Part 1. understanding the Tongues issue. The true and the false.
Right from the start, lets clarify there are two types of tongues.
- The bible tongues as described in the scripture.
- The “Pentecostal” tongues movement type. Which is an unbiblical muttering, they call “tongues”.
Since many people are unaware of the two types, they are naturally confused when they try to mix the two together.
The Pentecostal doctrine of tongues, and those who embrace it, will assure you their type is straight from the bible. But scripture, personal experience, and common sense will tell you, the “unknown” tongues, “heavenly language” tongue, And the “babbling” of tongues” is a complete misunderstanding and false application of the truth, as we shall soon see.
1. The bible tongues as described in the scripture.
Acts chapter 2:1-12
Act 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
Act 2:2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
Act 2:3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
Act 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Act 2:5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
Act 2:6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
Act 2:7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
Act 2:8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
Act 2:9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
Act 2:10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
Act 2:11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
Act 2:12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?
So, why did they speak in tongues? THEY DIDN’T! they spoke in their natural language! BUT, every man heard what was being spoken, and they all heard it in their own language! There never was some kind of babbling, or rolling around on the floor, or anybody there needing to interpret anything!
Simply put: there was NO heavenly language. No babbling, no unknown tongue, and no interpretations.
There was no “unknown tongue.” Everything they said was clearly understood, everyone who heard them, clearly understood what they said. there was no babbling, no interpretations, no physical acrobatics.
The disciple and apostles did NOT speak in some unknown language!
Act 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with OTHER tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
The word OTHER, means a dialect that was not their normal. But it was spoken by those who were preaching, and everyone there heard it plainly and clearly, in their own language.
It did NOT say “unknown” tongue. It reads “other” tongues.
If it had been some kind of “mouth full of marbles muttering”. The scripture would have said “unknown” tongue.
“Unknown” because nobody there would have known what was said!
So why does the bible say: ” began to speak with OTHER tongues”
Here again, reality and common sense support the scripture.
Ask the Parthians: did the apostles speak your language, and you understood him? He would say yes!
Ask the Meads: did the apostles speak your language, and you understood him? He would say yes!
Ask the Elamites: did the apostles speak your language, and you understood him? He would say yes!
Ask the: the dwellers in Mesopotamia: did the apostles speak your language, and you understood him? He would say yes!
Now continue this questioning to everyone there, and they would all say YES!
You will understand why the writer said’ “they began to speak with OTHER tongues”
Notice this verse:
Act 2:8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
They didn’t need any interpitations! They clearly heard and understood what was said!
You don’t need an “interpreter” when both parties are speaking the same language!
You don’t need to be rolling on the floor, or jumping up and down, or any other of the Pentecostal exercises to speak in tongues, or to get the gift of tongues. The disciple didn’t do any of that, because they didn’t need to do anything!
They spoke in their own language, and God did the translating! THAT’S THE BIBLE TONGUES!
Here is one example of the true Bible tongues, in this modern day.
Sheilia Cheesman was a missionary to the Navajo Indian, outside of Farmington, New Mexico.
She carried on this missionary work for several years. We first met her and her husband, when they came through Aberdeen WA. While they were there, she told us how she came to understand the miracle of Pentecost. Not long after they had started their missionary work there, She had gotten word the old chief of that tribe was in his hogan dying from some unknow cause.
(Hogan: a dwelling made out of mud and sticks.) she went to see what was the matter with him. She found him very sick, and near death. The medicine man had given up on him, and left him to die. Cheesman got the prescriptions he needed and went every day to make sure he was taking them. She also brought food to strengthen him. This she did for several days. Every visit was filled with a lot of questions about “”white mans God.” The old chieftain made a complete recovery, thanks to the missionary’s efforts. His heart was very much touched by their kindness and genuine love. It was during one of those visits the chieftain got saved. A few weeks after his recovery, the chieftain paid them a visit. Only to discover, Cheeseman did not know one word of Navajo, and the chieftain knew nothing of English!
They both spoke very fluently at the time. but it was quite the surprise to both of them afterwards!
Then she understood the miracle of Tongues!
Here is Another misunderstanding that is caused by twisting scripture.
1Co 14:27 If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.
1Co 14:28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.
Here again we must look to the realities found on the mission fields, to get an insight into this verse.
When a preacher or evangelist visits a mission field, it very normal for them to not be able to speak the language of that region or people (unknown). their preaching is NOT in some unknown tongue. Its their normal speech. The speaker must keep his statements short enough for the translator to repeat them. Then the speaker will continue with another short statement. This cycle is repeated for the entire service. That is why Paul wrote “If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret”
I can’t imagine an evangelist preaching to a crowd who cannot understand him, and having no one who could translate for him!
I really don’t believe anyone must acting like a circus show to speak, Then try to convince you it was from god?
Remember: always compare scripture with scripture, never take the scripture out of context.
A good example of this is:
1Co 14:33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
Jas 3:16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.
How outlandish can it get, before common sense kicks in and says: the false tongues doctrine is not in line with the scriptures!
We have looked at the bible tongues and a few of the misunderstanding that often go with it. Let’s move forward and look at part 2.
Part 2. The “Pentecostal” tongues movement type. Which is a false unbiblical muttering, they call “tongues.”
Question; Where did this unknow language nonsense come from?
Answer: From the pagan worship of the idol called Venus: The goddess of lust.
“The city of Corinth was the most corrupt and licentious city in all Greece. It’s temple of Venus had a thousand prostitutes called pythons or serpents, who engaged in licentious relations with male worshippers as they worshipped the devil. These prostitutes claimed to “speak in tongues” by inspiration of the gods of lust.
A Greek poet said: these pythons (harlots), gave themselves over to their gods, that they were possessed with a power that they could not resist. They laboured under the afflatus of their gods. Wild, unearthly sounds often broke from their lips.
The Corinthian converts had only recently emerged from this gross paganism, and part of them held to these Gods while they tied to worship the true God. This was likely the reason for their confusion on the tongues issue. Modern tongues people, in their wrangling, often accuse each other of being inspired of the devil to speak in tongues. “
Taken from “ The Bible on the tongues doctrine” by Arthur L. Vess.
It is no wonder the apostle Paul dealt with the so called “tongues” issue so strongly!
It is sad to see how this false and wild teaching on tongues, has survived today, and is still being used to undermine the faith of those who are searching for God, but are unknowing of what the bible truly says, or the hidden deceits of the Pentecostal movement.
Now, here comes the tongue people, saying this python’s unknown tongue, is a heavenly language. Then they try to prove their error by saying they needed an interpreter who says, “those grunts and peeps and howls are from heaven, and I am here to tell you what I think it means!” ( it means: this is the dumbest thing I have had to write so far!)
And again, here they fail to notice the word “unknown” is in italics. Italics means it was not in the original text, but the translators added it for clarification. Cross referencing scripture, and using common sense goes a long way!
Don’t twist the scripture to make it say something it is not saying!
I close with this true story of a man who didn’t read his bible, but trusted in what the preacher and the people were saying.
I was in the navy, on a destroyer, having bible studies, praying with them, encouraging them. I was not the ships chaplain, because we didn’t have a chaplain. But the love of Christ compelled me to reach out. I was considered the un-official chaplain. They called me “Father Bryan.” There was a certain man who hated churches and religion. And He hated Father Bryan! I saw him hanging around in the background. Always watching from a distance and listening to what was said. I wondered why he did not respond. He just stayed on the outside.
Then one day, he approached me and ask if I could talk with him a few minutes. He told me His story.
He was attending a church in San Diego, California, where all the members sold everything they had, and gave the money to the Church. They took busses to get them all to a hill top, where they were told Jesus was coming back.
Jesus did not come and get them, but the law did! Child Protection Service said they were destitute, homeless, and negligent to their children. CPS took every child there. And arrested several of the leading adults. When they looked for the preacher, he was long gone. And the church account was empty.
This man was there and went through that experience. He said lost his home and everything he had, to the church! Child protective services took kids, his wife left him, he lost his job. He lost everything!
I saw the bitterness of his words and the hurt that was in them. I knew he had also lost his soul! He was as bitter as bitter could be, against anything that had to do with God! He had no use for religion of any type. He hated churches and Christians!
It took a lot of God’s grace for him to approach me, or even talk to me. but he did! It also took a lot of Gods mercy and patience, for him to heal and recover. But the great day came, when the nudging on his heart was satisfied, when he asked Christ to come into his heart! The hardest thing for him to accept was “the whole thing was his fault!” If he had read the word of God for himself, he would have seen right through that scam! But he blamed God for what he himself had done. He neglected the word of God and listened to others.
The day came when he accepted it, and quit blaming God. Started reading the bible for himself. He found Gods peace, and started his life all over again. This time, READING his bible!
People today are getting caught in the traps and nets of the false churches of this day. Just like the Man who lost everything, because he didn’t read the bible for himself, and trusted in others!
False doctrines FEED on the ignorance of unsuspecting people.
Who is to blame? THEMSELVES!
- They neglected the word of God, and have no real hope in eternity.
- They neglected the word of God, and trusted in what others said about it.
- They neglected the word of God, and trusted in themselves and their own idea’s.
- They neglected the word of God, and destroyed themselves and all who follow them.
- They neglected the word of God, and fought the devils warfare for him.
- They neglected the word of God, because they were willingly ignorant.
- They neglected the word of God, because they thought they didn’t have time to read it.
- They neglected the word of God, because they convinced themselves they couldn’t understand it.
They all will perish on that great day of reckoning. When God will judge everyone ACCORDING TO HIS WORD!
Leave a Reply