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That speaking in tongues is evidence of being saved
The first misinformation is as old as the Pentecostal denomination itself. It says that the evidence that you are a Christian is that you speak in tongues. Personally, I don’t speak in tongues; it’s something that the good Lord never graced me with, although I have wished for it throughout my Christian life, all thanks to the pressures and abuses I have suffered from my Pentecostal brethren. I remember in another cell group that I was part of, how us who were not tongue-speakers were singled out; me and another lady. We were told that it was time to receive the gift, because it was a must that we had it, just like other believers. We prayed so hard that afternoon, until there was a breakthrough, on the part of the girl. She began praying in that unknown language, but there was nothing on my side. Feeling left out, I tried a last desperate attempt to conjure up a combination of meaningless words, and…no luck. I left that service feeling very out of place. I felt I was not a complete believer, at worse, I felt I was not a Christian at all, as evidenced by the fact that I didn’t have the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues.
Friends, this is a tragic false idea that we have been taught. The Holy Spirit is the One who distributes gifts according to His will, not our own will (1 Cor 12:11). Hence He has not given everyone the same gifts, including the gift of tongues (1 Cor 12:29-30). The evidence of salvation is a changed life that is proven by the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, not speaking in tongues. Because of this false idea about tongues, I believe there are many well-meaning believers, who have not been truly given the gift of tongues by God, but have manufactured and practiced their own tongues so as to fit into the religious crowd. How sad.
That speaking in tongues is true spirituality
There is also another false idea that only those who speak in tongues are truly spiritual believers who are so connected to God. Hence we see that the gift of tongues today is used as a show-off to others; a kind of attitude that says, “I am so spiritual, I prove this by these tongues I pray with.” The primal use of Spiritual gifts, dear beloved, is for the edification of other believers, not so that we can impress them about ourselves (1 Cor 12:7). True spirituality is in your practical conduct; at home, at work and especially in your private self. Once you take care of that, and you let people see the Spirit of Christ in those areas, there won’t be a need to impress them with that Chinese during a prayer service.
Tongues must not be used in public, unless there is interpretation
Some people believe that there are two kinds of tongues, one for prayer and the other for something else. Yet Scripture never puts that distinction. In the Bible, the gift of tongues is one, and it’s a knowable language that can be understood by another person who knows that language. We see that in Acts 2:9-11, when the Medes and Elamites could hear the Apostles praising God in their own languages. For this reason, Paul tells about another gift that must always accompany tongues, the gift of interpretation, especially in the context of the church. Because the Lord is a God of order and not confusion, Paul writes, “If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God” (1 Cor 14:27-28). Which means tongues must only be used as a private prayer thing, nothing more than that! I write this with my mouth wide with amazement because as clear as this teaching is in our Bibles, it is outright ignored by the modern church. Everyone thinks it’s okay, for all believers to do a noisy competition about tongues, live on Sunday; no interpretation, no self-control – all chaos! When you ask them about these things, their only defense is that “the Spirit leads us.” So, you think you have a right to disobey God-breathed Scripture, and then turn around and blame all that disorder on the Holy Spirit? It would be understandable if only baby Christians misunderstood this, yet it’s the so called great men of God who are doing this in front of large crowds. Are they reading 1 Corinthians 14 with their Bibles upside down or what?
And what about the Gift of interpretation of tongues? In all my years, involved with different churches in different places, I have never (I mean never) seen, nor heard anyone say, “I have the gift of interpretation.” Did the Holy Spirit stop giving this gift to the church, or is it that we have been wrongly taught about these things to begin with?
Praying in the Spirit is not speaking in tongues!
According to 1 Corinthians 14:14-16, praying in the spirit and praying in tongues is the same thing. However, don’t miss the small letter word “spirit” there, because its not talking about the Holy Spirit, but it simply means praying with the “inner man” or heart. If praying in tongues was the same as praying in the Holy Spirit, that would mean that all the prayers that Jesus prayed with understandable language were not prayed in the Holy Spirit. Do you see the problem? Yet if we compare Paul’s passage with the rest of the Bible on the same subject (Jude 1:20, Ephesians 6:18), we will realize that praying in the Holy Spirit is not necessarily speaking in tongues. What is it then? Praying in the Spirit simply means praying under the influence and help of the Holy Spirit. He is the One who tells us when, how and what to pray for. To use the example of Jesus’s prayer in John 17, it’s the Spirit that prompted Him to pray, and It's Him who guided and helped Him in His prayer. That is what must happen to us every time we pray, regardless of whether we pray in tongues or with understandable words.
Prophecy is better than tongues.
Contrary to popular understanding, the word “prophecy” means something more than someone predicting your phone number. According to 1 Corinthians 14 again, prophecy is any word of God that instructs and encourages fellow believers. This means someone as low as a Bible teacher like me can be counted as having the gift of prophecy. Because such gifts benefit others more than ourselves, they are far more important than the gift of tongues. These are the gifts that we must desire, and pray hard for. Because in the end, it’s not about pumping our own egos, but it’s about looking out for the benefit and growth of fellow believers in the church (1 Cor 14:12). That is the definition of true spirituality.
Conclusion
Brethren, it’s time to bring the church back to order. All these wrong teachings about the Holy Spirit must stop. Let’s get back to reading our Bibles honestly, and seek to obey what it says. Let’s also desire the true gifts of the Spirit, for the edification of other people. Not to pretend to have these gifts so as to impress others. That is not the purpose of the Holy Spirit. Thanks for your time.
Sinothi Ncube
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