BIBLICAL
PERSPECTIVE OF THE GIFT OF TONGUES
We want to take a careful look at the
most controversial of all of the gifts – the gift of tongues.
THE NATURE OF THE GIFT
A careful study of the major passages
dealing with the gift of tongues will reveal that tongues were foreign
languages. The gift of tongues was
the supernatural ability to speak in those languages without having previous
knowledge of that language.
Acts 2:4-6 – tongue (v.4) and language (v.6) are used
interchangeably.
Acts 10:44-47; Acts 11:15-18 – In comparing these two passages, while languages
are not mentioned specifically, it is obvious that the apostles recognized that
the identical experience had occurred to these in the tenth chapter of Acts
that had occurred at Pentecost.
THE PURPOSE OF THE GIFT
Various purposes for tongues have been
suggested. The two most popular are (a)
for evangelism – being able share the good news of Jesus Christ with those of
other races in their own language (b) private worship or devotion. However, the primary purpose seems to be
that of confirmation. The Jewish people
had been practicing their religion by observing the law and sacrifices for
thousands of years. Now, not only did
the advent, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ change their entire
way of worship, but salvation through Jesus Christ was also being offered to
Gentiles!
And all the
circumcised (Jewish) believers who had come with Peter were amazed, because the
gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out upon the Gentiles also. Acts 10:45
Tongues must always be interpreted in
light of the transitional period when the church was making its cross-cultural
change from a purely Jewish nucleus to include Gentiles. Tongues were a transitional gift.
In Acts 2 we see that tongues were God’s
stamp of approval on the church and its message. Tongues served as evidence that God was at work among both
Gentiles and Jews in a new way.
Acts 10 tells us that tongues were a
sign, not that one individual had received the Holy Spirit, but that the Gentiles
as a class of people had received the Holy Spirit. This no doubt had a confirming effect upon Peter and the rest of
those Jews – that God was dealing with Gentiles now in the same way as He has
dealt with Jews.
If God
therefore gave to them (Gentiles) the same gift as He gave to us (Jews) also
after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ . . . God has granted to the Gentiles
also the repentance that leads to life.
Acts 11: 17,
18
Acts 19:1-4 - John’s disciples:
tongues did not primarily lead to conversion but emanated from it. In this case tongues was an evidence to
John’s disciples that they had entered into this new moving of God that He had
begun on the Day of Pentecost.
I Corinthians 14:22 - Unbelievers here are Jewish unbelievers.
That transition period was
completed. Therefore, there is no
further need for the transitional gift.
THE DURATION OF THE GIFT
Is there any Biblical evidence that
tongues had a specific duration in the church?
Look at the following passages:
I Corinthians 13:8 - This passage states that tongues shall cease. When?
When their purpose shall have been fulfilled.
Ephesians 2:20, II Corinthians 12:12 - The apostles and prophets laid the doctrinal
foundation for the church. Included in
the signs of an apostle was the gift of tongues.
Hebrews 2:1-4 - The sign gifts were the confirming evidence given
to those who heard the Lord Jesus (the apostles and others who were privileged
to hear the very words of Jesus).
What an exciting time this was for the
church! And how thankful we are that
salvation is offered to us as well as to God’s Chosen People – the Jews. Salvation – what a treasure! One that we, in turn, need to share with
others.
In His matchless love,