Understanding Tongues

BY DAVID C. PACK

What about the TONGUES QUESTION? Do all who receive the Holy Spirit “speak in tongues”? Is this evidence of God’s power—and of “baptism with the Holy Spirit”? Are “tarry meetings” biblical? What does the Bible really say about the gift of tongues? Here are the answers!

Every true Christian has the Holy Spirit. Must all the newly converted speak in tongues to evidence this? Is this gift PROOF that one has received the Holy Spirit? Should you seek to be “slain of the spirit”?

What about “tarry meetings”? What does the Bible teach about them? Does God intend that you wait for “the Holy Spirit to fall on you” in a meeting filled with loud, emotional people, shouting repetitive phrases—“speaking in tongues”? Is this “baptism with the Holy Spirit”?

There are many types of “Pentecostal” people—so-called because they supposedly follow and practice the Pentecost account in Acts 2:1-47. But do they? What does this account really demonstrate—and teach?

In Acts 1:8, just before Christ ascended to heaven, He promised His disciples, “…you shall receive power.” He was referring to receiving the Holy Spirit. Receiving it does bring power: “For God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (II Tim. 1:7).

Make no mistake. To become a Christian you must receive the Holy Spirit. Paul wrote, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” (Rom. 8:14).

This is crystal clear. Yet Ro 8:9 makes it even clearer: “But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, HE IS NONE OF HIS.” Verse11 adds, “But if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwells in you.”

Let’s make this absolutely plain. Without the Holy Spirit, you cannot be a Christian—and you cannot be resurrected (“quickened”) at Christ’s Return.

Then how does one receive the all-important gift of the Holy Spirit? Without the proper answer to this question, your Christianity could be in vain (I Cor. 15:12-19)!

This booklet will answer all these and many other questions from the Bible’s plain teaching about receiving God’s Spirit and speaking in tongues. But first an example.

A “Tongues” Encounter

The following account illustrates the ignorance of most people regarding tongues. You will see that this also includes those who feel they already have this gift.

A friend (Mary) was approached by an elderly Pentecostal woman. She related that the woman proceeded to express “fear” that Mary was not “saved.” This occurred in a public place, and she had never previously met this woman.

The woman broke into tears, worrying that Mary was not “saved,” and was going to “hell.” She said all Mary had to do was “accept Jesus into her heart.” The woman suddenly babbled incoherently, then stopped and asked, “Do you know what I just said?” Shocked by the display, Mary replied, “No.” The woman then declared, “I don’t either…but my preacher could tell you.”

At least she honestly admitted that she had no idea what she was doing. Such dangerous ignorance!

Tongues is a Gift

The Bible states that speaking in tongues is a spiritual gift. Paul wrote, “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant” (I Cor. 12:1). It is not God’s intent that people be unable to understand, or be ignorant of, “spiritual gifts.”

Yet most are ignorant of the gifts of God’s Spirit. Most have no idea what they are or how they work. In fact, most have never even heard of them. Have you? How much do you know about these gifts—or that tongues is even one of them? Do you know where they are found in the Bible?

I Corinthians chapter 12:1-31, often called “the gifts chapter,” lists the gifts of God’s Spirit. Notice: “But the manifestation [making obvious] of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of WISDOM; to another the word of KNOWLEDGE by the same Spirit; To another FAITH by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of HEALING by the same Spirit; To another the working of MIRACLES; to another PROPHECY; to another DISCERNING OF SPIRITS; to another diverse kinds of TONGUES; to another the INTERPRETATION OF TONGUES: But all these work that one and the selfsame Spirit…” (I Cor 12:7-11).

Notice that there are nine separate gifts listed. When God grants any of them, they are intended for the “profit” of “every man.”

Here is why: “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit” (I Cor. 12:13). Whatever happens in the Church (“the body” Col. 1:18; Eph. 1:22-23) affects the whole Church. All can profit or all can be harmed, depending upon what is done and how.

The matter of speaking in tongues is critical to understand. When understood correctly, the Church benefits. Where there has been misunderstanding, great harm and confusion resulted!

Do All Speak in Tongues?

A basic question arises. Do all converted people speak in tongues? Notice that Paul emphasizes that each gift might be given to “one man” or “another” or “another,” etc. Not every man receives every gift. Rather, the giving of any particular gift to a person is to “profit every man.”

Later in I Corinthians 12:1-31, Paul addresses this question more specifically. He leaves no doubt about whether everyone receives every gift—or even whether everyone speaks in tongues. The context preceding what he says is about the different offices of the ministry. Notice: “Are all APOSTLES? are all PROPHETS? are all TEACHERS? are all workers of MIRACLES? Have all the gifts of HEALING? do all speak with TONGUES? do all INTERPRET?” (I Cor 12:29-30). These are rhetorical questions. The answer to each is obvious.

Is everyone in the Church an apostle? Of course not!

Is everyone in the Church a prophet? Of course not!

Does everyone perform miracles or does everyone perform healings? No!

Why do so many think that ALL must speak in tongues, when Paul plainly states otherwise? Remove from your thinking the notion that every Christian must speak in tongues to prove that they have received God’s Spirit.

There is not a single place in God’s Word that states you must speak with tongues as evidence you have received “the baptism of the Holy Spirit.” Nowhere does it say, “by their tongues you shall know them,” but rather, “by their FRUITS you shall know them” (Matt. 7:20).

We will see that there are only two occasions in the New Testament when speaking in tongues accompanied conversion and receiving God’s Spirit.

We could ask: How are Christians identified? Did Christ say that His disciples would be known by speaking in tongues? Notice: “By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, if you have LOVE one to another” (John 13:35). Nothing mentioned of tongues here either!