DO THEY ACTUALLY SPEAK IN TONGUES;
OR, IS IT JUST EMPTY SOUNDS?
Compiled by David Riggs and John Cripps
Intro.
A. Today, there are many religious people who claim miraculous
powers.
1. The most common claim is the ability to speak in tongues.
2. They reason: "I have spoken in tongues"; therefore, I have
been given from God the ability to speak in tongues.
3. Some go so far as to say that "speaking in tongues" is the
evidence of one's salvation, and shows that their group is
the true church of the Lord.
B. The Scriptures reveal that a show of power does not necessarily
prove that one is acceptable to God, or that he actually has
God working through him -- cf. Matt. 24:24; 2 Thess. 2:9-10;
Matt. 7:22-23.
C. In this lesson we want to show that those claiming to speak in
tongues have not been given that power from God at all. All
they are doing is producing empty sounds.
I. THOSE GROUPS WHICH CLAIM TO SPEAK IN TONGUES CONTRADICT EACH
OTHER.
A. There are at least 25 organized denominations that claim
miraculous divine healing and speaking in tongues. These all go
to the same passages to prove their claims.
1. Does the Holy Spirit confirm the teaching of the church of
our Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith, Inc. that
there are two ordinances, the Lord's supper and foot
washing, while also confirming the doctrine of the
Assemblies of God, General Council, that the two ordinances
are the Lord's Supper and water baptism; yet at the same
time confirm the word of the spokesmen for the
Congregational Holiness Church that there are three
ordinances, water baptism, the Lord's Supper and foot
washing, while simultaneously confirming the doctrines of
the (Original) Church of God, Inc. that there are really
five ordinances, water baptism, tithing, freewill offerings,
the Lord's Supper, and foot washing?
2. The Catholic Apostolic church teaches that marriage is
dissolved only by death, while the Pentecostal Assemblies of
the World, Inc. teaches that if an unbeliever in a marriage
contract obtains a divorce, the believer may remarry.
3. Who could believe that the Holy Spirit sanctions all of
these groups by giving them "gifts"?
II. MIRACULOUS POWERS CAME BY THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT UPON THE
APOSTLES, AND BY THE LAYING ON OF THE APOSTLES' HANDS.
A. John makes a general announcement in Luke 3:15-17.
1. Jesus later shows specifically how this was fulfilled. Acts
1:1-5
B. The Apostles received the baptism of the Holy Spirit on the day
of Pentecost. Acts 2:1-4
1. This enabled them to speak in languages which they had not
learned. Acts 2:4-8
2. In the early time, the book of Acts mentions only the
apostles working miracles. Acts 2:43; 5:12
C. The first account of someone other than an apostle working
miracles is Stephen.
1. Stephen, as well as Philip, were of the seven on whom the
Apostles had laid their hands. Acts 8:6
2. Although Philip was a New Testament prophet and could
work miracles (Acts 8:6,13), he was unable to give the Holy
Spirit to others (Acts 8:14-19).
D. Cornelius and his household received the "like gift" as the
Apostles for the specific purpose of showing God's acceptance
of the Gentiles - Acts 11:14-18.
1. Also, Ananias, who was not an apostle, was sent on a special
mission to lay hands on Saul so that he could receive sight
and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 9:17
E. The baptism of the Holy Spirit was not a command to obey, but a
promise administered by the Lord.
1. If someone in our time came forward and said, "I want to
receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit," there is no way
anyone could administer it.
2. That person needs to be taught the way of the Lord more
perfectly.
F. Thus, no one can have the miraculous powers today because he
has not received the laying on of the apostles hands.
1. He was not present in Jerusalem (Acts 2) or with the
household of Cornelius (Acts 10).
III. THE MIRACULOUS POWERS WERE GIVEN TO CONFIRM THE WORD. Mark
16:15-20
A. The other gifts are missing today. If they can heal the sick
and speak in tongues based on this passage, why can't they also
drink poison and handle snakes?
B. This passage includes not only the promise that such would
happen, but also includes a statement that it did occur - vs.
20.
C. The "signs" were to "confirm the Word."
1. Tongues were never a sign of one's personal salvation. 1
Cor. 14:22
2. They were a sign to unbelievers that the one doing the
preaching was truly sent from God.
3. Note: Paul - 2 Cor. 12:12; 1 Cor. 2:4
4. Jesus - John 3:2; Acts 2:22
5. Today's so-called miraculous powers are not a sign of
anything. If so, what?
a. The faith has "once for all been delivered." Jude 3
b. John did not say that the signs would continue so that
we might believe, but he said that the signs were written
that we might believe. John 20:30-31
6. Once the Word has been confirmed it does not need to be
re-confirmed!
a. The U.S. Constitution was confirmed Sept. 17, 1787 by
the signatures of George Washington and 38 other
statesmen. That document does not need to be
re-confirmed today. So it is with God's written will, the
New Testament.
IV. THE MIRACULOUS POWERS WERE TO BE DONE AWAY. 1 Cor. 13:8-10.
A. Notice that Paul did not say, "when He which is perfect is
come" but rather "when that which is perfect is come."
B. The "perfect" to which he referred can only be the perfect law
of liberty. James 1:25; 2:12
C. There was a time in that early N.T. church period when the
revelation was only in part. 2 Thess. 2:15
1. Now, since all the sacred writings have been completed, we
have all that is needed to make men perfect in every way
before God. 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:3
V. THOSE SPEAKING IN TONGUES TODAY LEARN HOW TO SPEAK IN TONGUES.
A. Laurence Christenson, a Lutheran minister, tells us how to
speak in tongues:
1. "In order to speak in tongues, you have to quit praying in
English. You simply lapse into silence and resolve to speak
not a syllable of any language you have learned. Your
thoughts are focused on Christ, and then you simply lift up
your voice and speak out confidently, in the faith that the
Lord will take the sound you give Him, and shape it into a
language. You take no thought of what you are saying: as far
as you are concerned it is just a series of sounds. The
first sounds will sound strange and unnatural to your ear,
and they may be halting and inarticulate. Have you ever
heard a baby learning to talk?" (Quoted by John Miles in
Voice, XLIV, Feb. 1965, p. 6).
B. Harold Bredesen, another prominent leader in the recent
tongue-speaking movement, gave these instructions to tongue-
speakers at Yale University:
1. "1) To think visually and concretely, rather than
abstractedly: for example, to try to visualize Jesus as a
person; 2) consciously to yield their voices and organs of
speech to the Holy Spirit; 3) to repeat certain elementary
sounds which he told them, such as 'bah-bah-bah' or
something similar. He then laid his hands on the head of
every seeker, prayed for him, and the seeker did actually
speak in tongues." (Quoted by Standley D. Walters, Youth in
Action, May 1964, p.11)
2. All of this is completely foreign to the teaching of the
N.T. Where did the apostles ever instruct the individuals to
say such phrases as "bah-bah-bah"?
C. Also, many suggestions and instructions of "speech-suggestion"
are given in order to make the experience come easier:
1. "1. Help the candidate see the gift is already given and all
that he has to do is to receive it. 2. Lead him to realize
that anyone who is saved through baptism is prepared to
receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. 3. Tell him that
when hands are laid upon him he will receive the Holy
Spirit. 4. Tell the candidate that he is to expect the
Spirit to move on his vocal chords, but that he must
cooperate with the experience as well. 5. Tell him to throw
away all fear that this experience might be false. 6. Tell
him to open his mouth wide and breathe as deeply as
possible, at the same time telling himself that he is
receiving the Spirit now." (From the Gift of the Holy
Spirit, by J.E. Stiles, p. 104)
2. This should convince all that modern-day tongue-speaking is
a psychologically induced thing, rather than a spontaneous
experience which was induced miraculously by the Holy
Spirit as was done in N.T. times.
D. Further, as a warning against examining such instructions and
finding that the whole process is false, one minister said:
1. "The Devil will be right at hand to challenge your
experience --- telling you that you made it all up, or that
it sounds foolish and crazy (everyone seems to experience
this testing). But, if you continue in Faith, the Lord will
give you confidence in your new tongues." (Quoted from
Christian News, Nov. 25, 1968, p. 11)
VI. TONGUE-SPEAKING TODAY IS NOT THE SAME AS THAT OF THE NEW
TESTAMENT.
A. The Bible gives an inspired definition of what tongue-speaking
is in Acts 2:4-11.
1. Every man heard them speak in their own language - vss.
6,8,11.
2. Thus, the Apostles spoke in languages which they had not
learned and it was clearly understood by those foreigners
who spoke those languages.
B. William Welmes, a professor of African Languages at UCLA
said, after listening to several tape recorded samples of
modern-day tongue-speaking:
1. "And I must report without reservation that my sample does
not sound like a language structurally. There can be no more
than two conflicting vowel sounds, and a most peculiarly
restricted set of consonant sounds; these combine into a few
syllable clusters which recur many times in various orders.
The consonants and vowels do not all sound like English (the
speaker's native language), but the intonation patterns are
so completely American English that the total effect is a
bit ludicrous." (Quoted in Christianity Today, VIII, no. 8,
1963 p. 19-20)
C. Eugene Nida, famous linguist of the American Bible Society,
came to the following conclusion after his investigation:
1. "The types of inventory and distribution would indicate
clearly that this recording bears no resemblance to any
actual language which has ever been treated by
linguists...On the basis of what I have learned about this
type of phenomena of 'tongues' in other parts of the world,
apparently there is the same tendency to employ one's own
inventory of sounds, in nonsense combinations, but with
simulated 'foreign' features." (Quoted in Christian Herald,
may 1964, p. 16)
VII. MODERN-DAY TONGUE-SPEAKERS DO NOT OBEY THE INSPIRED REGULATIONS
ON SPIRITUAL GIFTS.
A. 1 Cor. 14:1-40 shows that the so-called "speaking in tongues"
which is often carried on in certain churches today is wrong
because: (See chart below).
1. The tongue-speaking is not done in understandable words,
vss. 6-11.
2. The unlearned cannot say "amen," vs. 16.
3. Others are neither edified nor instructed, vss. 17-19.
4. Modern-day tongue-speaking is not done as a sign to the
unbeliever, vs. 22.
5. The unlearned and unbelieving will declare they are mad,
vss. 23-25.
6. There is no "each in turn" among modern-day tongue
speakers, vss. 26-27.
7. If there is no interpreter, they must keep silent, vs. 28.
8. They all must speak one by one, vs. 31.
9. The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets, vs.
32.
10. Women must keep silent in the church, vss. 34-35.
11. Paul's writings have authority over the so-called prophets
or tongue-speakers, vs. 37.
12. All things must be done decently and in order, vss. 33, 40.
Concl.
A. We must conclude that no one has the miraculous powers to
speak in tongues today because:
1. Those groups which claim to speak in tongues contradict
each other.
2. Miraculous powers came by baptism of the Holy Spirit upon
the Apostles, upon Cornelius and his household, and by the
laying on of the apostles' hands.
3. Miraculous powers were to confirm the Word.
4. Miraculous powers would be done away.
5. Those speaking in tongues learn the behavior.
6. Tongue-speaking today is not the same as in the N.T. era.
7. Modern-day tongue-speakers do not obey God's regulations.