TRUE TONGUES

 THE LINE DRAWN

by Miles J. Stanford Chapter 4 TRUE TONGUES

"And [they] began to speak with other tongues [languages]" (Acts 2:4). It is extremely important to draw the scriptural line very carefully at this point. The tongues spoken at Pentecost were: (a) known languages; (b) spoken to God, not man; (c) a sign to the Jews.

TONGUES WERE KNOWN LANGUAGES -- "The multitude came together, and were confounded, because every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marveled, asking one to another, ‘Behold, are not all these who speak Galilaeans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?’" (Acts 2:6-8). Here was God's miraculous sign, given through the unlearned disciples in the dialect of each of the sixteen countries and provinces represented at Jerusalem

A concise definition of New Testament tongues would be: the miraculous ability to speak in an unlearned language. Notice the two elements: (a) the word tongues means actual known languages; (b) these languages were unknown to the speakers.

TONGUES WERE SPOKEN TO GOD -- The Jews from other countries said, "We do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God" (Acts 2:11). The disciples, having been baptized into the Lord Jesus and filled with the Spirit, were praising and thanking God for all that He was to them and had done for them in Christ. In their own dialects, the multitude heard of the wonderful works of God.

The drawn line must ever be maintained. Tongues were spoken to God, though a sign to unbelieving men. "For he that speaketh in an unknown [foreign] tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God" (I Corinthians 14:2). The fact of the foreign tongues was the sign, not what was expressed by that means. What was said was not a message to men, but to God--praise and thanksgiving. Paul said that the content of speaking in a foreign tongue was the giving of thanks (I Corinthians 14:16, 17).

TONGUES WERE A SIGN TO THE JEWS -- When the Holy Spirit came from the glorified Lord Jesus and filled the disciples on the day of Pentecost, a multitude of devout Jews gathered about them (Acts 2:5). Although Israel stubbornly rejected the Lord Jesus as their Messiah, God in mercy--with judgment pending--gave them a tangible sign, as prophesied in Isaiah 28:11, "For with...another tongue will he speak to this people."

In reference to this same prophecy Paul wrote, "In the law it is written, With men of other languages and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord. Wherefore, tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not" (I Corinthians 14:21 22). This is a significant statement, as it is the only mention in Scripture of the purpose of the gift of tongues.

As a nation, the Jews believed not at Pentecost, although many individuals responded to the sign. With patience and love God gave His people every opportunity to turn to their Messiah. "For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; for with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people" (Isaiah 28:10, 11).

THE TRUE BAPTISM EFFECTS POSITIONAL ONENESS -- In His mercy God extended the sign beyond Jerusalem for a time after Pentecost to include the Samaritans, the Gentiles, and some disciples of John the Baptist, thus gathering representatives of all to be baptized into the Body of Christ. "And ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:8).

As has been cited, our Lord's prayer for the baptism by the Spirit on behalf of the disciples was answered at Pentecost. Another prayer for His own has also been answered. "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also who shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee...and I in them" (John 17:20, 21, 26).

At Pentecost the Father sent the Holy Spirit to baptize, to unite the Jewish believers to the risen Lord Jesus, as well as to each other as members of the one Body. Then He did the same for the half-Jewish, half-Gentile Samaritans; then also for the Gentiles in Cornelius' house; and later for the group of disciples of John the Baptist. Throughout this dispensation of grace each believer is vitally and eternally incorporated into the Lord Jesus and His Body. "For by one Spirit were we all baptized into one body." "There is one body...one baptism." "now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular" (I Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 4:4, 5; I Corinthians 12:12).

Praise God, we are "all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28). This positional oneness was accomplished by the Holy Spirit when He baptized us into the Lord Jesus upon believing. As to the aspect of our condition, or walk, there is all too little oneness amongst believers in general. Practical unity can only be realized as we are controlled by the Spirit who makes real our oneness in Christ, the Head of the Body. THE TRUE BAPTISM EFFECTS UNITY OF THE FAITH -- It is God's purpose that each of His children progress in spiritual maturity. Only thus will the Holy Spirit have adequate instruments for the building up of the Body of Christ. "And he gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting [maturing] of the saints, unto the work of ministering, unto the building up of the body of Christ: till we all attain unto the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a full-grown man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ" (Ephesians 4:11-13, ASV).

THE CHARISMATIC BAPTISM EFFECTS DIVISION -- To err concerning the baptism sets one on the path of deprecated doctrine and glorified experience, at the expense of responsible spiritual growth. "That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, by which they lie in wait to deceive; but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, who is the head, even Christ" (Ephesians 4:14, 15).

When fellowship is based upon experience it can include anyone--Buddhists, Hindus, Spiritists, New Age, as well as Roman Catholics who testify that their baptism in the Holy Ghost has caused then to more fully love and appreciate their Church, its Mass, and the Mother Mary. Such oneness may be ecumenical, but it is not pneumatological (of the Holy Spirit). "I am profaned among them" (Ezekiel 22:26).

THE LINE -- Never cross the scriptural line. Charismatic fellowship is centered in an experience of error, not in the risen Lord Jesus Christ. Such fellowship excludes all who refuse that experience--it is divisive. "Is Christ divided?" (I Corinthians 1:13). Speaking in Tongues and Interpretation Example

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phvpFNUx5Hg http://www.baptistbiblebelievers.com/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=0pegcKvqvd4%3D&tabid=364&mid=1181