Subject: is tounges a sign of holyghost |
Bible Note: Mike Your right! And I usually avoid such decisions but I got involved in this because someone asked if it was true you had to speak in tongues to be saved. I responded that was a false teaching. And from there I have been getting drawn in. Let me make one thing very clear, going to a church and witnessing the whole church speak in tongues does not validate the speaking in tongues. What validates it is the New Testament and in particular the Book of Acts where we see it actually occurring. The question then becomes did has it ceased and what is occurring now is nothing more than a emotional display by deceived people or is the practice in fact genuine and still used to draw people to salvation? As I stated experience is not proof as we can be deceived. So we have to look elsewhere for proof. First we see in 1 Cor 13:8-10 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. The implication here is when the perfect comes tongues will cease. Now what is the perfect? We have no real idea. Some say it was the closing of the cannon others say it Jesus’ second coming, others have other opinions. Since we can’t prove if tongues have ceased or not let us see their usage. 1 Cor 14:22 (NASB) 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. Here we see it as a sign to unbelievers. Now how is that manifested again let us go to Acts 2:6 (NASB) And when this sound occurred, the crowd came together, and were bewildered because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own language. So we see tongues were used to convey the truth of God to people in their own language and to give glory to God. Now if we see that occurring today what can we say? It is a genuine manifestation of God or that it is a counterfeit from the adversary. Let’s see what Jesus said when they accused Him of being of Satan. Matt 12:25-26 (NASB) And knowing their thoughts Jesus said to them, "Any kingdom divided against itself is laid waste; and any city or house divided against itself will not stand. 26 "If Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself; how then will his kingdom stand? Okay if it is of Satan it will be used to drive people away from God but if it is of God it will be used to draw people to God. Okay! What are the effects of tongues on the lives of people? Well we have written verifiable testimonies of people that spoke only one language listening to a speaker speaking only in yet another language yet they heard them preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified in their language and that message of salvation made them repent and accept Jesus as Lord of their lives and Savior of their souls. So I think we can say in some cases it causes people to come to God through the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Therefore we see tongues being used exactly as seen in Acts, to accomplish exactly what Paul in Corinthians said it would accomplish, yet there are those that say not so it is a work of Satan. Yet they ignore what Jesus told us, Satan will not use anything that draws people to God or else his house would be divided and would surely fall. Therefore we are left with a decision. Either tongue are for today or the perfect has come and tongues have ceased. When we view the evidence I think the answer is obvious or at least it is to me. EdB |