Q: Should everyone speak in tongues as evidence of receiving the Holy Spirit?  —Femi

A: Because the gift of tongues was one of the miracles that occurred as the Holy Spirit ushered in the age of the church at Pentecost, and because tongues-speaking was prominent in the Corinthian church, some Christian groups believe it’s necessary to speak in tongues today as a sign of the filling of the Holy Spirit or even of conversion. This is a serious misinterpretation of Scripture. Those who say this ignore Paul’s clear teaching in 1 Corinthians 12:30 that even in apostolic times not all people spoke in tongues. “Do we all have the gift of healing? Do we all have the ability to speak in unknown languages? Do we all have the ability to interpret unknown languages? Of course not!” (1 Corinthians 12:30).

In 1 Corinthians 12:10 the Apostle Paul writes that a variety of gifts were given to the people of the Corinthian church. Some were given the power to perform miracles, others were given the ability to prophesy, others could distinguish between spirits, and still others were given the ability to speak in “different kinds of tongues.” In verse 30, the obvious answers to Paul’s questions are that these gifts are given on an individual basis. Not all have the gift of healing. And not all speak in tongues. “Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown languages,while another is given the ability to interpret what is being said.It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have” (See 1 Corinthians 12:4-11).

For more information on whether tongues are for today, read the online booklet found here.  —Dan VanderLugt

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