There is more to being filled with the Holy Ghost than speaking in tongues, but tongues are an
integral and an important part of receiving the Holy Ghost, since they are the initial evidence of
the infilling of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4). Also, speaking in tongues is an integral part of the
believer's devotional prayer life, for as the Apostle Paul said, "I thank my God, I speak with
tongues . . ." (1 Cor. 14:18). I, too, can say with Paul, "I thank my God I speak with tongues."
Have Tongues Been Done Away With?
In the church world today many people say, "Tongues have been done away with, because the
Bible says that tongues will cease." The Bible does say that one day tongues will cease, but
that is not referring to this present church age. However, to try to prove that tongues have
already ceased, these folks usually refer to First Corinthians 13:8-12:
1 CORINTHIANS 13:8-12
8 Charity [love] never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail;
WHETHER THERE BE TONGUES, THEY SHALL CEASE; whether there be knowledge, it
shall vanish away.
9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10 But when THAT WHICH IS PERFECT is come, then THAT WHICH IS IN PART shall be
done away.
11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child:
but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12 For NOW we SEE THROUGH A GLASS, darkly; but THEN FACE TO FACE: NOW I
KNOW IN PART; but THEN SHALL I KNOW even as also I am known.
These folks use verse 10 to try to prove that tongues have ceased, because they say the Bible
is "that which is perfect" which has already come. They say that since we have the Bible in its
complete form now, we no longer need "that which is in part" — which includes supernatural
gifts (1 Cor. 13:10).
Of course, the Bible is perfect, but our under-standing of the Bible certainly is not perfect.
Therefore, until that which is perfect has come, we still "see through a glass darkly" in this life
(1 Cor. 13:12). Hence, "that which is in part" (1 Cor. 13:10) has not ceased.
1 CORINTHIANS 13:8
8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there
be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be KNOWLEDGE, it SHALL VANISH AWAY.
These folks who say tongues have ceased don't say anything about knowledge having
vanished away (1 Cor. 13:8)! But if they are going to quote that verse, they need to quote the
whole verse because it also says, ". . . whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether
there be KNOWLEDGE, it shall VANISH AWAY" (1 Cor. 13:8).
Verse 10 says that when that which is perfect has come, we shall see face to face and not
through a glass darkly. That's when prophecies, tongues, and knowledge shall "vanish away"
and cease to exist; however, as I said, that is not in this Church Age.