Talking in Tongues

 

Place: Ann’s house - Two pastors enter.

First pastor: Hello

Ann:  How are you? Who is this?

First Pastor: This is a noble pastor in our church.  You had shown an interest in knowing about talking in tongues. He is very knowledgeable .

Ann:  Great.  I am glad to hear from you.

Second Pastor:  What exactly do you want to know?

Ann: Pastor  John told me that you are a  ‘holy one’?  Does it mean that you are one without any sins?

Pastor: Yes, I have no sin in Jesus Christ.  Praise the Lord

Ann:   What does this mean? Jesus has no sins or you have no sins?

Pastor; By His grace my sins have been relieved.  And so I have no sins and I do no sins.

Ann: I understand now. You do no sins in mind, thought, or acts.  Great! You are as sanctified as the angels of heaven.  To tell the truth, this day is blessed for me!  I am really afraid even to sit in front of your sanctity!

Pastor:    Don’t be afraid; ask me about every thing you wanted to know.

Ann:   What is the name of your church?  And when was it established?

Pastor: We are called Pentecostal church.  It was established some 50 years back. We have lots of members in it now.

Ann: I have heard about it.  But the Holy church has been established on the day of Pentecost some 1950 years back.

Pastor:    Yes, yes. That is why we are called Pentecostal church.

Ann:   Ever since church was established, it has been hit with various anti-biblical teaching in various times, isn’t it?

Pastor; Yes.  We are a church where its members have sacrificed  every thing for ministering our Lord. And so ours is Lord’s true anointed church.

Ann: The church, which is the body of Jesus Christ, has been established in some 1950 years ago.  That church is eternal and cannot be destroyed.  Holy Spirit dwells in the church and leads it in all truth.  That is the promise by Jesus Christ, our Lord.  Given that, how can different churches that mushroomed later, especially one like yours, which has been established just 50 years back, be a true church of God?

Pastor:    Because we can talk in tongues.  Talking in tongues is the one and only visual symbol of the Holy Spirit.  You see, therefore Holy Spirit anoints our church members.

Ann:   That is not my doubt. You agreed that our Lord’s church was established some 1950 years back.  Then how come a church whose teachings are different from that ancient church and which was just established some 50 years ago, be the Lord’s church. I see a contradiction there.

Pastor; you had asked me to talk about talking in tongues.  I don’t want to talk about church history.

Ann: I am sorry.  Since you told me that only your church talks in tongues, I asked about the longevity of the church.  If you are uncomfortable with it, let us leave it.  We can talk only about talking in tongues.

Ann:    You said talking of the tongue is the one and only visual sign of the Holy Spirit.  Is this in the Bible?

Pastor; Yes

Ann: Can you show be that verse from the Bible?

Pastor:    I don’t remember where exactly it is. I will show it tomorrow

Ann:  I say that there is no such verse in the Bible. I challenge you to prove it.

Pastor; I don’t argue with you in this regard. Let us start the discussion

Ann: You say you are believers of our Lord Jesus Christ. The signs that believers could show are shown in Mark 16:18. “They will drive out demons, they will speak new languages. They will pick up servants and if they drink any deadly thing it will not harm them. They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover” You could do none of these. Then how can we see you as believers or prophets or saints?

Pastor:   There are people in our church who can heal the sick.  We advertise those name and venues in our advertisements. Ann, you may not have seen it.

Ann; No, I have seen your advertisements. Just one problem.  Our Lord Jesus Christ or  His apostles never advertised in this manner.  On the contrary after healing people they told them not to publicize.  But apart from advertisement, have you ever healed any blind or crippled?  Have you ever talked in tongues so that other people could understand it?

Pastor: These are all misconceptions. Not all will receive all gifts. Bible says so. “Sprit produces all of these [gifts], distributing then individually to each person as he wishes” (1 Cori 12;11. )

Ann:  Ok, So you agree to it. Then why are you so stubbornly argue that everyone should have the ability to speak in tongues? After all it is just one of the gifts of Holy Spirit.  How come none of your church members have any of the other gifts of the Spirit? (1 cori  13:8) says ‘it [speaking of tongues] will cease.”.  And it has ceased now. Then why are you saying the church members should talk in tongues when Bible itself says  speaking of tongues will cease?

Pastor:    God has acted wonders through the saints and will continue to do so.  Bible supports it.

Ann:   I agree to that also.  You also know, none of you could show any of the signs either shown by the apostles or by Jesus Christ.  All you can do is to shout and yell and dance and make some noise from large drums and blabber some noise and call it talking in tongues. This is all you have achieved in 50 years.

Pastor; Come to the point.  You are just beating around the bush. When the Holy Spirit dwells on you, you receive the ability to speak in tongues.  The first evidence of this is the day of Pentecost.

Ann: It is true that on some occasions when the Holy Sprit dwelled, there were speaking of tongues.  But in most of the occasions it did not happen. Therefore we cannot say that speaking of tongues is a mandatory sign of dwelling of Holy Spirit.

Pastor:   That is a mistake.  When Holy Spirit dwells, there will be speaking of tongues.  That is what the Bible says.  Can you prove otherwise based on Bible?

Ann: Yes I can .  Look at the following incidences.

1)    Acts 6:8  “Now Stephen, filled with grace and power was working  great wonders and signs among the people“.  But he did not talk in tongues.

2)    Acts 8:5 – Philip went to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them “. Holy Spirit carried Philip.  Still Philip did not talk in tongues.

3)    On the day of Pentecost 3000 people were baptized. But none of them talked on tongues.

4)    Our Lord Jesus Christ was baptized, the Holy Spirit dwelled on Him in the form of  a dove.  Even then there was no speaking of tongues. (Acts 4:8).

5)    Peter spoke to the people filled with Holy Spirit. He did not speak in tongues (Acts 4:31.). 

6)    “As they (Peter & Paul ) prayed, the place where they were gathered shook and they were all filled with Holy Spirit.” (Acts 4:31).  Here also he did not speak in tongues. But “he continued to speak the work of God with boldness”, not in tongues. 

 All these are evidences. Can you agree?

Pastor; May be not always, there were speaking of tongues. But Paul says he likes, all of you to speak in tongues. (1 Cori 14:5)

Ann:   Why stop with just this verse?  Read the full verse.

Pastor: “Now I should like all of you to speak in tongues, but even more of prophesy”.

Ann:  Thank you. But you have only speaking in tongues and not the ability to prophesize.

Pastor: We do not deny prophesy

Ann: I am not asking whether you deny or not.  I asked why you do not prophesize like Paul said?  Has any one prophesized? If so, has it become true? The command is “If there is no interpreter, the person should keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God.”  1 Cori 14:28. ( read 1 Cori 14:22-28). You all are now breaking the law of God by demanding unnecessary talk in the tongues

Pastor:  Why did you say unnecessary talk in the tongues?

Ann:  1 Cori 14:22 ‘Thus tongues are a sign not for those who believe but for unbelievers, where as prophesy is not for unbelievers but for those who believe”.  In the first few years after church was established, these kinds of signs and wonders were needed for the unbelievers to believe.  On the day of Pentecost when Holy Spirit dwelled there was lightning and the whole place trembled.  The people saw Holy Sprit as Tongs of Fire.  But it did not happen since.  Because Holy Sprit was dwelling for the first time.  Then on, the Holy Spirit is dwelling in the church leading it. “Holy Sprit will be with you always” John14: 16.  The day of Pentecost was the start and today is the continuance.  Initially there were wonders.  And in continuity there was no need for it.  Initially the apostles raised the dead.  But later the apostles did not raise the dead.  Initially Ananyas and Saphira who lied died.  But later many lied but did not die. Therefore we see initially many wonders happened and later it began to decrease. There is also a verse, which says that ‘gift of tongues will cease’. And so it has also ceased.

Pastor:  Though Bible says that  ‘gift of tongues will cease’, there is no evidence in the Bible that it was ceased. “For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to human beings but to God, for no one listens” (1 Cori 14:2). Therefore speaking in tongues is a language that no one can understand. Is it justifiable to criticize it?

Ann:  Let me complete that verse.  “…for no one listens; he utters mysteries in Sprit.” There is a verse that says that gift of tongues will cease and it has ceased. Then why is that not in the Bible?  No one has written a bible after this happened. So this incident is not in the Bible. The above verse  is a description of a language that talks abut the mysteries of Spirit. Listen to what is more being written about that language.

From all this we know that speaking in tongues had a very unimportant role in the early church.

Pastor:  Speaking in tongues is a heavenly language that cannot be understood by human beings. Paul in his letter to Corinthians says that one who talks in tongues talks to God.”  Therefore speaking in tongues is Biblical.

Ann:  Is that so?  Lets look at the Bible

  1. When Peter spoke the language, which you descried as heavenly, every one on the earth who heard it understood in their own languages.

  2. When angels came and talked to St. Mary she too understood  what was being told her.

  3. The heavenly messenger wrote on the wall MEME, MENE TEKEL  UPHARSIN‘ it was understandable clearly. (Daniel 5:25)

  4. When God talked to Moses, he understood everything God told him. 

  5.  When the written 10 commands were given, Moses understood that too. So whenever heavenly language was spoken to earthly people, every one of them understood in their language.

You guys make discordance and call them heavenly language and speaking of tongues etc. Isn’t it cheating? Aren’t you all sinning against God?

Pastor:  “Yes, with stammering lips and in a strange language he will speak to this people” This is resting peace. This is speaking in tongues.  This is God’s command.

Ann:  What you quoted is only part of the verse. Here is the rest of it …”but they would not listen”.  Really this is not a command of God about peace. Because this really refers to Assyrians attacking Israel because of their disobedience to God. The verse 12 tells what Israelites did to the warning- (They ignored it!).  (1Cori 14:21) Apostle Paul quote this verse and tells the church that speaking of tongues is a sign for disbelievers and not for the believers.  Apostle Paul never believed that speaking in tongues would bring peace.

Pastor: “Whoever talks in tongue builds himself up” (1 Cori 14:4). . So to build one up spiritually it is good and biblical to speak on tongues. (1 Cori 14:10). .”Since you strive eagerly for sprits, seek to have abundance of them”.

Ann: It is wrong to say that speaking of tongues is heavenly language. Because if it is so then believers should know it and study it.  But Paul says Speaking of tongues is a sign for disbeliveers.  But you guys speak in a group you call as believers. It is against the Bible. The other command is that if there is no interpreter then no one should talk in tongues and one should keep quiet.  But you have no interpreter and you just make discordance.  When I once heard, I did not understand it.  No one in your group understand each other either. This is only a show.  And that is not Biblical. Paul says that “there are many different languages in the world and none is meaningless” 1 Cori 14:10.  But you talk meaningless language.  This is not biblical. Actually you are having a procession of sins.  St. Paul says that not all can talk in tongues.  But you say that all should talk in tongues.  St Paul says talking in tongue will cease. You guys say  ‘no it won’t’.

Pastor:  Anyway  Ann you agreed that there was speaking of tongues in the early church.  Why was it for and how was it?

Ann: I will explain.  Speaking of tongues is meant as a sign.  It is meant for unbelievers. There are only three incidence where there were speaking in tongues

  1. First of all the day of Pentecost was the first day of the church. There were people assembled there from 16 countries. On that day there were many wonders, signs and speaking of tongues which surprised every one there.

  2. Second instance of speaking of tongue happened in the house of Cornelius.  People assembled there were the first set of gentiles who were converted into Christians. They needed this as a sign that God had accepted them.

  3. The third instance where there was speaking of tongue was in  Ephesus. This was when John the Baptist’s disciples  were baptized.  This place was in the west side of Asia Minor.  This newly baptized people had not heard about the wonders and signs in Palestine.  Besides the big temple of Arthemis deity was also there. A Lot of people worshiped this deity.  In order for the church to get a foot holding in this locality, there needed signs and wonders and so there was speaking of the tongue. 

Apart from these three places there is no instances of speaking of tongues. In all this three places, it was not demanded by believers, but were given as blessings from God.

 

Pastor:  Paul in his letter to Corinthians mentions that some people in the church talked in tongues.

Ann:  Yes.  But that was the continuation of the gift received initially. So really there was only above mentioned three places where there were speaking in tongues.

Ann:   Speaking of the tongue is an evidence of dwelling of the Holy Spirit.  People who criticize it are the ones who have not experienced it.

Ann:  I think you are mistaken.  First of all there is no Biblical verse, which says that dwelling of the Holy Sprit should be associated with gift of speaking in tongues. On the contrary there are so many instances in the Bible where people were filled with the Holy Spirit without speaking in tongues. We have seen many such incidences.

  1. God filled apostles with Holy Spirit. And in turn apostles filled the disciples with Holy Spirit by laying their hand on the head. (Acts 8:17).  There was no speaking of the tongue then.

  2. “Anannyas as per our Lords command went to the house and laid hands on Saul (St. Paul) and Saul was filled with Holy Spirit.  (Acts 9:17, 9:10-11).   This was our Lords direct command.  Still there was no speaking of tongues.

  3. Stephen and others were filled with Holy Sprit when apostles laid their hands on them. ( Acts 6:6). But there was no speaking of tongues.

  4. When our Lord was baptized, Holy Sprit dwelled on Him as dove.  But there was no speaking of the tongues.

  5. Stephen filled with Holy Spirit looked up intently to heaven and saw heaven and the glory of God (Acts 7:55).  But there was no speaking of tongue.

  6. Both Elizabeth the mother John the Baptist and Mary, the mother our Lord were filled with Holy Sprit. But there was no speaking of the tongues. 

So all these people had dwelling of the Holy Spirit but none of them spoke in tongues. Given these facts, how meaningless is your argument that visual sign of dwelling of Holy Spirit is speaking of tongues?  Besides you seems to teach that people should talk in tongues when some one is filled with the Holy Spirit. I assume that  these are the times in which you claim to speak in tongues. But let me refer you to Galatians 5:25  “If we live in Spirit, let us also follow in Spirit” and in Ephesians 5:18 “be filled with Spirit”.  So apostles teaches us not to wait for the Spirit but continuously be filled in Spirit.

Pastor:  In the church at Corinthian there was continued speaking of the tongues. Bible says that there will be talking of tongues with dwelling of the Holy Spirit.  Ann, You are saying that is not the case.  Which should I believe, you or the Bible?

Ann: Show me from the bible, where it says that speaking of tongues is associated with dwelling of the Holy Sprit.  I also agree that there was speaking of tongues at three places at the start of the church and for some time in Corinthian church.  But Paul clearly discourages speaking of the tongue. 

  1. He says if there is no interpreter one who speaks in tongues should keep quiet.

  2. He also said it is better to hear 5 words from an intelligent person than hearing 1000 words from one who speaks in tongues. 

  3. Bible also says the gift of speaking in tongues will cease.  This being the truth, I don’t know why you are preaching that gift of speaking in tongues is associated with dwelling of the Holy Spirit.  It is not correct to teach anti biblical teachings to the people.

Mark also says that there are others signs along with speaking of tongues as a sign of Holy Spirit.  They are raising the dead, healing the sick, taking serpents in hand, and nothing can harm you.  Can you show any of these with talking of the tongues?  Any one can make some meaningless voice like you guys do.  But how is this meaningless sound associated with the Holy Spirit?

Pastor:  So you are saying there should be no speaking of tongues in the church?

Ann: Speaking in tongue is a gift.  Bible says it will end.  And it ended.  It is a gift from God, and if our Lord pleases, He can give it to any one at any time at His will. There is no doubt about it.  But your argument that speaking of tongue is associated with dwelling of the Holly Spirit is not only wrong, but also not biblical.  No where in the Bible it says that people should talk in tongues, or talking in tongues is needed for salvation.

Apostles Paul does not think talking of tongue is necessary or a great thing.  He places gift of talking in tongues as quite unimportant.  But you are saying, it is of great importance. What our Lord commanded is “You will receive the power when the Holy Spirit comes on you and you will be my witness” .  Our Lord never talked in tongues nor commanded us to talk in tongues.

 

Pastor:  When one is filled with the Holy Spirit he forgets every thing in ecstasy and talks the heavenly language and may also utter which might be senseless. That is what Paul says in 1 Cori 14:2.  Therefore you should not fault people speaking in tongues.

Ann: Here also you are mistaken. Gift of speaking in tongues is not making senseless sounds but will make you sensible.  When Peter talked in tongues every one who heard it understood in their own language. God has given us a spirit of power, love, and self-control’.  Not an insensible spirit.

Pastor:  I have to tell some thing now.  My witness of the speaking of the tongue. I received the gift to talk in spirits.  I talked in tongue.  At that time I was in a state of frenzy.

Ann:  When did it happen?

Pastor: In a meeting meant for receiving of the gift of tongues.  We sang a lot of songs with musical instruments and drums in fast beat. Then I was asked to say Praise the Lord and Halleluiah fast and in high beat.  I said many things, which was not meaningless.  Every one told me that I am talking in tongue.  Really I was out of my senses at that time.

Ann:  It is possible that you may loose sense with such high hoopla.  This kind of environment is made in some pagan culture and in some pagan festivals. Here people loose sense and say or do senseless things. This is all a mental confusion, not gift of speaking in tongues.

Pastor: “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with which you are sealed for the day of redemption”  (Ephesians 4:30) what does it mean?

Ann:   Baptism is a seal of Holy Spirit. When one gets baptized he receives this seal of approval of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Every one who is baptized has this seal of approval.  It cannot be destroyed or removed.  The seal of the Holy Spirit and dwelling of the Holy Spirit are not the same, but two different things.  Everyone baptized gets a seal but different amounts of Spirit.  Some times some may even loose the Spirit also.  Even then, the seal is not lost. That is why baptism is never repeated. 

Pastor:  When we receive the spirit of baptism, will we get the gift to talk in tongues?

Ann:  You did not get it yet?  There is no need to talk in tongues when one is baptized.  Bibles mentions many people who are baptized.  None of them spoke in tongues.  Many were filled with the Holy Spirit. Except three occasions, no one spoke in tongues.  It is not necessary now also.   You create a scene of high pitch music and drum beating and force people to talk in meaningless sounds. Then you declare that it is speaking of tongues.  No need for any of this.  These are all wrong.  We have a command which says, if there is no interpreter let the one who speak in tongue keep quiet. The church in Corinthians obeyed it.  Are people of the Pentecostal church obeying this law?  Why not? Isn’t it disobedience to God? “God has given Holy Spirit to those who obey Him” Acts 5:32.  In short what you do is wrong.

Pastor: I am beginning to understand. Praise the Lord.

Ann:  I will summarize.  1 Cori 12:4 onwards  tells us about the gift of talking in tongues

(NOTE: Chapter 14 is a comparison between Gift of prophesy and gift of tongues)

Pastor :  Ann, Thank you. I will pass this information to the other pastors too.  Praise the Lord.  I have to go now!.

Ann:  See you later.

 

St. Ignatious Sunday School, Dallas

http://www.stignatious.com