Tongues/Int. of Tongues Pt. 2
Notes
Transcript
Last week we looked at Acts 2 and the day of Pentecost. I hope that the message was somewhat helpful for getting you thinking about the gift of tongues.
Maybe what I presented changed your thinking about whether or not the tongues speech was human languages, or possibly something else with the gift of interpretation. We will talk about that something else this morning!
Maybe you land with the tongues being human languages. That is okay! You are in good company!
Regardless of where you land, I want to be diligent in going over every mention of tongues in the NT.
We then looked at Acts 10 and Acts 19, the other two instances in acts where they spoke in tongues. We concluded that we cannot know definitively if they were human languages spoke or not.
Certainly we saw though that the tongues speech there was tied to receiving the Spirit and not evangelism.
So, we are going to continue to look as when the word tongues appears
Now, I want to be clear that the greek language is funny. I shared last week that the word translated as tongue could also me language. That’s 100% true, but it could also just refer to the organ in the mouth!
For example, in James 3, the famous tongue passage
5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.
The word tongue here is clearly referring to the speech organ in the mouth. It is the same Greek word “glossa” that is also translated as tongue in tongue in acts 2 and other places, where is clearly means language.
Also, there are at least two other greek words that can be translated as languages and thats
1. glossa - tongue
2. dialektos - where we get out word for dialect
3. phone - meaning “sound” - like headphones
So, there are at least 3 greek words used in the NT and each can have a specific meaning, but can also have a generic meaning such as being translated as “language”
All 3 of these words are interchangeable, and to my estimation, we can’t make much meaning of when they are used in comparison to other times other than when used in their specific meaning
I share that as to not lead you astray. So, when I say we are looking at each time “tongues” is used, it is in reference to language, not organ of the mouth
I will say though, that every time tongue is used in the sense of the spiritual gift, it is always the greek word “glossa”
You probably didn’t need to know that, but I want to be thorough.
So, the next time we see glossa in reference to the gifts is one of the lists of the gifts of the Spirit
8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.
Here we have kinds of tongues mentioned, but no teaching on the gift
Let’s jump down to the next mention
28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues.
Here we clearly have the gift of tongues and notice the double plural after the word various
Various implies multiple, the plural kinds implies multiple and the plural tongues implies multiple
It seems Paul is being redundant here
Some take this text and form some doctrine on it.
The theory goes like this: you have a triple plural meaning not different languages, but different species of languages
If Paul just meant different languages, he probably would have just said different tongues, rather than various kinds of tongues
In this thinking, it sometimes, not always, becomes the ground work for saying, that within the gift, there are different kinds of the gift.
Some may word this as different expressions of the gift. Theres all kinds of thoughts and differences with the gift.
This theory would say that there are different expressions of the gift
Human languages unknown to the speaker (proof tongue)
Private/Prayer Language (personal tongue)
Prophecy (prophetic tongue)
I believe that this view can be substantiated using scripture, but I personally don’t hold to this view.
Not a hill that I’m dying on..
So, again, a mention of the gift, but no teaching on what it is
The next two verses are the next mention and we see the list of rhetorical questions
29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?
The obvious answer to all of the questions is “no.”
This is actually a really important couple verse because it helps us to see that not everyone will have every gift.
Some in the traditional pentecostal camp believe that every christian can or should speak in tongues.
Even in the pentecostal camp there are varying views on whether or not all christians can/should speak in tongues.
But 1 thing that is pretty much universally true is that every christian receives the HS when they are saved
The traditional pentecostal view is that the gift of tongues is the evidence of the HS
And here’s where there are varying views
The first view and probably not as common anymore is
When you are saved, you receive the HS and the evidence is speaking in tongues - argumentation coming from Acts 2, 10, 19
Salvation - receive HS. Then second work or “second blessing” of baptism of the HS - evidenced by speaking in tongues - argumentation from Acts 19
The first view would imply that if you don’t speak in tongues, then you are not saved.
The second view allows for you to be saved and not speak in tongues, but you are not baptized in the HS.
So, once you are saved, you then would seek a second moment of being baptized with the HS. In that moment you would be baptized in the HS and speak in tongues
I disagree with both of these views and even their use of the verbiage of being baptized with the HS.
I could spend a lot of time here, but don’t want to.
My view is when you are saved, you receive the HS, and this is evidenced, not by the gifts of the Spirit, but by fruit of the HS.
I believe that at salvation you are baptized by the Holy Spirit,
Made Righteous (Justified) - purified of your sins - standing before God
Regenerated - new creation/made alive in Christ
That is what I believe to be the baptism of the HS
Then, the Lord gives you gifts as He sees fit - might be tongues like in acts 2, 10, 19, might not, He determines that
Then at various times, we can be filled with the HS, but I believe that’s typically for a specific purpose in a moment. Another great sermon!
Nonetheless, Paul’s rhetorical question, I believe, shows us that the gift of tongues is not an evidence in that not all (and he says who all is in verse 27 with those in the body of Christ) christians will speak in tongues
Therefore, it can’t be the only evidence of the HS. It can be AN evidence, but not the only evidence.
For evidence, look to the fruit, that’s literally what fruit means. The tree, the HS, produces the fruit
The HS also produces gifts, but you can’t say one gift is the evidence of all believers
Let’s jump to the next mention of tongues
1 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
The purpose of chapter 13 the emphasis on love!
Having the gifts without love is essentially pointless
Can we draw any information about tongues from 13:1?
Yes and no!
Is Paul being literal or hyperbolic?
And, furthermore, can something hyperbolic also have literal implications?
So the question is: is there such a thing as tongues of angels?
We don’t know! But we do know that angels are messengers so in some way they communicate with God and they know human languages as they communicate with people in scripture
Probably not English, btw!
But is it possible that they have their own language to communicate? I say sure!
Further, could we know that language?
Maybe, maybe not.
What I wouldn’t say though is that the gift of tongues is definitively a language of angels. I don’t think we can honestly assume that from the text.
Jump down to verse 8
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.
What can we learn about tongues here?
Well, first off, we don’t know for sure if Paul is talking about gifts or not. Since tongues is interchangeable with human languages and possibly something else we will see in a minute, we don’t know
Also, what is knowledge? Is it a word of knowledge in that it’s the gift or general knowledge?
Based on the context, I’d say he is referring to three gifts.
Does he mean all gifts and just lists three or just these three gifts?
If he just means these three, why WoK, but not WoW?
I think we can get so caught up all of these questions, but at then end of day, what is Paul communicating?
It is that love matters and lasts forever.
When Christ returns, I don’t think we will need these gifts, but we will still love. I think that’s what he’s communicating.
So, now, next instance of tongues.
1 Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. 2 For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit.
Verse 1 isn’t about tongues, but it matters.
Paul says to pursue love. Many people mix up the verse to pursue spiritual gifts.
But, that’s not what Paul says…
Pursue love and desire gifts. Why? Because the goal is loving others!
And, to help us love others, God gives us gifts!
If we pursue the gifts with the absence of love, we miss what God wants us to do.
If you disagree with me on the gifts, okay, let’s disagree. But let us holdfast in agreement on loving others!
But Paul tells me to earnestly desire the gifts, so I’ll do that too!
