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Is the Gift of Tongues Part of True Christianity?The Watchtower—1992 | August 15
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The Bible record reveals that when any miraculous gift of the spirit was transmitted, at least one of the 12 apostles or the apostle Paul was present. The first of three recorded instances of speaking in tongues occurred among 120 of Jesus’ disciples gathered in Jerusalem at Pentecost 33 C.E. (Acts 2:1-4) Three and a half years later, while a group of uncircumcised Italians were listening to Peter preach, they received the spirit and began “speaking with tongues and magnifying God.” (Acts 10:44-48) And 19 years after Pentecost, about 52 C.E., Paul spoke to a group in Ephesus and laid his hands upon 12 disciples. They too “began speaking with tongues and prophesying.”—Acts 19:6.
Why the Gift of Tongues?
Just before he ascended to heaven, Jesus told his followers: “You will receive power when the holy spirit arrives upon you, and you will be witnesses of me both in Jerusalem and . . . to the most distant part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) Notice that he thus gave indication of just how this monumental witness work would be accomplished—with the assistance of the holy spirit.
Modern communication technology that enables us to send messages earth wide in many languages did not exist back then. The good news had to be spread primarily by word of mouth, and in this the miraculous gift of speaking in foreign tongues would prove very helpful. Such was the case as first-century Christians preached to Jews and proselytes in Jerusalem at Pentecost 33 C.E. Parthians, Medes, Elamites, Cretans, Arabians, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, and the district of Asia, as well as sojourners from Rome, heard “the magnificent things of God” in their own language and understood what was said. Three thousand quickly became believers.—Acts 2:5-11, 41.
An oft-overlooked fact is that speaking in tongues was just one of the nine operations of the holy spirit that the apostle Paul mentioned in his letter to the Christians in Corinth. Although Paul viewed speaking in tongues as a lesser gift, it was valuable to the early congregation in spreading the good news about the heavenly Kingdom of God. It was one of the “gifts” that contributed to the numerical growth and upbuilding of the infant congregation of Christians.—1 Corinthians 12:7-11; 14:24-26.
The various operations of the holy spirit in the first century, including speaking in tongues, were also a visible evidence that God was no longer using the 1,500-year-old congregation of Israel as his special people. Unquestionably, his approval now rested with the new Christian congregation, established by his only-begotten Son.—Compare Hebrews 2:2-4.
These manifestations of the spirit were key building blocks in establishing the young Christian congregation and helping it to grow to adulthood. Paul explained that after having served their purpose, these miraculous gifts would cease: “Whether there are gifts of prophesying, they will be done away with; whether there are tongues, they will cease.”—1 Corinthians 13:8.
Yes, the Bible is clear that the gift of tongues would cease. But when? Acts 8:18 reveals that the gifts of the spirit were received “through the laying on of the hands of the apostles.” Evidently, then, with the death of the last apostle, the passing on of the gifts of the spirit would stop—including speaking in tongues. Hence, when those who had received these gifts from the apostles also passed off the earthly scene, the miraculous gift would cease. By then the Christian congregation would have had time to become well established and would have spread to many lands.
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Is the Gift of Tongues Part of True Christianity?The Watchtower—1992 | August 15
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D. A. Hayes, in his book The Gift of Tongues, referred to an instance where a man refused to interpret the speech of a woman who spoke in an unknown tongue because “the language was the vilest of the vile.” What a contrast that is to the speaking in tongues that existed in the first century and that was actually for building up the congregation!—1 Corinthians 14:4-6, 12, 18.
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Is the Gift of Tongues Part of True Christianity?The Watchtower—1992 | August 15
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Even in the first century, the apostle Paul was compelled to write the congregation in Corinth to correct their view of why the gift of tongues was given to early Christians. Seemingly, some had become fascinated with the gift of tongues, and they were acting like little children, spiritually immature. Too much importance was being attached to “tongues.” (1 Corinthians 14:1-39) Paul emphasized that not all Christians in the first century spoke in miraculous tongues. It was not necessary to their salvation. Even back then when it existed, the gift of tongues was secondary to miraculous prophesying. Speaking in tongues was not, and is not, a requirement for Christians to gain everlasting life.—1 Corinthians 12:29, 30; 14:4, 5.
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Is the Gift of Tongues Part of True Christianity?The Watchtower—1992 | August 15
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Tongues—And True Christianity
The first-century Christians who received the gift of speaking in tongues used it to explain the magnificent things of God. Stress was laid on the need to interpret clearly the message conveyed in tongues so that it could be understood by all and result in the edification of many. (1 Corinthians 14:26-33) Paul admonished: “Unless you through the tongue utter speech easily understood, how will it be known what is being spoken? You will, in fact, be speaking into the air.”—1 Corinthians 14:9.
While the spirit of God granted early Christians the gift of tongues, it did not cause them to speak unintelligible or untranslatable gibberish. In harmony with Paul’s counsel, the holy spirit provided speech that resulted in the good news being more quickly “preached in all creation that is under heaven.”—Colossians 1:23.
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