“And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.” Rev. 16:13, 14.
Certainly one of the most grievous frog-like spirits (spirits of devils) working today and shared in common by paganism, catholicism and protestantism is the tongues-charismatic delusion. Whether among the animist African tribes, those who practice voodoo in Haiti, the Mormons, or punctuated by hysterical laughter as those in Toronto, practised by Roman Catholic nuns from charismatic convents, or by young charismatic men at “Promise-Keepers” conventions, or condoned by the First Church of God (so-called) of Los Angeles, California, modern tongues (glossolalia) is one of the most awful delusions of satan ever worked since the beginning of time. It is dangerous because it causes people to rest in this manifestation rather than the fruit of holy living.
This influential spirit is busy spreading its own brand of ecumenicalism; fleshly, spiritual free-love, spiritual darkness, and its own moral looseness, as in the cases of prominent “tongues” tel-evangelists who have been caught in immoral behaviour. It is a loose-living, emotional spirit that tolerates adultery and other grievous sins and cloaks itself in a very religious verbiage. It attempts to threaten any who would take a stand against it, that they will be blaspheming the Holy Ghost if they call it what it is.
The time has come, and is past due, for all God’s true saints to speak out strongly and take a valiant stand against this religious evil. Congregations, yes, whole movements are being taken over by this awful delusion of hell, while we are sometimes accused of being harsh and unloving for lifting up our voice against this error. We confess that, although we love the people involved and wish them spiritual advancement and enlightenment, we do not love this tongues delusion, nor can we tolerate it in any of its forms.
Glossolalia predates the first advent of Christ by many centuries. Ancient pagan religions were known for their “peepers and mutterers.” Isaiah 8:19 says, “And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead?” The gospel dispensation ushered in a time when true religion (of the church of God) would not be distinguished by its obscurities, for again Isaiah says, “Thou shalt not see a fierce people, a people of a deeper speech than thou canst perceive; of a stammering tongue, that thou canst not understand.” Isa. 33:19. The true church of God of this time is to be known for “sound speech that cannot be condemned.” Titus 2:8. This “sound speech” is to be backed by sound, holy living. The gospel preached by the apostles was radical and easily understandable, which is exactly the gospel that is needed in this time.
H. M. Riggle writes: “‘Tongues’ in the New Testament sense means languages. ‘Unknown tongue’ simply means foreign language. We believe and teach that people may by the Spirit of the Lord (as on Pentecost) instantly receive some foreign language and speak it and that they may also after being sanctified by the Holy Ghost seek spiritual gifts of various kinds and obtain them. We also believe and teach that there is a special gift of interpretation of languages. There is plenty of room in the church for the exercise of the genuine gift of languages, but there is absolutely no room for this modern, false, gibberish, so-called ‘tongues’.”
What is becoming known today as “contemporary worship” is none other than the imposition of the blatant tongues movements’ well-known techniques to overtake and convert many to the tongues delusion. The “worship leader” at Pentecost was the precious HOLY GHOST. His guidance was unerringly the will of Almighty God. True saints can never be satisfied with “spiritual calisthenics” directed by some long-haired, “rock-generation” comedian. True saints reject the religious entertainment mentality and are looking for the true spiritual riches that feed the soul. We must have something more than continually repeated “praise choruses” that contain no spiritual depth. We thank God for the gifted song-writers of the Reformation movement who wrote God-anointed songs that feed the soul with Biblical knowledge, understanding and encouragement. These hymns and songs can never be replaced by the “froth and foam” choruses this charismatic spirit is trying to substitute. We are often told that this is a matter of generational taste and that we must reach the young people. This is not a matter of generational gap! The modern version of the charismatic tongues delusion is an insidious plan of satan to steal the spiritual substance from the church of the last days. Yes, we must reach the young people, but with the substantial, sound doctrine of the Bible as taught by the apostles that will make holy living possible. Many times today the lifting of hands, rather than a testimony of a vibrant, Christian life, the outgrowth of purity of heart and life, is but a religious “hope-so,” “wish I was” or “wish I could” mentality. The Bible speaks of lifting “holy hands” (in this we believe), all others should keep their hands down. None should participate in this holy exercise who have not a holy life to back it up.
Whether or not ministerial assemblies equivocate on this issue, whether or not they send it to committees for discussion, evaluation and resolution; regardless of how many influential pastors or congregations participate in it, or call for tolerance of it, we can give, and there is absolutely no room, for this great delusion in the church of God. It stands condemned by the Word of God and the Spirit of God will never mix or mingle with it.
Angel Talk
I Cor. 13:1 says, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels …” This scripture is often used by charismatic-tongues enthusiasts to promote the false theory that heavenly angels somehow speak a different language than mortal men. First the word, angel, in the Greek simply means “messenger.” It need not refer to a heavenly angel at all, but to a directly sent human messenger. But, even if this verse was referring to a heavenly being, there is absolutely no evidence that an angel ever spoke in any language other than that in which the one to whom he was sent spoke. We do not know what communication there will be in heaven, but we do know that we have numerous cases in the Word of God where angels spoke to humans, and never once is it implied in the scriptures that they spoke in any other than the known tongue (language) of the person to whom the message was to be delivered, just as the disciples did at Pentecost. (Acts 2:6, 8, 11).
Prayer Language
Another false doctrine of hell being promoted today to the multitudes is that we must have some “heavenly-prayer language” in which to pray to God so the devil will not know what we are praying about or that we should have such a language so that we can be edified (I say, emotionally charged) as we pray. The scriptural basis for this is often given as Romans 8:26, 27. It says, “Likewise the Spirit (emphasis mine) also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which CANNOT BE UTTERED (emphasis mine). And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” Let’s get this straight! This scripture is not at all talking about a human being giving any kind of utterance at all, in fact, this scripture says these groanings “cannot be uttered” (spoken). Romans 8:26, 27 is specifically speaking of the role of the Holy Spirit as He interprets the prayers of the saints according to the will of God. As for keeping secret our prayers from satan, it is better he knows we are a praying people and that we are praying against him and his abominable works. He is bound anyway, where the child of God is concerned, and can only do as the Father permits him.
These last days are the days of gathering. Some are being gathered by these false spirits into the “great Babylon” for everlasting destruction, and God is gathering out of the nations the glorious, pure Church of God. It is a great battle and many are being deceived. DON’T BE DECEIVED! Read the Word, follow the blessed Holy Spirit and allow these two faithful, risen witnesses to lead you home to the church, heaven and God.
We understand our privilege and responsibility to love with true christian charity all the brethren, indeed everyone. However, these are evil days and many are being swept into perdition by false prophets promoting false doctrines which delude and deceive. Hence we must, in the interest of souls and the truth, pen this article. We want to see every soul rescued from false religion and know it will take a clear message of truth to do it.
In this time the false ecumenical spirit is crying out for tolerance of all doctrines and religions. This we will not, cannot, and must not do, for the church is exclusive and her doctrine is the doctrine of God and therefore not negotiable. We cannot fellowship every spirit, but must “try the spirits” to see “whether they are of God.” I Jn. 4:1. We have tried the charismatic-tongues spirit with the Word and the Spirit, and it is not of God.
