Why does God give us the gift of speaking in tongues today?

Question

Why does God give us the gift of speaking in tongues today?

Answer 1

For strength and power in our lives.



For a prayer language whereby we can pray His perfect will.



For help when we don't know how to pray.

Answer 2

I do not believe He does. I hear of tongues all the time, but to date have never witnessed anything that could be real. I have seen many people acting a complete fool, and muttering unintelligible gibberish. But no tongues. Usually this kind of behavior is seen around uneducated people of the Charismatic and Pentecostal persuasion. These churches are very new, with none to very little developed theology. All I have seen is false.

Answer 3

Throughout history many religions have had a "speaking in tongues" culture. The ancient Greek mystery religions did; Hinduism does; shamanism does; Sufi does in Islam, etc etc. It is nothing unusual for religions to assume some special or even secret "sacred language" that only initiates can interpret. Early Christians adapted the practise when they began to spread into Rome and Greece where it was very common among pagan religious ecstatics.

Answer 4

It's not a gift... it's an insanity. A mass insanity brought about by an irrational belief in the supernatural. Only radical evangelical churches acknowledge it as anything but insanity.

Answer 5

Yes, He does, through His Holy Spirit.

Answer 6

"Yes, he does, through His Holy Spirit."



She must be 'reading' in tongues

Answer 7

because he chose human to be the highest creature of all.....(anyways...tongue is the strongest muscle)

Answer 8

So normal people can tell who the true lunatics are so we can avoid them.

Answer 9

The Holy Spirit can inspire people to speak in languages which they have not learned, as was demonstrated conclusively on the Day of Pentecost (see Acts 2) when people from all over the world heard Galileans speaking foreign languages which they could not have known. In the modern era similar episodes have occurred many times.13



The expression "initial physical evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit" refers to the first outward, observable sign that the Holy Spirit has come in filling power. The repeated testimony of Scripture is that this physical sign occurred at the time the Spirit was poured out on individuals. When the 120 disciples were filled with the Spirit, they spoke in tongues (Acts 2:4). They spoke then, not a day, week, or year later. When Cornelius’s household was baptized in the Spirit, members spoke in tongues, and the believing Jews were amazed (Acts 10:44—48). Again, they spoke in tongues at the same time they were baptized, not at some later time. When the Ephesian believers were baptized in the Spirit, they spoke in tongues and prophesied (Acts 19:1—6). There is no statement or implication of a delay between the event of the baptism in the Spirit and the evidence of speaking in tongues. Those who teach there can be a delay in speaking in tongues draw their conclusions from personal experience or the testimony of others, not from a clear statement of Scripture. Scripture nowhere teaches, implies, or gives an example of a delay occurring between the baptism in the Spirit and the evidence of speaking in tongues; therefore we must adhere to the testimony of Scripture.



Prior to the Day of Pentecost, many within Israel had concluded that after God spoke to and through the last of the Old Testament prophets, He was speaking directly to Israel no more. Only after Messiah was to arrive, along with the anticipated Age to Come, would God again speak to His people through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.



Suddenly, in this spiritually lifeless context, the Spirit is poured out, not just on selected individuals as in the Old Testament, but upon masses of people, essentially everyone in the fledgling Church. It was as if the cry of Moses’ heart had been fulfilled: "I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!" (Numbers 11:29). In some marvelous sense the Age to Come had begun, and a church filled with people who spoke in tongues was a sign signifying the dawn of a new period in God’s eternal plan for humankind.



Luke understands speaking in tongues to demonstrate the infilling presence of the Holy Spirit; this is clearly indicated by an examination of Acts 10:44—48.



"While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God" (Acts 10:44—46).



The conclusion is clear: If someone, even someone unexpected, hears the Word and speaks in divinely inspired tongues, that person has received the Holy Spirit. This was the reasoning of Peter and the other Jewish Christians present. Speaking in tongues is clear evidence someone has received the gift of the Holy Spirit (or been baptized in the Holy Spirit). The evidence was so clear for Peter he insisted Cornelius and his Gentile friends be baptized in water (10:48).



Later, as Peter discussed the Cornelius incident with the apostles and believers in Jerusalem, he again referred to the phenomenon he had witnessed: "So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could oppose God?" (Acts 11:17). The next verse confirms the apostles and believers accepted tongues as convincing evidence of the baptism in the Spirit: "When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God" (11:18).



While Acts 10:45,46 establishes that speaking in tongues is clear evidence of Spirit baptism, evidence supporting this doctrine is also provided by the overall pattern of Acts associating speaking in tongues with baptism in the Spirit. Acts describes five occasions on which people received an empowering of the Spirit for the first time (i.e., baptism in the Spirit). In none of these accounts are all of the details given, but four of these occasions include significant detail. (For Paul’s reception of the Spirit recorded in Acts 9:17,19, hardly any detail is recorded.) As previously noted, supernatural phenomena are a sign of the coming of the Spirit. The New Testament simply picks up on a very important Old Testament motif.



In Acts 2, 10, and 19 various phenomena are indicated, such as the sound of wind, tongues of fire, prophecy, and speaking in tongues.14 The only phenomenon occurring in each case, however, is speaking in tongues.



In the Acts 8 account of Peter and John’s ministry among the Samaritans, speaking in tongues is not specifically mentioned but it is strongly implied. After the apostles had laid their hands on the Samaritans, some visible and extraordinary manifestation accompanied the reception of the Spirit. This is evident for, after seeing something remarkable, the magician Simon wanted to buy the ability to confer the Holy Spirit. Acts 8:18 notes explicitly, "When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money." Based on the pattern found in Acts 2, 10, and 19 it seems most likely that what Simon saw was the Samaritan believers speaking in tongues. Had the experience been only by faith without any accompanying sign, Simon would not have known whether the Samaritan believers actually received the Holy Spirit.



Acts 9:17—19 suggests that Saul of Tarsus (i.e., the apostle Paul) was filled with the Holy Spirit through the ministry of Ananias. Though no details of this filling are given, we know from 1 Corinthians 14:18 that Paul prayed in tongues regularly and often. It would hardly be surprising if that pattern was begun at the time he was filled with the Spirit.



Despite the sketchiness of the report about Paul’s baptism in the Spirit, and despite the fact tongues are not explicitly mentioned in Acts 8, the evidence of chapters 2, 10, and 19 demonstrates an overall pattern of speaking in tongues as regularly accompanying the baptism in the Holy Spirit. When these three witnesses are linked with (1) Luke’s underlying awareness of the Spirit’s presence in divinely inspired speech and (2) the strong inference of Acts 10:45,46 connecting speaking in tongues with the gift of the Spirit, the Pentecostal doctrine that speaking in tongues constitutes evidence of Spirit baptism is clearly established.15

Answer 10

a sign to non believers

Answer 11

HE DOESN'T.



I borrowed this for those that might like the truth on this subject.



The practice of what is called "speaking in tongues" is based

on certain biblical statements and engaged in by very religious,

and often very sincere people. No such person ought to shy from an examination by the Bible to determine the validity of their

practices. If "tongue speaking" as practiced today is valid and

if it is based on the Bible, the Bible should provide us with a

means of testing or "trying" these "spirits." All Bible believers

have a solemn charge -- "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but

prove the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false

prophets are gone out into the world" (I John 4:1). So, we

really have no choice and the "tongue speaker" ought to welcome with open arms any biblical test, for if he is really speaking in tongues as a gift from God there is no way he can fail.



The tongue speakers today ought to welcome such a test as

this for personal reasons. To pass a test right out of the Bible

would be the most solid basis available anywhere for such a

practice. Those of you who believe God has granted you some

special dispensation enabling you to speak this "heavenly

language" should really not have any fears when you are examined by the divinely inspired record of God's revelation to mankind.

Surely, if you have such a gift in fact, and believe the Bible is

the truth, you would jump at the opportunity to "prove" your own

spirit. And you have that duty, for Paul wrote, "Try your own

selves, whether ye are in the faith; prove your own selves. Or

know ye not as to your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you?

unless ye be reprobate?" (II Corinthians 13:5). So, take this

little test. It comes from plain old book, chapter, and verse.

The Biblical Criterion for Tongue Speaking



1. A tongue must be some language known and used somewhere on earth. The original word for tongues is "GLOSSA." In the Greek edition of the Old Testament, known as the Septuagint, this word appears some thirty times. Without variance it is used of a language, usually known by those to whom remarks about tongues were being made. In the New Testament it is used of a language known by some, but unknown by the speaker. When the word does not mean the tongue literally, it is used as a metaphor to mean speech.



Acts 2:3-4 illustrates this. "And there appeared to them

tongues parting asunder, like as of fire; and it sat upon each

one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and

began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them

utterance." Notice carefully, they spoke -- they spoke tongues --

tongues were spoken -- thus the tongues they spoke were the basic blocks of a language. That they were "other tongues" means not their own tongue. They spoke foreign languages by the power of the Holy Spirit.



The audience heard these men speaking these "other tongues"

and understood what was being said. Verse 7, "And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying, Behold, are not all these that

speak Galileans?" What was so amazing to this audience? Luke says it was because Galileans were speaking the "other tongues." Now, what were the "other tongues?" Verse 8, "And how hear we, every man, in our own language wherein we were born." The "other tongues" to the speaker were the native languages of the audience. So, a tongue must first be a language spoken somewhere on earth.



Do those who speak in tongues today speak a language known on earth? Studies have been made for years of example after example of modern day tongues and the evidence is overwhelmingly. Not one known language can be extracted from the utterances and sounds coming forth from modern day tongues. Pentecostals have taken exception to this. They ask how is it possible for linguists to know all of the more than three thousands languages in use in the world. Good question. If linguists do not know all languages, the one they do not know may be the one the tongue speakers use.



Some time ago, in Christianity Today, William E. Welmers,

professor of African Languages at U.C.L.A. wrote, "We do know

something about representative languages of every known language family in the world. I am, by no means, unique among descriptive linguists in having had direct, personal contact with well over a hundred languages representing a majority of the world's language families, and in having studied descriptions of languages of virtually every reported type. If a glossolaliac (tongue speaker, DRS) were speaking in any of the thousand languages of Africa, there is about a 90% chance that I would recognize it in a minute." (Christianity Today, November 8, 1963, page 127).



The previous point is easy to grasp. You may be unable to

converse in French, but when you hear French spoken, you

recognize it as the mother tongue of France. The same is true

with Chinese or Spanish. But listen to the sounds of the tongues

being spoken under the charismatic influences in Pentecostal

churches around the world. One or two sounds dominate the

utterances. Some sounds similar to the Hebrew Elohim or Adonijah are persistently uttered. Those who practice in foreign lands consistently reflect their linguistic peculiarities in the sounds they make while "speaking in tongues." A German, for example, speaking in tongues will have heavy guttural sounds in his utterance. The same is true with other lands. The fact is, no

tongue speaker can prove that he is speaking any kind of

language, of this earth or any other.



It is only reasonable to demand that one who makes sounds

that are strange to our ears prove them to be what he claims. He claims the sounds are some language like the Bible's "other

tongues." Who knows for sure? If he does, let him prove it.

Until there is proof the claim is empty, and he fails point one

in the test.



2. In the assembly of saints the tongue is to be a sign to

unbelievers. Paul wrote, "Wherefore, tongues are for a sign, not

to them that believe, but to the unbelievers..." (I Corinthians

14:22). Do those who practice tongue speaking today use the gift as a sign to unbelievers that God is real, the gospel is true,

Christ is the Son of God and that His blood will save them? To

answer this question for yourself, just attend an assembly in

some Pentecostal group where they speak in tongues and judge for yourself. All of them fail this point in the test completely.



3. Tongues can only be spoken when interpretation is

possible and practiced. I Corinthians 14:28 reads, "but if there

be no interpreter, let him (the tongue speaker) keep silence in

the church (the assembly), and let him speak to himself and to

God." Have you ever attended a tongue speaking session anywhere where before the tongue speaker began to utter his "tongue" he asked, "Is there an interpreter present?"

It is more than certain that nothing like that ever happens

anywhere. But that is the Bible way, is it not? Also, have you

ever been present when someone went through what they imagined was tongue speaking and there was no interpretation at all? And, if someone did "interpret," did you understand the necessity for the tongues? As an example, this writer was present at a meeting when someone uttered what was allegedly a tongue. Across the building someone interpreted the tongue, but in the archaic King James English with the "thee," "thou," and "thy" vernacular and it went something like this. "I will bless you and keep you and make my face shine on you if you will love me and love my people." Quite honestly, neither the tongue nor the interpretation served any purpose at all in that exercise.

Tongue speakers and interpreters both fail here.



4. Only men are allowed to exercise the gift of tongue

speaking. Paul wrote, "As in all the churches of the saints, let

the women keep silent in the churches: for it is not permitted

unto them to speak; but let them be in subjection as also saith

the law" (I Corinthians 14:34-35). The women were to be silent

in the same assemblies where tongues were spoken. Just as the

man who had the gift was to be silent in the absence of an

interpreter, the woman was to be silent in the assemblies. The

silence of the tongue speaker was not speaking. The silence of

the woman was also not speaking. The man could speak in tongues if an interpreter was present but the woman could not speak at all. Go to a Pentecostal meeting and see if they obey this? Some of these groups even have women "Pastors." They fail this test.



5. Tongue speaking was limited to no more than three

speaking and they were to speak one at a time. Paul wrote, "If

any man speaketh in a tongue, let it be by two, or at the most

three, and that in turn, and let one interpret" (I Corinthians

14:27). If you ever find a Pentecostal group that comes anywhere

near this rule you will find something unique. Most of these

groups engage in simultaneous speaking, men, women, boys, and

girls, all chattering away in some gibberish. They miserably

fail this test. By the way, if the text of I Corinthians is

followed, only one interpretation is allowed.



The evidence against modern day tongue speaking is

overwhelming. There is nothing other than pure human testimony

to which to appeal to defend the practice. And what is even more

serious is the scripture twisting that is done to justify it

today. Most of those who use (actually misuse) I Corinthians 14

to prove that the Lord still gives the gift of tongues to His

church ought to stop and think a moment. Have they ever

considered that the only so-called "tongue speaking church" in

the New Testament was one of the worst examples of division,

carnality, idolatry, superstition, and abuse ever recorded in the

word of God? That was Corinth. Pentecostals who try to imitate

Corinth in tongues and other charismatic exercises will fail

miserably.



The Biblical Duration of Tongues



Paul mentioned nine gifts of the Spirit in I Corinthians 12.

Among them he included tongues and the interpretation of tongues.

In chapter 13, he wrote: "Love never fails; but if there are

gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues,

they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away" (I

Corinthians 13:8). The tongues that Paul said would cease are

the same tongues mentioned in chapter 12, given by the Spirit.

Notice next that he says when they will cease. "For we know in

part, and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the

partial will be done away" (verses 9-10). The partial refers to

partial revelation. It was their only means of knowing the will

of God.



Paul's argument is that knowledge of God's will now is

partial in that it comes at various intervals and from various

Spirit guided persons. When the perfect was come the knowledge

would be full, not partial. Thus, when God's revealed will was

complete the prophecies, the tongues, and the spirit given

knowledge would be taken away.



Peace