Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Speaking In Tongues

Hello Friends and Family,
This last week have I been visiting and listening to and reading articles from http://www.salvationbygrace.org/ If you want to visit you can click this link or, under my website list you can click "Salvation by Grace". This was the last article I read and it's on speaking in tongues. This is a hot button topic within Christanity now a days and it's important to know the truth of what the Bible truly teaches.
I would suggest you read this article, and leaving me your comments, thoughts and even check out the website. Being here at the Honor Academy many people have lots of different thoughts, opinions, and experiences when it comes to speaking in tongues as I'm sure you do as well. People like to ask me my thoughts on it, and like to go back and forth about what truly speaking in tongues is. We read the Bible and talk about the verses and most of the time both of us learn and grow and it's great!
But let's check out Mr. McClarty and what he says about it. Someone asked him the question and that is presented by the "Q-" and then he goes on to answer it where it says "Jim-"
Speaking In Tongues
Q -
I have a question for you. I have been tempted to visit this fairly large (actually huge) Church of God. I bet there at least 1,000 or 2,000 (if not more) members - which I think is too large, people get lost in the crowd. In any event, my problem with the Church of God is the speaking in tongues thing. What are your thoughts on the subject? I'm sure you must have addressed this at some point. Any guidance or thoughts? I would like to know your perspective on this.
Jim -
So, speaking in tongues, eh? I do have an opinion (as you might expect). I've been asked about it frequently because there's plenty of confusion out there. But, there doesn't need to be.
The Greek word that is translated "tongues" is "glossa" - from which we get the English word "glossary." It should have been translated "language," but during the days of King James (1611) the word "tongue" was synonymous with "language." For instance, we still talk about people who speak a "foreign tongue." And, that's the way the word is used in the Bible. It means, "spoken language."
Now, the first place where the phenomenon of men speaking in languages they didn't naturally speak was on the day of Pentecost, at the inception of the Church. Peter stood up to speak, but his audience was filled with Jews from all over the middle Asia area, who spoke a variety of languages and dialects.
"And, they (the apostles) were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language." (Acts 2:4-6)
What should be instantly obvious from that passage was that the apostles spoke actual foreign languages in order that the multitude could all understand. That's what "tongues" was all about and what the purpose was. Without the methods and means of mass communication that we have available today, every area developed languages and dialects unique to themselves. But, when the time came for the Gospel of Christ to be spread abroad, the message was carried by fishermen, tax collectors, zealots and the like who spoke Greek and some Aramaic.
"And they (the men from every nation) were amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappodocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God. And, they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?" (Acts 2:7-12)
So, God miraculously caused the Apostles to speak languages that were unknown to them and caused the listeners to hear in their own language. And, the gospel of grace spread. But again, it's obvious that the "tongues" spoken by the Apostles were known, definable languages, not babble or gibberish.
As Paul journeyed through his ministry, he encountered many languages and preached nonetheless. As the Church grew, the gifts of the Spirit spread in order to promote the message of grace. But, some began to abuse the gifts and Paul had to correct them -
"I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all; yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue." (1 Cor.14:19-20)
Paul went on to instruct the Corinthian church that tongues were not to be exercised in the church meetings. The gift of tongues was a method for preaching and evangelizing among the lost. But, the church was to gather for the purpose of reading, studying, preaching and exhorting
through the Word.
"Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not; but prophesying [preaching the word] serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe. If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?" (1 Cor. 14:22-23)
So, Paul was quite clear that speaking with tongues - other known, spoken, extant languages of the day - was for a sign to unbelievers and not something to be exhibited in the church. In the church, preaching and teaching are the priority.
Now, when most people think of "speaking in tongues" they mean the sort of ecstatic utterances that we see on TBN or in Assembly of God churches. The people who exercise that sort of activity call themselves "Pentecostal" to connect themselves with the gifts that appeared at the first Pentecost. Or, they are known as "Charismatic" from the Greek word for gifts of the Spirit - "charis." That word is also translated "grace" in many passages.
There is no evidence in Scripture that any of the apostles or early church members ever broke into fits of uncontrolled verbiage and noises. When the Spirit spoke through the Apostles, it spoke a language known by the hearers for the purpose of advancing the gospel message.
The primary verse that the proponents of ecstatic utterance use is from 1 Corinthians 13:1. It's the beginning of Paul's great treatise on love and charity. From the context it's clear that Paul is speaking in hyperbole, overstating his case, in order to prove that charitable love is the greatest Christian virtue.
It reads - "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And, though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And, though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing." (1 Cor. 1-3)
Obviously, Paul was saying that even if he had every spiritual gift to the maximum but failed in charity, it was all pointless. But, at the top of his list he used the term "the tongues...of angels." And, that did it. People have grabbed hold of that phrase and claim that their verbal recitations of noises and unknown, unrecognizable words are "the tongues of angels." But, any honest reader of Paul's words can see that Paul was not promoting the idea that angelic languages were suddenly available to mankind. He was saying that even if he spoke every language known among men and angels - a clear case of hyperbole - without Christian charity the sounds he made would sound like horns and cymbals.
Lastly, there's considerable debate in the church-at-large about whether the gifts of the Spirit that are in evidence in the New Testament are available to us today. But, since we haven't seen any people raised from the dead, blind eyes opened, or lepers completely healed, I think it's hard to make the favorable case. Likewise, the ability to speak fluently in languages you've never studied was a necessary gift to get the Church of the ground and begin spreading the Good News. But, there is practically no language or corner of the known world where the message has not been spread. And, Bibles are printed daily in new languages and dialects. So, the necessity of "speaking in tongues" has waned.
Now, can God make men speak other languages if He wants to? Sure. But, it's up to Him. Even at Pentecost, the Apostles were not going through the gyrations and techniques advocated by modern Pentecostals in order to stimulate tongue-talking. In fact, they weren't expecting it at all. God simply spoke through them by His Spirit and they spoke languages that were unknown to them, but known to their listeners. And, they all glorified God as a result.
As far large churches uniting around tongue-talking, it does happen. Nothing unites people faster than a common experience. Like veterans getting together years after a war, they have a lasting bond because of the experience they shared. So, in order to build large congregations, many Pentecostal denominations insist that the only proof of the Spirit being in you - proof positive of your salvation - is that you talk in tongues. To be fair, many of them have backed off that position, seeing that it's unscriptural, but there is still an undue emphasis on tongues in those churches.
There's more to say, and Paul instructed the Corinthian church about how to keep from letting tongue-talking get out of control in their meetings, but I think this is a fair overview. As for me, I'm just a stickler for the Word and I try to adjust our theology and our worship accordingly.
Hope it helps.
Yours for His sake,
Jim McClarty
Thoughts? Comments?
tim.
reformata.

8 comments:

Ken Silva said...

Tim,

I appreciate that you have AM in your links. Something from my own personal experience and research that you might find of interest here.

The vast majority of charismatics and Pentecostals are Arminian and reject the doctrines of grace.

We certainly don't want to limit what God can do and I'm not a cessationist. That said, I can truly say that at least 95% of tongues I have observed was psuedo not being done Biblically.

BludBaut said...

What we had there was an elephant in a zebra suit pretending to be an authority on zebra stripes.

Those who speak in tongues can always tell when someone who doesn't teaches on it.

I'll give you a clue. ... No, I won't. People that don't speak in tongues don't listen to people who do. They can't understand. There is some of God's humor there.

solideogloria09021995 said...

I have a question, because I myself believe that the Assemblies of God (all Pentecostal denominations) may have problems and I don't believe that they truly know what speaking in tongues is: but what do I say when they bring up the verse 1 Corinthians 14:2?

solideogloria09021995 said...

And I agree Ken Silva. It's mostly pseudo and no different than the pagan religions that also utter mysterious words to their pagan gods.

Unknown said...

Don't let the devil rob you of one of the biggest blessings you could ever receive
Acts 19:2-6 Paul said to them DID YOU RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT SINCE YOU BELIEVED (BELIEVERS THEY WHERE BUT THEY WHERE NOT BAPTIZED IN THE HOLY GHOST ).So they said to him WE HAVE NOT SO MUCH HEARD THAT THERE WAS A HOLY SPIRIT and he said to them into what then where you baptized so they said John's baptism (water baptism ).then Paul said John indeed baptized of repentance saying to the people that they should believe on Him that would come after Him that is Jesus Christ When the heard this they where baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus and when Paul laid hands on them THE HOLY SPIRIT CAME UPON THEM AND THEY SPOKE WITH TONGUES AND PROPHESIED!!!!!! Since these people where already believer s and baptized in water they needed baptism of the Spirit then started praying in tongues in a group setting JUST LIKE THE PENTOCOSTALS DO JUST LIKE THE ASSEMBLYS OF GOD AND CHARISMATIC S DO IN what they do in church they where doing in the book of acts there are a few times in acts that a group would start praying in tongues Paul was telling the carnal church Corinth to be orderly about there service not just inturupt the pastor with tongues that only GOD can understand in church There's a time to talk to pray to listen to sing and praying is meant to be both in are natural and in are spirit not just in are natural but the devil has fooled most believers into thinking that the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues is not real I have heard so many messed up pre conceived ideas on what tongues is and most of it is from people that are not baptized in the Holy Spirit and want to make people that are look bad well that's the devil himself stop being deceived and get filled with God's Spirit Study the book of acts and Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal you the truth and I He will!!!!! STOP DOWNING ON YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS WHO PRAY IN A AWSOME HEAVENLY LANGUAGE AND ASK TO GET FILLED AND START DOING IT YOURSELF GOD WILL BLESS YOU WITH THIS!!!!!!!!!!!

Unknown said...

Don't let the devil rob you of one of the biggest blessings you could ever receive
Acts 19:2-6 Paul said to them DID YOU RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT SINCE YOU BELIEVED (BELIEVERS THEY WHERE BUT THEY WHERE NOT BAPTIZED IN THE HOLY GHOST ).So they said to him WE HAVE NOT SO MUCH HEARD THAT THERE WAS A HOLY SPIRIT and he said to them into what then where you baptized so they said John's baptism (water baptism ).then Paul said John indeed baptized of repentance saying to the people that they should believe on Him that would come after Him that is Jesus Christ When the heard this they where baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus and when Paul laid hands on them THE HOLY SPIRIT CAME UPON THEM AND THEY SPOKE WITH TONGUES AND PROPHESIED!!!!!! Since these people where already believer s and baptized in water they needed baptism of the Spirit then started praying in tongues in a group setting JUST LIKE THE PENTOCOSTALS DO JUST LIKE THE ASSEMBLYS OF GOD AND CHARISMATIC S DO IN what they do in church they where doing in the book of acts there are a few times in acts that a group would start praying in tongues Paul was telling the carnal church Corinth to be orderly about there service not just inturupt the pastor with tongues that only GOD can understand in church There's a time to talk to pray to listen to sing and praying is meant to be both in are natural and in are spirit not just in are natural but the devil has fooled most believers into thinking that the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues is not real I have heard so many messed up pre conceived ideas on what tongues is and most of it is from people that are not baptized in the Holy Spirit and want to make people that are look bad well that's the devil himself stop being deceived and get filled with God's Spirit Study the book of acts and Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal you the truth and I He will!!!!! STOP DOWNING ON YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS WHO PRAY IN A AWSOME HEAVENLY LANGUAGE AND ASK TO GET FILLED AND START DOING IT YOURSELF GOD WILL BLESS YOU WITH THIS!!!!!!!!!!!

Unknown said...

Great post! Glad to see some are still studying Scripture. This guy Blud, saying "Those of us who speak in tongues can tell those who don't", GUARANTEE YOU he's never studied Acts or 1 Corinthians 12-14, GUARANTEED, how am I so sure? Because we live in a day and age where people TALK without knowing what they are TALKING ABOUT, or I should say "Tonguing about", no one reads commentaries comparing Arminianism vs Calvinism yet they'll give you a statement from tradition or philosophy.

The reason why it bothers me so much is that SO MANY are led astray from these new "Charasmatics and Pentecostals", their Pastors don't even have a basic knowledge of Scripture let alone Exegesis or Hermaneutics, so as Paul said unbelievers come in and leave, thinking everyone is crazy, they are crazy when you think about it, GOD ALMIGHTY is speaking to them yet they won't take the time to actually see what He's saying.

John said...

These are interesting, yet all too common discussions. I do speak in tongues, however, I do not know of anything you speak of in this article. I am unfamiliar with ecstatic, uncontrollable urges and noises, wild behavior, and sensual living. I am also unfamiliar with pastors and congregants who do not read and study the Bible, pray, and evangelize the lost.

I completely agree with the gospel (1 Corinthians 15), and the great commission given by Jesus Himself (Mt. 28:19, Mark 16:15) to share it with the world. I have to think that there are thousands upon thousands of "Pentecostal" believers who act nothing like you describe (of course I know many myself), just as there must be thousands and thousands of "Calvinists" who do not know what they believe or where to find it in the Bible.

I never can figure out what personal problem many seem to have with me, (a Pentecostal), when I do not exhibit any of the said behaviors and criticisms so many have toward those who speak in tongues.

Let it be known that I do not identify in the least with any of the hyper-charismatic movements, charlatans, new-age practices, and dangerous deceptions that are found in many "Christian" circles, whether Pentecostal or not (most say they are, though).

I do have an experience that has propelled me into the streets to preach the gospel of salvation in Christ alone. I also have this same experience that edifies me daily, and leads me into conviction as needed, toward greater sanctification. These are tangible benefits of my current experience in speaking in tongues. Speaking to my situation, what is the problem with speaking in tongues?