Is a Christian today supposed to speak in tongues? No. There is not one verse in the Bible that shows that a Christian has to speak in tongues to show that he is filled with the Holy Spirit or baptized by the Holy Spirit.

In the New Testament, "tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not," (1 Cor. 14:22). And the audience this is aimed at is Jews, "for the Jews require a sign," (1 Cor. 1:22). Clearly, the three times that you find tongues being spoken in the Bible, the audience is always Jews (Acts 2, 10, 19).

Furthermore, tongues are "known languages" when they show up in Acts 2:6. According 1 Cor. 14:16, 23, tongues are languages that can be "learned," since the visitor to the service is "unlearned." The "unknown tongue" of 1 Cor. 14:2 is not a mysterious prayer language of the Holy Spirit; it is a language that no one else in the audience can understand. It is unknown to them. That’s why an interpreter must be there (1 Cor. 14:28). If there is no interpreter, the fellow speaking the foreign language "speaketh not unto men, but unto God."

When the Spirit intercedes for us, He does so with "groanings" which "cannot be uttered," (Rom. 8:26). So, when someone points out a man in the spirit speaking mysteries in 1 Cor. 14:2, he must see that the verse is dealing with the human spirit and not the Holy Spirit. Notice the lowercase "s" in the word "spirit." So, this is not a special prayer of the Holy Spirit, or else it would not be uttered.

Finally, there are five laws for speaking in tongues that the Holy Spirit lays down in 1 Cor. 14:27-34. These laws are violated in every congregation that professes that speaking in tongues is for Christians today. Keep in mind, the Holy Spirit is not going to violate the scriptures. The laws are:

• Men only – vs. 27 & 34
  
• No more than three at a service – vs. 27
  
• One at a time – vs. 27
  
• One interpreter – vs. 27
  
• If no interpreter, then keep quiet – vs. 28
  

Hope this helps,

Pastor Welder

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