The Speaking in Tongues Claim
The churches of Christ
Greet
You (Romans
There are many claims made by men that are not in harmony with the
plain teaching of the Bible. When human claims conflict with the
teaching of the Bible, we may rest assured that the claims are false,
for the Bible is Right (Psalm 33:4). For many years, men have claimed
to speak in tongues by the
power of the Holy Ghost and in recent years a few brethren of the
Lord's
church have gone off after this tongue speaking claim. We are surprised
at
these brethren who became members of the Lord's church through their
obedience
to the Gospel of Christ. It is surprising that they were members of the
church
so long before God decided to use them in the way of speaking in
tongues.
We wonder why God waited so long before starting them to speak in
tongues?
If speaking in tongues is so important, why didn't God start them
speaking
as soon as they obeyed the Gospel.
What profit is tongues speaking in this day and time, anyway? If other
nations are not being taught the word of God in their respective
language what profit is derived from speaking in tongues? Be it
remembered that speaking in tongues was for the purpose of teaching
other nations and was therefore profitable.
God does not, and never has engaged in things of no profit. He warned
against
such through his judge and prophet Samuel (1 Sam.
When Christ sent his apostles out under the limited commission, he
told
them to "go not in the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the
Samaritans enter ye not; but go rather to the lost sheep of the house
of
But when Jesus went to Golgotha's rugged summit and was suspended on
the
Old Rugged Cross and died, breaking down the wall that discriminated
between
Jews and Gentiles, and was taken down and buried in the heart of the
earth
where he remained for three days and three nights and got up the third
day
with all authority in heaven and in earth, he told his disciples to "Go
and
teach all nations" (Matt. 28:18-19). How could they teach all nations
if
they could not speak the language of the different nationalities? Here
is
where the tongues are profitable; yea, here is where they were needed
to
carry out the Master's directive.
Yes, beloved, the tongues were promised for the purpose of teaching
different nationalities and confirming the word. The proof is in the
Great Commission. Turn to Mark 16:15-20. After having told His
disciples to go and preach the
Gospel unto every creature, He promised them that they would speak with
"new tongues," which was the only way they could preach the Gospel to
every creature as He had commanded them. But He said further, "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." Isn't it strange that these
fellows
claim to speak in tongues but will run like a sage hen from a snake?
Isn't
it strange that all who are bitten by a snake today either die or come
close
to dying? Why do these fellows who drink deadly poison this day and
time die?
Not long ago some fellows died who drank deadly poison. They died
because
they were ignorant of the teaching of the Word of God. The record says,
"So
then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into
heaven,
and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached
everywhere,
the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs
following"
(Mark
Paul pointed out that tongues were only temporary, for he said,
"Whether there be tongues, they shall cease" (1 Cor. 13:8). He told
when, for he said,
"When that which is perfect is come, then, that which is in part shall
be
done away" (vs. 10). But what is that which is perfect? David answers
in
Psalm 19:7. Said he, "The law of the Lord is perfect converting the
soul."
The Lord was at that time in the process of revealing His perfect law
to
the apostles and prophets, for Paul said, "For now we see through a
glass
darkly (in other words, it isn't clear to us at this time), but then
face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I
am known"
(1 Cor. 13:12). In other words, it is fragmentary, not fully revealed,
but
when completely revealed, it will be as plain as man looking face to
face
with man (cf. James 1:22-25). As it was revealed, the apostles and
prophets
wrote it that we may read and understand it (Eph. 3:1-5).
When they really spoke in tongues, only men were allowed to do it and
they
had to do it by course, that is, one at a time (1 Cor. 14:27). Only two
or
at the most three were allowed to speak and one had to tell what was
said.
If they had no interpreter, they were not allowed to speak in the
church
(vs. 28). So far as the women were concerned, God has never permitted a
woman
to speak in tongues.
Paul said, "Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience as also saith the law and if they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church" (verses 34-35). But, what is he talking about? It is clearly seen that he is talking about prophesying, spiritual revelations, and speaking in tongues. These are the subject of the entire chapter and no one can ignore the subject and rightly divide these verses. Some of the brethren have ignored the subject, and they have a hard time trying to explain these verses. If we were to ignore the subject, we couldn't preach to another man's wife, for it said, "If she would learn anything, let her ask her husband at home." We couldn't even preach to an ignorant man, for verse 38 says, "If any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant." Let's be honest now and not ignore the subject of the 14th chapter of First Corinthians.
We must also remember that tongues mean language and not a practiced
jabber (Acts 2:6-14). During the infant state of the church, God by the
Spirit enabled some to speak in different kinds of tongues (languages)
in order to teach
the different nations. We should always remember that the disciples
could
not carry out the great commission to teach all nations as the Lord had
commanded
them until the Holy Spirit came to guide them (John 16:13). Turn to
Luke
24:47-49, "And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached
in
his name among all nations, beginning at
On that day the Spirit gave them the power to speak in the “unknown”
tongues.
"And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with
other
tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance" (Acts 2:4). Other tongues
simply
meant another language. Notice verse 6, "Now when this was noised
abroad,
the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every
man
heard them speak in his own language." This clearly shows that tongues
mean
language. But let us notice the next verse. "And they were all amazed
and
marveled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak
Galileans?
And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?"
(vs.
7-8). Can't we see it? In verse six he called the tongues language, and
in
verse eight, he called the language tongues.
In the strict sense of the matter, there is no such thing as an
altogether “unknown” tongue. There is not a tongue (language) that is
not known to somebody.
The teaching here is that to different nations it is unknown. That is
why
they were confounded and amazed. They heard these Galileans speak their
language.
About sixteen or seventeen different nationalities heard them speak
their
language. This was not a practiced jabber, but a language that they
heard
and understood (verses 8, 11).
How unlike the claimants of today. On the day of Pentecost they saw the
tongues sitting on them (Acts 2:3). "And there appeared unto them
cloven
tongues like as of fire and sat upon each of them." Appear means to
come
into sight. The Moffett translation says “they saw tongues like flames,
one resting on the head of each.” Have you seen tongues sitting on
anyone's head?
To ask this question is to answer it. Surely we all know that this was
the
beginning of the Gospel of the Christian dispensation and the beginning
of everything required a miracle.
We are aware of the fact that God is the same God, but we must remember
that God began everything with the extraordinary, after which He
established
a law of propagation by which each thing was reproduced. It would make
as
much sense to ask God to form another man out of the dust of the earth
and
breathe into his nostrils the breath of life so he can become a living
soul,
and make him go into a deep sleep and take a rib from his side and make
another
full grown woman, as it is to ask Him to give men direct power by the
Holy
Spirit to speak in tongues. The supernatural measure of
the
Holy Spirit was given only to the apostles and prophets and those on
whom
they laid their hands. What apostles laid hands on
those
who claim to speak in tongues today? Think about it.