2. Tongues


	2. Tongues

"If there are tongues, they will cease..."
1 Corinthians 13:8

As we saw with the gift of prophecy, the apostle Paul spoke of the day when tongues would be done away with:

"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. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away." 1 Corinthians 13:8-10 (NAS)

Speaking in Foreign Languages, Not Unintelligible Language

The miraculous gift of tongues allowed the speaker to speak fluently in foreign languages without training. The first time that scripture records the speaking in tongues is in Acts chapter 2. Those that spoke in tongues in Acts 2 were not speaking gibberish or languages not understood by men. Instead, they spoke...and the people in the audience heard the message being taught clearly in their own native language or dialect. Let's look at this in detail below:

"And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance. Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were bewildered, because they were each one hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and marveled, saying, "Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born? Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs-- we hear them in our own tongues speaking of the mighty deeds of God." And they all continued in amazement and great perplexity, saying to one another, "What does this mean?" Acts 2:4-14 (NAS)

The Purpose of Miracles, Wonders & Signs

"Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know--" Acts 2:22 (NAS)

So then tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers...
1 Corinthians 14:22

Peter reminds the people that the miracles, wonders and signs which God performed through Jesus in their midst (just as what was happening that day) were done so that Jesus could be "attested to" them. In other words, the speaking in tongues and other miracles, wonders and signs were there to help people believe that what was happening was from God. Consider the word of John in writing about the miracles and signs of Jesus:

Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name. John 20:30-31

Restrictions on Speaking in Tongues

Speaking in tongues appeared in Acts chapter 2 and continued for a short while in the 1st Century church.

Prior to tongues going away...it was described as a gift to be sought after (1 Corinthians 14:1). However, the scriptures imposed many regulations or instructions on their use.

Even though the gift of tongues was given by the Spirit, the gift was not to be misused. Some of the regulations imposed by scripture are included below:

Restrictions Imposed on Speaking In Tongues
1. The gift was to be used only for the common good of the congregation.	"But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills." 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 (NAS)
2. The Christian who had the gift was not to consider himself (or herself) better than the Christians who did not have the gift.	"For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired...21-24 And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; or again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you. On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary; and those members of the body, which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our unseemly members come to have more abundant seemliness, whereas our seemly members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked..." 1 Corinthians 12:12-18, 21-24 -- (NAS)
3. Christians were to recognize that there more important gifts than speaking in tongues.	"All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they? But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And I show you a still more excellent way." 1 Corinthians 12:30-31 (NAS)
4. If you had the gift, but did not have love, the gift would be useless or a noisy distraction.	If you had the gift of speaking in tongues, but didn't have love, it became a worthless gift: 1 Corinthians 13:1 -- "If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal." (NAS)
5. The gift of tongues would cease. It was not considered to be a gift that would abide forever like the greater gifts of faith, hope and love.	"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...But now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:8, 13 (NAS)
6. The gift would not edify the church as the gift of prophecy did.	"But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation. One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but one who prophesies edifies the church." 1 Corinthians 14:3-4 (NAS)
7. Those that spoke in tongues were to utter "speech that is clear"....so that it would "be known what is spoken."	"But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what shall I profit you, unless I speak to you either by way of revelation or of knowledge or of prophecy or of teaching? Yet even lifeless things, either flute or harp, in producing a sound, if they do not produce a distinction in the tones, how will it be known what is played on the flute or on the harp? For if the bugle produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle? So also you, unless you utter by the tongue speech that is clear, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. There are, perhaps, a great many kinds of languages in the world, and no kind is without meaning. If then I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be to the one who speaks a barbarian, and the one who speaks will be a barbarian to me. So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church." 1 Corinthians 14:6-12 (NAS)
8. There had to be a translator present so that the words could be understood and the church edified.	"What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. If anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn, and let one interpret; but if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in the church; and let him speak to himself and to God." 1 Corinthians 14:26-28 (NAS) "Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret." 1 Corinthians 14:13 (NAS)
9. Only two or three people at the most would be allowed to speak in these foreign languages ...and only one at a time.	"What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. If anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn, and let one interpret; but if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in the church; and let him speak to himself and to God." 1 Corinthians 14:26-28 (NAS) Therefore if the whole church assembles together and all speak in tongues, and ungifted men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad? 1 Corinthians 14:24
10. If there was no interpreter, the Christian must keep silent in the church.	...but if there is no interpreter, he must keep silent in the church; and let him speak to himself and to God. 1 Corinthians 14:28 "Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. What is the outcome then? I shall pray with the spirit and I shall pray with the mind also; I shall sing with the spirit and I shall sing with the mind also. Otherwise if you bless in the spirit only, how will the one who fills the place of the ungifted say the "Amen" at your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying? For you are giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified." 1 Corinthians 14:13-17 -- (NAS)
11. Women are not allowed to speak in the church. This includes speaking in tongues and prophecy.	"For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted; and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets; for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. Let the women keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but let them subject themselves, just as the Law also says. And if they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is improper for a woman to speak in church. Was it from you that the word of God first went forth? Or has it come to you only? If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord's commandment." 1 Corinthians 14:31-37 (NAS)

The Wonders and Signs Would Pass Away

As we saw above, the gift of speaking in tongues...as well as the other miraculous gifts that were to pass away were intended to be signs...initial signs that attested to Jesus...and the words that Jesus and His disciples spoke.

In the letter written to the church in Corinth, Paul gives additional insight as to why speaking in tongues would cease:

"however, in the church I desire to speak five words with my mind, that I may instruct others also, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue." 1 Corinthians 14:19 -- (NAS)

"Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be babes, but in your thinking be mature. In the Law it is written, "By men of strange tongues and by the lips of strangers I will speak to this people, and even so they will not listen to Me," says the Lord. So then tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe, but to unbelievers; but prophecy is for a sign not to unbelievers, but to those who believe. If therefore the whole church should assemble together and all speak in tongues, and ungifted men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad? 1 Corinthians 14:20-23 (NAS)