At the end of my third year of university, I was doing vacation work at a power station located far away from home. I was there with a few other engineering students also in their third or fourth year of studies. One of my colleagues noticed that I had been reading the Bible and other spiritual books quite a bit during our trips to and from work and during our lunch breaks. After work one day he came to my room and asked if I had a Bible for him.
My initial assumption, based on the words, tone and body language employed in the request for the Bible, was that this guy didn’t own a Bible and was only now becoming interested in learning about God. So, I gave him a spare Bible that I had with me and told him that he could have it. He was highly appreciative. However, as we spoke a little bit about the Bible I learned that my initial assumption had been incorrect.
My colleague opened his new Bible to the Book of Acts and started reading some Bible verses to prove a few points. The first point was that only the apostles baptized people. The second point was that the gift of speaking in tongues was a sign that the newly baptized person was indeed baptized legitimately. My colleague argued that unless I had been baptized by someone who was a direct successor of one of the twelve apostles and unless I had received the gift of speaking in tongues I was not legitimately baptized and did not receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
I was greatly disturbed by what I was hearing. The texts used to argue these points were so convincing. But, there was something that just didn’t feel right. Added to this, I felt that I had been deceived into giving away a Bible to someone I thought was a new Christian. Also, in my responses to the points my colleague was making, I felt that I was not being listened to. I had listened patiently to what he had said, but I was quieted each time I tried to make a counterargument. I politely asked him to leave my room.
I must admit, the topic of speaking in tongues was not something I was quite familiar with at the time. I had studied it previously, but not to the level of being able to defend any position that I held from the Bible. I knew what I believed from previous study, but could not show it from the Bible at the drop of a hat. Years later, I studied the passages in Acts again as well as other New Testaments passages. There is much to say, but I will only make two main points: (1) the “tongues” referred to are actual languages and not babbling, (2) the gift had a specific purpose of establishing the doctrine of the apostles among unbelievers (3) the gift is no longer needed or employed by God as it has already served its purpose.
1. These are real languages
The first record of the gift of tongues being manifest among the apostles is found in Acts 2:4. The passage reads as follows:
“And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
Continuing on with the passage, we get some more information about this gift of tongues.
“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. And they were all 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?” Acts 2:5-8.
Those who heard the apostles speak in tongues, heard them speaking in actual languages and understood what they were saying. Today, when the gift is supposedly manifested, what we hear is meaningless babble, and no one understands what the person is saying. It is argued, from 1 Corinthians 13 and 14 that this is some heavenly language. But, Paul clarifies what he is talking about when states in 1 Corinthians 14:13-14:
“Let him who speaks in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.”
Firstly, only actual languages can be interpreted. Meaningless, repetitive babbling is not something that can be interpreted. Secondly, if the person is speaking in another language, it carries no benefit at all unless he knows what he is saying.
2. Tongues served as a sign to unbelievers
Continuing on in 1 Corinthians 14, Paul states in verse 22:
“Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe.”
The context suggests that the main purpose of the gift of tongues was to get the gospel to all the world, to people who had never heard of it. The manifestation of the gift, therefore, served two purposes. Firstly, a practical purpose—people of other languages could have the gospel preached to them in their language—and secondly, to serve as a sign, or a wonder, so that what is being preached is all the more convincing.
While is it true that some people did speak in tongues after being baptized and had the apostles lay hands on them (Acts 19:6), this certainly was not the norm. Jesus was baptized without manifesting the gift of tongues, the same is true of the eunuch that Phillip baptized in Acts 8, the jailer and his family in Acts 16 and many others baptized throughout the book of Acts.
If someone received the gift of tongues after being baptized, it was most likely that God had a mission for that person among unbelievers. The gift of tongues was for the benefit of spreading the gospel to unbelievers. It certainly was not for the benefit of the speaker himself, nor to demonstrate his level of spirituality.
3. Tongues have ceased
We see incidents of the manifestation of the gift of tongues describes in Acts and in 1 Corinthians, an early letter written by Paul. Essentially, all letters written after 1 Corinthians that hint about the gift of tongues refer to the gift, and those that accompanied them in the past tense and not as a normal occurrence. Take the following two passages as examples:
“Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds.”
2 Corinthians 12:12
“How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?”
Hebrews 2:3-4
These passages tell us two things. Firstly, the signs, wonders, and miracles were given to convince early converts of the authenticity of the gospel as taught by the apostles. Secondly, the time for these signs, wonders and miracles has come to an end since their purpose has been accomplished.
Tongues served their purpose. This resulted in the establishment of Christianity worldwide. Tongues are no longer needed. Unbelievers are converted today through the other gifts of the spirit, through preaching of the word, the kindness of Christians, and the Holy Spirit working in their hearts. Ephesians and Romans both speak extensively of the gifts that God has given for the spreading of the gospel, yet neither of them mentions the gift of tongues.
If God has a mission for us in a place where we do not speak the language and the only way He can get the work done is by giving us the gift of tongues, then He is at liberty to do so. History shows that this has not been His general way of doing things since the time of the apostles.
Let us not think that an absence of the gift of tongues, or other miracles, implies a lack of power in the church today. When people are converted and give their lives to God, this is the ultimate demonstration of God’s power. It is nothing short of a miracle to see souls converted to God. It is the most powerful work of the Holy Spirit when someone says, I choose to follow God.
Lastly, instead of seeking the gift of tongues, let us follow the counsel of Paul given in 1 Corinthians 13 and allow God to develop in us the greatest attribute we can possess. Not speaking in tongues; not the ability to perform miracles; not prophesying. Rather, the self-sacrificing love of God:
“But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away… And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
1 Corinthians 13:8, 13