SPEAKING IN TONGUES: A LANGUAGE OF THE SAINTS?
Speaking in tongues is more or less a doctrinal issue. This particular issue has led to different religious uproars from different quarters.
Before we can understand any biblical injunction or principle, we must understand the contextual variant and the rationale behind such doctrine.That is, why was it given and for what purpose is it met to achieve. We must interpret Bible contextually.
Before I go any further, I will love to mention here that tongues were given to fulfill a spiritual task.
When Jesus was ascending back to heaven, he made a profound instruction which gave birth to speaking in tongues:
Matthew 28:18. Jesus came up and said to them, "All authority (all power of absolute rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.
19. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
Notice that Jesus says to make disciples "of all nations". All these nations refered to here are not speaking same language, infact, they have a very different cultures altogether. But whenever God want to power you, He will empower you.
For these unique mission to be achieved, there was a great need to have a means of communicating to "all the nations" which Christ ordered them to preach to. And without mutual communications, they might not be effective soul winning because"faith cometh by hearing and hearing of the word of God" Then, there arose a serious need for a viable solution to the foreseen likely communication barrier. Note that whenever God sends you, He will equip you.
Acts 1:8. But you will receive power and ability when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be My witnesses [to tell people about Me] both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth."
Don't forget in Mat.28:18 Jesus commands and in acts 1: 8 Jesus shows them how they would be empowered for the mission of going to "all nations" that comprises different tongues (languages).
When the Messiah was caught away, it became imperative for the deciples to seek power as promised by the Master in order to "witness" to "all Nations" which it major barrier would likely be language (tongue) to adopt to pass across the intriguing news of salvation to the world.
And on the day of Pentecost, the Bible records a significant miracle of all times. Acts 2.
That marks the beginning of the manifestation of the promise and the equipment for service proper ...
Acts 2:1. When the day of [1]Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place,
2. and suddenly a sound came from heaven like a rushing violent wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
3. There appeared to them tongues resembling fire, which were being distributed [among them], and they rested on each one of them [as each person received the Holy Spirit].
4. And they were all filled [that is, diffused throughout their being] with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other [2]tongues (different languages), as the Spirit was giving them the ability to speak out [clearly and appropriately].
5. Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout and God-fearing men from every nation under heaven.
6. And when this sound was heard, a crowd gathered, and they were bewildered because each one was hearing those in the upper room speaking in his own language or dialect.
7. They were completely astonished, saying, "Look! Are not all of these who are speaking Galileans?
8. Then how is it that each of us hears in our own language or native dialect?
9. [Among us there are] Parthians, Medes and Elamites, and people of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and [3]Asia [Minor],
10. Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya around Cyrene, and the visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes (Gentile converts to Judaism),
11. Cretans and Arabs—we all hear them speaking in our [native] tongues about the mighty works of God!"
12. And they were beside themselves with amazement and were greatly perplexed, saying one to another, "What could this mean?"
Read through the portion of those verses but pay a particular attention to verse 11.
The aforementioned scenario was the demonstration of a promise manifested. Meanwhile, the scene up there was the first instance of speaking in tongues in the whole wide bible. Because the time appointed has come. There was necessity and creativity came on board. Jesus never spoke in "tongues". Why? Because he didn't need it, for he preached only within the jurisdiction of Israel. So, language (tongues) was never a barrier in his own case. But tongues became so imperative for the early church in order to fulfill Christ last mandate of preaching to "all Nations" that possess different tongues "languages".
Acts 2:4. And they were all filled [that is, diffused throughout their being] with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other [2]tongues (different languages), as the Spirit was giving them the ability to speak out [clearly and appropriately].
This verse needs attention and exegesis. The genuine biblical tongues is never an unintelligible ecstatic utterances that can not be understood by anyone. Tongues are given for a particular purpose and until people come to the knowledge of it and know that purpose, people will continue abusing it steadfastly..
Every spiritual gifts is given for edification. And so, speaking in tongues are necessary only where one finds it hard to pass the beautiful messages of the Bible due to language debacle. Then, the gift is readily needed there.
Lest I forget, is speaking in tongue the only biblical sign of being engulfed by the holy spirit? Or can be in form of giving prophecies and revelations? Including dreams?
All these are spiritual gifts. And they are nothing but gifts. They might be given and can be taken away. They are given at will. Anybody can possess it, and that is why it is a gift.
Should I not deceive you? How you will surely know that holy spirit is operating on someone is by springing out forth the fruits of the spirit.
Galatians 5:22. But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23. gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law.
24. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the [12]sinful nature together with its passions and appetites.
25. If we [claim to] live by the [Holy] Spirit, we must also walk by the Spirit [with personal integrity, godly character, and moral courage—our conduct empowered by the Holy Spirit].
Please pause and ponder on that.
Hence, speaking in tongues is never the kind of gibberish, unintelligible ecstatic utterances many denominations practise today. The biblical tongue is for edification and propagation of the gospel of Christ where communication in your own language might be hard to peruse due to the place linguistic strangeness.
(An article by Owolabi J.O Juwon)
