Page 66 - Pneumatology - A Study of the Holy Spirit

an ancient practice.

There are basically two aspects to glossolalia. First is talking or murmuring in language-like sounds. Practically
everyone can do this; even children, before they ever learn to speak, can mimic real language, though
unintelligibly. There is nothing extraordinary about this. The other aspect of glossolalia is ecstasy or the
demonstration of trance-like elation. There is nothing unusual about this either, although it is more difficult
to do intentionally than to merely utter language-like sounds.

There are some Christians, especially within the Pentecostal/Charismatic movement, who believe there is a
supernatural explanation for glossolalia similar to that described in the New Testament. They believe that the
chief purpose of the gift of speaking in tongues is to manifest the Holy Spirit being poured out upon them just
as on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2), which was prophesied by Joel (Acts 2:17).

Among those Christian churches that do espouse the practice of glossolalia to one degree or another, there
is no uniform agreement as to its workings. For example, some are adamant that it is indeed a gift of the Holy
Spirit, while others minimize its importance, saying Paul taught that the gift of “speaking in tongues” wasn’t
nearly as important as the other gifts of the Holy Spirit (see 1 Corinthians 13). Also, there are those wishing
to avoid dividing the church on such issues by not speaking of it at all or dismissing it as a simple
psychological experience. Then some regard glossolalia as a deception of Satan himself.

Exotic languages are heard and understood throughout the world, but existing languages are not heard or
understood when spoken as “ecstatic utterances” or “tongues.” What we do hear is a profusion of hype,
claims, confusion, and noise. We simply cannot declare, as at the time of the first church, that “each of us
hears [understands] them in his own native language” (Acts 2:8 NIV).

Simply put, the practice of glossolalia is not the biblical gift of tongues. Paul made it clear that the chief
purpose of the gift of speaking in tongues was to be a sign for those who did not believe and to spread the
good news, the gospel of Christ (1 Corinthians 14:19, 22)

So then, what is the gift of speaking in tongues? Why was it
36
important to the early church?

The first occurrence of speaking in tongues occurred on the day of
Pentecost in Acts 2:1-4. The apostles went out and shared the gospel
with the crowds, speaking to them in their own languages: “We hear
them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” (Acts 2:11).
The Greek word translated tongues literally means “languages.” Therefore, the gift of tongues is speaking in a
language a person does not know to minister to someone who does speak that language. In 1 Corinthians
chapters 12–14, Paul discusses miraculous gifts, saying, “Now, brothers, if I come to you and speak in
tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of
instruction?” (1 Corinthians 14:6). According to the apostle Paul, and in agreement with the tongues
described in Acts, speaking in tongues is valuable to the one hearing God’s message in his or her own
language, but it is useless to everyone else unless it is interpreted/translated.

A person with the gift of interpreting tongues (1 Corinthians 12:30) could understand what a tongues-
speaker was saying even though he did not know the language that was being spoken. The tongues
interpreter would then communicate the message of the tongues speaker to everyone else, so all could
understand. “For this reason, anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret what he

36 https://www.gotquestions.org/gift-of-tongues.html - Used with permission
64