Speaking in tongues is a controversial spiritual gift in Christianity. Those who believe it is evidence of having the Holy Spirit point to passages in Acts and 1 Corinthians. Critics argue it was only meant for the early church. What does the Bible say about tongues and the Holy Spirit?
Description of tongues in the Bible
The first reference to speaking in tongues is in Acts 2:1-13. On the day of Pentecost, the disciples were gathered together when the Holy Spirit filled them and enabled them to speak in other languages. Verse 4 states, “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.” The word “tongues” here comes from the Greek word “glossa” which means languages. This phenomenon allowed the disciples to share the gospel with the multi-ethnic crowd gathered in Jerusalem for the festival. The listeners were amazed because each one heard the disciples speaking in their own native language. Some, however, accused the disciples of being drunk.
The apostle Paul addresses the issue of speaking in tongues in 1 Corinthians 14. He distinguishes between speaking in tongues (glossolalia) and prophesying. Prophesying involves speaking words of edification, exhortation, and comfort in the church’s common language which everyone understands (1 Cor. 14:3-4). Tongues, on the other hand, consist of praying and singing with the spirit in languages unknown to the speaker (1 Cor. 14:14-15). Paul encourages prophecy over uninterpreted tongues so that the church may be built up. He lays out guidelines for orderly use of spiritual gifts including having only 2-3 speak in tongues, each in turn, with someone interpreting (1 Cor. 14:27).
Is speaking in tongues evidence of the Holy Spirit?
Those who believe tongues are evidence of the Holy Spirit make several arguments:
- In Acts, tongues accompanied the baptism with the Holy Spirit for new groups – Jews, Samaritans, and Gentiles.
- 1 Cor. 12 lists tongues as a gift of the Spirit for the common good of the church.
- Paul thanks God he speaks in tongues more than the Corinthians (1 Cor. 14:18).
- He encourages them to earnestly desire spiritual gifts, especially prophesying (1 Cor. 14:1, 39).
In response, cessationists argue that tongues were only meant for the early church:
- Tongues were “a sign for unbelievers” (1 Cor. 14:22) to authenticate the message as churches spread.
- As the New Testament was completed, the need for miraculous gifts faded.
- No gift is identified as evidence of the Spirit in passages like Romans 8, Galatians 5, and 1 John.
So what is the biblical perspective? There are a few key points to consider:
- Every Christian receives the Holy Spirit at conversion as a seal guaranteeing their inheritance (Eph. 1:13-14).
- Baptism with/filling of the Spirit empowers some for ministry. This may be accompanied by tongues (Acts 2, 10, 19) but not always (Acts 4:31, 8:17).
- Not all will speak in tongues (1 Cor. 12:30), but tongues can edify the church when interpreted (1 Cor. 14:5).
- Love trumps gifts (1 Cor. 13), so prideful pursuit of tongues is wrong. But Paul encourages their orderly use.
- Cessationists and continualists both go beyond Scripture. Tongues continue today but are not normative for all Christians.
In conclusion, the Bible does not present speaking in tongues as necessary evidence of the Holy Spirit. While tongues may accompany Spirit baptism, not all believers will or must speak in tongues. At the same time, Scripture does not rule out prayer languages today. As long as tongues are used orderly, they can still edify believers and point to God’s mighty works as they did in the early church. The Spirit sovereignly distributes gifts, so we cannot demand or prohibit tongues. Above all, it is love, not any particular gift, that marks true disciples of Christ.
Tongues in Acts
The book of Acts records several incidents involving speaking in tongues:
Pentecost (Acts 2:1-13)
On the day of Pentecost, Jesus’ disciples were gathered together when the Holy Spirit was poured out on them. Verse 4 states, “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.” The word “tongues” comes from the Greek glossa meaning languages. The disciples supernaturally spoke the wonderful works of God (vs. 11) to the multi-ethnic crowd in their own diverse native languages.
Cornelius’s Household (Acts 10:44-48)
While Peter was preaching the gospel to Cornelius (a Gentile) and his household, the Holy Spirit fell on them and they began speaking in tongues and extolling God. This convinced the Jewish believers that the Gentiles had received the Holy Spirit and should be baptized.
Disciples of John at Ephesus (Acts 19:1-7)
Paul encountered some disciples of John the Baptist at Ephesus who had not received the Holy Spirit. After Paul baptized them in Jesus’ name, the Holy Spirit came on them and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. This demonstrated the Spirit’s empowering presence.
In each case, tongues accompanied the baptism with the Holy Spirit, either as a sign to onlookers or as the initial evidence to the disciples themselves. This pattern at key transitional moments in the early church suggests tongues may have had a special purpose as an authentication of the Spirit’s work in new people groups. However, Acts does not present tongues as the only or perpetual evidence of Spirit baptism.
Before the Sanhedrin (Acts 4:8-31)
When Peter and John were arrested, they were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke boldly before the Jewish leaders (vs. 8). After being threatened and released, they prayed for continued boldness and affirmed their experience: “And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness” (vs. 31). Here being filled with the Spirit resulted in bold preaching, not speaking in tongues.
Samaritans’ Conversion (Acts 8:4-25)
Philip preached Christ to the Samaritans with signs, and many believed and were baptized. Later, Peter and John came down and prayed for them to receive the Holy Spirit “for he had not yet fallen on any of them” (vs. 16). Afterward they laid hands on them and they received the Spirit without any mention of tongues. The purpose was empowerment for ministry, not a dramatic sign as in Acts 2 and 10.
In summary, Luke records diverse examples without indicating all Spirit baptisms must be accompanied by tongues. The gift seems especially linked to first-time reception by particular people groups, whether as a sign to onlookers or to the recipients themselves. Nevertheless, believers filled with the Spirit did not always speak in tongues.
Paul’s Teaching on Tongues
Paul addresses the issue of speaking in tongues in 1 Corinthians 14. He seems to distinguish between two different types or functions:
Prayer Tongues
Paul describes his own practice of speaking in tongues for personal edification in verse 14: “For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful.” And in verse 15: “What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.” Here tongues refer to devotional prayer and singing in the Spirit that builds up the individual.
Congregational Tongues
This form of tongues involves messages given audibly in the church requiring interpretation to be understood by others (vs. 27-28). Without interpretation, the speaker “speaks not to men but to God” (vs. 2) and only edifies himself (vs. 4). If interpreted, such tongues can potentially bless the church like prophecy (vs. 5). But prophecy is preferred because it inherently communicates and exhorts in clear language all can understand (vs. 1-5).
Paul seems to distinguish these two functions while acknowledging both have value for prayer and edification. However, he clearly favors prophecy over uninterpreted public messages in tongues because the church cannot be edified by what it cannot understand.
Guidelines for Orderly Worship
In chapter 14 Paul lays out guidelines for orderly worship including the following:
- Prophecy is preferred over uninterpreted tongues (vs. 1-5)
- Do not forbid speaking in tongues (vs. 39)
- All things should be done for building up (vs. 26)
- Only 2-3 should speak in tongues (vs. 27)
- Each in turn (vs. 27)
- Someone must interpret (vs. 27-28)
- If no interpreter, speak only to yourself and God (vs. 28)
- Prophets can control themselves (vs. 32)
- God is not a God of confusion (vs. 33)
- Women should remain silent (vs. 34)
- Acknowledge that Paul’s instructions are the Lord’s commands (vs. 37)
- Do not forbid tongues, but be orderly (vs. 39-40)
Paul therefore allows tongues and interpretation in the assembly but insists on orderliness – including limiting numbers, requiring interpretation, and giving preference to prophecy. The overarching concern is edification, which results from intelligible speech, not confusion.
Spiritual Gifts in 1 Corinthians 12
Paul addresses spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12-14. He lists tongues among the gifts of the Spirit in chapter 12:
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit… To one is given through the Spirit…various kinds of tongues (1 Cor. 12:4, 8-10).
He portrays gifts as sovereignly distributed by the Spirit to each believer for the common good (vs. 7, 11). He downplays ranking gifts (vs. 21-25) while highlighting their interdependence using a body analogy (vs. 12-20). He concludes: “earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way” (1 Cor. 12:31). The “more excellent way” is the way of love described in chapter 13.
Key points regarding tongues from chapter 12:
- Speaking in tongues is identified as a gift of the Holy Spirit
- Not everyone receives the same gifts (vs. 29-30)
- No gift is more important than others (vs. 21-25)
- Gifts should be used out of love for serving each other (ch. 13)
While tongues are a spiritual gift, then, Paul neither expects nor requires all believers to speak in tongues. The gifts are apportioned “to each one individually as he wills” (vs. 11). Since the Spirit sovereignly decides, tongues cannot be demanded as proof of His indwelling.
Other Key Passages
1 Corinthians 14:18-19
I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue (1 Cor. 14:18-19).
Paul indicates he spoke in tongues a lot. But in church, intelligibility and edification were more important than personal use of tongues. This passage acknowledges tongues have devotional value for individuals while maintaining prophecy better builds up the church.
1 Corinthians 14:21-25
In the Law it is written, “By people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.” Thus tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers… (1 Cor. 14:21-22a).
Paul quotes Isaiah 28:11-12 that unintelligible speech was a sign of judgment for unbelieving Israel. He argues tongues function as a sign for unbelievers, while prophecy serves as a sign for believers. This likely points back to occasions like Pentecost where tongues authenticated the gospel to unbelievers.
Romans 8:9
You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
Paul indicates all believers have the indwelling Spirit of God. He does not mention tongues or any other gift as validating proof. Scripture never presents certain gifts as necessary signs of the Spirit’s abiding presence.
Ephesians 1:13-14
In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.
The Spirit’s sealing and guarantee of future inheritance for all believers occurs at the point of faith in Christ, not subsequent Spirit baptism. No gift like tongues is required as evidence of the Spirit’s abiding presence in God’s children.
Evaluating the Biblical Evidence
Pulling this biblical evidence together, we can make the following conclusions about the relationship between speaking in tongues and the Holy Spirit:
- All Christians receive the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit at conversion/regeneration as a downpayment guaranteeing their future inheritance (Eph. 1:13-14; Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 12:13).
- Some believers experience subsequent fillings of the Holy Spirit empowering them for ministry/service (Acts 2, 4:8, 31; 9:17). This may be accompanied by tongues (Acts 2, 10, 19) but not always (Acts 4:31, 8:17; 9:17).
- Speaking in tongues is a spiritual gift distributed severally by the Spirit along with other gifts (1 Cor. 12). Not all believers have this gift (1 Cor. 12:30).
- Tongues are valuable for devotional prayer and, when interpreted, can edify the church (1 Cor. 14). But prophecy is preferred for corporate edification.
- Nowhere does Scripture present tongues as required evidence of the Spirit’s presence. The Spirit sovereignly apportions gifts as He wills (1 Cor. 12:11).
- Love, not gifts, is the excellent way and distinguishing mark of believers (1 Cor. 12:31, ch. 13). Spiritual pride regarding gifts is wrong.
In conclusion, speaking in tongues is not required as proof of having the Holy Spirit. While tongues may accompany Spirit baptism, tongues are not normative for all Christians. The Spirit distributes gifts, including tongues, according to His sovereign will, not human demands. Nevertheless, tongues can still function today as a gift to edify the church when used properly.
