My first two articles (Part 1, Part 2) laid a biblical foundation for what the gift of tongues really is. To recap:
- The gift originated at Pentecost
- God’s first purpose with this gift was giving the gospel to people of different languages who were visiting Jerusalem, with the implication that they would take the gospel back to their own people
- God continued using tongues as one of many signs that established the authority of the apostles and those who encountered them
- Paul rebuked the Corinthian church for their misuse of their spiritual gifts, reminding them that spiritual gifts were meant to build up the body of Christ
- Ultimately, we see that the gift of tongues is meant to give the gospel to unbelievers, and isn’t meant to build up those who are already in Christ
With that foundation, we can now discuss what most people are most interested in when it comes to the gift of tongues: is it still active, and is the “tongues of angels” we see today truly part of that gift?
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Do people have the gift of tongues today?
We must always keep one thing in mind when it comes to the gift of tongues. When we evaluate whether it still exists today, any claims of this gift must be in perfect alignment with God’s word. That means that if we saw the gift, it would be in a language spoken today, it would be spoken only if someone else understood it, and it would be used to give the gospel to those who are lost. Regardless of any other beliefs we may have about tongues, that is what the Bible clearly teaches.
So if all those things are in order, should we expect to see a biblically-correct version of this gift today? This is one that is difficult to answer because there are stories out there of missionaries giving the gospel to people, speaking a language they’ve never learned before. And that mostly seems to line up with what we see in the Bible.
However, there are two things that lead me to believe that the gift of tongues wouldn’t be active today, at least not as a normal part of the Christian life. I realize that even people who believe supernatural gifts have ceased would disagree with me on parts of this, but all I can do is explain my reasoning based on God’s word.
First, as we discussed in Part 2, supernatural gifts seemed directly tied to the apostles. Part of its purpose was to authenticate their own message, and the book of Acts leads me to believe that supernatural gifts weren’t the norm for all believers at that time, but those who had direct contact with the apostles or were sent out by them. So unless we believe apostles still exist today, this pattern doesn’t line up.
Second, we see that supernatural gifts, in general, seem to fade even over the course of the New Testament. In Acts, we see healings and other miracles take place on a near regular basis. People were even lining up their sick in the hope that Peter’s shadow would heal them. Over and over, we see the apostles authenticating their message by performing incredible acts through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Yet as we read later letters, things seem less supernatural. In Philippians 2:7, Paul talks about a friend who was near death due to sickness, and 2 Timothy 4:20 implies Paul left this friend without healing him. In 1 Timothy 5:23, Paul adds a personal note to Timothy to drink a little wine to help with his “frequent ailments.”
How did Paul bring a young boy back from the dead in Acts 20:9-12, or cast out a demon because he was getting annoyed in Acts 16:16-18, yet couldn’t heal these two brothers in Christ? Moreover, why couldn’t they or another believe within their own churches heal them? Add to this that mentions of supernatural gifts become less frequent as the New Testament writings get further from Pentecost, and we start to get a picture that this explosion of signs and wonders only seemed to occur for a brief period.
Which brings me to my third reason I don’t believe gifts are still active today. I will keep this brief, but I explain this in great length in another article discussing 1 Corinthians 13 and supernatural gifts (click here and go to the 2nd question). However, I will sum up why I believe the gift of tongues has been replaced by something better.
When we laid our groundwork, we saw that the purpose of tongues was to reach those who were lost. Christianity was incredibly small on the day of Pentecost, and God’s design seemed to be for the truth of Christ to spread rapidly from that central hub. In addition to sending out the apostles, visitors from foreign lands were also meant to take the gospel back to their people.
Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. (1 Corinthians 13:8-10)
Here, Paul is saying that tongues, prophecy, and special knowledge were partial things. They were meant to be placeholders until something more perfect would come and take their place. While this is a very debated interpretation, I believe that this “perfect” is the completion of the New Testament. Tongues, prophecy, and special knowledge were all means of giving truth and growing the body of Christ, whether through giving the gospel to the lost or bringing maturity to believers.
But these things were never meant to be permanent. Indeed, these things are altogether insufficient when compared to something greater that God had in mind. With the completion of the New Testament and speed of those who copied and distributed the writings of the apostles around the world, we see that, among other things, the need to rapidly reach those of different languages has ended.
Not only were believers spreading the truth of Jesus Christ in a language other than Greek, but the same writings that teach us today were spreading to these same people. A small group of people looking to their savior had expanded into tens of thousands of people, and with that came more formalized teaching and instruction using both the Old Testament as well as the writings of the apostles.
In short, the third reason I don’t believe tongues is active today is that the Bible, and the global spread of the gospel, completely accomplishes what the gift of tongues was only meant to accomplish for a brief time.
(Again, read my article if you want a more thorough breakdown of this)
What about “glossolalia,” or the tongues of angels?
If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. (1 Corinthians 13:1)
This is what most people think of when they hear “gift of tongues.” “Glossolalia” is the name given to the language of angels, and the modern belief is that a person speaking this angelic language is a sign of having the Holy Spirit’s anointing. For this discussion, whenever I say “speaking in tongues,” I’m specifically talking about this specific belief that “tongues” is not a known human language, but this angelic language.
First, I’ll include some videos for those who don’t know exactly what I’m talking about. I’ve tried to find videos that are fair to the belief, rather than trying to grab the worst examples imaginable. As you watch these, I’d encourage you to avoid mockery and instead try to see the results of a theological belief that continues to grow in popularity. Those who believe that this is the gift of tongues get their belief from the Bible, and it’s important that we understand these beliefs before we can have a meaningful discussion about them.
This one shows a woman speaking in the tongues with an interpreter following up a translation of what she said. Try to remember the purpose of tongues as we see in the Bible, then see if you notice anything amiss.
Setting aside the dangers of the prosperity gospel, compare this to what we know about tongues as established in the Bible.
So then tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophecy is for a sign, not to unbelievers but to those who believe. (1 Corinthians 14:22)
Did anything within that 6 minutes speak to unbelievers? Was there any mention of the depth of our sin, the holiness of God, or why Christ is the only way to Heaven? Would an enemy of God find anything either offensive or convicting about what was said?
This is a clip from the documentary “Jesus Camp.” Here, we see a large group of children being taught to speak in tongues. Again, look beyond what’s there and see what isn’t matching up with God’s word.
All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they? All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they? (1 Corinthians 12:29-30)
If anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn, and one must interpret; but if there is no interpreter, he must keep silent in the church; and let him speak to himself and to God. (1 Corinthians 14:27-28)
Everyone is being told to speak in tongues with no interpreter present.
And here’s 8 minutes of a service where the pastor is speaking in tongues while children and adults come up and start shaking as they’re anointed with the power of the Holy Spirit.
Not all churches are going to look like these examples, but there will ultimately be no instance of speaking in tongues like this that aligns with the Bible. The biblical foundation of tongues demands too many things that a modern understanding of tongues simply can’t accomplish.
First, speaking in tongues is meant for unbelievers. It’s a ministry tool to reach the lost, not something that causes fellow believers to cry out in worship. When a church service involves speaking in tongues and talking to fellow believers, that’s an instant red flag that it’s not from God.
Second, this gift is clearly meant to be a human language. If the purpose of it is to reach those we can’t otherwise communicate with, then it makes no sense that “tongues” would mean an angelic language (we’ll get to 1 Corinthians 13:1 in a moment).
Third, tongues aren’t meant for everyone. I realize some churches are much more formal, but as we’ve seen there are others who make tongues out to be something that everyone should expect to speak. Some even view speaking in tongues of a sign of salvation (as seen in Acts 2), and not speaking in them should make us doubt our standing before God.
Fourth, God expects order with the usage of spiritual gifts. Only 2 or 3 are meant to speak, and they should only speak if there’s an interpreter.
Of course, not all examples of speaking in tongues will be guilty of each of these. To my understanding, men like John Piper have a very ordered means of letting people exercise spiritual gifts in their service. However, like all spiritual gifts, they need to line up 100% with God’s word, not our own expectations or personal experiences.
But let’s pretend for a moment that speaking in tongues is this angelic language, then apply that to what we’ve learned.
- At Pentecost, people heard Christians speaking in their own native tongue. We don’t have any reason to believe glossolalia was present here.
- Tongues was one of the many signs used to authenticate the authority of an apostle. We need to understand how speaking a language literally no one has heard would make people listen to what they had to say. Remember, speaking it tongues showed that the apostles were clearly sent from God. Signs often left people with no other explanation than to say “God did this” Do the examples we’ve seen seem like they’d leave people struggling to explain these mysterious words? (Keep in mind that pagan religions also involved speaking things no one could understand, so someone showing up and appearing to speak incoherent words wouldn’t turn many heads back then.)
- Tongues are meant to reach the lost. What role does glossolalia play in reaching others for Christ?
Again, the modern notion of speaking in tongues, no matter how popular or real it may seem, simply doesn’t fit with what God has clearly given us in His word.
Which demands that we answer some important questions. After all, there are many men and women who love God and are convinced that His word supports this belief. So let’s take a look at the primary argument for glossolalia, found in the very familiar book of 1 Corinthians. Much of this discussion will build on Part 1 and 2, so be sure to read those if you haven’t,.
Understanding 1 Corinthians 13:1
If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. (1 Corinthians 13:1)
At first glance, this seems to confirm that it is possible to speak not only in the tongues of men, but also of angels. However, this is where it’s important to look at the context of what’s being said, because only using a single verse to prove a belief can get problematic if we don’t consider why those words are being said.
Remember, 1 Corinthians is primarily a letter of correction. The church was messing up big time, and God gave Paul a lot to say in how to correct it. Also remember that this verse comes immediately after Paul’s lengthy discussion on how Christians are meant to work together as the body of Christ, especially in how they use their spiritual gifts, rather than being divided and selfish.
First, let’s read everything Paul is saying:
If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:2-3)
Everything Paul is saying is driving toward one, specific point. And if we look closely, everything he’s saying is very extreme. How could Paul expect himself, or any believer, to know all mysteries and knowledge? History has no record of anyone having enough faith to remove mountains. And are we really called to give all our possession to the poor, or willingly surrender ourselves to be killed?
No, of course not. It’s irresponsible to read these verses and think Paul is laying out the norm for the Christian life here. He’s speaking in extremes to prove a point – even if our life was marked by such extremes and impossibilities, they would mean absolutely nothing if they weren’t motivated by a love for Christ and His people.
So if we don’t expect Christians to give away all their possessions or know all the mysteries of God, there’s no reason to put that same weight on him briefly mentioning the tongues of angels. The reason he even brings it up isn’t to say that the gift of tongues includes that, but that even if someone were capable of such a thing, that’s not what matters most.
Ultimately, this passage isn’t even teaching about speaking in tongues, but about our motivation for doing anything in the Christian life. If Christians should expect to speak in such a divine language, we need to God to very clearly, and explicitly, talk about it. And for some, that’s what 1 Corinthians 14:2 seems to do.
Understanding 1 Corinthians 14:2
For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries. (1 Corinthians 14:2)
Once again, a single verse seems to confirm that Christians should speak in a mysterious language. And once again, context easily explains this.
Before looking at the bigger context of this verse, let’s remember that Paul is correcting this particular church. He’s saying things to get them back on track in conducting their church meetings appropriately. So what he’s about to say isn’t telling them what to do, but instead rebuking what they’ve been doing. So let’s not only read the full context of what he’s saying in verse 2, but closely examine the entire chapter to get a clear understanding of why he says this in the first place.
Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries. But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation. One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but one who prophesies edifies the church. Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy; and greater is one who prophesies than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive edifying. (1 Corinthians 14:1-5)
In Part 2, we pieced together the problems in this church based on the things Paul was correcting. We’re going to do that again, looking at his rebuke against those using tongues incorrectly. It will be important to look at all of chapter 14, then we’ll come back and look at why Paul said that people with the gift of tongues “speak mysteries.”
In this passage, Paul continues to contrast tongues and prophecy. He’s very adamant that prophecy is better than tongues. Yet this seems odd, because in 1 Corinthians 12 he was also very clear that no part of the body is better than the other – everyone in the church exists for the building up of one another. It seems like Paul started off by condemning their divisions, then goes on to create divisions.
But if we read closely, we again see that Paul is making a point. His discussion of speaking mysteries is a direct followup to his reminder that they need to do things in love. In other words, Paul is essentially saying “Those who speak in tongues when no one can understand them aren’t being loving. They glorify themselves and build themselves up, which is the opposite purpose of spiritual gifts.”
But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what will I profit you unless I speak to you either by way of revelation or of knowledge or of prophecy or of teaching? (1 Corinthians 14:6)
Again, Paul is addressing a single, major issue in this church. People were more than willing to speak in tongues, yet it served no purpose to the body of believers. They were being selfish in their motivations.
Yet even lifeless things, either flute or harp, in producing a sound, if they do not produce a distinction in the tones, how will it be known what is played on the flute or on the harp? For if the bugle produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle? So also you, unless you utter by the tongue speech that is clear, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. (1 Corinthians 14:7-9)
Paul now compares those abusing their gift of tongues with an instrument making indistinguishable noise. Instruments only have value when people can understand what’s being played. Likewise, the gift of tongues only has value if those who hear it can understand what’s being said.
There are, perhaps, a great many kinds of languages in the world, and no kind is without meaning. If then I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be to the one who speaks a barbarian, and the one who speaks will be a barbarian to me. So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church. (1 Corinthians 14:10-12)
Again, Paul hammers on the idea that tongues without meaning is useless. He compares this to the barbarian tribes of the day – people who were almost impossible to communicate with if you didn’t share a language with them. These final words serve as a capstone to everything Paul has said up to this point – think about the needs and growth of those around you instead of focusing on your own, personal experience.
Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also. Otherwise if you bless in the spirit only, how will the one who fills the place of the ungifted say the “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying? For you are giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not edified.(1 Corinthians 14:13-17)
Here, Paul reveals something else about tongues. It’s important that the person speaking in tongues actually understands what they’re saying, rather than making noise without actively engaging their minds to glorify God. Simply making noise is of benefit to no one, and if the speaker can’t even understand what they’re saying, then literally no one benefits from what’s happening And once again, Paul ends this rebuke by reminding the church that the purpose of these gifts is to benefit others, not ourselves.
I thank God, I speak in tongues more than you all; however, in the church I desire to speak five words with my mind so that I may instruct others also, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue. (1 Corithians 14:18-19)
Paul’s focus was on the spread of the gospel and the continuing maturity of believers. For that purpose, he was thankful that God gave him the gift of tongues so he could preach to those who needed to hear the good news of Christ. Yet even Paul recognized that tongues did nothing to benefit his fellow believers, and thus he’d rather say 5 words that would build up others rather than 10,000 that only he understood.
Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature. In the Law it is written, “By men of strange tongues and by the lips of strangers I will speak to this people, and even so they will not listen to Me,” says the Lord. So then tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophecy is for a sign, not to unbelievers but to those who believe. Therefore if the whole church assembles together and all speak in tongues, and ungifted men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad? But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ungifted man enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all; the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will fall on his face and worship God, declaring that God is certainly among you. (1 Corinthians 14:20-25)
Again, we see that God calls for order within the church. He throws out any notion that it’s God’s will for a large gathering of people to speak in tongues. Paul isn’t saying that tongues is useless, but that its use is outside the church, reaching those who aren’t part of the body of Christ. Yet within the walls of the church, people should expect to be built up by the truth of God.
What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. If anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn, and one must interpret; but if there is no interpreter, he must keep silent in the church; and let him speak to himself and to God. Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment. But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, the first one must keep silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted; and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets; for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. (1 Corinthians 14:26-33)
Paul continues to correct the behavior of this particular church by reminding them of one basic idea: when we gather to worship God, it should accurately reflect who He is and what He desires. It’s not about how we feel, nor is it about what we think it should look like. God loves order, peace, and purpose within His people.
Therefore, any spiritual gift should not only be used to build up the body of Christ, but they should be used in a way that isn’t chaotic. It’s clear that Paul needs to say this because the church was guilty of exactly that – using tongues in a way that was based on emotion and chaos, rather than order and a focus on building up others more than the individual who could speak in tongues.
The women are to keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also says. If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is improper for a woman to speak in church. Was it from you that the word of God first went forth? Or has it come to you only?
If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord’s commandment. But if anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized.
Therefore, my brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak in tongues. But all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner. (1 Corinthians 14:34-40)
[Bonus teaching: If you’ve ever wondered about Paul’s command about women keeping silent in the church, you now have a thorough understanding of the context surrounding it. Use this knowledge to study it out further!]
This rounds out Paul’s encouragement and rebuke of how the church in Corinth was mis-using their spiritual gifts. This entire discussion began back in chapter 12, and these final words on the matter serve as a nice capstone that summarizes everything.
The first thing we should notice is Paul’s clear reminder of the authority of these words. He is clearly telling believers that the things he’s saying aren’t from him, but from God. Thus, because we want to honor and glorify God above all else, nothing else matters except our obedience to God’s will. Worse, Paul even says that those who would reject what’s clearly taught are outside of God’s will.
Then Paul concludes this with a clear summary of everything he’s said: everything in the church, but specifically the use of spiritual gifts, must be done properly and orderly.
The last part of this chapter is clear on what an orderly use of gifts looks like. Only a few should use their gifts, they should only be used in the proper circumstances, and they should always be used to edify, or build up, the body of Christ. Paul didn’t want them to stop using the gift of tongues, but they absolutely had to stop using it selfishly and against the will of God.
Proper use of these gifts ties into the orderliness. If we’re using them properly they will also be orderly, and vice versa. The bigger picture of proper use comes down to what we read in chapter 13 – all spiritual gifts should be used in the context of love for Christ and His people. They aren’t to be used to prove our holiness, show off for others, or stir our emotions through some kind of experience. Spiritual gifts are an extension of our greatest desire in life – bringing ultimate glory to Jesus Christ.
Back to 1 Corinthians 14:2
We went through an entire chapter just to explain a single verse. As you read the breakdown of these verses, you may have even thought “Okay, I get it. Tongues need to be understood; they are meant to give the gospel to the lost; God wants us to use them properly. This is getting redundant!”
That’s the point. That feeling of repetition throughout chapter 14 is exactly how we know what 1 Corinthians 14:2 is talking about. Paul hammers on a single point over and over because this church didn’t get it, and he wanted there to be no doubt about how spiritual gifts, but especially tongues, are meant to be used. He does all of this because this church was clearly not using tongues correctly.
For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries. (1 Corinthians 14:2)
When Paul says that a person speaking in tongues “speaks mysteries,” is that evidence for some kind of angelic language? Is Paul making a point here that those who speak in tongues should expect not to be understood? Is he teaching that a true gift of tongues will include glossolalia?
No, of course not. The whole reason we dug into 1 Corithians 14 was to see the context for verse 2. This discussion of “speaking mysteries” is a single brush stroke in an entire picture that Paul is painting. Everything he says, from verse 1 to verse 40, is driving at one specific point: Use gifts for their intended purpose.
The fact that Paul doesn’t spend an entire chapter talking about the gift of teaching or mercy shows us that Paul had to talk about tongues because this church wasn’t using that gift for God’s glory. Remember, 1 Corinthians is largely a rebuke as Paul calls them to honor Christ with their lives, and it’s clear that chapter 14 is no different.
So in verse 2, when he talks about those with tongues speaking a mystery to God, Paul is laying out a rebuke. Paul isn’t telling them what to do, but pointing out the error in what they were already doing. Here, Paul is essentially saying “Those who stand up and speak in tongues with no translator are serving no good. They aren’t building up the body, but are instead puffing up themselves. What they’re saying is a mystery to everyone, and thus a blessing to no one. Now let me explain to you what speaking in tongues should look like…”
1 Corinthians 14:2 isn’t a model of what we should strive for. It’s what we should avoid. This entire chapter shows us what it looks like to use the gift of tongues without trying to glorify God. It’s a condemnation of using tongues in a way that is selfish, fruitless, and ultimately pointless if it’s not furthering the gospel of Jesus Christ to those who need it.
Glossolalia is outside the will of God
There is much about glossolalia that should concern us. As we become students of the word, holding all traditions and beliefs against the Bible above all else, we start to see this popular belief start to break down. There has been a lot said in this series, so let’s summarize what we’ve seen in God’s word that should cause us to reject the idea of tongues being an angelic language, regardless of what our emotions, teachers, or experience may otherwise tell us.
- Tongues are always meant to be a human language, which is clear based on their overall purpose
- Tongues are meant to give the gospel to the lost
- Paul uses “the tongues… of angels” as an extreme example to highlight a point he’s making; when we look at the entire context of the verse, there’s no reason to believe he’s teaching that we even can speak in tongues that way
- An unbeliever hearing someone speak in tongues should be driven to Christ because something impossible is happening (a Christian speaking a foreign language they don’t know or understand) , not further away from the church because Christians seem like they’ve lost their minds
- The support for tongues in 1 Corinthians 14:2 is almost ironic because that verse is a rebuke of people using tongues that others can’t understand, not an endorsement of it
- Tongues must always be understood by the listeners – if no one translates, someone with this gift should remain silent
- If someone uses this gift in church, alongside a translator, only 2 or 3 should use it, and they should take turns doing so
- If no translator is available, the person should just pray because all they’d be doing is saying something between them and God, which is something they can do silently since it doesn’t build anyone else up
- Using the gift of tongues should be done to love and serve Christ and His people
Obviously I would also make a point that the gift of tongues isn’t active today because its entire purpose has ceased with the completion of the Bible. However, that point doesn’t even matter in the end. Even if I’m wrong in how I understand the gift being active today, glossolalia still fails to meet every basic requirement laid out in the Bible. Even 2,000 years ago, there’s no reason to believe that those with the gift of tongues ever spoke in anything other than a human language.
If Paul were writing to the church today, he could practically copy-paste his rebuke of the Corinthian church in how they were misusing, even abusing, the gift of tongues. No matter how real it seems, nor how some individual verses appear to support it, a thorough study of the context of 1 Corinthians 12-14 makes it difficult to conclude anything else: glossolalia is not in line with God’s will and purpose for the gift of tongues.
There’s no “one size fits all” when it comes to how individual churches misunderstand this gift. Some are more in line with parts of the Bible than others.
- Not every church expects everyone to speak in tongues (1 Corinthians 12:30)
- They don’t all have large numbers of people speaking at once (1 Corinthians 14:27)
- They don’t all have tongues without a translator (1 Corinthians 14:28)
However, I do believe there’s one way that the entire teaching of glossolalia falls outside the will of God in every way.
If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. (1 Corinthians 13:1)
We’ve spent a lot of time looking what what it means to use tongues out of love for Christ and His people. I have no doubt that some who believe the idea of glossolalia love Christ. However, the use of this supposed angelic language isn’t done out of love for His people, because using the gift of tongues in love will end with a believer giving the gospel to the lost in a language they don’t know, but the listener does. We know this is true because this is God’s design for the gift.
To stand up in the middle of a group of believers and speak in a way that no one understands sounds impressive, even spiritual, but it’s bringing glory to a single person because it’s an emotional experience for them more than anyone else.
If someone sets out to translate glossolalia, what’s said isn’t in line with what we’d expect to hear based on the gift’s purpose (the gospel for the lost, not a message for the church), thus it’s far more likely that the translator is saying things based on their inner feelings or emotion, rather than being able to clearly understand what’s being said.
An entire group of people speaking in tongues isn’t driving people to love the truth of God, but instead to fall into the trap of thinking that their feelings and individual experiences are a gauge for how close they are to God.
I hesitate to paint in broad strokes, but it’s difficult to see any circumstance in which glossolalia could ever be in line with what God has clearly revealed. There’s no doubt that it’s a very emotional experience for those who participate, and there are those whose entire relationship with God is based on experiences like this. But we are called to love God with our heart and mind, not our emotions and experience (and loving God with our heart is not our emotions; read this article to learn more about what it does mean).
Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. (Acts 17:11)
We’ve looked at the support for glossolalia in Acts 2 and 1 Corinthians 12-14. By looking at the entire context of what’s being said, we must conclude that these passages offer no true support for the idea of speaking in the tongues of angels; in fact, they seem to completely contradict the beliefs that have grown from them.
If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord’s commandment. But if anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized. (1 Corinthians 14:37-38)
In the end, if we’ve been responsible in how we interpret God’s perfect word, then we are left with no choice but to conclude that glossolalia has nothing to do with the gift of tongues. However, we need to conclude that with great love and consideration for our brothers and sisters. There are many who are true followers of Christ, yet believe this is an accurate representation of God’s will.
Glossolalia feels real to many people. They’ve found themselves saying things they felt they had no control over. Perhaps they’ve even been driven to tears from hearing themselves or others being so close to God that they could speak such a divine language. To some, the very evidence of their salvation is almost inseparable from such experiences.
The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick; who can understand it? (Jeremiah 17:9)
I have no doubt that glossolalia feels real to many people. It may even seem impossible for an individual to explain it apart from the Holy Spirit clearly making it happen. However, how we feel is a terrible way to determine truth. It’s our heart that led us to become enemies of God. It’s our heart that still causes us to pursue sin, placing even more of our crimes on the cross. Our hearts deceive us regularly, and it’s God’s word that tells us when those hearts are in line with His will, and especially when they aren’t.
When a spiritual experience seems to contradict God’s word, we have an opportunity to determine what has the highest authority in our lives. Will we compromise God’s word to match what we feel is true, or will we allow God’s word to make us re-examine something that seems real, but stands in opposition to the Bible?
Explaining why such an experience seemed real is far beyond the scope of this already-lengthy article. If someone reads this series, the most obvious question is “Then how do I explain what I’ve seen or personally experienced?” The simple answer to any question like that is that if it’s not from God, it’s from us. However, such an answer needs to be explored with great love and gentleness, because such a conclusion can feel like it destroys years of our walk with Christ.
Whether you’re dealing with someone who believes glossolalia is true, or you believe it yourself, all we can do is keep relying on God’s word for truth. No matter how real something may seem, no matter how true we want something to be, we must submit ourselves to the authority of Christ.
Is glossolalia real? Based on a careful examination of the truth God has given us, no.
Are tongues still active today? Because their original, temporary purpose seems to be replaced by the Bible, probably not. However, there are men and women out there who love and pursue Christ far more than I do who have come to conclusions on both sides of the argument.
Yet regardless of what we believe about their activity today, we must always expect a modern usage of tongues to be in perfect agreement with God’s word. If someone has the gift of tongues, God expects them to use it to go to people in desperate need of the gospel and use this spiritual gift to speak to them in their own language. God expects them to love Christ and others by being good stewards of this gift, rather than using it to feed their own pride or emotion.
When it comes to understanding truth, whether it’s tongues or anything else, we always desire to make God’s word our highest authority. Regardless of what we were taught, what we’ve experienced, or how we feel, we give God the final word on what’s true. And if God’s final word doesn’t agree with what we want to believe, then we need to change, not God.
