Speaking In Tongues

SPEAKING IN TONGUES

Speaking in tongues is the most talked about phenomena in Christianity. Pentecostalism and the Charismatic movement has brought speaking in tongues to the forefront, and these branches of Christianity are without doubt the fastest growing segments of Christianity. These movements are impacting the world even more than the reformation did. Yet with all the talk about speaking in tongues, few understand what it's all about.

TONGUES ARE THE LEAST UNDERSTOOD SUBJECT AMONG BELIEVERS TODAY!

People will be surprise to find that the Bible mentions speaking in tongues thirty-five times. That is a lot, so this subject should not be cast lightly aside as unimportant to the Church. God does not fill His book with things of minor importance.

Many people who have never spoken in tongues speak as

though they're experts in this field, when in reality they teach

only from the standpoint of ignorance of Tongues

Who should know more about tongues: those who speak in tongues or those who don't? Well, shouldn't we learn from those

who do speak in tongues!? Since I do speak in tongues, I feel that I can bring scriptural wisdom with experience in this article.

This article will clarify common misunderstandings and show the importance and benefits of speaking in tongues.

WHAT GOOD IS IT?

The Apostle Paul writes, "He who speaks in tongues edifies himself...I would like every one of you to speak in tongues" (1 Corinthians 14:4,5). With these positive statement about tongues, why do so few Christians speak in tongues? I believe the answer is because there is very little sound, logical and scriptural teaching as to the scope and value of speaking in tongues.

Recently at a gathering of a group of Mormons at the University Ward on North Oregon Street.

A young man vshared his testimony on how God saved and filled him with the Holy Spirit with

the evidence of speaking in tongues. After the talk, the number one question the students asked

was on speaking in tongues. One inquisitive student asked, "What does speaking in tongues do

for you?"

His reply was, "It does exactly what the Bible says it does: He who speaks in tongues edifies

himself." The word "edify" means to "build up" or "charge up"--much like charging up a battery.

We all need a spiritual charge. All of us at times feel spiritually drained. One of God's ways to

charge your spirit is through speaking in tongues.

A HEAVENLY LANGUAGE

Many people inaccurately define speaking in tongues as "speaking gibberish" or "talking nonsense." The truth is, speaking

in tongues is the most intelligent, perfect language in the universe. It is God's language.

What language do you suppose people speak in heaven? Languages are given their name based on the countries they come

from. For example, English comes from England. Spanish comes from Spain. Italian comes from Italy.

Well, where does tongues come from? It comes from Heaven! Tongues is the heavenly language. It is what is spoken in heaven;

the only difference is that the people in heaven understand what they are saying. Here on earth Paul says, "For anyone who

speaks in tongues does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understand him; he utters mysteries with his spirit" (v. 2).

Jesus says that those who believe in Him will "speak in new tongues" (Mark 16:17). The word "new" means appearing for the

first time. No one had spoken these languages before. Contrary to bad theology tongues is not an ability given to preach the

gospel in the language of foreigners. This would make tongues "old" languages. It is only appropriate that "new tongues"

should be spoken by those of the "new birth." It is natural and normal to speak in the language of your birth. We are born again

from above, therefore we should speak the language from above--that language is called "new tongues."

SHOULDN'T TONGUES BE UNDERSTOOD?

The first to speak in tongues were the disciples. This occurred on the day of Pentecost. People often think that on this day the disciples were speaking human languages, because the people could understand what they were saying.

I don't believe this is true because there was a two-fold miracle taking place on this day: the miracle of speaking and hearing: The first miracle was the speaking in tongues. The second miracle was the enabling of some to understand the tongues. Not everyone understood the tongues, because some onlookers made fun of the disciples and accused them of being drunk (Acts 2:13); this clearly shows that they did not understand the tongues.

And the ones who did understand the tongues were perplex because each one heard only their own native language not the languages of the other people (v. 6). The Bible tells us that there were over fourteen foreigners representing many nations, speaking different languages. Yet each person heard the disciples praising God in their own language. They exclaimed, "How is it that each of us hears them in his own native language?" (v. 8) They could not figure out how this was possible.