There is a debate amongst Christians regarding tongues and the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
In one corner you have those who believe tongues and the gifts of the Holy Spirit mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12 are alive and active in the church today. In the other corner you have those who believe tongues and the gifts were strictly for the first century believers and they are not in operation today.
So who is right? Let’s settle this debate over tongues once and for all.
I am about to make a bold declaration. Here it is. I am convinced now more than ever that my opinion on this topic is truly the right one and the only one you should have.
Let me clarify one thing right off the bat, whether you believe in tongues and the gifts or you don’t that has no bearing on your salvation. You are saved because you have put your trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ. That is the only way to salvation.
Now let’s settle the debate.
In Matthew chapter 9 two blind men cry out to Jesus for healing. Jesus asks them if they believe he can heal them and they say yes. He then makes this statement in verse 29,
“Then He touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith will it be done to you.”
In these words we find the answer to the debate.
Is tongues for today? It’s all according to your faith. I personally know people who are true born-again believers who love God and who rightly handle the truth of the scriptures. There is no confusion about where they stand on the essential areas of doctrine. Yet their opinions fall on both sides of this debate. The truth is this whole matter turns not on your opinion but on your faith.
As Jesus said according to what you believe it will be done to you. If you believe tongues and the gifts of the Holy Spirit are alive and active today, I believe you will experience that. If you don’t believe that tongues and the gifts of the Holy Spirit are alive and active now, then I believe you won’t experience them. It really is that simple. I wouldn’t apply this thought process to every grey area in scripture. I do believe it is appropriate here.
So let’s stop debating this topic and get on to the more important issues of preaching the gospel and making disciples. If you believe you will see. If you don’t you won’t.
There you go that settles the debate.
