Is the gift of tongues still in operation today?

Are Prayer Tongues The Evidence Of The Baptism Of The Spirit?

Should Every Believer Speak In Prayer Tongues?

●Can What Is Expressed In The Exercise Of The Gift Of Tongues Be Learned?

●When A Tongue Is Exercised What It Talk About?

●Is The Gift Of Tongues Still In Operation Today?

CHAPTER 4

Can What Is Expressed In The Exercise Of The Gift Of Tongues Be Learned?

Some believers are convinced that the tongue which is expressed can be learned. This reminds me of a story which occurred in the earlier years of my walk with God.

Not too long after I got saved I heard about a woman, who was known as a faith healer, coming to appear at the prominent auditorium in my home city. At this time I was passing blood and being unaware as to the cause I decided to attend this event with a couple of my fellow Christian friends. I don’t remember much about what this woman said, but I do remember becoming more interested in her words when she began to mention that God wanted to heal. The approach presented was that this woman would say that God was healing in certain areas of the body and anyone that had an issue in such an area should stand on their feet. The time came when she mentioned that God was healing in the area of the stomach and that if anyone had an issue in this area to stand. Well at that point my stubbornness kicked in. I reasoned that God could heal a person whether they stood up or sat down. So I decided to remain seated, but asked God silently in prayer to heal me. Within seconds I sensed a tingling sensation around my stomach area which lasted for a few seconds. I knew this was God healing me.

When the healing declarations ended a man, possibly a pastor, took the microphone and asked if anyone would like to learn how to speak in tongues. I was aware of this gift, but was told by the pastor of my church which I was attending that this gift no longer was operational. If anyone was interested they were told to go to a back room of the auditorium. I along with a couple of my friends decided to go to this room. When we got there we decided to sit in the front row. After a few minutes this small room was packed with about 100 people. A man appeared and said that anyone can learn to speak in tongues. He began by declaring a sound and then asked everyone to repeat it. Then he made the initial sound with a different one following it. We were asked to repeat these two sounds. When he repeated this process a third time and asked us to repeat it, what came out of the mouths of all who were participating was what sounded like a room full of chickens. As I listened to what I will call the mad sounds I began to laugh in an uncontrollable fashion. This caught on by those around me. Before I knew it we were on the floor laughing hysterically. The man being aware that he had lost control decided to leave all of us alone. After we couldn’t laugh any more we got up on our feet and left the building.

This brings us back to the question, can what is spoken in a tongue be learned?

If someone believes that what is expressed in a tongue can be learned, then a couple of more questions need to be answered. The first one is, what is a gift of the Spirit?

The gifts of the Holy Spirit:

1 Corinthians 12:1,7-10

The gifts of the Holy Spirit are otherwise called spiritual endowments, extraordinary powers, or a favor which one receives without any merit of their own. Each believer is given at least one gift at salvation to be used for the edification of the church. And one more thing to note, gifts are not human talents. Talents are given at physical birth; gifts are given at spiritual birth. The names and functions of these gifts are found in Romans 12:6-8 and 1 Corinthians 12:1,7-10,28.

But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. (1 Corinthians 12:11)

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. (1 Corinthians 12:7)

So not only are the gifts not derived from ourselves, but in regard to the gift of tongues the question is, does the believer have any say or control as to what is being expressed?

An answer to this can be found when the disciples were filled with the Spirit and began to speak in tongues on the day of Pentecost. What they spoke was not from themselves, but as the Spirit gave them utterance. Another way of saying this was they spoke in other than their native tongue in foreign tongues not only under the miraculous impulse of the Spirit, but as the Spirit gave them utterance (the language and the appropriate words).

And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:4)

This makes it pretty clear that the words of the foreign language that the disciples spoke didn’t come from themselves, but the Spirit.

Some might ask what if the tongue brought forth ecstatic utterances or unintelligible sounds, could these be learned? I suppose they could be if the sounds were the same each time they were expressed. If this was the case however, then tongues would be something that could be learned and expressed without the prompting of the Spirit.

Based on what you just read, I will leave you with two questions.

If someone has the gift of the Spirit called the speaking in tongues can what is expressed be unintelligible sounds?

Based on how you just answered this question will determine how you will answer this next question.

Can what is expressed by a tongue be learned?

CHAPTER 5

When The Gift Of Tongues Is Exercised What Will It Talk About?

For those who believe that a tongue can express an ecstatic utterance, then what is expressed are sounds which have no meaning.

For those who believe that a tongue is a foreign language which the speaker does not know, but the hearers do, then what is expressed are words in the known language of the hearers.

Words about what?

That’s a good question. In order to find this out let’s take a look at scriptures where tongues were spoken and see if there is any indication as to what might be said or what might the words refer to.

~ And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Cretes and

Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God. (Acts 2:4-11)

While we don’t know exactly what was said however, we do know what it was about, which was the wonderful works of God.

The wonderful works of God could refer to the great things God has done.

~ For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, (Acts 10:46)

Whatever was spoken with tongues, magnified (praised; to declare that God is great) God.

~ And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. (Acts 19:6)

These tongues expressed prophesy (to break forth under sudden impulse in lofty discourse or in praise of the divine counsels; to speak under divine influence, and is specially applied to the power of speaking in a foreign tongue). Prophesy can also be used to speak unto men (the church) to: edification (to speak what contains doctrine, fitted to edify), exhortation (urges motives for a holy life; strengthening), and comfort (to remove sadness; encourage).

What is said in a tongue can be quite varied. It can be used to: declare what God has done; declare that God is great; teach doctrine, strengthen, encourage.

CHAPTER 6

Is the Gift of Tongues Still In Operation Today?

There are some that believe that it doesn’t matter whether the expression of the tongue is in the form of a foreign language or ecstatic utterance, because this gift no longer exists. Likewise, there are some who believe that the gifts have not ceased. Let’s take a look at the varied reasons that support the idea that tongues have ceased and those which say that this gift is still in operation.

I am going to present to you five different viewpoints on this matter.

The first view says that prophecies [of that which is prophesied which speaks unto men (the church) to: edification (to speak what contains doctrine, fitted to edify), exhortation (urges motives for a holy life; strengthening); comfort (to remove sadness; encourage)] will come to an end; tongues will terminate on their own, without an intervening agent; and knowledge (knowledge received by immediate supernatural power) will cease. There appears to be no disclosure as to when prophecies will end, tongues will terminate on their own, or knowledge will cease. However, the proponents of this view say that the cessation of the gifts of the Spirit had occurred sometime back in history.

Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. (1 Corinthians 13:8-10)

The second view believes that when the canon of scripture was completed, there was no further need for the gifts of the Holy Spirit, because they would say that the primary purpose of the gifts was to prove the truth and divine origin of the words, which were spoken by the apostles.

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.

And they went forth, and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen. (Mark 16:17-18,20)

The gifts of the Spirit in particular the gift of miracles was used to authenticate the office gift of an apostle. These miracles: had the ability to increase spiritual understanding by pointing to a spiritual reality; created a sense of awe; resulted from supernatural power. If the gifts ceased, then the office of apostle would have ceased.

Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds. (2 Corinthians 12:12)

The third view has two similar perspectives in respect to the apostles.

The first says that when all of the apostles died, the last being John, the gifts no longer continued to operate. Some will say that the evidence of the gifts ceasing especially the gift of tongues can be found in the book of Romans where when one looks at the gifts mentioned, tongues is not on this list.

Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness. (Romans 12:6-8)

The second says that the apostles laid hands on those, who believed in Christ, conveying to them the gift or gifts, which they were to receive from the Holy Spirit. Therefore, when the apostles died the declaration and conveyance of the gifts by means of the laying on of their hands, ended.

And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. (Acts 19:1-4,6)

The fourth view says that the gift of tongues ceased as evidenced by the ceasing of the gift of healing.

There was a man, who was crippled from birth, having never walked. When he heard Paul speak, Paul perceived that he had faith to be healed. And as such he said to him, “Stand upright on your feet”, and he did as Paul said and walked.

And there sat a certain man at Lystra, impotent in his feet, being a cripple from his mother's womb, who never had walked: The same heard Paul speak: who stedfastly beholding him, and perceiving that he had faith to be healed, Said with a loud voice, Stand upright on thy feet. And he leaped and walked. And when the people saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in the speech of Lycaonia, The gods are come down to us in the likeness of men. And they called Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius, because he was the chief speaker. (Acts 14:8-12)

However, in the book of 2 Timothy the scripture states that the apostle Paul left a person named Trophimus at a place called Miletum in the state of being sick, which according to this view indicated that the gift of healing had ceased from being operational. Therefore, when the gift of healing ceased the gift of tongues ceased.

Erastus abode at Corinth: but Trophimus have I left at Miletum sick. (2 Timothy 4:20)

The fifth view looks at reasons as to why the gifts of the Spirit have not ceased. In 1 Corinthians 12 the Holy Spirit bestowed or gave the gifts for the common benefit of the church. We could also say that God gives each person a gift as some proof of the Spirit's presence to be used to help the whole church. The Holy Spirit gives a gift or gifts to each member of the body as he chooses. As the gifts become revealed to the person, who has them, along with the members of the body of Christ, what has been created is a dependence on one another. If we believe that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are no longer operative for today, then what we are saying is that God is now only using the office gifts (e.g. apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers) in the church in order to evidence his working.

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. For the body is not one member, but many. That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. (1 Corinthians 12:7,11,14,25)

What do you think?

Is the gift of tongues still in operation today?

Which of these views to you believe in?

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