spirit. We are told in these three examples that certain physical manifestations took place. In each case, more than one physical sign took place, which teaches us that there are usually more than one sign taking place when people are baptized in the Holy Spirit. Yet, there is one sign--and only one sign--that is common to all three examples. The identical sign was speaking in tongues. Based on this observation we can conclude that the standard sign of the baptism in the Holy Spirit is speaking in tongues. Speaking in tongues is the physical, biblical evidence that one is baptized in the Holy Spirit. We should not settle for anything less than the scriptural evidence. If you haven't been baptized in the Holy Spirit, seek God about it and pray for it in faith. God never lets a thirsty soul go dry. DO ALL SPEAK IN TONGUES? Someone may say, "How can you say that all Christians should speak in tongues considering the apostle Paul's words, 'Do all speak in tongues?'? (1 Corinthians 12:30). In this passage, Paul is talking about public ministry gifts that are manifested in the church. He is not talking about tongues as the initial sign of the baptism in the Spirit, nor is he talking about tongues as a private, devotional, prayer language. You can recognize this by simply looking at the language Paul uses concerning speaking in tongues. In this chapter he calls speaking in tongues "different kinds of tongues" (see 12:10,28). "Different kinds" means "not the usual." The usual kind of speaking in tongues is a language no man understands or interprets. However, speaking in "different kinds" of tongues enables the speaker or someone else to recognize the meaning of the tongue and thereby interpreting it. So when Paul ask the question, "Do all speak in tongues?", he is referring to the public manifestation of tongues which enables a person gifted in interpretation to speak out the meaning of the tongue. Not all have been given this gift of "different kinds" of tongues. In the fourteenth chapter of this epistle, Paul corrects the misuse of tongues in the church. He told them to stop the practice gathering "the whole church [so] everyone [can] speak in tongues" (v. 23). Notice carefully that the "whole church" was gathered and that "everyone" was speaking in tongues. This clearly shows us that everyone in the Corinthian church was speaking in tongues. Most of them should have allowed those gifted in the "different kinds" of tongues to exercise their gift, and the rest should simply "keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God" (v. 28). Friend, I encourage you to seek the scriptural evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit, and to settle for nothing but the best.   "Speaking in Tongues" By West End Church of Christ " Speaking in "Tongues" The practice of what is called "speaking in tongues" is based on certain biblical statements and engaged in by very religious, and often very sincere people. No such person ought to shy from an examination by the Bible to determine the validity of their practices. If "tongue speaking" as practiced today is valid and if it is based on the Bible, the Bible should provide us with a means of testing or "trying" these "spirits." All Bible believers have a solemn charge -- "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but prove the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets are gone out into the world" (I John 4:1). So, we really have no choice and the "tongue speaker" ought to welcome with open arms any biblical test, for if he is really speaking in tongues as a gift from God there is no way he can fail. But first, the West End Church of Christ presents these fifteen minute sermons each Sunday. We have only one reason for doing it -- we want to preach the truth of God's word without being restricted by human doctrines, creeds, and wisdom. That is why we repeatedly ask anyone who listens to communicate with us if you do not agree with what we teach on this program. This is not done out of a spirit of dare, or challenge, but in sincerity and in the interest of being absolutely right about the most important issue of this life and of eternity. We also want to invite you to attend our services. Bible study begins at 9 a.m. Sunday morning. We have classes for all ages in which the Bible is discussed and made relevant to living in this world today. At 10 each Sunday morning we assemble to worship -- we honor God in the reading and teaching of His word, several prayers, gospel songs, giving of our means, and partaking of the sacred memorial feast of the Lord's Supper. Sunday evening we assemble for worship at 6 p.m. and mid-week Bible study is each Wednesday night at 7 p.m. The tongue speakers today ought to welcome such a test as this for personal reasons. To pass a test right out of the Bible would be the most solid basis available anywhere for such a practice. Those of you who believe God has granted you some special dispensation enabling you to speak this "heavenly language" should really not have any fears when you are examined by the divinely inspired record of God's revelation to mankind. Surely, if you have such a gift in fact, and believe the Bible is the truth, you would jump at the opportunity to "prove" your own spirit. And you have that duty, for Paul wrote, "Try your own selves, whether ye are in the faith; prove your own selves. Or know ye not as to your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you? unless ye be reprobate?" (II Corinthians 13:5). So, take this little test. It comes from plain old book, chapter, and verse. The Biblical Criterion for Tongue Speaking 1. A tongue must be some language known and used somewhere on earth. The original word for tongues is "GLOSSA." In the Greek edition of the Old Testament, known as the Septuagint, this word appears some thirty times. Without variance it is used of a language, usually known by those to whom remarks about tongues were being made. In the New Testament it is used of a language known by some, but unknown by the speaker. When the word does not mean the tongue literally, it is used as a metaphor to mean speech. Acts 2:3-4 illustrates this. "And there appeared to them tongues parting asunder, like as of fire; and it sat upon each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." Notice carefully, they spoke -- they spoke tongues -- tongues were spoken -- thus the tongues they spoke were the basic blocks of a language. That they were "other tongues" means not their own tongue. They spoke foreign languages by the power of the Holy Spirit. The audience heard these men speaking these "other tongues" and understood what was being said. Verse 7, "And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying, Behold, are not all these that speak Galileans?" What was so amazing to this audience? Luke says it was because Galileans were speaking the "other tongues." Now, what were the "other tongues?" Verse 8, "And how hear we, every man, in our own language wherein we were born." The "other tongues" to the speaker were the native languages of the audience. So, a tongue must first be a language spoken somewhere on earth. Do those who speak in tongues today speak a language known on earth? Studies have been made for years of example after example of modern day tongues and the evidence is overwhelmingly. Not one known language can be extracted from the utterances and sounds coming forth from modern day tongues. Pentecostals have taken exception to this. They ask how is it possible for linguists to know all of the more than three thousands languages in use in the world. Good question. If linguists do not know all languages, the one they do not know may be the one the tongue speakers use. Some time ago, in Christianity Today, William E. Welmers, professor of African Languages at U.C.L.A. wrote, "We do know something about representative languages of every known language family in the world. I am, by no means, unique among descriptive linguists in having had direct, personal contact with well over a hundred languages representing a majority of the world's language families, and in having studied descriptions of languages of virtually every reported type. If a glossolaliac (tongue speaker, DRS) were speaking in any of the thousand languages of Africa, there is about a 90% chance that I would recognize it in a minute." (Christianity Today, November 8, 1963, page 127). The previous point is easy to grasp. You may be unable to converse in French, but when you hear French spoken, you recognize it as the mother tongue of France. The same is true with Chinese or Spanish. But listen to the sounds of the tongues being spoken under the charismatic influences in Pentecostal churches around the world. One or two sounds dominate the utterances. Some sounds similar to the Hebrew Elohim or Adonijah are persistently uttered. Those who practice in foreign lands consistently reflect their linguistic peculiarities in the sounds they make while "speaking in tongues." A German, for example, speaking in tongues will have heavy guttural sounds in his utterance. The same is true with other lands. The fact is, no tongue speaker can prove that he is speaking any kind of language, of this earth or any other. It is only reasonable to demand that one who makes sounds that are strange to our ears prove them to be what he claims. He claims the sounds are some language like the Bible's "other tongues." Who knows for sure? If he does, let him prove it. Until there is proof the claim is empty, and he fails point one in the test. 2. In the assembly of saints the tongue is to be a sign to unbelievers. Paul wrote, "Wherefore, tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to the unbelievers..." (I Corinthians 14:22). Do those who practice tongue speaking today use the gift as a sign to unbelievers that God is real, the gospel is true, Christ is the Son of God and that His blood will save them? To answer this question for yourself, just attend an assembly in some Pentecostal group where they speak in tongues and judge for yourself. All of them fail this point in the test completely. 3. Tongues can only be spoken when interpretation is possible and practiced. I Corinthians 14:28 reads, "but if there be no interpreter, let him (the tongue speaker) keep silence in the church (the assembly), and let him speak to himself and to God." Have you ever attended a tongue speaking session anywhere where before the tongue speaker began to utter his "tongue" he asked, "Is there an interpreter present?" It is more than certain that nothing like that ever happens anywhere. But that is the Bible way, is it not? Also, have you ever been present when someone went through what they imagined was tongue speaking and there was no interpretation at all? And, if someone did "interpret," did you understand the necessity for the tongues? As an example, this writer was present at a meeting when someone uttered what was allegedly a tongue. Across the building someone interpreted the tongue, but in the archaic King James English with the "thee," "thou," and "thy" vernacular and it went something like this. "I will bless you and keep you and make my face shine on you if you will love me and love my people." Quite honestly, neither the tongue nor the interpretation served any purpose at all in that exercise. Tongue speakers and interpreters both fail here. 4. Only men are allowed to exercise the gift of tongue speaking. Paul wrote, "As in all the churches of the saints, let the women keep silent in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but let them be in subjection as also saith the law" (I Corinthians 14:34-35). The women were to be silent in the same assemblies where tongues were spoken. Just as the man who had the gift was to be silent in the absence of an interpreter, the woman was to be silent in the assemblies. The silence of the tongue speaker was not speaking. The silence of the woman was also not speaking. The man could speak in tongues if an interpreter was present but the woman could not speak at all. Go to a Pentecostal meeting and see if they obey this? Some of these groups even have women "Pastors." They fail this test. 5. Tongue speaking was limited to no more than three speaking and they were to speak one at a time. Paul wrote, "If any man speaketh in a tongue, let it be by two, or at the most three, and that in turn, and let one interpret" (I Corinthians 14:27). If you ever find a Pentecostal group that comes anywhere near this rule you will find something unique. Most of these groups engage in simultaneous speaking, men, women, boys, and girls, all chattering away in some gibberish. They miserably fail this test. By the way, if the text of I Corinthians is followed, only one interpretation is allowed. The evidence against modern day tongue speaking is overwhelming. There is nothing other than pure human testimony to which to appeal to defend the practice. And what is even more serious is the scripture twisting that is done to justify it today. Most of those who use (actually misuse) I Corinthians 14 to prove that the Lord still gives the gift of tongues to His church ought to stop and think a moment. Have they ever considered that the only so-called "tongue speaking church" in the New Testament was one of the worst examples of division, carnality, idolatry, superstition, and abuse ever recorded in the word of God? That was Corinth. Pentecostals who try to imitate Corinth in tongues and other charismatic exercises will fail miserably. The Biblical Duration of Tongues Paul mentioned nine gifts of the Spirit in I Corinthians 12. Among them he included tongues and the interpretation of tongues. In chapter 13, he wrote: "Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away" (I Corinthians 13:8). The tongues that Paul said would cease are the same tongues mentioned in chapter 12, given by the Spirit. Notice next that he says when they will cease. "For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away" (verses 9-10). The partial refers to partial revelation. It was their only means of knowing the will of God. Paul's argument is that knowledge of God's will now is partial in that it comes at various intervals and from various Spirit guided persons. When the perfect was come the knowledge would be full, not partial. Thus, when God's revealed will was complete the prophecies, the tongues, and the spirit given knowledge would be taken away. One might compare this to the construction of a building. When a building is under construction scaffolds are erected to assist the builders. When the building is complete, the scaffolding is removed. As the New Testament Church was being built through the preaching of God's revealed will, the gifts of the Spirit such as tongue speaking were needed. The ability to speak a language unknown to the speaker expedited the rapid spread of the gospel of Christ. But when the New Testament revelation was complete, like the scaffolding, tongues were removed. If you have any question at all about this topic, or if you would like extra study materials on it, contact us. You can write us as West End Church of Christ, 1609 Parkside Dr., Bowling Green, KY. 42101. Until the next time we have this opportunity to be with you by radio, may God richly bless you and yours. Good bye. Radio Sermon No. 35

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