Speaking in Tongues (Part 3)

The gift of tongues was part of a set of miracles that the apostles and disciples of the first-century church did to convince unbelievers that they spoke the truth. Jesus said in Mark 16:17-18, “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” Mark 16:20 says, “And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.” The signs (including speaking in tongues) were to confirm the word. First Corinthians 14:22 says, “Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not….” The miraculous gift of tongues was a sign that confirmed the word to unbelievers. God gave the apostles and other disciples the ability to miraculously speak foreign languages so they could take the gospel to the world. This miracle would convince unbelievers to believe the gospel as it did in Acts 2.

We can conclude that 1) the miraculous gift of tongues was the ability to speak in a foreign, but understandable, language (it was not gibberish); 2) it was understood by the person who spoke it, though it wasn’t necessarily understood by the person who heard it; 3) it was not necessarily accompanied by any extraordinary emotional experience; 4) its purpose was to help unbelievers accept the gospel. Tongues were an important part of the establishment of the church, but they would end when God’s revelation in written form was completed.  Paul tells us as much in 1 Corinthians 13:8; “whether there be tongues, they shall cease.”  Tongues, along with all other Bible miracles, have ceased (1 Corinthians 13:8-10). Today we have God’s perfectly revealed word in the scriptures.

God bless you, and I love you.
Kevin Cauley