The Absurdity of Speaking in Tongues

Why would God have you speak in a tongue you don’t understand, when He surely has no problems interpreting your mother tongue? Why did God give such a gift back then or nowadays for that matter?

A subject debated between different Christian denominations, the speaking in tongues as the gift of the Holy Spirit is still highly controversial to this day; some say it exists, some say it does not or other say that it might be, but only in known tongues.

For those who believe that all the gifts of the Holy Spirit are present in the Church today, things seem to be pretty straightforward and simplistic: The Bible says that the faith "was once for all entrusted to the saints" (Jude 1:3b), therefore it should be the way it was in the first place and no modifications added or taken out of it.

"... But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears." 1 Corinthians 13: 8-10

So according to the verses cited above (and other verses too, the list in not exhaustive), this group of Christians consider that the gifts will end when the perfection comes, that is when Jesus Christ comes back for the second time.

God’s generosity is manifested in the gifts He gave to humans (Ephesians 4:8), still, Jesus specifically warns about the dangers involved when people who received God’s gifts do not life a holly life. "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' Mathew 7:21-23

Right, it is not difficult to understand God’s gifts, they all seem logical … except for one, the speaking in tongues gift when you don’t even understand yourself what you speak.

Apostle Paul explains the Christians in Corinth:" For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit."

When you think about it, why would God have you speak something that no one understands, not even yourself? God understands your mother tongue anyway doesn’t He?! Why then would He call a gift this speaking in tongues experience? Since no one understands it…not even the one who speaks, why even bother? This is does not make sense according to human logic!

However, the apostle continues explaining it as follows:"But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort. He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church."

True, it is obvious that Paul speaks about a personal edification, but how can you possibly edify yourself when you don’t understand what you are saying? What could you possibly be saying anyway?

Paul has the answer to this question too:" he utters mysteries with his spirit," also in the verse 17 he says that you give thanks to God.

Hmm, as awkward and illogical as it may seem, it looks like Paul has an explanation for it even if this time the human logic might be puzzled by God’s way of thinking. The apostle continues setting a clear frame for speaking in tongues:

"If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God."

"For this reason anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret what he says. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind. If you are praising God with your spirit, how can one who finds himself among those who do not understand say "Amen" to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying? You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified." 13-17

God didn’t need advice from our logical thinking to give the gifts of His Holy Spirit to people, He didn’t need it back then when they started and He doesn’t need it today either. However, we must have the spiritual discernment to understand what comes from the Spirit of God. Whoever testifies that Jesus Christ is the Son of God according to the Bible, and lives a holy life as God requires, is from God.

I wanted to point out for those who say that some of the Holy Spirit’s gifts are not needed today the fact that back then they had the very same situation, just like nowadays. God decided to give this gift without asking any man, so who are we to say that it is not needed? God has a clear purpose for everything; just as you have to first put the oxygen mask yourself in order to help your children (when traveling by plane if the case), the same way, you have to be edified yourself in order to be able to edify others.

May God help us all believe His word as it is, without adding or subtracting anything from it even we don’t know how exactly God operates.

"All I have seen teaches me to trust the Creator for all I have not seen."
Ralph Waldo Emerson

By Claudia Miclaus