What Is Speaking In Tongues?

History reveals that tongue-speaking has been found in both non-Christian and “so-called” Christian organizations. Ecstatic speech is found in Mohammedanism. Eskimos in Greenland practice tongues under the direction of their medicine men. Mormons engage in the use of tongues. In fact, tongues make up part of their articles of faith which state that they believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelations, visions, healing, and interpretation of tongues. Therefore, tongue-speaking has been found in paganism, spiritualism, and occultism. Many religious denominations have become infiltrated with the glossolalia movement.

Tongue-speakers acknowledge that tongue-speaking can be satanically, psychologically, and artificially produced. Nevertheless, they believe there is genuine tongue-speaking. Their dominant opinion of glossolalia is that it consists of either ecstatic speech or foreign languages. They acknowledge that the Greek word glossa means tongue, language, or utterance, but they believe that in Acts 2, it refers to ecstatic speech. The Charismatics believe that the Greek word glossolalia, meaning the gift of tongues, refers to either ecstatic speech or foreign languages.

All are aware of common distortions in normal speech. Excitement causes a person to stutter and sometimes forget what he is talking about. Thus, he says something other than what he intended to say. Some talk in their sleep. Persons under sedation often utter unintelligible speech. The explosive laughter of a group may reach the point where everyone is too weak to stop laughing. Trying to talk while laughing results in vocalizing improperly.

The New Testament records only one instance of speaking in tongues outside of Acts and I Corinthians. Mark’s account of the great commission included the prediction by Christ that certain “signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues…” (Mark 16:17 NASB). Two synonyms are used for “new” in the Greek. The adjective neos means new in respect of time—that which is recent. The adjective kainos means of new quality, unused, unknown, or unheard of. If speaking in tongues had involved unknown languages never spoken before, Christ would have used neos in Mark 16:17. The new tongues of Mark’s prediction are the “other” tongues of Acts 2:4—“And they were all being filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in other [heteros is used rather than allos] languages as the Spirit was giving them to speak” (Acts 2:4 translation).

The noun glossolalia comes from the word glossa and the verb laleo, meaning to speak in a tongue or language. The tongue was not of a different kind to persons who understood that particular language, but it was one of a different kind to the person to whom was given the gift of speaking that language. Paul gave some important information to the Corinthians concerning the exercise of spiritual gifts in the assembly (I Cor. 14:23-40). The assembly at Corinth has been called a beehive of activity with more “hum” than “honey.” That may be the reason why tongues are mentioned only in this assembly epistle. It is also the only assembly epistle that refers to Christians as being carnal or fleshly (I Cor. 3). Thus, tongues were associated with a poor spiritual condition. In each list of gifts, tongues are at the bottom of the list (I Cor. 12:8-10, 27-30). Furthermore, to those who desire “tongues” (languages), Paul said, “Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be babes, but in your thinking be mature. In the Law it is written, BY MEN OF STRANGE TONGUES AND BY THE LIPS OF STRANGERS I WILL SPEAK TO THIS PEOPLE, AND EVEN SO THEY WILL NOT LISTEN TO ME, says the Lord” (I Cor. 14:20, 21 NASB). Paul’s highest commendation is negative. “Therefore, my brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak in tongues [languages]” (I Cor. 14:39 NASB).

It was not impression but expression that determined the rightful use of tongues. In I Corinthians 14:6, there are two methods of address: “But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what shall I profit you, unless I speak to you either by way of revelation or of knowledge or of prophecy or of teaching?” (NASB). (1) Revelation and prophecy belong to one. (2) Knowledge and doctrine belong to the other. The one who received revelations was a prophet, and the one who possessed the word of knowledge was a teacher. We have teachers today, but we don’t have prophets.

Paul was not speaking of the Corinthian perversion, but the Pentecostal version. No genuine Christian experience will ever cause its participant to lose control of himself either emotionally or volitionally. Paul said, “For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline” (II Tim. 1:7 NASB). Many claim tongues are a sign of the baptism in the Spirit. This is a perversion of Scripture which declares that they are a sign to unbelievers, not believers. Paul said, “So then tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe, but to unbelievers; but prophecy is for a sign, not to unbelievers, but to those who believe” (I Cor. 14:22 NASB). Charismatics also say tongues will be the possession of all believers when they are right with God, because tongues are a mark of high spiritual attainment. This is also a perversion of the facts concerning the Corinthians’ condition. It was their spiritual immaturity which led them into the abuse of gifts. “And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to babes in Christ. I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealously and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men?” (I Cor. 3:1-3 NASB).

Background material for the study of tongues is recorded in Isaiah 28. Near the conclusion of Isaiah’s life, an irreligious party arose influencing many in the kingdom of Judah. They sought to strengthen the kingdom secularly but not spiritually. They considered material things and desired alliance with Egypt. The problem of Isaiah’s day was expressed in the words, “To whom would He teach knowledge? And to whom would He interpret the message? Those just weaned from milk? Those just taken from the breast?” (Is. 28:9 NASB).

Isaiah’s prophecy, which states, “Indeed, He will speak to this people through stammering lips and foreign tongue” (Is. 28:11 NASB), forms a vital link with one’s understanding of the subject of tongue-speaking. It was a prophecy of impending judgment on Israel. “He who said to them, Here is rest, give rest to the weary, And, Here is repose, but they would not listen. So the word of the LORD to them will be, Order on order, order on order, Line on line, line on line, A little here, a little there, That they may go and stumble backward, be broken, snared, and taken captive” (Is. 28:12, 13 NASB). The prediction contained a declaration of a startling event that would occur in history. The prophet spoke of immediate judgment to come upon Israel when they would be taken into Babylonian Captivity. Paul drew from this prophecy when he said to the Corinthians, “In the Law it is written, BY MEN OF STRANGE TONGUES AND BY THE LIPS OF STRANGERS I WILL SPEAK TO THIS PEOPLE, AND EVEN SO THEY WILL NOT LISTEN TO ME, says the LORD” (I Cor. 14:21 NASB).

Isaiah spoke of a time when the gospel would be preached to the Jews by the Gentiles. When Christ baptized the assembly in the Spirit on the day of Pentecost, the commission to disciple all nations shifted from the Jews to the Gentiles. Another tongue would be a sign to the Jews, preceding their national rejection. Israel’s national rejection, which was prophesied, is now fulfilled. The apostles spoke the gospel in Gentile languages on the day of Pentecost, fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy: “Indeed, He will speak to this people Through stammering lips and a foreign tongue” (Is. 28:11 NASB). The Judeans were intelligent. The apostles were considered ignorant and unlearned. “Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John, and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were marveling, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13 NASB). Since the Old Testament Scriptures were given through Jewish people, they could not understand how those Galileans who had not been instructed in their schools could speak languages that they had not learned (Acts 2). Peter, an ignorant, unlearned man, preached the gospel to the Judeans, signifying that judgment was brought upon them.

Most of Peter’s audience on the day of Pentecost were apostates, and they were never neutral. They mocked in the sense that they ascribed the phenomenon of tongue-speaking to drunkenness. Tongues were for a sign. Therefore, they were not some heavenly or angelic dialect but languages of dialects used by mankind on earth. The ability to speak in that manner was promised to the disciples. The certainty of the promises to them was indicated in the word “shall” (Acts 1:5; 11:16-20). Not one of the references to the baptism in the Spirit is called the Holy Spirit’s coming, opportunity for Christians, responsibility of every Christian, or a great privilege for all Christians. It is the promise for the Father. The Father’s promise is in the future indicative—“You shall be baptized” (Acts 1:5 NASB).

The signs would be given to the apostles. Subsequent to the confirmation of the gospel, saved and sanctified men are the most convincing signs. Five signs that would be given the apostles are recorded in Mark 16:17 and 18—(1) “…In My name they will cast out demons.” (Read Acts 14:3; 16:16-18.) (2) “…They will speak with new tongues.” The eleven apostles were mentioned in Acts 1:26. All the pronouns in the first part of chapter 2 point back to Acts 1:26. Illustrations of speaking in tongues are found in chapters 2, 10, and 19. (3) “…They will pick up serpents….” Paul demonstrates that point in Acts 28:3-5. (4) “…If they drink any deadly poison, it shall not hurt them….” This was a supposition, because there is no record in Scripture of anyone drinking deadly poison. Therefore, if anyone should be forced to drink deadly poison, it would not harm them. (5) “…They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” Two Biblical examples of that are recorded in Acts 5 and 19. All the preceding were signs and not gifts.

Luke classified “other tongues” as languages or dialects (Acts 2:9-11). The Phrygians and Pamphylians spoke the same language but in different idioms. An idiom refers to a language or dialect peculiar to a people. The Parthians, Medes, and Elamites all spoke Persian, but each had different provincial forms. Two Greek words having different meanings are used for “another.” Allos expresses a numerical difference and denotes “another” of the same kind. Heteros expresses a qualitative difference and denotes “another” of a different kind. For example, Christ used allos in John 14:16 when He promised to send another Helper. He was another of the same kind. The apostle Paul used heteros when he spoke of another gospel (Gal. 1:6-9). It was a gospel of a different kind. Paul was more vehement condemning false doctrine. The completed work of Christ cannot be supplemented by human works. In other words, Christ’s righteousness cannot be supplemented by man’s righteousness.

The book of Acts records four different classes of people. A comparison of the four accounts will reveal that each differs. They spoke in tongues in chapters 2, 10, and 19. When the Spirit came upon the Jews (Acts 2), there was the sound of wind, tongues of fire, speaking in tongues, and receiving of the Spirit subsequent to conversion. When He came upon the Samaritans (Acts 8), there was no sound of wind, tongues of fire, or speaking in tongues. When He came upon the Gentiles (Acts 10), there was no sound of wind and no tongues of fire; but there was speaking in tongues. They did not lay on hands or receive the Spirit after salvation. They received the Spirit at the moment of regeneration. When the Spirit came upon the disciples of John the Baptist (Acts 19), there was no sound of wind or tongues of fire, but they spoke in tongues and received the Spirit subsequent to salvation. Conclusively, there was not a uniform plan given for them to follow.

The disciples in Acts 19 must be regarded as disciples of the Old Testament type. Paul explained the position of Old Testament believers in the New Testament dispensation. The word for tongues in Acts 2:3 and 4 is used in Acts 19:1-6. These disciples were ignorant of Pentecost. Tongues were one of the signs to confirm the truth proclaimed by the apostles. The apostle Paul stated that tongues would cease. He said, “Love never fails, but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away” (I Cor. 13:8-10 NASB).

NOTES ON A FUTURE STUDY— What is the difference today between religionists and demons? The answer is found in James 2:19—“You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder” (NASB). When the Bible speaks of demons, it is referring to all the created angels that fell with Lucifer when Lucifer was cast out of heaven. We learn from Lucifer the real quality of eternity. How? Its quality is found in the fact that there is only one will in heaven—the will of God. This fact leads to the quality of time. The real difference between eternity with the one will of God and time is that in time there are many wills. When Lucifer fell, a second will came into the universe. Therefore, one of the characteristics of time is that there is more than one will.

In his prophetic vision (Ezek. 28), Ezekiel stood upon the threshold of angelic history and saw in “prospect” the end of Satan’s career. On the other hand, in his prophetic vision (Is. 14), Isaiah stood at the end of this history and saw in “retrospect” what he records. Ezekiel addressed Satan speaking for Jehovah by the earthly title King of Tyre. Isaiah addressed him by the heavenly title, “I will make myself like the Most High” (Is. 14:14b NASB). Lucifer is a name worthy of being given as expressing the person of him who “had the seal of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty” (Ezek. 28:12 NASB). When bearing this name, he does not transform himself into an angel of light because he is that by creation. After the fall, he does transform himself in assuming to be the angel of light.

To repeat, the answer to the question asked at the beginning of these notes is that demons are believers and shudder, but religionists are believers who do not shudder. Neither Christians nor demons are skeptics. About half of the references in the Bible to demons occur during Christ’s short time upon this earth. In the latter books of the Bible and the prophetical statements, the rest of the references to demonology are found. Christians believe in an unseen Savior, and demons believe in one God and shudder.