What Is the Gift of Tongues? | Ep. 101 

Thank you for your ministry. As a young girl growing up in a Pentecostal church, I sincerely desired to be saved and be accepted into the family of God. I repented and believed Christ for remission of my sins, yet was told until I spoke in tongues I was not truly saved. This false view is not just unbiblical, but dangerous. Praise God for a true church and pastor where I learned the truth about Jesus and salvation.

Virgil hit the nail on the head with his statement, “any doctrine that tosses you to & fro”… that’s exactly the way I see ‘these’ doctrines… confusing, so many misunderstandings, poor & inconsistent hermeneutics. Thanks for your commitment to rightly dividing the Word of Truth!

Thank you, Soli Deo Gloria

Even Piper himself acknowledged in one Ask Pastor John on tongues that 1. People in his church were preoccupied with tongues to the extent that tongues were mentioned at the pulpit; 2. Piper doesn't speak in tongues though he really wants that gift. And here's the scoop: he acknowledges that he has made himself speak in tongues and realised it wasn't from God but from himself!!! The same thing happened to me as a young Christian. And that's exactly what all these charismatics are doing, only they don't have Piper's honesty/self awareness. Simply listening to the gibberish in those churches show it cannot be a tongue: they just repeat the same syllables over and over! As for speaking the tongues of angels, it's so obvious that Paul is using hyperbole. But people are so naive and credulous. They do not test or examine anything. So long as it's spectacular, it goes.

Thanks for the great podcast.

“Now, Israel, listen to the statutes and the judgments which I am teaching you to perform, so that you will live and go in and take possession of the land which the Lord, the God of your fathers, is giving you. You shall not add to the word which I am commanding you, nor take away from it, so that you may keep the commandments of the Lord your God which I am commanding you." - From Deuteronomy 4

Because the Holy Spirit is not a Cessationist, He will continue to baptize People in the Holy Spirit and People will speak in tongues as the Holy Spirit gives them utterance just as in the beginning. Nothing can stop this.

"The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires, take the water of life without cost. I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his part from the tree of life and from the holy city, which are written in this book. He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus." - From Revelation 22.

Thank you

Regrettably I will not be able to come to USA, but look forward to the sessions being available on RU-vid. I was charismatic and 'spoke in tongues' until I came to understand the truth - no regrets at holding firmly now to cessationism!. BTW Josh, enjoying your New Calvinism book with Washer et al!

check the Greek for "cease" in 1Cor 13:8, and compare to the gift of knowledge and the gift of prophecy in that passage. Tongues ceases on its own accord, while the gifts of knowledge and prophecy are "done away" by something ("the Perfect"). Since we believe that the revelatory gifts have ceased, then the gifts of prophecy and the gifts of knowledge have ceased... thus, the Perfect must be the completed canon of the word of God.

It seems everyone who ever "spoke" in tongues eventually admits they were faking it or just following the crowd. The sad part is that all this tongues nonsense of today hurts our witness to a watching world.

It's interesting how they all sound similar although it's gibberish.

Zechariah 10:3-4 (NASB95) 3 “My anger is kindled against the shepherds, And I will punish the male goats; For the LORD of hosts has visited His flock, the house of Judah, And will make them like His majestic horse in battle. 4 “From them will come the cornerstone, From them the tent peg, From them the bow of battle, From them every ruler, all of them together.

Amen and amen. Paul was obviously using hyperbole in 1 Corinthians 13:1 “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels,…” Keep in mind that every time angels did speak to man in the Bible, the angels spoke in the language of the men and women they spoke to - mainly Hebrew.

In Germany there is the "Wuppertaler Study Bible" which claims that speaking in tongues was gibberish BUT there was a hearing miracle so that people could hear their own languages ​​through this miracle. and that's why they say that this miracle still exists today. Unfortunately, my almost 80-year-old father also believes that speaking in tongues for self-edification still exists today🙈

But.... tHe KjV cOrReCtS tHe GrEeK... Great conversation, gentlemen! Thanks for the insight!

And just to complete my point...if according to the definition of tongues according to the book of Acts is the speaker talking in a dialect that they have not learnt and the hearer able to understand...and the same definition carries through to 1st Corinthians, then why does Paul speak about "an interpreter" and "praying for interpretation". Who did the interpretation at Pentecost?

Who did the disciples of John speak to in tongues in Acts 19? I dare anyone of you three answer that one.

The word "unknown" is never placed before "tongues" in the KJV. NEVER!! Only is it placed before "tongue" Macarthur explains why in his note on 1 Corinthians 14:2.

I want a link to that video they shared at 21:00!

Pentecost had nothing to do with the tower of Babel.

The only problem with the idea of tongues for teaching people in another language/spreading the gospel, is that Paul is clear that in the church he would rather speak words with his understanding than 10,000 words in tongues. Paul also said that when he prays in tongues (by the Spirit) his mind is unfruitful. By this we know that the speaker does not know what they are saying when they are speaking in tongues, which is why Paul says to pray for an interpretation. I am not arguing in favor of ecstatic/angel tongues....but we cannot limit tongues to the purpose of teaching and preaching. It was not to be used that way nor could Paul understand what he was saying when he spoke in tongues anyway Paul teaching that tongues is not for teaching in the church unless it is interpreted: 1 cor 14:12So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church.13Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. 14For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also. 16Otherwise if you bless in the spirit only, how will the one who fills the place of the ungifted say the “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying? 17For you are giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not edified. 18I thank God, I speak in tongues more than you all; 19however, in the church I desire to speak five words with my mind so that I may instruct others also, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue.

1 Corinthians 14 unknown tongue is NOT the same as Pentecost. See Macarthur's comment on 1COR.14:2 in his study Bible.

Acts 2:17-19 (NASB95) 17 ‘AND IT SHALL BE IN THE LAST DAYS,’ God says, ‘THAT I WILL POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT ON ALL MANKIND; AND YOUR SONS AND YOUR DAUGHTERS SHALL PROPHESY, AND YOUR YOUNG MEN SHALL SEE VISIONS, AND YOUR OLD MEN SHALL DREAM DREAMS; 18 EVEN ON MY BONDSLAVES, BOTH MEN AND WOMEN, I WILL IN THOSE DAYS POUR FORTH OF MY SPIRIT And they shall prophesy. 19 ‘AND I WILL GRANT WONDERS IN THE SKY ABOVE AND SIGNS ON THE EARTH BELOW, BLOOD, AND FIRE, AND VAPOR OF SMOKE.

I have a genuine question. Could God still use the gift of tongues for someone to share the gospel message with someone of a different language (while you yourself are speaking in your native language) but they hear the gospel message in their native language? My concern with it ceasing is that it leave room for people to not share the gospel with everyone, regardless of what language barriers may lie in their paths. I have never, nor do I pray to speak in tongues, but I do pray the Lord sends someone, anyone my way who needs to hear the gospel and I know and trust if they don’t speak my language, if they are to receive the message he will be my divine interpreter for their eyes to open! This is a genuine question, if this is sinful and not biblical help me to understand why. I do not listen to anyone from the charismatic movement because of the egregious lack of discipline among themselves. I praise the Lord for your ministry and for the faithful work you’re doing in the name of the Lord to keep His gospel message going to the ends of the world!!

I'm sorry, where around 15:28 was the scripture referenced to support his claim?

Has anyone read Dr Waldron’s book To Be Continued? I would like to see the cascade arguments interacted with among you guys .

You say there are only three Bible statements in the NT about speaking in tongues. The apostle Paul thanked God he was praying in tongues more than anyone. Is that different from speaking in tongues? I don´t think so. However there is always a purpose for speaking in tongues in public and that requires interpretation. When there is somebony who knows the language there is even greater testimony to all of the gift of speaking in tongues. as the message is revealed intellectually from a supernaturally achieved source. In my opinions you are teaching a false message about the speaking in tongues and the cessation of this gift.

Sam Storms says we are sinning if we don't earnestly desire spiritual gifts, such as tongues. Yet Storms and other charismatic apologists are reluctant to admit that speaking in gibberish, which is what nearly all, if not all, charismatic tongues today is, and attributing that to the Holy Spirit, is blasphemy. God's holiness thus takes a back seat to religious enthusiasm.

There is absolutely nothing mysterious about Biblical "tongues" - and there is only *one* type - when referring to something spoken, they are nothing more than real, rational language(s); usually, but not always, unknown to those listening to them, but always known by the speaker(s) - it’s their native language (in some cases, it is a language the speaker has learned). _Nowhere_ in the Bible is modern tongues-speech advocated or evidenced. ‘Tongues’ (read, *‘languages’* ) - the divine gift, is the God given ability to effortlessly learn to speak and be understood through real-language barriers. It is not xenoglossy, nor is it the self-created non-cognitive non-language utterance of modern tongues-speech.

I have watched a few of your videos over the past couple of weeks...and I kept listening because you were sound in your doctrine until now. This was painful to watch...2 wrongs don't make a right. Just because we have people misuse the gifts of the Spirit, it doesn't mean that we have to discredit the gift by "butchering" the scripture.

There are no commands for how to speak in tongues...NONE! SHOW ONE!

so bizarre

This is who i want defining the gift... people who blatantly rebel against the command to "not forbid speaking in tongues." 🙄

“Unlearned and uneducated” is what the Pharisees said about Jesus’ disciples. You ladies need to find a mirror.

Benny Hinn. Saying he has a different Gospel, is problematic. (And no I do not believe he is a brother) but if you listen to his gospel presentation, all of the details are their, even repentance / Lord / Saviour, it seems complete. The problem with His Gospel is that is is always on the platform of heightened emotions. Under Benny, you can hardly have clear thinking about sin, and what Christ did for you. You can hardly understand what you are doing when you confess Christ as Saviour because your not sober minded under benny's presentations... its all emotional.

The Cessationist movement can be summed up thusly: This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 2 Tim 3:1-5 These men have a "form of godliness", but we are told to turn away from them.