| ------------------------------------------------------------- ( A ) GIFT OF TONGUES : WHAT IS IT ALL ABOUT ? Let me begin this study by saying that the information here is by no means all inclusive. There are various other studies on the topic of the gift of speaking in tongues which cover many other important issues and answer many other questions that this study does not cover. Therefore, I have listed on some pages, other web links to those studies. The tongues movement in churches of the world today, is it the Holy Spirit gift recorded in Gods� Word or is it a counterfeit ? Let us begin by simply looking at what Gods� Word says about this particular gift as well as what it does not say. Then we can better examine the tongues movement that has occurred in the churches within the past approximate 100 years. Was the gift of speaking in tongues, as described in scripture, ever meant to be evidence that the person with the gift was baptized with the Holy Ghost ? No. In reality, what the gift of tongues signified was to show the Jews that the Gentile people now had access to salvation through God as did the nation of Israel. Moreover, chapter 13 of 1 Corinthians makes very clear that it is the spiritual fruit of love which has priority over the spiritual gifts, including speaking in other tongues. Therefore, the spiritual fruit of love is supposed to be the primary evidence of having been baptized in the Holy Spirit. Does scriptural evidence prove that all Christians who have been baptized in the Holy Spirit will or must speak in tongues ? No. Actually, not all Christians were ever meant to have the gift of tongues. Does the Word of God prove that the gift of tongues was ever a heavenly or angelic language ? No it does not. Again, Gods� Word proves the opposite. Holy scripture states quite clearly of the purpose of the gift of speaking in tongues:; 20. Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men. 21. In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord. 22. Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe. - 1 Corinthians 14:20-22 The gift of speaking in tongues was specifically meant to have signification to the unbelieving Jew, not for fellow Christians. Now Paul does not use the word, Jew, in verse 22. Nevertheless, as we continue in this study, the scriptures will make it evident that it was the unbelieving Jew to whom he is referring in verse 22 of 1st Corinthians chapter 14 and not unbelieving Gentiles. Gods� Word shows that the gift of tongues was never meant to serve the Christian believer in any manner. Rather, prophecy is what serves the Christian. Thus, the gift of speaking in tongues was never meant to be an outward sign among born-again believers in order to show proof that they are baptized or filled with the Holy Spirit. Another point to consider, what of the instances in which most, ( if not all ), of the members in a church service, ( or some other Christian related activity ), allegedly speak in tongues at the same time ( or prayed in the spirit as it was called at various times ) ? Is this activity supported by Gods� Word ? Again, the answer is no because of the specific restrictions for that gifts� use in the Christian church, ( 1 Corinthians 14:23-28 ). Was the purpose for the gift of speaking in tongues to provide the Christian with personal edification, ( to build up, strengthen, to instruct and encourage intellectually, morally or spiritually ) ? Again the answer is no because that gift had its� specific purpose directed solely towards unbelieving Jews, not born-again Christian believers. However, scriptural evidence in the book of 1st Corinthians does clearly show that as Paul was teaching on the spiritual gifts, those Christians who happened to have the gift of tongues did in fact receive personal edification from that gift ( 1 Corinthians 14:4 ). Nevertheless, though personal edification was a benefit to those Christians who had the gift of tongues operating in their lives in the early years of the church, that benefit was never meant to signify a necessity that all Christians should have that spiritual gift. Rather, prophecy, as opposed to tongues ( unless there was an interpretation of the tongue ), was the necessary part that Paul taught as being useful for the edification for the church ( 1 Cor. 14:4-5 ). We must keep in mind that in Pauls� instruction and teaching on the gifts of the Spirit, chapter 12 of 1st Corinthians makes very clear that all of the gifts which were distributed among the Christian believers, were distributed in such a manner so that not any gift was given to every individual Christian. Not every Christian member had the gift of tongues. Not every Christian member had the working of miracles and so on. Therefore, even though the gift of speaking in tongues provided a benefit of personal edification to the Christians who happened to have had that gift, the gift itself still was not given to every Christian person. The instruction and description in holy scripture with regard to the gift of speaking in tongues clearly shows a distinction, not a similarity, to the tongues movement that has occurred in churches over about the past 100 years. Thus, what is occurring within the Christian church is not of the Lord. Rather, the tongues movement is deceitful. It is a fraudulent movement fueled by ignorance of Gods� Word. It is an inexcusable ignorance that we as Christians should be avoiding. But let us now scripturally examine further, the above questions, beginning with the issue regarding whether or not speaking in tongues is a heavenly and angelic language. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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