Is Speaking in Tongues Necessary for Salvation?

Is speaking in tongues necessary for salvation? Are tongues also evidence that a person is saved and has the Holy Spirit?
The quick answer to these questions is NO! Speaking in tongues is not necessary for salvation.

What is The Gift of Speaking in Tongues?
According to the Bible, speaking in tongues first occurred on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2:1-12.
The Greek word meaning “tongues” literally refers to known human languages. Therefore tongues were languages that were spoken by human beings.
There is no Biblical evidence of the current modern tongues as witnessed today where people speak  supposedly “angelic” languages but without any verifiable interpretation.
God’s word requires that if anyone speaks in tongues, then there must be verifiable interpretation so as to avoid causing confusion and even division within the church (1 Corinthians 12:1-40).
The genuine example of speaking in tongues is found in Acts 2:1-12. The gift of tongues is supernaturally speaking in a language a person does not know in order to minister God’s word to someone who does speak that language.
So a Christian who did not learn how to speak Russian may be supernaturally gifted by the Holy Spirit to minister in the Russian language for the benefit of the Russian people who are with him.
The Bible does not refer to speaking in tongues as a secret spiritual language or as any kind of babbling – but it refers to one speaking in a known human language that is ordinarily spoken by humans from different nations or tribes.
We clearly see this example in Acts 2:1-12 that tongues were known human languages which were supernaturally spoken by people who did not learn how to speak those human languages. Furthermore, there would be an interpreter of the language (1 Corinthians 14:27).

Is It Necessary to Speak in Tongues to Become a Christian?
It is not necessary for one to speak in tongues in order to be saved. Speaking in tongues is a gift that is distributed by the Holy Spirit to whomever He pleases for God’s own specific purposes.
Therefore not everyone has the gift of speaking in tongues and the gift of tongues cannot be used as evidence of one’s salvation.
1 Corinthians 12:7-11 says: To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

In 1 Corinthians 12:29-30, Paul asks these rhetorical questions: “Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?”

So it is clear that the gift of speaking in tongues is not for everyone, just as all the other individual spiritual gifts mentioned in the Bible are not for everyone.
Futhermore, it is believed that the gift of speaking in tongues has long ceased according to 1 Corinthians 13:8-10. Therefore the gift is no longer in use.

Therefore the only evidence that is necessary for salvation is to believe and receive Jesus Christ by faith. A person’s regeneration and conversion to Christ is the work of the Holy Spirit.
Every born again Christian automatically has the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and does not need to speak in tongues as evidence of salvation (John 16:8-11), (Romans 8:16).

John 1:12 says: But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God,

Ephesians 2:8-9 says: For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

We believe and receive Jesus Christ by faith with the understanding that we are all sinners before a just and holy God (Romans 3:23).
Our sins have separated us from a relationship with God and we therefore deserve to be punished for our transgressions against God’s laws (Romans 6:23).
However God sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ to pay the debt of our sins on the cross so that if we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, then we will not perish but we will have an everlasting relationship and life with God (John 3:16).
Therefore Jesus Christ alone is necessary for our salvation and not speaking in tongues.
Jesus Christ is the way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6).

 

DO YOU WANT TO BE A CHRISTIAN or A FOLLOWER OF JESUS CHRIST???

1. ACKNOWLEDGE: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).
This means that we have all broken God’s laws and God’s 10 Commandments like those mentioned in Exodus 20:1-17. For example, if you have told a lie; if you have stolen something; if you have lusted after somebody or if you have coveted. This means you are guilty of breaking at least one or more of God’s 10 Commandments. Breaking God’s commandments makes us sinners. The fact that we are sinners who have broken God’s law means that we are accountable to God who is the Lawgiver. Romans 6:23 says that “the wages of sin is death BUT the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”
You must acknowledge that you are a sinner who has broken God’s commandments and that you therefore need Jesus in your life.

2. REPENT: “Unless you repent you will all likewise perish” (Luke 13:3), “Repent therefore and be converted that your sins may be blotted out” (Acts 3:19)
Repenting means: to change your mind; a sincere turning away, in heart, mind and action;
Therefore God wants you to repent of sinful values and of sinful living. God wants you to decide to
follow Him and to make Jesus the Lord of your life.

3. CONFESSION: “If we confess our sins. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9)
God is a forgiving God. God will forgive any sin that you have done because Jesus died for ALL your sins and to set you free from the bondage of all types of sin in your life.

4. BELIEVE: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).
You must believe that ONLY Jesus can save you and restore your relationship with God. You must believe that Jesus is the ONLY way by which you can have everlasting life and escape from eternal separation from God. You must believe that Jesus died on the cross for you and resurrected from the grave.
“He came to His own, and His own did not receive him, But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name” (John 1:11-12)
By faith, You must receive Jesus as Your Lord & Savior and therefore; you become a child of God; you become born again; you become a Christian; you restore your broken relationship with God

 

Why Not Make Your Eternal Decision NOW?

We become born again Christians by GRACE through FAITH or TOTAL TRUST in Jesus Christ as our Lord & Savior (Galatians 3:26) & (Ephesians 2:8,9). Salvation is a FREE gift received through FAITH in Christ.

PLEASE NOTE: You can choose to pray in your own words. This prayer is a sample prayer and it is only an EXPRESSION of your faith, belief & trust in Jesus. Salvation is by GRACE through FAITH or BELIEVING in Christ Jesus as your Lord & Saviour.

“Lord Jesus, I thank You for Your love. I thank You that You died on the cross for me and resurrected so that I may have life through You.
I confess Lord that I have sinned against You and today I ask You to forgive me of all of my sins, past present and future.
Today I repent and have decided to follow you. Thank you for forgiving all my sins.
From this moment, come into my life Lord Jesus & take full control of my life. I want to follow You Jesus and I want to follow Your ways. Save me and from today, make me the person You want me to be.
I receive You Lord Jesus right now by faith. I trust You as my Lord and Savior – Amen”

Have you accepted & believed in Jesus Christ as a result of reading this article and would like to know more about what to do next? If so please acknowledge by clicking the “I Have Accepted Jesus Christ” button below

 

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