Chapter 2

B. The reason for the use of tongues in the New Testament.

1. Was to get the gospel to people who spoke many different languages.

When the gift of tongues was given, it was not a

special gift for the super spiritual  to show off, it was

a practical gift that was used to get the gospel

to people in their own language.

If the Charismatics have the true New Testament gift of tongues,

then why are they not using it on the foreign mission fields

Note: Some sincere, but deceived, Charismatics have gone to the mission field with that very idea, but they have failed. They have not been able to speak in such a way as to get those people to understand. They have had to learn the language like every other missionary. That alone should tell people that the Charismatic movement does not have the true gift of tongues at all.

Take careful note that God did not  reverse the judgment of the Tower of Babel.

God did not suddenly do away with the language barrier.

God did not give these men the natural ability  to communicate

with these 18 different language groups mentioned in Acts chapter 2.

They did not know these languages before, or after this event.

God just miraculously gave such utterance when He so chose.

2. Was a necessary sign to get the gospel to God’s chosen people, the Jews, first.

It was not that God did not want Gentiles to be saved.

God did (and still does) want them to also be saved.

the gospel first, and then take it to all other people.

Note: God’s desire was not to just have one tribe of Israel to be priests, but the whole nation to be such, and to reach the rest of the world through them. But it was the Jew’s own rebellion that caused the Lord to choose out just one man, and one tribe out of Israel.

The reason that God is not using the gift of tongues

today, is because it was a sign to reach the

Jews for Christ — not the Gentiles.

Note: As soon as the sign (tongues) was shown to the Jews to cause them to listen to the gospel; and to also understand that the church was a doctrine from God, then that sign (tongues), would fade out, as the church became more established.

e. I Corinthians 13:8 says, “Whether there be tongues, they shall __________.”

Note: The sign gifts had fulfilled their purpose to show to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ. After that, there was no need for them. God, in His wisdom, left the language barriers intact from the Tower of Babel. If God would have removed those barriers, then this world would quickly become corrupted again.

As we have already mentioned, the Charismatics, just at the prospect of being able to communicate with all languages, have immediately had the desire to become one with all churches, despite their errors in doctrine and differences in how a person is saved.

Illustration: The Charismatics have readily accepted those in the Catholic religion, and vice-versa. Large Charismatic gatherings are often addressed by priests from the Catholic church.

The Catholic religion gives a different gospel. They do not teach that it is Jesus’ blood alone that washes you from your sin. Jesus is just one of the parts of salvation in the Catholic religion. They believe in seven sacraments necessary to go to heaven.

Jesus did not say that He is one of the ways to heaven, but the only way. John 14:6 says, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the ______, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

Jesus’ blood does not cleanse you from certain sins, but from all sins. I John 1:7 says, “...the __________ of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from ______ sin.”

 

The Charismatics use tongues for a sign that is

the exact opposite of what the Bible teaches.

 

Note: If you claim to be a Christian, the Charismatics are going to quickly ask you a question, to confirm in their minds whether you are truly a Spirit-filled Christian. Their question will be, “Have you received the Spirit yet — have you spoken in tongues?”

If you say that you are a Christian and Spirit-filled, but have not spoken in tongues, then they are not going to believe you (that you are Spirit-filled).

 

To the Charismatics, tongues  are a sign (from one Gentile Christian   to another)

that you are okay; that is, that you are a Spirit-filled  Christian.

That is the exact opposite purpose of why God gave the gift of tongues.

 

f. I Corinthians 14:21,22 says, “In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord. Wherefore tongues are for a sign, ______ to them that ______________, but to them that believe ______.”

Note: God says that tongues are a sign to them that believe not — to those who are lost. It is a sign to them that God is supernaturally enabling someone to speak in their own language, to give them the gospel so that they can be saved.

 

Once again, the Bible says that Jews  will be convinced

by this sign — but not Gentiles.  Gentiles look for ways to reason

things out in their minds — but Jews seek for signs

to be convinced that something is from God. That very fact

is seen in the first use of tongues in the New Testament.

It was not used to reach the Gentiles, but the Jews.

 

g. Please read Acts 2:1-43, and answer the following questions.

1.) Verse 4 says, “And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other ______________, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

2.) Notice very carefully of whom the crowd consisted in verse 5, “And there were dwelling at Jerusalem ________, devout men, out of every ____________ under heaven.”

 

Acts 2:5 is of utmost importance in this discussion.

It is a verse that is often missed, but is the key verse to explain

why God gave the gift of tongues to be used on that occasion.

The key is this — the crowd was Jews, and those Jews were

from every nation under heaven (thus speaking many different languages).

God has clearly said He wanted the gospel to go to the Jews first,

and there was only one way to do that on that occasion — supernaturally

enable His disciples to speak in all of those languages

(languages which they did not know).

 

3.) Verse 6 says, “Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that __________ man heard them speak in his own ________________.”

4.) Verse 7 tells their surprise at what was happening, “And they were all ____________ and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?”

5.) Verses 8-11 says, “And how hear we every man in our own ____________, wherein we were ________? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.”

6.) Some of the words being spoken (in tongues so they could understand it) are found in verse 21, “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall ________ on the name of the Lord shall be __________.”

7.) Once again, notice to whom they were speaking in verse 22, “Ye men of ____________, hear these words…” The message was being given to the Jews.

8.) The gospel was clearly being preached (the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ), as is seen in verses 23 and 24, “Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have __________________ and slain: Whom God hath ____________ up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.”

9.) Verse 38 clearly shows that repentance was being preached to those Jews, “Then Peter said unto them, ____________, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

10.) Verse 41 shows the response of those Jews, “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about __________ ________________ souls.”

 

It was a wonderful day when God’s chosen people, the Jews,

(who had been scattered so far and wide because of their sin),

gathered together at Jerusalem, and heard the gospel in a supernatural

way in their own languages, and repented of their sins and received

the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.

 

Question: If the gift of tongues was a sign to reach the Jews, then why did a group of Gentiles receive the gift when they got saved? Please read Acts 10:1-48, and answer the following questions.

1.) Verse 1 tells us “There was a certain man in Caesarea called __________________, a centurion of the band called the Italian band.”

Note: A centurion was a Roman soldier in charge of 100 men.

2.) The man was a very moral and good man, humanly speaking. Verse 2 says, “A ____________ man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and ____________ to God alway.”

3.) He was told by an angel in verses 4-6, “And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a ________________ before God. And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter: He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall ________ thee what thou ________________ to do.”

 

While God was working on Cornelius’ end, to let him know

that he needed something more than his own righteousness

to enter heaven, God was also working on Peter’s end, to let him know

that all men should have a chance to be saved — even Gentiles.

 

4.) Verses 9, 10 say, “On the morrow, as they went on their journey, and drew nigh unto the city, Peter went up upon the housetop to ________ about the sixth hour: And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a ____________.”

5.) In verses 11-15, Peter sees a vision where he is told three times to eat meat that was considered unclean to the Jews, and each time he responded, “______ so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or ______________.”

6.) Peter was then told, “What God hath ________________, that call not thou ____________.”

7.) Peter did not understand what this vision meant. Verse 17 says, “Now while Peter ______________ in himself what this vision which he had seen should ________, behold, the men which were sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon's house, and stood before the gate.”

8.) The Lord continues to work in Peter’s heart, as is seen in verses 19, 20, “While Peter thought on the vision, the ____________ said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. Arise therefore, and get thee down, and ____ with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them.”

9.) In verse 28, we see that Peter is now putting together the vision and the calling to come to Cornelius, “And he said unto them, Ye know how that it is an ________________ thing for a man that is a ______ to keep company, or come unto one of another nation; but God hath showed me that I should not call any man common or ______________.”

10.) In verses 39, 40, we see Peter giving them the gospel (the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ), “And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they ________ and hanged on a tree: Him God ____________ up the third day, and showed him openly.”

11.) He makes the way of salvation clear to them in verses 42, 43, “And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. To him give all the prophets witness, that through his ________ whosoever __________________ in him shall receive remission of ________.”

12.) Notice carefully what happens in verses 44-46, “While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the ________________________ which believed were ____________________, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with ______________, and magnify God.”

 

You will notice that it was the circumcision

(the Jews who had come with Peter), who were astonished,

because the gift of the Holy Ghost was poured out upon

the Gentiles who had just gotten saved. In this exceptional instance,

God did use the gift of tongues to confirm that these people

were truly saved, but only as a sign to the Jews.

 

13.) The importance of this is seen when Peter went back to report, to the rest of the Jews in Jerusalem, what had happened. Acts 11:2-4 says, “And when Peter was come up to Jerusalem, they that were of the circumcision __________________ with him, Saying, Thou wentest in to men _________________________, and didst eat with them. But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order unto them…”

14.) Acts 11:12 further says, “And the Spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting. Moreover these ______ brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man's house.”

15.) That convinced the Jews at Jerusalem, according to Acts 11:15-18, “And as I began to speak, the ________ ____________ fell on them, as on us at the beginning. Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. Forasmuch then as God gave them the like ________ as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God? When they heard these things, they held their __________, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.”

Note: In each of these instances, the gift of tongues was meant to convince Jews — not Gentiles. Remember I Corinthians 1:22, “For the JEWS require a SIGN, and the Greeks seek after wisdom.”

 

The modern tongues movement  of today has absolutely nothing

to do with the Jews, for the most part.  It is a Gentile thing today,

which shows that it is not scriptural or of God. God used the gift of

tongues as a sign to convince the Jews. That is exactly why God

is not giving the gift of tongues to missionaries on the multitude

of needy Gentile fields today. It would not convince them of their

need for the Lord Jesus Christ, because they seek for WISDOM

(to reason things out in their minds), rather than seeking for SIGNS.

 

REVIEW:

5. The reason that God is not using the gift of tongues today, is because it was a sign to reach the ________ for Christ — not the Gentiles.

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