Topic: Talking in unknown tongues …

By H. Wenger

Highlights: Acts 1:8

Since the day of Pentecost this is a theme, which has occupied, unified and divided the Christian community all over the world. Before Jesus ascended to the heavens he promised several times the outpouring of the Holy Ghost, latest in Acts 1:8: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” And then on the day of Pentecost it happened: “Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”

This was a sensation as Jews from all over the world were present in Jerusalem and each of them heard the gospel preached in his own language. Peter finally cleared the situation with his Pentecost-Sermon in Acts 2:14ff.

The disciples were promised to be empowered with the Holy Spirit in order to be witnesses for Christ. In this original situation the gift of tongues, which is often combined with the gift of prophecy, made the greatest possible impact. Later on several charismatic oriented Christian began to declare that speaking in tongues would be the sure sign that a follower of Christ has received the Holy Spirit.

As not everybody receives the gift of tongues, charismatic movements have encouraged praying first for the gift. Then they should open their mouth and make sounds, till it somehow begins to flow like a language. Please understand that this practice does not lead to the gift of tongues, but to a kind of childish gibberish that does not make any sense. The gift of tongues has always to do with a language that is somewhere spoken and can be understood.

Paul has been aware that the church in Corinth had many questions and misuses of the gift of tongues and he therefore brings clarity to it in Chapters 12 to 14 of his first epistle to the Corinthians. It is crucial that you read through these chapters to understand what I am trying to say here.

1. There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. (1. Corinthians 12: 4 – 7)
None of the spiritual gifts is the sure sign of being filled with the holy spirit. If there is a sure sign for that it is a life of holiness and humility in Christ likeness.

2. In verses 8 to 10 Paul lists the different power-working gifts and concludes in vers 11: All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.

3. The church is the body of Christ. Everybody has many cells and organs and every part has an important task. No part in the body has all the gifts, no part is without gift and we better just fill the part the spirit has given us, lest we are paralyzing the body. Paul encourages us to earnestly covet the best gifts, but tells us at the same time that the most excellent way is to bring love to the same perfection as God loves us. (1. Corinthians 12; especially 12,31 and all of Chapter 13)

4. We are all supposed to follow the way of love and charity. (1. Corinthians 14:1) As it comes to the gifts, Paul wants us to foremost covet the gift of prophecy. With prophecy is not meant that we should tell what will be going to happen in the world. It is again bound to the body of Christ. Prophecy convicts, it reveals what has been covered up. Prophecy has the potential to heal the body by showing what has to be changed, where we erred from the sound path and it convicts unbelievers and brings them to a turn around. (Compare Chapter 14, verses 24, 25)

5. If you have received the gift of tongue, use it for yourself as it will strengthen you, and use it in the church, when there is somebody present who can interpret. It is just crucial that the rules Chapter 14 gives us are followed. Paul uses the prayer in tongues intensely (Vers 18) and gives the credit to the Lord. Now event of the church is to serve the gifts of the spirit, but the gifts of the spirit are to best serve every event of the church for the call to faith, for the sanctification of the saints and for the outreach to the unsaved.

Some conservative Christians believe that the gifts mentioned in 1. Corinthians 13:8 do not exist anymore today and consider them therefore as an ensnarement of the enemy. They believe that with the completing of the New Testament Canon, the completeness mentioned in Chapter 13:10 has arrived. The argument is for me too week, as it is not confirmed by scripture in any way.

Nevertheless I am convinced that the gifts of the spirit are a huge battlefield for Satan today. We should not forget that he can well appear as an Angel of light. It is therefore crucial that we double check our gifts. Nothing should be attributed to the Holy Spirit that does not come from the Holy Spirit. If you are unsure about your gift, talk with your elders. Implore God together with them to confirm your gift or take it away, if he is not the giver of it.

Prayer: Lord God, I do thank you that you have made me a member in the body of your son Jesus Christ. Thank you for all the gifts you have entrusted me with. Let me faithfully fulfill the part you have assigned to me, lead me to proficiency in love and bestow me with every gift with which I can be of help for the body of Christ and for your Kingdom. Help me to live in humility and holiness. Amen