Wigglesworth - 3 of 6 - Biblical Tongues
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(Part 3 - The following is part of our response to a series of emails from a man who disputed our Smith Wigglesworth_article, and who presented common arguments in support of Pentecostal experiences. He claims to have personal experience with baptism of fire, healing, deliverance and the practice of charismatic tongues, as promoted by Wigglesworth.)
PART 1 - Wigglesworth_1_of_6_Pentecostal_Baptism_of_Fire
PART 2 - Wigglesworth_2_of_6_Pentecostal_Gift_of_Tongues
PART 3 - Wigglesworth_3_of_6_Biblical_Tongues
PART 4 - Wigglesworth_4_of_6_Joel_Prophecy_Defending_Tongues
PART 5 - Wigglesworth_5_of_6_Healing_and_Deliverance
PART 6 - Wigglesworth_6_of_6_Prophecy_Gifts_and_Pentecostal_Practice
1. The 'speaking in tongues' (gibberish) that is practiced today violates the word of God, by adding to it. That is exactly what Smith Wigglesworth was doing. Here are just a few of the reasons, in explanation:
a. Those who speak in tongues are claiming to be speaking for God. They are speaking as "thus saith the LORD" - which DOES ADD to God's word. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar. (Prov 30:6)
b. Even if the "tongues and interpretation" practiced today conveyed a message of truth, it would not sanctify the medium (pun intended) of the message. Recall the damsel of Acts chapter 16 who was possessed by a spirit of divination who correctly proclaimed the identities and work of Paul and Silas:
And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation. (Acts 16:16-17)
c. Biblical tongues were a sign for unbelievers. Today's tongues are used as a sign for professing believers. (It is advertised as the "initial evidence" or proof of baptism in the Holy Spirit, is it not? It is also promoted as a means of communication between God and us. These are unscriptural teachings; contrary to I Cor 14:22.)
d. Biblical tongues were known languages. Today's 'tongues' are truly gibberish, non-languages, without structure, and without reasonable parallel to the 'interpretation" that presumes to follow them.
e. Biblical tongues were always and only permitted when they could be understood. Paul repeatedly rebuked and corrected the Corinthians for many things – including their abuse of tongues, but most of what he wrote about that is overlooked today. Paul said:
1) if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you….(I Cor 14:6) (speaking other languages was of no value in itself, unless the words could be understood)
2) … how shall it be known what is piped or harped? For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound… (I Cor 14:7-8) (confusion is not from God)
3) So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? For ye shall speak into the air. (I Cor 14:9) (tongues are nonsense if not understood)
4) For if I pray in an unknown tongue … my understanding is unfruitful. (I Cor 14:14) (contrary to all of scripture exhorting us to be fruitful)
5) … he understandeth not what thou sayest? (I Cor 16:16)
6) In the church I had rather speak five words WITH MY UNDERSTANDING, that by my voice I might TEACH others also, than TEN THOUSAND WORDS IN AN UNKNOWN TONGUE. (I Cor 14:19)
7) If … all speak with tongues… will they not say that ye are mad? (yet this is commonplace today) (I Cor 14:23)
f. Today's 'tongues' ("private-prayer-language") comprise probably 99.9% of the audible 'tongues' spoken in contemporary services, and they are never understood. Today's public tongues ("tongues and interpretation") are only purported to be understood – and that by dubious and misguided interpretation. (I do not question the hearts of most people engaged in these practices. I believe most are sincere. However, Satan has truly scored a great deception in counterfeiting what was a legitimate spiritual gift.)
3. Let's examine what you wrote, line-by-line to justify your own 'speaking in tongues':
a. You wrote, "When I pray in tongues I pray with my spirit by the Holy Spirit, ..."
1) God is a God of purpose. What purpose is there in having a "private prayer language" that you don't understand?
2) It is unscriptural, because tongues were given as a sign to others; not for oneself (I Cor 14:22). You can't negate that fact.
3) Also, God does not need us to change languages for him to understand our prayers.
4) And further, it is not a secret code language that prevents Satan from intercepting our prayers to God. That nonsense is nowhere found in the bible.
5) Modern "tongues" - i.e. gibberish - is Satan's own prayer language, as it is practiced today. I believe that those practicing it have received "another spirit". (II Cor 11:4)
b. You continued, "and I ... "Speak to God --- with or without interpretation"
1) I understand the doctrine well, but God never teaches us to pray to him in tongues, and he never had people pray to him in tongues and then need an interpretation of it. That is ridiculous.
2) Paul only mentions speaking to God in tongues/languages that were unknown - and not understandable to anyone else – including to the speaker himself/herself (I Cor 14:2) because he is rebuking the Corinthians for such an ungodly practice.
3) Paul was saying that, 'Only God knows' what you're saying when you're speaking such gibberish, 'because no man can understand you'!!
c. You continued, "Speak mysteries in my spirit by the Holy Spirit --- interpretation needed"
1) In I Cor 14:2, Paul is saying that unknown tongues are babble – 'even God doesn't know' what you're talking about - you're speaking "mysteries" to him – things that are unknown or don't make sense.
2) Paul is NOT advocating doing this. He is rebuking the Corinthians for their unscriptural practice. He is saying that their words are nonsense.
3) Even if the Corinthians had been speaking valuable mysteries - as you believe them to be - what value is there in speaking mysteries to God when neither you nor anyone else is able to understand them anyway? It just doesn't make sense.
d. You continued, "Edify myself --- with or without interpretation"
1) God does not teach us to "edify" ourselves – ever. He teaches us to edify the church.
2) Paul is rebuking the Corinthians and/or correcting them for using 'tongues' to edify themselves when they should be prophesying so that the church can be edified.
3) This is proven by Paul's use of the word "but" in I Cor 14:4. What comes after the "but" is what God is directing; not what comes before it.
e. "Bless with my spirit by the Holy Spirit --- interpretation needed"
1) The phrases "with my spirit"; "in the spirit", etc are not biblical synonyms for speaking "with tongues", even though that is the prevalent thinking in today's professing church.
2) Even if they were synonymous, it would not justify speaking words that cannot be understood by others.
3) The very verse from which you extracted this phrase – I Cor 14:16 – goes on to prove that prayer in an unknown tongue is useless, nonsense, if the words spoken cannot be understood by others.
f. "Give thanks with my spirit by the Holy Spirit --- interpretation needed"
1) exactly same response as above
4. You referred to 1 Corinthians 13:1 and tried to justify your practice of 'tongues' (gibberish) by suggesting your 'tongues' are the tongues of men and of angels.
a. Using the bible as our final authority, do you know of any angel who spoke in a language that was unknown to men?
b. The "tongues of men and of angels" is simply a reference to the languages that men and angels both know and use to speak to each other.
c. There are no secret languages ('tongues of angels') that become 'personal prayer languages' for us.
d. In every biblical account where an angel spoke, he spoke in a language known to men.
5. We know from scripture that all men do not speak with tongues (I Cor 12:30).
6. We know from scripture that tongues shall cease (I Cor 13:8).
7. Regarding that cessation of tongues, I pointed out that Scripture doesn't explicitly mention when the cessation of other signs occurred either – ex. Moses' rod/leprosy, so it is not unreasonable to conclude that the SIGN is no longer needed now that its original purpose has been fulfilled.
8. This is especially true, given that scripture itself is now complete. We have scripture as a perfect mirror for our lives. We do not need men speaking in known languages to us as a sign, and we do not need men speaking to us in 'languages' to hear "the wonderful works of God". Scripture says that these things are WRITTEN that ye might believe (John 20:31 and I John 5;13).
9. Even if one wishes to argue that the original purpose is still valid today, I would ask:
a. how many unbelieving Jews are present in your services?,
b. whether ALL of the tongues spoken are made to be understandable by all,
c. whether only men speak them,
d. whether only 3 at most speak, and
e. whether the messages given are for the believers present or only for the unbelievers. (Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: (I Cor 14:22)) If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. (I Cor 14:37)
10. I'm reluctant to embrace the blanket emphasis you (and many others) place on "love" because it is used prevalently today as a substitute for truth; not as a companion of truth. In other words, you can't speak the truth in love, if you don't have the truth in the first place; and love without truth is nonsense. Therefore, the "love" of which many speak is really a false love. True love speaks the TRUTH, even if it hurts or costs.
11. Our foundation has to be the word of God at all times - regardless of whether it appears to be 'judgmental' or 'loving'. Even when God/Jesus/scripture rebukes someone, it is a demonstration of love. It is even an act of love when God sends ungodly people to Hell.
12. The confusion prevalent in tongues-speaking fellowships ('Babel') certainly fits the image of Babylon - as in the tower of Babel. For example, Smith Wigglesworth used to encourage everyone to raise their hands and to 'speak in tongues' all together. (see reference to page 28 in our Wigglesworth_article.)
13. Mystery Babylon the Great, the Roman Catholic church, has significantly advanced the tongues movement through Charismatic Catholics. When you consider that Catholics speak in tongues just like professing Christians do, and Catholics fellowship with them – Pentecostals, Charismatics, ecumenical groups – doesn't it make you wonder if the tongues movement is just Satan's device to steer the whole religious world towards the one world religion of the false prophet?
14. Also, when you consider that other manifestations are inseparably associated with tongues (i.e. slain in the spirit phenomena, words of knowledge/divination, and a myriad of related phenomena and bizarre behaviours that are blatantly unscriptural and are known to be practiced by pagans, Satanists and practitioners of Eastern religions), doesn't it confirm that Satan is REALLY behind the 'speaking in tongues' movement today?
