Tongues Shall Cease?

By Tony Watts

No topic sparks more controversy or emotion in the modern Church than the gift of tongues, and it is in this volatile environment that Tony Watts tackles the issue head-on.

In his book, "Tongues Shall Cease?" Tony addresses the three most basic questions asked. "What," for example, "was the nature of the gift of tongues?" Was it human in nature, or did it consist of some unintelligible, angelic, or heavenly utterance?

Second, and as importantly, "Why were tongues given in the first place? Was it given as evidence of something significant or as means to a deeper devotional life?

Finally, Tony answers the one and most hotly debated question about tongues, and that is, "When, if at all, did tongues cease?" In other words, did God intend for tongues to appear and then disappear in the first century or did He mean for the gift to continue throughout the Church age?

Tony answers these and other questions in this work, "Tongues Shall Cease?"

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Sep 22, 2017
• ISBN: 9781543913637

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Bibliography

Dedication

I would like to dedicate this book to my wife, Sandi, who has encouraged me in more ways than I can count. Her willingness to support me in my writing endeavors never cease to amaze me. The Lord knew exactly what He was doing when, in His providence, he brought us together 35 years ago as of September 18, 2017. As a 22-year-old preacher trying to save money for Bible college, I walked into Golden Corral to apply for a second job. We were instantly drawn to each other and the fact that I dropped something every time she came through my area is proof positive. Divinely destined to be together, we didn’t waste any time. Our first date was on Valentine’s Day 1982, the same day, I might add, that my class ring mysteriously moved from my finger to hers. The break-neck speed continued, because a proposal and then marriage ensued within the next seven months. After 35 years we still love each other, worship together, laugh together, and cry together. We are one.

All Bible references were taken from Power Bible 2.4 KJV

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Why Another Book on Tongues?

Perhaps the most pressing question about a work like this is, What could some unknown writer like myself contribute to such a volatile and long-standing debate? After all, with such theological heavyweights as John MacArthur and Michael Brown sparring over the issue, what makes me think I could add anything at all to the discussion? That is a good question but one that I will leave for the readers to answer.

Others may wonder why I would throw more fuel on the flame of such a controversy, and with this issue having already wreaked havoc in many churches over the last half century, I understand the concern. In fact, tongues may be one of the most volatile issues facing the church today with the slightest disagreement setting off enough emotions to split a church right down the middle. It is just such volatility that tempts many pastors to avoid the issue like a plague. To say that tongues are controversial, then, is an understatement, but controversy should never deter us from addressing the obvious issues facing the Church.

I understand the above concerns, but I am also convinced that there are better reasons for further discussion than for the troubling silence in so many churches today on the topic. That being said, there are seven foundational reasons for another book on tongues, and they are as follows: 1. Truth Matters; 2. Biblical Objectivity Matters; 3. Biblical Authority Matters; 4. Sound Interpretation Matters; 5. Actual Spirituality Matters; 6. Christian Joy Matters; and finally, 7. Pastoral Involvement Matters.

Truth Matters

While many reasons for another book on tongues exist, I am convinced that truth is the most important of all. After all, if the God of the Bible is a self-revealing God, and He is, and His communication with His creation is intentional, and it is, then what He has to say is of infinite value. Truth matters, then, because God has communicated certain realities about Himself via His written Word and intended for us to both discover and communicate those same realities to others.

Truth also matters because while God has revealed both Himself and His will through the written Word, we still live in a sin cursed world where humanity is both finite and fallen. This dangerous combination makes perverting, distorting, ignoring, or misunderstanding what He said all the more probable. Consequently, we must take Paul’s admonition to study and to rightly divide the word of truth very seriously (2 Timothy 2:15). After all, he continued in chapter three, this word of truth is given by inspiration of God, or is God-breathed, and is thus the very Word of the Almighty Himself (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Hence, getting it right is paramount.

While Paul called Scripture the word of truth it was Jesus who first equated the two in the sense noted here. He did so, in fact, when He interceded first for His disciples and then those who would follow them in saving faith in John 17:20. As He petitioned the Father in their behalf, He asked Him to Sanctify them through thy truth, because, as He continued, thy word is truth. So, basically, Paul merely parroted the sentiments of Jesus when he referred to Scripture as the Word of truth. Since God has spoken in His Word and since His Word is truth, truth, of necessity, matters.

Finally, truth concerning the Tongues issue matters because as Peter Masters and John Whitcomb so clearly put it,

Either the Charismatic point of view is biblically right, and we are all duty-bound to obey the Lord and subscribe to it, or it is a great mistake and we should be doing something to persuade our Charismatic acquaintances to look at things differently.¹

Masters and Whitcomb lay it on the line here, because as it stands, either Cessationism is right and Continuationism wrong, or vice versa. In other words, tongues either ceased or continue as part of the divine plan. Both cannot be true, hence, truth matters.

Biblical Objectivity Matters

The second compelling reason for another book on Tongues is that Biblical Objectivity Matters, and by objectivity I refer to the existence of a divinely intended meaning of any given text with the discovery of said meaning being the chief goal of any interpreter. This is exactly what Paul had in mind when he told Timothy to Study and to Rightly divide the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15). While Paul instructed the young preacher to study, it is the underlying assumption in his charge that grabs my attention here. In other words, Paul assumed that God intended to communicate with His people and that this same intentionality necessitated an objective meaning that awaited its extraction by those who would read and study it. Hence, there was no doubt in Paul’s mind that God spoke with objectivity and with every intention of being understood.

Peter also placed a strong emphasis on the written Word and its objectivity. We see this emphasis when he recounted the experience that he, James, and John shared on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matthew 17, Mark 9), but still gave preeminence to the written Word. Said Peter in his second letter,

17 For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 18 And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount (2 Peter 1:17-18).

Make no mistake about it. What Peter, James, and John experienced on the Mount of Transfiguration was supernatural, but even in the light of its legitimacy, Peter made no other mention of it in his writings. It is obvious, then, that his experience, as memorable as it was, took a backseat to that which he considered objective and unchanging, namely, the written Word. He neither flaunted it, held it up as the universal standard, nor claimed spiritual superiority over his readers because of it, but instead told them forthrightly that We have also a more sure word of prophecy… Then he explained, Knowing this first, continued Peter,

That no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. 21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost (2 Peter 1:19-21).

So, while it is true that Peter recounted the trio’s experience, it became secondary, and while his experience was unforgettable, he reminded his readers of a more sure word that emerged by the will of God through holy men of God who spoke as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. Significantly, then, Peter pointed to both Scripture’s objectivity and it’s enduring superiority over experience.

Biblical Authority Matters

While Biblical Objectivity Matters, we must now turn our attention to the authority of Scripture. While many verbally concede this authority, a discussion on tongues will quickly reveal just where one’s allegiance rests. Such was the case as I taught a Sunday School class in the mid-1980’s. As we waded through First Corinthians, we eventually crossed those passages often riddled with controversy, Chapters 12-14. When we got to the topic of tongues and as I started my elementary refutation of the modern Tongues movement, I was challenged by another preacher in the class. His challenge, a not so well-intended one I discovered, came when he asked a simple question to which I gave a simple answer. In his question resided not only his position on tongues, but also his view of how truth itself was determined. In fact, it became obvious that he believed experience to be the best teacher on the subject and thus proceeded to give me the proverbial third degree. In a militancy unbecoming a typical Sunday School member, then, he asked, Have you ever spoken in tongues? Now, by the expression on his face coupled with his confident tone, he thought he had me and thus awaited either my concession or retreat from the discussion. Of course, he got neither.

No I haven’t, I said, as I awaited his follow-up.

Anticipating my answer, he continued with what he believed would be the argumentative knock-out-punch to my position. Well, he replied, if you’ve never experienced it, how can you deny it?

Needless to say, the class was shocked by this brazen challenge, but then seemed pleasantly relieved by my answer. I simply responded to his question with a question of my own, Charles, have you ever experienced Hell? At that point, his demeanor changed as he answered with an obvious No.

How, then, I pushed, do you preach on the topic, or any other topic, for that matter, if you have never experienced it?

Because, he sheepishly answered to his own argumentative demise, the Bible addresses the issue.

Well, my position on tongues is no different, I continued. My position comes from a biblical study and not from either my experience or my observation of somebody else’s.

While this incident found quick resolve, it also gave me the perfect opportunity to discuss and declare Scripture as our ultimate authority. We never, I reminded the class, determine truth by our experiences, but rather, truth must validate our experiences. We must submit ourselves to the authority of the inerrant Word of God