The Church of God » tongues

Modern Tongues Delusion

admin — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 20:12:53 +0000

“And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.” Rev. 16:13, 14.
Certainly one of the most grievous frog-like spirits (spirits of devils) working today and shared in common by paganism, catholicism and protestantism is the tongues-charismatic delusion. Whether among the animist African tribes, those who practice voodoo in Haiti, the Mormons, or punctuated by hysterical laughter as those in Toronto, practised by Roman Catholic nuns from charismatic convents, or by young charismatic men at “Promise-Keepers” conventions, or condoned by the First Church of God (so-called) of Los Angeles, California, modern tongues (glossolalia) is one of the most awful delusions of satan ever worked since the beginning of time. It is dangerous because it causes people to rest in this manifestation rather than the fruit of holy living.
This influential spirit is busy spreading its own brand of ecumenicalism; fleshly, spiritual free-love, spiritual darkness, and its own moral looseness, as in the cases of prominent “tongues” tel-evangelists who have been caught in immoral behaviour. It is a loose-living, emotional spirit that tolerates adultery and other grievous sins and cloaks itself in a very religious verbiage. It attempts to threaten any who would take a stand against it, that they will be blaspheming the Holy Ghost if they call it what it is.
The time has come, and is past due, for all God’s true saints to speak out strongly and take a valiant stand against this religious evil. Congregations, yes, whole movements are being taken over by this awful delusion of hell, while we are sometimes accused of being harsh and unloving for lifting up our voice against this error. We confess that, although we love the people involved and wish them spiritual advancement and enlightenment, we do not love this tongues delusion, nor can we tolerate it in any of its forms.
Glossolalia predates the first advent of Christ by many centuries. Ancient pagan religions were known for their “peepers and mutterers.” Isaiah 8:19 says, “And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?” The gospel dispensation ushered in a time when true religion (of the church of God) would not be distinguished by its obscurities, for again Isaiah says, “Thou shalt not see a fierce people, a people of a deeper speech than thou canst perceive; of a stammering tongue, that thou canst not understand.” Isa. 33:19. The true church of God of this time is to be known for “sound speech that cannot be condemned.” Titus 2:8. This “sound speech” is to be backed by sound, holy living. The gospel preached by the apostles was radical and easily understandable, which is exactly the gospel that is needed in this time.
H. M. Riggle writes: “‘Tongues’ in the New Testament sense means languages. ‘Unknown tongue’ simply means foreign language. We believe and teach that people may by the Spirit of the Lord (as on Pentecost) instantly receive some foreign language and speak it and that they may also after being sanctified by the Holy Ghost seek spiritual gifts of various kinds and obtain them. We also believe and teach that there is a special gift of interpretation of languages. There is plenty of room in the church for the exercise of the genuine gift of languages, but there is absolutely no room for this modern, false, gibberish, so-called ‘tongues’.”
What is becoming known today as “contemporary worship” is none other than the imposition of the blatant tongues movements’ well-known techniques to overtake and convert many to the tongues delusion. The “worship leader” at Pentecost was the precious HOLY GHOST. His guidance was unerringly the will of Almighty God. True saints can never be satisfied with “spiritual calisthenics” directed by some long-haired, “rock-generation” comedian. True saints reject the religious entertainment mentality and are looking for the true spiritual riches that feed the soul. We must have something more than continually repeated “praise choruses” that contain no spiritual depth. We thank God for the gifted song-writers of the Reformation movement who wrote God-anointed songs that feed the soul with Biblical knowledge, understanding and encouragement. These hymns and songs can never be replaced by the “froth and foam” choruses this charismatic spirit is trying to substitute. We are often told that this is a matter of generational taste and that we must reach the young people. This is not a matter of generational gap! The modern version of the charismatic tongues delusion is an insidious plan of satan to steal the spiritual substance from the church of the last days. Yes, we must reach the young people, but with the substantial, sound doctrine of the Bible as taught by the apostles that will make holy living possible. Many times today the lifting of hands, rather than a testimony of a vibrant, Christian life, the outgrowth of purity of heart and life, is but a religious “hope-so,” “wish I was” or “wish I could” mentality. The Bible speaks of lifting “holy hands” (in this we believe), all others should keep their hands down. None should participate in this holy exercise who have not a holy life to back it up.
Whether or not ministerial assemblies equivocate on this issue, whether or not they send it to committees for discussion, evaluation and resolution; regardless of how many influential pastors or congregations participate in it, or call for tolerance of it, we can give, and there is absolutely no room, for this great delusion in the church of God. It stands condemned by the Word of God and the Spirit of God will never mix or mingle with it.

Angel Talk

I Cor. 13:1 says, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels …” This scripture is often used by charismatic-tongues enthusiasts to promote the false theory that heavenly angels somehow speak a different language than mortal men. First the word, angel, in the Greek simply means “messenger.” It need not refer to a heavenly angel at all, but to a directly sent human messenger. But, even if this verse was referring to a heavenly being, there is absolutely no evidence that an angel ever spoke in any language other than that in which the one to whom he was sent spoke. We do not know what communication there will be in heaven, but we do know that we have numerous cases in the Word of God where angels spoke to humans, and never once is it implied in the scriptures that they spoke in any other than the known tongue (language) of the person to whom the message was to be delivered, just as the disciples did at Pentecost. (Acts 2:6, 8, 11).

Prayer Language

Another false doctrine of hell being promoted today to the multitudes is that we must have some “heavenly-prayer language” in which to pray to God so the devil will not know what we are praying about or that we should have such a language so that we can be edified (I say, emotionally charged) as we pray. The scriptural basis for this is often given as Romans 8:26, 27. It says, “Likewise the Spirit (emphasis mine) also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which CANNOT BE UTTERED (emphasis mine). And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” Let’s get this straight! This scripture is not at all talking about a human being giving any kind of utterance at all, in fact, this scripture says these groanings “cannot be uttered” (spoken). Romans 8:26, 27 is specifically speaking of the role of the Holy Spirit as He interprets the prayers of the saints according to the will of God. As for keeping secret our prayers from satan, it is better he knows we are a praying people and that we are praying against him and his abominable works. He is bound anyway, where the child of God is concerned, and can only do as the Father permits him.
These last days are the days of gathering. Some are being gathered by these false spirits into the “great Babylon” for everlasting destruction, and God is gathering out of the nations the glorious, pure Church of God. It is a great battle and many are being deceived. DON’T BE DECEIVED! Read the Word, follow the blessed Holy Spirit and allow these two faithful, risen witnesses to lead you home to the church, heaven and God.
We understand our privilege and responsibility to love with true christian charity all the brethren, indeed everyone. However, these are evil days and many are being swept into perdition by false prophets promoting false doctrines which delude and deceive. Hence we must, in the interest of souls and the truth, pen this article. We want to see every soul rescued from false religion and know it will take a clear message of truth to do it.
In this time the false ecumenical spirit is crying out for tolerance of all doctrines and religions. This we will not, cannot, and must not do, for the church is exclusive and her doctrine is the doctrine of God and therefore not negotiable. We cannot fellowship every spirit, but must “try the spirits” to see “whether they are of God.” I Jn. 4:1. We have tried the charismatic-tongues spirit with the Word and the Spirit, and it is not of God.

- By Daniel Layne

Scriptural Proofs Against the Modern Tongues Theory

admin — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 20:03:29 +0000

The apostle John gave a warning that is imperative for all to heed in these last days: “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” I Jn. 4:1.
With the same love and concern for souls that caused John to give this warning, so we write this article.
Many today testify to be “speaking in tongues.” Is this being promoted by a spirit which is “of God” or is it “another spirit” (II Cor. 11:4)? A careful study of the New Testament reveals that modern tongues is without scriptural foundation. By the Word of God, it is proven to be error by the following:

1. The Greek word glossa means either language or the organ of speech. Confusion could be cleared up by replacing the word tongue(s) in the Bible with the word language(s). “And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other ‘languages’ as the Spirit gave them utterance.” It is error to give tongues a different meaning other than an intelligible language.

2. Modern tongues advocates frequently teach that speaking in tongues is the evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. There is no such teaching in the Bible. It also seems strange that those with this alleged gift can still speak in it when they backslide. Are we to presume they still have the Holy Spirit?

3. Contrary to the teaching that tongues is for all believers, Paul tells us in I Cor. 12:4-11, 18, 27-31, that the true gift of speaking in foreign languages is not. “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations . . . for to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom . . . to another the gifts of healing . . . to another prophecy . . . to another divers kinds of tongues . . . Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? . . . do all speak with tongues?” When we understand the context of these scriptures, the answer is clearly NO! All do not speak in languages, just as all are not given the gift of teaching or prophecy.

4. The authentic gift, as received on the day of Pentecost, enabled the disciples to speak forth “the wonderful works of God” in various foreign languages. This greatly advanced the spread of the gospel on that day, as there was a great multitude there “out of every nation under heaven . . . every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed . . . saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans? And how hear we every man in our own language, wherein we were born?” This ability to speak in these foreign languages was given to communicate the gospel. This, and this only, is what the gift of tongues is.

5. There are a number of incidences in the Bible where believers were filled with the Holy Spirit, and no mention is made of speaking in tongues (Cf. Acts 4:8, 31; 7:55; 8:17; 9:17; 13:9).

6. Jesus never spoke in “tongues” and He had the fullness of the Spirit.

7. It is error to say that unknown (unintelligible to man) tongues are given by the Holy Spirit. In I Cor. 14:2, 4, 13-14 the word unknown is italicized in most copies of the authorized version, which indicates that it is not found in the original Greek. Confusion can be cleared up by leaving out the word unknown in I Cor. 14, or inserting the word foreign instead.

8. “For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.” I Cor. 14:14. Contrary to false beliefs, this scripture is not advocating a prayer language that the person praying cannot understand and that only God understands. It simply means that if someone prays in a foreign language in the congregation, though he himself understands what he is saying, it is unfruitful to everyone else, because they do not know that particular language. “How shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth now what thou sayest?”

9. Whatever the Spirit imparts is intelligible. The modern phenomenon of ecstatic utterance is unintelligible.

10. Rom. 8:26 is often cited to support the theory that there is a “prayer language” in which one prays in utterances he does not understand. The scripture states, “the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” If they “CANNOT BE UTTERED”–cannot be vocalized by human expression–then how could any claim to do it? These groanings refer to the intercession of the Holy Spirit, not to a believer’s prayer language.

11. In I Cor. 14, Paul is dealing with a problem in the congregation with people praying and speaking out in different foreign languages that most didn’t understand. “For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue [foreign language] speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries” (Vs. 2). You could preach a wonderful message in the French language, but if no one in the room understands French, then you are only speaking to God. “Except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air” (Vs.9).

12. Paul said that when we pray or sing in the spirit, we were to do it “with the understanding also” (I Cor. 14:15).

13. Paul said he would rather speak five words with his understanding, then ten thousand words in a foreign language. It seems modern tongues enthusiasts would rather jibber jabber ten thousand syllables than speak five understandable words.

14. Tongues are not a sign that the believer has the Holy Spirit, because Paul said “tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not” (I Cor. 14:22).

15. Since tongues are a sign “to them that believe not,” then it cannot be a special prayer language as they would have us believe, because that is not a sign to unbelievers.

16. People under the influence of the modern tongues spirit sometimes lose control of themselves. The Bible tells me that if a man cannot bridle his tongue, his religion is vain (Jms. 1:26). There will neither be any uncontrollable, or unseemly conduct energized by the Holy Spirit.

17. If one has the Holy Spirit, they will manifest the fruit of holiness. Thousands upon thousands who thrill to babble in their modern tongues, manifest the fruit of the flesh–adultery, fornication, hatred, emulations, wrath, envyings, etc. (Gal. 5:19-21). We believe not every spirit, that it is of God, because we “know them by their fruits” (Matt. 7:16).

18. There are only three biblical accounts of people receiving the gift of foreign languages. Advocates of the modern “gift” have stamped this as a sign for having the Spirit, yet have not understood the significance of the true gift being given in these incidences . . .
(1) Pentecost marked the inauguration of the age of the coming of the Holy Spirit. Special signs were given in proof of it. The gift of languages given emphasized the universality of the plan of salvation, as the work of the disciples was to go “into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature,” Jew and Gentile.
(2) At Caesarea (Acts 10:46) God gave the same gift as the inaugural event at Pentecost as a witness to the Jews that all the privileges of the gospel were now extended to the Gentiles. They also understood what they were saying (Vs 46), just as did the hearers at Pentecost.
(3) At Ephesus (Acts 19:1-6) those who had only known the baptism of John came into the full knowledge of God’s plan through Christ, to whom the Holy Spirit bears witness (Cf. Jn. 15:26). Here again, they spoke in an intelligible language (Vs. 6), as to prophesy is to speak “unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort” (I Cor. 14:3). Men cannot be edified by what they cannot understand.

19. In ancient times pagan people spoke in “tongues” under the influence of spirits that were not of God. This is the same phenomena manifest in the modern tongues movement.

20. By far, the majority of people claiming to have the gift of modern tongues, do not live free from committing sin. I have heard this testimony repeatedly from their own lips. Acts 5:32 tells us that God gives the Holy Spirit to “them that obey him.” Sin is disobedience, and it is impossible to receive the Holy Spirit in that condition. Since they can’t have the Holy Spirit, what spirit is it that they do have? Where did their supposed gift of the Spirit come from?

A manifestation for which there is no biblical foundation, is but a supposed gift of the Spirit. To allow or tolerate that which is not sanctioned by the Word of God is to leave the door wide open for deception.

By Susan Mutch
Some ideas were sourced from an article by Boyce Blackwelder