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Acts 2 Acts 10 Mark 16: 15 - 20 1 Corinthians 14

The gift of tongues is studied as a separate issue because of current events:

- A Sign Of The Holy Spirit. Some believe that this sign must be seen among God's people and that it is necessary for salvation. Since those who are possessed also speak in tongues, it cannot be a proof of the presence of the Holy Spirit of God.
- Unknown Language. The definition has changed to allow any babbling that is foreign to this earth and heaven. In fact, many teach that tongues is not speaking in a valid foreign language, but speaking the language of heaven.
- A Sign Of The End. This gift would be very useful in reaching the whole world and fulfilling the great commission. That global preaching is the sign of the end.

History. The gift was popular in the early church because they were so few at the beginning and their mission was to go to the world. It was an important gift to build the early church.
The Commission. And he said to them, Go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he that does not believe shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues. (Mark 16: 15-17)

- The Tower Of Babel (The Dispersion Of Languages And Peoples). One hundred years after the flood, the people spoke one language. They decided to build a defense against the wrath of God. God separated them by suddenly creating multiple languages.

  Definition
  The gift of tongues is the sudden ability to speak in a foreign language that is unknown to the person with the gift so that the gospel can be communicated to people who speak that foreign language.

  Now the whole earth used the same language and the same words. It came about as they journeyed east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there.
  ... Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, so that they do not understand one another's speech. (Genesis 11: 1-2, 7)
- Promise. And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, He said, you have heard of Me. (Acts 1: 4)
  According to Mark 16: 15-20, these signs will follow the believers:
  - Exorcism. They cast out devils. Satan will be cast out forever.
  - Tongues. They shall speak with new tongues. We will understand each other with one language.
  - Healing. They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. We will be healed.
  - Poison Immunity. If they pick up serpents or drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them.
    There will be no future temptation that will hurt us. There will be no serpents in the garden.
  These signs follow the believers because they are the ultimate goals of the Plan of Salvation.
- Pentecost (The Union Of Languages). The promise was kept when they received the Holy Spirit. In one day God reversed the miracle at the Tower of Babel and they were able to use the gift of tongues to preach to those who had come to Jerusalem for the feast. Three thousand people were converted in one day. They were impressed with the miracle of the disciples speaking in their own language.
  And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2: 3 - 11)
- The Gentiles Receive The Holy Spirit (The Union Of Peoples). The Jews recognized that God had called the Gentiles because they saw the signs of the Holy Spirit among them.
  And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man refuse water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? (Acts 10: 45 - 47)
- One People (One Language). The gift of tongues is temporary like all the spiritual gifts.
  Love never fails: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. (1 Corinthians 13: 8)
  There is a future in which all languages will be one and there will be no gift of tongues.
  Will God undo the scattering of languages at Babel just before or after He comes? One spreads the Gospel.

Importance And Use Of The Gift Of Tongues

- A Valid Foreign Language. The people at the first appearance of the gift, heard the disciples speak in their language.
  Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the crowd came together, and they were bewildered because each of them was hearing them speak in his own language. They were amazed and astonished, saying, "Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born"?
  ... we hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God. (Acts 2: 5-8, 11)
  The language of sixteen nations were spoken that day. Although the disciples said it was "all nations under heaven" we know that it did not include the people in America. Therefore, "all nations" must mean representatives of all the people that they knew about.
- Must Be Understood. The gift was not to be used unless the audience could understand. The audience can only understand if they hear them speaking in their own language or someone else interprets.
  I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than you all: Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue." (1 Corinthians 14: 18-19)
  » Unknown Tongue? It is not the language of heaven or an unknown language that is only understood by God and the speaker. An unknown tongue is any real language that is not understood by the audience.
- Sign For The Unbeliever. Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that do not believe. But prophesying serves not for them that do not believe, but for them which believe. (1 Corinthians 14: 22)
  Tongues are not for a believer's private use but for unbelievers.
  How can it be a sign for the rational unbeliever if it is based on irrational standards?
  » A Special Prayer Language. This is not a special, intimate prayer language. Since it is a sign to the unbeliever it is not an intimate language between you and God. Since you should not speak if others cannot understand, the focus is on others being taught, not on your feeling close to God in a special way.
  » An Unfruitful Praying Mind? Some use 1 Corinthians 14: 14 to prove that one who has this special prayer language ability does not need to understand what they are saying. Do not forget that Paul is arguing rationally for speaking in tongues with understanding - not without. So let us look at the surrounding verses.
  Apparently you can have the gift of tongues without having the gift of interpretation of tongues.
  This can happen if multiple languages are represented in an audience. You can have the gift to speak in the language represented by the majority, but someone needs to interpret for those who speak other languages. If there is no one else, then you pray that you may be the interpreter for all the other languages.
  Multiple Tongues Gift. Therefore, let the one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. (1 Corinthians 14: 13)
  So in that context Paul says these crucial words.
  For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. (1 Corinthians 14: 14)
  If you pray in an unknown language that you do not understand then your mind will not understand.
  That is a statement of fact and logic about your situation not a statement of fact about how the gift works.
  So this is why Paul essentially asks in the next verse, "what do we conclude?".
  Tongues With Understanding. What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with my mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with my mind also. (1 Corinthians 14: 15)
  Anything Else Is Stupid. Otherwise, if you bless in the spirit only, how will the one who fills the place of the ungifted say the "Amen' at your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying? For you are giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not edified. (1 Corinthians 14: 16-17)
  The term "in the Spirit" means "by the power of the Holy Spirit" which is through the gift.
  Tongues without understanding is useless whether you are praying in private or communicating in public.
  Knowledge And Understanding Is The Goal. There are, perhaps, a great many kind of languages in the world, and no kind is without meaning. If then I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be to the one who speaks a barbarian, and the one who speaks will be a barbarian to me. So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church. (1 Corinthians 14: 10-13)
  » A Hoax By Satanic Forces. If we continue to believe and teach that it is a sign of God and the criteria is that it cannot be understood because it is a special intimate sign, then we are vulnerable to lying spirits who can babble ignorantly in a sweet voice. Then we have no rational, valid criteria on which to judge them and their message. We are also vulnerable to con men with an entertaining preaching style because we have convinced ourselves that they are from God based on signs we do not have to understand. God is not irrational.
  » A Multi-Lingual Church. Some argue convincingly that the problems being dealt with at the church of Corinth was not related to a church with the gift of tongues but a church in which the members spoke many languages and there was a problem with convincing the speakers that they should not speak unless all people are able to understand. Again, the argument is for a rational response to the problem of preaching the word in a church where interpreters are needed.
  If human beings cannot understand what is being said, then preaching the word is pointless.
- Prophecy Is Better. For he that speaks in an unknown tongue speaks not unto men, but unto God: for no man understands him; however in the spirit he speaks mysteries. But he that prophesies speaks unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. He that speaks in an unknown tongue edifies himself; but he that prophesies edifies the church. I would that you all spoke with tongues, but rather that you prophesied: for greater is he that prophesies than he that speaks with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying. (1 Corinthians 14: 2 - 5)
  - Speaking To God. This does not mean that they are speaking in a language known only in heaven. It means that the current audience does not understand the language that you are speaking. If someone speaks in an unknown tongue and no one in the audience understands, then he is only speaking to God because God understands all languages. This is not a special prayer language.
    So even if you are speaking in the tongues of angels, humans must still understand. You must interpret.
  - Edifies Himself. If you speak to an audience in an unknown language, no one else understands so others cannot learn. What you are doing is useless. If the speaker understands then he clearly learns. He is the only one who benefits.
  - Speaking Mysteries. Some believe that this teaches that speaking in tongues is a way to edify the spirit with the great mysteries of God as you are being taught by God. But what Paul is really teaching is that if you do not interpret then your message is useless because only you and God understand the message. It is a mystery to others, not a marvelous, mysterious teaching from God. If nobody else understands then your message is a great mystery that is not profitable to anyone.
- Education Gifts Are Better. The order of gifts in 1 Corinthians 12: 28 - 31 clearly lists those gifts that teach the church as being more desirable than all others, even miracles. It lists tongues as the least important. But the preacher, the prophet and the teacher are the most important assets of the church. While miracles give proof of God they do not teach truths that are essential to learn about God. A thief could see a miracle and then go off and steal for God. But a thief who has been taught stops stealing and starts giving in the name of God.
- The Great Commission. This gift is the best method of fulfilling the mission and reaching the 10/40 window. Babbling unknown words are useless for this work. We need to speak real languages used in the real world.
  This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24: 14)
  And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people. (Revelation 14: 6)
- Temporary. Love never fails: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. (1 Corinthians 13: 8 - 10)
- Love Is Best. After listing tongues as less important than helps, the apostle says love is better than all of the gifts.
  And God has set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, governments, many types of tongues. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But covet earnestly the best gifts: and I will show you a more excellent way. (1 Corinthians 12: 28 - 31)
  This text suggests that everyone does not speak in tongues. However, it teaches that there is something even better than miraculous spiritual gifts.
  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. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. (1 Corinthians 13: 1, 2)

While this gift is a sign of supernatural activity, it is not a sign of salvation. Love is the sign of salvation.
O righteous Father, although the world has not known You, yet I have known You, and these have known that You sent Me. And I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You have loved Me may be in them, and I in them. (John 17: 25-26)

Study to show yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2: 15 | Time: 15 minutes Print: 3 pages
Copyright Updated : January 19, 2003. 2005 Credits: Author: Laverna Patterson. Editor: Patterson (January 2008)