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“Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.”
I Corinthians 13:8“For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.”
II Corinthians 11:4“For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”
II Corinthians 11:13-15
The obsession of Charismatics and Pentecostals to speak in tongues is the devil’s lie to deceive and destroy some sincere saints; replace sound doctrine and Bible preaching with entertainment, fables, and showmanship; and to disgrace the gospel of Jesus Christ. Modern speaking in tongues cannot be separated from the widespread healing frauds, laughing revivals, slaying in the Spirit, money begging, dog barking, drunk in the spirit, and other profane practices of the same parties. The leading ministers and churches of this movement are totally different from apostolic religion in doctrine and practice. This simple study will show once and for all that speaking in tongues had ended by 70 A.D.
Tongues Have Ceased
“Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.”
I Corinthians 13:8
1. Bible tongues had a definite beginning. They began on the day of Pentecost in 30 AD, fifty days after the Lord Jesus Christ was crucified, just as He had promised (Mark 16:17-20; Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8; 2:1-4). Their role as a sign gift to unbelieving Israel had been suggested by Isaiah’s prophecy of God speaking to Israel with men of other tongues (I Cor 14:21-22; Isaiah 28:11-12).
2. Bible tongues had a definite beginning. They began with Jesus empowering His apostles to preach the gospel to all nations before Rome destroyed Jerusalem and ended the ceremonial Law (Matt 24:14; 28:18-20). God used the gift of tongues to magnify the apostles as heavenly messengers, in spite of lacking education, reputation, and human authority (Acts 4:13; 5:12-13; 8:14-19; 19:1-7).
3. Bible tongues had a definite beginning. They began with the empowerment of the church, which was to worship in an entirely new way (John 4:21-24). The Spirit was to guide the apostles into all truth for writing the New Testament as the new manual for religion, but He would reveal truth by gifts until then (John 14:26; 16:13; Acts 10:28; I Cor 12:7-11; 14:37; II Tim 3:16-17; II Pet 1:21).
4. Bible tongues lasted only a short while. Paul told the tongues-speaking church at Corinth that the Spirit’s revelatory gifts would end (I Cor 13:8). In spite of their emphasis on prophecy, tongues, and gifts of knowledge, Paul promised that these gifts were temporary. Charity was a more excellent way of serving, for charity was permanent and would never end (I Cor 12:31; 13:8,13).
5. Bible tongues were very inadequate. The spiritual gifts of prophecy, the word of knowledge, and tongues brought only a partial revelation of God’s will to any man or church (I Cor 13:9). They were short-term, incomplete fixes for immediate instruction and answers to questions. Because of this, prophets had to work together, for their gifts were very limited and partial (I Cor 14:29-31).
6. Bible tongues were not needed after perfect revelation came. The New Testament scriptures were the perfect revelation that ended and replaced the Spirit’s revelatory gifts, which were all partial (I Cor 13:9-10). Every church then had God’s complete revelation (II Tim 3:16-17; II Pet 1:19). The context demands a comparison of partial and perfect revelation, not the coming of Jesus Christ.
7. Bible tongues were childish and immature. Paul used a metaphor of human development to compare the inferior revelation of spiritual gifts to the perfect revelation of the Bible. The church was then in its infancy, but it would soon pass to a mature stage with greater knowledge. As adults put away childish things, so Christians would put away childish things like tongues (I Cor 13:11).
8. Bible tongues communicated only vague knowledge. Paul told Corinth that the gifts only provided obscure knowledge of God and His will for the churches. He told them that the completed Scriptures would allow them to see in perfect detail, like face to face (I Cor 13:12a). The context demands a comparison of obscure and detailed knowledge, not the coming of Jesus Christ.
9. Bible tongues communicated only partial knowledge. Paul taught that revelatory gifts only provided partial knowledge, but the completed New Testament would provide perfect knowledge, even to the degree of detail that God knew Paul (I Cor 13:12b compared to 13:9-10). The context demands a comparison of partial and perfect knowledge, not the coming of Jesus Christ.
10. Bible tongues could not touch Bible revelation. The Old Testament was perfect for that covenant (Ps 19:7; 119:96). The New Testament was more sure than God’s voice from heaven, could make ministers perfect, and is called the perfect law of liberty (II Pet 1:16-21; II Tim 3:16-17; Jas 1:25). The perfect thing replacing the temporary gifts of prophecy, knowledge, and tongues did come!
11. Bible tongues had a definite end. They ended by 70 AD, forty years after they began, when the apostles had finished writing the New Testament scriptures and such partial and obscure gifts of revelation were no longer needed (I Cor 13:8-12). While Paul was alive the apostles confirmed each other’s writings (I Tim 5:18; II Tim 3:15-17; II Pet 3:15-16). The need for tongues had ended.
12. Bible tongues had a definite end. They ended by 70 AD, forty years after they began, when the apostles’ testimony came to an end. These sign gifts were given in the beginning to confirm the preaching of fishermen and tax collectors, and they ended when their witness was established throughout the Roman Empire and they had gone home to heaven (Mark 16:17-20; Heb 2:1-4).
13. Bible tongues had a definite end. They ended by 70 AD, forty years after they began, when the time of reformation ended, and the kingdom of Jesus Christ was fully established in the earth (Matt 16:28; Heb 12:28-29). They were needed only for 40 years to help confirm the new religion and worship introduced by John the Baptist, Jesus Christ, and His apostles (Luke 16:16; John 4:21-24).
14. Bible tongues had a definite end. They ended by 70 AD, forty years after they began, when the Roman armies destroyed the Jewish nation, Jerusalem, and the temple. Tongues were primarily a sign for unbelieving Jews, because the Jews required signs (Deut 18:21-22; I Cor 1:22; 14:21-22). But once Israel was scattered in judgment, the need for tongues was gone (Acts 2:17-21).
15. Bible tongues had a definite end. They ended by 70 AD, forty years after they began, in perfect agreement with the prophecy about them (Micah 7:14-20; Acts 2:17-21; 7:36; Heb 9:10). God had prophesied the duration of this marvelous thing – forty years – and the climactic events ending it – the finished Bible and Israel’s destruction! Give God the glory, and believe His prophecy!
16. Bible tongues had a definite end. They ended by 70 AD, forty years after they began, when the special gift of fluently speaking a foreign language ceased forever. History confirms exactly what had been prophesied – no one spoke in tongues after 70 A.D. The gibberish of possessed Hindus, American Indians, Eskimos, and modern Charismatics and Pentecostals are not the gift of tongues.
17. Bible tongues were definite languages of mankind. The incoherent babbling, gibberish, barking, laughing, and oinking today are not close to the Spirit’s gift, which was only and always definite human languages capable of translation (Acts 2:1-11; 10:46; I Cor 14:21-22). Jannes and Jambres of the Charismatics and Pentecostals cannot duplicate the Spirit’s gift (Gen 8:16-19; II Tim 3:8-9).
18. Bible tongues were a sign to unbelievers. Today’s emphasis on speaking among believers in church services, crusades, or so-called revivals is contrary to God’s will for the gift (I Cor 14:22). Tongues were to convince unbelievers that the speaker was sent by God with a divine message, as at Pentecost (Acts 2:1-11). The use of tongues among believers misses God’s purpose for them.
19. Bible tongues were the least gift in the church. The Holy Spirit ranked the gifts for Corinth, which had become distracted by their obsession for spiritual gifts, so the current emphasis on this gift disobeys the priority and emphasis of God (I Cor 12:28). Apostles, prophets, and teachers were clearly superior, because they communicated knowledge. Even helpers were more important!
20. Bible tongues were spoken only by some in a church. The rest of the members were to be content without speaking them, so the obsession today for tongues is clearly wrong (I Cor 12:30). For ministers and churches to demand speaking in tongues as evidence of the baptism of the Holy Ghost is contrary to the word of God, for only some ever had the real gift, which none have today.
21. Bible tongues were a sign to confirm the speaker. Today’s babbling does not confirm anything but possible insanity, devil possession, drunkenness, or rude manners (Mark 16:17-20; Pr 23:29-30; I Cor 14:11,23). Unless a person was present that knew the language, or an interpreter translated the language, and it was clear the speaker never learned the language, the use of tongues was wrong.
22. Bible tongues were only used publicly with an interpreter. Today’s babbling without interpretation is manifestly wrong in the sight of God (I Cor 14:27-28). Giving some vague religious lesson from the babbling of another is not interpretation of tongues. Linguistic experts or persons knowing both languages would easily recognize true tongues and their interpretation.
23. Bible tongues were only spoken by one person at a time. Today’s emphasis on assemblies with more than on person speaking at the same time is plainly wrong (I Cor 14:27). Paul feared that even one person speaking in tongues without proper interpretation would give the appearance of barbarians or insanity (I Cor 14:11,23). What would he think of today’s mass hysteria?
24. Bible tongues were never sought by spiritual saints. God gave the New Testament gifts according to His own will, and they sought the better gifts anyway (I Cor 12:11,31). Saints with spiritual understanding of God’s gifts coveted the best gifts. They did not pursue or emphasis the least gifts. Speaking in tongues was the lowest gift, even below helpers, in apostolic churches (I Cor 12:28).
25. Bible tongues were under the control of the users. Today’s spontaneous, wild use outside of Scriptural limits is wrong. The gift of prophecy, far superior in every way to tongues, was under the control of the prophets (I Cor 14:32). Paul’s repeated instructions about the right use of the gift of tongues required it to be a very controllable gift, not a force or power controlling the user.
26. Bible tongues was the gift to speak foreign languages without study. But Charismatic and Pentecostal missionaries study languages for years to be able to speak them, and they never expose their “gift” to linguists or native speakers of any language (Acts 2:1-11; 10:46). Benny Hinn, the greatest tongues speaker today, must use translators to communicate with anyone of any language!
27. Bible tongues were sought and exalted by the Corinthians. But the church at Corinth was the most immature, carnal, and heretical of the New Testament churches (I Cor 1:11; 3:1-4; 5:1-2; 6:1-8; 11:18; 15:12; etc.). Why do Charismatics make a mockery of Christianity by aping the most problematic church in the Bible and rebelling against the plain guidelines given to that church?
28. Bible tongues were a very inferior gift compared to apostleship. But all honest Bible readers know that the gift of apostle disappeared during the first century. No man in the last 1900 years could qualify as an apostle (Acts 1:20-26; I Cor 9:1; II Cor 12:12). If the most valuable gift had no further purpose after 70 AD, why should the least valuable gift (I Cor 12:28)?
29. Bible tongues were a gift to the apostles and their hearers. Seeking this gift today overlooks its persons, promise, and purpose (Mark 16:14-17; Heb 2:3-4). The gift of tongues was the property of the apostles and those under their ministries (Acts 8:14-17; 10:44-48; 19:1-7). Unless some of those original disciples are nearly 2000 years old, there is no legitimate gift of tongues here today.
30. Bible tongues were 2000 times inferior to Bible preaching. Paul valued 5 words of preaching over 10,000 words of tongues! Preaching is far superior in God’s purpose and for the churches’ profit, but Charismatics and Pentecostals reverse this priority to emphasize their novelty (I Cor 14:19,39). They are very quick to ridicule sound doctrine and Bible preaching, though far superior to tongues!
31. Bible tongues submitted to Paul’s commandments. Any other attitude toward Paul’s teaching about tongues is arrogant and ignorant rebellion (I Cor 14:36-38). Thinking yourself spiritual means absolutely nothing! Speaking in “tongues” means nothing! A man or woman that is spiritual will recognize that Paul’s confining restrictions for tongues were the commandments of Jesus Christ.
32. Bible tongues could not be easily duplicated. Because they were real languages, they could not be faked very easily! This made them a sign and a wonder (Acts 2:1-11)! But modern babbling and gibberish are easily duplicated through psychosis, demons, or simply learned behavior. It is for this reason that tongues are so popular, rather than raising the dead or taking up snakes!
33. Bible tongues ended when the apostolic gifts disappeared. Paul could heal early in his career with handkerchiefs, and Peter could heal by his shadow (Acts 5:12-16; 19:11-12). But Paul resorted to home remedies for Timothy’s problems, and he had to leave Trophimus sick at Ephesus (I Tim 5:23; II Tim 4:20). Why didn’t he call for the elders and the healing oil (Mark 6:13; Jas 5:14-15)?
34. Bible tongues were not intended for this age. The three Pastoral Epistles, directing ministers how to take care of the church of God, do not contain a single word about spiritual gifts, especially speaking in tongues (I Tim 3:15; II Tim 3:16-17; Titus 1:5). With the overwhelming emphasis on tongues above anything else in Charismatic circles, this conspicuous silence is very condemning.
35. Modern false tongues had a definite beginning. They began on January 1, 1901, during a watch night service in Topeka, Kansas. A woman named Agnes Ozman babbled in gibberish after Charles Parham, a renegade Methodist minister, laid hands on her. This began the modern craze of speaking in tongues. It did not involve languages, the Holy Spirit, Pentecost, or the apostles.
36. Modern false tongues continued. They went from Kansas to Houston, where Charles Parham got William Seymour involved, who took the spirit fire to Los Angeles. There in 1906 on Azusa Street began a 3-year odyssey of obsessing about tongues that eventually affected the whole world. The problems with Parham, Seymour, and their followers are well documented and beyond this study.
37. Modern false tongues are emphasized over the other sign gifts. The reason is simple – tongues are much easier to counterfeit. Would you rather gibber or handle snakes and drink poison? So Benny Hinn goes to coliseums to heal, not to hospitals! Charismatic faith and power tremble, when real miracles are required! Remember how and why Pharaoh’s magicians had to quit (II Tim 3:8-9)!
38. Modern false tongues have been proven to not be any language. If Charismatics disagree, they should take their gift to a linguist and preach to him. Or they can take their gift to a nation of that language and confirm it among native speakers. But they will not do this any sooner than Benny Hinn will clear a cancer ward or empty a morgue. He stages healings, and they fake tongues.
39. Modern false tongues claim Acts 2:17-21 as a prophecy of them. They apply Joel’s prophecy of Holy Spirit gifts in the last days to their Charismatic activities of the last 100 years. But Joel wrote those words in the future tense to describe Pentecost over 500 years before it happened! Peter nailed the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy to the very event of tongues at Pentecost (Acts 2:14-16)!
40. Modern false tongues emphasize religious experience. Instead of faith, doctrine, and works, they emphasize feelings, froth, and foam. But the apostles emphasized knowledge and learning (Acts 17:11; Rom 16:17-18; Phil 1:9-11; I Cor 14:15-20; I Thes 5:21; II Pet 3:18). Tongues were never sought or promoted in the Bible for a thrilling personal experience, as they are marketed today.
41. Modern false tongues make babbling the test of the Spirit. But the apostles taught that spirits should be tested by doctrine, not a baptism of the Holy Spirit resulting in tongues (I John 4:1-6). Light and truth in any man is known by the degree he holds to scripture, not a babbling tongue (Is 8:20; I Tim 6:3-5). Judas Iscariot was as spectacular at miracles as any of the apostles.
42. Modern false tongues despise doctrine and preaching. They replace these New Testament mandates with praise bands, getting drunk in the spirit, dancing, tongues, slaying in the spirit, laughter revivals, interpretive dance, healing services, and other carnal inventions to scratch the itching ears of unregenerate hearers. But Paul condemned such as false Christianity (II Tim 4:3-4).
43. Modern false tongues emphasize women. Paul warned of televangelists entering homes and taking captive silly and lustful women (II Tim 3:6-7). The apostles taught that women are the most easily deceived by these seducers (I Cor 14:34-35; I Tim 2:14; I Pet 3:7). Paul warned women to be silent in the churches, but Charismatics promote women as pastors (I Cor 14:34-35; I Tim 2:11-12)!
44. Modern false tongues are not the heavenly language of angels. Angels do not babble, gibber, bark, cackle, laugh, or oink! Some take Paul’s hyperbole of I Cor 13:1 and make it some mysterious heavenly language, and then they claim that is what they speak! But Paul merely drew an extreme illustration of how worthless even the most glorious gift of tongues would be without charity.
45. Modern false tongues are not God’s anointing. Charismatics are sickening by their constant talk about a-noint-in! Listen to their guru, Benny Hinn, for any five minutes of any program! But Paul, the great apostle to the Gentiles and our example in following Christ, only used the word one time, and that in a different context (II Cor 1:21)! He never used it in the three Pastoral Epistles.
46. Modern false tongues are leading the perilous times. Paul warned Timothy of a terrible threat against the gospel of Jesus Christ – an effeminate, carnal, compromising, entertaining, and worldly brand of Christianity (II Tim 3:1 – 4:5). The cure was bold and unapologetic preaching of God’s word, in spite of widespread resentment against it. The tongues speakers are leading this apostasy.
Conclusion! It is easy to see that today’s speaking in tongues is an ungodly deception of the devil and a disgrace to Jesus Christ. The true gift of tongues ended nearly 2000 years ago. Tongues today are not a gift of the Spirit. And the doctrine and practice of Charismatics and Pentecostals prove them to be heretics under the delusion of the devil and his ministers (II Cor 11:3-4,13-15).
Reformation Nigeria 
Abuoma great article. Thanks
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Thankyou!
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Dear Abuomo Boanerges (son of thunder?), your article above is overwhelming in its ferocious energy. You may be right or you may be wrong of course. I can’t help thinking that you want to lob 46 bombs at the tongue speakers to destroy their heresy as you perceive it, once and for all… Just a couple of observations I would like to offer. Is it fair to lump the gift of speaking in tongues with all the unscriptural excesses of behaviour. Does it help your argument? Tongues certainly were part of the church described in the new testament, along with interpretation and prophecy. To debunk speaking in tongues as illegitimate in our day, it would be necessary to show from scripture that tongues had ceased, and it might help if you could show from scripture when that had happened. And I tend to think that it would be incumbent on you to show why we could confidently ignore passages of scripture as irrelevant in our day.
For instance, I read the King James Bible and I regard every word of it as necessary for me to hear and to do in order to live a Godly life. If I follow your advice how am I to respond to Mark 16:17-18 where Jesus says among other things that believers shall speak with new tongues and heal the sick. Would you argue that we would all be going to language school to become bi- or multi-lingual? Or if he was talking about the spiritual gifts, am I justified in maintaining that even though I am a believer, this doesn’t apply to me?
Or for example when I read 1Corinthians 14:39, am I wrong to believe that that is written to me? If so why does it seem that the letter is written not just to believers in Corinth but to all believers everywhere (1Cor 1:2). And if it is written to me, then why is the Holy Spirit telling me to covet to prophesy, and not to forbid to speak with tongues?
Also you did state many times that tongues ceased in 70AD but the only confirmation you seem to provide is the testimony of recorded history- given that there may be much in social history that is not recorded; and so we can’t rely on it as a rock solid foundation for our beliefs as we can rely upon God’s word. Ought there not to be something in God’s word to this effect – something we can rely upon as a sure foundation? None of the references you provided seem to supply this. Your reference to 1Corinthians 13:9-12 to support your argument seems to overlook the obvious fact that the childish, “in part”, things like knowledge and prophecy will be done away with when “I know even as also I am known.” Surely you don’t mean to say that we now have that degree of knowledge. If that were so, we would not be having this discussion.
What do you honestly think?
Are we getting ahead of ourselves if we think we have attained maturity when Jesus said we must become as little children to enter the kingdom? Are we more mature than the believers in the early church? Are we in less need now of edification than they were when we are told that speaking in tongues edifies us and prophesying edifies the church (1Corinthians 14:4)? If these questions alone cannot be answered satisfactorily with much assurance, then how can I confidently adopt your theology?
Sincerely
Alex
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Brother Alex said: Dear Abuoma Boanerges, your article above is overwhelming in its ferocious energy
I answer: Gospel Truths are to be stated dogmatically, and enforced with such ferocious energy to counter the poisonous heresies and lies of these perilous times into which our lot has fallen. When as a Charismatic Pastor I encountered the websites of some dogmatic Baptist preachers, I thought them weird and crazy until the Lord opened the eyes of my understanding to comprehend the truth they enforced. Scriptures identifies goody-goody talks and fair speeches as the chief instruments of false teachers to deceive the heart of the simple. Romans 16:18, For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
If you were ever privileged to hear Paul preaching against the superstitious Athenians on Mars’ Hill, how he stood right in the midst of their shrine and inveighed them, saying, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious – you would appreciate such ferocious energy in Gospel preaching!
If you were privileged to be on the Mount of Olives when our Lord delivered those three chapters of Doctrinal teachings against the heresies of the Scribes and Pharisees, you would have been “Astonished at his doctrine: for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes” (Matt 7:28-29). Brother, I pray God for more ferocious energy in my ministry… when I was in the Pentecostal, I was a goody-goody smooth preacher
What do you think ignited the wrath of the Sanhendrins against Stephen, if not the ferocious energy with which he gave his apology and defended his beliefs? Acts 7:1-54
Such ferocious energy and dogmatism in stating Gospel Truths are not new to those who have been taught of God; only the seeker-sensitive generation finds fault with it.
The ground on which God condemned the teachers of Jeremiah’s time was the want of such ferocious energy in doctrine:
Jeremiah 23:22 But if they had STOOD in my counsel, and had CAUSED my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings.
Alex said: I can’t help thinking that you want to lob 46 bombs at the tongues speakers to destroy their heresy as you perceive it, once for all.
I answer: It was these 46 bombs and more that destroyed the stronghold of Charismatic doctrines in my own life and ministry, and brought me to the knowledge of the truth. If you would only take the time to study and muse upon them, you will sooner preach this truth with such ferocious energy as I do this day – and I pray the Lord will hasten that day when you and I will stand to herald with a loud voice that the Gospel in plain language trumps ten thousands words babbled in tongues.
Alex said: Is it fair to lump speaking in tongues with all the unscriptural excesses of behaviour in Charismatic Circles?
I answer: Lay the axe to the root of the tree and the leaves and branches will quickly take care of themselves and wither. Speaking in tongues is either the root or the chief of those “unscriptural excesses of behaviour.” When the Lord was still dealing with me to bring me out of the Charismatic Religion, at first, I tried to tame and control those “unscriptural excesses of behaviour” in my Church, but they proved abortive until God finally helped me to stop speaking in tongues in the Church. I would ask you one simple question demanding your answer in honesty:
Alex, what do Charismatics preach and believe to be the initial evidence of Holy Ghost Baptism? Do not all Charismatic Authors affirm that Speaking in tongues is the initial evidence of Holy Ghost Baptism? From whence I observe that all “unscriptural excesses of Charismatic behaviour have their root in speaking in tongues.
Alex said: Tongues certainly were a part of the Church described in the new testament, along with interpretations and prophecies.
I answer: The ability to write inspired Scriptures were as well a part of the Church described in the New Testament, and do you have them now? If you don’t have the supernatural ability to write inspired Scriptures as the Apostles did, you don’t have any of those supernatural gifts they had. It is just that simple, Alex.
Alex said: To debunk speaking in tongues as illegitimate in our day, it will be necessary to show from the Scriptures that tongues have ceased, and it might help to show from the Scriptures when that happened.
I answer: The above article proves it that tongues has ceased, and that they ceased at the completion of the New Testament Scriptures around 70 AD. You never read the article at all or you just ignored the weighty arguments and verses I adduced in the article.
Alex did you ever take these points of the article into consideration to search the Scripture references:
4. Bible tongues lasted only a short while: Paul told the tongues-speaking church at
Corinth that the Spirit’s revelatory gifts would end (I Cor 13:8). In spite of their
emphasis on prophecy, tongues, and gifts of knowledge, Paul promised that these gifts
were temporary. Charity was a more excellent way of serving, for charity was permanent
and would never end (I Cor 12:31; 13:8,13).
5. Bible tongues were very inadequate: The spiritual gifts of prophecy, the word of
knowledge, and tongues brought only a partial revelation of God’s will to any man or
church (I Cor 13:9). They were short-term, incomplete fixes for immediate instruction
and answers to questions. Because of this, prophets had to work together, for their gifts
were very limited and partial (I Cor 14:29-31).
6. Bible tongues were not needed after perfect revelation came: The New Testament
scriptures were the perfect revelation that ended and replaced the Spirit’s revelatory
gifts, which were all partial (I Cor 13:9-10). Every church then had God’s complete
revelation (II Tim 3:16-17; II Pet 1:19). The context demands a comparison of partial
and perfect revelation, not the coming of Jesus Christ.
7. Bible tongues were childish and immature: Paul used a metaphor of human
development to compare the inferior revelation of spiritual gifts to the perfect revelation
of the Bible. The church was then in its infancy, but it would soon pass to a mature stage
with greater knowledge. As adults put away childish things, so Christians would put
away childish things like tongues (I Cor 13:11).
8. Bible tongues communicated only vague knowledge: Paul told Corinth that the gifts only provided obscure knowledge of God and His will for the churches. He told them that the completed Scriptures would allow them to see in perfect detail, like face to face (I Cor 13:12a). The context demands a comparison of obscure and detailed knowledge, not the coming of Jesus Christ.
9. Bible tongues communicated only partial knowledge: Paul taught that revelatory
gifts only provided partial knowledge, but the completed New Testament would provide
perfect knowledge, even to the degree of detail that God knew Paul (I Cor 13:12b
compared to 13:9-10). The context demands a comparison of partial and perfect
knowledge, not the coming of Jesus Christ.
10. Bible tongues could not touch Bible revelation: The Old Testament was perfect for
that covenant (Ps 19:7; 119:96). The New Testament was more sure than God’s voice
from heaven, could make ministers perfect, and is called the perfect law of liberty (II Pet
1:16-21; II Tim 3:16-17; Jas 1:25). The perfect thing replacing the temporary gifts of
prophecy, knowledge, and tongues did come!
11. Bible tongues had a definite end: They ended by 70 AD, forty years after they
began, when the apostles had finished writing the New Testament scriptures and such
partial and obscure gifts of revelation were no longer needed (I Cor 13:8-12). While Paul
was alive the apostles confirmed each other’s writings (I Tim 5:18; II Tim 3:15-17; II Pet
3:15-16). The need for tongues had ended.
12. Bible tongues had a definite end: They ended by 70 AD, forty years after they
began, when the apostles’ testimony came to an end. These sign gifts were given in the
beginning to confirm the preaching of fishermen and tax collectors, and they ended
when their witness was established throughout the Roman Empire and they had gone
home to heaven (Mark 16:17-20; Heb 2:1-4).
13. Bible tongues had a definite end: They ended by 70 AD, forty years after they
began, when the time of reformation ended, and the kingdom of Jesus Christ was fully
established in the earth (Matt 16:28; Heb 12:28-29). They were needed only for 40 years
to help confirm the new religion and worship introduced by John the Baptist, Jesus
Christ, and His apostles (Luke 16:16; John 4:21-24).
14. Bible tongues had a definite end: They ended by 70 AD, forty years after they
began, when the Roman armies destroyed the Jewish nation, Jerusalem, and the temple.
Tongues were primarily a sign for unbelieving Jews, because the Jews required signs
(Deut 18:21-22; I Cor 1:22; 14:21-22). But once Israel was scattered in judgment, the
need for tongues was gone (Acts 2:17-21).
15. Bible tongues had a definite end: They ended by 70 AD, forty years after they
began, in perfect agreement with the prophecy about them (Micah 7:14-20; Acts 2:17-
21; 7:36; Heb 9:10). God had prophesied the duration of this marvelous thing – forty
years – and the climactic events ending it – the finished Bible and Israel’s destruction!
Give God the glory, and believe His prophecy!
16. Bible tongues had a definite end: They ended by 70 AD, forty years after they
began, when the special gift of fluently speaking a foreign language ceased forever.
History confirms exactly what had been prophesied – no one spoke in tongues after 70
A.D. The gibberish of possessed Hindus, American Indians, Eskimos, and modern
Charismatics and Pentecostals are not the gift of tongues.
Read! Read!! Read!!! and may the Lord Give thee understanding.
Alex said: If I am to follow your advice how am I to respond to Mark 16:17-18 where Jesus said among other things that believers shall speak in tongues and heal the sick… am I justified that even though I am a believer, this doesn’t apply to me?
I answer: If Mark 16:17-18 is a promise to all believers in general that they would speak in tongues and heal the sick, then Paul was greatly insane when he rhetorically affirmed the contrary that NOT all believers spoke in tongues!
I Corinthians 12:
29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
30 Have all the gifts of healing? DO ALL SPEAK WITH TONGUES? do all interpret?
The unanimous voice of the Church of God through all ages have always understood the answers to these questions as NO. Only the advocates of the Modern Charismatic Religion have come up with diverse crafts to evade the force of Paul’s arguments here.
Again, there are many things promised in the New Testament which cannot be literally applied to us today, such as
(1) Matthew 26:21 And as they did eat, he said, Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.
While believers may so sin against Christ as to incur his temporal displeasure, none can betray him in the very sense in which Judas betrayed him – none can legitimately apply this promise of Christ to himself, except he be insane.
(2) John 14:26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
The Holy Ghost may bring to the believers’ remembrance all things he has committed to his memory in the cause of personal studies, but he will not bring to the believers remembrance the things which Christ said to his immediate disciples who walked with him when he tabernacled in the flesh among them. So this passage of John, in its most literal sense, can only apply to the Original Apostles, who were the immediate recipients of this promise, because the Holy Ghost brought to their remembrance all things that Christ had said to them when he was with them in the flesh.
(3) Matthew 19:17 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life everlasting, keep the commandments.
As this is an exhortation of the New Testament coming from the mouth of the Lord Jesus Christ himself, yet who would be so stupid as to say this passage of the New Testament applies to him, and that God and Christ has promised him everlasting life upon the conditions of their keeping the Commandments. If Alex would be consistent with himself in what he asserts, let him apply this promise of Christ to himself as he has done with Mark 16:17-18.
We could go on and on to show that there are many things, and many promises in the New Testament, that cannot be literally and legitimately applied to us today.
But if Alex would read the 19th and 20th verses following the promise of speaking in tongues and healing to believers in Mark 16:17-18, he would see that those signs were literally fulfilled in the ministry of the Original Apostles and their immediate followers:
Mark 16:20, And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
The same people to whom the promise of speaking in tongues and healing were given, were the same people who WENT forth, and preached EVERYWHERE, and the Lord literally confirmed their word with the Promised signs following. The same believers in verse 17 and 18, were the same people who WENT forth and preached everywhere…Does that make sense to you, Alex?
Alex said: When I read 1Corinthians 14:39, am I wrong to believe that that is written to me? If so why does it seem that the letter is written not just to believers in Corinth but to all believers everywhere (1Cor 1:2). And if it is written to me, then why is the Holy Spirit telling me to covet to prophesy, and not to forbid to speak with tongues?
I answer: With your logic and system of applying Scriptures, how would you apply verse 11 of the same passage to us today? And have you obeyed all the other exhortations given in I Corinthians, such as that in verse 10,
¶ Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment;
What about the entire exhortations found in the 13th Chapter, have you fully obeyed them?
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.
4 ¶ Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
8 ¶ Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
Have you taught your Charismatic women in the Church to obey the full weight of Paul’s exhortations in Chapter 14:34-38
34 ¶ Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.
35 And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.
36 ¶ What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?
37 If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.
38 But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.
Have you honestly considered Paul’s admonition that “tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not”, Chapter 14:22; so go and exercise your gift of speaking in tongues to unbelievers – preach the Gospel to them in their own dialects as the 120 did on the day of Pentecost, and see if you have the real gift of tongues.
You ignore Paul’s direction concerning the aim of speaking in tongues – that it was to be used as a sign to the unbelievers; but instead of using it to convince unbelievers, you are now trying to use it to convince the believers – what a perversion!
Paul was a champion for speaking in tongues, who spoke in tongues more than YE ALL, but he only used his gift of speaking in tongues whenever he was preaching the Gospel to the Gentiles in their own local languages, but whenever he came to the Church or to a gathering of believers, he would rather speak five words in plain language than ten thousand ri-bobo-sori-baba.
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.
Paul knew that any local church where all the members spoke in tongues at the same time was a gathering of lunaticks and mad men, but Modern Charismatics say the contrary:
23 If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?
With all these said, your effort to pitch Modern speaking in tongues on I Corinthians does not stand at all.
Alex said: Also you did state many times that tongues ceased in 70AD but the only confirmation you seem to provide is the testimony of recorded history- given that there may be much in social history that is not recorded; and so we can’t rely on it as a rock solid foundation for our beliefs as we can rely upon God’s word. Ought there not to be something in God’s word to this effect – something we can rely upon as a sure foundation? None of the references you provided seem to supply this.
I answer: The Scriptures of the Old Testament affirmed the cessation of the supernatural gifts after 40 years! Micah prophesied that God would give Christ and His Apostles power to confound the nations, and that the duration of this miraculous power shall be according to the number of the days of the children of Israel in the wilderness – that is, literal forty years.
Micah 7:
15 According to the days of thy coming out of the land of Egypt will I shew unto him marvellous things.
16 The nations shall see and be confounded at all their might: they shall lay their hand upon their mouth, their ears shall be deaf.
It is now obvious you didn’t even look up the Scripture references at all. Read! Read!! Read!!!
The New Testament Scriptures speaking on the cessation of the supernatural gifts after 40 years are numerous. I wouldn’t waste the time quoting them. If you sincerely wish search out the reason we affirm the cessation of tongues then go back and check the references. In the mid 30 AD Christ was killed and raised from the dead; the apostles preached the Gospel to both Jews and Gentiles, warning them to flee from THAT untoward generation; and at the end of the 40 years, that is, in 70 AD, the Romans invaded Jerusalem, burnt it, and many of the Jews were baptized and immersed under the flames. This is not only proved by recorded history (which you have chosen to reject), but by the Scriptures themselves. We accept recorded history wherever and whenever they are founded on the Scriptures.
Alex said: Are we getting ahead of ourselves if we think we have attained maturity when Jesus said we must become as little children to enter the kingdom? Are we more mature than the believers in the early church?
I answer: Yes, there is a sense in which we have become more mature than them, just as there is a sense in which we that have believed without seeing Jesus are blessed than those who believed because they saw him (See John 20:29).
Alex said: Are we in less need now of edification than they were when we are told that speaking in tongues edifies us and prophesying edifies the church (1Corinthians 14:4)?
I answer: We have the perfect means of exhortation than the early church had in its infancy before the completion of the New Testament Scriptures. Peter, in writing to the church concerning his wonderful experience with Christ on the Mount of transfiguration, said the Scriptures are more sure than God’s audible voice from heaven in the presence of Jesus, Moses and Elijah.
II Pet 1:
18 And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.
19 ¶ We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
Alex, we do not stand in less need of edification than the early church, but we have a more sure word of prophecy – the Complete Inspired Scripture, and we want to heed to it because it is now the only light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in our hearts. Moreover, if the Scriptures are designated by Peter as a MORE SURE word of prophecy, it follows that any other word of prophecy, and any other means of exhortations, are but a LESS SURE word of prophecy; and would you have us relinquish that which is MORE SURE for that which is LESS SURE? Please answer.
The prophecies of the Scriptures and the exhortations found therein are the only prophecies and exhortations without private interpretations because we are sure that the holy men God employed to write them wrote as they were moved by the Holy Ghost; but the prophecies, tongues, interpretations and visions of the Charismatics are not reliable – they are full of private interpretations and we cannot be sure that they Holy Ghost has moved them to speak or write.
Happy is the man who has the MORE SURE word of prophecy, for he will never be led astray, and when darkness shall cover the people, and thick darkness the nations, he shall have for himself and his congregation that light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawns! Amen!
Alex said: If these questions alone cannot be answered satisfactorily with much assurance, then how can I confidently adopt your theology?
Sincerely,
Alex
I answer: Your questions have been answered satisfactorily with much assurance, but I wonder if you will be willing to bow to the verdict of the Scriptures. If you are sincere in your questions, and in your search for the truth, you can adopt my theology, seeing that in it the glory of the Scriptures most truly shine forth.
My cessation theology is the ONLY theology that confidently and satisfactorily affirms that the body of Christ has a MORE SURE word of prophecy, and if we have got that which is more sure, we may confidently send other LESS SURE words of prophecy to where they belong – into the dust bin!
Again, you can confidently adopt my theology.
For the cause of Christ and His Holy Gospel,
Abuoma Boanerges.
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Hello Abuoma, I did not get an email notice so I was not aware of your post, and hence the delay in responding. Please read on. Kind regards, Alex.
Would you please clarify which verse 11 you refer to in your paragraph approx. number 46 where you say:
Alex said: When I read 1Corinthians 14:39, am I wrong to believe that that is written to me? If so why does it seem that the letter is written not just to believers in Corinth but to all believers everywhere (1Cor 1:2). And if it is written to me, then why is the Holy Spirit telling me to covet to prophesy, and not to forbid to speak with tongues?
I answer: With your logic and system of applying Scriptures, how would you apply verse 11 of the same passage to us today? …
Is it from chapter 14 or 1?.. because I don’t understand.
Also because you appear to have overlooked it, I should be grateful if you would respond to the section in my paragraph 4 which reads:
Your reference to 1Corinthians 13:9-12 to support your argument seems to overlook the obvious fact that the childish, “in part”, things like knowledge and prophecy will be done away with when “I know even as also I am known.” Surely you don’t mean to say that we now have that degree of knowledge. If that were so, we would not be having this discussion.
Thank you in anticipation.
Sincerely
Alex
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The perfect thing which would come, in the face of which the childish things shall be done away with, is not the second coming of Christ (as modern philosophers and speculators would have us believe), but the completion of the holy Scriptures. No mention is made of the second coming of Christ from the 12th chapter of 1st Corinthians to the 14th of the same, much less in the 13th chapter. From the 12th chapter, Paul has been treating of the supernatural gifts, and in the 13th chapter, he shows the exceeding excellency of love over all the supernatural gifts of the spirit, yea, even over faith and hope; and in the closing of the same chapter, he compares the two means of revelation, viz., the revelatory gifts versus the complete scripture. Then he notes that one is partial, childish, and temporal, and that it would vanish away at the emergence of the Complete Scripture. The comparison is between the revelatory gifts and the complete scripture.
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