Why the Modern Tongues
Movement Is Not Biblical
by Pastor Matt Costella
©FOUNDATION Magazine, Nov - Dec 2001
I. Tongues Were Other Known, Genuine Languages
A. When the Holy Spirit was given at Pentecost in Acts 2, believers
began to speak in other languages-languages that they had never known
or learned before. This supernatural ability to speak in unknown
languages resulted from the work of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4).
Foreign onlookers who came from areas throughout the Middle East
marveled that the Galilaeans were speaking in their own languages
(Acts 2:6-11)! The onlookers understood what these Galilaeans
were saying-they were declaring "the wonderful works of God" (Acts 2:1
1).
B. From Acts 2, it is clear that both of the Greek words from which
the English word tongue(s) is derived refer to legitimate
languages. The word glossa (Acts 2:4, 11) and the word
dialekto (Acts 2:8) both refer to legitimate languages as revealed
by the text and the context. The believers who spoke in other tongues
were not babbling unintelligible gibberish; they were miraculously
glorifying God in a language other than their own.
C . Today, Charismatics and Pentecostals not only babble in
unintelligible gibberish when "speaking in tongues," but many are
actually "taught" how to speak in tongues by leading figures within
the Charismatic and Pentecostal camps. The "tongues" uttered by
Charismatics and Pentecostals today are completely foreign to the
supernatural, miraculous speaking of legitimate languages empowered by
the Holy Spirit in the early church.
H. Tongues Were Understood by the One Speaking
A. A careful reading of 1 Corinthians 14 (specifically verses 2, 4
and 14) clearly reveals that the one speaking in a "tongue"
understood what he was saying or praying. He was speaking to God (v.
2), and he was edifying himself (v. 4). In order for him to be
edified, he had to understand what he was saying. God's Word is
definitive on this point: Edification does not exist apart from
understood truth.
B. In 1 Corinthians 14:14, Paul says that when one speaks in
another language unknown to others, one's understanding
(note: he understood what he was saying) was unfruitful (it
did not benefit anyone else) unless he exercised love by sharing his
understanding with others. Notice that the individual prayed "with
the spirit" and with understanding also (1 Cor. 14:15).
C. Today, Charismatics and Pentecostals, because they are
speaking gibberish rather than an actual language, do not know (or
cannot know) what they are saying. Such "tongues" speaking is
completely foreign to the miraculous speaking of a legitimate
language with understanding as evidenced in the early church.
III. Tongues Were to Be Interpreted for the
Church's Edification
A. The interpreter, whether the speaker himself or another
individual besides the one speaking in tongues, knew and understood
what the speaker was saying. The problem in the early church that
Paul addressed in 1 Corinthians 12-14 centered on the fact that the
one speaking in tongues was acting in an unloving manner since he
was not sharing his understanding with others and, thereby, edifying
the body of Christ (1 Cor. 14:14-17).
B. The "tongues" speaker was to provide for the interpretation of
that which he was saying (1 Cor. 14:13, 27-28) so others would also
profit from his understanding. God desired for all believers in the
early church to understand His messages to them given through
tongues and prophecies (1 Cor. 14:12, 19, 26-31). Those who
exercised their spiritual gifts (tongues, prophecy, knowledge, etc.)
were not to use their gifts selfishly. The Lord intended for the
believers in the church to be able to say "Amen! " to that which the
speaker made known to them (1 Cor. 14:15-17).
C. Today, Charismatics and Pentecostals who speak in "tongues"
cannot honestly interpret their "tongues" because unintelligible
gibberish makes no sense! In order for a language to be
interpreted, it first must be understood. Hypothetically, even if
"tongues-speaking" Charismatics and Pentecostals did miraculously
speak in another language and understand what they were saying,
few ever follow the Biblical precedent of genuine interpretation
for the edification of the church.
IV. Tongues Were Exercised in an Orderly Manner
A. The very fact that the gift and interpretation of tongues
were given by God for the purpose of glorifying Him and edifying
the church necessarily demands that the use and interpretation of
these foreign languages occur in an orderly manner. After
encouraging the believers in the early church to use their
God-given gifts for the edification of the body of Christ, the
Apostle Paul commanded the believers: "Let all things be done
decently and in order"
(1 Cor. 14:40).
B. God's Word makes it abundantly clear that God is not the
author of confusion
(1 Cor. 14:33; Psa. 71: 1). It is noteworthy
that twice in the chapter in which Paul addressed the use of
tongues in the Corinthian church, he emphasized that all things
must be done decently and in order and that God is not the author
of confusion.
C. Today, Charismatic and Pentecostal churches or assemblies
are frequently houses of mass confusion where several or hundreds
of individuals are "speaking in tongues" at the same time.
Disorderliness and, as one famous Charismatic leader stated,
"pandemonium," aptly describe the professed "manifestations of the
Spirit" as they occur in Charismatic or Pentecostal churches.
V. Tongues Were a Sign to Jews in the Early Church
A. God's Word clearly states that tongues were a sign to the
unbelieving Jews (1 Cor. 14:20-23). They were a sign that God was
working with an entirely new body now, a body comprised of Jew and
Gentile alike-the Church (Eph. 2:11-22; Acts 10). They were also a
sign (supernaturally given by the Holy Spirit) used to convince the
first-century Jews that the Gospel being proclaimed was truly of
God.
B. The book of Acts mentions speaking in tongues
only three times (Acts 2, 10, 19), and in each instance, Jews were
present. The Jews needed authentication of the Gospel during this
transition period in history, and this miraculous speaking in
foreign languages authenticated true Christianity.
C. Today, Charismatics and Pentecostals refuse to recognize that
the miraculous speaking of foreign languages by those who did not
previously know the language was a gift given by God in the early
church to authenticate His message to the Jews.
VI. Tongues Have Passed Away
A. The gift of tongues no longer exists today because the
transition period from law to grace is now over. God is no longer
using prophets, apostles and others to authenticate His message
'with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the
Holy Ghost, according to His own will" (Heb. 2:3-4).
B. Tongues have passed away today because the canon of Scripture
is complete. Paul told the Corinthians that prophecies, tongues,
etc. would cease (1 Cor. 13:8) "when that which is perfect is come"
(1 Cor. 13: 10). When the canon of God's Word was complete, God's
words to mankind were finished. No further messages or
authentication was necessary. Tongues were no longer needed after
the first century because the Church possessed the complete Word of
God and no longer needed any further direct, partial revelation or
confirmation of the Gospel message via prophets, apostles, tongues,
etc.
C. Charismatics and Pentecostals today deny that divine
revelation has ceased to exist. Many believe that God is still
speaking today through tongues, visions, dreams, etc. This teaching
is not only unscriptural since the Word of God alone is sufficient
for all things (2 Tim. 3:14-17), but it also opens the door to many
strange and unbiblical "words from God" to mankind.
