(Part 2) Speaking In Tongues: Babbling? Mandatory?
The Spirit Giving Utterance Didn’t Mean Unintelligible Babbling!
DEFINITION: Utterance Greek Word: <G669> ἀποφθέγγομαι
Transliteration: apophthengomai—from the Greek Word <G575> (apo) and <G5350> (phtheggomai); to enunciate plainly, i.e. declare :- say, speak forth, utterance. (Strong’s Concordance Greek & Hebrew Dictionary)
(Acts 2:4) “And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
The biblical use of the word “utterance” usually meant a form of language communication, using your mouth to speak, talk, converse, etc. The biblical use of the word “tongue(s)”, as used here, is plural in reference to more than one ethnic group of languages. There are no scriptures claiming those who received the Holy Ghost spoke in “unknown” tongues on the day of Pentecost.
Speaking under the power (influence) of the Holy Ghost on the day of Pentecost was not unintelligible babbling, but various understandable ethnic languages, which would also be the reason for God providing the ability for some to be translators, as mentioned in (Acts 2:4-11), to translate Gods messages to different people.
(Acts 2:4-11) And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongue(s), as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and Marveled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? ……….. we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
(Acts 4:31) And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
If Tongues Are Mandatory; Are Infants Who Die Doomed?
If the Holy Ghost must make “EVERYONE” speak in tongues as the condition to enter heaven (or be “saved”) then if this were true all infants who die premature would be doomed. Thankfully we know this teaching has little merit. First, we know God is just. Second, this issue (involving infants) is covered in more detail in the following links (Should Babies Be Baptized and Not Everyone Speaks In Tongues)
