The Gift of Tongues, or the "Gift of Different Languages"
By Dustin Dyer
I do not wish to offend anyone, I just want clear up some things for those who may not be clear on the subject. The Bible states this gift is a sign to nonbelievers so that they might believe. This gift also serves as a refreshment to the believer.
It also builds bridges between language barriers and our expression of love to God, it allows us to express our love to God in languages that have different ways and different words that hold different meanings of expressing love better than our own language. Paul states that when we speak in tongues we are only speaking it to God and NOT to man. If one attempts to speak in tongues directly to a group of people, this is not the gift of tongues, that doesn't mean what they said wasn't a gift of teaching or prophecy, its just not the gift of tongues. The gift of tongues will never be spoken during a teaching. Because the gift of tongues is vocalized it cannot happen during a teaching, God is a God of order and will never interrupt one gift with a another. The gift of tongues is also a sign, example: if a French man who speaks no English is present in a place where God is being praised and those who love him are expressing their love to him in English. If this French man cannot understand English, God can put the gift of different Languages into someone present and they will begin speaking in French whether they could before or not. They are able to speak a language that they could never speak on their own but by God filling them with this gift, the French man is able to understand. This serves not only as a language barrier but as a great sign from God to his people.
Paul states there are 4 guidelines to the proper use of this gift, 1. Every word spoken out loud must be understood and there must be an interpretation for everyone present to understand it, God desires everyone to benefit, so if it is spoken out loud there will always be someone there to interpret it. 2. Tongues must never be spoken as a GROUP in front of nonbelievers, this may frighten them and push them away. 3. Only 2 or at the most 3 people at one time will speak at any one service and it must be one at a time and there must be interpretation. 4. No tongues will be spoken out load WITHOUT an interpreter. Having an interpreter means that God gifts someone who doesn't normally understand the tongue but can due to God's gift of interpretation or having someone in the group that just happens to speak the language.
The gift of tongues does not mean being baptized in the Holy Spirit, God chooses to give you this gift, it is not a requirement. Tongues will never be gibberish, it will always be actual words. Source 1 Cor. 12:10
The gift of tongues does not mean being baptized in the Holy Spirit, God chooses to give you this gift, it is not a requirement. Tongues will never be gibberish, it will always be actual words. Source 1 Cor. 12:10
