Speaking in Tongues- What is it?

Please take the time to read the following article. It's fascinating.

Speaking in Tongues by Jeff Wehr

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A Chinese gentleman visited a charismatic church in which the members

were speaking in tongues. One of the elders of the church recognized

the Chinese man and visited his business the following week. When he

asked the Chinese man how he liked the church service, the man shook

his head in disapproval.

The elder said, "What was wrong? I thought I heard a lady speak in

tongues that sounded like Chinese."

The Chinese man said, "She did speak in Chinese, and she was cursing

God the whole time."

This is just one of many such examples, of which I have heard, of

individuals who believed that they were praising God, but who were in

fact cursing Him.

How could this be? Certainly the Holy Spirit would not lead someone to

curse God. Could the devil have a counterfeit of the Biblical speaking in

tongues?

For those of you who have never heard of this phenomenon of people

speaking in an ecstatic tongue, let me take a brief moment to explain.

Today between 7% and 20% of all Christians "speak in tongues" from

time to time in a language that is not their mother tongue. The example

above, of the lady who spoke in Chinese, is exceptional because usually

those who speak in "tongues," speak in a language that linguists say

has no systematic resemblance to any human language that is spoken

today. It is this most common form of "speaking in tongues" (the

nonhuman, nonintelligible language) upon which we will focus our study.

This phenomenon of spontaneously speaking in a language that is

generally strange to humanity is of recent origin. While there were

several incidents of tongue speaking during the 1800s, the first wave of it

occurred at the beginning of the twentieth century.

It began on December 31, 1900, at Bethel College in Topeka, Kansas.

When Pastor Charles Parham laid his hands upon some of the students,

they began to speak in a form of speech that was not recognizable to

anyone. One of those young students was Miss Agnes Ozman.

Six years later, in 1906, Ozman and several other students, who had

received this experience, moved to Los Angeles and held meetings

which started the "first Pentecostal effusion."

Since then, this tongue-speaking experience has taken in over 300

million Christians. What phenomenal growth! However, why is it

happening now?

Some say it is a sign of the soon coming of Christ, and perhaps it is.

Yet, that alone does not explain or prove that it is of God, or of Satan.

We do know that this form of ecstatic speech in an unknown language is

not peculiar to Christianity--or even to religious people. This same

phenomenon of speech is found among non-Christian religions,

especially in Asia and Africa. This ecstatic speech is also found among

atheists and agnostics.

Certainly it is not the Holy Spirit who is performing this phenomenon in

religions that reject Jesus as the Saviour, and through others who even

deny the existence of God, but it is happening. Research has shown

that all of these forms of ecstatic speech in Christian and non-Christian

communities is identically the same "cross-linguistically" and

"cross-culturally."

Along with this gift to speak in an unknown tongue has come the gift to

interpret these ecstatic utterances. Are these interpreters accurate?

An experiment was performed in which someone speaking in an ecstatic

tongue was recorded on tape. They then replayed the tape to several

different people who claimed to have the gift to interpret these

utterances. However, there was no similarity in the several

interpretations. They ranged in their interpretation from saying that the

utterances referred to a prayer for the health of someone's children--to

praising God for a recent and successful church, fund-raising effort. It is

evident from this example that the interpreters were not accurate. So

where are they getting their gift to interpret?

Of course, this phenomenon raises some very serious questions. If it is

of the Holy Spirit, why do people misinterpret what is said? After all, the

Bible says that the Holy Spirit will teach us all things. See John 14:26. If

this is of the Holy Spirit, then why is He manifesting the same gift

through different religions that teach contradictory beliefs. After all, the

Bible says that the Holy Spirit will lead us into all truth. See John 16:13.

It is easy enough to see that Satan would want to join the world's

religions together through some spiritual manifestation. However, what

does the Bible say concerning the speaking in tongues or in a different

language?

Mark 16
First of all, Jesus foretold that His disciples would speak with "new

tongues," "And these signs shall follow them that believe; in my name

shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall

take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt

them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." Mark

16:17-18.

The context of Jesus' words is His commission for His disciples to

evangelize the world. The speaking with "new tongues" was to enable

the disciples to speak with people who spoke other languages. The

disciples would speak in a language that was "new" to them but

understood by their audience.

When Jesus trained His disciples during His three-and-one-half-year

ministry, He limited their training to reach out to the Jews living in Israel

and Samaria. However, after Jesus ascended into heaven, He desired to

send His disciples to every nation, tongue, and people. Consequently,

He gifted them to speak in "new tongues" or languages.

Acts 2
In Acts 2:1-13 we have recorded the fulfillment of Jesus' prediction. The

disciples and other fellow believers, 120 in number, gathered together for

prayer and consecration in preparation to receive the outpouring of the

Holy Spirit.

When the day of Pentecost had come, the Holy Spirit came upon every

individual, and they "began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit

gave them utterance." Verse 4.

The speaking in an "other tongue" did not come by man's own efforts,

but it was a gift the Holy Spirit bestowed upon the followers of Christ

when they were gathered together. "Jews, devout men, out of every

nation under heaven. . . . And they were all amazed and marvelled . . .

because that every man heard them speak in his own language." Verses

5, 7, 6.

Notice that the gift of the Holy Spirit to speak in a foreign and known

human language was bestowed upon believers--not upon unbelievers.

The purpose of the gift was to give unbelievers an opportunity to hear the

gospel in their own language. Consequently, the gift itself would serve as

a sign to unbelievers that the message they heard was from Heaven.

The result of Jesus' followers receiving the gift to speak in a different

language was the conversion of "three thousand" precious souls to

Christ in one day. Verse 41.

There were also present those who scoffed and mocked the disciples by

suggesting that the disciples were drunk. See verse 13. They heard the

gospel in their own language, thereby signifying that the gift bestowed

upon the disciples was a definite sign that the message had the signet

of Heaven. Yet, they rejected the message and the messengers.

Acts 10
The next example of "speaking in tongues" is found in Acts chapter 10.

In this passage, the apostle Peter has an opportunity to teach Gentile

believers in Caesarea. The Holy Spirit "fell on all them which heard the

word. . . . For they heard them speak with tongues." Verse 44, 46.

On this occasion as well, the Holy Spirit came upon the believers--both

Jew and Gentile Christians. The Holy Spirit "fell" upon them suddenly,

representing that it was a special endowment from Heaven and not from

man. The purpose of the gift was the communication of what God had

accomplished through His Son Jesus.

Again we find this gift employed in a large metropolis where many

different peoples and languages were represented. When Peter gave his

report on the events of Caesarea, he said, "The Holy Ghost fell on them

[in Caesarea], as on us at the beginning [in Jerusalem at Pentecost]."

Acts 11:15. Of course, what happened in Jerusalem was that every man

heard the gospel in his mother language.

It is important to note that Luke, the writer of the book of Acts, did not

need to explain the manifestation of "speaking in tongues" in Caesarea.

Why? Because he, the author, had already defined the gift in Acts

chapter 2. Peter himself confirms that it was the identical manifestation

of the Holy Spirit as experienced at Pentecost.

Acts 19
In Acts chapter 19 we see this gift exercised in another major

city--Ephesus. Here the apostle Paul met with some believers who had

no knowledge of the work of the Holy Spirit. Because these disciples in

Ephesus were baptized with John's baptism, Paul instructed them about

the true baptism "in the name of the Lord Jesus." Verse 5.

Paul then baptized them in the name of Jesus and laid his hands upon

them, and "the Holy Ghost came on them." Verse 6.

This practice of the laying on of hands is often represented with the

reception of the Holy Spirit, and as a sign that those involved were called

to evangelize the world. Of course, the laying on of hands is not

necessary for someone to receive the Holy Spirit. See Acts 2:1-4;

9:10-18; 10:46-48. Nor does everyone "speak in tongues" because he

received the laying on of hands. See Acts 2:41; 8:38-39; 9:18; 16:15, 33.

It was simply a practice in those days as they dedicated themselves to

receive God's Spirit, to accept Jesus as Lord, and to fulfill the gospel

commission.

Greek scholars tell us that the Greek form of the verb "to speak" in this

passage is in the imperfect tense, indicating that the gift was bestowed

for continuous and prolonged use. The believers in Jerusalem and

Caesarea also received the same permanent gift to proclaim the gospel

far and near.

Commenting on these verses, Sister White wrote, "Thus they were

qualified to labor as missionaries in Ephesus and its vicinity, and also to

go forth to proclaim the gospel in Asia Minor." Review and Herald,

August 31, 1911.

1 Corinthians 12-14
Now the passages that have generated the greatest amount of confusion

and controversy are those found in 1 Corinthians chapters 12 through 14.

Some have suggested that Acts chapters 2, 10, and 19 do indeed

describe speaking in a foreign language known to man, but that the gift

represented in Corinthians is different. They argue that this form of

ecstatic tongues is an angelic language used for personal prayer and the

edification of the church.

However, when we study the terminology found in all of these passages

from Mark 16:17 to Acts chapters 2, 10, and 19, we find that the Greek

word for "tongue" is the same. In fact, the verb "to speak" in tongues is

the same in all of these accounts. Consequently, there is only one gift of

tongues.

Because the gift of tongues had become a permanent gift for those who

received it, Paul gave some rules for the exercising of the gift during

church. Apparently, many of the Corinthian believers were (1) causing

commotion because several were speaking in tongues at the same time,

(2) there was no one present who understood what they were saying,

and (3) to the nonbelievers, who were watching, it seemed awkward,

disorderly, and confusing. See 1 Corinthians 14:23.

When one considers that the purpose of "speaking in tongues" was to

reach unbelievers, it was disastrous when many of the Corinthian

believers were misappropriating the gift. The gift was to be a sign to

unbelievers that God had a message of salvation for them personally.

See 1 Corinthians 14:21-22.

First, Paul counsels them to speak in order, and then let only one

interpret. See 1 Corinthians 14:27. The word for "interpret" means to

"translate"--as from one known language to another. Consequently, one

man would speak in an intelligible foreign language and then another

man would translate it into the local language.

Second, if there is no one to interpret, let the one who speaks in tongues

keep silent. See 1 Corinthians 14:28. The gift of tongues was given to

communicate truth. If a believer speaks in German, but there are no

unbelievers who understand German, then another believer who

understands German should translate the message in a language that

the others can understand, otherwise, the message is aimless and

unintelligible to all. Paul testified that he would rather speak five words

that people could understand than ten thousand words that no one could

understand. See 1 Corinthians 14:18-19.

However, some have misunderstood the words of Paul when he said,

"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not

charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal." 1

Corinthians 13:1. The Greek conditional clause used in this passage

indicates that Paul is speaking hypothetically. In other words, we know

that man does not speak in the language of angels, but even if he could,

it would profit him nothing if he had not the love of God in his heart.

Then in another place Paul says, "For he that speaketh in an unknown

tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth

him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries." 1 Corinthians 14:2.

The believer who speaks "in the spirit" is speaking by the Holy Spirit.

What is he speaking? He "speaketh mysteries"? Does God inspire men

to speak about odd and secret things? No. Believers are the "stewards

of the mysteries of God." 1 Corinthians 4:1. His servants speak about

the "mystery of godliness." 1 Timothy 3:16. We are to make known the

mystery of God. We are to declare the truth about God that has been

previously misunderstood. This truth is revealed by the power of the Holy

Spirit. As Paul said, "And for me, that utterance may be given unto me,

that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the

gospel." Ephesians 6:19.

But why does it say that "no man understandeth him"? The problem in

Corinth was that nobody present could understand him. He spoke in an

intelligible language, but there was no one present who could understand

that particular language. Consequently, he was not speaking unto men.

As Paul said, "So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy

to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall

speak into the air." 1 Corinthians 14:9.

In summary, let it be understood that (1) Jesus predicted the need and

the endowment of this special gift to speak in a foreign and "new

tongue," so that the gospel could be preached throughout the world. (2)

The very manifestation of this gift was to be a "sign" to unbelievers that

the message they were hearing was from Heaven. (3) The gift of tongues

is not some ecstatic and unintelligible tongue, but it is indeed a known

human language. The purpose of the gift was to communicate the gospel

to the world's billions who have spoken thousands of different languages

and dialects. (4) There is indeed a counterfeit to the Biblical speaking in

tongues. It has taken the world by storm. Satan will use this counterfeit

manifestation to communicate error. He endeavors to work upon the

senses and the lower nature of man, namely, man's appetite, passions,

and desires. This is to keep man from settling into the truth with his

higher nature, namely, man's intellect, reason, and conscience.

So often Satan has found success by playing upon the emotions of man

and his senses, thereby bypassing his intellect, reason, and

conscience. However, God's people must be intelligent upon that which

is written in the Word of God. They must choose to do right, because it

is right and because right doing is pleasing to God. They must allow

their conscience to be wooed only by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that

proceedeth out of the mouth of God." Matthew 4:4. Yet, so many are

unsatisfied with the plain words of Scripture. They have a false

salvational security because of this spiritual manifestation of tongues.

Yet, those who shall make up the kingdom of God must live by faith.

Day by day, moment by moment, they must walk with their Lord and

Saviour. They must hunger and thirst for righteousness. See Matthew

5:6.

In summary, none of us are saved because we speak in tongues.

Speaking in tongues is not even evidence that someone is saved. Many

non-Christians and atheists speak in the same ecstatic and unintelligible

tongue. Jesus warned the religious world, "Except ye see signs and

wonders, ye will not believe." John 4:48. We are not to put our faith in

the signs and wonders. They will increase as time draws to a close. We

are to trust in the promises of God and prepare to live with our Maker

and Redeemer forever and ever.


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Claudia Thompson

http://www.christiangraphics.org
http://www.countrymanordesigns.com
http://www.religiouscounterfeits.org

 

I want to add something of my own now about tongues. I have heard too many Christians acting as if they cannot be "saved" unless they speak in tongues. And they seem to think they are in some sort of specially chosen of God group because they do. But first of all, they do not even know what the Biblibal definition of speaking in tongues is... but second of all...

Read Matthew chapter 7:
12: Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
13: Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
15: Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
16: Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
17: Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
18: A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
19: Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
20: Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
21: Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22: Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23: And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
24: Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
26: And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.


Now stop and really think of what Jesus is trying to tell us here.

He begins by telling us to enter the strait gate. He says to do what the law and the prophets tell you to do, doing unto others as you would have them to unto you.

Then Jesus uses an illustration saying:
"Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."

Jesus said many Christians will say Lord, Lord... but DONT EVEN KNOW HIM.
Lk:6:46: And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

These Christians would cast out devils, and do all sorts of things but the problem was THEY DID INIQUITY... iniquity simply means they sin. Sin is transgression of the Law. Remember Jesus started this thing with telling us to obey the law and the prophets.

“Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity.” Luke 13:23-2.7


You have taught in our streets, we have cast out devils, (you may as well add in there "we have spoken in tongues") ... but Jesus will say "I dont know you, you that sin."

Jn:17:3: And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

You see, if you dont do what Jesus SAYS then you prove that you do not know Him, you do not know His ways. You dont know His principles for living.

1Jn:2:3: And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

1Jn:2:4: He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

1Jn:3:24: And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

If Jesus is not abiding in you and you are not keeping His commandments, then you do not know Him and you can speak in tongues all you want but that wont do you a bit of good.

Satan uses this speaking in tongues as a decoy.. a diversion, to get Christians to really rest in a false security, thinking they are saved when they are actually not abiding in Christ at all. The Bible says we do not know God is we keep not His commandments, and Jesus said He is going to be telling some Christians that He does not know THEM... "ye that work iniquity (sin... transgression of the law".

1Jn:3:4: Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.


(think of the parable of the ten virgins when you read this)


Jeremiah 16:9: For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will cause to cease out of this place in your eyes, and in your days, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride.
10: And it shall come to pass, when thou shalt shew this people all these words, and they shall say unto thee, Wherefore hath the LORD pronounced all this great evil against us? or what is our iniquity? or what is our sin that we have committed against the LORD our God?
11: Then shalt thou say unto them, Because your fathers have forsaken me, saith the LORD, and have walked after other gods, and have served them, and have worshipped them, and have forsaken me, and have not kept my law;
12: And ye have done worse than your fathers; for, behold, ye walk every one after the imagination of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me:
13: Therefore will I cast you out of this land into a land that ye know not, neither ye nor your fathers; and there shall ye serve other gods day and night; where I will not shew you favour.

Many Christians need to really reconsider their obsession with speaking in tongues... firstly by studying the Scriptures to discover what it actually IS...

Secondly they need to put their focus on loving God. 1Cor:2:9: "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him."

The question is Do you love God? REALLY? Jn:14:15: If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Jn:15:10: If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.

You can NEVER earn your way to heaven... you can never get to heaven by your own merits.

HOWEVER... the question is Do you love God? If you do, then you will prove this by doing what He says. "Lord, Lord, we have spoken in tongues" isnt going to do a bit of good for you, if you dont love God.

Ezek:33:31: And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.


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Claudia Thompson

http://www.christiangraphics.org
http://www.countrymanordesigns.com
http://www.religiouscounterfeits.org