Charismatics and Pentecostals engage in a practice in which they will speak, sing, or pray using indiscernible vocalizations, asserting that they are experiencing the miraculous gift of tongues from the New Testament. Anyone calling them out on this practice is usually quickly accused by its practitioners of having blasphemed the Holy Ghost.
This article will cover what the gift of tongues was in the Bible, and then will address some arguments by practitioners of modern speaking in tongues.
The gift of "speaking with new tongues" was prophesied by Jesus Christ, after His resurrection:
Mark 16:17-18
17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;
18 They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
The story of the particular fulfillment of this passage is found in Acts chapter 2, on the day of Pentecost, which was a Jewish feast that took place 50 days after the Feast of Firstfruits (Leviticus 23:15-21).
The following passage covering this event on Pentecost is the only detailed record in Scripture of what the experience of the gift of tongues was like:
Acts 2:1-11
1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
Above, we see that the Apostles are gathered in Jerusalem for the feast of Pentecost. Then, the Holy Spirit comes upon them, and they begin "to speak with other tongues" (verse 4).
Consequently, the Jews who were also gathered at the feast, who hailed from at least 15 different areas, marvelled that they heard the Apostles speak "in our tongues the wonderful works of God" (verse 11).
Therefore, based on this account, we can see very clearly that the gift of tongues was the gift of speaking a foreign language that a person had never learned before, in the presence of someone who spoke that language.
Notice also that there was a clear purpose for the miracle - evangelism. Tongues were serving their role as a sign for the unbelieving:
1 Corinthians 14:22
22 Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.
Having looked at the only example in Scripture that explains people experiencing the gift of new tongues, absent completely is any semblance of what Charismatics assert the gift of tongues entails. It was not a heavenly prayer language, used in worship, or personal devotion. It was the ability to speak a language that one had never learned, in the presence of someone who knew that language.
Scripture enumerates an explicit set of rules which govern people speaking with other tongues in the assembly - whether naturally or supernaturally.
Those rules are:
Therefore, these rules do not allow for anyone to say anything that is not explicitly interpreted before the assembly. If the tongue cannot be interpreted, that person is to keep silent.
And, notice that no women can Biblically speak in tongues in the assembly. That does not match the modern Charismatic model at all. Is the Holy Spirit violating His own Word, by making Charismatic women "speak in tongues" in assemblies all over the world?
Finally, things must be conducted "decently and in order". Perhaps the biggest reproach that the Charismatic movement, with their false practice of glossolalia, has brought upon the name of Christ, is in this regard. Nonbelievers can be turned away from Christianity after observing a frenzied, out of control, chaotic assembly (1 Corinthians 14:23).
This section will examine the following four passages, which are commonly used by Charismatics to support their view of tongues:
Romans 8:26-27
26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
This passage describes the intercession of the Holy Spirit, hearkening back to earlier in the passage, which referred to how we "groan within ourselves" (Romans 8:22-23). This isn't referring to speaking in tongues, or any language at all.
Instead, this is something that the Holy Spirit, not the Christian, does. Proof for this is the fact that what the Spirit is doing "cannot be uttered" (literally "unspeakable").
1 Corinthians 13:1
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
This verse is used by Charismatics to assert that they are speaking an angelic prayer language.
When including the verse's immediate context, however, we see that this is part of a refrain where Paul makes a hyperbole, followed by the fact that without love such a thing would be meaningless:
1 Corinthians 13:1-3
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
In plainer words, if Paul spoke with an angelic language, then he also moved mountains (verse 2), knew everything (verse 2), and gave his body to be burned (verse 3). Were any of those things reality? No, they were all hyperbole. In the verse in question, he is communicating the fact that no matter what language he speaks, if he doesn't have love, he is nothing.
1 Corinthians 14:2
2 For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.
Charismatics take the reference to "no man understands him" to justify their glossolalia. However, once again, including context makes that a ridiculous interpretation:
1 Corinthians 14:3-9
3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort.
4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.
5 I would that ye all spake with tongues but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.
6 Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?
7 And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?
8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?
9 So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air.
10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification.
11 Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me.
12 Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.
Above, we see that the context of verse 2 is about a person speaking a language that only they understand among the assembly, and how unless he is interpreted, they are "speaking into the air", and not edifying the church.
Therefore, the context, especially verses 5, 9 and 11, is an explicit condemnation of the kind of practice that Charismatics engage in.
1 Corinthians 14:13-14
13 Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret.
14 For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.
Charismatics assert that the reference to "my understanding is unfruitful" means "I do not understand what I'm saying". This is once again an impossible interpretation, especially given the context up to this point in the chapter, which was covered in the section above.
Rather, this passage is saying that the fact that you understand what you're saying is unfruitful, unless it is interpreted, so as to edify the rest of the congregation, who does not understand whatever language you're speaking. That's what the entire chapter up to this point has been hammering, over and over again. And, it is the same message that follows the passage in question:
1 Corinthians 14:15-19
15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
16 Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?
17 For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.
18 I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:
19 Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.
Verse 15 picks up again right away with an emphasis on the understanding of the entire congregation. Then, it continues on that theme, until what should be the death knell of the Charismatic practice of glossolalia, verse 19.
Notice that this article has spent a lot of time in 1 Corinthians 14. This is the premier chapter on tongues, and I would contend that it is referring far more to situations in which someone naturally knows a foreign language, rather than necessarily the miraculous sign. I would implore someone to read the entire chapter themselves, and come to their own conclusion. But, in no sense does any part of this chapter substantiate Charismatic claims about the gift of tongues, or their practices.
The miraculous gift of tongues was a gift of some, not all (1 Corinthians 12:8-10, 12:28-31), in the early Church, which served as a sign to unbelievers that Christianity was not some new sect of Judaism, but rather the divinely-instituted religion of the Messiah, whose Gospel message was to go to the whole world - even the Gentiles, who spoke diverse languages.
The practice of modern Charismatics and Pentecostals are complete distortions of what is actually seen in Scripture, and therefore, illegitimate.