Speaking in Tongues – What is it?

Speaking in Tongues was a gift given certain anointed individuals in the early New Covenant Church that enabled them to speak and/or understand “languages” they had not studied or were not previously familiar with; this “spiritual gift” was granted by the Holy Spirit as a sign to unbelieving Jews and also to assist in the spreading of the Gospel to the known World as per the mandates of the Great Commission (Acts 2; Matthew 28). With the advent of the Canon of Scripture, the Muratorian Canon (Circa 180AD), tongues were no longer needed and faded away.

Today, speaking in an “unknown tongue” has manifest into a works oriented cult of self-righteousness and self aggrandizement in charismatic places of “worship” like Pentecostalism, Church of God, “Full Gospel” movements. The root of this “unknown tongue” finds its genesis in the pagan temple at Delphi adjacent Corinth in the First-Century. It was in Delphi that an intoxicated priestess setting atop a throne and inhaling intoxicating fumes from a burning substance beneath would exhort waiting patrons with oracles of prophecy and wisdom; oftentimes, the language of the priestess was unintelligible due to her intoxication; therefore, the waiting patrons left more confused than when they entered seeking wisdom.

This pagan-demonic practice ultimately carried-over into the Church at Corinth creating much confusion and much consternation for Paul which probably led to Paul’s command that women be silent in the Church proceedings (1 Corinthians 14:34). The deadly error relevant to “tongues” promulgated by charismatic cults today is the apostasy of mandating that one speak in a tongue, actually “demonic gibberish,” in order to validate their salvation and the presence of the Holy Spirit in their life; this is the Devil’s work that culminates in confusion, fear, doubt, feelings of inadequacy, in those who are seriously seeking the Father’s will via faith in the Son, Jesus Christ, yet they’re told unless they participate in the nonsense of speaking in tongues-gibberish they are not redeemed and are headed to Hell. Run away for the sake of your soul and your sanity!