UNDERSTANDING TONGUES

There is a difference between the gift of tongues and speaking in tongues. As we discussed in the previous lesson, the gift of tongues is a gift that is for public ministry.
It is a Word or exhortation or encouragement that a person gives in another tongue. This then has to be interpreted either by the person who gave it or by another person.

1 Corinthians 14
6 But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching? 7 Even things without life, whether flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played?8 For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle?9 So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. 10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without significance. 11 Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me. 12 Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel. 13 Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret.

The key thing to understand about this is that it is a message, not a prayer. Therefore it has got to be interpreted to the congregation so that the message from God is understood by everyone present.

This means that by its nature, this is not a gift that everybody operates in. obviously you can’t have a service where everyone is speaking with tongues and no one is interpreting what is being said. There will be chaos. It is just a few people who operate in this in a public meeting. This is what Paul addresses in 1Corinthians12:30

“Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?”

Unfortunately this has been taken out of context and taught to say that there are only a few people who speak in tongues and who pray in tongues. This isn’t true.
What is true is that not everyone gets a message in tongues for the congregation and hence not everyone will get up and speak a tongue but only a few.

However, there are several other scriptures that teach that everyone can and should speak in tongues. It is part of what we receive when we receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised us that it would be available to everyone who believes;

Mark 16
17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues;
Jesus promised that everyone who believes in Jesus would be able to speak with new tongues. Just like every believer is able to cast out devils, preach the gospel etc.
Indeed we see in the book of Acts that whenever new believers were baptized with the Holy Spirit they spoke in tongues and prophesied. Beginning with the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit first came;

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.
When the disciples first received the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost they all spoke in tongues. It wasn’t just a few. Everyone spoke.

Act 8
17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. 18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money

When Peter and John laid their hands on these believers, they received the Holy Spirit. Now verse 18 is interesting because it says that Simon saw that the Holy Spirit was given to these believers by the laying on of hands. The question we need to ask is how did Simon see this? Did he see the Holy Spirit coming upon them? Did he see a dove? Did he see a cloven tongue of fire? No. he saw each of these believers speaking in tongues and prophesying. And this was not unique. It was the common manifestation of the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Act 10
44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. 45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God.

Here is yet another example. Peter was preaching in Cornelius’ house and as he spoke and his hearers believed on Jesus, the Holy Spirit came upon them and baptized them. But again the question we need to ask is how did Peter and those that were with Him recognize that these people had received the Holy Spirit?
Verse 46 tells us that they ‘heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God.’
Again the evidence was that they spoke in other tongues.

Act 19
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied

This is yet another example of this. When Paul laid his hands on these disciples they were all baptized in the Holy Spirit and the evidence was that they spoke in tongues and prophesied.

This is something we see repeatedly. Surely it was not a coincidence or a onetime event. It was something that happened to everyone who received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. They all spoke in tongues.


This is available even today. Jesus said that whoever believed in Him would speak with new tongues. These new tongues are available to all of us. All that is required of us is to believe in Jesus and to be baptized with the Holy Spirit.

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