The Gift of Tongues

I. History of the Pentecostal and Charismatic movements:

Founder of Pentecostalism: Charles Parham had been a methodist preacher until he had a falling out with them. He then followed faith healers and believed in sinless perfectionism and the second blessing baptism of the Spirit. He was also the first Pentecostal to tell people to mail in a handkerchief and he would pray over it and heal them. Because of their beliefs on healing, they refused medical treatment. In 1904, popular opinion turned against Parham because of a little girl named Nettie Smith whose dad followed the teachings of Parham. Nettie was sick and died because her father would not get her medical attention. The disease was treatable.

Founded the Bethel Bible School in Topeka Kansas. Believed that before Christ’s return there would be a Latter Rain pouring out of the Holy Spirit and miraculous signs. Believed tongues were real languages and encouraged his students to seek this experience. It was claimed that his student Agnes Ozman spoke Chinese and Bohemian which she had never learned. Newspaper reporters claimed it was merely gibberish.

The only record we have of a tongues speech during this time comes from the Topeka State Journal:

Mr. Parham called Miss Lilian Thistlethrate [Thistlethwaite] into the room and asked her if she could talk some. She at first answered that the Lord had not inspired her to say anything but soon began to utter strange words which sounded like this: ‘Euossa, Euossa, use rela sema calah mala kanah leulla ssage nalan. Ligle logle lazie logle. Ene mine mo, sah rah el me sah rah me.’ These sentences were translated as meaning, ‘Jesus is mighty to save,’ ‘Jesus is ready to hear,’ ‘and ‘God is love’” (“Hindoo and Zulu Both Are Represented at Bethel School,” Topeka State Journal, Jan. 9, 1901)

Pentecostal Movement Spread because of the Asuza Street Revival in LA under William Seymour a student of Parham believed in sinless perfectionism and second blessing theology. Began preaching to a group of people who had been disciplined out of the Second Baptist Church of LA for believing in these doctrines until he was locked out. He purchased an old Methodist church and began having meeting for three years teaching that tongues speaking was the sign of Spirit Baptism. The services were characterized by jumping, dancing, shaking, falling down, trances, slaying in the spirit, gibberish tongues, jerking, hysteria, animal noises and holy laughter. This group ofPentecostals began to accept two types of tongues: real languages and “heavenly” languages. Praham did not like the Asuza street movement

The Charismatic movement began as these types of doctrines spread to other denominations such as Lutheranism, Methodism, Catholicism, but they varied slightly from traditional Pentecostal theology. Charismatics generally believe you do not have to speak in tongues to be filled with the Spirit, but you will manifest it in other ways. They also do not believe that salvation must be accompanies by these things. Their own denominations were also founded through the Calvary Chapel churches and Vineyard churches. These were generally more accepting of churches who did not experience these things. Calvary Chapel would actually now generally be very mild Pentecostalism in their doctrine if not even soft cessationist depending on the pastor though the founder claimed to have visions and made prophecies about the end of the world that did not come to pass.

In the 1980’s, the Vineyard churches and others moved into what they called a third wave theology. Pentecostalism would have been the first wave. Charismatic movement would have been the second wave and now the third wave. Primarily looking for signs and wonders. Health and Wealth Movement, Word of Faith Movement

II. An Overview of the Doctrine of Tongues

This message is intended to be an overview of the doctrine of tongues because to teach it properly and fully would require going through all of these texts entire chapters at a time and would require a series of messages. We will cover these passages as we get to them in a series through the books that they are in, but for now, I want to give you the main points to consider about tongues.

A. What are Tongues?

Acts 2:4-6 “And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.”

The word “tongue” is the Greek word γλοσσα (glossa) which literally means languages. Being a linguist I can tell you some things about languages and this isn’t just unimportant detailed information I am giving you.

Languages are meant to communicate. There is no point in speaking a language if you are not trying to communicate with someone. If someone is French, you speak French to them because they will understand it, but if I speak Swahili to a Chinese person, they will probably not understand me.

Languages have structure- Every languages has what we call morphemes. Pieces of a word that carry meaning. Un- mistake- able Un mean not; mistake is the root word meaning to mess up or not recognize; able- ability. So the meaning of the word is that something is unable to be recognized wrongly. A trained linguist like myself can be dropped into the middle of a jungle without any knowledge of a language and teach themselves the native language by scientific analysis of these morphemes.

Languages have a natural rhythm- every language has a flow to it because it follows a certain pattern of syllables and emphasis.

William Samarin is a professor of linguistics at the University of Toronto. He’s done some extensive research and writing on this. He says, “Over a period of five years, I’ve taken part in meetings in Italy, Holland, Jamaica, Canada, and the United States. I have observed old-fashioned Pentecostals and neo-Pentecostals” – or charismatics. “I have been in small meetings in private homes, as well as in mammoth public meetings. I have seen such different cultural settings as are found among Puerto Ricans of the Bronx, the snake handlers of the Appalachians, and the Russian Molokans of Los Angeles. I have interviewed tongue speakers and tape recorded and analyzed countless samples of tongues. In every case, glossolalia turns out to be linguistic nonsense. In spite of superficial similarities, glossolalia is fundamentally not language.” End quote.

Acts 2:8 “And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?” tongue here is the word dialectos from which we get dialect.

Now why do I say all of this? The languages spoken by those claiming to be speaking in tongues do not contain any of these elements. Some would argue that these are angelic languages so they don’t have to follow the same rules, but God is the creator of all languages and the universal laws that He created are going to be consistent. The language God speaks in heaven is not going to be that different from the languages we speak here on earth. In fact, there is even logical evidence that the language God spoke in the beginning with Adam and Eve is a protoform of Hebrew because the word’s man and woman are a play on the Hebrew words. The figure of speech is broken if it wasn’t a form of Hebrew.

Now dealing with the angelic languages, there are two texts that Charismatics will often go to:

1 Cor 13:1 “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.” This passage is not saying that Paul had the ability to speak in the tongues of angels. Paul is using hyperbole to say that even if I could speak like this but I lacked charity, my speech is empty worthless or just noise.

1 Cor 14:2 “For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.” This text is focused on properly ordering the services of the church and we will be looking at some other principles from chapter 14 later. When the text speaks of an unknown language, this is not speaking of a language unknown to any human being, but unknown to those in the audience. Meaning if I get up and start speaking in Russian: speak a couple phrases most of you would not understand it because it is unknown to you. Does that mean no one on the face of the earth knows Russian or that it is some angelic language. No. Paul’s focus in this chapter is that Edification requires intelligibility.

It is also significant to realize that nowhere in scriptures did angels speak in any langauge other that the language of human beings. In Luke 1 and 2 when the angels appeared to Joseph and Mary, they were speaking Human languages.

Throughout Church history there has been a debate about whether the gift of tongues was primarily about those who were speaking or those who were hearing. Meaning does the Holy Spirit give me the ability to speak another language or does he enable the audience to hear my language as if it were their own. If any of you watched the movie, “Left Behind” with Kirk Cameron, the authors of the script must have believed that the gift of tongues had to do with hearing because the prophet spoke Hebrew and Kirk Cameron heard him speak in English. Acts 2:6 “Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.” clearly states that the disciples were speaking the language. Another factor to consider is the question: Does the Holy Spirit give gifts to lost people? If it were a gift of hearing, the lost audience would have received a gift of the Holy Spirit before being saved.

B. What is the Purpose of Tongues

Proclaiming the word of God to another person Acts 2:6 “Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.” Tongues is meant to be for edification of other believers. 1 Cor 12:7 “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.” The gifts of the Spirit are intended for the building up of the body and not primarily for our own personal use. Paul highlights this fact in 1 Cor 14:14 “For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.” that if I pray in a language I do not understand it doesn’t do me any good. Again Edification requires intelligibility. 1 Peter 4:10 “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”

A sign to unbelievers 1 Cor 14:20-22 “Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men. In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord. Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.”

Paul in this passage quotes Isa 28:11-12 “For with stammering lips and another tongue Will he speak to this people. To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; And this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.” which is a clear reference that the speaking in tongues was a sign of judgment upon the people. Isa 28:5-8 “In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a crown of glory, And for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people, And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, And for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate. But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; The priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, They are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; They err in vision, they stumble in judgment. For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, So that there is no place clean.”

Isa 28:9 “Whom shall he teach knowledge? And whom shall he make to understand doctrine? Them that are weaned from the milk, And drawn from the breasts.” God is saying that he would speak to only a certain group of people. and in vs 11 He says he will speak with stammering lips and another tongue (another language)

Hebrews 2:3-4 “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?”

Every instance of tongues speaking in the book of Acts was at a moment when the gospel had just broken into a new territory or group of people. Jews (Acts 2), Gentiles (Acts 10), Disciples of John (Acts 19)

C. Who had the gift of tongues

Not every one- The gift of tongues was not for everyone 1 Cor 12:7-11 “But the manifestation 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 divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.” 1 Cor 12:30 “Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?” Any denomination that teaches that everyone must speak in tongues or they do not have the holy Spirit is teaching false doctrine. Paul clearly stated that not everyone would have the gift of tongues.

2. The Apostles- Miracles and Signs were marks of an Apostle 2 Cor 12:12 “Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.” So with the cessation of the Apostles, many of the miraculous signs that we see in the book of Acts also drifted away. 1 Cor 14:18 “I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:” The fact that tongues were a sign to accompany the gospel and signs were a particular to the Apostalic ministry hints that tongues were not intended to be permanent continual practice within the church.

Origen on miracles: “Miracles began with the preaching of Jesus, were multiplied after His ascension, and then decreased; but even now some traces of them remain with a few, whose souls are cleansed by the word.”

Augustine later claimed the presence of miracles but for the most part it was things we would all claim were fake such as being healed of cancer because you carried a bone of Stephen or being made to see because someone makes the sign of the cross on your chest.

Just to be clear we are not claiming that God cannot do miracles, but that the sign gifts became less frequent after the gospel reached out throughout the known world.

D. How were they to be practiced

Must be interpreted 1 Cor 14:27 “If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.”

Must be done decently

Under control 1 Cor 14:32 “And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.”

Conclusion

Discussing this issue with those who have experienced these things is difficult because they have had an experience. As we talked about two Sundays ago, what is our authority? Experience or the word of God. Experience can be faked, experience can be subjective, misunderstood. Experience can also be demonic. I don’t want to go so far as to say Pentecostals and Charismatics are experiencing demonic powers, because it could be pychosymatic, but there is an undeniable similarity between what we see in these churches and what Hindus experience in what the call a Kundalini Awakening. I wan t our focus to be on the bible, so I am not going to go into detail, but here is a list of symptoms of a Kundalini awakening as listed by psychotherapists:

Signs of a Kundalini awakening

1. Sensations of ‘energy’ moving or trapped within certain parts of the body, often involving the chakra points. This process may become in some way ‘visible’ to the experiencer.

2. The energy feels unbearably strong or painful, often accompanied by shaking, jerking, or spasms.

3. Spontaneous adoption of yoga poses or mudras (hand gestures), even though the experiencer may never have practised these before.

4. Sensations of intense cold or heat, but (typically) without sweating.

5. Loud sounds (such as rumbling or musical harmonies) that no one except the experiencer can hear.

6. A feeling of sensory overload: everything is ‘too much’.

7. Insights into the true nature of reality, which may sound odd or disturbing to both the experiencer and others.

8. Speaking in tongues or other involuntary vocalisations

9. Intense waves of bliss and bodily pleasure.

So it could be demonic. I could also just be learned behaviour- this is what I was taught by someone at my church or in my family. It could be psychological. But what it can’t be is a gift of the Spirit because God does not contradict his word.

Extra thoughts: (Here speak I)

1 Corinthians is the only book Paul even mentions this in his epistles and they were the most carnal of the churches.

People who are seeking ecstatic experiences while find that they are like drugs. You will need more and more over time to satisfy you. In some of these churches people will bark like dogs, and roll around on the ground.

If it is truly a gift of the spirit then why do you have to be taught how to do it.

Prophecy is greater than tongues because Edification requires intelligibility.