Stephenson (2019, 88) maintains that there is an over-emphasis on glossolalia as the initial evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit, with many churches and their congregations still today being caught up in the debate that speaking in tongues (glossolalia) is most importantly a sign that indicates the initial evidence of a believer being baptized with the Holy Spirit. Scripture does support that as believers are baptized in the Holy Spirit they speak in tongues (Acts 2:4; Mark 16:17; Acts 19:6) and that at Pentecost the Holy Spirit certainly did equip believers to be able to speak in other languages (Horton 1976, 143), but does rendering the miracle of speaking in tongues as a mere sign that evidences the baptism of a believer in the Spirit to others, rob this gift of its immeasurable God-given purpose for believers?
Horton (1976, 229) notes that in scripture, the miracle of speaking in tongues was actually meant as a sign for unbelievers. At Pentecost, when believers spoke in tongues, their supernatural speech acted as a judgment sign that fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy that due to her apostasy, Israel would hear God’s word spoken to her through “foreign messengers” which denoted her separation from God and her inability to understand His word (229). Furthermore, when the believers at Pentecost spoke in tongues, this miracle of speaking attracted people’s attention, who heard the wonderful works of God being exclaimed in their own language which resulted in them becoming aware of the supernatural manifestation of God around them. Keener (2007, 178) rightly asserts that in the book of Acts, Luke presents the purpose of baptism in the Spirit as empowerment for universal mission whereby believers are endowed with the ability to speak in other tongues (languages) as a means to cross-culturally testify about Jesus. Tongues were the Spirit’s empowerment for cross-cultural mission.
Insisting on interpreting the miracle of speaking in tongues as a mere sign may limit speaking in tongues to a one-dimensional approach whereby praying in tongues is relegated only to corporate settings. Scripture clearly lays out how communities of worship are to operate when the gift of tongues is manifested amongst them. There must be no more than three tongues spoken and the tongues must be interpreted (1 Cor 14:27-28). Tongues when practiced according to these principles in scripture act as a source of edification for the church and its hearers. Interestingly, however, Paul does go on to say in Corinthians that if no interpreter is present the speaker should rather keep quiet in church and speak to himself and God. In 1 Corinthians 14 Paul adds: “I wish you could all speak in tongues…” (1 Cor 14:4) and that those who speak in tongues “speak to God” (1 Cor 14:2). Paul notes that no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit. Oyetade (2020, 479) remonstrates that the church must move away from designating tongues as merely a sign of the Spirit’s empowerment and rather consider tongues as a means to adore God in private prayer. Horton (1976, 145) describes tongues as “a manifestation of the mind of the Spirit of God employing human speech organs.” He notes that when people speak in tongues their mind, will, and intellect is quietened. 1 Corinthians 13:1 affirms that people do speak in heavenly or angelic language and that he who speaks in tongues also edifies himself (1 Cor 14; 2, 4). Tongues can be used as a language that praises and worships God (Oyetade 2020, 490; Stephenson 2019, 99) and scripture asserts that when believers pray in the Spirit, they can be empowered to combat ungodly desires (Jude 1:20).
Ruse (2019, 14) notes that when a person speaks in private tongues there is a disassociation of the present conscious mind, allowing the essence of the human spirit to commune with the heart of God. As the Spirit prays through the individual there is a wonderful intimacy that is experienced with God, the tongue-prayer becomes more aware of God’s presence and beauty through surrender. Ruse (2019, 14) maintains that speaking in tongues in private prayer is a spiritual discipline that one initiates and practices through the workings of grace and the Spirit. She proposes that speaking in tongues is a spiritual discipline that acts as an avenue for sanctification, whereby God’s power works in conjunction with prayer to increase holiness. Furthermore, as the individual is sanctified and transformed their lives of improved virtue and Christ-likeness also testify of the goodness and beauty of God to others—a different, yet also profound form of mission.
Baptism in the Spirit was attested to by speaking in tongues and did serve as a sign for the community of believers, but Horton (2007, 159) highlights that the gift of speaking in tongues also affirms to the individual who wonders, thinks, and doubts whether they have received the baptism of the Spirit, that indeed they have. When the individual speaks in tongues, their miracle speech testifies to their baptism in the Spirit, witness to others God’s supernatural presence, engenders spiritual transformation, and utters sighs (Rom 8:26), that although intelligible to most, speak to the wonder of God’s living presence amongst believers. So yes, speaking in tongues certainly affirms that one has been baptized in the Spirit, but the gift of glossolalia should not to relegated to being a mere sign, Glossolalia is a gift of the Spirit that empowers the church for cross-cultural mission, edifies not only the community of believers, but the individual too and testifies to the presence of the Spirit both corporately and individually.
Yvonne Roberg
Biography
Yvonne Roberg is married to Christian Roberg and a mother of their two young adult children Thomas and Catherine. She works as a physiotherapist in Johannesburg, treating spinal, sports, and musculoskeletal injuries. She is a local preacher in the Methodist Church and a lecturer at the South African Theological Seminary (SATS). She is currently completing her MTh at SATS which focuses on divine healing in light of the eschatology in the epistle of James. She is passionate about the Word of God, and the hope and healing that it offers humanity. When she isn’t reading, cooking, and writing she is off walking her Border Collie, Maya.
Bibliography:
Horton, Stanley M. 1976. What the Bible Says about the Holy Spirit. Springfield, Missouri: Gospel Publishing House.
Keener, Craig S. 2007. Why does Luke use tongues as a sign of the Spirit’s empowerment? Journal of Pentecostal Theology 15(2):177–184.
Oyetade, Michale O. 2020. A study of speaking in tongues in Acts and 1 Corinthians and its use in some selected contemporary churches in Nigeria. Stellenbosch Theological Journal 6(1: 477–498.
Ruse Patricia A. 2019. Embracing the Experience of Glossolalia (“Speaking in Tongues”) as a Principal Discipline of Christian Spiritual Formation. Doctor of Ministry-George Fox University
Stephenson, Christopher A. 2019. Un-speaking in tongues: Glossolalia and Ascetical Prayer. Journal of Spiritual Formation and Soul Care 13(1):88–101.
