Description

Today we look at a topic that gets all kinds of Christians fired up. Is speaking in tongues biblical? If you were raised in a Pentecostal church, your answer is “yes”! If you were raised in a cessationist church, your answer is “no”! In this episode we’ll see what the Bible has to say. 

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First, let’s define terms. 

Pentecostalism: Pentecostalism is a Christian movement that emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, primarily within the United States. It places a strong emphasis on the direct experience of the Holy Spirit, particularly through practices such as speaking in tongues, divine healing, and prophecy. The movement takes its name from the biblical event of Pentecost, as described in the book of Acts, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples of Jesus, empowering them to speak in other languages and to proclaim the gospel.

• The Azusa Street Revival - Los Angeles, California, from 1906 to 1909, at the Apostolic Faith Mission located on Azusa Street.
• Pentecostal vs. Charismatic
• AoG, Church of God, Foursquare, Calvary Chapel, Hillsong, Bethel Church, etc.

Cessationism: Cessationism is a theological position within certain Christian circles that holds that certain spiritual gifts, particularly those described in the New Testament such as prophecy, speaking in tongues, and miracles, ceased or ceased to be normative after the apostolic age or the completion of the New Testament canon.

• Historical Perspective: Cessationists may point to historical evidence suggesting that the frequency of miraculous gifts decreased after the apostolic era, leading them to conclude that these gifts ceased to be normative in the life of the church.
• Completion of Scripture: Cessationists often argue that the purpose of miraculous gifts was to authenticate the message of the apostles and to establish the early church. With the completion of the New Testament canon, they believe that the need for such miraculous gifts diminished.
• Cessationism is a theological perspective rather than a denominational affiliation, so it can be found within various Christian denominations to varying degrees. However, there are certain denominations or theological traditions that tend to emphasize cessationist beliefs more strongly than others. Many Reformed churches, particularly those influenced by the teachings of John Calvin and the Westminster Confession of Faith; Some Baptist churches, etc.

Next, let’s look at Acts

In the Bible, speaking in tongues is primarily discussed in the New Testament, particularly in the book of Acts and in the letters of the Apostle Paul. Here are some key passages often cited as a biblical defense of speaking in tongues:

1. Acts 2:1-4: This passage describes the event of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples of Jesus, and they began speaking