The Truth About Speaking In Tongues – Pt. 3 – Tongues As A Sign

In my first installment on speaking in tongues, I talked about what it actually means to speak in tongues.  The second part dealt with the three different types of speaking in tongues that the New Testament talks about.  This post and the next two after will talk about more depth about each of the three different types of speaking in tongues.  If you haven’t read the first two posts, I would encourage you to so you will have a better understanding.

Ok, so what does that sign have anything to do with speaking in tongues?  NOTHING!  I was looking for a picture to represent this post about the “signs tongues” and when I hit Google images for something to insert, this popped up and I thought it was funny!

Moving on…

The first instance of speaking in tongues was in Acts 2.  This was what I referred to as “signs” tongues.  It was a sign that the Holy Spirit had been poured out as Peter referred to in the book of Joel.  Those that heard the disciples speaking in a language other than their own, hear them speaking “the wonderful works of God.”  What exactly were they saying?  I don’t know.  All  I know is that after the disciples got accused of being drunk, Peter spoke to the crowd and 3000 people got saved that day.  No one freaked out.  No one accused them of being “of the devil.”  They spoke in other languages the wonderful works of God and it was a sign to those who heard.

Acts 10:44-48 also records people speaking in other languages and people got saved that day too.  Acts 19:5-7 records the first instance with Paul.  It doesn’t specifically record that it was the signs type of tongues, but I have to presume that it was since both other instances in the book of Acts deals with that type.  Again, no one freaked out.

This type of tongue is used as a sign to unbelievers.  Yes, that’s right.  Unbelievers.  Each time, aside from the time with Paul, when people spoke with tongues there were people around who did not belive in Jesus.  Afterward, those same people got saved.

This is not a type of tongues that you should go out on the street corner of your neighborhood and try to start speaking.  Take the place and circumstance into consideration when this occurred.  It is highly unlikely that where you are currently at, is similar to their situation at that time.  Unlikely, but still possible.

I have to believe that for this type of speaking in tongues to manifest, the conditions are going to have to be similar to what the disciples experienced.  They were surrounded by people who simply did not believe in Jesus.  In fact, some of the same people who got saved that day, out of the 3000, could have witnessed the crucifixion of Jesus.  Obviously that circumstance will never be replicated again, however, the spirit of it can and is replicated everyday.

The disciples were surrounded by people who hated Jesus.  They were surrounded by people who hated those that followed Him.  The disciples were probably in that upper room hiding from the very people who hated them.  In the midst of what was probably a very fearful situation, God used a sign to get the attention of those people and created an opportunity for the Word to get preached.  As a result, people got saved.  It needs to be noted here that no interpreter was necessary.

The bottom line is that this type of speaking in tongues was a sign to signify fulfillment of prophesy.  However, just because the prophesy has been fulfilled doesn’t mean that this type of speaking in tongues has “ceased”.  I don’t think we see it operate because we Christians, at least here in America, aren’t in the position for this type of speaking in tongues to manifest.  Think about it like this: if you are around everyone who only speaks English, and you speak English, why would this type of tongues manifest?  No one would understand you and they would think you are mad.

I do have a story that I want to share with you.  It was told to me first hand by a woman who I believe to be of honesty and integrity.  It was about her experience of this type of tongues.  There are some terms and such that are going to raise questions that I will answer in another post dealing with the myths of speaking in tongues.  I would ask that you put that aside and get the heart of this story.  I don’t think she would mind if I shared this, since she has shared it on public radio before.

JoAnn was teaching a Bible study with a group of teenage students in a classroom type setting.  During her talk, she kept noticing a young man who looked like he was trying to intently listen.  He would lean up in his chair and extend his neck like he was hanging on her every word, and then he would suddenly fall asleep.  This happened quite a few times during the study.  When it was over, she went to this young man and spoke with him for a few minutes.  She felt like God wanted her to pray for him, so she asked if that was OK.  He agreed, but she said she had no idea what she was supposed to pray for.  She decided to pray in tongues over him.  As soon as she began to, she noticed that what she was speaking was a language different from what she was used to hearing when she would pray in tongues by herself.  A few minutes past and she noticed something different about the young man, so she decided to stop.  When she got up to leave, a young woman who was near by stopped her on the way out.  The young woman asked if JoAnn knew what she said.  She told the young woman that she didn’t know what she prayed and briefly shared about speaking in tongues.  The young woman was stunned and proceeded to tell JoAnn that she in fact knew what was said.  The young woman said JoAnn had spoken in Yugoslavian!  She also told JoAnn that she had heard some teaching about speaking in tongues and didn’t’ believe in it, but this changed her mind!

JoAnn might not have necessarily been around those who hated Jesus, but she was in a place where this type of tongue could manifest and be used as a sign.  This has happened to JoAnn one other time that I know of and the other time she spoke in French and something similar happened.  Someone was there that spoke French and it was a sign to them.  This type of speaking in tongues is very real and is still in operation today.  We just may not be in the right places for it to happen or we simply might not be willing enough to step out and do what JoAnn did without thought of embarrassment, ridicule or fear of what others may think.

I want to close with this: the act of speaking in tongues in the book of Acts came as a result from the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  This is a different experience from being born again, however, you cannot receive the baptism until you are born again.  I also believe that speaking in tongues can be evidence that the baptism of the Holy Spirit has occurred, but even if you don’t speak in tongues, it doesn’t mean you didn’t get the baptism.  You don’t have to speak in tongues, you get to.  If a believer is baptized in the Holy Spirit today, they will still receive the ability to speak in tongues, it just might not be this type of tongues.  It’s most likely going to be the one that’s reserved for personal use, unless there is an occasion for the signs type of tongues to occur.

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is like a pair of shoes: they always come with tongues.