TONGUES- PART 2
Back to Main Page
This is Part Two of the study of Acts 2. In Part One of the studies, it has been established that there were two groups of people in Acts 2. There were:-
- People gathered in the room.
This group of believers experienced the outpouring of the arrival of the Holy Spirit.
Furthermore, the Spirit abled them to speak in more than 10 different languages. - People who were outside the room.
They were from more than 10 nations.
They heard the rushing of the wild wind outside the house.
They were only saved after responding to the message of St Peter.
Shall call this group “Multi-nations Group”, thereafter.
With that in mind, we shall continue the Book of Acts Chapter 2.
(A) FURTHER EXPOSITION
Peter raised and took his stand with the 11 apostles in clarifying that they weren’t drunk. Instead, Peter quoted Joel 2:28-32 and explained that it was the fulfillment of the outpouring of the arrival of the Holy Spirit as prophesied by Prophet Joel (Acts 2:14-16)
My understanding of Acts 2:17-21 and Joel 2:28-32 is that the outpouring of the Spirit has just started. The rest of Joel’s prophecy has yet to be fulfilled at the point in Acts 2. In another word, most of the events outlined in Acts 2:17-21/ Joel 2:28-32 have not been fulfilled with the outpouring event in the book of Acts 2. These events are:-
- The Spirit will pour on all people. (Not all have been poured with the gift of the Holy Spirit yet.)
- Sons and daughters will prophesy
- Young men will see visions
- Old men will dream dreams.
- Every servant shall receive the outpouring of the Spirit.
- Wonders and signs on the earth
- Blood and fire and billows of smoke.
- Sun turns darkness, moon turns blood before the coming of the glorious day of the Lord.
- Whoever calls on the Name of the Lord will be saved. (NIV)
Indeed, those events outlined above like “Young men see visions, old men dream dreams, blood and fire and billows of smoke, sun turns darkness, moon turns blood” ARE NOT PART of the 9 Spiritual gifts.
Hence, it shall not be mistaken as most of the “Cessationists” like to claim that:-
– The “Speaking in foreign Tongues of Languages” in Acts 2 as the giving of the Gift of Tongues
– The Spiritual Tongues is NOT speaking in earthly languages
There are few bible scriptures talking about the second coming of Jesus or the Day of the Lord. Mostly, the preconditioned or pre-events are “SUN TURNS DARKNESS, MOON TURNS BLOOD…(Acts 2:20-21/ Joel 2:31)”
The supporting verses on this can be found below:-
| (Acts 2:20-21, GNT) 20 the sun will be darkened, and the moon will turn red as blood, BEFORE the great and glorious Day of the Lord comes. 21 And then, whoever calls out to the Lord for help will be saved.’ |
| (Joel 2:31-32, GNT) 31 The sun will be darkened, and the moon will turn red as blood BEFORE the great and terrible day of the Lord comes. 31 But all who ask the Lord for help will be saved. As the Lord has said, ‘Some in Jerusalem will escape; those whom I choose will survive.’” |
| (Matthew 24:29-30, GNT) 29 Soon after the trouble of those days, the sun will grow dark, the moon will no longer shine, the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers in space will be driven from their courses. 30 Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky; and all the peoples of earth will weep as they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. |
| (Isaith 13:9-10, GNT) 9 The day of the Lord is coming—that cruel day of his fierce anger and fury. The earth will be made a wilderness, and every sinner will be destroyed. 10 Every star and every constellation will stop shining, the sun will be dark when it rises, and the moon will give no light. |
| (Revelation 6:12-14, GNT) 12 And I saw the Lamb break open the sixth seal. There was a violent earthquake, and the sun became black like coarse black cloth, and the moon turned completely red like blood. 13 The stars fell down to the earth, like unripe figs falling from the tree when a strong wind shakes it. 14 The sky disappeared like a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved from its place. |
Personally, I interpret the above as the transfer of Jesus’ earthly ministry to the Holy Spirit shall last until “SUN TURNS DARKNESS, MOON TURNS BLOOD…(Acts 2:20-21/ Joel 2:31)”.
This means the church age or Grace Generation, or the Holy Spirit ministry shall continue until right before the second coming of Jesus; right before the event of “SUN TURNS DARKNESS ETC.”
Thus, the outpouring of the Spirit can not be mistaken for the giving of Spiritual gifts. Acts 2 is about the arrival of the promise of the Spirit or the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38).
And with the arrival of the Spirit, there is a change in the divine system. No longer the Almighty God is known as the God of Hebrews. First time in history, God manifested Himself as God of Gentiles by enabling those believers to speak in more than 10 different nationalities’ languages.
Should Cessationalists still like to claim “Tongues of Language” is the same as the “Gift of Speaking in Tongues”, then, they have to accept that the prophecy mentioned in Acts 2:18 and Joel 2 will last until the second coming of Jesus.
That means it is not true for Cessationism to claim that prophecy, healing, Speaking in Tongues, and the role of apostleship ceased in the early apostolic period.
Based on the scripture, prophecy shall last until right before the second coming of the Lord (before the event of “SUN TURNS DARKNESS).
(B) A CALL FOR REPENTANCE
Apostle Peter continued his speech in Acts 2 by saying that Jesus was the Man who was clearly given God’s divine authority and demonstrated with great miracles and wonders. But you killed Him by surrendering Him to be crucified.
They all witnessed that God raised Jesus from death. Exalted Jesus and let Him seated on His right hand. He also received the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out the Spirit in this event.
- To this, King David, though not ascended into heaven but prophesied that in Psalm 16:8-11.
Peter’s sermon cut the hearts of many people. They asked him and the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
Peter replied to them in Acts 2:38-39 by saying, “Repent and be baptized:-
– In the Name of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins
– And you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Just to emphasize again that the author is saying “receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”. It is not the same as receiving the “Nine Spiritual Gifts of the Spirit”. And in Paul’s teaching, Spiritual Gifts have to be received by earnestly seeking.
Earlier, in Part One, we have already established that water baptism is for the forgiveness of sins. Whilst the baptism of the Spirit is for the power of witnessing for the Lord.
Hence, “Repentance and Baptism of the Spirit” are not just important acts for the believers but also go hand in hand. Certainly, these are not the same event.
The last portion of the scripture described how they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, and breaking of bread and to prayers. They were filled with the awe of many wonders and signs performed by the apostles.
(C) QUESTIONS
Believers ought to ask these questions:-
(1) Is speaking in Tongues is the same as Speaking in Tongues of Languages?
(2) Does Acts 2 align with Paul’s teaching regarding the “Gift of Tongues”?
Firstly, according to 1 Corinthians 13:1, Paul was saying that there are:-
– Tongues of men
– Tongues of angels
| 1 Corinthians 13:1 (NASB 1995) 1 If I speak with the TONGUES OF MEN AND OF ANGELS, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. |
However, it was recorded clearly that people in Acts 2 understood the so-called native languages. They called those languages “They even called those “Tongues” as their mother Languages.”
(D) DID PAUL SPEAK ANY OTHER NATIVE LANGUAGES?
Secondly, Paul in 1 Corinthians 14:18-19 says that he spoke in STRANGE TONGUES much more than anyone. If tongues are speaking in an earthly language, does that mean Paul spoke many or few earthly languages in his quiet; devotional time with the Lord, just like the believers did in Acts 2?
Did Paul speak native languages of:-
– Parthia,
– Media, and Elam;
– Mesopotamia,
– Judea,
– Cappadocia;
– Pontus
– Asia,
– Phrygia etc
No. There wasn’t any record saying Paul speaks in any of those foreign languages.
(E) STRANGE TONGUES AND BE ORDERLY
Thirdly, Paul was telling Corinthian churches to be orderly. In First Corinthians 14:19, he was telling the people to “Rather speak five WORDS that can be understood, than speak thousands of words in STRANGE tongues” in church services.
That means to Paul, the Spiritual Gift of Tongues was known as “STRANGE” tongues. It is not the same as “Words” that can be understood.
| 1 Corinthians 14:18-19 18 I thank God that I speak in STRANGE tongues much more than any of you. 19 But in church worship I would rather speak five WORDS that can be understood, in order to teach others, than speak thousands of words in strange tongues. |
But in the Book of Acts Chapter 2, non-believers understood those “Tongues of Languages.” They identified those “Tongues of Languages” as their “Native Languages.”
In addition, Paul is saying:
| 1 Corinthians 14:2 GNT 2 Those who speak in STRANGE tongues do not speak to others but to God, because NO ONE UNDERSTANDS THEM. They are speaking SECRET TRUTHS by the power of the Spirit. |
Paul, not only saying that NO ONE can understand STRANGE Tongues. He also defines tongues as speaking secret truths by the power of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 14:2). As compared, people in Acts 2 understood what the believers spoke. Indeed, they called those tongues of languages “their native languages.”
(F) GOD’S GIFT
Fourthly, the scripture continues in verse 38 by telling pre-believers to repent and receive the gift of God, WHICH IS THE HOLY SPIRIT.
| Acts 2:38 38 Peter said to them, “Each one of you must turn away from your sins and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins will be forgiven; and you will RECEIVE GOD’S GIFT, the Holy Spirit. |
Thus, Acts 2 does not define or talk about the giving of the “Gift of Tongues.” Rather, it was giving or arriving at the promise of the Holy Spirit.
(G) ORDERLY AND NOT CONFUSED
Point number five is that, In 1 Corinthians Chapter 14 verses 26 to 28, Paul was saying that he only allows the most 3 persons to speak in Tongues in church service.
However, in Acts 2, everyone is speaking in tongues of 16 different languages AT ONE GO. Does that mean in Acts 2, God went against Paul’s teaching? And that God is the Lord of disorderly?
No, Acts 2 is the fulfillment of the outpouring or arrival of the Holy Spirit or the arrival of Spirit. A change of ministry from Jesus to the Holy Spirit on earth.
(H) MIND UNFRUITFUL
Point number 6 can be found in 1 Corinthians 14:14
| 1 Corinthians 14:14 (NIV) 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. |
Thus, to put 1 Corinthians Chapters 13 and 14 together, clearly, praying in Tongues is praying in the spirit that no human can understand unless one is having the Gift of Interpretation.
But in the Tongues of Languages mentioned in Acts 2, all the unbelievers can understand the meanings. And that Tongues of Languages are earthly languages. Those people in Acts 2 call those their “native” languages.
Last but not least, in First Corinthians 12, Paul is saying:
| 1 Corinthians 12:27-30 (NASB 1935) 27 Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues. 29 All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they? 30 All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they? |
It appeared that almost all the believers were speaking in “Tongues of Languages” in the room in Acts 2. Does it mean all were inherited with the same gift, having the same part of the body of Christ in Acts 2?
Should that be the case, Acts 2 was against Paul’s teaching in 1 Corinthians 12:27-30.
As I close Part 1 and 2 of the study of Tongues, I just like to remind myself and readers, if any, to reconsider this topic.
If cessationism theology holds the truth, apostle Paul was reluctant to teach and fill the bible with so many verses but tell believers that the gifts only lasted only till the death of St John.
Lastly, in the Book of Acts, there were recorded so many spiritual breakthroughs with healing, prophecies, etc. Thus, I remained skeptical buying the thought of cessationism. 
Related Read:
TONGUES- PART 1
Read:
NO CONDEMNATION
TOP POSTS:-
AS HE IS, SO ARE WE IN THIS WORLD
SEE JESUS: (1 CORINTHIANS 10)
END TIMES:- THE BOOK OF LIFE OPENS
ARISE, SHINE
CAST YOUR NET ON THE RIGHT SIDE
