TONGUES I
OPEN #1: WHY ARE WE LEARNING ABOUT TONGUES? When I began outlining the Acts 2 as I felt I should as I was led by the Lord to do so, I knew that the issue of tongues would come up and would have to be covered (off the record, that’s why I believe in breaking down the scriptures expositively {in order} because it doesn’t allow pastors the chance to skip tough topics. Just to be honest, this would have been a topic I as a human would have skipped.
OPEN #2: IS THIS A SMALL GROUP TOPIC? Technically, everything under the sun is a small group topic, but I have to admit that this would be an unusual one as far as discussions go. So leaders, you will really, really, really have to know the answers to the questions in order to be sharp and Biblically correct to explain them. Remember, a lot of people who fall a way from the church do so because their faith is NOT rock bottom. And their faith is NOT rock bottom because students have never been explained what the Bible says on certain topics. Youth hear about heaven, hell, sex, end times, etc and I know which topics are exciting (you do too). But, they also need to know tongues, cults, healing, holiness, and tons of other topics as well. I guess my hope is that in this two part message (it will take at least two weeks), the issue will be clear.
OPEN #3: ISN’T THIS CONTROVERSIAL TO TALK ABOUT? Yeah, I think it is. And the reason I think it is is because I know a host of really strong believers who I like a ton who just aren’t applying the issue of tongues as it is laid out in the scriptures. If anyone in the group has differentiating beliefs here, please be kind, and in no way suggest that the parents of those youth who have been taught certain things are wrong—the last thing we want is for youth to be questioning their Godly parents’ theology. But, as teachers being held to a high standard, we are obligated to learn exactly what the Bible has for us to learn.
BIBLE VERSE: ACTS 2:4-21
All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. 5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” 13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.” 14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19 I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
QUESTIONS:
1. What is the gift of speaking in tongues?
2. Is the gift of tongues meant for today?
3. Is the gift of tongues active in the church today?
4. Is it possible to be heard in someone else’s language?
5. What is glossolalia?
ANSWERS:
1. What is the gift of speaking in tongues? Tongues were a spiritual gift given by God on the day of Pentecost—the holy day which officially began his church. Acts 2 records believers speaking and hearing the gospel message of Christ spoken “in his own tongue,” which is where the word contrives from. In the Greek, the word “tongues” literally means “languages.” Therefore, the gift of tongues is the ability to speak to someone of a different language and have them understand you. This occurrence happens in the above verse in Acts 2, and is repeated again in 1 Corinthians 12:30. Obviously, if you have ever been to a worship service in more of a Pentecostal church and heard tongues spoken, you may be wondering here what languages were being spoken—if any?
2. Is the gift of tongues meant for today? 1 Corinthians 13:8 mentions that at some point the gift of speaking in tongues will “cease.” A lot is written about this, and so you know ahead of time I will neither take a stand by stating if it has ceased yet or if it the gift of speaking in foreign languages is still presently occurring. There are some verses that tie in to this: Isaiah 28:11 & Joel 2:28-29 seem to imply that tongues speaking was a symbol of God’s coming judgment, 1 Corinthians 14:22 goes as far as stating that tongues is a sign for unbelievers. Either way, none of the above verses seem to indicate affirmatively that it has ceased or not ceased.
3. Is the gift of tongues active in the church today? But herein lies the question…If speaking in tongues were present today, wouldn’t it be performed in the line of scripture? I mean, if God is actually working through the “tongue” then if the way the tongue is being used does NOT line up with scripture, then God is wrong. And since we know that God cannot be wrong, we have to understand that every time tongues are being used outside the lines of scripture that everything the “tongue” says carries within in the potential to be false, because it’s not from God.
Check out the following. “If anyone speaks in a tongue, two or at most three should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God.” -1 Corinthians 14:27-28
Also, 100 speaking in tongues (which must be actual languages to be a tongue) all at the same time…well…is that clarity or confusing? Putting aside the fact that it is in violation of the scriptures (which is sin), it is also evidence for God NOT being the author of the words for “God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.” (1 Corinthians 14:33).
4. Is it possible to be heard in someone else’s language? Are you with me so far? Okay, let’s go more. As for tongues being active today, God can most assuredly give a person the gift for speaking in tongues to enable him or he to communicate well with a person who speaks a different language. Personally, I wish God would give this out all the time! Think about how much better of a job we could do in witnessing if everybody always understood what we said! This bodes especially for now since there are more languages present today than there ever were in history!
Personally, I have taken some international mission trips (Albania, Puerto Rico, Alabama) and the ability to speak in someone else’s tongue would have been an unimaginable asset…especially in Alabama. Heck, one time my wife and I were driving through Texas, and after stopping at a gas station to get directions, I got back in the car and told Lori that I had indeed received the directions—but didn’t have a clue what anybody had said. For the record, we pulled over at another gas station and she got the directions and was fine—I guess Wisconsin can’t understand Houston, I dunno, go figure.
But as for the question, even though it is absolutely possible for a different language to be heard, GOD JUST DOESN’T SEEM TO BE DOING THIS. Put simply, tongues as evidenced by the verses above just does not seem to occur today, nor used in the manner it was designed by God to be used. Remember, it is supposed to be evidence for the non-believer. It is NOT supposed to be something that would freak out a non-believer.
5. What is glossolalia? Glossolalia is the technical theological term given to the phrase referred to as “ecstatic utterances.” So don’t be afraid of using the term, it’s not some monster that will jump out of the closet nor is it the behemoth that attacks King Hrothgar in the Beowulf novel. I suggest using the term in everyday conversation, when I am discussing offensive and defensive plays with my football coaching staff, you can bet this term pops up repeatedly.
Putting all seriousness aside, glossolalia should not be confused with xenoglossia, otherwise known in theology as “tongues.” Technically, xenoglossia is the aspect of speaking in a language whereas other people can hear as their own, while glossolalia is the “babbling of non-languages.” For those who may be upset with my phrase “babbling,” I didn’t write that there to offend anyone, I wrote that phrase only to discriminate between the two and because “babbling” is the phrase non-believers associate with what some churches call “tongues.” If I have confused you here, just dismiss this entire paragraph because it’s really not important at all.
Here is what most don’t know. In about every part of the world, glossolalia is observed. It is observed in many Pentecostal-style churches in America, in England, as well as the Shamans in Sudan, the Shango cult at the west coast of Africa, the Zor cult in Ethiopia, some voodoo cults in Haiti, aborigines in South America, and in Australia. And here’s the scary part, when they are all voice recorded and put on display, they all sound the same. Ouch. Do you hear me now?
Research conducted by the Lutheran Medical Center is readily learned by anyone (anyone whether they are being “trained” by a pastor or whether they are being “trained” by an agnostic) and does not have to occur in a church, nor even by a believer. In fact, newborn babies have the ability to use glossolalia prior to their development of language. Now, I know that a single scientific study used as reference is highly unscientific, I admit that. In fact, a host of scientific studies have been used to attempt to prove evolution, inaccuracies of the Bible, and about everything else we know to be true. But, my point here is not to technically back up the LMC study but instead to show in another way that the incoherent babblings that occur in some churches are not done in scripture nor have an inherent Biblical basis.
In my own experience, I came down the aisle and gave my life at a church that encourages the teaching of tongues. A very sincere and devout pastor preached an outstanding message and the Lord used that to call me his own. I am thankful for that. Following my conversion, I was brought to a back room in order to receive “the gift of tongues” which they said would be “evidence” of me having the Lord in my life (ironically, the Bible uses “good fruit” or a “changed life” as evidence, but I am new so what else did I know?). After I had learned to babble in this incoherent way that the pastor told me was most likely an ancient language (remember, no one did anything purposeful to harm me and I loved this guy), I was sent on my way. Sadly, this is the experience that a lot of people have had happened, despite an occurrence like this never happening in the scriptures.
Simply put, the practice of glossolalia is NOT the Biblical gift of tongues. Paul made it clear that the chief purpose of the gift of speaking in tongues was to be a sign for those that do not believe and to spread the good news as in accordance with 1 Corinthians 14:19-22.
NOT SATISFIED YET…MORE TO COME WITH THE NEXT LESSON…
Sources:
Gotquestions.org. What is glossolalia.
Gotquestions.org. What is the gift of speaking in tongues?