The tongue, physically speaking, is the instrument of speech. With it we form our words and convey our thoughts to others. Its use has extensive implications.
A Christian’s speech is characterized by love, truth, kindness, and tenderness. Without that evidence in one’s life, any claim to being filled with or led by the Holy Spirit is meaningless. “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt” (Colossians 4:6). See also Ephesians 4:15, 25, and 32. Speech and the proper use of the tongue is a very important way of projecting the image of Christ. It portrays what is in our hearts and whom we serve.
A wonderful event happened on the day of Pentecost. After the ascension of Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost, or Holy Spirit, was poured out upon the believers. Through the medium of the Holy Spirit Christians receive power to live faithful and virtuous lives.
The Miracle of the Tongues at Pentecost
The outpouring of the Holy Spirit was accompanied by a miraculous manifestation of tongues: “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (Acts 2:1-4).
As this became known throughout Jerusalem, people began to gather where the disciples of Jesus were. They were filled with amazement, “because that every man heard them speak in his own language” (v 6). We read, “And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God” (Acts 2:7-11).
What a wonderful miracle that was! It was an act of God to assist the introduction of the gospel age. The preaching of the gospel found entrance or initiation in an overwhelming manner. As Peter began to preach to the people, he referred them to the prophecy of Joel: “But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy... And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy” (Acts 2:16-18; see Joel 2:28-29).
The prophesying of which Peter spoke has to do with the telling forth of the divine counsels of God, the inspired declaring of his truths. This is the work that was so wondrously effected in the Day of Pentecost and which was clarified by the gift of tongues that was manifested. A marvelous work was accomplished in that day. Three thousand souls were converted and baptized.
The account goes on to tell us that they all continued in “the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). It does not appear that these hearers also spoke in tongues. It is easy to see a practical purpose and effect in the conferring of languages at this crucial time. Everyone could understand the message that was preached.
The Importance of Prophecy (exposition)
Paul writes about tongues in 1 Corinthians 14. This passage of Scripture is a continuation from Chapter 13, the great charity chapter. It begins with an admonition to follow after charity. It continues with an admonition to prophesy. Just as 1 Corinthians 12 ends with an admonition to covet earnestly the best gifts, so 1 Corinthians 14 continues with that theme. This chapter is primarily a teaching on the importance of clear, understandable, edifying instruction. It specifically stresses that this is more important than speaking in tongues.
The importance of prophesying is a recurring thought of the chapter. Paul wrote, “Desire... rather that ye may prophesy” (v. 1). “But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort” (v. 3). “I would ... rather that ye prophesied” (v. 5). “So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken?” (v. 9). “Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church” (v. 12). “Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue” (v. 19). “For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted” (v. 31).
The foregoing expressions are quite understandable. For a message to have results it needs to be understood, even as Paul said in verses 24-25: “But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: and thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.”
Tongues as Languages
The miracle as explained in Acts 2 is plain. It is expedient that our understanding of this gift be in accordance with what we observe of the happenings in that chapter, which had to do with understandable languages.
It appears that a deviation from the intended use of this gift had taken place in the Corinthian church which occasioned the teaching we find in 1 Corinthians chapters 12 and 14. These references can be reconciled to the manifestation described in Acts 2, which is the miraculous ability to speak understandable languages the believers had not known before.
Speaking to God
There is a thought expressed by the apostle in 1 Corinthians 14 about speaking to God: “For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries” (v. 2). “He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself” (v. 4). We know that in a Christian’s mind and heart there are feelings and thoughts that we cannot fully explain or for which we do not have adequate words. The apostle Paul said in another place regarding prayer, “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God” (Romans. 8:26-27). This does not indicate a manifestation of unintelligible expression.
Significant Points
We believe that speaking in tongues is a gift imparted by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:4, 8-10, 28-30).
While the gift of tongues in New Testament times was a gift of the Spirit, it is not a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). The fruit of the Spirit must be evident in the lives of all believers. The gift of tongues was imparted to some, but not to all believers. It did not serve as proof of salvation, nor was it required as evidence of the Holy Spirit’s presence in a believer. The gift of tongues was given to meet special needs in the early church:
(a) An aid to the propagation of the gospel to people of many languages, as on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-11).
(b) A sign and evidence that the gentiles were included in the plan of salvation and were to be accepted in the church of God (Acts 10:44-47, 11:15-18).
(c) A means by which the Holy Spirit gave direction in the particular needs and stresses of the early church, before the New Testament was available and before a clear body of doctrine had become established (1 Corinthians 14:26-28).
As the church grew, the needs that occasioned the gift of tongues diminished, and speaking in tongues became much less evident.
The apostolic writings do not encourage speaking in tongues as an essential part of Christian life. Some consider this to be a required sign of the Spirit’s presence in the believer and place great emphasis on it while overlooking other fundamental doctrines of the Word. Many so-called experiences of speaking in tongues attract attention to oneself and do not glorify the Heavenly Father. This does not agree with the manifestation at Pentecost.
The Use of the Tongue
The Scriptures have much to say about the use of the tongue and the place of speech in life. Many of these teachings relate to our daily speech and are applicable to everyone. The Scriptures describe the conversation expected of a child of God. The tongue needs to be under the control of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus said, “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned” (Matthew 12:36-37).
James, “a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,” wrote clearly on the subject. He wrote, “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain” (James 1:26). Further teachings are found in James 3:2-10.
The Speech of a Christian Led by the Holy Spirit
Jesus said concerning those who would believe on Him, “They shall speak with new tongues” (Mark 16:17). Though Jesus was thinking of the miraculous gifts that would be imparted to believers after Pentecost, his words do carry a deep spiritual meaning. The born-again child of God, led by the Holy Spirit, truly has a different speech from what he had before, different from that of the world about him. Let us look at some of the things that the Scriptures teach about our speech:
The apostle Paul wrote, “But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery... Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth” (1 Corinthians 2:7-13). There is much that the Holy Ghost, through the Scriptures, teaches on the subject.
To the Colossians Paul wrote, “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt” (Colossians 4:6). To Titus he recommended “sound speech, that cannot be condemned” (Titus 2:8). To the Philippians he wrote, “Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ” (Philippians 1:27).
Peter wrote, “Be ye holy in all manner of conversation” (1 Peter 1:15) and “What manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness” (2 Peter 3:11). Though the word conversation, as used in the King James Version, indicates conduct, the teaching fully applies to oral conversation.
The apostle Peter teaches us to lay aside “all evil speakings” (1 Peter 2:1) as does the apostle Paul (Ephesians 4:31).
The Tongue as an Instrument of the Holy Spirit
The apostle Peter wrote, “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God” (1 Peter 4:11). Every Christian should desire to be a medium of communication, a mouthpiece for God. The Holy Spirit desires to use the children of God for that purpose. Jesus said, “Ye shall be witnesses unto me” (Acts 1:8).
The Christian’s desire is that the communication that proceeds out of his mouth should be “that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers” (Ephesians 4:29). This is applicable to all Christians.
Praise to God and prayer are proper uses of the tongue. Thankfulness needs to be expressed before God and man. To the Ephesians Paul wrote, “Be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always” (Ephesians 5:18-20).
Two admonitions given in the apostle Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 14 are also significant: “For God is not the author of confusion” (v. 33), and “Let all things be done decently and in order” (v. 40). Frenzied and uncontrolled speech and action would not correspond to this. Proper and respectful behavior is characteristic of the people of God. The apostle wrote in another place, “Let your moderation be known unto all men” (Philippians 4:5).