Acts & apologetics: 2. speaking in tongues

Looking to start an argument? Let's talk about "speaking in tongues." Yeah, that will get some discussion going! 

But to the unbeliever, this can look more like a sideshow. Christians look foolish. The Gospel is tarnished and mocked. 

Did "speaking in tongues" happen? Of course! Just take a look at Acts Chapter 2, verse 4. "All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them."

The  question is, what are "other tongues?" Frankly, I'm not going to answer that question in this post. I don't have a theological background, nor do I think it a good use of time to debate the issue. 

But what I do think is important is the idea of "speaking in tongues" as it applies to HOW we speak or talk to other people. Anyone who is married or has children or is in some type of leadership position understands that oftentimes the people who you need to speak to or give direction to or teach probably don't listen the same way you listen. We men have to put in and turn on our  "feminine hearing aid" or put on our "feminine glasses" in order to  "listen" to our wives or understand how they may see a certain issue. In other words, we "hear the words" but we don't understand the "hidden"  meaning behind them. The same is true for women listening to and understanding men.

What are "Tongues"?

Words are just words and we have to understand what they mean. What they mean in their context. What they mean personally. The adage that a "picture speaks a thousand words" is very true and we need to learn something from that. If you have ever traveled outside of your native country or sometimes locality, you know that when you hear a conversation going on in your native tongue or accent, you are naturally drawn to it; it is familiar; it is comfortable, and comforting.

Here's the text of Acts 2:1 - 12:  "When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. 

"Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. Utterly amazed, they asked: 'Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea  and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts  to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God  in our own tongues!' Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another,  'What does this mean?'"

The background context of Acts 2 is the city of Jerusalem, a relatively cosmopolitan zone - although considered a "backwater" - in the Roman  Empire during a feast time where many people from all over the known world were gathered for not only commerce but to celebrate the Jewish  Passover and time of Pentecost; big holidays in those times. And these folks would be there for an extended time simply because it took a lot of time just to get there or anywhere for that matter. There were  Parthians and Medes (from the area of modern-day Turkey and Iran),  Egyptians, Libyans, and others. Each had his or her own culture as well as language. And on that particular day that God ordained, something astonishing happened that grabbed their attention. It wasn't a coincidence that these people from far-flung parts of the Roman Empire were in  Jerusalem. God had a purpose and a plan for their lives.

On  that special day they heard in their own, respective language and dialect, "the wonders of God." Now mind you, many of these people were no doubt polytheists; they believed in multiple gods. A single God as the Jews believed was somewhat "novel" or even "Jewish". They had heard of monotheistic teachings, but it wasn't the norm. And now, going beyond plain monotheism, something completely mind-blowing was about to invade their thoughts: there existed (and exists) a PERSONAL and TRI-UNE God. A God who was willing to condescend to His creation and offer true and everlasting fellowship.

Works were about to be exploded (actually already had been in the finished work of Jesus at the Cross and His resurrection) and  "simple" belief and humble faith was and forever would be the paradigm shift to commune with your God. No more bloody sacrifices or worthless chanting and rituals. Don't underestimate the significance of that shift - even in today's context. We come to God through Christ by FAITH  alone, not by our personal "good" works.

Practical Tongues

Now for the practical application. How do we speak to our co-workers about  Jesus? How about that Jewish classmate? How about the guy behind the convenience store counter whose name tag reads "Mohammed"? How about that blatantly atheistic, "in your face" Poli-Sci or Philosophy professor in college? 

What about the homeless person that we see when we give our time in the local soup kitchen? How about the other moms and dads on our kids' sports teams? Are we speaking to them about the "wonders of God"  in a tongue that they will understand? Have we allowed the Holy Spirit to come upon us Christians in order to take control of our minds and thoughts and give Glory to God for what He has personally done in our lives? Have we - have I - taken the time to be in God's Word and to pray about who to talk to?

God has given all of us Christians a truly unbelievable time in world history to carry out the Great Commission. The opportunities abound. We live in a lost and decaying and dying world that, believe it or not, is hungering and thirsting for righteousness and godliness (perhaps under the guise of so-called "fairness").

So  the final question for you (and me) is this: Does our (my) talk cause these men, women, and children to be amazed (take that to mean causing  them to at least think beyond what they already know of God or  Christianity) and to ask: "What does this mean?" That my friend is YOUR  "welcome" into the conversation that could change THEIR lives for eternity. They want US to help them answer that question. That's how we begin to apply 1 Peter 3:15. We must learn what their language is and how to best speak it to share the Truths of God.

That's what "speaking in tongues" is really all about.