The Charismatic Falsehood (Message 2): TONGUES (Speaking In Tongues)

Fri/Sept5/14....Topic One: The Charismatic Falsehood
Message 2: TONGUES (Speaking In Tongues)

By: Brother Samuel Kwasi Forkuo

New Testament glossolalia or tongues is a supernatural manifestation of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 12).  In the book of Acts, on the day of Pentecost we read, “And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.  And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2: 2-4).  Evidently, this panorama is wholly accredited to the mystical work of the Holy Spirit.  We cannot logically claim that these languages were known by the speakers because it specifically states that these believers were “filled with the Holy Ghost” and “the Spirit gave them utterance,” in which they all spoke in “other” or diverse languages.  These tongues or languages spoken were understood by the witnesses of this event.

The tongues addressed in Paul’s epistles to the Corinthian church differ in certain aspects from the information we have regarding the tongues of Pentecost. On Pentecost, the glossolalia, although unknown to the speakers, are heard and understood in the native tongues of the listeners; whereas, the tongues in 1 Corinthians are unknown languages to both the speakers and the hearers and must be interpreted.  The former is mentioned once in the Bible, but the latter is a continuing practice of the early church.  Secondly, the tongues in Acts were a sign to unbelieving Jews (Acts 2), but in Corinth, a sign to the unlearned believer or potential believers entering the church (1 Cor. 14).  In addition, tongues edify the church and are of personal benefit to the individual believer.

In sum, speaking in tongues was given to all the 120 believers in Acts 2 to be a sign to unbelievers, but  speaking tongues and/or its interpretation as in 1 Corithians 14, is one of the Spiritual Gifts God gives to the Church. Therefore, if a Christian doesn’t speak in Tongues, that does not mean he is not a child of God. In the Church, do we all prophesy? Do we all teach? Do we all heal? Do we all perform miracles?  If no, why should we all speak in tongues or interpret tongues? DON YOU KNOW THAT IF GOD HAS NOT GIVEN YOU THE GIFT OF TONGUE AND U WRONGFULLY DESIRE FOR IT, THE DEVIL CAN GIVE YOU A FAKE/COUNTERFEIT VERSION?

In Charismatic thinking the Baptism in the Holy Ghost is a separate event which means that when a person is baptized in the Holy Spirit, then they begin to speak in tongues giving evidence of the Holy Spirit’s presence in their life. The whole essence of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is the washing away of our sins. Washing is the substance of the word baptism. A person who becomes a child of God has their sins washed away at the moment of salvation and is not a future event. The evidence that a person has the Spirit of God in their life is their spiritual walk in the FAITH HOPE & (especially) LOVE. ''And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;'' (Eph 5:18 KJV). One of the chief tenets of the tongues movement is that you must speak in tongues because it gives evidence of the Holy Spirit. Do you know a person can speak in tongues and still end up in Hell? The reason is simple: Apart from the fact that the version (of tongues) a person might be speaking could be a fake one, the tongue speaker’s failure to remain faithful till the end can send him/her to Hell – Despite the fact that the person spoke in tongues.

''There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. {2} For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. {3} For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: {4} That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. {5} For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. (Rom 8:1-5 KJV).

A person is filled with the Spirit upon their day of salvation. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:" (Eph 1:3 KJV). As we see in this verse, we have been blessed with ALL spiritual blessings and God has withheld no part of our spiritual inheritance from us. We see in Eph 5:18 that we are to be filled with the spirit which is explained in Romans 8:1-5 where we are commanded to walk in the spirit and not in the flesh. Many charismatic movement preachers speak/minister to the flesh and emotions and therefore fall short of walking in the spirit. The Christian is to walk by faith and not by sight. When a person feels that they must speak in tongues to show evidence of the Holy Spirit in their life, then in essence they are walking by sight and flesh which is totally opposite what the Christian walk is.

In many charismatic churches today, you can see pastors forcing the congregants to speak in tongues – as if speaking in tongue is a ticket/visa to Heaven. I have seen cases whereby pastors went about slapping church members and ‘misbehaving’ during church service – all in the name of being ‘’led by the Holy Spirit.’’ And going about, spitting, slapping people, removing shoes, walking about anyhow, eye balls dancing? What kind of spirit are these people led by? Definitely not the Spirit of God. A careful study of the Word of God shows that the Holy Spirit is gentle and God will not give His children the Holy Spirit to misbehave.  ‘‘ For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.’’ 2 Timothy 1:7

Let’s be careful we don’t allow the enemy the chance to give us any fake/counterfeit version of the gift of speaking in Tongues. Compare the Tongues that you speak and the way you behave to that of the early church. If yours is not Biblical, please be humble enough to allow God to deliver you from that contamination. 

Conclusion:

Speaking in tongues is one of the gifts that the Holy Spirit gives to the members of His Body. If you have been blessed with that Gift, praise God for that and use it humbly. If you are not gifted with it, please operate in the area you have been gifted. Don’t go for a fake one. Bear in mind that, the enemy can give you fake one. Also, know that speaking in tongues doesn’t necessarily mean one is saved. And of course it doesn’t give a person a license to Heaven.  What is the essence of speaking in tongues to gain men’s glory whilst living in sin?  

May God grant us the Grace not to fall for the fake version of this beautiful gift (Tongues Speaking), bearing in mind that there abide three things; Faith, Hope and Love...And the GREATEST IS LOVE. Amen

ALL GLORY TO GOD