Tongues: From Confusion To Understanding
5/5
()
About this ebook
Related to Tongues
Related ebooks
An Essential Guide to Speaking in Tongues Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Jesus Spoke in Tongues Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Controversy of Tongues: What Does the Bible Say About Speaking in Tongues? Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Pentecostal Languages: A Biblical Exploration of the Gift of Speaking in Tongues Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Phenomenon of Speaking in Tongues: Tongues of Men, Inspired Tongues, Tongues of Angels, Ecstatic Tongues Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTongues: Speaking To God In A Supernatural Language Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsDUNAMIS! Power From On High!: Receiving the Baptism in the Holy Spirit & Fire! Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Evidence for Speaking in Tongues: Fanning the Flames of Revival Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings10 Reasons Satan Does Not Want the Believer Filled and Speaking in Tongues Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Speaking In Tongues Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Awakened Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Sowing Into the Spirit: Investing into the Manifest Presence of God Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAn Encounter With The Holy Spirit Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Speaking Gifts Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAnswering Your Questions About Speaking in Tongues Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Inner Revival: Principles of Personal Revival Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPower of Worshipping God Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSecrets of Genesis , A Pathway to Eternal Life Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTrue Worshippers Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Holy Spirit Empowered Life Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsFirst Principles (Biblical Foundations) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPreparing for Revival Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Grown up Church: Restoration of the New Testament Church Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe God Kind of Faith Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTrue Evangelism: Or Winning Souls By Prayer Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Holy Spirit, His Presence & Works Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsApostolic Prayers: A Prayer Guide to Take Territories in the Spirit Realm Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Cult of Mammon: Critiquing the Prosperity Gospel and the Underpinning Theology of the Word of Faith Movement Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsI Go Fishing: Steps To Effective Soul Winning Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Wisdom of God Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Christianity For You
The Holy Bible (World English Bible, Easy Navigation) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Good Girl's Guide to Great Sex: Creating a Marriage That's Both Holy and Hot Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Book of Enoch Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Boundaries Updated and Expanded Edition: When to Say Yes, How to Say No To Take Control of Your Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Bible Recap: A One-Year Guide to Reading and Understanding the Entire Bible Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Screwtape Letters Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Don't Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table: It's Time to Win the Battle of Your Mind... Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Winning the War in Your Mind: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Mere Christianity Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Present Over Perfect: Leaving Behind Frantic for a Simpler, More Soulful Way of Living Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Great Sex Rescue: The Lies You've Been Taught and How to Recover What God Intended Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Evidence That Demands a Verdict: Life-Changing Truth for a Skeptical World Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Law of Connection: Lesson 10 from The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Boundaries Workbook: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Story: The Bible as One Continuing Story of God and His People Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Wild at Heart Expanded Edition: Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Grief Observed Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I Guess I Haven't Learned That Yet: Discovering New Ways of Living When the Old Ways Stop Working Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Four Loves Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies About Who You Are so You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5I'll Start Again Monday: Break the Cycle of Unhealthy Eating Habits with Lasting Spiritual Satisfaction Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Good Boundaries and Goodbyes: Loving Others Without Losing the Best of Who You Are Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Reviews for Tongues
2 ratings2 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Everything this author does is without a doubt for the glory of the LORD. He is my pastor and teacher of GOD’s word. If he can’t prove it in the word then it does not come out of his mouth. His tongue is the pen of a ready writer to write on the hearts and mind of GOD’s people his anointed word. My family and community are blessed to have him as our pastor.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Excellent book! Will give you a thorough understanding on the subject. I have advised many who are confused about tongues to read this book. Makes so much sense to me now.
Book preview
Tongues - James A. McMenis
Conclusion
Chapter 1
IS SPEAKING IN TONGUES THE EVIDENCE OF THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY GHOST?
The Invitation
Have you received the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues? This has become a familiar question at invitation time in many denominational and non-denominational churches. There are many church brochures with a statement of beliefs that lists we believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues.
This teaching and practice has become as much a doctrine in many churches as the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus!
As popular as this teaching is throughout church assemblies everywhere, there are many that are confused and seek the truth on this highly debated issue. Without bias, one can look into the Word of God and find clear understanding of this topic. Is speaking in tongues the evidence of the baptism of the Holy Ghost? We need to know the answer to this question based on scriptural evidence of the Word of God.
Every week, young and old alike are offered the invitation to receive the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues. Many leave confused, not understanding the ecstatic language that they have been strongly encouraged to utter. Almost anything is accepted. Many preachers and church leaders will spend hours praying with someone, laying hands, waiting for any ecstatic sounds to fall from their lips. After several repetitive utterances by the candidate, celebration begins for this one who has supposedly received the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking an ecstatic language known as ‘tongues.’ We need to know the truth!
What Is Tongues?
The word for ‘tongue’ occurs 50 times in the New Testament. One time it is specifically defined as cloven tongues like as of fire
(Acts 2:3). Sixteen times it refers to the literal organ of the human mouth. Thirty-three times it is referring to the known languages of the world. The word is never defined nor implies the use of an ecstatic language. The use of the word ‘tongues’ in the New Testament can be translated into its original Greek language with one of two words: Glossa, which means language or Dialektos, which means dialect or language. In each case, it is a known language or dialect that is used by someone in the world – not an ecstatic utterance that no one can understand. There is an ecstatic utterance that was spoken by wizards and those under the influence of familiar spirits in the Old Testament. There are also various chants and mantras spoken by believers and non-believers today. We will study this in a later chapter.
Jesus instructed His disciples to go forth and to teach all nations (Matthew 28:19). But, how could these disciples go forth and preach to all nations while limited to one or two languages? In order to carry out His commission, Jesus promised to give His disciples a miraculous, supernatural ability to speak foreign languages they had not previously studied, known or learned for the purpose of spreading the Gospel to all nations or dialects. This sign was promised in Mark 16:17 when Jesus said they would speak with new tongues.
Being that this ability was called a sign
indicates that this manifestation would not come through practice or study, but by instant power of the Holy Spirit. There are only three examples of this manifestation in scripture (including Pentecost). By studying these occasions we should be able to clearly understand this often misunderstood gift.
They Spoke With Other Tongues
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance
--ACTS 2:4
The word ‘tongues’ here in verse 4 is the Greek word glossa, which means a known language - not an ecstatic utterance. But you don’t need to understand Greek to see that the words spoken at Pentecost through the gift of tongues were known languages in the world. The words spoken by these disciples were not ecstatic utterances but were words understood by at least sixteen different regions and dialects.
Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
And they were all amazed and marveled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans?
And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
--ACTS 2:6-11
It has been suggested that the gift of tongues is a heavenly language
understood only by God or those gifted with interpretation. But the Bible is clear that on the Day of Pentecost both the disciples and those listening understood what was being preached. All of the represented nations that were present heard them speak in their own tongues the wonderful works of God
(v.11). The message of Jesus was preached and understood by many different dialects. God used the gift of tongues to get the gospel of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus to the nations represented. Make no mistake about it, Jesus was preached!
In Acts 2:22-40, Peter preaches the message of Jesus as Lord and Christ (the Anointed One). In verse 32, he declared, This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we are witnesses.
Notice what Jesus said about our being witnesses:
But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
--ACTS 1:8
The Holy Ghost came upon Peter that he might be a witness of Jesus. At the end of Peter’s message, those present asked, what shall we do?
And Peter said unto them, "Repent, and be baptized every one of