TONGUES
These gifts were not the
possession of the primitive Christians as such; nor for that matter of the
Apostolic Church or the Apostolic age for themselves; they were distinctively
the authentication of the Apostles.
They were part of the credentials of the Apostles as the authoritative
agents of God in founding the church.
Their function thus confined them to distinctively the Apostolic Church,
and they necessarily passed away with it.
Of this we may make sure on the ground both of principle and fact; that
is to say both under the guidance of the New Testament teaching as to their
origin and nature, and on the credit of the testimony of later ages as to their
cessation.
Four truths stand out: 1.
Biblical tongues was the supernatural ability to speak in known languages which
were not understood by the speaker. It
was not babbling or ecstatic speech. 2.
Tongues was a special sign for the confirmation of the Word before rebellious
and unbelieving Israel until the destruction of Jerusalem and the scattering of
the nation which began the Times of the Gentiles. 3. Biblical tongues are no longer spoken. The purpose has been fulfilled and the
phenomena has ceased. 4. The Corinthians
became fascinated by tongues because their use brought attention to the
user. This preoccupation resulted in misuse
of the gift as they edified themselves, disregarding the total spiritual life,
and failed as witnesses to their city.
The Corinthian catastrophe!
George E. Gardiner
The Corinthian Catastrophe, 1974, Published by Kregel Publications, Grand Rapids, MI. p. 48. Used by Permission. All Rights Reserved.
So when we say that these
gifts are no longer in existence, we are not limiting God by saying that God
cannot do certain things – we are merely acknowledging what God has stated in
His own Word. And when we do, we find
ourselves conforming to that Word.
George E. Gardiner
The Corinthian Catastrophe, 1974, Published by Kregel
Publications, Grand Rapids, MI. p. 53. Used by Permission. All Rights Reserved.
The biblical tongues of the
first century were known languages which communicated the wonders of God
publicly to unbelievers. They served as
an authenticating sign that the gospel message was true. Their function far transcended a personal
and devotional use on the part of the speaker.
John Napier
Charismatic Challenge by John Napier, Providence House
Publishers, 2003, p. 27-28. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
In any discussion of
tongues, it is important to note that they were not just spiritual gifts. They also were designated as a “sign gift”
and part of a cluster of gifts named by Jesus in Mark 16. These sign gifts were given to individuals
to authenticate the message of the gospel.
The early Christians had no New Testament in the early years following
the ascension of Christ. As the gospel
went to Jew and Gentile alike, it needed the witness of the signs to undergird
its authority, until the written Scriptures established that authority base.
John Napier
Charismatic Challenge by John Napier, Providence House
Publishers, 2003, p. 35. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Our God is a miracle-working
God! He still steps in to heal, to
answer prayer, to perform His purposes.
No doubt many of the reports are true.
However, the miraculous reports coming from mission fields do not attest
to the fact that biblical tongues and sign gifts still apply to today.
John Napier
Charismatic Challenge by John Napier, Providence House
Publishers, 2003, p. 68. Used by permission. All rights reserved.