The Bible and Tongues; Is It Still for Today?
The Bible and Tongues; Is It Still for Today?
Within the Christian community there are different viewpoints on whether or not tongues or any other spiritual gift is available to believers today. The verses in which there is a difference in interpretation on the spiritual gifts is addressed later in this blog. Even though there are various viewpoints among Christians on this topic, we should never let this cause a division among us! Satan would love for Christians to have such a high level of disagreement on scripture interpretation that it creates animosity among them.
The goal of this blog is to explain the purpose for the gift of tongues, the different viewpoints of scripture pertaining to the gifts of the spirit (tongues being one of them) and if they are for today.
There are several verses that speak about the gift of tongues in the Bible. Jesus said in Mark 16:17 that believers cast out demons and they will speak in new tongues. Jesus mentions driving out demons and speaking in tongues in the same sentence so clearly, He feels that tongues is important to the believer. In Acts 19:6, Paul laid hands on believers and they began to speak in tongues and prophecy. Paul was intentional in laying hands on new believers so that they would be baptized in the Holy Spirit, receive the gift of tongues and began to speak in new tongues and prophesy. Again, it would seem that the gift of tongues is significant to the believer.
Below are several verses that address the gift of tongues.
Mark 16:17 ESV
And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues;
Acts 2:4 ESV
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 19:6 ESV
And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.
1 Corinthians 12:8-10 ESV
For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
1 Corinthians 13:1 ESV
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal
As I mentioned earlier, speaking in tongues is a gift from the Holy Spirit. It is one of the first miraculous manifestations that accompanies receiving the baptism of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:4, 10:46 and 19:6). There are two kinds of speaking in tongues. 1 Corinthians 13:1 says we can speak with tongues of man or angels. The tongues of men is speaking of known languages such as what took place on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:4-6). This is the gift to supernaturally speak a known language without having been taught it, and it comes for the purpose of witnessing, as on the Day of Pentecost. There is also a gift of tongues that is speaking in a heavenly language (what 1 Corinthians 13:1 calls the tongues of angels). This is a language that is not known to the speaker (1 Corinthians 14:2 and 14) but allows the believer to communicate directly with the Lord through the Spirit.
There is another kind of speaking in tongues that equals prophecy if it is interpreted (1 Corinthians 14:5). People that believe that the gift of tongues is for today would agree that not every believer will speak in known languages, as on the Day of Pentecost, or prophesy in the assembly through a message in tongues and an interpretation (1 Corinthians 12:30), but believes that every believer who receives the baptism of the Holy Ghost can speak in the tongues that are for the purpose of edification (1 Corinthians 14:4). Edification means to build our spirit up by communing with God through tongues.
1 Corinthians 14 ESV
14 Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. 2 For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. 3 On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. 4 The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. 5 Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up.
6 Now, brothers,[a] if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching? 7 If even lifeless instruments, such as the flute or the harp, do not give distinct notes, how will anyone know what is played? 8 And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle? 9 So with yourselves, if with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said? For you will be speaking into the air. 10 There are doubtless many different languages in the world, and none is without meaning, 11 but if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me. 12 So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.
13 Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. 15 What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also. 16 Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider[b] say “Amen” to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying? 17 For you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up. 18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19 Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.
20 Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature. 21 In the Law it is written, “By people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.” 22 Thus tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is a sign[c] not for unbelievers but for believers. 23 If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your minds? 24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, 25 the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you.
In 1 Corinthians 14:1 and 2, Paul gave the reason he instructed them to desire prophecy above other spiritual gifts. He wasn’t saying tongues was not important to the believer, he was saying within the church setting (the physical gathering of people), prophesying was more beneficial than speaking in tongues. Speaking in tongues is us communing with God, but prophecy is God speaking through us to man. In the church, we should seek to edify others, not ourselves. Prophecy edifies others, while speaking in tongues only edifies the person who is speaking (1 Corinthians 14:4).
Many people question what is accomplished by speaking in tongues. There are four verses in this chapter where Paul gave us insight on this.
1) In verse 2, Paul said we are speaking mysteries.
Mysteries are revelation from God that can come from praying in tongues and praying for God to reveal to us what he wants us to know.
2) In 1 Corinthians 14:4, Paul said we edify ourselves through speaking in tongues.
Speaking in tongues builds us up and promotes spiritual growth.
3) 1 Corinthians 14:14 says the spirit is the part of us that prays in tongues.
Our born- again spirits have the mind of Christ; therefore, when we are praying from our spirits, we are praying with the mind of Christ, using our most holy faith. Too often, our minds, with all their wrong thinking and unbelief, get in the way. Praying in tongues bypasses our minds and allows our spirits to have unhindered communion with the Father.
4) 1 Corinthians 14:17 says we are giving thanks unto God when we speak in tongues.
When we speak in tongues, we are praising God, and since we are praying from our spirits, we don’t experience the hindrances that are present when we pray from our minds. We are giving perfect praise unto God, without the limitations of human language or thought. If there were no other benefits associated with speaking in tongues, this would be more than enough reason to seek this gift.
Again, in 1 Corinthians chapter 14, Paul is not saying that speaking/praying in tongues is not important; he is saying that within the church, the gift of prophecy is more beneficial in a church congregation setting.
Has Tongues and Other Spiritual Gifts Ceased?
In 1 Corinthians, Paul is addressing the Corinthian church about the God kind of love. It would seem that the Corinthian church was operating in the gifts of the Spirit such as prophecy, tongues and words of knowledge, but it must have been in a way that was outside the God kind of love. Paul was letting the Corinthian church know that love (God’s kind of love) is superior to any spiritual gift. People need to operate in these gifts in love.
1 Corinthians 13:8-10 NKJV
8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
Some people interpret the above scriptures to mean that Paul is saying that tongues and prophecy will cease in his near future. In verse 10, “that which is perfect”, some people believe this is referring to the Bible being complete. Therefore, now that the Cannon is complete, they believe the gifts of the Spirit ceased at the time the Cannon was completed.
However, the scripture below would seem to contradict this line of thinking.
1 Corinthians 13:12 NKJV
For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
Paul said when that which is perfect is come, we shall see face to face. This is speaking of seeing the Lord face to face, instead of vaguely as though through a dark glass, as it is now. Some might argue that this is speaking in a symbolic sense instead of literally face to face, but the next comparison in that verse says that then we shall know all things even as we are also known. There is no other way to interpret that except to be describing when we stand before the Lord after this life. Then we will be face to face and know all things even as also we are known.
1 Corinthains 13:8 also says that at that time prophecies fail and tongues cease, knowledge will vanish away. That has to be talking about the next life, or the new heavens and earth, because one of the signs of the end times will be that knowledge shall increase (Daniel 12:4). So, the “that which is perfect” that Paul was speaking of cannot be the Bible. It has to be speaking of either our glorified bodies or Jesus at His second coming. Either way, these verses establish that until that which is perfect is come, tongues and prophecy will remain. Because of this verse, many believe that tongues and other gifts are valid gifts today.
1 Corinthians 14:1 NKJV
Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.
Right after Paul’s teaching about love in chapter 13, he told them to desire spiritual gifts. Why would he tell them to desire spiritual gifts if they were going to soon be non-existent (cease)? Paul was simply stressing that the gifts of the Spirit operating in love are superior to the gifts of the Spirit operating without love.
Remember, Jesus said in Mark 16:17 that believers will speak in new tongues. He did not qualify this to mean believers in the 1st century or until the Cannon was complete. Many believe He was referring to any born-again believer from that time, up until His second coming.
Whether you are a Christian that is a cessationist (believe that the gifts of the Spirit have ceased) or a continuationist (believe the gifts are for today), we can’t let this topic be divisiv