It was not until modern times that Christians began looking to the scripture to justify ecstatic, unintelligible speaking. It was never introduced by Christ but was already in practice among the heathen. This pagan practice in churches today is emotion at best and a false spirit at worst. Ecstatic utterances are mistakenly seen as something godly and spiritual. Incoherent speaking and praying did not take place in the early morning church and it is not in God’s church today.

Much confusion and false teaching comes from misapplying 1 Corinthians 14 where Paul addressed almost exclusively the practice of speaking in tongues. The main confusion comes not from the Word but from man. On the day of Pentecost, God established what the gift of tongues is and should be. The word glossa (foreign language), which was used in Acts 2, is once again the word that is used in 1 Corinthians 14. With Pentecost as the pattern, it is not difficult to understand Paul’s teaching to the church at Corinth.Read more

If I have spoken in tongues with unintelligible speech, does this mean I am not saved? What should I do?

It is not a curse to have the light of truth shine on our lives. Rather, as we accept truth, we find greater freedom and victory in the Holy Spirit. As with any false doctrine, there can be innocent people who get entangled because they lack understanding of God’s Word. The enemy is crafty and has ensnared many with this deceptive practice.Read more

The practice of speaking in ecstatic tongues and their interpretation predates Pentecost and was of non-Christian origin. Babbling ecstatically is common in pagan religions both ancient and modern and is similar to the unintelligible speech of many charismatic churches today.

It is practiced in religions and countries around the world. It can be found among Catholics, Buddhist monks, Shaman in Ethiopia and Haitians practicing Voodoo. It is practiced at Japanese séances and in many African tribal religions amongst many others.

“Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.” Luke 5:4

The disciples of Christ had been toiling all night trying to catch fish. These skilled fishermen had been unsuccessful and had nothing to show for all their effort. Jesus told them “LAUNCH OUT…and [then] let down your nets for a draught.”Read more