I’ve always had a curiosity about speaking in tongues. In various churches and fellowships I had been to I saw what was to me at the time, a strange expression. This speaking of a language that I could not understand nor reconcile to any worldly language I knew was a perplexing experience, I had so many questions. However when I finally surrendered my life to Jesus, I came to a point where I was eager to see if this “gift” was real or not and experience it. This in part prompted me to go in to an extended period of prayer and fasting until one day in my room the gift manifested whilst I was worshipping God. Since then I have found that the more I pray, the more that this mysterious language varies and “evolves” in me so to speak. I’ve also prayed on various occasions for others to receive the gifts of tongues and it has been an amazing to see the gift manifest inside them also!
I’ve also had many questionable and confusing experience with the gift such as to how it’s practised in the Church, where I’ve been unable to reconcile what I’ve seen to what is discussed in scripture concerning the speaking of tongues. This prompted me to write an article which aims to identify and correct doctrinal error based on my own understanding and application of scripture. In doing this I hope to not only bring some helpful correction and guidance to people who do speak in tongues but also to offer a defence against people that argue the gift of speaking of tongues is fake because of the incorrect way the gift is sometimes used.
Click here to find out more about speaking in tongues and the 9 other spiritual gifts
Error #1 Speaking in tongues as the evidence of salvation
Many churches teach and place a heavy emphasis on speaking in tongues as the key evidence that someone is saved and has the Holy Spirit inside of them when the bible clearly explains that genuine faith in Jesus Christ is the hallmark of our salvation, this is what invites the Holy Spirit, the guarantor of our salvation. Nowhere will you find in the bible teaching which supports the claim that speaking in tongues is the definitive sign that someone is saved. Take the thief on the cross as example who had genuine faith in Jesus and because of this, he was assured of his salvation.
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” (Luke 23:39-43) [/perfectpullquote]
So the standard for salvation is not “Do you speak in tongues?” but rather “Do you have genuine faith in Jesus Christ?”. There is a real danger that the claim that speaking in tongues is the key evidence of the Salvation, has and will encourage people to imitate the speaking of tongues to deal with the spiritual insecurity this doctrine risks creating. Even worse, people may doubt they are saved because they can’t speak in tongues. Please be rest assured that salvation is by faith alone.
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” Ephesians 2:8-9[/perfectpullquote]
I believe that the the desire to affirm or discredit someone else’s Salvation because of the visible “evidence” of speaking in tongues comes at least in part from a carnal desire to see and hear things before we believe them to be true, but Salvation is a spiritual experience, it must be spiritually discerned and understood.
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:29)[/perfectpullquote]
With that being said, I do believe that it is by the Holy Spirit that a person is able to speak in tongues. So whilst I don’t believe it is the main evidence of salvation, having been gifted with the ability of speaking in tongues by the Holy Spirit should give you the confidence that the Holy Spirit, the guarantor of salvation, dwells inside of you.
Error #2 Equating praying in the spirit to speaking in tongues
Another major doctrinal error in the area of speaking in tongues is the notion that praying in the spirit only means speaking in tongues. Speaking in tongues is to praying in the spirit, what bananas are to fruit. Praying in tongues is merely one dimension of praying in the spirit . There is more to praying in the spirit than simply praying in tongues, if praying in the Spirit only means to pray in tongues then Ephesians 6:18 and 1 Corinthians 12:13 makes no sense.
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]“Pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” Ephesians 6:18
“Therefore I want you to know that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 12:13[/perfectpullquote]
The apostle Paul is defining praying in the spirit as including all kinds of prayers and requests, spirit led prayer is diverse! The Greek translation of “pray in” can have several different meanings; It can mean “by means of,” “with the help of,” “in the sphere of,” and “in connection to. What Paul is not saying then is “pray in tongues all the time”, he is saying pray by means of, with the help of, in the sphere of, in connection to the Holy Spirit at all times. Ephesians 6:18 is arguing that the leadership of the Holy Spirit in our prayers should be a default whether we pray in tongues or not.
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God” Romans 8:14[/perfectpullquote]
Error #3 Everyone praying in tongues at the same time with no interpretation/prophecy in a Church service
Another error is the practise of the whole congregation speaking together in tongues whilst in a church service without an accompanying interpretation. We ought to appreciate how detrimental this can be to someone can’t speak in tongues, is new to the faith or is considering becoming a Christian.
1 Corinthians 12, 13 and 14 provides us an excellent framework for understanding the ethos behind using our spiritual gifts and understand how to practically use them whilst in Church.
Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 12:7 that gifts of of the Holy Spirit are intended by God to be for the benefit of all, later on in the same chapter he explains our unity in that we were baptised by the spirit in to one body. The concept of commonality and our unity in Christ is especially important to consider for speaking in tongues in Church.
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]”To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” (1 Corinthians 12:7)[/perfectpullquote]
In 1 Corinthians 13 the Apostle Paul explains that the use of our spiritual gifts are supposed to be underpinned by LOVE and are our gifts actually worthless and ineffective without the basis of love.
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]“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. (1 Corinthians 13:1)[/perfectpullquote]
Love in the context of church means not speaking in tongues without accompanying interpretation because of the risk it posses to any unbelievers who may enter in to the church and be confused.
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]“So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and inquirers or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind?” (1 Corinthians 14:23)[/perfectpullquote]
In 1 Corinthians 14, the Apostle Paul spends the entire chapter emphasising the use of spiritual gifts in the Church service in such a way that places value and importance on building and encouraging all (including unbelievers) rather than just the individual, whilst in a Church environment.
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]“When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.” (1 Corinthians 14:26)[/perfectpullquote]
Once we put the desire to build the church above and beyond our own personal edification whilst in church, it becomes evident why we should discourage the speaking in tongues in a Church service if there is no accompanying interpretation. I do however want to caveat my point by explaining that I believe based on Paul’s rationale it is acceptable for people to speak in tongues without interpretation in a closed fellowship environment where everyone is in the faith and has an appreciation of the gift and how it operates, this does not however negate the necessity of using the gifts with consideration for, and the desire to encourage and build up others.
Obedience Founder
