The Pen is Mightier than the Sword
If I Have Not Love
Navigation
By using the pull out menus from the
navigation tabs located on every page
you can surf anywhere you like through
The Pen4God Ministries Website
By using the pull out menus from the
navigation tabs located on every page
you can surf anywhere you like through
The Pen4God Ministries Website
There is a phenomenon prevalent in the world today which has split countless numbers of local church congregations through many years, causing so much pain, heartache and suffering, not to mention the dishonour brought to Almighty God by such poor testimony, that an investigation into the subject becomes necessary. Indeed, it is necessary for me personally, for my own spiritual understanding and peace of mind, and if it helps others, so much the better.
What is this phenomenon, which has caused so much trouble in the past, and is still splitting churches today? It is the practice known as the “gift of tongues”. Now, the question that troubles me is, why are “tongues” such an emotive issue that it can cause so much damage to so many Christian Fellowships? It has even split families! This then prompts other questions. Would a God of love insist that all Christians should speak in “tongues” (as the devotees of this practice insist) knowing that it would cause such disunity within His Church? It is inconceivable to think that He would. Therefore, are the “tongues” referred to in the Bible, especially in the New Testament, relevant for today’s Church? Is the modern phenomenon of “tongues” really of God?
Such questions demand answers. So troubled was I that a personal study was called for to find those answers. The result of that simple study is what you read in this article, presented here for the enlightenment of others also. I have concentrated my study, for the sake of clarity ─ for others as well as myself ─ on three main areas: (1) What the Bible says about “tongues” in New Testament times; (2) What the Bible says about “tongues” for today; and (3) What the Bible says about “tongues” and love. This third area may appear to be extraneous, unrelated to the other two, but its relevance will become apparent later in the article.
What is this phenomenon, which has caused so much trouble in the past, and is still splitting churches today? It is the practice known as the “gift of tongues”. Now, the question that troubles me is, why are “tongues” such an emotive issue that it can cause so much damage to so many Christian Fellowships? It has even split families! This then prompts other questions. Would a God of love insist that all Christians should speak in “tongues” (as the devotees of this practice insist) knowing that it would cause such disunity within His Church? It is inconceivable to think that He would. Therefore, are the “tongues” referred to in the Bible, especially in the New Testament, relevant for today’s Church? Is the modern phenomenon of “tongues” really of God?
Such questions demand answers. So troubled was I that a personal study was called for to find those answers. The result of that simple study is what you read in this article, presented here for the enlightenment of others also. I have concentrated my study, for the sake of clarity ─ for others as well as myself ─ on three main areas: (1) What the Bible says about “tongues” in New Testament times; (2) What the Bible says about “tongues” for today; and (3) What the Bible says about “tongues” and love. This third area may appear to be extraneous, unrelated to the other two, but its relevance will become apparent later in the article.
1. What the Bible says about “tongues” in New Testament times
It is interesting to note that there is only one reference made to “tongues” by Jesus Himself, when He commissioned His disciples just prior to His ascension to go into all the world and preach the Gospel. It is found 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…” One would have thought that, if “tongues” were so important for His Church, both then and now, He would have spoken more about them.
By the way the devotees of “tongues” place such great emphasis and insistence on this phenomenon, one would expect that the whole of the New Testament must be packed full of references to it. This is not so! Apart from the one reference made by Jesus, there are only three chapters in Acts where “tongues” are mentioned, and three chapters in 1 Corinthians. “Tongues” are not referred to anywhere else in the New Testament. Surely this is a significant realisation.
Let us look a little more closely at these six chapters and their references to “tongues”. We begin with Acts chapter 2. The disciples were “all together in one place” (v.1) on the Day of Pentecost awaiting the coming of the Holy Spirit, as promised by Jesus. He came accompanied by wind and fire, and here is the first reference to “tongues”. “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them” (v.4). Contrary to what the devotees of this phenomenon tell us, this does not appear to be the “tongues” associated with the ecstatic utterances they so strongly advocate for today’s Church. Notice the little word “other” before the word “tongues” ─ a more correct translation of this word would be “languages”.
Now, before I am accused of “tampering with Scripture to make a point”, move on to the next few verses, noting especially the phrases, “a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language” (v.6), followed by, “Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language?” (v.8), and finally, “…we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” (v.11). If this reference to “tongues” meant ecstatic babbling associated with that practice, no one would have understood a thing. As it was, everyone heard the disciples speaking in his own language, his native tongue, and they understood every word that was uttered.
Now, before I am accused of “tampering with Scripture to make a point”, move on to the next few verses, noting especially the phrases, “a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language” (v.6), followed by, “Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language?” (v.8), and finally, “…we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” (v.11). If this reference to “tongues” meant ecstatic babbling associated with that practice, no one would have understood a thing. As it was, everyone heard the disciples speaking in his own language, his native tongue, and they understood every word that was uttered.
Bible “tongues”, it would appear, were given at Pentecost for a specific purpose, to enable the apostles of the fledgling Church (later to be called Christian Church – Acts 11:26) to receive the gift of being able to speak foreign languages without the need for academic study. This was to enable them to be able to communicate the truths of the Christian gospel to the crowds gathered in Jerusalem no matter their nationality or native language. Missionaries today are not so blest, because they have to study the language, sometimes for many years, of the country to which they have been called before they can communicate the gospel in the native tongue.
The only other two references in Acts are found in Acts chapters 10 and 19. The first took place in Caesarea and the second in Ephesus. On the first occasion it was when the Holy Spirit came upon Gentile believers for the first time, and it happened in the house of Cornelius. The Bible says, “While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God” (10:44-46). The third and final reference to “tongues” in Acts is in an incident which took place when Paul met twelve “disciples” in Ephesus who had experienced only the baptism of John the Baptist. After Paul had enlightened them to the truth and baptised them “into the name of the Lord Jesus”, he then placed his hands upon them and, the Bible says, “the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied” (19:5,6).
A very significant observation we must make here, in the light of the way some advocates of the phenomenon today so vehemently defend and expound upon it, is that, following these two incidents, “tongues” is never again mentioned in the Acts. Being the history book of the Early Christian Church, one would have thought that if it was so important and vital for the Church, both then and in the future, the pages of Acts would be liberally sprinkled with references to it.
We now turn to 1 Corinthians chapters 12, 13 and 14 – the only other place where “tongues” is referred to in the Bible. Now, before we look at these references let us make two observations. The first is, this epistle to the church at Corinth was amongst the very earliest of Paul’s letters. This is significant, as we will discover in a moment. The second is the way Paul wrote about “tongues” compared with the account given by Luke in the Acts. Observe, “all of them” began to speak in tongues (2:4) … “all who heard” in the house of Cornelius were speaking in tongues (10:44,46) … “they spoke in tongues” implies that all twelve men who received the Spirit spoke in this way, even though the word “all” is not specifically used (19:6). The important observation is that on the three occasions in Acts they all spoke in tongues – this was at the beginning of the formation of the Early Christian Church. When we come to 1 Corinthians the reference to “tongues” changes in emphasis – this was about half way through the formation of the Early Christian Church,.
Recognising that this is not an in-depth Bible study of “tongues” – such a study would at least double the length of this article! – we can only summarise briefly what Paul was saying in 1 Corinthians, which is very much a turning point in his thinking and teaching. The change of emphasis is revealed very forcibly in 12:29,30 where Paul asked seven rhetorical questions. “Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?” Do you see the change in emphasis from Acts, when all spoke in tongues, to 1 Corinthians when they obviously did not nor were expected to do so?
The only other two references in Acts are found in Acts chapters 10 and 19. The first took place in Caesarea and the second in Ephesus. On the first occasion it was when the Holy Spirit came upon Gentile believers for the first time, and it happened in the house of Cornelius. The Bible says, “While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God” (10:44-46). The third and final reference to “tongues” in Acts is in an incident which took place when Paul met twelve “disciples” in Ephesus who had experienced only the baptism of John the Baptist. After Paul had enlightened them to the truth and baptised them “into the name of the Lord Jesus”, he then placed his hands upon them and, the Bible says, “the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied” (19:5,6).
A very significant observation we must make here, in the light of the way some advocates of the phenomenon today so vehemently defend and expound upon it, is that, following these two incidents, “tongues” is never again mentioned in the Acts. Being the history book of the Early Christian Church, one would have thought that if it was so important and vital for the Church, both then and in the future, the pages of Acts would be liberally sprinkled with references to it.
We now turn to 1 Corinthians chapters 12, 13 and 14 – the only other place where “tongues” is referred to in the Bible. Now, before we look at these references let us make two observations. The first is, this epistle to the church at Corinth was amongst the very earliest of Paul’s letters. This is significant, as we will discover in a moment. The second is the way Paul wrote about “tongues” compared with the account given by Luke in the Acts. Observe, “all of them” began to speak in tongues (2:4) … “all who heard” in the house of Cornelius were speaking in tongues (10:44,46) … “they spoke in tongues” implies that all twelve men who received the Spirit spoke in this way, even though the word “all” is not specifically used (19:6). The important observation is that on the three occasions in Acts they all spoke in tongues – this was at the beginning of the formation of the Early Christian Church. When we come to 1 Corinthians the reference to “tongues” changes in emphasis – this was about half way through the formation of the Early Christian Church,.
Recognising that this is not an in-depth Bible study of “tongues” – such a study would at least double the length of this article! – we can only summarise briefly what Paul was saying in 1 Corinthians, which is very much a turning point in his thinking and teaching. The change of emphasis is revealed very forcibly in 12:29,30 where Paul asked seven rhetorical questions. “Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?” Do you see the change in emphasis from Acts, when all spoke in tongues, to 1 Corinthians when they obviously did not nor were expected to do so?
How do we arrive at this conclusion? We said these were rhetorical questions. What Paul was really saying was that not all were apostles…prophets…teachers. Not all work miracles…exercise gifts of healing…speak in tongues…interpret. It is quite obvious that all did not. Indeed, the whole of these chapters (12,13,14) of 1 Corinthians are emphasising that not all speak in tongues, only some do. In fact, Paul was correcting many misunderstandings in the minds of the Corinthians concerning tongues and their misuse, revealing the sole purpose of tongues in the first place with the hint that they were shortly to cease.
To understand this we need to turn to 14:22. “Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers…” Paul is here referring to the Jews who needed a sign, as the previous verse reveals, where he uses a quote from Isaiah 28:11,12 – “In the Law it is written: ‘Through men of strange tongues and through the lips of foreigners I will speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to me,’ says the Lord” (14:21). Indeed, the whole of 1 Corinthians was written to a church where grave errors had crept in, not only concerning tongues, and needed to be corrected. But only the three chapters (12,13,14) are relevant to the subject of this article, because they deal with the “tongues” confusion that had brought the Corinthian Church into disrepute.
Before turning to the second area of study, let us summarise where we are! “Tongues” came with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost as Jesus had promised, and for a particular purpose, as recorded by Luke. “He” [Jesus] “told them,” [the disciples] “‘This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high’” (Luke 24:46-49). “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about…in a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth’” (Acts 1:4,5,7,8).
To understand this we need to turn to 14:22. “Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers…” Paul is here referring to the Jews who needed a sign, as the previous verse reveals, where he uses a quote from Isaiah 28:11,12 – “In the Law it is written: ‘Through men of strange tongues and through the lips of foreigners I will speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to me,’ says the Lord” (14:21). Indeed, the whole of 1 Corinthians was written to a church where grave errors had crept in, not only concerning tongues, and needed to be corrected. But only the three chapters (12,13,14) are relevant to the subject of this article, because they deal with the “tongues” confusion that had brought the Corinthian Church into disrepute.
Before turning to the second area of study, let us summarise where we are! “Tongues” came with the Holy Spirit at Pentecost as Jesus had promised, and for a particular purpose, as recorded by Luke. “He” [Jesus] “told them,” [the disciples] “‘This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high’” (Luke 24:46-49). “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about…in a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit…you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth’” (Acts 1:4,5,7,8).
But Mark’s record of this incident is very relevant to our study in this article. “He” [Jesus] “said to them,” [the disciples] “‘Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well’” (Mark 16:15-18). Notice, one of the signs was that they would “speak in new tongues” – as we have already discovered, this was a sign gift to the unbelieving Jews.
Let us be clear in our mind at this point as to what we mean when we describe “tongues” as a “sign gift”. As we see from this quotation from Mark 16:15-18, Jesus lists five “signs” that will accompany those who believe. Whilst here on earth there is no record of Jesus ever speaking in tongues Himself, yet one of these “signs” is speaking “in new tongues”. Following the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost we see indeed these five “signs” did accompany those who believed, including the sign gift of “tongues”. What is the significance of this? The purpose of “tongues”, as we have already established, is for a sign and only a sign, nothing more! Remember 1 Corinthians 14:22. “Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers…” John makes the purpose of a sign clear. “Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of god, and that by believing you may have life in his name” (John 20:30,31). From this we can see that in Scripture a sign is not given without reason or purpose, but to teach and prove a spiritual truth.
The sign of “tongues” had a meaning for the Jews that it did not have for Gentiles. The Jews down through the years, from Old Testament times, had been taught to recognise a sign. Paul made this clear. “Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks” [Gentiles] “look for wisdom” (1 Corinthians 1:22).
The gift of the Holy Spirit, and especially the gift of “tongues” had, in the beginning, a two-fold purpose – (1) To empower the disciples, and, (2) To empower the church. The empowering of the disciples was for preaching the gospel to all nations, and using the gift of “tongues” to magnify them as divine messengers of this “new” gospel, in spite of their lack of education and reputation, giving them a human authority, which would have been lacking without this gift. “When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realised that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13). The empowering of the church was because the worship of God was changing, as Jesus predicted when He spoke to the Samaritan woman at the well. “Jesus declared, ‘Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. God is a spirit, and his worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth’” (John 4:21-24). To accommodate this “new” gospel and this “new” way of worship, a new “Users Manual” was needed – the Old Testament (the current “Users Manual”) would not suffice.
The empowering of the church, then, was to provide this “Users Manual”. To establish this fact, let us follow these scriptures through with emphasis on the relevant phrases. “But the Counsellor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:26). “But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by making it known to you” (John 16:13,14). These were instructions from Jesus. In the following verses we see the practical application worked out in the lives of the disciples. Peter “said to them:” [Gentiles from Caesarea] “‘You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean’” (Acts 10:28). “If anybody thinks he is a prophet or spiritually gifted, let him acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command” (1 Corinthians 14:37). The Holy Spirit would reveal the “new” gospel by “sign gifts” until the New Testament came into being, which it did as the Spirit guided the disciples to write it, thus eventually making these “signs” (including “tongues”) obsolete.
Before we move to the second area of study, it will help us to clarify the sequence of events in the formation of the Early Christian Church. (1) In the beginning we find each group referred to in Acts who received the Holy Spirit, that all spoke in “tongues”. (2) At the half way stage, about the time Paul penned his earliest epistle, that only some were using the sign gift of “tongues” – it was certainly not all. (3) When we reach the end, around 70AD, when the New Testament was fully available, and it could no longer be referred to as the Early Christian Church, we find “tongues” have ceased. At least, there is no mention of them, as we will discover in the next area of study.
2. What the Bible says about “tongues” for today
It is really a case of what the Bible does not say about “tongues” that is more significant than what it does say! To explain this apparently paradoxical statement it is necessary to cover some old ground, but this will serve to strengthen our understanding of the fact that “tongues” ceased when the Early Christian Church was equipped with what we now know as the New Testament. We begin with the teaching on “tongues” from Matthew to Revelation – and what applied to the Church at that time, in 70AD, applies to the Church today in the 21st Century.
Beginning with the four Gospels – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John – there is only one reference made to “tongues” by Jesus Himself, when He commissioned His disciples just prior to His ascension to go into all the world and preach the Gospel. It is found 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…” There is no other reference to “tongues”, which immediately causes us to wonder why Jesus did not include such teaching in His ministry. We have already discovered the reason why in the previous area of study.
We then come to Acts, with only three occasions when “tongues” are referred to, and earlier we made a very significant observation, in the light of the way some advocates of the phenomenon today so vehemently defend and expound upon it. Following the third occasion, “tongues” is never again mentioned in the Acts. Being the history book of the Early Christian Church, one would have thought that if it was so important and vital for the Church, both then and in the future, the pages of Acts would be liberally sprinkled with references to it.
The next “appearance” in the New Testament of “tongues” is in three chapters only in of Paul’s earliest epistle – 1 Corinthians – and we have already established at great length that this early letter was to correct some serious errors that had crept into the church at Corinth, and in the three chapters mentioned, he dealt with confusion about “tongues” which were bringing the church into disrepute. It appears that history is repeating itself in the 21st Century. Yet again, such understanding of Paul’s teaching here would (or should) confirm for us that as “tongues” ceased in the Early Christian Church in 70AD, they cannot be in force today.
To further enforce the statement at the end of the previous paragraph, let us look at the rest of the New Testament and see what it teaches concerning “tongues”. Bearing in mind that 1 Corinthians was one of Paul’s earliest epistles (if not the earliest), there is not one reference to “tongues” in any of his later epistles. Incidentally, Paul’s epistles do not appear in chronological date order in the New Testament, so, although Romans (the most powerful epistle on Church doctrine that Paul wrote) appears before, it was written much later than 1 Corinthians, yet not one word about “tongues” appears within its text. The three Pastoral Epistles – 1 and 2 Timothy, and Titus – giving explicit directions to leaders of local churches of how to care for the members of the Church, do not contain in these detailed instructions even one word about spiritual gifts, especially about speaking in “tongues”.
So what does the rest of the New Testament teach about “tongues” as far as Paul is concerned? NOTHING!
Now we come to the unknown writer of Hebrews, although some attribute it to Paul, and the Authorised (King James) Version of the Bible actually states “The Epistle of Paul to the Hebrews”, this by no means certain. In fact, modern scholarship, citing the style of writing so different from the previous epistles, actually states that it could not have been Paul. It is certainly believed to be a later epistle, and deals with some very profound teaching especially directed at Jewish Christians, but there is not one word to say about “tongues”. One might say it is conspicuous by its absence!
So what does the rest of the New Testament teach about “tongues” as far as this unknown writer is concerned? NOTHING!
James, Peter, John and Jude all wrote epistles especially for the Church long after 1 Corinthians was written. They all dealt with various forms of Church conduct and practice, but there is not a word about the sign gift of “tongues”. Look at the subjects dealt with in these later epistles: Instructions on listening and doing… favouritism to be forbidden… guidance on faith and deeds… the need to tame the tongue (the physical tongue, nothing to do with “tongues” as we are studying them here)… two kinds of wisdom… the need to submit themselves to God… admonishing those boasting about tomorrow… warning to rich oppressors… patience in suffering… the prayer of faith… praise to God for a living hope… the need to be holy… the Living Stone and a Chosen People… submission to rulers and masters… instructions to wives and husbands… suffering for doing good… living for God… suffering for being a Christian… instructions to elders and young men… making one’s calling and election sure… prophecy of Scripture… false teachers and their destruction… the Day of the Lord… the Word of Life… walking in the light… do not love the world… warning against antichrists… children of God… instruction to love one another… test the spirits… comparing God’s love and ours… having faith in the Son of God… the sin and doom of godless men… a call to persevere… but not one mention about “tongues” anywhere.
So what does the rest of the New Testament teach about “tongues” as far as James, Peter, John and Jude are concerned? NOTHING!
In the last book of the Bible – which, incidentally, is correctly placed in chronological date order – written when John (who wrote one gospel and three epistles) was an old man, there is not one reference to “tongues”. This book, Revelation, is a very important, difficult to understand, powerful revelation from the Lord Jesus Christ concerning future events. We ignore it at our peril. It was written while John was in exile on the Isle of Patmos around the time of the close of the Church Age in 70AD. The Christian Church was now fully established on the earth, with Jesus Christ as its Head, and the initial revelation through the apostles, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, had come to an end. To put it another way, the books were now all written which would eventually become what we today call the New Testament.
So what does the rest of the New Testament teach about “tongues” as far as the elderly John is concerned? NOTHING!
To close this second area of study let us follow through some verses of Scripture to seal what has gone before with divine authority!
That the gift of “tongues” was only temporary in nature and no longer needed after the completion of the New Testament becomes evident from these scriptures, which in itself reveals what the Bible says about “tongues” for today – that they were never intended to be used beyond 70AD. We have already established that following Paul’s teaching on “tongues” in 1 Corinthians 12,13,14, there is no mention made of the phenomenon ever again in the New Testament. This is significant. (Remember, Romans was written about a year after 1 Corinthians, even though it is placed before it in the New Testament.
Notice what he says in 1 Corinthians 13:8-13 – “Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophecy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.” [This in the NIV; in the KJV this last verse is translated: “When that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.” We will return to this verse in a moment.] “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
Notice what he says in 1 Corinthians 13:8-13 – “Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophecy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.” [This in the NIV; in the KJV this last verse is translated: “When that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.” We will return to this verse in a moment.] “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
The devotees of “tongues”, who place such great emphasis and insistence on this phenomenon being active in the Church today, fail to notice an important verse in the passage just quoted here, yet cite it as one of the “proofs” that the sign gift of “tongues” is still in existence. In fact, quite the opposite is the case. It is the verse we promised to return to, and its truth is shown more clearly in the KJV translation. “When that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away” (v.10). They claim that this refers to the time of Christ’s second coming, and as that time has not yet come, the gift of “tongues” has not been “done away”, therefore it must still be in force. Not so! It would be true, if we believe this verse refers to Christ’s return, that “tongues” could still be in existence. But a correct understanding of this verse reveals that the word “perfect” does not refer to the perfect Christ but to the perfect Word of God. How do we arrive at this conclusion? The word “that” at the beginning of the verse is in the neuter gender in the Greek and so what follows cannot refer to a person – to Jesus Christ. What Paul was referring to in this verse was, indeed, the perfect Word of God, which would be completed with the writing of Revelation around 70AD, when the temporary sign gift of “tongues” would no longer be needed.
Two further references to Paul’s writings will suffice to end this area of study and lead us into the third and final area – which promises to be much shorter! Even before the perfect Word of God was completed, Paul indicated that this Word would make “tongues” unnecessary – would, in fact, be that which “shall be done away” – because that which was temporary (“tongues”) would replaced with something that was permanent (the Word). This is indicated in 2 Timothy 3:16,17 – “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” God’s permanent written Word, to be completed in a few years from the time of this writing, would be sufficient for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in the things of God, and transforming believers in Christ into His image to equip them for His service, therefore the temporary sign gift of “tongues” would be a completely unnecessary gift for the Church of today. There is no new revelation, new teaching, new instructions, needed; it is all in the completed and permanent written Word of God – so who needs “tongues”?
Now to the final reference to Paul in this area of study. Read through the spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 – and compare them with the list in Romans 12:6-9a (it might be helpful to read from verse 1 to 9a to keep it in context.) “We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. Love must be sincere.” In this list of Christian gifts, notice, written about a year after the first list, there is no mention of “tongues” anywhere. Paul was obviously moving on in his thinking and teaching as God revealed what He wanted to be included in the completed and permanent written Word for His Church in the future, post 70AD – and that includes the 21st Century Church – except the devotees of “tongues” cannot see it.
As we said at the beginning of this article, it has caused so much trouble in the past, and is still splitting churches today – it has even split families! Now, the question that still troubles me is, why are “tongues” such an emotive issue that it can cause so much damage to so many Christian Fellowships? The conclusion to which I have come, recorded here, is because “tongues” have ceased, but the devotees of this phenomenon with their ecstatic babbling associated with it are attempting to imitate the real gift, which no longer exists. This then prompted other questions. Would a God of love insist that all Christians should speak in “tongues” (as the devotees of this practice insist) knowing that it would cause such disunity within His Church? It is inconceivable to think that He would. Therefore, are the “tongues” referred to in the Bible, especially in the New Testament, relevant for today’s Church? Is the modern phenomenon of “tongues” really of God? If you have read this far, you will see the answer to the previous three questions is a resounding NO!
Two further references to Paul’s writings will suffice to end this area of study and lead us into the third and final area – which promises to be much shorter! Even before the perfect Word of God was completed, Paul indicated that this Word would make “tongues” unnecessary – would, in fact, be that which “shall be done away” – because that which was temporary (“tongues”) would replaced with something that was permanent (the Word). This is indicated in 2 Timothy 3:16,17 – “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” God’s permanent written Word, to be completed in a few years from the time of this writing, would be sufficient for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in the things of God, and transforming believers in Christ into His image to equip them for His service, therefore the temporary sign gift of “tongues” would be a completely unnecessary gift for the Church of today. There is no new revelation, new teaching, new instructions, needed; it is all in the completed and permanent written Word of God – so who needs “tongues”?
Now to the final reference to Paul in this area of study. Read through the spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 – and compare them with the list in Romans 12:6-9a (it might be helpful to read from verse 1 to 9a to keep it in context.) “We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. Love must be sincere.” In this list of Christian gifts, notice, written about a year after the first list, there is no mention of “tongues” anywhere. Paul was obviously moving on in his thinking and teaching as God revealed what He wanted to be included in the completed and permanent written Word for His Church in the future, post 70AD – and that includes the 21st Century Church – except the devotees of “tongues” cannot see it.
As we said at the beginning of this article, it has caused so much trouble in the past, and is still splitting churches today – it has even split families! Now, the question that still troubles me is, why are “tongues” such an emotive issue that it can cause so much damage to so many Christian Fellowships? The conclusion to which I have come, recorded here, is because “tongues” have ceased, but the devotees of this phenomenon with their ecstatic babbling associated with it are attempting to imitate the real gift, which no longer exists. This then prompted other questions. Would a God of love insist that all Christians should speak in “tongues” (as the devotees of this practice insist) knowing that it would cause such disunity within His Church? It is inconceivable to think that He would. Therefore, are the “tongues” referred to in the Bible, especially in the New Testament, relevant for today’s Church? Is the modern phenomenon of “tongues” really of God? If you have read this far, you will see the answer to the previous three questions is a resounding NO!
3. What the Bible says about “tongues” and love
We said that this third area may appear to be extraneous, unrelated to the other two, but its relevance will now become apparent. We also promised it would be much shorter! It is based on the shortest of the three chapters we have been studying from 1 Corinthians, the chapter often read at weddings, and is known as The Love Chapter – chapter 13. Strictly speaking it should be called The Tongues Chapter, because it comes in the middle of the three chapters that essentially deal with “tongues”. This chapter has some vital teaching on “tongues” – vital to the 21st Century Church.
Recognising that this is not an in-depth Bible study of “tongues” – as we have already said earlier – we could only summarise briefly what Paul was saying in 1 Corinthians, which is very much a turning point in his thinking and teaching. The change of emphasis is revealed very forcibly in 12:29,30 where Paul asked seven rhetorical questions. “Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?” We asked if you could see the change in emphasis from Acts, when all spoke in tongues, to 1 Corinthians when they obviously did not nor were expected to do so? We arrived at this conclusion because we said these were rhetorical questions. What Paul was really saying was that not all were apostles…prophets…teachers. Not all work miracles…exercise gifts of healing…speak in tongues…interpret. It is quite obvious that all did not. Indeed, the whole of these chapters (12,13,14) of 1 Corinthians are emphasising that not all speak in tongues, only some do. In fact, Paul was correcting many misunderstandings in the minds of the Corinthians concerning “tongues” and their misuse, revealing the sole purpose of “tongues” in the first place with the hint that they were shortly to cease. That was from 1 Corinthians 12:29,30 – by way of introduction to this final area of study we need to add one more verse. “But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way” (v.31).
Chapter 13 is really a continuation of Chapter 12, and it sets out very clearly the importance of love in the believer’s life and service in relation to the gifts of the Holy Spirit. It does not set out the importance of “tongues”, because Paul is now setting out a more “excellent way”, something more important, something more vital, something that will never cease, like “tongues”. The acid test is whether or not the gifts of the Spirit stimulate love amongst believers. As we have seen so far in this article, this is not always the case. In this chapter Paul also sets out to teach us that, not only must love be present in the manifestation of the gifts, and that they will all eventually cease (remember, he is writing to the Corinthians), love and love alone will never cease. So let us briefly look at the chapter.
After a discourse on love (vv.1-7), he emphasises the eternal qualities of love as opposed to the gifts of the Spirit. “Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away” (v.8). Four things are mentioned here and only one has eternal qualities. 1. Love never fails. 2. Prophecies will cease. 3. Tongues will be stilled. 4. Knowledge will pass away. “For we know in part and we prophecy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears” (vv.9,10). Paul has already dealt in the previous chapter with the “tongues” heresy that had broken out in the Church at Corinth, and stated that “tongues” will be stilled, will cease, and now he deals with knowledge and prophecy. The significance in this is the way in which he deals with it. He likens it to childish things being replaced by mature things. He has already stated in verse 8 that knowledge and prophecy will come to an end, then in the next two verses he introduces the analogy of the child and the man, childish ways and mature ways.
“When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection: then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part: then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known” (vv.11,12). What Paul was saying in effect to the Corinthians in the 1st Century, and now to us today in the 21st Century, is that the gifts referred to in verse 8, of prophecy, “tongues” and knowledge, were given to the fledgling early Church in its “childish” stage. As it “grew up” and matured spiritually so these gifts would no longer be required, and they would cease. So Paul, in stating that these three revelatory gifts would cease, because they were only ever intended to be temporary, then emphasising that love was a more excellent way of serving God in His Church, because it was permanent, would never end, proceeded with the analogy which explains why. When he was a child he acted like a child and was treated like a child; when he became a man he put away childish things and acted like a man, was treated like a man. When the Church was in its “childish” state (perhaps “infant” state would be a better phrase), and acted in that way, it was treated like a “child”, receiving the revelatory gifts to help it to maturity; when it reached maturity, “became a man”, those gifts given in the childish period were no longer needed, so they eventually ceased. When was this? “When perfection comes, the imperfect disappears” (v.10). The revelatory gifts, which were imperfect and never intended to be permanent, were given before the completion of all the inspired writing which would eventually form the New Testament. But when the “perfection” came, the complete revelation of God to His Church in the eventual form we now know as the New Testament, then the “imperfect” disappeared, it ceased.
Now to a personal conclusion! I began this article by saying that there is a phenomenon prevalent in the world today which has split countless numbers of local church congregations through many years, causing so much pain, heartache and suffering, not to mention the dishonour brought to Almighty God by such poor testimony, that an investigation into the subject becomes necessary. Indeed, it is necessary for me personally, for my own spiritual understanding and peace of mind, and if it helps others, so much the better. The result of that investigation is what you read in this very lengthy article – it is a true record of what I genuinely believe God has revealed to me through His Holy Word on this emotive subject. Even those who may disagree with its findings cannot argue with that!
The final verse in this chapter is, what we would say in modern parlance, the clincher! “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love” (v.30). One thing is certain, we are living today in the age of Faith – Hope – Love. Yet even faith and hope will eventually cease, but love will continue throughout eternity. How can this be? If we read through the Bible, especially the New Testament, we will quickly realise the importance of faith for our total spiritual experience both past, present and future. Faith is essential to that experience in this present age. Now do the same for hope and we will find it is equally essential to our spiritual experience in this present age. Two verses from Paul will help us. “To them” [the saints, all true Christians] “God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). And what is this “hope of glory”? It is a result of the grace of God which teaches us how to live a life pleasing to Him, that is “to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope – the glorious appearing of our great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ…” (Titus 2:12,13). The crown of this hope is the Return of Christ for His Church – the Second Coming.
The writer of Hebrews brings faith and hope together in one verse. “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see” (11:1). But when Christ comes again faith and hope will cease, because faith will give place to sight (“We live by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7) in this present age), and hope will give place to understanding, because that for which we hoped has now come to pass. At Christ’s return and the end of the Church Age, our faith will be rewarded and our hope will have been realised, too, for we will be able to see Him face to face in all His glory, so both faith and hope are no longer needed for our eternal life with our Risen Lord. So when Paul wrote that “these three remain: faith, hope and love”, he hinted that faith and hope alone would remain until the end of the Church Age, the Second Coming of Christ. Not so with love, which is why he added that all important line – “But the greatest of these is love.” Love is eternal, as God Himself is eternal, and will continue on in eternity.
There are four very important truths expressed in 1 Corinthians 13, and they will sum up this article perfectly. 1. Three things are to cease with the coming of the New Testament, prophecies, “tongues” and knowledge. 2. Three things will not cease through the Church Age, faith hope and love. 3. Two things will cease at the end of the Church Age when Jesus Christ comes again, faith and hope. 4. One thing will remain for eternity, love. Paul has made it clear in his writings that today we should speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), not in “tongues” (and this was addressed to the mature Church not the “infant” Church, so that they might continue to grow up – vv.11-16). The message for us today – at least, it is to me following this investigation – is that we have only one authority whereby we can become mature Christians, to be able to please God, and that is the Holy Word of God. If I have not love, do not speak and act in love, try to exercise a gift which ceased when the New Testament was completed, that is not love.
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal…If I have not love, I am nothing…Love never fails…The greatest of these is love…Speak the truth in love.
© 2009 Denis A. Wheadon. All rights reserved. Website: http://www.Pen4God.co.uk. This document is the property of the Author and
must not be displayed on any other websites without permission. Copies may be downloaded and printed for personal use only. Any contact with
the writer or comments concerning an article, can be made by email addressed to: denis.wheadon@Pen4God.co.uk
must not be displayed on any other websites without permission. Copies may be downloaded and printed for personal use only. Any contact with
the writer or comments concerning an article, can be made by email addressed to: denis.wheadon@Pen4God.co.uk
A NOTE OF EXPLANATION BEFORE WE BEGIN
The Pen4God Ministries website was originally designed for the sole purpose of sharing with the world the writings of Denis Wheadon spanning over half a century ─ that purpose has not changed. But Denis did not stop writing new material when this website was launched. This article is an example of such recent writing. Because of the magnitude of the subject, it has become the longest article in this section, but I crave your understanding and your patience because I did not want to break it up into two or three parts. However, an explanation is necessary before we begin. Please be assured that this article is not a dogmatic assertion but an honest investigation into a very divisive subject. It should be read in the same spirit. As the article itself states, this investigation became necessary for me personally, for my own spiritual understanding and peace of mind, because personal circumstances forced me to address the issue ─ the result you will read here is a true record of what I genuinely believe God has revealed to me through His Holy Word on this emotive subject. Even those who may disagree with its findings cannot argue with that!
Have Your Say!
If you would like to make a comment on this article
go to the Pen4God Ministries WEBLOG by
clicking anywhere inside this box
If you would like to make a comment on this article
go to the Pen4God Ministries WEBLOG by
clicking anywhere inside this box
