The Gifts of the Holy Spirit, part 5 The Gift of Tongues B Y P A S T O R BRIAN BRODERSEN

The gift of tongues is perhaps the most biblical basis. Scripture does not teach The Interpretation controversial and misunderstood of all the anywhere that tongues, or any of the other of Tongues gifts of the Spirit. The charismatics say that gifts of the Spirit, will cease before Christ The gift of interpretation occurs when one unless you speak in tongues, you have not returns. Paul said, “prophecies … will person translates what another person has been baptized in the Holy Spirit. Some go fail; tongues … will cease; knowledge … spoken in tongues. Paul states that tongues to the extreme of saying that unless you will vanish away … when that which is are not to be exercised during church ser- speak in tongues you are not even saved! perfect has come” (1 Corinthians 13:8, 10, vices unless there is someone present with emphasis mine). This means that The conservative evangelicals say that those the need for the gifts will come who speak in tongues are led by emotion- to an end when Jesus Christ alism or are being influenced by demons. returns to the earth, which has The Holy Spirit has given With such extreme opinions, one might not happened yet. wonder if it would be better to leave the the glorious gifts of tongues whole issue alone. That might be easier, but Most of the Bible commentar- it would not be best. It is to the detriment ies written before the end of the and their interpretation of the church to disregard any of the gifts 19th Century interpreted “that of the Holy Spirit, no matter how difficult which is perfect” as referring to for the edification of the subject. the visible manifestation of the kingdom of God. It was only in the believer and the church. What is the gift of tongues? “Tongues” is a the last century, and largely as a language given by the Holy Spirit, unknown reaction to the Pentecostal and ... If people would follow to the speaker, by which the believer prays charismatic movements, that to God. Paul addressed this gift in 1 Cor- many evangelicals began to inter- the teaching of the Scriptures inthians 14:1-19. There was also an incident pret “that which is perfect” as the recorded in Scripture where tongues were completion of the New Testament on these matters, most, used to preach the Gospel to unbeliev- canon. With this new interpreta- ers. In Acts 2, we read, “And they were tion came the idea that certain if not all, of the confusion all filled with the Holy Spirit and began gifts ceased with the death of the to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit last apostle. Those who hold this would be eliminated. gave them utterance” (verse 4). Those who view are known as “cessationists.” had gathered were from a whole host of Although they have put together nations and were confounded as they heard a clever system of interpretation, they have the gift of interpretation (1 Corinthians the apostles speak in their own dialects, or completely failed to prove their position 14:28). Every time there is a public utter- languages. The word “speaking” in Acts from a scriptural basis. Are tongues for ance in tongues, an interpretation should 2:11 is translated from the Greek also as today? If we take Scripture at face value, we follow. According to the Scriptures, the “preach” or “preaching.” The miracle was have to conclude that they are. one who is speaking in tongues is speaking that these Galileans were proclaiming, in to God and not to men, so the interpreta- languages previously unknown to them, If tongues are for today, does that mean tion should be giving praise and glory to the great things God had done. Here we see every Christian is to speak in tongues? Not God (1 Corinthians 14:2). a different operation of the gift of tongues: according to the apostle Paul, but many preaching. In 1 Corinthians 14, they were Pentecostals and charismatics will tell you The Holy Spirit has given the glorious gifts praying in languages previously unknown. otherwise. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul asks of tongues and their interpretation for the Although there are times when the gift is a series of rhetorical questions, including, edification of the believer and the church. manifested as on the Day of Pentecost, the “Do all speak with tongues?” (verse 30b). Paul clearly gives instruction in 1 Corin- more common manifestation seems to be From the context, the understood answer thians 14 on the purpose and proper use for prayer. is, “No.” But just as the cessationists have of these gifts. If people would follow the developed clever arguments to try to prove teaching of the Scriptures on these mat- As we discuss the gift of tongues, a few their view, so those from the Pentecostal ters, most, if not all, of the confusion misconceptions need to be addressed. Are and charismatic persuasion have tried to would be eliminated. tongues for today? Many modern evan- deny Paul’s assertion that not everyone will gelicals say no, but they do so without any speak in tongues.

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