The Blog

Opinions differ over exactly what Paul meant by “tongues”.

Some believe that this refers to speaking in earthly languages that a person did not know before.

Other scholars say that this refers to an “ecstatic” language, a “heavenly” language.

Many Christians believe in the second interpretation of tongues in that God sometimes gives messages to a person for someone else’s edification and personal revelation.

Speaking in tongues is a legitimate gift of the Spirit. The exercise of the gift demands some guidelines so that the purpose of the gift – to help the body of Christ – is not lost.

Those who speak in tongues should follow this main rule; those who do not speak in tongues ought not to seek the gift as a sign of salvation or of special closeness with God, for it is neither. It is a gift of God, given to whomever God chooses.

In today’s day and age, false prophets are everywhere sometimes abusing the gift God has given them. This is how, we as Christians, can verify whether an individual’s speaking of tongues is legitimate by making sure it is for revealing God’s messages rather for personal glory and that whatever he or she is saying bolsters and lines up with the Word of God.

1 Corinthians 12:10
to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,[a] and to still another the interpretation of tongues.[b]