The Issue of "Tongues"— Part 11

DOES THIS FIT THE FACTS OF HISTORY?

I Corinthians 14 is the last passage of Scripture to mention the gift of tongues. No other passage of Scripture written after it records any reference to this gift. This is not to say that it passed from use immediately after this passage was written, but it does speak to the fact that tongues were not the all-important experience that some make them out to be. For example, none of the directives regarding deacons or elders in the Pastoral Epistles (I & II Timothy, Titus) mention tongues speaking. If not even the pastors or deacons of the church were required to speak in tongues, what can we assume about the laymen within the church?

Considering that the gift of tongues was revelatory, why would there be further need of such a gift once Scripture was penned? Considering that it was also indicating a transitional period of Old to New Covenants and that transition has taken place, what need is there of the gift of tongues? In light of such considerations, we must see that the gift has no necessity for the church today.

Ephesians 2:20 gives further evidence of the fact that tongues are no longer needed for today. It reads, speaking of the church- “And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;” Both the Person, life, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of our Lord, and the prophets and apostles were foundational to our faith. The prophets and apostles were foundational for the recorded revelation of truth for our faith. The Lord Jesus Christ was foundational for the atoning work that secured our faith. Neither needs to be done again! Just as we have no need for our Lord to come to earth, live, die, rise, and ascend again, so we have no need for the revelation of God’s truth to be given again! We need no further revelation any more than we need expect our Lord shed His blood again![1]

II Peter 1:16-21 emphasizes the importance of the revelation of Scripture. No encouragement is given to seek revelatory gifts or some experiential basis for belief. Instead, Peter records these words- “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” So far from encouraging expectations of any revelatory gifts or experiential basis for truth, Peter commands them to “take heed” to the “more sure word of prophecy (Scripture).” What is the Scripture more sure than? In context, it is Peter’s wonderful experience upon the mount when he beheld the transfiguration of Jesus. Rather than taking his experience as the basis of faith and conduct, Peter said the Scriptures were more sure than even that marvelous experience! This is a point to be emphasized in light of this topic. Our basis for truth is not experience, but Scripture. We must never interpret Scripture in light of experience, but rather interpret experience in light of Scripture.

History records for us that tongues did cease. If we are to trust what Scripture says, they ceased for all time. Not only was tongues not mentioned by any later New Testament books, but it was also not mentioned by any in the post-apostolic age.[2]

Both Augustine and Chrysostom, theologians of the eastern and western churches, considered tongues obsolete by their time.[3] Considering their status in the churches at the time, we can reasonably trust their assessment to be correct. And once again, according to Scripture, once tongues as a gift ceased, it ceased for good.

EXPLAINING THE PHENOMENA

In light of the truths studied, how do we explain the phenomena of “ecstatic utterances” in the churches today? We can first state that what is being called the “gift of tongues” today in the charismatic movement is not the gift as recorded in the pages of Scripture. I know of no “tongues speakers” today who claim to totally understand the message that they are giving. I know of few “tongues speakers” that pray for the gift of interpretation. When interpretations are given, they are not infallible word-for-word revelation of God. Furthermore, they do not speak the mysteries of God in any Biblical sense. What is seen in the churches today is a counterfeit! I am not claiming here that all charismatics are deliberately deceitful. Many charismatics are truly saved and wish to honour God with their lives. However, this does not make their beliefs correct. Tongues ceased (were cut off) with the completion of the New Testament.

There are three basic ways in which we can explain what is gong on in the churches today. First, it is possible that the “ecstatic utterance” is a learned behavior. Many, if not most, charismatic churches today have some sort of educational program instructing individuals on how they can have the “gift of tongues.” Second, it is possible that it is psychologically induced. Many charismatic churches knowingly or unknowingly use psychological manipulation to induce ecstatic utterances. I have spoken to many charismatics who have told me that any believer who does not speak in tongues may quite legitimately doubt their salvation. Others have told me that it is an experience that every believer must have if he hopes to progress in his walk with God. Still others have suggested that the lack of this fruit in one’s life is a sign of spiritual hardness and the resisting of the Holy Spirit. Many charismatic services effectively use manipulation through repetitive choruses or emotional stirring to produce an environment conducive for the abandonment of inhibitions and the phenomena of ecstatic utterance. In an environment of such beliefs and emotional manipulation, it is no wonder that people let loose their inhibitions, and utter unintelligible sounds. The late George Gardiner, a former charismatic, often said that he could produce the phenomena of ecstatic utterance with anybody if those persons were willing to go along with every step of directions he gave to them. Third, the experience can be Satanic or demonic in origin. Cults and mystery religions have long had their ecstatic utterances. They are alive and well in cults all around the world today, including the Mormons. Even in the time of the Corinthian epistles the phenomena was practiced in the mystery cults of that city along with the immorality so prevalent in their worship. I do not wish to suggest that all tongues speakers are satanically or demonically inspired to do so. However, the connection between their use of the phenomena and the cultic use of the phenomena is often very close. When a person abandons his mind, I believe he opens himself wide to the attacks of spiritual darkness and depression.

[1] Hebrews 9:28- “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” and Hebrews 10:12- “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;” clearly emphasize this point!
[2] Cleon L. Rogers, "The Gift of Tongues in the Post-Apostolic Church", Bibliotheca Sacra 122 (April-June 1965), p. 134
[3] John F. MacArthur, Jr., Charismatic Chaos, Zondervan, 1992, p. 284