So, I've been seeing here-and-there in threads (the latest, being the thread about Sunday worship), that people talk about Speaking in Tongues as being "evidence" of baptism by the Holy Spirit.
Now, I don't want to commit blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, nor do I want to judge those who claim to be saved because they are using speaking in tongues as evidence of their salvation, however I would like to point a few things out.
First, we have to look at the reason why the Gift of Tongues is a thing. Way back during the days of the Apostles and the Early Church, you had at least 3 main languages spoken in the same area (when Jesus was crucified, the sign on his cross was written in 3 different languages): Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. There were probably more languages, such as Egyptian, Ethiopian, etc. With the multicultural cities (like Corinth), you would oftentimes have people with different languages in the same area, but very few people to spread the gospel. Some people like Paul would have known at least two languages (he was born a Roman citizen, but to Jewish ancestry so he probably knew Hebrew and Latin or Greek even before he received the Holy Spirit), but the rest might not have.
Therefore, it'd be common sense that if you've only got a few people and you've got all of these languages being spoken at the time, that you would need people to not only speak in other languages, but also for people to interpret -- some had the gift of speaking, some had the gift of interpretation. In fact, Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 12-14 that speaking in Tongues does very little good whatsoever if there isn't someone there to interpret what you're saying. He'd rather we speak ten thousand words in a normal language than one sentence in Tongues, as people would understand the normal language and be edified, unless of course there was an interpreter there.
Secondly, a lot of apostate churches out there today use things like "Speaking in Tongues" as "Evidence" of the Holy Spirit's visitation... you'll see ridiculous things, like people breaking out into uncontrollable laughter, rolling around on the floor, falling over backwards, etc making a big show out of it. Sometimes they bark like dogs, and make other animal noises. This doesn't sound like the Holy Spirit to me, to be honest, but something entirely different and a lot of preachers call them out on this (rightly so). They make a huge show of people getting "The Holy Spirit" and they make a huge show out of people babbling nonsense and laughing, and making animal noises... meanwhile, nobody at these churches are preaching Christ and Him crucified.
Thirdly, Christ Himself tells us how to determine if someone is a Born-Again Christian: "You will know them by their fruits". Did they turn away from sin, or at least make an effort to turn their lives around? If so, then they probably are Born-Again. Are they continuing to partake of all of their habitual sin? Then probably not. Speaking in Tongues isn't necessarily "evidence" that someone is Born-Again. If it were, wouldn't Christ have also mentioned this in the same teachings where he talks about true believers?
Fourth, Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 12 that everybody receives different gifts from the Holy Spirit. Expecting everybody to "Speak in Tongues" as "evidence" of the Holy Spirit's indwelling is only going to make people question their own faith needlessly because they didn't get that gift. Yes, I'm sure some people who God plans on sending abroad might receive the Gift of Tongues, but surely He wouldn't give such a gift to someone who isn't going to need it? And He surely isn't going to give it to everybody, would He? He gives each person a gift, maybe multiple gifts, by what work He would have us do.
I myself, IRL, cannot speak in Tongues, nor can I interpret. But yet, I have faith that I am Born-Again, especially the kind of power He gave me to conquer some of my worst sins. If you would have told me last year that I would turn away from the majority of my sin within a couple months, I would have told you that you're crazy that I'd never give that stuff up. But here I am, I've given up many of the sinful things I used to do. I'm not perfect and/or sinless (nor will I be until I get to Heaven), but I have given up a Lot of sinful things, and I've had very little desire to even do that kinda stuff anymore. That's the kinda power the Holy Spirit has, that I think a lot of people seem to forget.
So instead of looking for "Speaking in Tongues" (I'm sure a demon possession could do the same... but again I don't want to blaspheme the Holy Spirit, so I'm not going to judge who has the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and who is possessed by a demon) as evidence, we should really be doing what Christ Himself instructed us to do -- look for their fruits. Speaking in Tongues does nothing unless someone can understand what you're saying. God doesn't need you to speak in tongues to pray effectively; He knows what you're going to say before you even say it.
So... can we please stop using "Speaking in Tongues" as "Evidence" as to whether or not someone is Saved or Born-Again?
I don't want to see a believer unnecessarily doubting their salvation because they can't speak in tongues because everybody around them seems to think they should be doing so, nor do I want a believer being deceived by an apostate church that uses speaking in tongues as such evidence.
Let's focus on the main thing Christ instructed us to do -- Repentance and turning away from sin. THAT's the Evidence we should be yearning for.
Now, I don't want to commit blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, nor do I want to judge those who claim to be saved because they are using speaking in tongues as evidence of their salvation, however I would like to point a few things out.
First, we have to look at the reason why the Gift of Tongues is a thing. Way back during the days of the Apostles and the Early Church, you had at least 3 main languages spoken in the same area (when Jesus was crucified, the sign on his cross was written in 3 different languages): Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. There were probably more languages, such as Egyptian, Ethiopian, etc. With the multicultural cities (like Corinth), you would oftentimes have people with different languages in the same area, but very few people to spread the gospel. Some people like Paul would have known at least two languages (he was born a Roman citizen, but to Jewish ancestry so he probably knew Hebrew and Latin or Greek even before he received the Holy Spirit), but the rest might not have.
Therefore, it'd be common sense that if you've only got a few people and you've got all of these languages being spoken at the time, that you would need people to not only speak in other languages, but also for people to interpret -- some had the gift of speaking, some had the gift of interpretation. In fact, Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 12-14 that speaking in Tongues does very little good whatsoever if there isn't someone there to interpret what you're saying. He'd rather we speak ten thousand words in a normal language than one sentence in Tongues, as people would understand the normal language and be edified, unless of course there was an interpreter there.
Secondly, a lot of apostate churches out there today use things like "Speaking in Tongues" as "Evidence" of the Holy Spirit's visitation... you'll see ridiculous things, like people breaking out into uncontrollable laughter, rolling around on the floor, falling over backwards, etc making a big show out of it. Sometimes they bark like dogs, and make other animal noises. This doesn't sound like the Holy Spirit to me, to be honest, but something entirely different and a lot of preachers call them out on this (rightly so). They make a huge show of people getting "The Holy Spirit" and they make a huge show out of people babbling nonsense and laughing, and making animal noises... meanwhile, nobody at these churches are preaching Christ and Him crucified.
Thirdly, Christ Himself tells us how to determine if someone is a Born-Again Christian: "You will know them by their fruits". Did they turn away from sin, or at least make an effort to turn their lives around? If so, then they probably are Born-Again. Are they continuing to partake of all of their habitual sin? Then probably not. Speaking in Tongues isn't necessarily "evidence" that someone is Born-Again. If it were, wouldn't Christ have also mentioned this in the same teachings where he talks about true believers?
Fourth, Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 12 that everybody receives different gifts from the Holy Spirit. Expecting everybody to "Speak in Tongues" as "evidence" of the Holy Spirit's indwelling is only going to make people question their own faith needlessly because they didn't get that gift. Yes, I'm sure some people who God plans on sending abroad might receive the Gift of Tongues, but surely He wouldn't give such a gift to someone who isn't going to need it? And He surely isn't going to give it to everybody, would He? He gives each person a gift, maybe multiple gifts, by what work He would have us do.
I myself, IRL, cannot speak in Tongues, nor can I interpret. But yet, I have faith that I am Born-Again, especially the kind of power He gave me to conquer some of my worst sins. If you would have told me last year that I would turn away from the majority of my sin within a couple months, I would have told you that you're crazy that I'd never give that stuff up. But here I am, I've given up many of the sinful things I used to do. I'm not perfect and/or sinless (nor will I be until I get to Heaven), but I have given up a Lot of sinful things, and I've had very little desire to even do that kinda stuff anymore. That's the kinda power the Holy Spirit has, that I think a lot of people seem to forget.
So instead of looking for "Speaking in Tongues" (I'm sure a demon possession could do the same... but again I don't want to blaspheme the Holy Spirit, so I'm not going to judge who has the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and who is possessed by a demon) as evidence, we should really be doing what Christ Himself instructed us to do -- look for their fruits. Speaking in Tongues does nothing unless someone can understand what you're saying. God doesn't need you to speak in tongues to pray effectively; He knows what you're going to say before you even say it.
So... can we please stop using "Speaking in Tongues" as "Evidence" as to whether or not someone is Saved or Born-Again?
I don't want to see a believer unnecessarily doubting their salvation because they can't speak in tongues because everybody around them seems to think they should be doing so, nor do I want a believer being deceived by an apostate church that uses speaking in tongues as such evidence.
Let's focus on the main thing Christ instructed us to do -- Repentance and turning away from sin. THAT's the Evidence we should be yearning for.
