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Question #335

Why do some churches believe there is no need to speak in tongues?

Why is it that still some churches believe that there is no need to speak in tongues? Why was God so foolish as to indicate this in the Bible if there is no significance in speaking in tongues while the Spirit of God give utterances. People do not understand the wonders of God and what he is doing through HIS tongues, because this is something that God gives the believer.

The Answer:

One might ask, “Why is it that some churches believe that God was and is so foolish as to give ecstatic unintelligible sounds to people that cannot be tested for truthfulness?” [You might argue that they can be tested by the “gift of interpretation,” but that merely raises the question of who will test the tester. You might argue that God knows their meaning, but then he has imparted to intelligible testable information to man. You might argue that it is to edify the recipient of the gift of tongues, but how is he edified by that which he does not understand and cannot be demonstrated to be either true or from God.] The fact is that these dueling questions cannot be resolved by their mere existence. Your question and comments have no support at all – not a single bible reference or any logical reasoning to support the position that you espouse. In contrast, Thy Word Is Truth seeks to support that which it contains by reference to God’s word which is truth. John 17:17. For example, before you asked your question did you search the website to determine what it had to say about tongues? You either saw something on the website that prompted your question or you knew that many considered ecstatic utterances to be unscriptural and you were seeking to know the basis of that opposition. A good place to begin is to make a thorough search of this website through “Search the Site” on its home page. Had you done so you would have found “Class:1 Corinthians”, Lesson 17, which contains a lengthy discussion setting for the reasons that the “tongues” in the Corinthian church were not ecstatic utterances as some today claim as well as responses to the arguments in their favor. You will find other references as well in response to your search. Study them carefully and you will have the answer to your question.

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God's Plan of Salvation

You must hear the gospel and then understand and recognize that you are lost without Jesus Christ no matter who you are and no matter what your background is. The Bible tells us that "all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23) Before you can be saved, you must understand that you are lost and that the only way to be saved is by obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 1:8) Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." (John 14:6) "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12) "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." (Romans 10:17)

You must believe and have faith in God because "without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." (Hebrews 11:6) But neither belief alone nor faith alone is sufficient to save. (James 2:19; James 2:24; Matthew 7:21)

You must repent of your sins. (Acts 3:19) But repentance alone is not enough. The so-called "Sinner's Prayer" that you hear so much about today from denominational preachers does not appear anywhere in the Bible. Indeed, nowhere in the Bible was anyone ever told to pray the "Sinner's Prayer" to be saved. By contrast, there are numerous examples showing that prayer alone does not save. Saul, for example, prayed following his meeting with Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:11), but Saul was still in his sins when Ananias met him three days later (Acts 22:16). Cornelius prayed to God always, and yet there was something else he needed to do to be saved (Acts 10:2, 6, 33, 48). If prayer alone did not save Saul or Cornelius, prayer alone will not save you. You must obey the gospel. (2 Thess. 1:8)

You must confess that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. (Romans 10:9-10) Note that you do NOT need to make Jesus "Lord of your life." Why? Because Jesus is already Lord of your life whether or not you have obeyed his gospel. Indeed, we obey him, not to make him Lord, but because he already is Lord. (Acts 2:36) Also, no one in the Bible was ever told to just "accept Jesus as your personal savior." We must confess that Jesus is the Son of God, but, as with faith and repentance, confession alone does not save. (Matthew 7:21)

Having believed, repented, and confessed that Jesus is the Son of God, you must be baptized for the remission of your sins. (Acts 2:38) It is at this point (and not before) that your sins are forgiven. (Acts 22:16) It is impossible to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ without teaching the absolute necessity of baptism for salvation. (Acts 8:35-36; Romans 6:3-4; 1 Peter 3:21) Anyone who responds to the question in Acts 2:37 with an answer that contradicts Acts 2:38 is NOT proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ!

Once you are saved, God adds you to his church and writes your name in the Book of Life. (Acts 2:47; Philippians 4:3) To continue in God's grace, you must continue to serve God faithfully until death. Unless they remain faithful, those who are in God's grace will fall from grace, and those whose names are in the Book of Life will have their names blotted out of that book. (Revelation 2:10; Revelation 3:5; Galatians 5:4)