Scriptural answers to 'Speaking in Tongues'

The following is my answer to an email I received from a dear friend today concerning the meaning behind 'tongue speaking.' Here's my answer:

Well, concerning the 'tongues' subject it's all about reading the whole context of the book of Acts (in the second chapter to be exact). The word 'speaking with other tongues' which is the actual phrase mentioned in Acts 2:4 means the same thing as speaking in a foreign language (such as Spanish, Russian, etc.) but they didn't have to go to school to learn it. They automatically knew how to speak in the person's language (or 'tongue') to give that person the Gospel. The miracle was to break the language barrier at a very critical moment. That moment was the day of Pentecost (verse 1) where according to verse 5, "there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven."

In other words, the Jews from different countries who only understood the language (or tongue) they lived at were gathered together in Jerusalem for Pentecost (a Jewish feast in the Old Testament) had to get the Gospel preached to them by the disciples who only knew either Hebrew or Greek. Look at Acts 2:6 about how they were amazed (or confounded) "because that EVERY MAN HEARD THEM SPEAK IN HIS OWN LANGUAGE." Continue to read for yourself in verses 7-12 in Acts 2 about the different language/tongue descriptions. This was important because the Gospel was to be preached to the Jew FIRST and then the Greek (or Gentiles or anyone else who wasn't born a Jew) according to Romans 1:16.

I think you may understand by now that many people are confused about the 'tongues' subject because they ignorantly think it was a state of 'spiritual ecstasy' or jibber and jabbering along. It was just a gift given to the apostles who had to get the Gospel to those with different languages and people don't know how to read the context of the Bible these days which leads to more confusion. And as a matter of fact, the apostle Paul made very clear that it was all for the purpose of UNDERSTANDING and not confusion. He says in 1 Corinthians 14:19, "Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue." (or a foreign language you don't understand).

I like to remind people who claim they are filled with the Spirit who get involved in the out-of-context practice of tongues that the fruits of the Spirit are listed in Galatians 5:22-23 and it doesn't involve 'speaking in tongues.' (But it does teach that we need to control the tongue we have..lol). Also understand that Acts was a 'bridge' book with a lot of transitions to bring in the full teachings of the New Testament by completing the writing of God's Word. The transition is over and the Word of God is now complete. People who build their church or religious denomination out of context in the book of Acts is like a person who builds a house on a bridge as opposed to solid ground. In other words, very dangerous!