SPEAKING IN TONGUES IS IT FROM GOD?

A Tool to Spread the Good News

Early in his ministry, Jesus directed his disciples to preach the good news of God's Kingdom to the Jews only.  (Matthew 10:6; 15:24) As a  result, the disciples rarely set foot outside of areas predominately inhabited by Jews.  But that would soon change.

Shortly after his death in 33 C.E., the resurrected Jesus commanded his followers to "make disciples of people of all the nations."  He also told his followers that they would be witnesses of him "to the most distant part of the earth." (Matthew 28:19; Acts 1:8)  Spreading the good news to that extent would require the use of many tongues other than Hebrew. 

However, many of those early disciples were "unlettered and ordinary."  (Acts 4:13) How, then, would they be able to preach in distant lands where languages were spoken that they may never have heard of it, let alone learned to speak?  Holy spirit empowered some of those zealous preachers with the miraculous ability to preach fluently in languages  they had never before learned to speak. 

Thus, the gift of tongues served two vital purposes.  First, it provided  a sign as evidence of God's backing. Second, it was an effective tool to help the first-century Christians fulfill their commission to preach to people of many languages. Does the speaking in tongues done in many churches today accomplish these purposes? 

Next time: SPEAKING IN TONGUES IS IT FROM GOD?/Speaking in Tongues Today-A Sign of God's Backing? 

From the Watchtower magazine