Let me start this article by saying that I in no way, shape, or form deny the reality of tongues as an unintelligible language. If you're reading this article with that understanding, then let me be 100% clear that is NOT my position. My position on tongues as an unintelligible language is that it should be spoken in private between you and God and never in public; that is my position. Now, regarding tongues, the man I spoke with made the odd comparison between shouting at a sporting event and tongues, but I made it clear that one is a cathartic release of emotion, the other is explicitly meant to be a praise or a conversation, ergo the comparison is tenuous at best and absurd at worst, nevertheless I was dismissed as thinking with knowledge rather than the spirit...I'll accept that. Then I was ushered over to the big guns, the pastor's son who I had an in-depth conversation, and this was the most illuminating.
He told me that tongues were the evidence that someone was saved, and if they never spoke in tongues, then they were not saved...I failed to point out that Jesus never once spoke in tongues...and while that would've been a smoking gun to leave egg on his face, I declined to go for low-hanging fruit. One of the main questions I ask those who have claimed to speak in tongues is whether or not they know what they're saying...and more often than not, the answer is "No," and I find this disturbing to say the least. There is only 1 Biblical account of someone falling into a trance and saying something they're unaware of with no intention to do so...and the context of such an episode is not good news for those who speak in tongues without knowing what they're saying, and that is 1 Samuel 19:20-24;
20 so he sent men to capture him. But when they saw a group of prophets prophesying, with Samuel standing there as their leader, the Spirit of God came on Saul’s men, and they also prophesied. 21 Saul was told about it, and he sent more men, and they prophesied too. Saul sent men a third time, and they also prophesied. 22 Finally, he himself left for Ramah and went to the great cistern at Seku. And he asked, “Where are Samuel and David?” “Over in Naioth at Ramah,” they said.
23 So Saul went to Naioth at Ramah. But the Spirit of God came even on him, and he walked along prophesying until he came to Naioth. 24 He stripped off his garments, and he too prophesied in Samuel’s presence. He lay naked all that day and all that night. This is why people say, “Is Saul also among the prophets?”
The context here is that Saul sent men to kill David, and after that attempt was thwarted, Saul himself decided to go, and then what happens? The spirit of God comes upon him, and suddenly Saul is stopped in his tracks and begins to prophesy and strip before Samuel. Understand, Saul had no intention to do this and was unaware of what he was doing, as his goal was to kill David. Therefore, one could argue that Saul was literally "slain" by the spirit as he was humiliated rather than edified. Saul, by being in that trance-like state, was prevented from killing David. So when someone speaks in tongues and is unaware of what they're saying, I can't help but make this comparison. Furthermore, as a general argument, what would be the purpose of saying words that you could not understand? Sure, God understands what you're saying (if anything at all), but why does that need to be a secret kept even from you? Furthermore, more than enough instances of people faking tongues in their churches and getting away with it for me to question whether or not these churches even understand tongues at all, or are just whipped up into a frenzy about speaking in tongues.
Now to elaborate on this video, it shouldn't matter whether to not the Youth Pastor knew about the game "Knights Of The Old Republic", what matters is whether or not he could distinguish fake tongues from real tongues and he could not...which leads me to believe the Youth Pastor never had the gift to begin with and what he was encountering was something not from God, and this isn't anything I say lightly. Why do I say this? Because the author of this video was not exposed to the power of God, and therefore his faith (had he any at all) was not edified, rather it was destroyed, and the Youth Pastor looks like a charlatan, and GOD IS NOT GLORIFIED! This is one video, but there are countless stories just like this one where God is not glorified by people using mass hysteria to get people to speak in tongues, and all it takes is one person to expose the lie.
God is going to be glorified in His works through other people; there is no escaping that reality, so when God is not glorified, it is safe to assume that such a thing is not from God. In the case of Ananais and Sapphira in Acts 5, it's clear that Peter, through the Holy Spirit, knew that Ananais and Sapphira were lying; ergo, the spirit of God will not be deceived, and God will not accept liars. God is glorified. I'm making several loose comparisons, but the connective thread is that God is not the author of confusion and tongues (when unintelligible speech generates a lot of confusion). Now, in the discussion with the Pastor's son, I was told that tongues was the evidence that the person has the Holy Spirit, as made evident in Acts 19:1-7. However, Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 12:27-30
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. 28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues[d]? Do all interpret?
Paul asks, "Do all do X,Y,Z?" The implication being the answer to these questions is "No." Otherwise, the interpretation is saying that we're all apostles and should be healing people, and if you're not...well...draw your own conclusions. So, if Paul was not expecting everyone to heal, perform miracles, teach, or speak in tongues, why then is this treated as evidence of salvation? Tongues were NEVER used as evidence of salvation, but rather as a means to share the gospel. Acts 2:1-12;
"2 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. 5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”
During that time, language barriers were harder to break down; people didn't just take Greek as an elective course. If you traveled a lot or had learned you spoke another language, if you did business, you probably got by well enough in another language, but not enough to be fluent. Again, we're talking about a time when people were usually illiterate, so speaking another language fluently without some learning was not common. And then suddenly these people who are common men start speaking and everyone hears them in their own language. Notice how God is glorified in this instance, that everyone is able to hear the gospel, and no one is excluded. This idea of tongues is reflected in many modern instances of the same experience happening with missionaries all over the world who have conversations with people in other countries only to find that neither could speak the other's language and yet somehow came to saving faith in Jesus, that's powerful, God glorifying stuff that isn't found in someone babbling unintelligible words in a pew.
But maybe I'm spewing too much venom on the topic, and maybe I should look at what scripture says about tongues exclusively. I would encourage anyone to read 1 Corinthians 14, which, funnily enough, makes the claim that "those who prophesy are greater than those who speak in tongues."...so anyone who believes tongues is necessary for salvation...I guess that means those who prophesy are doubly saved or something...who knows? In this letter, Paul masterfully breaks down the understanding of tongues as a gift and its purpose and how it should be used;
"13 For this reason, the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15 So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. 16 Otherwise, when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer, say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since they do not know what you are saying? 17 You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified. 18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19 But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue."
Paul points out that without understanding, no one else can join in on the praise you're giving God. Paul acknowledges (as I have) that you're giving God praise, but everyone else is excluded. Likewise, Paul encourages praying for interpretation. How can someone interpret a language no one understands? If I came to a church as said "Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn", no one would be able to understand what I'm saying (unless you're familiar with the works of H.P. Lovecraft) then someone could say, "In his house at R'lyeh dead Cthulhu waits dreaming", and they'd be right, but if I said "Maek raith hoosir unda thansa boath!" no one would understand that, because I just made that up, ergo it is a language with no intrepration, BUT if someone suddenly stood up and declared they knew what I was saying, it'd be both a miracle and literally impossible since I'm just speaking gibberish. Do you see the rabbit hole we can fall down if tongues were unintelligible?
However, if I'm praying privately at home and suddenly I start speaking German (with no understanding thereof) and I relay this information to a friend and they recognize, not only what I said but it speaks to them directly, then I have achieved the gifting of tongues with an interpretation that edifies myself, my friend, and glorifies God and without my knowledge of what I'm saying, that is the only possible way I see tongues being used in which it is a mystery from the speaker. Otherwise, I cannot find an instance in the Bible where God gives someone a word that remains a mystery to them, or God has someone speak words without understanding them. We as Christians need to be deadly serious in discerning these giftings and not sensationalizing them or dismissing them. I am in the camp that the spiritual gifts are still present and ongoing BUT, I am going to discect them as much as possible, not because I doubt but because I want God glorified and I wanna make sure before I praise God for miracle I wanna make sure that He's behind it and tongues is one of those gifts that I have seen far too many times be used to destroy the faith of others and can be easily faked. Harry Houdini used to call out mediums and psychics for being charlatans, even going so far as to testify before Congress to have Mediumship outlawed as a moral imperative. I think Christians need to have the same gusto when it comes to churches that claim tongues must be spoken in order for people to have Salvation, after all, Elijah was not afraid to trash talk the Ba'al worshippers and prove them wrong with a holy challenge, so why can't we do the same? Things to mull over, Peace in Christ.
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