Tongues
The Charismatic Movement has so influenced the church of our day that
speaking in tongues has become an accepted phenomena. Touted as a proof and
demonstration of the "Spirit filled life," tongues have become a standard part
of the modern Christian culture and are commonly used as a measure of the
validity of Christian experience.
The proponents of speaking in tongues
seek to use Scripture to prove the authenticity of their practice. Yet when we
examine the Scriptures to see if this practice is consistent with the Bible's
own instructions we discover that there are at least six Scriptural facts the
tongues movement never face. Tongue-talkers fail to submit themselves to the
final authority of the Word of God in this matter and rather use the Scripture
simply to "proof text" the validity of an experience they choose to
have.
The Apostle Paul sets forth the procedure for the practice of
tongues in I Corinthians 14. He founded the Corinthian assembly and then
nourished it in the Word and dealt with many difficulties caused by their
shortcomings and failures. One of the problems at Corinth was the abuse of the
spiritual gifts in evidence in their midst. Paul wrote I Corinthians 12-14 to
deal with that abuse.
In I Corinthians 14 he gives six very clear rules
for the practice of tongues. If we want to ascertain if it is God speaking
through a tongue-talker, here is an objective set of rules which clearly
identify when it is the Holy Spirit who is working. These six tests present
problems the modern tongues movement will never face because they would put it
out of business. Paul introduces these instructions by saying:
"Brethren,
BE NOT CHILDREN IN UNDERSTANDING: howbeit in malice be ye children, but IN
UNDERSTANDING BE MEN" (I Corinthians 14:20).
Those who do not understand
what Paul is going to set forth in the following verses demonstrate themselves
to be children in understanding. This does not mean they are devils, just that
they are babies when it comes to understanding how God works
today.
Friend, isn't it time we grow up spiritually and "put away
childish things?" The objective standard by which to evaluate the tongues
movement is set forth in the following rules:
RULE
1
Tongues are for the benefit of the nation Israel:
"In the
law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I SPEAK UNTO
THIS PEOPLE; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord"
(14:21).
Who is "this people" to whom God will speak with "other
tongues?" Check Isaiah 28:11 and see. "This people" is clearly the nation
Israel. Thus the next verse declares: "Wherefore TONGUES ARE FOR A SIGN"?and who
is the sign program for? I Corinthians 1:22 leaves no doubt:
"For THE
JEWS REQUIRE A SIGN?"
Tongues are for the benefit of the nation Israel.
They were representative of the sign gifts given to that favored nation. In Mark
16:17,18 Jesus Christ decreed:
"And THESE SIGNS SHALL FOLLOW THEM THAT
BELIEVE: In my name shall they cast out devils; 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 of the sick, and they shall
recover.'
"These signs" are a collective unit, a package of gifts
associated with "confirming the Word" in relation to Israel's program (Mark
16:20, Hebrews 2:4). This "signs and wonders" program has its roots in Exodus 4
where God called Moses to deliver Israel from Egypt.
When Moses protested
his commission God gave him two signs?serpent handing and healing?and then
assured him:
"And it shall come to pass if they will not believe thee,
neither hearken to the VOICE OF THE FIRST SIGN, that they will believe the VOICE
OF THE LATTER SIGN" (Exodus 4:8).
Christ's reference to taking up
serpents and healing the sick carried His hearers all the way back to the very
birth of their nation. Signs and wonders were the birthright of the nation. The
bard of Israel even identifies them as "our signs" (Psalms 74:9).
The
specific reason for the provision of the gift of tongues has to do with
equipping Israel to fulfill her purpose as God's kingdom nation. Zechariah 8:23
looks forward to the kingdom reign of Christ and demonstrates Israel's
role:
"Thus saith the Lord of hosts: In those days it shall come to pass,
that ten men shall hold OUT OF ALL LANGUAGES OF THE NATIONS, even shall take
hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have
heard that God is with you."
In that day "all nations shall flow unto
[Jerusalem]?for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord
from Jerusalem" (Isaiah 2:2,3). In order to minister to those "out of all
languages of the nations" God will overrule the effects of the confusion of
languages set in motion in Genesis 11 by giving the gift of tongues to Israel so
she can fulfill her commission. Thus tongues specifically belong to that favored
nation.
RULE 2
Tongues are for the purpose of
convincing unbeliever Jews?not for convincing believers, and especially not
Gentile believers.
"Wherefore tongues are for a sign, NOT TO THEM THAT
BELIEVE, BUT TO THEM THAT BELIEVE NOT: but prophesying serveth not for them that
believe not, but for them which believe" (I Corinthians 14:22).
Tongues
were a testimony to unbelieving Jews. Because of their heritage "the Jews
required a sign" (I Corinthians 1:22). They simply would not believe without it.
This explains Christ?s words to the Jewish nobleman in John
4:48:
"...EXCEPT YE SEE SIGNS AND WONDERS, YE WILL NOT
BELIEVE."
Even when in operation among the Gentiles, as at Corinth, the
sign gifts were for the specific benefit of unbelieving Israel. With the raising
up of the Apostle Paul, God introduced a significant change in His dealings. No
longer was Israel to hold center stage as God's chosen vessel, but now Paul
declares:
"...THROUGH THEIR [ISRAEL'S] FALL SALVATION IS COME UNTO THE
GENTILES, for to provoke them to jealousy" (Romans 11:11).
As this
temporary suspension of their program was introduced, a special period of
testimony was extended to the nation Israel in order to testify of the change
taking place. The presence of the sign gifts, which were Israel?s special
possession, among the Gentiles was a testimony to unbelieving Jews that their
God had departed from them and was "visiting the Gentiles, to take out of them a
people for His name."
Thus even the practice of tongues among the
Gentiles in the early stage of the dispensation of grace was specifically for
the benefit of unbelieving Israel.
RULE 3
No more
than three people are to speak in tongues at any one meeting:
"If any man
speak in an unknown tongue, LET IT BE BY TWO, OR AT THE MOST BY THREE..." (I
Corinthians 14:27).
This rule needs little comment. The instruction is
clear: No more than three people in any meeting are to speak in tongues. If you
are in a meeting and more than three people speak in tongues, you know
something: God is not doing it.
RULE 4
Each
person of the three is to wait their turn:
"...AND THAT BY COURSE..."
(14:27).
When the Spirit of God is exercising the tongue everyone (of the
three) will not be speaking at the same time.
Someone may say, "But I
have a tongue and I have to exercise it." No you don't! The verse says that if
the gift is from God it is subject to your control. It is not some mindless
activity that just happens. It is coordinated by the Holy Spirit who set down
these rules to identify how He operates in this realm. Thus all things will be
done "in order" (v. 40) "for God is not the author of confusion" (v.
33).
RULE 5
One person is to
interpret:
"...and LET ONE INTERPRET.
"BUT IF THERE BE NO INTERPRETER,
LET HIM KEEP SILENCE IN THE CHURCH; and let him speak to himself, and to God"
(14:27,28).
When there is no interpreter, no one is to speak in tongues.
Evidently there was to be someone there with the gift of interpretation
identified ahead of time?else you would not know if you should speak. If the
Holy Spirit gave the tongue, He would provide the
interpreter.
RULE 6
Only men were to speak in
tongues:
"If ANY MAN speak in an unknown tongue...
"LET YOUR WOMEN
KEEP SILENCE IN THE CHURCHES: FOR IT IS NOT PERMITTED UNTO THEM TO SPEAK; BUT
THEY ARE COMMANDED TO BE UNDER OBEDIENCE, as also saith the law"
(14:27,34).
Paul is not prohibiting women from talking or holding a
conversation during the meetings. No. The context of I Corinthians 14:34 is
speaking in tongues. "It is not permitted unto them to speak"?in tongues. This
rule alone would put the modern tongues movement out of business!
If a
person is speaking "by the Spirit" we can expect no less than that they will
follow the guidelines set down by that same Spirit: Two men, maybe three at the
most, get up by course to speak followed by an interpreter who interprets what
has been said. No women speakers. No talking at the same time. No speaking by
more than three. No absence of an interpreter. And all done as a witness to
unbelieving Jews!
No one who speaks in tongues today follows these clear
rules. In fact, few (if any) tongue-talkers are even aware of these basic
elements of the operation of the gift of tongues. This clearly demonstrates that
the modern tongues movement is not of divine origin. It is simply not
Scriptural.
The truth of the matter is that God is not operating the sign
gift program today. The question arises, then, as to why He has ceased to do so.
Tongues were once in order?why have they ceased?
I Corinthians 13:8
explains that the sign gift program was going to pass away:
"Charity
never faileth: but WHETHER THERE BE PROPHECIES, THEY SHALL FAIL; WHETHER THERE
BE TONGUES, THEY SHALL CEASE; WHETHER THERE BE KNOWLEDGE, IT SHALL VANISH
AWAY."
There was coming a time when the sign gifts1 would no longer be in
operation. They would no longer be a part of God's program?they would no longer
be dispensationally correct.
When this was to happen is detailed in the
next verses:
"For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
"But when
that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away"
(13:9,10).
The sign gifts would cease "when that which is perfect is
come." Some suggest this is a reference to the return of Christ, but this can
hardly be the case. Do we refer to our Lord as "that which"? No. He is a person,
not a thing. Beyond this is the fact that the word "perfect" has to do with
maturity?being brought to full completion. Nowhere in Scripture are we given to
think we should wait until Christ's return to "grow up." That is something we
are to do now (Ephesians 4:15).
The identity of "that which is perfect"
is not difficult to ascertain from the verses themselves: "We know in
part"?what, then, is "in part?" Knowledge. What does away with partial
knowledge? Complete knowledge! The perfecter and completer must be of the same
substance as the thing being completed.
"That which is perfect" has to do
with the completion of the message committed to the Apostle Paul. It is a
reference to the fullness of the knowledge of the mystery revelation given
through him. Ephesians 4 sheds further light on this process by telling
us:
"Wherefore he saith When he ascended up on high, He led captivity
captive, and GAVE GIFTS UNTO MEN."
"TILL we all come in the unity of the
faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, UNTO A PERFECT MAN, unto to
measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ" (Ephesians
4:8,13).
Gifts were given?and needed?"until" the revelation was
completed. In this regard, Colossians 1:25,26 tells us:
"Whereof I am
made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for
you, TO FULFILL THE WORD OF GOD;
"Even the mystery which hath been hid from
ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to this saints."
The
mystery revealed to Paul completed the Word of God. It ended the need for
further revelation. The written Word of God is now complete.
It is at
this point that the claims of the tongues movement are most disturbing. When a
person claims to speak in tongues they are claiming that God is speaking through
them (cf. Acts 2:4). This is a blanket denial of the complete and final
authority of the written Word of God.
We simply cannot believe that God's
Word is complete while claiming that He continues to give a further word through
extra-Biblical revelations. This is exactly what was done with tongues: While
they were in order they were used to communicate revelation from God. Today that
revelation is complete. God has finished His Word.
The tongues movement
is not simply unscriptural, it is dangerously wrong. Speaking in tongues is the
most dangerous error of the Charismatic Movement not because of its excesses or
emotional focus but because it is in its most basic form the cultic doctrine of
continuing inspiration?a doctrine that strikes at the very heart of the written
Word of God.
We do have the complete and preserved Word of God and we
have it available to us as English speaking people in a reliable, authoritative
form that we can confidently trust?the King James Bible. It is through the Word
of truth written in a book studied "rightly divided" that God speaks today?and
through which we grow up in Christ and become workmen of God (Ephesians 4:15, II
Timothy 2:15).
1. The references in I Corinthians 13:8 are, of course, to
the gifts of prophesy, tongues and knowledge (see 12:7-11). There will never be
a time when people do not know or communicate with language or when prophecy
does not prove true. The references are to the passing away of the gifts
program.
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Article taken from the Grace Journal
"Preaching Grace in the Dispensation of Grace"
A Bible Study and News
Periodical
Volume 7 Number 1 RICHARD JORDAN, Editor January/February
1994