What Is the Gift of Tongues?

Summary

Summary prepared by Acts 2:38 Life from the transcript below — the preacher’s words follow in full.

The question — and the definition: tongues are languages

• The question posed: in 1 Corinthians chapter 12, the Apostle Paul lists nine gifts that are imparted by the Holy Spirit — and among those gifts that he mentions, as you already know, is different kinds of tongues, and the interpretation of tongues. So today: can you explain what Paul meant by different kinds of tongues and the interpretation of tongues — and exactly how do these gifts operate in the church? His answer: well, let's talk about some definitions. (And by the way: if somebody's really interested, I have a book called Spiritual Gifts, which discusses tongues in quite a bit of detail.) But first of all: speaking in tongues — tongues mean languages. So we believe that speaking in tongues are real languages. They could be known to humans; they could be ancient languages that are dead; First Corinthians 13 even talks about tongues of angels, so maybe there could be angelic tongues — or a tongue: it may not be even a language of earth. But it's a real language of communication — not just nonsense, not just babbling. But they're unknown to the speaker. And so: you're anointed by God to speak; God moves upon your mind and you speak. These are real words, but you don't know them — but they are meaningful to God. So that's the basic definition of tongues: speaking in a language we do not know, as the Spirit gives utterance, as inspired by God.

Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 13

The first use: the initial sign of receiving the Spirit

• And what we find is: there are three different uses in the New Testament. The first: we see this in the book of Acts, when people receive the Holy Spirit initially — the initial sign, as they speak in tongues. We see this in Acts 2, Acts 10, Acts 19. I think we've discussed it before — but I'm not going to focus on that. However, in the church: when you read 1 Corinthians (the delivered token reads '12-4') which talks about gifts of the Spirit — that everyone who's filled with the Spirit can potentially exercise various gifts, as God wills. So not everyone will exercise every gift — but everyone who's filled with the Spirit has the potential to exercise any gift, as the need arises, and as God empowers.

Scriptures: Acts 2; Acts 10; Acts 19

The second use: personal prayer and edification

• Well, what you find in 1 Corinthians 14: the Apostle Paul talks about that believers can speak in tongues for their personal edification, or benefit. And he even says himself: I thank God, I speak with tongues more than you all. And he says: but in the church, in a public service, it's more productive to speak in a known language to the congregation. If you speak in tongues to the congregation, they don't understand what you're saying. So his conclusion is: I will pray with the spirit, I will pray with the understanding; I will sing with the spirit, I will sing with the understanding. And he goes on to say: if you are moved to give a message in tongues to the whole congregation, you should pray for an interpretation. If there's no interpretation, keep silent — but you may speak to yourself and to God. So this use of tongues is potentially every spiritual person, in their personal prayer life. So whether it's at home alone, or even in the congregation where everybody's praying individually — you're not addressing the whole congregation, but you're in corporate prayer; could be part of the worship; could be maybe prayer after the service — then you can speak in tongues, and it's a blessing, or a benefit. Because even though you don't know what you're saying, the Spirit is motivating your prayers.
• And perhaps this connects with Romans 8, which talks about: even when we don't know what to pray for as we ought, the Spirit can make intercession through us, with groanings which cannot be uttered — or, another translation says, inexpressible in words (the delivered text carries debris in the phrase: 'says sze inexpressible in words'). So there is a benefit of allowing the Spirit to pray through you, so to speak — and that's for your personal benefit.

Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 14; Romans 8

The third use: the gift of tongues proper — a message, interpreted

• But then the third use of tongues sometimes occurs when God wants to speak to a congregation. And we see this again in 1 Corinthians 14, where God will move upon someone: they will give a message in tongues, and then — as Paul says — you pray for the interpretation. So either that person, or maybe another person, will be given an interpretation, and they will communicate this message in English — or whatever the language is of the congregation. And that, I think, is more precisely the gift of tongues. So there: First Corinthians 12 says there are diversity of tongues. Well, we can see that diversity in three ways — three uses: tongues is initial sign of receiving the Spirit; tongues in your personal prayer life, for personal edification; and tongues as a public message to the congregation, to be interpreted in the known language. You can also think of diversity in the sense of: many different languages — many different kinds of tongues. So to me, if you want to be more precise: the gift of tongues is when God uses someone to give a message to the church, to be interpreted. So it's very similar to prophecy — except prophecy is in the known language, whereas tongues and interpretation — those two gifts together — will be the equivalent of prophecy.
• And you might ask: why would God do that? Well, 1 Corinthians 14 also explains that tongues are a sign for the unbeliever (as delivered, 'a signed for the unbeliever'), but prophecy communicates to believers. So I think many times God will move upon someone to speak in tongues to the whole congregation, as a means of arresting the attention of the congregation — and particularly any unbelievers: that it would arrest their attention. Here is a miracle; you know, here is a sign from God. And then, of course, there needs to be a message in the language they understand, to get the impact. But it works together, to be a sign: to help unbelievers recognize that God is working in their midst.

Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 12

For the church today, until the coming of Jesus Christ

• So we do believe the gift of tongues operates today. And I think every child of God — every believer — first of all, according to Acts 2:38, should repent of their sins, be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. And, as Acts 2 indicates, they should expect that when they receive the Holy Spirit, they will speak in tongues. But thereafter, every child of God should have a prayer life in which they pray, and they intercede for others, they intercede for themselves; the Spirit moves upon them; the Spirit guides their prayers — and very likely, on some of those occasions, they will speak in tongues. So I don't think prayer in the Spirit is limited to tongues — but certainly includes tongues. But then this third use, that we call the gift of tongues: not everyone is going to exercise it, but some people will. And usually in a congregation, or small group, sometimes you'll recognize: a hush comes upon the group, or God seems to get everyone's attention. And when you have that feeling, you can surrender yourself: Lord, if you want to use me, I'm here. And then usually someone will speak in tongues. And then again, everybody should pray: Lord, if you want to use me, I'm available. And some will have the interpretation. Not everyone will do that — but over time, certain people God uses, and so they're able to yield and be used again. But sometimes, if you're in a new environment, a new group, no one has ever been using that gift: God could use someone who hasn't been used before. So all of us should be sensitive and open to any and all gifts of the Spirit — recognizing that not every one of us will exercise all the nine gifts mentioned in First Corinthians 12, but we could exercise any one of them, as the need arises, and as God enables.
• And so it's very evident that the gift of tongues is intended for the church today. 1 Corinthians 1 says — Paul says, writing not only to the church at Corinth, but to all churches that confess Jesus Christ as Lord — and he says: I'm writing that you would come behind in no gift, as you wait for the coming of Jesus Christ. So it's easy to see that those instructions in 1 Corinthians 12 are really for every church, of all time, until the coming of Jesus Christ. And that should be our expectation today.

Scriptures: Acts 2:38; 1 Corinthians 1

Scripture index: 1 Corinthians 13; Acts 2; Acts 10; Acts 19; 1 Corinthians 14; Romans 8; 1 Corinthians 12; Acts 2:38; 1 Corinthians 1.