SPEAKING WITH TONGUES

Is It Scriptural for the Church?

This great question is probably attracting more attention today than at any time in the history of the world. In I Cor. 12:28, we read:

"And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, governments, diversities of tongues."

Is it not true that many professing Christians show by their words and actions that they actually despise the speaking with other tongues that is accompanying the marvelous outpouring of the Spirit which is falling on many thousands of believers, throughout the world in these last days! Nevertheless we see the scriptures clearly teach that God hath set diversities of tongues in the church. This we cannot deny, and His people will do well if they acknowledge it even by taking the attitude of Peter.

Peter

He had thought this the beginning of the fulfillment of Joel's prophecy to be for the Jews only. To his utter astonishment it "fell" on the Gentiles also. Telling how he knew, he said, "For we heard them speak with tongues and magnify God" (Acts 10:46). He further adds, "The Holy Ghost fell on them as on us at the beginning" (day of Pentecost). The R. V. says, "God gave unto them the like gift as He did unto us." When he realized this, he said, "What was I that I could withstand God?" (Acts 11:17).

A. Recognized Sign of the Receiving of the Holy Ghost.

We note in the first Bible record of anyone receiving the Holy Ghost as promised by our Lord that the initial sign or evidence of speaking with tongues accompanied. Speaking with tongues accompanied when the Holy Ghost first fell on the Gentiles. The same is true of the disciples that Paul met at Ephesus, where he asked them, "Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?" Here we have the Bible pattern of how the Jew, the Gentile and those who had never seen any one baptized with the Holy Spirit, received the Holy Ghost.

In Mark 16:17, Jesus says, "And these signs shall follow them that believe... They shall speak with new tongues." Now if Jesus said this, is it not the heritage of believers to speak with new tongues? Would Paul have said, "I would that ye all spake with tongues," if it were only for a chosen few?

Some one has said if a real language was spoken, foreign to the speaker but understood by some one present, they could believe it. Numbers of instances have occurred in this great revival where believers, having received the Holy Ghost, have spoken in languages foreign to themselves, yet understood by one or more present. The Word does not teach that all the speaking with tongues as the Spirit gives utterance, or the gift of tongues, must necessarily be an understood language. Even on the day of Pentecost when the 120 were filled with the spirit, the sign of speaking with other tongues accompanied before it was noised abroad or the multitude gathered together.

There is nothing to indicate that, when the Holy Ghost first fell on the Gentiles at Cornelius' house, or at Ephesus, the speaking in tongues which accompanied was understood by any, though it certainly was a sign to Peter and to the six Jews who accompanied him, and later to the objectors at Jerusalem, that the Gentiles had received the Holy Ghost.

Now if the speaking with tongues was a sign to them, why not a sign to us today? No matter what interpretation we place on the speaking with tongues, whether we believe it is the initial sign or evidence accompanying the gift of the Holy Ghost (which we do, if, as the Spirit gives utterance), or whether we believe it is solely the gift of tongues, we cannot fail to see that God hath placed it in the church, and this for a diversity of purposes.

Diversities of Tongues.

Dr. E. W. Bullinger, in his Lexicon and Concordance to the English and Greek New Testament, in explaining the meaning of "diversities" in this connection, gives "genus, that which has several species under it; or, sort, to separate and place in different divisions." It is important that we note that in the World there are suggested a number of different purposes for the speaking with tongues other than speaking a language as on the day of Pentecost.

In I Cor, 14:2, we read, "He that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto man but unto God, for (note here "no man") no man understandeth him; howbeit, in the Spirit he speaketh mysteries." In verse 5, Paul says, "I would that ye all spake with tongues." He surely must have meant "all." Then he added, "but rather that ye prophesied, for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues (so many stop here, but Paul added), except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying." Now, many interpretations are being given these days, and when interpretation is given, who can say prophecy is greater? If the Corinthian believers could receive and give interpretation, why not the believers of today? In verse 13, we are especially told to pray that we may interpret.

In verse 14, Paul says, "If I pray in an unknown tongue my spirit prayeth but my understanding is unfruitful." Did Paul stop praying in the unknown tongue because his understanding was unfruitful? Positively no. For in verse 15 he said, following this, "I will pray with the spirit (unknown tongue) and I will pray with the understanding also," He said "I thank my God I speak with tongues more than ye all." He must have spoken in tongues a great deal, for apparently the Corinthians did considerable speaking in tongues themselves, since so much regulating was required.

In verse 22 (R. V,) we read, "Tongues are for a sign... to the unbelieving." See Isaiah 28:11, 12, also in this regard, "yet for all that will they not hear Me, saith the Lord." Are there not many like that today? Specially note, Even though some do not accept the speaking with tongues as a sign or evidence accompanying the gift of the Holy Ghost, we cannot fail to see it is a sign to the unbeliever. If God's people fail to give this sign to the unbeliever, who will?

Notice verse 26, "When you come together everyone of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation." In closing this chapter, Paul sounds a warning, saying, "Forbid not to speak with tongues." How many need to heed this warning. If the exhortations to the Corinthians are not to be heeded by us today what scriptures are?

Many bring up verse 19 as an argument against the value of speaking with tongues. Here Paul says, "Yet in the Church I had rather speak five words with my understanding that by my voice I might (note his purpose) teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue."

There is no argument against the speaking in tongues here, for we readily believe with Paul that this is true when teaching others. Yet while it is true of teaching, it cannot apply to the speaking in tongues which accompanied the baptism of the Spirit; or the sign following the believer; or the sign or warning to the unbeliever, or for the edification or when used in worship as in verses 15 and 26, or the speaking in the unknown tongue to God. These diversities of purposes in speaking with tongues are very important, in fact so much so that God hath placed them in the church; and if so how can the church ever become normal without them? When the gift of tongues, which is given only to some, is used at will (verse 27), not more than two or three at the most should speak, and that by course, and one should interpret. It is different with the sign accompanying the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Specially note that there were 120 on the day of Pentecost, all at the home of Cornelius, and twelve at Ephesus, who were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues.

How will the church get back to the order in which God set it, if we refuse to recognize His Word? While some writers and opposers talk about this out-pouring of the Spirit and the speaking with tongues that is accompanying as a counterfeit, and pick out a few here and there that have failed God, or abused the gifts, or possibly are counterfeits, there is a mighty army of men and women throughout the world that have received the genuine, according to the Bible pattern, and are standing on God's Word, a sure foundation, and, contending for the faith once delivered unto the saints, they are not disappointed. The Lord Jesus said, "These signs shall follow (note who) them that believe," We receive because we believe.

(The above article was submitted by CALVARY TABERNACLE)

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