Author: L.D. Pruitt
This is an age of many counterfeit religions of which the New Testament writers have given us definite warning. (I Tim. 4:1.)
In this writing we do not mean to unkindly criticize any one, but the love for precious souls constrains us to expose this particular error in the light of Bible truth so that honest seekers of truth may make their escape from the realms of deception. Souls who are thus in bondage are to be pitied and persuaded by Divine love and wisdom-not crushed or driven. Strictly speaking, the Devil is solely responsible for the error itself, so let us place the blame on the author and rescue the subjects from the error’s influence. There is deliverance, praise God!
The latter part of the nineteenth century marked the beginning of the full restoration of God’s true Church to her apostolic victory and power, or when she emerged from the “cloudy and dark day” into the “evening light”-a fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. (Ezek. 34:12; Zech. 14:6-7). The truth was set forth such as sanctification, holiness, divine healing, New Testament ordinances, and the one Church separate from human organizations.
Hearing this apostolic truth, numbers began to make their escape from religious confusion and embraced the whole truth. Then the Devil saw that his grip was being loosened in the religious world. Therefore, very quickly he devised and originated new theories to sidetrack precious souls in their search for truth, of which the Pentecostal or modern tongues, to be plain, is the most outstanding counterfeit movement. It is a late movement and in recent years it has swept the country, especially the Middle West and Pacific Coast. There are reasons for its spread, which we will notice later.
Dear reader, let us turn to the Bible and see if their teachings and spirit, especially the tongues-evidence theory, harmonizes with the Word and Spirit of God.
Error 1. Speaking in tongues as the Spirit gives utterance (Acts 2:4) is different from the gift of tongues of I Corinthians 12:10. There is no distinction in the two expressions, for both refer to the same thing. True speaking in tongues of Acts 2:4 is a manifestation of the Spirit as implied by the words, “as the Spirit gave them utterance.” The fact that the true tongues are given of the Spirit necessarily means they are a “gift” of the Spirit. In the 12th chapter of I Corinthians both expressions are used interchangeably and speaking of the same spiritual gift. We read, “To one is given by the Spirit . . . divers kinds of tongues,” (verses 8, 10) referring to the gift of tongues. Then in verse 30 we read, “Do all speak with tongues?” which also refers to the same gift, just as the “gift of miracles” and “workers of miracles” are equivalent expressions. We understand that this distinguishing theory was introduced in the year of 1900 by C. F. Parham. The early Church never taught it, for it is a strained interpretation trying to uphold the tongues-evidence theory.
Error 2. The baptism of the Holy Ghost is in every instance attended by the initial physical sign of speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance. The Scriptures nowhere teach that speaking in tongues is required as evidence that the Holy Ghost is received. In I Corinthians 12:30 Paul asks, “Do all speak with tongues?” No, is the implied answer, for in the preceding verses he had explained that there were “differences of administration” in the manifestation of the Spirit, meaning that the Spirit does not manifest Himself through the same particular gift in every person, “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.” v. 7. You know that all are not apostles, all are not workers of miracles, neither do all speak with true tongues. Speaking in tongues, which could only be “as the Spirit gives utterance,” is only a manifestation or gift of the Spirit in common with other special gifts. According to this error, the Holy Spirit is denied unless He chooses to manifest Himself in a certain manner. The Holy Ghost Himself is the satisfactory evidence. “Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us.” (Heb. 10:15). “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit.” (Rom. 8:16). If the reception of the Spirit must be evidenced by an outward physical sign, surely one’s conversion should be determined by a special sign in all cases. Since such is not true, then there is no necessity of that particular witness for the baptism of the Holy Spirit, or for any other special work or favor from God.
On the day of Pentecost the first disciples exercised the gift of prophecy, as well as the gift of tongues, when they received the Holy Ghost. Also, 12 disciples at Ephesus prophesied when they received the Holy Ghost and spoke with tongues. (Acts 19: 1-7). Therefore, the special gift of prophecy should be given preference if either of the gifts were to be accepted as the evidence of the reception of the Holy Ghost for “greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues” (I Cor. 14:5), and Paul further exhorts, “Desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.” (v. 1).
Error 3. “We receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost just like they did on the day of Pentecost.” (Acts 2). Do the modern tongues people manifest the same signs as then? Let us notice more closely the Pentecost scene. The first outward sign was the coming of “a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.” The second outward sign was, “There appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.” The third outward sign was they “began to speak with other tongues [languages], as the Spirit gave them utterance.” The modern movement does not reproduce these signs as claimed in the above error. They discard the first two, and emphasize the last. However, the first sign is just as important as the last in this particular scene, being only a literal fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy at the ushering in of the Holy Spirit dispensation. The last manifestation, “tongues” as is many times misinterpreted today are not languages as spoken on the day of Pentecost, but only a false gibber through Satanic power or nervous derangement. Therefore, in no sense do they reproduce the Pentecostal outpouring. No hint is made at this Pentecostal scene that the disciples spoke in unknown tongues, nor to God alone, neither did they need an interpreter, but these languages were spoken directly to the people of different nations and were given specifically for the purpose of spreading the gospel to various nations through prophecy or preaching, a special gift which they also received at this time. The Bible gift of tongues is a language, and is given as an aid to prophecy when needed.
Evidently the disciples on this occasion did not talk in different languages a few minutes only, for the incident was noised abroad and the multitude representing different nationalities came together, and each “heard them speak in his own language.” (Acts 2:6). If speaking these various languages was the only evidence that they had the Holy Ghost, then when they ceased to speak, the apostles could have rightly concluded that they had lost the Holy Ghost! How inconsistent! Our pentecostal friends would endeavor to satisfy us with a momentary evidence, but thank God, the infilling of the Spirit is not dependent upon transitory evidences, for the Holy Spirit in the heart is the abiding evidence Himself.
Error 4. That one should “tarry” for the baptism of the Spirit, evidenced by speaking in tongues. Jesus commanded the disciples to tarry at Jerusalem until they were endued with power from on high. (Luke 24:49). We know that this refers to Pentecost. (Acts 1:8). To fulfill Old Testament type the Spirit would not be given until “the day of Pentecost was fully come.” (Acts 2:1). This tarrying meant for them to await that special time. On that day we find them in “one accord in one place,” and they were “sitting”-denoting no physical exertion. Tarrying is not needed so much now as meeting the conditions for the reception of the Spirit. Divine operations are spiritual and are wrought in the heart by faith. (Eph. 2:8.) Faith is receiving where there is no sight or physical evidence, for faith is “the evidence of things not seen.” (Heb. 11:1). By faith the Holy Spirit is received. (Gal. 3:14.) Therefore, faith is omitted when one looks to physical evidence as the goal and is not satisfied until they receive the “tongues.” Under such conditions of physical exertion and omission of faith, wonderful opportunities are afforded the Devil to give counterfeit tongues or spirits. People who are demon-possessed very often speak in tongues. To my knowledge a number of persons have escaped from the tongues movement, and in order to get Bible salvation they had to have the devils cast out by the power of God. In fact, in every case where they had sought and received the delusion of tongues, the power of the Devil had to be broken before they could get salvation. This is a warning to beware of this supernatural power of the Devil.
We rightly expect those who have the Holy Ghost to bear the fruit of the Spirit-love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. (Gal. 5:22-23.) On the contrary, we find these fruit lacking in many of those who claim to have “the” evidence. We are commanded to try the spirits, for there are many false ones in the world. (I John 4:1.) How can we try the spirits? By the Word of God, for it alone will judge us in the last day. (John 12:48.) The spirits must agree with the Word.
The tongues movement, through this supernatural delusive power, has ensnared a multitude of people. Lying wonders are performed by them. It is also a refuge for those who “receive not a love for the truth.”
Dear reader, you who believe these theories, be honest with yourself and seek deliverance from the enemy of your soul.
