" When the day of Pentecost had
come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a
sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they
were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue
rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began
to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.
" Now, there were
devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And
at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each
one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and
astonished, they asked, 'Are not all these who are speaking
Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native
language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia,
Judea and Cappodocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt
and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome,
both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs - in our own languages
we hear them speaking about God's deeds of power.'
" All were amazed and
perplexed, saying to one another, 'What does this mean?' But others
sneered and said, 'They were filled with new wine.' "
- Acts 2: 1 - 13 -
If ever there was a single issue that can lead to a
good argument within a church body, or between denominations, it is
the subject of 'speaking in tongues.' I have seen preachers on
television who, in the middle of their sermon, would suddenly utter
sounds that were incomprehensible to me, and then carry on speaking
in English. Those preachers claimed they were speaking in tongues.
Personally, I feel they were speaking gibberish and did so for
showboating and boastful purposes.
Christian disciples may be asked
by others if they can speak in tongues. I am confident in saying
that I doubt they can, and if a true tongue-speaking disciple is
discovered, please let me know at
professordnm@gmail.com;
as I am always in awe of the Holy Spirit at work in
others.
Examine closely the above passage from the Book of
Acts. Scrutinize what is there. What took place was the amazing
ability of the believers to hear and understand what the others -
from distant lands and languages - were saying. Notice it does not
say that each of them who understood actually turned around and
spoke in the other's language. What had taken place - and this is
the true gift of the Holy Spirit - is that they all, save the
skeptics, understood what the other was saying. It is as if God had
implanted an automatic translation machine into each and every
believer. Note, also, I say 'believers' because the writer of Acts,
Luke, had no hesitation about including the comment of the skeptics.
So, what do we have here? Do true Christian believers
have the ability to fully understand the utterances of other, even
though the others may speak in a foreign language? Is this what's
going on? I think not.
In 1984, I had the privilege of visiting Russian
Baptists in their churches in Moscow, St. Petersburg; and
Belorussians in their churches in Minsk, and Estonians in their
churches in Tallinn. Despite the fact that we were all
Baptists, and the U.S. visiting party was made up of over 50 people,
not a one understood what the Russian Baptists were saying, save
myself because I had, at the time, a pretty good working knowledge
of the Russian language, but no knowledge of the Estonian language.
Our hosts were compelled to speak in English so our party could
understand them.
The question begs: if we were all believers, why could
we not understand each other without having to call upon the
services of our Intourist guide-translator? Where was the speaking
of tongues as described in Acts?
What did take place was our
ability to
intuitively understand what the others were saying because of the
spiritual interdiction of the Holy Spirit. On a spiritual level,
there are some things that need no words, as the message can be
quickly discerned from a facial expression, a hand gesture, a
certain look in the eye... a raised eyebrow. This sort of
communication goes on all the time between socialized human beings
and is not all that special.
Even the Apostle Paul picked up on the fact that
'speaking in tongues' was being misused to beguile those new to the
Christian faith. In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul
writes:
"For those who speak in a tongue do not speak to
other people but to God; for nobody understands them, since they are
speaking mysteries to the Spirit. On the other hand, those who
prophesy speak to other people for their upbuilding and
encouragement and consolation." - I Corinthians 14: 2 - 3.
Paul then continues, "Those who speak in a
tongue build up themselves, but those who prophesy build up the
church. Now I would like all of you to speak in tongues, but even
more to prophesy. One who prophesies is greater than one who speaks
in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be
built up. Now brothers and sisters, if I come to you speaking in
tongues, how will I benefit you unless I speak to you in some
revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching?' " - I
Corinthians 14: 5-6
How a believer personally communicates with God through
the Holy Spirit is their own business. How a speaker of tongues
comports him or herself in front of other believers - using
incomprehensible language to disseminate the Gospel - and not having
it understood, or to create an atmosphere of beguilement, that's the
direct business of a true Christian disciple. It has to be asked: Is
a preacher, or believer, speaking in tongues in order to create a
mystique about him or herself? Who is present to translate these
utterances? Is this a smoke and mirrors act that's taking place so
as to lure the simple-minded faithful into the presence of a
self-made 'special person'? Unfortunately, the answer is 'yes'.
Others will argue against my stand, but I have Paul on my side,
and alongside him, Jesus.
Cite one instance in the Gospels, if you would be so
kind, where Jesus did not speak directly and openly so that all who
heard him understood. Did he talk in some form of unintelligible
language? Perhaps he caused confusion in the minds of his followers
by speaking in a way they had no chance of understanding? No, he did
not! And, if we're to be honest about this matter, when God speaks
to us through his Holy Spirit, the message is instantaneously
grasped and understood. There is no obfuscation. Thus, why would a
Christian disciple purposely speak the Gospel in a way that was not
clearly understood? He or she would not!
Once a believer has reached that
point in their faith journey when words between him or herself and
God are no longer required, a process of spirit-to-spirit
communication has been established. For did not Jesus say that the
Father knows of what we need even before we do?
"When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles
do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many
words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need
before you ask him."
- Matthew 6: 7-8.
Through many of his Letters, Paul admits to speaking in
tongues, but as I take it, he did not waste precious time befuddling
his listeners with incoherent babblings, but instead brilliantly got
to his point in preaching the Gospel of Christ. What I discern from
Paul's words is that he, like those in the upper room described in
Acts, was endowed with the gift of being able to communicate in the
languages of the various lands his ministry took him. And, why was
this gift of Pentecost initiated in the first place? It set into
motion the beginning thrust and movement of the Gospel via the
disciples and Apostles throughout the known world and by doing thus,
God was wasting no time.
If God, through His Holy Spirit, desires that the
Christian disciple speaks in 'tongues', then it will take place; for
then there will be righteous purpose behind it. But, if a believer
takes it upon him or her to speak in some form of unintelligible
humbug, claiming there is a message from God contained within the
utterances, have them prove it with third party interpretation that
can be vouchsafed by the written Gospel. For Satan the Beguiler will
use any form of hypnosis in which to capture a soul for his own
kingdom.
<<Table of Contents Next>>
©Copyright 2009 - Donald
Neal McKay - The MISSION DISCIPLESHIP
|
