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| PentecostalTheology.com
A brief look at the controversial gift of speaking in tongues as the Spirit gives utterance, by Pastor John Lathrop.
The twentieth century has witnessed the rapid growth of two remarkable religious movements, the Pentecostal Movement and the Charismatic Movement. The Pentecostal Movement, which appeared first, attracted widespread attention in the early 1900’s. This was due largely to the revival services that took place at the Azusa Street Mission in Los Angeles beginning in 1906.[1] A little more than fifty years later the Charismatic Movement burst on the scene claiming the same spiritual manifestations that had previously appeared in the Pentecostal Movement. The charismatic renewal, sometimes called neo-pentecostalism, began to make its way into the mainline Protestant churches in the late 1950’s and by 1967 had infiltrated the Roman Catholic Church as well.[2] The impact of these movements has been profound. The sheer number of people involved indicates that. In 1995 the number of adherents to the Pentecostal Movement was said to be 410 million.[3] These movements have touched the world. While there are differences between the two movements, the one thing that they hold in common is the claim to fresh outpourings of the Holy Spirit, complete with healings and the other gifts of the Spirit, including the gift of tongues.
The gift of tongues, referred to by the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians chapters 12-14, is perhaps the most controversial of the gifts of the Spirit. The reported reappearance of this gift in the Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements has produced responses ranging from joy to horror. The purpose of this paper is to consider the controversy regarding this gift, examine the contribution that the gift can make to the church and to contend for the restoration of this gift to its rightful place in the life of the church.
The gift of tongues is perhaps the most controversial of the gifts of the Spirit.
In dealing with this subject I will focus primarily on Paul’s teaching concerning the gift in his first epistle to the Corinthians. Although speaking in tongues is mentioned in the book of Acts, I will not include it in this paper because it seems to be somewhat different from the gift described by Paul in 1 Corinthians. In Acts more that one person can speak at a time and no interpretation appears to be required.[4] I will restrict my treatment of the subject to the gift proper, which is for congregational use and requires interpretation.
The major controversy regarding the gift of tongues concerns it’s existence. The Christian Church today is divided on the issue of whether this gift exists in our day or not. Christians who believe that the gift of tongues still exists are called charismatics or Pentecostals. Christians who do not believe that the gift exists today are called cessationists.
Regardless of one’s theological or denominational persuasion one thing that must be admitted about the gift is that it did exist in the first century church. The apostle Paul makes repeated reference to it in 1 Corinthians chapters 12 and 14. No other New Testament epistle makes any direct reference to this gift. However, this is not to suggest that the gift was something unique to the church at Corinth. The cessationist, Benjamin B. Warfield believed that the gift existed in the apostolic church and that it was not limited to Corinth.[5] In fact he goes so far as to say that an apostolic church without the gifts would be an exception.[6] The gifts, including tongues, were a regular part of church life in the first century.
Anonymous
The purpose of tongues was completed in the first century and tongues ceased.
Anonymous
Duane L Burgess how are they millions speaking in tongues after that?
Anonymous
Controversial??? It wasn’t controversial in the early church. Did God change his mind??
Anonymous
The only controversy comes from those who are either uninformed, misinformed, or deliberately refuse to understand the purpose for tongues in Scripture and argue that tongues continued after the first century.
Tongues were a sign to unbelieving Israel, warning of pending judgment, which fell in AD70. The purpose of tongues was completed and tongues ceased.
That is the Word of God.
Anonymous
Duane L Burgess what you said is once again quite wrong actually and even Link Hudson shall disagree here. There is No scripture in the Bible that says tongues were to cease in the first century, furthermore it directly contradicts Jesus teaching about the Holy Spirit. John 14:15-31 Luke 3:16 Acts 1:3-5 That is that Jesus would baptize his followers in the Holy Spirit. Not just a couple of apostles, not just a first generation of believers. The Gifts of the Holy Spirit are for the church age. While there is a church on earth, the gifts of the Holy Spirit will be here. They will cease when the elements dissolve with fire. 2 Peter 3:10. Cessationism is a false doctrine by people who are stuck between believing in Jesus and the book of Acts. If you say you have the Holy Spirit then walk in obedience to Jesus and get baptised in the Holy Spirit the evidence for which is speaking in tongues as the Holy Spirit gives utterance or speaks through you. Otherwise you walk in disobedience on that issue.
Anonymous
Montanus of Phrygia stands as a leader in the support of tongues. Eusebius, a fourth century Church historian writes that the followers of Montanus would be “carried away in spirit, and wrought up into a certain kind of frenzy and irregular ecstasy, raving, and speaking, and uttering strange things.”(2)
Because of his teachings, and the practices of his followers, they were forced to withdraw from the accepted church of the early second century and were ultimately labeled as heresy.
Irenaeus, a disciple of Polycarp who was in turn a pupil of the Apostle John, wrote in his book “Against Heresies”
“In like manner do we also hear many brethren in the Church who possess prophetic gifts, and who through the Spirit speak all kinds of language and bring to light for the general benefit the hidden things of men and declare the mysteries of God, whom also the apostles term spiritual “(3)
Tertullian, who lived about the same time as Irenaeus in 160-220 A.D, writes a passage in his book “Against Marcion” which challenges Marcion to produce anything among his followers such as was common among Tertullian’s.
“Let him exhibit prophets such as have spoken, not by human sense but with the Spirit of God, such as have predicted things to come, and have made manifest the secrets of the heart; let him produce a psalm, a vision a prayer, only let it be by the Spirit in an ecstasy, that is, in a rapture, whenever an interpretation of tongues has occurred to him “(4)
A few years later in the third century, a certain Pachomius was able to “after seasons of special prayer, spoke the Greek and Latin languages, which he had never learned, under the power of the Spirit.”(5)
Saint Augustine, who lived in the fourth century (354-430) also wrote: “We still do what the apostles did when they laid hands on the Samaritans and called down the Holy Spirit on them by the laying on of hands. It is expected that converts should speak with new tongues
Anonymous
CAN ONE LOSE THEIR SALVATION.??
13 Bible Verses about Guarding Yourself..
1 Peter 5:8
Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
1 John 5:21
Little children, guard yourselves from idols.
Proverbs 4:23
Watch over your heart with all diligence,
For from it flow the springs of life.
1 Timothy 4:16
Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.
Psalm 39:1
For the choir director, for Jeduthun. A Psalm of David.
I said, “I will guard my ways
That I may not sin with my tongue;
I will guard my mouth as with a muzzle
While the wicked are in my presence.”
2 John 1:8
Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward.
Ephesians 6:11
Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.
1 Corinthians 16:13
Be on the alert, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.
2 Timothy 4:15
Be on guard against him yourself, for he vigorously opposed our teaching.
Deuteronomy 4:9
“Only give heed to yourself and keep your soul diligently, so that you do not forget the things which your eyes have seen and they do not depart from your heart all the days of your life; but make them known to your sons and your grandsons.
Ecclesiastes 5:1
Guard your steps as you go to the house of God and draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools; for they do not know they are doing evil.
1 Timothy 6:20
O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to you, avoiding worldly and empty chatter and the opposing arguments of what is falsely called “knowledge”—
James 4:7
Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.