Speaking in Tongues : What is it all about ?
Many have the idea that they have to speak in tongues to enter in heaven! They think it as a kind of visa to heaven! Is this a Scriptural belief?
Answer in one sentence:
First of all i like to tell you that this subject is very sensitive. Many have this confussion when some group enforces their way of baptism of the Holy Spirit. Let me tell it simply first before going into detail - there is an old saying "sawing noise will not cut wood", i hope you're familiar with that expression.
Answer in detail:
When we go through the book of acts, we clearly see that others SAW the believers being filled with the Holy Spirit or in other words there was some confirmation factor whatever it maybe. Lets analyse these situations to see what happened there.
The 1st instance is very well known (Acts2), there was tounges of fire coming down and everyone talked in strange languages. So its very obvious in that case. The next instance is in Acts 8:14-18. Here it is not told what happened exactly, but Simon the sorcerer saw that the believers were filled with the Holy Spirit. The next instance is in Acts 10:44-46, here its told that the Holy Spirit was poured out on the gentiles and it very clearly says that they spoke with tongues. The next instance we will look at is Acts 19:1-6. in verse 6 it clearly states that they spoke with tongues and even prophesied.
Now when we look at all the above passages, it is clear that we/others know when someone is being filled with the Holy Spirit. Except in one occasion it is clearly stated about "speaking in tongues" and in one occasion it gave yet another gift of the Spirit - prophesy. So we know that if we see the manifestation of the Holy Spirit in the gifts (Gal 5:22-23, Rom 12:6-8) we're sure that there was the experience of the filling of Holy Spirit.
In the book of Isaiah we read - For with stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people, To whom He said, "This is the rest with which You may cause the weary to rest," And, "This is the refreshing"; Yet they would not hear. (Isa 28:11-12 ) Here it talks not only about another tongue but also stammering lips!
BUT, if someone makes these sounds or speak even another tongue, it is NOT the manifestation of the baptism of Holy Spirit. This is where people have difference, where some even try to imitate the Holy Spirit!
We know that "For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call." (Act 2:39). So there is no need to "act" or help God in filling of Holy Spirit. What we need to make sure is that our temple where God can dwell in. when we remove the obstacles, He will act on it. It is good to have someone pray for you for the filling, but that should not be the end of it. Why are we given the Holy Spirit? Not for us to just enjoy (of course there is enjoyment in it), but it is to serve others.
We also need to understand what the scripture says about the bapitism/filling of the Holy Spirit, the gift of the tongue and having the Holy Spirit.
In Jn 7:37-39 we see something that helps us in understanding the operation of Holy Spirit in the new testament times. Verse 39 says - But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. - it says Holy Spirit was not given yet! But we read in the Old testament as well as till there that Holy Spirit has come upon the prophets and was in operation! So we have to infer that the operation of Holy Spirit has definitely changed on the day of Pentecost!
When we read 1 JN 4:2,3,15, we see that in order to confess that Jesus is Christ, our Saviour, we need the Holy Spirit! Further in 1 Cor 12:3 it states that "no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit." So we all have the Holy Spirit when we're saved - Rom 10:9.
There is also lot of misunderstanding about the usage of tongues in fellowships (churches) - This is about the gift of tongues and the gift of the interpretation of tongues - please note that this is different from the experience of the another tongue and stammering lips scenario. God can speak to the church through prophesy and sometime can also be in a tongue, but then there should be someone who has the gift of interpretation to make known to the church what this is all about - else it is useless and hence Paul asked to be quite. 1 Cor 14 explains this very clearly, see espl. verses 1-4, 18-19, 20-23, 26-28.
(To be continued...)
Further References :
- The Book of Acts 2, 8, 10, 19
- 1 Corinthians 14
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