TONGUES?
There are many people today who insist that speaking in tongues is the
definite sign of the baptism of the Spirit. By implication, if you
have not received the "baptism", signified by tongues, through
ignorance or lack of faith, you have missed out on God's best, or
perhaps, you're not a Christian at all!
That position is unscriptural. Paul clearly states that every believer
is baptized into the Spirit of God at the time of his conversion. "If
any man have not the Spirit of God, he is none of His", Romans 8:9.
There have been and are countless believers who have not spoken in
tongues, such as Billy Graham, R.A. Torrey, D.L. Moody, John R.W.
Stott, Sir Robert Anderson, Charles Finney, etc. Yet, their lives
indisputably demonstrate the operation of the Spirit in holiness, love
of the Word of God, love of souls, etc. Jesus gives us the true mark
of the believer, "By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples,
if ye have love one for another", John 13:35. How do we know that we
have passed from death unto life? "...because we love the brethren..."
1 John 3:15.
It is the plain truth that while many non-tongue-speakers exhibit
lives of the highest spiritual order, some tongue speakers do not, in
fact, demonstrate in their lives what the baptism and indwelling of
the Holy Spirit should produce in fruit.
This is another reason why tongue speaking cannot by the ultimate test
to determine whether one has been converted or baptized by the Spirit.
However, we can look to the manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit
in the life of the believer, "...love, joy, peace, long-suffering,
gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, self-control." Galatians
5:22-23.
It is possible to speak in tongues, and yet, not to be filled with the
Spirit, or even, be born of the Spirit, for tongue speaking is not a
distinctively Christian phenomenon. It has its parallels in other
"religions". The mystery religions spoke in ecstatic utterances,
dating back to 1100BC, in Syro-Palestine. Virgil and Plato both
mention ecstatic speech in their day. Gnostics practiced it. Moslems
speak it. It is the seventh article of the Mormon faith, and the sign
that confirms the plates of Joseph Smith as from God.
However, to indiscriminately group all speaking in tongues as
spurious, demonic, or hysteria, would be very daring indeed, for that
would virtually deny the Holy Spirit the right to distribute the gift
at His pleasure. Perhaps there is more danger in suppressing and
rejecting the work of the Holy Spirit than in the potential abuses and
excesses of some in the operation of the spiritual gifts.
Tongues, as the sole evidence of conversion or baptism of the Spirit,
is unscriptural, as is outright repudiation of the gift. We must
approach the subject with balance, and would by wise to heed Paul's
counsel, "...forbid not to speak with tongues", 1Corinthians 14:39.
Further, there is not Scriptural warrant for proclaiming that all
Christians may or should speak in tongues (1Corinthians 12:30). We are
urged to desire earnestly the greater gifts, those which best edify
the church. Clearly, speaking in tongues is not for every believer.
Paul asks, in 1 Corinthians 12:19-30, "...do all speak in tongues?.."
The Greek grammar he used indicates he expected a "no" answer.
The Holy Spirit sovereignly distributes every spiritual gift (1
Corinthians 12:11). What does this say about teaching others to speak
in tongues, or praying for the gift of tongues? Plainly, there is no
warrant whatsoever for teaching another to speak in tongues or praying
to receive the gift.
Yet, if tongues were the sole evidence, or even an essential element
in conversion or baptism of the Spirit, then should we not seek it
above all else? But, this is the reverse of the New Testament
emphasis. Nowhere is the Christian commanded to seek this gift.
Mark 16:17-18 is often quoted, "And these signs shall follow those who
believe: In My Name shall they cast out demons; they shall speak with
new tongues; 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".
Concerning this passage, it should be noted that many scholars doubt
that these verses were included in the original text. The two oldest
and most complete manuscripts, Sinaiticus and Vaticanus, conclude the
16th Chapter of the Gospel of Mark with verse 8, which renders it
unwise to take these verses as the foundation for doctrine or
practice, unless supported by other portions of the New Testament.
Beyond this, the obvious question arises: Is each and every believer
in the Body of Christ presumed empowered with casting out demons,
taking up serpents, drinking deadly poison without bringing harm to
himself, and healing the sick? Of course not. Some have demonstrated
these gifts, but not all. The gift of tongues is in that category. It
is not for every believer.
Therefore, if all believers do not and cannot speak with tongues, the
tongues gift cannot be the evidence of conversion or spirit baptism.
It is, at best, difficult to build a doctrine based on Paul's
warnings, cautions, and admonishings to the Corinthians, who clearly
demonstrated carnality and immaturity in their lives, and were known
for many abuses, factions, jealousies, excesses at the Lord's table,
women behaving inappropriately and in an unseemly manner, immorality,
lawsuits, sensuality, divorce, denominationalism, and tongues speaking
out of order. It is much like some of the church today, isn't it?
And, like the Corinthians, we cannot measure the spirituality of the
gift of tongues by the practice and exercise of it by those who may
bear the marks of spiritual immaturity, and in fact, may be notably
unspiritual.
Because tongue speaking is sometimes spectacular in nature, it leaves
its possessor especially open to spiritual pride, and a patronizing,
condescending attitude towards those who do not speak in tongues.
Some tongue speaking is undoubtedly spurious jargon. It is dangerously
open to counterfeit and exploitation. But, these are not adequate
reasons for denying the possibility of God bestowing the gift today.
Nor is it an argument against validity and for suppressing the gift.
Instead, we would be wise to follow Paul's example by Scripturally
correcting the abuses and excesses, as he did the Corinthians of the
early church.
Paul speaks to us today, as he did to them, "If I have not love, I am
nothing". His greatest hymn of love did not accidentally find itself
placed in the letter to the Corinthians, directly in the middle of his
discourse on the spiritual gifts.
In the final analysis, Paul's "more excellent way" was the way of
love. He believed we should love the speakers and non-speakers. In
keeping with the context of the entire 1Corinthians 12-14 passage, he
believed love could and would heal the strife and party spirit that
was (and is) dividing the Body of Christ.
Nor is it possible to build a doctrine of salvation or spirituality on
the fact that the only other place in the Bible tongues is spoken is
recorded in the Book of Acts. The events of this book are placed at a
period of transition in the history of the church. It is first and
foremost known to be a time of the Jews' final rejection of the
Messiah, and the severe judgment that followed in 70AD. It was also
the bare, tender beginnings of the Christian church, replete with new
and unprecedented happenings, believers comprised of many different
backgrounds and nationalities coming together in an attempt at unity
for the first time. It was a time of flux, not settled order,
presenting difficulty after difficulty, at best, to use in support of
doctrinal issues.
In summary, there is not categorical statement of Scripture to which
we can appeal to end all debate. We must, rather, approach the subject
openly and in a spirit of love. Speaking in tongues cannot, as a
matter of principle, be ruled out for the church in our day, but not
all that goes by that name is genuine. Nor is speaking in tongues
essential as evidence of regeneration or sanctification.
For whatever reason, at whatever time, in whatever manner, the Holy
Spirit initiated and distributed the gift of tongues. We must bear in
mind, the gift not only can be withheld at His divine pleasure, but
surely, it can also be graciously conferred at His divine pleasure. In
practice and in theory, our God is sovereign. Let us not resist Him,
but pray that Our Lord be glorified, as His body is edified.
By Patricia Cotes
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