TONGUES SPEAKING.

The modern Pentecostal movement, from its inception at the turn of the century, has emphasized the belief that all of the spiritual gifts mentioned in the N.T. are to be exercised today, including the special sign gifts, which were given to the Apostles. One of the gifts frequently exalted in the Pentecostal movement is the gift of tongues. In fact, the Pentecostal movement is often called "the tongues movement" because of this emphasis. There are five common errors promoted by the Pentecostal movement pertaining to tongues. Not all Pentecostal churches promote all of these errors, but these are very commonly held.

ERROR # 1: TONGUES SPEAKING IS A PRIMARY EVIDENCE OF HOLY SPIRIT FILLING.

WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES: (1) In the book of Acts there are many mentions of Christians being filled with the Spirit, but only one time is tongues speaking mentioned. It is ridiculous, then, to try to make tongues speaking the primary evidence of Holy Spirit filling. A survey of Acts shows the following evidences present when believers were filled with the Spirit: Preaching in foreign languages (Ac. 2:4-11). Witnessing of Christ with boldness (Acts 4:8-12,31-33). Willingness to serve God's people (Acts. 6:3-5). Christ-like attitude towards one's enemies (Acts. 7:55-60). Readiness to obey God (Acts. 9:17-20). Winning men to Christ (Acts. 11:24). Resisting false teachers (Acts. 13:8-10). Joy in the Lord (Acts. 13:52). (2) The evidence of the filling of the Holy Spirit in Ephesians 5-6 does not mention tongues at all. The marks of Spirit filling are said to be spiritual relationships (Eph. 5:19, 21-33; 6:1-9), worship (Eph. 5:19), resisting Satan (Eph. 6:11-18), and an effective prayer life (Eph. 5:18-20). To connect spiritual gifts with Spirit filling is unscriptural. (3) 1 Cor. 12:13 says all have been baptized by the Holy Spirit but the same chapter says not all speak in tongues (1 Cor. 12:30).

ERROR # 2: TONGUES SPEAKING IS FOR EVERY CHRISTIAN. In most Pentecostal groups every Christian is encouraged to speak in tongues. The pressure to do this varies from group to group, but tongues speaking is definitely upheld as something desirable and important for the Christian life.

WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES. The N.T. says that different gifts are given to different Christians, and no one gift is given to every believer. Paul plainly taught that not every Christian spoke in tongues even in the first century (1 Cor. 12:4, 7-12, 28-30).

ERROR # 3: TONGUES SHOULD BE SOUGHT BY THE CHRISTIAN. Though there are exceptions, most Pentecostal churches teach that the Christian should seek to speak in tongues. In fact, the pressure to do so can be intense. Countless books have been written purporting to teach people how to speak in tongues.

WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES. (1) Paul told the Corinthian believers that they should covet the "best gifts" (1 Cor. 12:31). He listed the gifts in order of importance in verses 28-30 and tongues were at the bottom! It is strange that a gift which the Apostles considered the least important has become so exalted in the modern Pentecostal movement. (2) The disciples did not seek to speak in tongues. In every instance in which Christians spoke in tongues in the N.T. the tongues were sovereignly given. In no instance were the recipients trying to speak in tongues. (3) The Bible never tells the Christian to seek to speak in tongues. Not once is there such instruction given by the Apostles. (4) There is no instruction in the Bible about HOW to speak in tongues. If tongues speaking was important for the Christian life and if it was a good thing for every Christian to speak in tongues, surely God would have plainly instructed us in how to do such a thing! (5) The Pentecostal/Charismatic method of speaking in tongues is unscriptural and dangerous. When a person accepts the idea that tongues speaking is a needed and helpful thing for the spiritual life, he then asks how tongues can be received. The Pentecostal and Charismatic preacher instructs such a one simply to open his mouth and start muttering words but without using normal language. God is supposed to take control of the tongue. There is not a hint of such a practice in the N.T. The Bible warns Christians that there are deceiving spirits which attempt to influence Christians and that can appear as angels of light and ministers of God (2 Cor. 11:13-15; Matt. 24:24). Paul warned the Corinthians that they were in danger of receiving false spirits because of their carnal, undiscerning condition (2 Cor. 11:3, 4). The Christian cannot be possessed by evil spirits, but we can certainly be influenced by them. Thus the Bible warns us to be sober and vigilant (1 Peter. 4:7; 5:8).

ERROR # 4: TONGUES IS A HEAVENLY PRAYER LANGUAGE. When it is noted by outsiders that the modern tongues spoken commonly in Pentecostal/Charismatic circles is not a known earthly language, it is replied that they are speaking in a heavenly prayer language.

WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES. The tongues spoken in the early churches were real earthly languages (Acts. 2:6-10). According to 1 Cor. 14:2, tongues speaking were the giving forth of mysteries, which refers to revelation. The term "mysteries" in the N.T. refers to things that were hidden in O.T. times but are now brought to light (Rom. 16:25,26; 1 Cor. 2:7,10; Eph. 3:3-5; Col. 1:26). This is what we see on the day of Pentecost. Those that heard the disciples speak in tongues on that day said, "we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God" (Acts. 2:11). Biblical tongues were languages, not some sort of unintelligible mutters.

ERROR # 5: TONGUES IS FOR PERSONAL EDIFICATION. Tongues speaking in the Pentecostal/Charismatic movement is said to be something the Christian can do privately to edify himself.

WHAT THE BIBLE TEACHES. God plainly tells us the purpose for tongues. It was to give a sign to the nation Israel regarding the fact that God was doing this new thing in starting the church (1 Cor. 14:20-22). Paul tells us that tongues was a fulfillment of the prophecy in Isaiah 28:11, 12.

In conclusion, the following are reasons why the modern tongues are not biblical tongues:

1. Biblical tongues were a sign to Israel regarding the founding of the church and ceased when the foundation of the church was completed (1 Cor. 13:8, 9; 14:20-22; Eph. 2:20).

2. Biblical tongues were bound by apostolic direction (no women speaking, by course, interpretation, no confusion, etc.) (1 Cor. 14). The practice of "tongues" in modern times is not restrained in this way.

3. Biblical tongues were real earthly languages (Acts. 2:6-10).

4. Biblical tongues were revelatory messages (1 Cor. 14:2; 2:7, 10; Eph. 3:3-5).

5. Biblical tongues were not sought but were sovereignly given by God (1 Cor. 12:11).

6. Biblical tongues were the least important spiritual gift (1 Cor. 12:28-30).

7. Biblical tongues were not spoken by all Christians (1 Cor. 12:30).