The Biblical Gift of Speaking in Tongues
The document discusses the biblical gift of speaking in tongues. It describes tongues as a spiritual gift given by the Holy Spirit that allows believers to speak in other languages. Effectively, speaking in tongues is speaking in a foreign languages and is a gift of the Holy Spirit for believers. According to the scriptures, "God is a supernatural God! He can fulfill the deepest longings of our hearts with His love and power." Speak in Tongues is one of the instruments that He works through in order to do this.
The Nature of Divine Gifts
God never makes a mistake, He never changes and He gives only perfect gifts. Therefore when He gave the gift of "speaking in unknown languages" ("tongues") to the church on the day of Pentecost, He knew exactly what He was doing. The gift of "tongues" was a perfect gift. God has not changed His mind about the gift, for He never changes. This is supported by James 1:17 (NIV), which states: "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."
Manifestations of the Gift
The Bible describes three different manifestations of speaking in tongues. These manifestations are provided to strengthen believers and the church:
- Evidential tongues: The initial evidence when someone is baptized in the Holy Spirit.
- The ministry gift of tongues: Giving a message in tongues in a public worship service, which is to be interpreted.
- Prayer language: An unknown "prayer language" for personal edification and intercession.
The following table summarizes these manifestations based on the provided material:
| Type of Tongue | Primary Purpose | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Evidential Tongues | Evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit | Initial Baptism/Pentecost |
| Ministry Gift | Prophecy or message for the church | Public Worship (requires interpretation) |
| Prayer Language | Personal edification and intercession | Private or individual use |
Biblical Evidence and the Day of Pentecost
As recorded in Mark 16:17, "And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues." The initial manifestation occurred when the day of Pentecost came and they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages, as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.
Further examples appear in Acts 10:44-46, where the Holy Spirit fell upon all who were listening to the message. The Jewish believers who came with Peter were amazed that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles, too, for they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Similarly, in Acts 19:2-6, when Paul laid his hands on the believers, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied.
The Ministry Gift and Interpretation
Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 1 Corinthians 14:26 states: "When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church." However, this gift is only given in certain situations, as the Spirit wills. Therefore, not all Christians are used in this gift.