Gifts of the Spirit
Introduction
wisdom
knowledge
Faith
healing
miracles
prophecy
discerning of spirits
tongues
interpretation
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Gift of
Tongues
audio version
A. What is the supernatural gift of tongues?
1. A language spoken somewhere in the world or in heaven either in the
past or at the present time. Some call it a heavenly language. However,
I’ve heard languages that sound like French, Arabic, Italian, Hebrew,
Russian, Vietnamese.
2. It is a fluent language complete with accents. Not all experiences
are the same so I say this with caution, not to make anyone feel that if
their experience is not like I describe, it means that something is not
right. Absolutely not.
Speaking in tongues is a language and usually the accent and enunciation
will sound like the language spoken. Someone speaking in tongues in the
French language will probably have the French accent along with it. In
this I have no scripture exactly to back it up only personal experience
so you can take it how you want. All we can go by in scripture is that
on the day of Pentecost people heard the apostles and others speak in
the language of the countries they happened to have come from. There
were people coming to Jerusalem to worship from different parts of the
known world. They could all speak the same language as the apostles
because it was the land of the heritage and faith. They also lived in
countries that spoke different languages than that which was spoken in
Jerusalem so they were amazed to hear people speak in their own
languages in which the speakers did not know in the natural.
3. It is possible for tongues to be understood by someone or in some
place but not by the one speaking. Even if we interpret the tongues we
speak, we do not understand the words we speak at the time we speak
them. Interpretation will usually interpret the meaning rather than a
word for word translation and it comes after the tongues are spoken in
most cases and we don’t know ahead of time what the interpretation is
until we speak forth by the spirit and give the interpretation. So
having the gift of interpretation does not mean that we understand what
is spoken directly when it is spoken unless we happen to naturally
understand the particular language that is spoken. I have heard of cases
where the Lord gives an interpretation to someone as the speaker is
speaking but it has not happened to me that way at any time past or
present.
Again many experiences are different. I spoke to one young lady who told
me that when the Lord wanted her to give an interpretation, she saw the
words like a ticker tape given to her in a vision. That has never
happened to me in that particular way but perhaps that is the way God
chose to give her the interpretation. With me, I just open my mouth and
start speaking not knowing ahead of time what I’m going to say. I just
know that God wants something said. We will get into interpretation in a
different lesson.
B. What the gift of tongues is not.
1. Babbling or baby talk
2. Gibberish- When a person first starts to speak as the spirit is
trying to speak through them, they may sound garbled at first but as the
person yields to the spirit the language becomes a clear language. Keep
in mind that some languages in the world do sound a little strange so if
the speaker is speaking in some native African tribal language, it may
sound a little strange. Lets be careful not to judge in these cases. We
actually do not ever have to judge the tongues itself but the
interpretation or a word of prophecy. The actual tongues speaking does
not have to be discerned whether or not it is from God because we can’t
understand what is being said. It is the interpretation that we have to
worry about. It is what is spoke in English that is the concern if
English happens to be the language we normally speak. If no one
understands what is being said then we don’t have to worry about it
unless the speaker is interrupting a message the Lord wants given.
3. Of the devil – Smith Wigglesworth speaks of a time when someone came
into his service speaking in tongues and it was not of God. While I will
agree this may be possible and I myself did hear someone I thought was
“not of God,” I have no scripture to back this claim up with. It is
safer for me to leave that to God except to remind us that tongues is a
language and someone can come in here and just speak another language
they know in the natural.
4. Of no value – If tongues are of no value, why did God choose that
particular gift to announce the arrival of the Holy Spirit that was
poured out upon those on the day of Pentecost and then later in the
house of Cornelius? Why did the apostle Paul claim to speak in tongues
more than all of them and did warn us not to forbid the speaking in
tongues. Why would God even give something that was no value? No matter
whether we understand this gift or not, it is a gift from God. Any gift
from God is bound to be better than any gift coming from man.
5. The least of all the gifts- No where in the bible does it say that
tongues is the least of all gifts. Just because Paul mentions it last in
chapter 12 does not mean that it is the least gift. The only time he
hints of any criticism is when he says that it is better to prophesy
that all present can receive edification than just have people praying
in tongues and they only are edified. He did say that they spoke in
tongues well but that there is a time when they must speak quietly to
themselves and to God so prophesies, interpretations, preaching, and
teaching can be done to edify the whole body.
Paul’s words might seem to lead us to believe that the gift of prophecy
is the greatest of all the gifts. I don’t believe Paul is saying that
the apostles are any greater than the ones that speak in tongues for I
have no doubt that all the apostles spoke in tongues. Paul did.
1Co 12:28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles,
secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts
of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
1Co 12:29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all
workers of miracles?
1Co 12:30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do
all interpret?
1Co 12:31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet show I unto you a
more excellent way.
The church started with the apostles, then we see God gave them
prophets. He then gave them teachers, miracles, healings, helps,
governments, and different kinds of tongues. He didn’t say one was
greater than another or that one was least. In fact chapter 14 shows us
the importance of all parts of the body working together. There is no
big me and little you. Jesus refuted that type of teaching when he
taught the lesson of feet washing. That was the whole reason for foot
washing. It as to show the apostles that they were servants not lords
over their brethren. Hierarchy is not taught in scripture. We need
pastors and overseers to keep the flock safe from predators, make sure
all the flock has good pastors, to watch for souls and take care of the
hurting, hungry, those needing correction but never to lord over,
control or dominate flock. I doubt if I would be part of a church with
no pastor.
We are never to use any position, however, for self exaltation and be
called Rabbi, father or some title that makes us look higher than
others. That is why the Church of God has always used brother and sister
for all believers even those in the ministry.
C. Scriptures that concern the speaking in tongues associated with the
Baptism in the Holy Spirit.
1. Words of Jesus: Mar 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the
world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is
baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And
these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast
out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up
serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them;
they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. So then after
the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat
on the right hand of God.
Notice that tongues are one of the signs following believers. This is
not the words of Paul here but Jesus Himself. Notice also like all other
gifts they are associated with the preaching of the gospel. Signs follow
those that preach or bring the gospel. We have to have supernatural
signs to convince the lost that what we teach is true.
2. Act 2:1- 4. And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were
all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from
heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where
they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as
of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the
Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave
them utterance.
Some people are quick to point out that the rushing wind and the tongues
of fire were not repeated. My answer to that is how do we know? Why
limit God to what we see and know? I have seen flickers of light and I
have heard of rushing of wind entering into church meetings but even if
I had never heard or seen this, I would not ever say anything like that
and assume it was a onetime occurrence. We have not been in every church
meeting since the days of the apostles. We were not at Azusa Street or
the outpouring in North Carolina. Most people pray with their eyes
closed so how would we know if tongues of fire did not accompany the
baptism of the Holy Ghost today? It is still the same God and the same
Holy Spirit with us today as they had then.
3. Act 10:43-48 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his
name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. While
Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard
the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished,
as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured
out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues,
and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that
these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well
as we?
And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then
prayed they him to tarry certain days.
We see tongues as another sign here that the Holy Spirit baptism was for
Gentiles as well as Jews. We should rejoice in this. They simply heard
the word. What word? They simply heard the word about remission of sins
through faith in Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit fell upon those that
heard the word. How did they hear? They believed what they heard and
their heart received what they heard. This reception of the word of God
was powerful enough to cause the Holy Spirit to fall upon them and they
spake with tongues and prophesied. This is enough to make us run the
aisles with the joy of the Lord. The word was spoken, the word was
believed, the word was received and they were filled with the Holy
Ghost.
Now speaking of this event. If tongues were only for private times like
some are teaching today, why did these people speak in tongues when they
were all together? On the day of Pentecost all spoke in tongues at the
same time as they did when Paul laid hands on those in Acts chapter 19.
Let us stop trying to suppress the worship of God just because we don’t
experience the same type of worship. When its time to worship, praise
and pray at the altar, tongues are perfectly okay.
4. Act 19:6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost
came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
Look whose doing the laying on of hands. It is Paul. It is the same Paul
who wrote chapter 12 and 14 of Corinthians. The same Paul who said that
it is better to prophesy than to speak in tongues was the same Paul who
laid hands on some people and they spoke with tongues. If tongues are
such a bad thing, why did Paul allow it at that time?
D. Different Kinds of Tongues
1. Private individual tongues used to edify the one praying and build
him or her in faith. 1Co 14:4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue
edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.
2. Tongues used to praise and glorify God. Acts 10: 46- For they heard
them speak with tongues, and magnify God
3. Tongues used to intercede in the spirit with groaning that cannot be
uttered. Rom 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for
we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself
maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
4. The gift of Tongues given to the church by the will of the spirit
that is meant to be interpreted as a prophetic message from the Lord for
edification, exhortation and comfort of the church body as a whole. 1Co
14:27-28 If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at
the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. But if
there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him
speak to himself, and to God.
E. Purpose of Tongues
1. A Sign that the Holy Spirit is present. Acts chapter 2
2. A Sign that someone has received the Holy Spirit. Acts 10, Acts 19
3. A supernatural sign to unbelievers. They know something is occurring
that is supernatural and not the usual. 1Co 14:22 Wherefore tongues are
for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but
prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which
believe. Also Acts 2 on the day of Pentecost.
4. Assurance that God is real, that He is with us and that the word is
true. When someone who has never studied a foreign language and does not
know how to speak any other language, speaks by the spirit a language
they do not understand, I would say that was a sign of the supernatural
presence of the Holy Spirit.
F. Misconceptions of Tongues
1. Not of the devil. No where in the bible can you find that any
supernatural speaking in tongues is of the devil. If there is such thing
as false tongues or tongues that are of the devil, the bible doesn’t
cover it so we can’t really get into it too deeply because then we get
into words and stories of man instead of the bible itself. We can
suppose that there is fake tongues, we may have heard them ourselves and
have seen it, but we have no scripture to back it up.
There is an old story and a rumor that someone in church was speaking in
tongues and there was a person from another country present who heard
the tongues and said that the tongues were actually cursing God, not
praising God. This rumor is as old as the hills with no eye witness or
documentation to back it up. I heard it first when I was a young person
in the church of God, I heard Brother Webb mention it in more recent
years, the exact same story. I heard Chuck Smith repeat it the other day
but he was totally debunking the story as just a rumor.
This is why we must be very careful not to base doctrine or theology on
rumors, words of men, experiences of men or even our own experiences.
Use the bible. The bible is it’s best interpreter. Stories are just
that. They are stories. Someone can make them up. That visitor could
have misunderstood or was lying. The devil could have sent him instead
of God. We just do not know.
If Jesse so and so is full of the Holy Spirit, heals the sick and does
miracles yet he has affairs without repenting, does that mean that
affairs are okay with God? I believe the church needs to get back to
scripture and get our eyes off people’s experiences, words of men,
rumors, stories and holding men’s persons in admiration. If we want to
prove something is for us today, is holy, is from God, then lets use the
word of God to teach it and not the experiences of men. I do describe my
own experiences now and then but with caution. Do not base the truth on
my experiences either but on the word of God.
2. Not to be forbidden in public assemblies- Paul said in 1 Corinthians
14 that we are not to forbid the speaking in tongues. He has to mean in
public assemblies because there is no way to forbid someone to speak in
private. Also every time someone spoke in tongues in the New Testament,
they were in a public meeting. If it was not wrong then, how can we say
it is wrong now?
3. Not for baby Christians only- Tongues is not a sign of immaturity or
a baby Christian. We cannot use 1 Corinthians 13 to call this a childish
gift that is done away with when we grow in the Lord because that
chapter also speaks of knowledge, understanding mysteries, giving to the
poor etc. Are we going to stop having knowledge also?
5. Not something just for the apostles. To all are afar off means us
too.
Act 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of
you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall
receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Act 2:39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all
that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
When Peter got up and spoke those words, he was addressing their
confusion over hearing people speak in tongues. Tongues was definitely
associated with the outpouring of the Holy Ghost even if modern teachers
are straying away from that fact today. We cannot get away from it. If
it was for that day, it is for this day also. If it accompanied the Holy
Spirit outpouring on the day of Pentecost, then we can expect it to
accompany any outpouring of the Holy Spirit today.
6. The gift of tongues is not the ability to learn foreign languages.
I have a son that is learning Hebrew. He is able to pick it up faster
than I can. I’m still on the alphabet. So the ability to learn languages
is not the gift of tongues. Rich also has the supernatural ability to
speak in tongues by the spirit. I only have heard him one time when he
was praying for his dad but it is different than when he speaks in
Hebrew that he has studied. He spoke in tongues supernaturally long
before he spoke in Hebrew.
I don’t want to get into experiences too much here. I never spoke in
tongues before the day when I was baptized in the Holy Ghost. It was
completely supernatural. I was not worked up. No one was laying hands on
me. I was not even in church. I was not trying to speak in tongues. He
just came out of the blue as I was sitting in the car and thinking about
God. It was a fluent language and not gibberish although when the spirit
first was trying to speak through me, the first couple of syllables did
sound a little strange. After a couple of seconds a fluent enunciated
language poured forth that I had never spoken before. If scripture does
not back this up, ignore it as just a personal experience but since it
did happen in scripture, we cannot say it does not exist.
7. It is not to puff up self and exalt one’s self – It is to magnify
God. Paul says that he that speaks in tongues edifies himself, not
magnify himself. Edify is to build up, strengthen and is like a
spiritual refreshing or restoration. It is not something selfish.
Remember the place in scripture where Jesus said that if these held
their peace, the rocks would cry out. People back then tried to silence
the worship and praise deserved by our Lord as they do now. Speaking on
tongues is another way to glorify and praise the Lord. The only people
offended are those that do not praise the Lord themselves. When it is
time for praise and worship, praying in tongues is no different than
praying in English. It does not have to be understood by those present
because they should not be listening to anyone else praying, they should
be praying themselves.
Paul’s instructions concerning tongues are not to put down tongues or to
discourage its use. It is to silence us when it’s time for preaching,
teaching, giving a word of prophecy, giving a message in tongues and
interpretation and edifying the whole body. When it’s time to pray and
worship together as a group, tongues are not to be forbidden. There is
always in every worship service, a time for prayer and a time for
silence so the whole body can be edified.
If Pastor Mullins was preaching and someone decided they wanted to start
singing Amazing Grace and interrupt the message that God lays on the
pastor’s heart, then they would be making the same kind of mistake that
a person that spoke in tongues out loud when a message is being preached
would also be making. I would venture to guess that the Corinthians were
all excited about receiving the Holy Ghost and speaking in tongues that
they just didn’t know when to stop. They assumed that since it was from
God, they could speak anytime they felt like it. Remember though that
the bible says the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.
The gifts are from God but we are to exercise them at the right time and
the right place.
If the pastor was giving a message that he knows for sure God wants him
to give, it would not be the time to lay hands on the sick either. It
would not be time for us to have fellowship or shout in English. So we
must not just pick on tongues as an unwelcome interruption.
So if we break out in tongues while the pastor is preaching, does that
mean we are not of God? Did Paul say anywhere in his writings that the
Corinthians were “not of God” or “of the devil” or even “out of order?”
No. he did not. They were just a little over zealous in their praise and
worship. That is what tongues is by the way, “Praise and worship.”
Tongues are the only one of the nine gifts that is for individuals
rather than for the whole body. It is the one gift that is
individualized and is meant to be given to individuals whereas the other
gifts are for the church as a whole body. Some believe the gift of
tongues is different than the private tongues that accompany the baptism
in the Holy Spirit and it is the gift of tongues that is meant to be
interpreted not a person’s private prayer language.
So now we will address what Paul meant when he said, “Do all speak with
tongues?” Many assume this means that not everyone who is baptized with
the Holy Spirit shows the sign of speaking with tongues. First of all
that is not what Paul said.
He said also that he would that all spoke with tongues. We know that all
do not speak with tongues. We know that all do not heal. Paul was saying
a fact. All do not speak in tongues and all do not prophesy. He was not
saying that all could not heal, prophesy or speak with tongues but just
stating the fact that all do not do these things.
He was not saying that tongues do not accompany the baptism of the Holy
Spirit. We see from the book of Acts that it did in every case. Even
when it wasn’t mentioned Simon the Sorcerer saw something that caused
him to desire the power to lay hands on people and give them the Holy
Ghost. If there was no visible sign why would Simon ask for this power?
If it was not for tongues, how would we know that we were baptized in
the Holy Spirit?
I’m not going to tell someone that they do not have the Holy Spirit
baptism if they say they do yet have never spoken in tongues. We shall
know them by their fruits. Most of us can usually spot a spirit filled
person as opposed to one that is not spirit filled even if we do not
hear anyone speaking in tongues. They will usually desire to seek the
face of God. They will not be bound by the love of the world. They will
hate sin. They will love each other and love righteousness. They will
love the bible and believe it as the word of God. So there are other
signs to look for but for the one being filled with the Holy Spirit,
they would have to have some kind of a sign that the Holy Spirit filled
them. Tongues make a good sign is all I’m saying.
If someone never spoke in tongues yet gave a message of prophecy or an
interpretation of tongues, I would assume they were spirit filled so all
we can go by is what Thus saith the Lord.
Has anyone ever noticed that most controversy over the bible and most
divisions that concern scripture in churches are over the writings of
Paul.
1. Tongues
2. Hair covering
3. Women cutting the hair
4. Women wearing makeup
5. Women keeping silence
6. Women preachers
7. Predestination
8. Once saved always saved
9. Replacement theology
10. Kingdom now theology
11. Grace vs works
There is probably much more than those things but its all Paul’s
writings. Peter actually tells us of this in his writings.
2Pe 3:15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation;
even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto
him hath written unto you;
2Pe 3:16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things;
in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are
unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other Scriptures, unto
their own destruction.
2Pe 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before,
beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall
from your own steadfastness.
2Pe 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior
Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen.
Does this mean that we throw out the writings of Paul? No. Peter shows
us that God gave Paul the wisdom to write what he did. It shows us
though that his writings are deep and very hard to understand by the
natural man. It takes the spirit of God to understand the writings of
Paul. This is why so many misunderstand because they want to interpret
it to what they want it to mean instead of what it actually means. We
must not base interpretation by our own desire but have the attitude
that we are willing to believe what God reveals to us even if we do not
like it personally. I will close out this session by reminding us of the
other words of Paul. "covet to prophesy and forbid not to speak
with tongues." If we forbid this in our churches we are being
disobedient to the word of God.
Interpretation of Tongues
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