About Speaking In Tongues

Introduction

* Tongues speaking is at the very heart of the Charismatic Movement.

* The Charismatics believe that tongue is a gift to be sought by every Christian who wants the fullness of the Holy Spirit and the fullness of God’s blessing.

* Tongues are commonly viewed as utterances, gibberish words or ecstatic speech that go from the spirit to the mouth without ever going through the brain.

Bible verses commonly used to validate and encourage tongues speaking.

1) <1 Cor 14:2> “For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit”.

2) <1 Cor 14:4>: “If I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.” 

<1 Cor 14:5>: So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding.

3) <1 Cor 14:18>: “I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you”.

<1 Cor 14:19> But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.

The claims about benefits of tongues

1) A way of connecting with God emotionally

* Robert Morrise, Senior pastor of the charismatic gateway church said: “For me, the gift of tongues turned out to be the gift of praise. As I used the unknown language, which God had given me, I felt rising in me the love, the awe, the adoration pure and incontingent that I had not been able to achieve in thought-out prayer”.

2) A communication of love and intimacy with God.

* Reverend Bill L. Williams of San Jose said: “It involves you with someone you’re deeply in love with and devoted to. We don’t understand the verbiage, but we know we’re in communication… That awareness is beyond emotion, beyond intellect. It transcends human understanding. It is the heart of man speaking to the heart of God. It is deep inner-heart understanding. It comes as supernatural utterances, bringing intimacy with God.”

3) Tongues bring about other spiritual gifts/powers for deliverance

Tongues that Bible spoke about

1) Other native languages given by the Holy Spirit

<Acts 2:1-4> 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.

(1) As a sign of having received the Holy Spirit during the Pentecost.

(2) For Evangelical purposes

2) Tongues of Angels (unintelligible tongues, non-human languages for self edification)

* <1 Cor 13:1> If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

* <1 Cor 12:29-30>: Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?

* <1 Cor 14:5>: I would like every one of you to speak in tongues but I would rather have you prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be edified.

* The truth about ecstatic language:

(1) Unverified, ecstatic speech is a part of many pagan religions. Therefore, need of interpretation.

(2) Tongues cannot come through a learned behavior.

E.g. Charles and Frances Hunter, the so-called legendary healing evangelists go around the world teaching people how to speak in tongues.

3) The new tongues

* <Mark 16:15, 17-18>: He (Jesus) said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation… And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”

* Christians must all speak in new tongues, the tongues of testifying the good news of our Lord Jesus.

Reflection

1. What have been your understanding of tongues? Have you experience it before, or heard from other believers before?

2. Did you speak in the new tongues before (i.e. to testify the good news of Jesus) and find immerse joy doing it? Share.