Are Tongues for today?
"Wherefore tongues are for a sign
not to them that believe, but to them that believe not:..."
( 1 Corinthians 14:22)
Within the body of Christ, there has arisen a
controversy - that of tongues.
Debate rages as to whether they are for today or
whether they have ceased and are no longer needed.
Let's ask some questions, answer them from the King
James Bible and "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman
that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2Tim 2:15)
Who were 'tongues' meant for?
The nation of Israel. "For the Jews require
a sign..." and "... tongues are for a sign..."
(1 Cor 1:22 and 1 Cor 14:22)
What was the purpose of tongues?
Tongues were sent by God as a sign to the
nation of Israel, of irreversible judgment, fulfilling OT prophecy (Isaiah 28:11). God was no longer speaking
exclusively to the Jew in Hebrew, but in known languages (tongues).
What was this judgment?
Their promised land under Abraham would be taken
away for about 2000 years. In AD 70-71, Rome destroyed Jerusalem.
Why did God speak to them like this?
Because they were unbelieving and had rejected Jesus Christ as the Messiah.
"Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe,
but to them that believe not:..." (1Cor 14:22)
Has another use of 'tongues' become popular today?
Yes. Man now believes he can use tongues to speak
to God.
What does the Bible call this?
They are called unknown tongues because they
are not known languages.
What reasons do people use to justify using these
unknown tongues?
There are nine main ones.
1st REASON:
"When I pray in "tongues" I'm praying to God?"
The Bible says you do, but you pray with your
own human spirit. "For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit
prayeth ..." (1 Cor 14:14). It is very clear this is our human
spirit that is praying and not the Holy Ghost.
2nd REASON:
"When I pray in an unknown tongue, I pray in the Spirit."
The Bible says no - you are praying with your
own spirit. "For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit
prayeth ... (1 Cor 14:14)
But doesn't the scripture say that we are to pray
in the Spirit?
Yes. "Praying always ... in the Spirit
..." (Eph 6:18).
What does it mean to pray in the Spirit?
If we are saved, you are in Christ and you now have
access to God the Father. "For through him (Jesus) we both have access by
one Spirit unto the Father." (Ephesians 2:18). Praying in
the Spirit means you have access to God.
Never in the Bible does God say that praying in an
unknown tongue is praying in the Spirit. God says the opposite - praying in an
unknown tongue is praying in your own human spirit (1 Cor 14:14)
3rd REASON:
"When I pray to God in an unknown tongue, I speak mysteries."
Question: Did the apostle Paul ever pray to God
without knowing what he was praying about ie in mysteries to God?
No. He says that when he prays he does so with
understanding. "...I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with
the understanding also...." (1Cor 14:15)
4th REASON:
"When I pray in an unknown tongue, I'm praying with an angelic
tongue"
The Bible says no. Paul says that he never spoke in
an angel tongue. Why? "Though I speak.." means "Just supposing
that I could speak with the tongues of angels ..."
(1Cor 13:1). In other words, he makes a
hypothetical statement.
5th REASON:
"But when I pray in an unknown tongue I am 'groaning in the Spirit' "
That's incorrect. We don't audibly groan as these
things can't be uttered by us.
"... the Spirit itself maketh intercession for
us with groanings which cannot be uttered." (Romans 8:26)
6th REASON:
"But when I pray in an unknown tongue, I feel so good."
Did you know that you can get
the same effect and feeling by closing your eyes and repeatedly speaking out
loud any phrase. The phrase will soon lose all meaning as understanding of the
mind begins to shut down.
How Transcendental Meditation works
In order to escape the pressure in the mind that
comes from everyday living and worry, TM-er's practice a repetitive sound -
form of meditation.
Now, the same happens when people 'pray' in an
unknown tongue. The mind 'shuts down' as a result of sounds being uttered
repeatedly. It results in being left with a sense 'spiritual' energy.
Unknown tongues are like drugs - addictive.
To get this 'spiritual' energy, an unknown
tongue-user needs this 'TM fix'.
7th REASON:
"Well, I believe that the Holy Ghost within me moves my spirit to pray in
an unknown tongue."
Sounds good, but there is no scripture to back up
your claim.
8th REASON:
"God gives me spiritual discernment to know that I'm not speaking the
wrong sort of `tongue' "
The Holy Ghost never, disagrees with God's
written word - the King James Bible. Quite simply, any unknown tongue is a
deception. Real tongues are a sign for unbelieving Jews.
9th REASON:
"I'm filled with the Spirit so I speak in "tongues'?"
No. The meaning of "..be filled with the Spirit"
(Eph 5:18) is given as "Speaking to
yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody
in your heart to the Lord." (Eph 5:19). No mention of unknown tongues!
The
last thing to give up
A
few years ago, I was talking with a friend of mine who had seen, and had
extracted himself from, the false healings, money rip-offs, false prophecies
and sexual immorality of 'tongue' speaking churches. However, at that stage he
hadn't seen the deceptive addiction of unknown tongues. With all the courage I
could muster, I said to him "Tongues will be the last thing you'll give
up." He got very angry and left. A couple of weeks later, he knocked on
the door and said "You're right - it's a deception. I've been
deceived!"
Dear
reader, I also was hooked on unknown tongues. I remember
walking around the block speaking in tongues for an hour at a time. Man, I felt
pumped and wow, didn't I feel `spiritually' energized!
Little
did I know I was just performing a version of TM.
Put
it this way -
As
a parent, should you want your son or daughter to speak to you, I'm sure you'd
want them to say something intelligible that both you and they could
understand? Why should we treat God any differently? "What purpose is
served when I don't know what I'm praying, no-one else does and God doesn't
either?" Speaking in unknown tongues is a work of the flesh - the
Holy Ghost isn't involved.
Harley Hitchcock
www.
AustralianBibleMinistries
.com
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ARE TONGUES,
HEALINGS
SIGNS AND WONDERS,
‘SLAIN IN THE SPIRIT’,
NEW REVELATIONS,
APOSTLES, PROPHECY
FOR TODAY?
