TONGUES: I'm starting this discussion on "tongues" with an excerpt from my testimony. It will help you understand my perspective once you know what happened. The excerpt describes the moment I asked God to baptize me with His Holy Spirit. (A fuller version of my testimony is under the Mysticism page.) The part that applies to tongues follows:
"We joined a small circle with about sixty other adults. In the center was a kindly older gentleman in a suit. I never did get his name. He spoke softly and explained what it meant to follow Jesus. He talked about living for God, learning His ways, depending on Him for strength and direction. All the while, I was silently praying to God, 'Yes Lord! Just like he says. He's saying it better than I know how, but that's what I want to do. I want his words to be my prayer to You. I don't know if something is about to happen or not, but I do know I want his words to be my prayer to You.' After this short explanation, he invited us to follow him in a short prayer to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
"This is when my life changed forever. I was standing with the others on the stage floor, my eyes were open, and my hands were clasped together at my waist. As I started to repeat the words of this simple prayer I felt a love more powerful than anything I could possibly imagine. It came over me like spiritual oil, entering my head and soaking down into my whole being. I became aware of a divine Person entering my life. The experience had a physical side to it as well. My vocal chords, tongue, throat and cheek muscles began to move independent of my will. I could feel each muscle responding on it's own and I started to speak out loud, thanking God for what He did for us in Christ. The others in our circle were experiencing something similar. Many were praying in tongues, some were on their knees. I was just standing there in shock!...I was dumbfounded at the reality and kindness of God."
As you can see from this story, I have unusually good evidence that speaking in tongues is a heavenly gift. This experience occurred in 1971, and my life has not been the same since.
"Are there others who have had this kind of experience with God?" One might ask. Yes. Many. One, in particular, comes to mind: A Roman Centurion by the name of Cornelius. I hope to meet him someday because reading his story reminds me of mine. His experience is in Acts 10:44-48. The apostle Peter was telling Cornelius and his household about the good news of Jesus Christ, when an amazing event unfolded.
"While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God. Then Peter answered, 'Surely no one can refuse the water for these to be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we did, can he?' And he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ."
So, as you can see, I have personal and Biblical evidence that speaking in tongues is a supernatural event that may occur when a person believes in Jesus and is filled with the Holy Spirit. This is the pattern in the book of Acts, and illustrates a principle I follow for interpreting Scripture: One's experience with God is a trustworthy guide for navigating the Bible. I do not mean experience takes precedence over Scripture, but that an accurate understanding of the Bible is impossible apart from a supernatural walk with God. Said differently, “We cannot understand God by intellectually dissecting the Bible.” (Yaffa McPhearson)
My experience with "Christian intellectuals" has convinced me that an academic approach to spiritual knowledge actually causes spiritual blindness (cf Mt 11:25-26). The Bible is a supernatural book, and understanding it is a supernatural process. As Paul said, "I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart my be enlightened in order that you may know..." (Eph 1:17-18)
As I grew in my Christian experience, I soon discovered not everyone wanted to hear my story. I even studied under one man who said speaking in tongues stopped in the first century, and he quoted 1 Cor 13:8-10 to prove his point (actually, this passage proves the exact opposite view ~ see below). He then explained my experience away as the work of a ventriloquist demon! Over the years I've learned that arguing the point is fruitless. Those who do not believe the gift of tongues is available (or simply do not want it) are simply not going to have New Testament experiences. On the other hand, there are many people (like me) who want everything God has to offer ~ especially when it comes to the Holy Spirit. This page is dedicated to them. The Bible is clear about tongues:
1. Tongues will not cease until Jesus returns. This is what 1 Cor 13:8-12 says.
"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 prophecy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. When I was a child, I used to speak as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I shall know fully just as I also have been fully known."
Note: Those who argue against tongues claim the word "perfect" (a neuter word) refers to the completion of the New Testament (as if Paul and his Corinthian readers knew he was writing a "New Testament"). This interpretation is so obviously false that I now use it as a litmus test for a person's integrity. Anyone who teaches this interpretation should find some other activity to fill their time. The word "perfect" refers to the coming of the Kingdom of God and the return of Jesus Christ: "When the perfect comes...we will see face."
2. Speaking in tongues must not be stopped. 1 Cor 14:39
"Therefore, my brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak in tongues."
It's hard to imagine how Paul could have been more clear. Whether someone speaks in tongues or not is God's business, and men should not interfere (except to ensure all things are done properly and in an orderly manner ~ 1 Cor 14:40). Those who insist tongues have stopped claim Paul's "do not forbid to speak in tongues" command only applied to Christians who lived in the first century! Christians who hold this view often have several things in common: 1) a minimal supernatural Christian experience, 2) a tendency to over-emphasize the Bible (what I call "worshiping the book"), and 3) a creedal or doctrinal definition of Christianity (i.e. you are a Christian if you believe certain doctrines or creeds are true). We suggest laying aside the "parsing of words," and starting to seek the Spirit-filled life.
There are many other questions regarding speaking in tongues that should to be asked. We will address some of these in the coming months.
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