RESOURCES — SHORT ARTICLES

 

SHORT ARTICLES BY TOM ELSEROAD
	2021-05-10	What Is The Gift of Speaking in Tongues?
		We first see speaking in tongues on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4). The apostles went out to share the gospel with the gathered crowds, and they spoke to them in their own languages in which they were born (Ac.2:8). The Greek word translated “tongues” literally means languages. Paul discusses miraculous gifts emphasizing the importance of them being used to edify the hearer (1Co.14:6). 1Co 14:6 But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching? So, Paul along with the events in the book of Acts describe speaking in tongues as valuable to the one hearing God's message in his own language. Paul is clear that tongues is useless to everyone unless it is interpreted or translated. Now a person with the gift of interpreting tongues (1Co.12:30) could understand what a tongues-speaker was saying even though he did not know the language that was being spoken. This tongues interpreter would communicate the message of the tongue’s speaker to everyone else so all can understand (1Co.14:13). 1Co 14:13 Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. Paul sums up the gift of tongues again emphasizing the necessity of understanding what is said (1Co.14:19). 1Co 14:19 yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue. So, is the gift of tongues for today? Several arguments are made to say tongues has ceased and is no longer for today. One argument revolves around 1 Corinthians 13:8-10, which says tongues will cease (v.8), and when the perfect has come (v.10) it will be done away. They argue that a difference in the tense of the Greek verbs referring to prophecy and knowledge “ceasing” and that of tongues “being ceased” as evidence for tongues ceasing before the arrival of the “perfect.” This is not explicitly clear. Another argument comes from 1 Corinthians 14:21-22 describing “tongues” as a sign to unbelievers. And in this context the unbelievers are the unbelieving Jews, who were judged as a result in 70AD. The idea is that once the purpose of tongues was fulfilled with the judgment upon Israel, its purpose was fulfilled. One may ask since the primary purpose of tongues was fulfilled, does that necessarily demand its cessation. Scripture does not conclusively assert that the gift of speaking in tongues has ceased. If the gift of speaking in tongues were active in the church today, it must be performed in agreement with Scripture. 1. It must be a real and intelligible language (1Co.14:10). 2. It must be for the purpose of communicating God’s Word with a person of another language (Ac.2:6-12). 3. It must agree with the command of Paul that it be done by two or at most three, each in turn, and let one interpret, otherwise keep silent (1Co.14:27-28). 4. It must agree with the idea that “God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints” (1Co.14:33). God can most definitely give a person the gift of speaking in tongues to enable him or her to communicate with a person who speaks another language. The Holy Spirit is sovereign in the dispersion of the spiritual gifts (1Co.12:11). Imagine how much more productive missionaries could be if they did not have to go to language school and were instantly able to speak to people in their own language. However, God does not seem to be doing this. Most believers who claim to practice the gift of speaking in tongues do not do so in agreement with the Scriptures mentioned above. These observable facts lead one to the conclusion that the gift of tongues has ceased or is simply a rarity in God's plan for the church. Pastor Tom Elseroad

 

An Evangelical Free Church of America

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