In regard to the “Other Tongues” as seen in Acts 2 and the imparting of the Gifts of God, there ARE occasions that, instead of the “gibberish” (unintelligible speaking) that is sometimes heard (and that no one can understand!), a foreign language may be heard. This is sensible, since in the example of the experience in the Upper Room, there were people outside (obviously a marketplace setting) who were foreigners to Jerusalem. They heard some in the room speaking clearly in their own language! The point here is that the (foreigners) were moved, and immediately thereafter the disciple, Peter, came out and preached the Gospel message to the crowd, and many were saved!
That’s an example of the foreigners interpreting what was spoken in “other” tongues.
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Before moving to Florida my late wife, Teresa, was attending a Women’s home (prayer) meeting in Johnson City, TN. There were 50-60 ladies there and, after the meeting, lunch and a time of fellowship, Teresa was preparing to leave for home. We lived a half-hour from Johnson City so she decided to go to the bathroom prior to leaving.
At the meeting, Teresa was introduced to Miosho, a Japanese exchange student, and who was to leave soon for her home in Japan. Teresa had already spoken to her and saw the girl head for the front door, as to leave.
While in the bathroom, she clearly heard the Lord tell her to go speak to Miosho. She said, “But Lord, I saw Miosho leave, and anyway I have already spoken to her”. The Lord again said to go speak to Miosho. So, as Teresa opened the bathroom door there stood Miosho! She had also decided to go to the bathroom before leaving.
So, she told Miosho of what went on in the bathroom and told her that, since she really didn’t know what to say, she would “pray over her” in tongues. Teresa, who had been a “charismatic” for nearly ten years, started speaking in tongues, but she knew that she had never heard that type of “utterance” before! When she finished, Miosho was crying!
Miosho went on to share that, as a newly-converted Christian, she was concerned about not having any Christian friends to worship and fellowship with when she arrives home in her mostly-Shinto Japanese village. She then said that Teresa spoke clearly to her in her own native language, and in the dialect that is only used in that small village! The message she received was that the Lord would be providing Christian fellowship for her when she got home and that she would be involved in leading her whole village to Christ.
This is an example of the use of “other” tongues, both as a “witness” and as a method of communication. I have other examples but space doesn’t permit any more in this writing.
Now, regarding the seminary-confined religious intellectuals who have decreed that the endowment of the “gifts” of the Spirit ended with the last disciple/apostle, SHOW ME! My Bible is clearly a guide (the “Manufacturer’s handbook”) by which to conduct and direct my life. I live in the Book of Acts, and I checked the end – it DIDN’T end. It (the Book of Acts) is still at work!
The Bible doesn’t say that anything has changed or that it has lost any of its power or authority regardless of what the intellectuals say. The Great Commission has certainly not changed – Jesus told (all of) us to continue the work that He had begun while He was here. In fact, He said that we would be doing the same, and, well, in John 14: 12 He says “I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.”
There are those who try to use the scriptures to force their point regarding the cessation of the Gifts and other provisions that God has given us. A prime example is the verse in 1 Cor 13: “But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.” If this is valid NOW what about the part regarding knowledge passing away? Unfortunately, this is taken out of context, for the whole account is saying that love doesn’t fail and that Jesus is love, and upon His return we won’t need prophecies or tongues or even knowledge, for with Jesus on the throne, we won’t need anything! He provides ALL we need. I wonder what the intellectuals will do then?
The Gifts of God: healing, wisdom, knowledge, speaking in tongues, miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, faith, and the interpreting of tongues are for the “common good” (1 Cor 12: ), to be used in our “witnessing”. How can any Godly-inspired person question the Word of God and His instructions for us to use these gifts, not for our own purpose, but for the salvation of man??
You and I will be there at the White Throne Judgment. Yeah, they’ll probably be there too, as believers, but I’m sure they will be asked (judged) on their perversion or manipulation of the Scriptures! The warning of “changing” the Word of God in Rev. 22:18-19 (“For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book“) probably applies to the whole of the book we call the Bible!
Be blessed!
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