Dear Andrew:
You asked me to comment on the Biblical teaching on Speaking in Tongues. Since the gift of tongues is often associated with the “baptism of the Spirit” it is impossible to deal with the gift of tongues without also dealing with Spirit baptism.
I therefore begin this short letter by quoting from two well-respected Bible Dictionaries on these matters:
BAPTISM OF THE SPIRIT
The Spirit’s baptizing work, placing the believer “in Christ,” occurred initially at Pentecost at the advent of the Spirit, who baptized believing Jews “into Christ.” In Acts 8, Samaritans were baptized in this way for the first time; in chap.10, Gentiles likewise were so baptized, at which point the normal agency of the Spirit as baptizer was attained.
1 Cor. 12:13
For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. (KJV)
According to the clear teaching of the epistles, every believer is baptized by the Spirit into Christ the moment he is regenerated. He is also simultaneously indwelt by the Spirit and sealed eternally, with the privilege of being filled with the Spirit, as the conditions for filling are met. The baptism of the Spirit is widely confused with regeneration and with the indwelling, sealing, and filling ministries of the Spirit, as well as with water baptism and a so-called “second blessing.”
(from New Unger’s Bible Dictionary) (originally published by Moody Press of Chicago, Illinois. Copyright (C) 1988.)
THE GIFT OF SPEAKING IN TONGUES
The Spirit-given ability to speak in languages not known to the speaker or in an ecstatic language that could not normally be understood by the speaker or the hearers.
The apostle Peter considered the phenomenon of speaking in tongues that occurred on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2) as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy (Joel 2:28-32).
In an appearance to His disciples after His resurrection, Jesus declared, “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues” (Mark 16:17).
On the Day of Pentecost, the followers of Christ “were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:4). The people assembled in Jerusalem for this feast came from various Roman provinces representing a variety of languages. They were astonished to hear the disciples speaking of God’s works in their own languages.
Tongues as a gift of the Spirit is especially prominent in 1 Corinthians 12 and 14. In 1 Corinthians 12 the phenomenon of tongues is listed with other gifts of the Spirit under the term gifts. As one of the several gifts given to believers as a manifestation of the Holy Spirit, tongues is intended, with the other gifts, to be exercised for the building up of the church and the mutual profit of its members. In 1 Corinthians 13 the apostle Paul puts the gift of tongues in perspective by affirming that though we “speak with the tongues of men and of angels” (v. 1), if we do not have love, the gift of tongues has no value.
In 1 Corinthians 14 Paul deals more specifically with the gift of tongues and its exercise in the church. In this chapter the tongue is not an intelligible language, for it cannot be understood by the listeners. Therefore, a parallel to the gift of tongues is the gift of interpretation. The gift of tongues was used as a means of worship, thanksgiving, and prayer. While exercising this gift, the individual addresses God not man; and the result is to edify himself and not the church (1 Cor.14:2,4). This gift is never intended for self-exaltation but for the praise and glorification of God. Paul does not prohibit speaking in tongues in a public service (14:39). But he seems to assign it to a lesser place than the gift of prophecy. Paul claims for himself the gift of tongues-speaking, but apparently he exercised this gift in private and not in public (14:18-19).
The gift of tongues is to be exercised with restraint and in an orderly way. The regulations for its public use are simple and straightforward. The person who speaks in an unknown tongue is to pray that he may interpret (1 Cor. 14:13). Or, someone else is to interpret what he says. Only two or three persons are to speak, with each having an interpretation of what he says. Each is also to speak in turn. If these criteria are not met, they are to remain silent (1 Cor. 14:27-28). The gifts of speaking in tongues and their interpretation are to be Spirit-inspired. Paul also points out that tongues are a sign to unbelievers. If these guidelines are not observed, unbelievers who are present will conclude that the people of the church are out of their minds.
The phenomenon of speaking in tongues described in the New Testament is not some psychological arousal of human emotions that results in strange sounds. This is a genuine work of the Holy Spirit.
(from Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary) (Copyright (C) 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)
The modern controversy among Christians about the gift of speaking in tongues and the baptism of the Holy Spirit largely began with the “Pentecostal Movement” during the latter half of the nineteenth century, resulting in a number of Pentecostal denominations. Pentecostal teaching has now spread to most of the main line Protestant denominations, and also to the Roman Catholic Church. It also dominates “Christian television” in the USA. The movement has now changed its name in these cases to what is now called “the Charismatic movement”.
• Unfortunately the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements developed their theology by ignoring a most important and basic rule of Biblical interpretation. (Many of the beliefs of modern day cults have also ignored this rule.) The rule is that historical passages of Scripture must be governed and interpreted by didactic (teaching) or theological passages, and not the other way around. For instance, the Bible in historical passages records that Solomon had many hundred wives, does this mean that we can do the same? Of course not, because we know from other passages of the Bible, which are didactic and theological in nature, that Solomon was wrong in doing so. Polygamy is therefore not “normative” for the Christian!
• Because they have ignored this common sense rule of Biblical interpretation most Charismatics believe that the baptism of the Spirit is a “second blessing” which not all Christians have experienced and which all Christians should “seek”. Many also believe that speaking in tongues is the necessary sign that one has received the baptism of the Spirit. The implication is that those who do not speak in tongues are somehow “second-rate” Christians who are not experiencing all that God would have for them. They base this belief on the record in the book of Acts of people who were already Christians being baptized by the Spirit. (See the references to these passages above viz. Acts 2, 8, and 10.) However, they fail to acknowledge that these are historical passages merely recording what happened at that time, and were not theological or didactic passages intended to teach us what should be “normative” for all Christians not living in that transitional period when the Baptism of the Spirit were first introduced. There is no record after Acts 10 of existing believers receiving the baptism of the Spirit as a second experience. On the contrary, the Charismatic interpretation is expressly contradicted in a didactic passage written years later after Pentecost by the Apostle Paul:
1 Cor. 12:13
For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. (KJV)
Thus, by the time that Corinthians was written, it was “normative” for all Christians to have received the baptism of the Spirit and the same is true today! Thus, Baptism in the Spirit occurs only once when we first acknowledge Christ as Lord and Savior; it is common to all believers, and is a one-time experience.
• Many Charismatics also believe that this “second blessing” is also linked with the “sanctification” of the believer, that is the process of being conformed into the image of Christ and growing in holiness. It is noteworthy that the Epistle to the Romans, which sets out the most comprehensive and systematic teaching on the doctrine of sanctification, at no time links speaking in tongues with sanctification (see Romans 6 through 8). On the other hand, the baptism of the Spirit is assumed for all believers in Chapter 6, and this is presented as foundational for sanctification to take place.
• Paul in writing to the Corinthians also acknowledges that they do not all speak in tongues (1 Corinthians 12:30) even though he has stated that they have all been baptized by the Spirit. This exposes the fallacy that tongue speaking is a necessary sign of the baptism of the Spirit.
• The Filling of the Holy Spirit – Unlike Baptism of the Spirit, which is a one-time initiatory experience, and which we cannot “seek”, as it is something that we receive at the time of salvation, being filled with the Spirit is an ongoing process, to be experienced repeatedly, not just once. In Ephesians 5:18-21 we are told to “be filled with the Spirit” (the Greek verb is a present continuous imperative which literally means “keep on being filled”). This is a command, whereas we are never commanded to be baptized by the Spirit, because this is the work of God at the time of salvation! Being filled with the Spirit empowers us to do God’s work and experience God’s joy (Acts 13:52). The evidence of being filled with the Spirit is in the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal. 5:22-23). Speaking in tongues is not taught by scripture to be the “normative” evidence of a Spirit-filled life. On the contrary, these moral qualities mark the person who follows the leading of the Spirit.
• The Gifts of the Spirit – Four primary passages describe the specific “gifts of the Spirit”: Romans 12:3-8, 1 Corinthians 12:1-10 and 28-31, Ephesians 4:11-12, and 1 Peter 4:10-11. According to these passages the gifts which are of least importance are: Speaking in Tongues – the ability to speak spontaneously to God or others in a language one has never learned, and Interpretation of Tongues – the ability to spontaneously translate the utterances of one who speaks in tongues in a general assembly of Christians. These four passages are considered to be representative lists of spiritual gifts, and are not necessarily all-inclusive. These gifts are given to individual believers for the accomplishment of God’s purposes and for the edification of the church. Every believer has been given at least one spiritual gift (1 Cor.12:7, 1 Peter 4:10). The gifts belong to God and are given to believers “to prepare [or equip] God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up … until we all reach unity in the faith … and become mature” (Ephesians 4:12-13). Spiritual gifts are ultimately intended for the glory of God (1 Peter 4:11).
Finally, in view of what is stated above, how should we view the Pentecostal-Charismatic movement in our day, and their practice of what they call speaking in tongues? My own view is:
1. Most Charismatics are wonderful Christian brothers, but who are sincere in their beliefs. Sincerity, however, can never be a substitute for truth! Fortunately the issues that we differ on are not foundational issues essential to salvation. I am not a “cessationist”. Cessationists believe that supernatural miracles and the “sign” or miraculous gifts have ceased. Their arguments for this position are flimsy and without real Biblical basis. I have personally experienced the miraculous in my own life, including the healing of my daughter Rachel from juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. God is sovereign, and He can do any miracles He wants, whenever He wants. I believe that God could give genuine gifts of tongue-speaking and interpretation of tongues today, if he should so choose. There have been reports from time to time of cases where people have actually spontaneously spoken earthly languages which they have not learned or known. I have no proof that these reports are true, but if they are this would be truly miraculous. There is no doubt that the Charismatic movement has been a breath of fresh air to some of the liberal main-line denominations.
2. However, I have not personally come across any cases of speaking in tongues which I believe are genuine. The literal meaning of the word “tongue” in the Greek is “language”. Linguists have done extensive studies of what is claimed to be tongue-speaking today, and have concluded that it is mere “gibberish”. The Charismatics respond to this by claiming that they are using a “heavenly language”, but even a heavenly language must have some structure or form, for a heavenly language must be even greater than earthly languages. This is not the case in the studies which have been done.
3. We need to distinguish from genuine Christian Charismatics the “fringe-element” of the Charismatic movement. One group, for instance, believes that one cannot be a Christian unless one speaks in tongues. This is a cult. Others have added many practices to their meetings such as “the slaying in the Spirit”, “holy laughter” and other ecstatic experiences which are not authorized by Scripture but which are well documented to have existed in many pagan and “mystery” religions for centuries, including several tribal religions in Africa. Such things may involve falling down, foaming at the mouth, uncontrollable laughter, and the like. These practices are definitely not Biblical in their origin and should not be assumed to be from God. Those who are involved in such practices should not be assumed to be Christian at all. Many of these folks have now got national prominence on “Christian television” and are finding this to be very financially rewarding. Any discerning intelligent person can see the foolishness of this, and these people, by calling themselves Christians, are causing genuine harm to the name of Christianity in the process of lining their pockets. Christian television has, generally speaking, been much more of a hindrance than a help to my ministry.
4. My personal belief is that the modern practice of speaking in tongues is for the most part a human-based, emotional-psychological phenomenon. From a practical sense this appears to be harmless to the Charismatics themselves. However, the Scriptures intended the gift of tongues to be a positive witness to unbelievers (1 Corinthians 14:22). This was certainly the case at Pentecost when people were able to miraculously speak languages which they had never learned or known. However the modern practice of speaking unintelligible gibberish has, in many cases, become a “stumbling block” to many less emotional, more discerning, well educated folks. When I was in seminary, one of my classmates, who was from Ethiopia, attended a Charismatic prayer meeting. He decided to pray the Lord’s Prayer in his native language of Amharic. A member of the group claimed that he had the gift of interpretation of tongues and gave an interpretation that had no relationship whatsoever to what had really been said. This type of story is all too common.
5. God made us emotional beings. However, emotion should be based upon, and governed by, objective revealed Scriptural truth and rationality, such as an apprehension of the love and forgiveness of Christ on the cross, and the character of God Himself. After all, Jesus came “full of grace and truth”. (John 1:14). We are to worship Him “in Spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).
This topic is comprehensively and scholarly dealt with, in an excellent little book entitled “The Baptism and Filling of the Spirit” by John Stott. I would be happy to send you a copy.
August 22, 2002
DAVID SEIVRIGHT
5461 S.W. 71 PLACE
MIAMI, FLORIDA 33155, USA
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