Online Book: The Spiritual Gift of Tongues Part 2

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Tongues Part 2: Features of Biblical Tongues-Languages, Judgment, Israel

Tongues are a spiritual gift.

Tongues are the God given ability to speak in a human language unknown to the speaker for the purpose of a proclamation of divine truth to unregenerate Israel.

This is a very important point. We have already established that spiritual gifts have certain characteristics. If tongues are a spiritual gift, then the principles that we discussed earlier regarding spiritual gifts must apply to the gift of tongues as well.

Many believe that tongues are a permanent consequence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

The experiences described in the book of Acts were not entirely explained in the book of Acts, but by Paul who was the apostle of the mystery of the church.

Colossians 1:24-26 I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God which was given to me for you, to fulfill the word of God, 26 the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. NKJV

I will develop the fact that the book of Acts did not attempt to come close to explaining the church age doctrine of the Holy Spirit, but approached the entire matter from a Jewish perspective, based upon what could be known from the Old Testament and the ministry of Jesus, which ministry occurred entirely before Pentecost during the period dominated by the Law of Moses.

However, even in Acts there are helpful indications of the true purpose of tongues.

Peter presented the Pentecostal sermon in Jerusalem, on a Jewish holiday when the city was full of national citizens as well as international Jews. He addressed his sermon to the men of the Jewish nation

Acts 2:5 And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. NKJV

Acts 2:14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, "Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, NKJV

Acts 2:22 "Men of Israel, hear these words: NKJV

In his sermon, Peter explained the phenomena of tongues as that which was spoken of by the prophet Joel. Joel made no predictions regarding the church in his book, neither did any Old Testament prophet prophesy about the church. Paul repeatedly describes the church as a mystery, unrevealed in the Old Testament.

Joel 2:28 "And it shall come to pass afterward That I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your old men shall dream dreams, Your young men shall see visions. NKJV

Ezek 39:29 And I will not hide My face from them anymore; for I shall have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel,' says the Lord GOD." NKJV

Acts 1:4-5 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. 5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. KJV

Peter was demonstrating that the phenomena of Pentecost were a fulfillment of the Old Testament promise of the outpouring of the Spirit upon believing Israel. The Old Testament did not predict the coming of the church; however God did promise the outpouring of the Spirit upon believing Israel. This was the "promise of the Father" Acts 1:4. It was not until Paul that the full meaning of Pentecost was explained in his epistles.

This outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the believing Jews on the day of Pentecost and thereafter in the book of Acts was described in a number of ways, the basic concept being that Christ was baptizing (Acts 2:33) with the Holy Spirit.

Matt 3:11-12 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. NKJV

Peter himself is the greatest proof of the fact that the Church at Pentecost did not understand the full doctrine of the church, by his unwillingness, eight years later, to enter the house of the Gentile Cornelius to proclaim the Gospel. Peter believed what he had preached on the day of Pentecost: that the phenomenon of tongues was one of several signs that presaged the outpouring of the Spirit upon the Jewish remnant as predicted in the Old Testament. He was about to see that the events begun at Pentecost reached far further then Israel.

God enabled the sign of tongues at Cornelius' home and later in Acts 19 to demonstrate that the events of Pentecost extended to the Gentiles as well. Peter finally got the message as indicated by the following scriptures:

Acts 10:34-36 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: "In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. NKJV

Acts 11:15-18 And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning. 16 Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, 'John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' 17 If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?" 18 When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying," Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life." NKJV

Peter now saw the purpose of the vision that he was given three times by God (Acts 10:9-15). He saw that His purpose at Pentecost was greater than Israel alone. God demonstrated the oneness and equality of the members of the Body of Christ (Eph 2:12-17) by providing the Gentile believers the same sign of the gift of tongues that He had previously given to the Jews.

The concept of the church was a progressive revelation to Peter and the early church, which was overwhelmingly Jewish. It took eight years for Peter to get to the point that he was in Acts 11, which we just read. (AD 33 to AD 41)

It remained for Paul to clarify the doctrine of the church age ministry of the Holy Spirit. Paul would, 27 years after Pentecost, explain this idea of the promise of the father as relating to the Gentiles as follows:

Galatians 3:13-14 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"), 14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. NKJV

The details of this baptism are not given in the book of Acts. However, the believers at Pentecost and those believing in Christ elsewhere following that event received as a permanent possession the same endowments of the Spirit that we all receive today.

Paul identified the blessing received at Pentecost as the regenerating (Eph 2:1, 4-5; Jn 3:3,7; 6:44, 65), indwelling (Rom 8:9; Jn 7:38-39), filling (Eph 5:18, Gal 5:16), baptizing (1Cor 12:13) and sealing (Eph 1:13; 4:30) work of the Holy Spirit. What was only incompletely revealed in Acts was give full explanation by the Apostle of the mystery of the church.

Paul offered helpful clarification regarding the spiritual gift of languages or tongues. He explained that the sign of tongues which signaled the unity of Jew and Gentile in the Church, the Body of Christ, was a gift to some but not to all (1Cor 12:28-30). Paul further explained that the phenomena of tongues was a witness to unbelieving Israel of impending judgment; as was the case in the days of Isaiah (1Cor 14:20-22). The apostle also argued that tongues belonged to the childhood of the church

1 Corinthians 13:8-12 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. NKJV

Paul indicates in this passage that certain gifts belonged to an era of partial knowledge. The church in its early years did not have the benefit of a completed and collated volume of the New Testament. They "knew in part" that which one day would be fully revealed in the completed scripture. Therefore God bridged the gap between the Old Testament revelation and the completed New Testament with temporary gifts which enabled the growth of the church.

Paul shows us that tongues did not contribute to the spiritual life of the user in that the gift rendered the mind unfruitful (1Cor 14:14). Nor did the gift provide for the edification of the church. Therefore he recommended prophecy as 2000 times more effective than tongues in the church.

1 Corinthians 14:19 yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue. NKJV

Features of Tongues: What Tongues Are Not

Tongues are not related to Gentile believers except when used as a sign to the unbelieving Jew.

1Cor 14.20-22 Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature. 21 In the law it is written: "With men of other tongues and other lips I will speak to this people; And yet, for all that, they will not hear Me," says the Lord. 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. NKJV

Tongues are not related to the spiritual life of the believer, tongues were an evangelistic tool related to Israel only 1Cor 14.20-22.

Tongues are not necessary to evangelize Jews today Rom 10:1-12. the gift of tongues were of use until the judgment of national Israel was accomplished by Rome in 70 A.D. Tongues were the special effort from the grace of God to communicate a change of administration to the people who had been His primary evangelistic agency for 1400 years. In 70 A.D. the temple was destroyed and Israel led into captivity. Today, witnessing to the Jews is the same as that of any other individual (Jn 14.6).

Tongues are not necessary for salvation:

1Cor 12:28-30 28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? NKJV Also Rom 8.9

Note that all believers did not speak in tongues in the days of the Corinthians. Thousands of people were saved at Pentecost, but there is no evidence that any of them spoke in tongues.

Acts 2:41-42 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. NKJV

Tongues are not a sign of the baptism by the Spirit into Christ 1Cor 12.13 cf. 12.29-30

1Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free--and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. NKJV

In 1Cor 12:13 all the believers had been baptized by the Spirit into the Body of Christ, but all had not spoken in tongues. The gift of tongues has ceased today, its purpose of warning to the Jews having been fulfilled 1900 years ago.

Tongues are not a sign of the filling of the Spirit. The filling of the Spirit is commanded, Eph 5.18, speaking in tongues is not, (and neither is the baptism of the Spirit commanded) and since tongues were a spiritual gift, it was only possible for the few that possessed the true gift of languages 1Cor 12.28-30

Tongues are not means of direct communication with God. God commands no communication that is apart from the conscious mind.

1 Corinthians 14:14-15 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. 15 What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. NKJV