There is, unfortunately, a rather common misconception among professing Christians, of a supposed spiritual gift called “the gift of tongues” in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. When the truth of the Word of God is presented unto such people, many of them will shut their ears, cast the truth behind their backs, and judge themselves unworthy of everlasting life. Even as the Lord Jesus testified of the stiffnecked Jews in the days of his flesh saying that:
"...This people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them."
— (Matthew 13:15).
The supposed “gift of tongues” only serves one purpose; and that is to cause confusion. Wherefore it is written in the scriptures:
"If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God..."
— (1 Peter 4:11).
And again:
"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding."
— (Proverbs 3:5).
Jesus Christ said:
"...If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."
— (John 8:31-32).
It is also written:
"To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them."
— (Isaiah 8:20).
Having said this, the scriptures testify that:
"...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. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilæans? 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 Judæa, 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 2:1-11).
This is what the Word of God says; that they began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. When this was noised abroad, the Jews who were out of many nations under heaven, heard these tongues and they understood them.
This is that which will happen when men and women receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. They will:
"...Speak with tongues, and magnify God..."
— (Acts 10:46).
And this is a sign which will follow those that believe! For it is written that Jesus Christ said:
"...These signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues..."
— (Mark 16:17).
And Peter said that the promise is:
"...Unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call."
— (Acts 2:39).
Friends, this is the gift of the Holy Ghost. Christ in you, the hope of glory. All christians have this gift. It is written:
"...Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his."
— (Romans 8:9).
Now, concerning spiritual gifts:
"...There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: but all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will."
— (1 Corinthians 12:4-11).
We can see from the scripture that one of these spiritual gifts is a gift called divers kinds of tongues. It is followed with another spiritual gift called interpretation of tongues. Wherefore, there is no spiritual gift which causes Christians to speak with tongues called "the gift of tongues". But, there is a gift called divers kinds of tongues which causes some Christians to speak with diversities of tongues. Which means many different kinds of tongues, not just one. Though every Christian has the gift of the Holy Ghost (for if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his), not every Christian has the gift of divers kinds of tongues; or the gift of interpretation of tongues. This is why it is written in the scripture that God:
"...Hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?"
— (1 Corinthians 12:28-30).
But alas, some people subconsciously remove the words “divers kinds” which changes the definition of the entire gift; this is a dangerous thing indeed. We should be very careful with how we speak the Word of God. For it is written:
"Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you."
— (Deuteronomy 4:2).
Furthermore, the same spiritual gifts are not given to everyone in the church. Because:
"...As the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: and those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: that there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it."
— (1 Corinthians 12:12-26).
When a man speaks with tongues, whether by the gift of the Holy Ghost or by the gift of diversities of tongues, he will not understand what he is uttering… Read more here:
There is, unfortunately, a rather common misconception among professing Christians, of a supposed spiritual gift called “the gift of tongues” in the church of the Lord Jesus Christ. When the truth of the Word of God is presented unto such people, many of them will shut their ears, cast the truth...
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