Some Notes on Tongues (languages)

(In the interest of full disclosure, in early August 1981 I received the Holy Ghost just as described in the Bible’s book of Acts 2:4, 8: 15-17, 9:17, 10: 44-46/11: 1-18, 19: 1-6, Mk. 16:17, Isa. 28: 11-12, Acts 2: 14-21/Joel 2: 28-32. As such I also rely on insights acquired from and since this experience to inform this writing. From that time forward and following the apostle Paul’s example (ICor. 11:1, ICor. 14:18), I’ve enjoyed exclusive fellowship with God (ICor. 14:2) and the self-edification (ICor. 14:4) consequent to praying with my spirit (ICor. 14:14), always encouraging the infilling of the very real Spirit of God indicated by its biblically sanctioned sign of tongues. (Acts 2:4, ICor. 14:39).

By many, the question of tongues is dismissed with a wave of the hand and rolling of the eyes. This is somewhat understandable as considering “speaking in tongues”, one is faced with a remarkable decision to make, which is, either an innumerable amount of people who claim to have received a supernatural experience of actually being “filled” with the Spirit of God, and manifest the equally authentic and supernatural signification of that infilling, are totally crazy –OR– you are now required to acknowledge a biblically validated miracle and consequently the miraculous super-reality of God. To the world’s unsaved, both in and out of the Christio-religious “denominal” “club-ish”, churchy world, tongues are often simply considered “weird” or even demonic.

Other self-styled doctrinaires, unaided by the Spirit and wrongly dividing the Word, have chosen to wrest certain scriptures with the intent to disprove yet other tongues-validating scriptures, they ever engaged in a white-knuckled defense of their extra-biblical and calamitous error of “alone-ism” (“Alone-ism” -my term- better known as “faith-alone”, is an eisegetic theology which vehemently rejects the idea that the salvation of God is occasioned by an experience – namely, the experience of the actual remission of sin consequent to repentance and Jesus name water baptism, and especially the experience of receiving the Holy Spirit, verified by the experience of speaking in tongues).

I’ve noted that today’s tongues detractors highlight the most errant and extreme glossolalian buffoonery to help make their cessationist case; a case which is indeed aided by what can only be described as grossly errant and “cringe” as they say. (YouTube: Sid Roth teaches tongues!).

Often unexpectedly moved to an altar of repentant prayer in response to powerful and revelatory preaching, many if not most new salvation seekers are unaware of any tongues controversy, it is the furthest thing from their mind. Incurring spiritual death to themselves in repentance (often while lifting up their heart with their hands in surrender to God, Rom. Ch. 6), then lowered into a watery grave of baptism in the name of “Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (How’s that for a collection of titles, Isa. 9:6) JESUS (Matt. 28:19, Mk. 16:16, Jn. 3: 3-7, Acts 2:38, Acts 8: 12 & 16, Acts 10: 47-48, Acts 19: 2-6, Acts 22:16). The rest is on God as (“…out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (39) (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive:…” Jn. 7:38-39.) He fulfills His Promise (Isa. 28: 11-12, Joel 2: 28-32, Jer. 31: 31-34/Heb. 8: 7-12, Jn. 14: 16-18, Lk. 24: 47-49, Acts 1: 4-5, Acts 2: 37-39, Gal. 3:14, Eph. 1:13) as they “…speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

First, let’s address the heresy of Cessationism. Cessationism is a false doctrine which states that the functioning of the spiritual (sign) gifts in the church ceased with the passing of the 12 original apostles in the 1rst century church during what is claimed to have been the “Apostolic age”. This teaching has absolutely no biblical resonance whatsoever. Cessationism possesses that unique property of most false doctrines, that of being created in the mind of men outside of the biblical text, eisegetes then “wrongly” dividing the Word to support their error with scant few scriptures awkwardly cobbled together. At best Cessationism remains a Christio-religious theory fully concocted on the basis of, and maintained in that ever-shifting and faulty resource of man’s reasoning; technically Cessationism is only a scientific observation.

Cessationism is based exclusively on extraneous ideology and content, again, their are no scriptures which forthrightly advocate for or teach it. It is not a doctrine of the Bible, but it is an extra-biblical conclusion arrived at by man’s intellectual deduction and lack of direct experience.

It would be somewhat comical if it were not so tragic, that the many who claim to be rabid “Sola scriptura” believers (that is, recognizing the Bible as the sole infallible source of authority for Christian faith and practice) reject the church’s historical documentation set forth in the scriptures. These same ironically embrace a wholly extra-biblical, man-contrived teaching which has the catastrophic effect of subverting faith and preventing any personal experience of the promise of God. Cessationism is a result of the human rationale that uses the scientific method of “observation” mixed, quite frankly and not surprisingly in this case, with religious pride (i.e. “…if the gifts were still active, SURELY God seeing my piety and would endow me…”)

Also, contributing to the controversy among today’s uninitiated is a misunderstanding concerning the biblically demonstrated delineation between tongues as a “sign” of receiving the Holy Ghost/aid to personal prayer (Acts 2: 1-21, Acts 8: 17-18, Acts 10: 44-46, Acts 19: 2-6, ICor. 14:4) and the “gift” of tongues manifesting to edify the church as a whole (ICor. 12:10, ICor. Ch. 14). When someone initially speaks in tongues upon receiving the Holy Ghost, this is not considered to be the “gift” of tongues, but it is the sign of receiving the Holy Ghost as demonstrated in the previously listed scriptures. Likewise, when a duly gifted saint is inspired to powerfully project a message in tongues “in the church”, this is not considered receiving the Holy Ghost, but it is the manifestation of the “gift” of tongues, to be interpreted “…that the church may receive edifying”. Everybody speaks in tongues upon receiving the Holy Ghost, most if not all will continue to “pray with the Spirit” (tongues) as they continue in their walk with God, significantly fewer are endued with the “gift” of tongues as listed in ICorinthians 12:10. (Reference “…divers kinds of tongues” ICor. 12:10, “…diversities of tongues” ICor. 12:28).

Note: When read in context, it is understood that the phrase “…do all speak with tongues?” in ICor. 12:30, is not in reference to the “sign” of tongues consequent to receiving the Holy Ghost as demonstrated in Acts chapters 2, 8, 10, 19, but is in reference to the church-edifying “gift” of tongues mentioned in ICorinthians chapters 12 and 14. This is immediately verified by Paul’s follow-up question, which is “do all interpret?” (seemingly linking the two actions, referred to today as “tongues and interpretation”), this referring to the “gift” of interpretation of tongues (ICor. 12:10 & 12:30). Of course these are rhetorical questions asked by the apostle Paul, as the answer is obviously “no”, all do not not interpret messages for the church given initially in tongues (not having the gift of interpretation) and “no”, all do not give messages in tongues meant for the whole church (not having the gift of tongues). However, as the scriptures do demonstrate and millions can testify to, tongues will always accompany the initial infilling of the Holy Ghost.

Upon reading ICorinthians chapters 12-14, it is evident that Paul is not instituting the operation of spiritual gifts, and in particular tongues, in their church(s), but as THE apostle to the gentiles (Rom. 11:13) he is administering guidance and regulation for the otherwise organic spiritual activity that is manifesting in the young church that he had previously founded (Acts 18: 1-18).

As referenced above, there are those today whose “tongue-talking” is suspect. Among these are people who “teach” speaking in tongues, encouraging seekers to focus on and articulate what can only be considered as non-Spirit inspired babble or gibberish; of course, this is wholly errant. There is biblical instruction that reveals a pattern which when followed properly will cause aspirants to “…speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance”. Jesus spoke of it when he said “If ye love me, keep my commandments. (16) And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; (17) Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” Jn. 14: 15-17. We know what Jesus meant by the phrase “in you” when we read the book of Acts’ accounts of believer’s receiving the Holy Spirit.

Isaiah, the Old Testament prophet caught a glimpse of this when he prophetically uttered, “…with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation“. Biblical references to receiving the Holy Ghost do not indicate a spiritual experience that is exclusively intellectual, empty, or “dry”.

When speaking doctrinally about receiving the Holy Ghost and it being validated by speaking in tongues, most are careful to stop right there with regard to describing the “proof” or sign of the Holy Ghost’s infilling, and rightfully so because of the biblical record (tongues as the sign). However, though testimonies vary, Holy Spirit recipients testify to an otherwise indescribable experience characterized by a profound peace and joy. Some laugh, some cry, etc. I’m always moved by those whose wide eyes and shocked facial expression says “it’s really real! HE’S REALLY REAL!!!”, but they all speak with tongues.

Far from being some odd, ethereal, new-age incantation, tongues, and more specifically the salvation experience which it signifies, traces it’s roots all the way back through the scriptures into the book of Acts and the 1st century church, back to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, even back into and through the Law and the prophets, back to Abraham and even Noah, all the way back into pre-creation itself. Though the current iteration of God’s salvation formula is unique to his church, it’s pattern has been forever settled in heaven (Psa. 119:89).

You too can receive the Holy Ghost, in fact it has been promised by God (Acts 2: 38-39, Gal. 3:14, Eph. 1:13), who cannot lie (Tit. 1:2). Fueled by sincere faith, your authentic repentance (confessing and forsaking sin) coupled with Jesus’ name water-baptism, serves to fully expunge your lifetime record of sin, properly preparing your “vessel” to be filled with the HOLY Spirit. Many have been immediately filled with the Holy Ghost as they emerged, with arms raised and openly praying, up out of the waters of baptism; we know this because we heard them “…speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2:4).

GS