Speaking in Tongues

Should All Christians Speak in Tongues?

1 Corinthians 12:29-30

29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?

First, let me say that speaking in tongues is a wonderful gift from God. The gift is still active today. God’s word speaks of it and never alludes to it ceasing in our present age. In fact, it tells us not to forbid it (1 Corinthians 14:39). Tongues is a gift meant to glorify God and encourage His people (Eph 4:12, 1 Peter 4:11).

The answer to the question above is a simple, “no.” God intended some to do so, but not others. We can go to 1 Corinthians 12 for this. Verses 8-10 tell us that spiritual gifts are dispersed by the Holy Spirit. One person is given a gift, another is given another gift, and another person, another gift.

Moreover, in 1 Corinthians 12:30, the Apostle Paul asks, “All do not speak in tongues, do they?” That is a rhetorical question. The obvious answer to it is, “no.” All are not supposed to speak with other tongues. The reading of this chapter more than alludes to the fact that not all Christians will operate in every gift, including tongues.

Some people will say that there is a prayer language of tongues and a tongues for the public church assembly. Basically, one is for private use and the other is for public use. Regardless of that, Paul didn’t specify what type he was speaking of in 1 Corinthians 12:30. He just mentioned tongues in general. Therefore, I am led to believe that the gift of tongues is only for some, not all. On top of that, the Bible never actually tells us that the gift is for all Christians. People come to that conclusion because they want to, not because Scripture says it.

Something else that convinces me that tongues are not for all Christians is that the activity is only mentioned a select few times in Scripture: Acts, 1 Corinthians, and briefly in Mark. It doesn’t seem to be near as prominent as some people try to make it. The only detailed teaching and explanation about the gift of tongues is found in three chapters: 1 Corinthians 12-14. Not only that, tongues have to share that space with other gifts. The fact that God only saw fit to teach us about the gift in only three chapters should tell us something. 

Furthermore, it is interesting to note that it was never practiced in the Old Testament like prophecy, healing, miracles, or faith. Plus, although Jesus Himself operated in numerous spiritual gifts, there is not a single place in Scripture in which we see Him speaking in tongues. The same goes for John the Baptist. In fact, John the Baptist didn’t perform any miracles at all (John 10:41). Still, Jesus stated of John the Baptist: No man, born of a woman, is greater than John the Baptist, except the person who is least in the kingdom (Matthew 11:11).

Certain people will point to passages like Acts 2, Acts 8, Acts 10, Acts 16, and Acts 19 to say that all who are filled with the Holy Spirit will speak in tongues. However, they have to make some assumptions, especially in the case of Acts 8 and Acts 16, where tongues are never actually mentioned. If something is not mentioned, we should not impose it onto the text. We should not try to force the Bible to say something it does not say. In addition, we cannot take the experiences of other people (in the book of Acts) and say that everyone’s life will be that way. We have to go with what we are taught in the classroom of 1 Corinthians 12-14. 

The bottom line is that tongues are an incredible gift that God still uses today. We should not go to either extreme, that tongues have ceased, or that all Christians should do it. The Bible portrays a balanced approach on the subject. Whatever spiritual gifts God has given you, tongues or otherwise, make sure you increase and grow in them so you can glorify God and love a lost world more properly (2 Timothy 1:6).

For more information on the gift of tongues, this sermon could help: www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_4wqINL-VY&t=907s

1 Peter 4:10-11

10 As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 … let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.