We find that the scripture shows us that it did occur, but how can a Christian tell if 'Speaking in Tongues' is being given by the Holy Spirit or it has come by a false spirit. Just because a person starts to mutter, mumble or shout unknown 'words' doesn't necessarily mean that they are being given them by the Holy Spirit. People with dementia, or drunks and the insane mumble and shout unknown words, are they being given spiritual gifts of speaking in tongues. Of course not, so how can one tell if the source is from the Holy Spirit, or from another origin.
There are many references to speaking in tongues in the Bible, and we find the most about tongues are Acts 2 and I Corinthians 12-14. Now, you have to understand that at the time there were Jews and non-Jews who came to Jerusalem and from nearby regions who spoke another languages. To communicate with others with different languages, the early Christians needed to have been given a gift so they could understand the Gospel, and the scripture clearly shows that happening. There are many times being able to speak to others in their own tongue or language was very important as we see in the instance when Paul addressed the Jews to give them a understanding of who he was.
Acts 22
1 Men, brethren, and fathers, hear ye my defence which I make now unto you.
2 (And when they heard that he spake in the Hebrew tongue to them, they kept the more silence: and he saith,)
3 I am verily a man which am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, yet brought up in this city at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and was zealous toward God, as ye all are this day.
Now in Acts 2 when the Apostles speak in tongues it makes if very clear why and what they were speaking.
Acts 2
1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
The key part here is there were coming to Jerusalem, 'Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.' We clearly see the purpose and the actual use of speaking in tongues, it was not just babbling or muttering of foolish nonsense, it had a specific purpose and directed for the understanding of those from other languages and lands, as they heard 'speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.'
6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
So speaking nonsensical words and utterances with no one to understand or for no practical reason, is it spiritually the same as the speaking in tongues given to the apostles and the early church.
Since this subject has been revived recently, I feel prompted to give some input into it. I have been studying this subject for a long time, since I used to fellowship with Pentecostals for about 20 years, and spoke modern glossolalia myself. I have have not heard every person's tongues-speaking, so I'm certainly not an expert, and certainly don't know if the true spiritual gift has been expressed in the world some place.
I'm certain that the glossolalia I spoke and all the glossolalia I have heard over my 20 years experience with Pentecostals is not the same thing as the Biblical tongues, and I will explain further. I have heard reports that tongues have been spoken that someone understood the language being spoken. However, I have doubts about such events, as people in the Charismatic camp often exaggerate events. It is often the proverbial fish story, and such stories often sound fishy.
Firstly, the way Biblical tongues was verified as miraculous is that there was someone who understood the language, as in Acts 2, or someone who could actually interpret the message as an intelligible communication as in 1 Cor. 14. Also, the Bible, as most historical literature, has historical precedents. IOW, since Acts 2 describes tongues in detail as a known spoken human language, it is reasonable to assume that all the tongues mentioned later is of the same kind, that is, known human languages.
There is no reason to assume that the tongues of 1 Cor. is different in nature than that of Acts 2. The only ones who assume that difference are those who have an agenda to believe it is different, IOW a presupposition. The context of 1 Cor. does not demand that we interpret the tongues in that context as different in nature than the tongues of Acts 2.
Especially since Peter said in Acts 10:46-47 that those in the house of Cornelius were given tongues as the apostles had. IOW, they were known human languages, and Peter was able to discern it. This is how it was verified that what those people spoke was a miraculous event, IOW a miraculous gift of the Holy Spirit. This was to prove to the apostles that the Holy Spirit had been given to the gentile believers, and so it was with the other events in which tongues was spoken.
This brings us to the point that modern day glossolalia is not a gift of the Holy Spirit, since it is not a miraculously gifted language. It cannot be verified as a miraculous language, since there has yet to be a translation of it. Many poke attempts at interpreting it, but such attempts are feeble attempts at mimicking what is believed to be the tongues-interpretation process.
The way that I know that modern day glossolalia is not a language is that expert linguists have analyzed many tongues speaking, and they all agree that there is not enough vocabulary to convey any intelligible meaning. Such glossolalia is often called nonsense, or "automatic speaking." It is of human origin, that is, it is a human phenomenon. We know this because Christians are not the only ones who do it. It is done by many of those in other religions, including Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Voodooism, Mormonism, and others. It is even done by people without any religious agenda.
Many of those glossolalias have been analyzed by the expert linguists. They agree that it is all the same nonsense speaking, so I don't believe that any of it is demonic in origin. There may be some isolated cases that are demonic in origin, but that is speculation, since the vast majority of it can be shown that anyone can do it, even fluently.
One other point I would like to make is that in my 20 years experience, I often heard Pentecostal leaders say that every Christian ought to speak in tongues. This in itself implies that they believe that anyone can do it. Of course, since Pentecostals believe it is from the Holy Spirit, that they claim only Christians can do it. But since we know for a fact that people in other religions can do it, it follows that anyone can do it, and therefore it is not a miraculous gift of the Holy Spirit. To claim that only the Pentecostal glossolalia is of God, and all others are counterfeit is merely an adherence to an agenda.
Let me say at this point that I am not trying to get tongues-speakers to stop. I'm merely saying to face reality of where it is coming from. Even the expert linguist I am studying materials at present, claims that this glossolalia has some religious value. IOW, if it makes you feel good, go ahead with it. Prayer makes me feel good, so I'll continue with it (as a comparison). I'm just saying that the more I study this phenomenon, the more I am convinced it is of human origin.
Just because someone gets some emotional value from speaking glossolalia doesn't prove it is of the Holy Spirit. If every tongues-speaker got some emotional value from it, such as a rapturous delight, or intense feeling of inspiration, every time they did it, then certainly that would be significant evidence to consider. But that is simply not the case. I have spoken to speakers of glossolalia that have said they get no emotional value from it whatsoever. I have asked "how does it edify you?" and the answer is usually "I have no idea, I just assume I'm edified because the Bible says it."
In my mind, if there is no sense of edification, or nothing that can be measured, then there is no edification. In my 44 years experience as a Christian, I have been edified many times, and have edified others many times. I'm pretty certain that edification includes knowledge, wisdom, faith in Christ, and the fruit of the Spirit. It appears to me that the only edification that modern glossolalia produces is the belief in modern glossolalia.
I'm sure that some will object to this statement, and that's ok, since everyone has an opinion about it. And it is obvious that this debate could continue for a long time, because when people have a vested interest in their opinion, they do not easily let it go or question the basis for it. It's the reason for so many denominations.
TD
