I am considering joining a church that requires I believe in speaking in tongues. Please give me some advice.

It is important that we refer to "tongues" in the same manner and with the same words that God did in His Word. He at no time made this a requirement of any sort, or in any way. Wherever the legitimate gift is found in Scripture, God gave it, and the people were not seeking it. There are no exceptions to this. It is never made a test of fellowship, never proclaimed as applicable to all believers, and is never said to give personal advantage. This in no way condemns those who say they have the gift. It does confirm they are also in no way superior to the rest of the body--at least not because of the gift of tongues.

The only instruction we have on "tongues" is given because there was a problem with them, and distorted understanding. In his exhortation to pursue spiritual gifts, Paul admonishes us to seek the "BEST" ones (1 Cor 12:31). He also says there is even a more excellent way--that of spiritual love (12:31b-13:1-13). With firm words, the Spirit affirms "Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but ESPECIALLY that you may prophesy" (1 Cor 14:3). Lest there be any question about what he means by "prophesy," he explicitly explains what He means. "But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men" (14:3). He is not, therefore, speaking of foretelling events, or unfolding the future. Rather, prophesy, in this sense, brings definite advantage to the saints, whatever is said.

He further says, "I would that ye all spake with tongues, but RATHER that ye prophesied: for GREATER is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying" (1 Cor 14:5). It takes an extraordinarily biased mind read this insist that other believers either speak in tongues, or acknowledge them to be a sign of spiritual superiority.

In delineating spiritual gifts, the Spirit declares why they are given. "But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all" (12:7). They are given for the body, and not for the individual alone. Secondly, they are addressed to the understanding, which is the means God uses to edify, or strengthen His people. He categorically says that tongues could bring no profit to the saints unless it could be understood; i.e., either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching" (14:6). He then expounds the necessity of understanding with extended teaching. When, for instance, a musical instrument is played, there must be an understandable distinction of sounds, we we will not know what is being played (14:7). Taking the trumpet as an example, he says, "For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare himself for battle?" (14:8). If the trumpeteer is does not blow understandable notes, the army will not know whether they are to go to battle, go to bed, retreat, or get up. The sound has to be understood to be of profit. Speaking in words that cannot be understood by the hearers, he affirms, is "speaking into the air" (14:9). Interestingly, speaking to God's people in a language they cannot understand violates both of the reasons given for spiritual gifts--profiting everyone, and speaking in understandable words.

Not content to let the matter go, he elaborates even more. He reminds us that there are many languages in the world, and all of them have significance, or are meaningful. A language that cannot be comprehended cannot advantage those to whom it is spoken. The person hearing, yet not understanding the language, becomes "a foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me" (14:10-11). Anyone contending this is an advantage has surely missed something. Believers are then told to seek to excell in edifying the brethren--something, he has affirmed, is accomplished through the understanding.

The individual speaking in tongues is admonished to pray that he can interpret what he is saying--not to himself, but to the body. Remember, the gift was given to profit the brethren, not for self-gain. The aim is to excell in edifying the people of God--giving them something understandable that will strengthen them in the faith. Paul says he spoke in tongues more than all of them in Corinth. Yet, in the assembly, he would rather speak five understandable words than ten thousand that could not be understood (14:11-19). In rather extensive involvement with people and congregations who hold this gift to be superior, I have rarely, if ever, seen this attitude portrayed.

God's people are then admonished to grow up in their understanding (14:20). Paul cites a test from Isaiah to support his teaching. "With men of other tongues and other lips I will speak to this people; And yet, for all that, they will not hear Me" (14:21; Isaiah 28:11-12). He concludes, upon the basis of this text, "Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe" (14:22). This is a most arresting argument. Isaiah's prophecy was not of a blessing, but of a curse. The prophet foretold the Babylonian captivity, which was a chastening judgment upon Israel. God had spoken to them, but they had not listened. For with stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people, To whom He said, "This is the rest with which You may cause the weary to rest, And, This is the refreshing; Yet they would not hear. But the word of the LORD was to them, Precept upon precept, precept upon precept, Line upon line, line upon line, Here a little, there a little, That they might go and fall backward, and be broken And snared and caught" (Isa 28:11-13). Because they refused to hear understandable words from God, God would bring against them a nation whose words they could not understand. When they heard the foreign language, they would have their sign: they were being judged for their unbelief and refusal to hear God.

Moses told Israel this would happen to them if they were not faithful; i.e., a nation would come against them whose language they would not understand (Deut 28:49). Jeremiah foretold exactly the same thing (Jer 5:15).

Following the reasoning of Moses, Isaiah, and Jeremiah, if , in the congregation, people began to speak in a language that was not understood, it would be a sign of judgment, not of blessing. If people doubt this to be the case, we have the events at the tower of Babel to confirm this is the effect of God's judgment. There, in the plain of Shinar, God brought the work to a grinding halt by confusing their language--i.e., they could no longer understand each other (Gen 11:5-9).

This is how the Spirit reasoned on the matter. It simply is not possible to have but a cursory understanding of his words, and conclude that one has to believe in speaking in tongues, or needs to do so, or is to assume they are in any way superior or make the individual more blest than other members of the body.

Again, this does not mean we have to deny the profession of someone that says they speak in tongues. They are, however, under obligation to edify their brethren by saying things that are understood. Their personal persuasion is their business, but it cannot be bound upon God's people, in any sense, or at any time.