Speaking In Tongues

Speaking in tongues is a controversial issue amongst the religious denominations. Some believe that tongues are no longer necessary and were only relevant for that time period (cessation dispensationalist). Others believe that you can speak in tongues, but it is not essential to salvation. I believe that you must speak in tongues in order to be saved. How do you know if a car is registered, unless the owner has its registration? How do you know if someone has graduated from college without their degree? In other words you need evidence that the Holy Ghost is in you. I also believe that you should be baptized in Jesus’ name, but I will save that for another essay. We cannot dismiss specific parts of the Bible and advocate others, religion is not an insurance company, and this is life or death decision. We cannot see what plan works best for us, but rather do what the Bible says. In this essay, I will show biblical evidence commanding us to speak in tongues (which is evidence that we have the Holy Spirit), and why just being a “devout Christian” is not enough for salvation.

Let us look at the book of John chapter three; Nicodemus, a Pharisee was asking Jesus how he could be saved and Jesus replied “Verily, Verily I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” If you are not born again, you cannot even see heaven, let alone enter it. Nicodemus asked Jesus if he had to re-enter his mother’s womb or not and Jesus replied again in verse five: “Verily, Verily I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” and in verse seven he says: “Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye must be born again.” Well what is this re-birth that Jesus speaks of? The “born of water” portion speaks of water baptism, while the “born of spirit” portion is speaking of Holy Ghost baptism. Jesus says that without these things you will not even see Heaven. If you need more proof, look at the book of Acts 1:5: “For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.”

Now let us look at examples of speaking in tongues: “And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” They did not give themselves utterance, the Spirit did. Look at Acts 10:44-46 “While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all of them which heard the word” verse 46: “For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God…” So you do not have the fullness of the Holy Ghost unless you speak in tongues—look at Acts 19:2: “He said unto them, have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, we have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.” “He” in this scripture is Paul. There are many believers out there, but just “believing” will not be enough for your salvation.

Some Christian denominations only require their members to “believe” or “accept Jesus into your heart” The fact is, this is not enough. A prime example of this idea occurs in Acts 10:1-6 “There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway. He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. 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 memorial 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 tell thee what thou oughtest to do.” We see that Cornelius is a devout believer and prayed to God, so he has already believed in Jesus however at the end of this passage there was something he still had to do. If you read further, you will see in verse 44: “While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.” Cornelius was in that group of people and then he was fully saved.

If Cornelius needed the Holy Ghost even if he was a devout believer, how much more do we as believers need the Holy Ghost? The Holy Ghost with evidence of speaking in tongues is the only way. God Bless.