Do people today still talk in tongues and what is the purpose?

February 11th 2015 | 42171 views 

Many Pentecostal Christians today claim to speak in tongues. Some claim to be speaking in some actual human language other than their own, while others claim to be speaking an unknown tongue, or a language of angels - not a human language found on earth. 

However, the gift of tongues is no longer used today. It was used in the days of the apostles to preach and convert unbelievers because it was used as a sign. 

There are only three instances where speaking in tongues is recorded in the New Testament – Acts 2:1-11, 10:38-48 and 19:1-8. In each instance, those who spoke were apostles who had been given the gift of the holy spirit, done for very specific purposes with very specific audiences under very specific oversight.

Acts 2 illustrates the purpose of speaking in tongues. The story starts with the disciples receiving the holy spirit. In verses 5-11, the apostles begin speaking in tongues to a large crowd. Peter then teaches about the repentance of sins and the fulfillment of prophecy. In verse 41, we read that 3,000 were converted and baptized as a result of hearing the message in their own language.

From this account, we can clearly see that the purpose of speaking in tongues was to preach and spread the gospel message. To further emphasize this point, 1 Corinthians 14:22 reads, "Speaking in other tongues, then, is intended as a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is not for unbelievers but for believers." Speaking in tongues, foreign languages, gave the early church the ability to spread the gospel far and wide.

Matthew 12:38, 1 Corinthians 1:22 and John 6:30 teach that the Jews needed signs in order to believe. But John 20:30-31 reads, "Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." 

In the time of Jesus, the New Testament had not yet been written. The Jews had the Old Testament Scriptures, but even so, they needed instruction to understand the prophecies pointing to Jesus. People depended on the signs and miracles performed by Jesus to prove that he was indeed God's son. However, this scripture in John indicates that the New Testament was written so that we can believe (exactly the same outcome as seeing the signs such as speaking in tongues). Today, we no longer need to depend on these signs and wonders. Thus, the gift of speaking in tongues, along with the other miraculous signs, ended with the apostles. 

Also, consider 1 Corinthians 13:8-12. Verse 8 explains that prophesies and knowledge (miraculous knowledge) will fail and that tongues will cease. Prophesies and knowledge do give us some understanding. However, when we reach perfection at the end of our earthly life, we will no longer have any use for partial knowledge. Respecting tongues, it just says they will cease or come to an end. It continues by saying, "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things," comparing the church through the ages as a child growing in maturity. In the beginning, the people needed "childish things," such as signs and wonders, to get established. But once it had the New Testament Scriptures, they no longer needed the signs and wonders. The church "put away childish things," showing that speaking in tongues and other miracles were no longer in use.

To conclude, the purpose of speaking in tongues was to be a sign to the unbelievers and no, speaking in tongues is no longer happening today. It has not been in place since the days of the apostles before the New Testament was completed. 

Additional Resources:
For a more detailed study of tongues, please download the free PDF: "Speaking in Tongues"

Christian Questions Podcast
Episode #1047: “Why Did the Tongues of Fire Touch the Apostles?”
How God’s spirit and speaking in tongues really worked in the Bible
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Episode #1188: “Do We Have the Purpose of the Holy Spirit Backwards?”
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For children, parents and Bible class teachers:
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