Know what it is speak in tongues, according to the Bible? Enter this article and learn with us everything about this wonderful gift. Which is given by God to his children through his Holy Spirit.
The gift of speaking in tongues
Speaking in tongues is one of the spiritual gifts that the Bible tells us about. But what does this gift given by God through the Holy Spirit consist of?
It consists in that the person who is authorized by God with this gift, will speak in tongues, which are neither the native, nor any other that has come to study. All this in order that the person be built in his growth in faith, as well as, to use it to serve and build the church that is the body of Christ.
Through the gift of speaking in tongues, the Holy Spirit of God acts in the person who possesses it, to carry out liberation, healing, direction and spiritual guidance. That said, one might think that it is necessary to have reached a spiritual level of faith, so that the believer possesses the gift of speaking in tongues.
But in the mystery and power of God, this is not necessarily so; because only the Lord knows what the process is in the transformation of each believer. Therefore, only God will know when and to whom he will grant this gift according to the perfect purpose of fulfilling his will.
Jesus announced this gift
During his earthly ministry and before leaving for heaven with his Father, the Lord Jesus announced that he would speak in unknown tongues and languages. Jesus said that this gift would be like a sign manifested in everyone who believed in Him, and acted in his name at the service of others:
Mark 16:17 (PDT): And these signs will accompany those who have believed: they will expel demons in my name and they will speak in other languages without having learned them.
After being announced by Jesus, the first time that his first followers came to speak in tongues was on the day of Pentecost, narrated in Acts 2:1-12. That day all the apostles were in one place together with other followers of Jesus, and it was there that the Holy Spirit fell on them to be filled with the power of God.
Acts 2:4 (PDT): All remained filled with the Holy Spirit y they began to speak in different languages by the power that the Spirit gave them.
The apostles on that day preached the good news of the message of salvation through Jesus Christ, to the people of different countries who were in Jerusalem. What the apostles spoke in tongues was understood by all, even when they spoke different languages:
Acts 2:11 (PDT): Crete and Arabia. Some of us are Jewish and some of us have converted to Judaism. We come from all those countries, but we hear them speak the wonders of God in our own language!
What is speaking in tongues according to the Bible?
After being announced by Jesus that on earth they would speak in strange or unknown languages. Most of what is written about this gift of tongues in the Bible is explained by the apostle Paul when writing to the church of Corinth.
Because of what Paul writes to these Christian communities of Corinth in his epistle of 1 Corinthians, chapters 12 and 14. It can be considered that many believers had begun to develop this gift, but they did not know how to use it correctly, when it was manifest to them.
Paul begins to explain to them in chapter 12 what spiritual gifts are all about. He tells them that, despite the fact that there are different kinds of gifts, they all come from the same Spirit and it is that of God.
One of the gifts of the Spirit
Paul also tells them what those gifts are and that they are all to serve the Lord, in the service and building of his church of which Christ is the head:
1 Corinthians 12:8-10 (NIV): 8 Through the Spirit, he grants to some that they speak with wisdom; and to others, by the same Spirit, he grants to speak with profound knowledge. 9 Some receive fe by the same Spirit, and others receive the gift of healing the sick.
10 Some receive power to work miracles, and others have the gift of prophecy. To some, God gives the ability to distinguish between false spirits and the true Spirit, and others the ability to speak in tongues; and to still others it gives the ability to interpret what has been said in those tongues.
Later in chapter 14 the apostle Paul explains about speaking in tongues the following:
1 Corinthians 14:2-3 (PDT): 2 Because he who speaks in tongues, In fact He doesn't talk to others, but to God. No one understands what he says for he speaks secrets through the Spirit. 3 But he who prophesies speaks to others to give them strength, encouragement, and consolation.
So the Bible teaches us that the gift of speaking in tongues is just one of several gifts that God bestows on believers. In order that his church may be built up as one body, the head of the body being his son Jesus Christ.
A gift that builds the church
The apostle Paul teaches us that speaking in tongue is only one of the gifts and that as believers of Christ Jesus we should aspire to God giving us breadth of them. Above all, the gift of prophecy because it communicates a message from God to edify the church, encourage it and console it if that is the case.
But, the apostle transmits a much more important message to the servants of the church, in chapter 13 and that is that without love it is worth nothing to have spiritual gifts:
1 Corinthians 13 (ESV): If I speak the tongues of men and even of the Angels, but i don't have love, am more than a metal that resonates or a cymbal that makes noise.
Meet with us here about the gift of prophecy: What is it and how to develop it? In this article we will talk about some of the characteristics of this special ability conferred by the Holy Spirit of God. Don't stop reading later!
along with love
Because there are three things, Paul tells us, that are distinguished in a person who lives “In Christ”: faith, hope and love. But, of these three the most transcendental is love, so let us try to have love in our hearts, Paul exhorts us with this:
1 Corinthians 14:1 (NIV): Try to love sincerely, and ask the Holy Spirit which I trained them in a special way to speak for God.
Loving our neighbor as God commands us in his commandments, we are loving Him with all our heart, mind and strength. In reward for this fidelity and obedience, God equips us with his gifts according to his purpose in us.
If we only speak in leagues, no one else apart from God will be able to understand what we are talking about. Well, what is being talked about are mysteries that only the Holy Spirit knows, that is what Paul tells us.
More, if in our heart there is love, as well as other gifts from the Lord, from our mouth will come words that God has ordered to be spoken on his behalf. Therefore, the others when listening to them will understand them.
Because they carry the purpose of God to correct, discipline, exhort, console or encourage and all this is for the edification of the church in the faith of Christ. In this way, each one of us, as part of the body of Christ, will be able to help the sheep to trust the Lord more, to feel better, to keep a smile and hope on their face.
In this sense, it is important to know what is the mission of the church nowadays. And if you still do not know, in this article we will explain it to you in a simple way, do not hesitate to enter.
Speaking in tongues: Sign for the incredulous
The prophet Isaiah in the old testament prophesied that speaking in tongues would be a sign more than for believers, for unbelievers.
Isaiah 28:11 (NIV): Well, God will speak to this people with mocking lips and strange languages.
What people was the prophet referring to? , to all those who did not believe in the words of Jesus:
Matthew 11:28:-come to me all of you who are tired and overwhelmed, and I will give them rest-.
Jesus is our true rest, this is for those who believe in his message. That is why Paul explains to us that speaking in strange tongues is a sign for those who do not believe in Jesus:
1 Corinthians 14:22: So speaking in tongues is a sign not for believers, but for the unbelievers; Instead, prophecy is not a sign for unbelievers, but for believers.
On the subject of speaking in tongues we invite you to read:What language did Jesus speak? when was he on earth?