PARABLES OF THE BIBLE :

The very next verse tells us that Jesus has indeed warned us about those who will come in his name at the end of time doing signs and wonders, or miracles as it states in the Greek text. They insist they are of God, yet He says He does not know them in Mt 7:22 even though they performed might (miraculous) works in Christ's name. In the day and age we live in, one of the most obvious signs and wonders displayed by the false gospel churches that insist they are coming in Christ's name is speaking in tongues as they call it.

It resembles the true Gospel in that at one time, people did indeed speak in an unknown language as they received revelation from God. Some called this "angelic tongues". But God has long since silenced these tongues. But those of us who are indeed saved do speak to one another in a language that the unsaved do not understand, we speak the Gospel itself. Our words are foreign to the unsaved person, they make no sense to him. We may just as well be speaking in Greek or Hebrew as we tell people about the Gospel of salvation.

Our Gospel message is veiled in what God calls an unknown language, tongues if you will. His revelation to all mankind, the Bible, contains His very words, yet to many this is a book of contradictions or merely a history lesson. Perhaps some good things may be found within it but, "you don't really expect me to believe God Himself wrote that book do you?" To these people the spiritual language that God uses to talk to our hearts as we read is an unknown language, the book is written in a different tongue, one they cannot understand.

The true tongues of the Bible is the spiritual language that God speaks to us in as we read. Only a saved person has the gift to interpret this language, only a saved person can speak in the tongue of the Bible, this is the true meaning of speaking in tongues in our day. It is not with signs and wonders as some would have us believe, they only wish to deceive us as per Mt 24:24. The Gospel is a spiritual message that can only be heard by the hearts of those whom God regenerates or else, how does one have his ears "circumcised" as God tells us in Jer 6:10? Those are spiritual ears and they hear spiritual things not English or Spanish or Greek languages.

In Psalm 40:6 we read, "Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required." It was the ears that were important to God and the very next verse tells us in this day and age what type of hearing God has in mind, "Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me". It is the spiritual ears that hear the words of the book, the book we call the Bible. If you do not have spiritual ears, the words will sound like an unknown tongue to you. One speaking them is indeed speaking in tongues but the unsaved will not understand.

As Satan mimics the true Gospel he finds it's easy to entice mankind with the falseness of tongues that the charismatic churches offer mankind these days, Mt 24:24 should sound truer and truer as we get nearer to the end of the world. This study will look at the technical aspect of speaking in tongues. At some point in time I will write a study looking at the spiritual aspect of tongues as God teaches us about them in the Bible, the "true tongues" that all believers speak and understand, not the false gospel that the charismatic, tongue speaking churches wish to convince us makes them God's people.

The following study was one that I acquired in the early 1980's. The author was a student of the Bible and gifted in Greek and Hebrew language studies. We do not need to know Greek nor Hebrew to understand God's word. He is the teacher, 1 Jn 2:27, and it is the spiritual message that we should seek. But this type of study does shed a different light upon the sign and wonder gospel of speaking in tongues that we hear so much of today. Hopefully it will be a blessing to you.

1 Cor 13:8-12. God has used a few significant words:

1.1) "shall fail/shall vanish away/done away/put away" 1.2) "shall cease"

1.1) "shall fail/shall vanish away/done away/put away" are from the same Greek word "katargeo". It is used 27 times in the NT, it is translated by 17 separate English words in the King James Version, e.g., "destroy", (Rom 6:6; Heb 2:14; 2 Thes 2:8); "without effect", e.g., Rom 3:3; "done away", e.g., 2 Cor 3:7, 11, 14, et al.

Katargeo is a combination of Kata, which means down or against, and Argos, meaning, not working, doing nothing, idle. Argos is used 8 times in the NT and is translated 6 times as "idle", e.g., Mt 12:36; 20:3, 6; 1 Tim 5:13.

1.2) "shall cease" is from the Greek word "pauo". It is used 15 times in the NT, it is translated 12 times as "cease", e.g., Lu 8:24; Eph 1:16; 1 Pe 4:1. The word generally means "to stop, bring to an end, rest.

2a - As noted, the Greek word "katargeo" is used 4 times in the context of 1 Cor 13:8-12. In each instance, "katargeo" is in the Greek passive voice. Since "katargeo" is coupled with the nouns, "prophecies", "knowledge", "in part" and "childish things", it shows that these nouns are acted upon (they receive the action). An outside agent forces prophecies, knowledge, that which is in part, and childish things to become idle or have no effect. In contrast, the word "pauo", translated as "shall cease", is in the Greek middle voice. The English language does not have a middle voice, but in the Greek it means the subject acts upon itself rather than having an outside agent act upon the subject. More specifically, in the Greek middle voice, "pauo" denotes a self-originating and gradual cessation of the thing in view. Since "pauo" is associated with tongues in verse 8, this means that the gift of tongues would cease gradually by itself. Or it could be said that the outside agent that causes prophecies and knowledge to cease will not cause tongues to cease because tongues will cease by themselves.

3a - The verse concerning the cessation of tongues in 1 Cor 13 are surrounded by a lengthy discussion on the proper use of the spiritual gifts. Paul's main concern is: 1) that the spiritual gifts do not become divisive (chapter 12), 2) that love is greater than any of the gifts (chapter 13), and 3) that certain gifts are more preferable than others (chapter 14). In reference to tongues, chapter 12 indicates in two places that the gift was not given to everyone in the Corinthian church, nor was everyone required to seek after it as a sign of the Spirit's indwelling. First by phrasing, "to one...to another" in verses 8-10, Paul indicates that tongues and interpretation of tongues were given to very few in the congregation. Second, the infrequency of the gift is further supported in verse 30 which asks the rhetorical question, "do all speak with tongues?" The answer, of course, is no. All of the Corinthians did not speak with tongues. The fact that very few spoke in tongues becomes even more significant as verse 13 guarantees that everyone has been "baptized" by the Spirit. If they all have been baptized by the Spirit, yet very few speak in tongues, then tongues cannot be a sign of the baptism of the Spirit!

3b - In 1 Cor 13:1, Paul mentions the "tongues of men and of angels." Though this choice of language may merely be a figure of speech, since Paul had referred to men speaking in tongues in 12:30, then the tongues of men in 13:1 should refer to the same. Regardless of the connection, however, Paul's major point in 13:1f is that tongues w/o love is nothing. He reinforces this fact by mentioning the tongues of angels. Apparently Paul recognized that there is a special language amongst the angels, (cf., Job 1:6; Mt 2:10-14; 2 Cor 12:4). Paul mentions, "tongues of angels" because people would normally think that an angelic language was a purer and more spiritual type of communication. But Paul's point is that even supposing angelic tongues are a superior language, and even supposing that he could speak that language, he is nothing w/o love!

In verses 2 and 3, Paul reinforces his point on the necessity of love. He does this by using hyperbole, i.e., exaggeration for effect. "Understanding all mysteries", "removing mountains", "giving the body to be burned", etc., are all thing Christians do not do realistically. Paul's point, then, is that even if there were this super Christian who gave his body to be burned, or knew all mysteries, even he is nothing w/o love. All his works and knowledge will profit nothing.

In verses 4-7, Paul mentions 7 things that love does and 8 things it does not. The 7 things that love does are all in the Greek present tense, which signifies continuing action. Thus, the phrasing could read, "love continually suffers long", love continually is kind", love continually bears all things", etc. In addition, the present tense translation in the 8 things love does not do could be phrased, "love never envies", love is never puffed up", etc. The present tense shows us that love should be a continuing process in the Christian life.

In verses 8-12, Paul starts out by saying that love never fails. According to the rest of the context, this means that love will last forever. Love is NOT "in part" and thus it will not pass away like the spiritual gifts. The eternal quality of love is underscored in verse 12 as Paul speaks of seeing "face to face" and "then shall I know, even as I am known." Other scriptures relate this particular language to eternity (cf., Rev 22:4; 1 Jn 3:2; Ph'p 3:21). Paul is thus saying that our future lives in eternity will be encompassed in God's love, forever.

Thus far, 1 Cor 13 has been divided into 3 sections. The first section, verse 1-3, represents the justification of the Christian. It is at this time that he receives his faith and knowledge of God. Yet, as Paul emphasizes, it is one thing to say you are saved, i.e., to have faith, but it is quite another to put that faith into practice (cf., 1 Cor 8:1-3; Eph 3:19). So, in the second section verses 4-7, Paul mentions what the Christian is to continue to do in regards to loving God and the brethren.

This practice of love represents the sanctification of the Christian (cf., 1 Jn 4:19-21). In the third section, verse 8-12, Paul points love to eternity when the Christians will be with Christ forever. Then, the practice of love will be forever. This ultimate state represents the glorification of the Christian (cf., 1 Cor 2:9).

Finally, in verse 13, Paul says that of faith, hope and love, the greatest is love. The immediate question is: why is love greater? There are several possibilities. One reason is that in eternity, faith and hope will no longer be needed as they are on the Earth, since we will see Christ face to face and be with him forever. On the other hand, love will not diminish but increase in eternity. Another possibility is suggested in verse 7. Paul says that love allows one to "believe all things" (faith) and "hope all things." Thus Paul tells us that love holds faith and hope together. Love is the greatest because it is spiritual *glue* that holds all things together, for God Himself is love (1 Jn 4:8).

4a - "Shall fail/shall vanish away/done away/put away": As noted, these four English words are used to translate the same Greek word "katargeo". The reason Paul uses this same Greek word is because he is connecting a series of thoughts to make one major point. The words or phrases that are connected to "katargeo" are "prophecies" and "knowledge" in verse 8, "in part" in verse 10, and "childish things" in verse 11. Connecting these words together in one thought, Paul is saying that the partiality of prophecies and knowledge make them like childish things compared to what we will know when we see Christ face to face. Actually, when all the figures of verses 8-12 are properly categorized, we find that Paul has given us 4 descriptions of the present form of knowledge and prophecies as compared to their future form. Note the following:

4b - There is a special meaning to the fact that knowledge and prophecy are said to pass away. From verse 12 it is evident that knowledge will not be done away with altogether. In fact, knowledge will increase in eternity. This increase is indicated by the phrase, "then shall "I know" even as also I am known." Paul is contrasting what he knows presently with what he will know in eternity. Now he knows in "part", later he will know in full. Thus, it is only the partiality of knowledge that "shall vanish away" in verse 8. Using the language from the previous diagram, it could be stated that knowledge "in part" will vanish away to make room for "perfect" knowledge. Or, our present knowledge is comparable to a child, while our future knowledge will be comparable to a man. Or, our present knowledge is like seeing through a "dark glass" while our future knowledge is like seeing "face to face."

As noted previously, the language Paul uses in verse 12, i.e., "face to face" and "then shall I know," refers to the beginning of eternity at the second coming of Christ. This is noted especially in Revelation 22:4. The context of Revelation 22 is referring to the New Heaven and New Earth in eternity. In verse 4, those who enter are said to "see face to face." Nowhere else in the NT are Christians said to see him face to face except at Christ's first coming; but Paul wrote 1 Cor 13:12 after Christ's first coming. Since 1 Cor 13:12 is pointing to the future, only the second coming of Christ could be in view. The fact that "seeing" Christ refers to the second coming is also supported by such passages as 1 John 3:2 and Ph'p 3:12, 21. In the former passage, as John refers to the second coming, he says quite explicitly, "we shall see him as he is." This future reference to seeing God is supported by the beatitude in Mt 5:8, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." In the latter passage, Ph'p 3;12, 21, Paul first states that in this life he has not been made "perfect." This "perfect" coincides with the "perfect" of 1 Cor 13:12. Both passages anticipate the "perfect", and both state that it has not been attained in this present age. In connection with Ph'p 3:12, in verse 21, Paul speaks of him "who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body."

This is similar to the language of 1 Jn 3:2, i.e., "when he shall appear, we shall be like him"; and thus both passages point to the second coming, at which time we will receive our spiritual body (cf., 1 Cor 15:35-57). Moreover, the "perfect" that Paul anticipates in Ph'p 3;12 is specified as being fulfilled in 3:21 at the second coming. In other passages int he NT, for example, Eph 4:13, 14, many of these concepts are tied together. Paul speaks of coming to "the _knowledge_ of the Son of God, unto a _perfect man_, unto the measure of the stature of the _fullness_ of Christ, that we be no more _children_..." Paul speaks of Christians striving to perfection, knowledge and fullness. All of these underlined figures were used in 1 Cor 13:8-12. These things will be fulfilled ultimately when salvation is completed at the second coming of Christ. Each of the terms in Eph 4:13, 14 and 1 Cor 13:8-12 show how the Christian progresses from sanctification to glorification, at which time they will see Christ face to face.

Though prophecies are said not to continue in 1 Cor 13:12, the intimate connection between prophecies and knowledge in context shows that prophecies will also continue "in part" to the second coming of Christ, but will be increased or made "perfect" afterward. "Prophecies" use the same verb form and voice as knowledge in verse 8, and "know" and prophesy" are both said to be "in part", waiting for the "perfect" of verse 10. This relationship shows that prophecies, as well as knowledge, will not pass away altogether. Only the partiality will pass away to make room for the perfect prophecies. The prophecies will be perfect because the people of God will be able to communicate with God directly, "face to face", for eternity. God will prophesy His words and we will prophesy them in return. Love and communication will continue for eternity.

4.c - The word *prophecy* in the Greek means to *speak before*. It can refer to something as simple as speaking before a group of people or as intriguing as foretelling the future. The Bible uses the word *prophecy* in reference to speaking God's word to people. Prophecy in the Bible is not limited to predicting future events. Prophecy includes all of God's word concerning the past, present and future. In the Apostolic era (29 - 95 A.D.) prophecy came from God in two forms. The first was articulated inspiration in which men would speak God's word by the direct influence of the Spirit (e.g., Acts 2:4). The second was written inspiration in which men would write God's words by direct influence of the Spirit. These writings were all preserved in the Bible. In 2 peter 1:20, the Bible is succinctly classified as prophecy int he phrase, *prophecy of the scripture.* As will be emphasized in the next study, inspired revelation ceased coming from God after the apostolic age. The only inspired revelation man has now is the Bible. As men of God proclaim the Bible's message, they are *prophesying.* Yet that prophecy is *in part* because the Bible is not an exhaustive account about God or eternity. Moreover, our perception of the Bible is inadequate and imperfect. But at the second coming of Christ, God will again speak directly and give us much more information. God will prophesy perfect knowledge when we see Him face to face.

4.d - *shall cease*: As noted in section 1.2, this word was used exclusively with tongues in the context of 1 Cor 13. It is the Greek word "pauo". The fact that Paul has chosen an exclusive word in connection with tongues is very significant. Noted previously was the fact that "katargeo" was used 4 times in 1 Cor 13:8-12. Prophecies, knowledge, that which is in part and childish things, are said to pass away by the meaning of the word "katargeo". This indicated that only prophecy and knowledge are *in part* or like thinking as a child. Tongues are NOT said to be *in part*, nor are they said to be thinking like a child. This is proven in verse 9 since only knowledge and prophecy are continued from verse 8, but tongues is deliberately left out. Hence, the omission of tongues from the remaining context, plus the change to a different Greek verb, means tongues are not waiting for the arrival of the *perfect* or *face to face* of verses 10-12. This means that tongues must *cease* before the arrival of *perfect* or *face to face*. As noted earlier, the *perfect* or *face to face* refers to the second coming of Christ. Thus, tongues MUST cease sometime before the second coming of Christ.

In section 2 it was noted that *shall cease* is in the Greek middle voice denoting that tongues cease gradually by themselves, not being acted upon by an outside agent. Tongues are not waiting for the *perfect* or *face to face* in order to cease existence, because if that were the case, their cessation would depend on these two outside agents. As outside agents, *perfect* and *face to face* act upon knowledge and prophecies because the verb associated with knowledge and prophecies (i.e., katargeo) is in the passive voice, denoting that it receives the action from an outside source. In the middle voice, tongues cannot receive the action; they must do the action to themselves! Tongues will thus cease gradually by themselves, being totally done away with before the second coming.

5.a - In correlation with the fact that tongues would cease gradually, it is significant that the remainder of the NT does not stress tongues as a prominent gift of the Holy Spirit. All of the later books of the NT do not even mention tongues. This is especially evident when a listing of the spiritual gifts and offices in other NT books leave out the gift of tongues (cf., Rom 12:4-8; Eph 4:11-12; Gal 5:22; 1 Pe 4:7-11; 1 Tim 4:14; 2 Tim 1:6). Even when tongues are mentioned, they are considered as one of the least of the spiritual gifts (cf., 1 Cor 14:1-25). Even in the book of Acts, tongues are spoken by only three groups of people: the twelve Apostles, Cornelius and the twelve Ephesians. But if we add up all of the people who became Christians in the book of Acts, yet did not speak in tongues, the proportion is overwhelming. Less than 1% of all the people recorded in the book of Acts are said to speak in tongues. These facts tell us two things about tongues in the apostolic era. First, even though tongues were a legitimate gift of the Holy Spirit, God did not give the gift frequently, nor was the gift highly promoted or regarded. Second, the lack of mention of tongues in the later books of the NT suggests that the gift was gradually ceasing as indicated in the specific verb form used in 1 Cor 13:8 (see section 2). That verb form along with the immediate context, revealed that tongues would cease before the second coming. The above information suggests that the ceasing of tongues already started in the apostolic era.

6 - In the history of the church following the apostolic era, it is especially significant to note that most of the church fathers taught that the gift of tongues was confined to the apostolic era. Polycarp (69-159) writes of having deep forms of prayer but says nothing of speaking in tongues. Justin Martyr (110-165) in Dialogue with Trypho spoke of the continuing gift of the Spirit but does not include tongues. Irenaeus in Against Heresies (180) said that he heard of some in the church who spoke different languages, but he gives no support for a personal testimony of tongues. Tertullian (160-220), though not condemning tongues speaking in Tertullian against Marcion, also gives no personal testimony of its use. Eusebuis (260-340) in *Church History* criticizes a certain sect of tongues speakers in his day. One of the only proponents of tongues speaking was Montanus around the year 156. Montanus claimed that the dispensation of the Spirit started with him. Eventually the church suppressed his unorthodox ideas. From the third century onwards, tongues were never regarded as a legitimate practice. Most of the references to tongues concerned why the phenomenon which occurred in apostolic times was no longer happening! In the fifth century, Chrysostom, bishop of Constantinople, continued the prohibition against tongues:

This whole phenomenon is very obscure, but the obscurity is produced by our ignorance of the facts referred to and by their cessation, being such then used to occur but no longer takes place. (Homilies XXIX, 1)

A little later, Augustine (354-430) elaborated on the cessation of tongues:

In the earliest times, the Holy Spirit fell upon them that believed: and they spake with tongues which they had not learned, as the Holy Spirit gave them utterance. These are signs adapted to the time for it was necessary that a betokening of the Spirit be given in all tongues over the whole Earth. That thing was done for a betokening and is passed away.

For the Holy Spirit is not only given by the laying on of hands amid the testimony of temporal sensible miracles, as was given in the former days to be the credentials of rudimentary faith, and for the extension of the first beginning of the church. For who expects in these days that those on whom hands are laid, that they may receive the Holy Spirit, should forthwith begin to speak in tongues (Homilies on I John).

The church at large agreed with Augustine. There was such a consensus that after Augustine there was virtually no literature concerning tongues until the twelfth century. Around the twelfth century a movement arose in the church called, mysticism. In reaction against the scholasticism and hierarchy of the church this group of mystics sought for more direct communication with God. A few of these mystics claimed to speak in tongues. But one of the most prominent theologians of this period, Thomas Aquinas, stated in the Summa Theologica that tongues occurred when God offered it, but it no longer occurred. By the time of the Reformation, with virtually no consistent or verifiable record of tongues for approximately 1500 years, reformers such as Luther and Calvin did not even address the issue of tongues. Apparently the gift was not present in them either. However a radical wing of the Reformation, the Anabaptists, denied that inspiration was confined to the Bible and claimed that the inward voice of the Holy Spirit takes precedence over the external word of Scripture. After this, the Pietist movement started and it gave primacy to feelings and experience in the Christian life. Reports of tongues were scattered in this movement. The Jansenists of the 17th century were the major proponents of tongues, followed by the Quakers and Shakers in America.

With the rise of Methodism in the 18th century, stress was placed on the so-called *second blessing*, of the Spirit and laid the way for the rise of emotional experience in Christian lives. American revivalism, led by Charles Finney (1792-1875) sought to produce a state of excitement that would sweep away opposing obstacles to the Gospel. Later the *second blessing* theology was continued by the Holiness and Pentecostal groups. The first publicized case of tongues speaking in the Pentecostal church occurred around 1900.

Support from secular institutions began to give credence to the phenomenon of tongue speaking. Whereas early psychiatric evaluations branded tongue speakers as mentally disturbed, later reports gave favorable evaluations. Therapeutic significance was assigned to tongues speaking. In addition both Freud and Jung expressed that man's psyche was in contact with a realm of being that was not material. In one letter Jung refers directly to tongues:

Speaking with glossolalia is observed in cases of ekstasis (predominance of the unconscious). It is probable that the strangeness of the unconscious contents not yet integrated in consciousness demands an equally strange language (February 23, 1955).

Almost all scientific researchers agree, however, that contemporary glossolalic speech is purely learned behavior. This is supported by the fact that many churches that foster tongues speaking offer manuals and formulas for those who want to speak in tongues. Research reveals that each person has the natural ability to recognize his subconscious phonetic material into glossolalic speech. In most churches it is recognized that tongues speaking is the single most powerful cohesive factor of the church. The feeling of security is perpetuated because the recipient is taught to see this experience as a sign of the reassurance of the Spirit in his life. If the recipient feels that he is just making up the tongues speech, instructions are given to dispel this belief. But after the initial joy and enthusiasm has worn off, many feel tongues are no longer helping them and consequently, the experience is neglected or is allowed to fall into disuse.

7 - As noted previously, the redemptive significance of 1 Cor 13:8-12 is evidenced in the fact that the phrase, *face to face* refers to the second coming of Christ and ushering in of the New Heaven and New Earth. As pertaining to the sanctification of the believer, though primarily focused on the future, 1 Cor 13:12 is also concerned with the present. This is evidenced when *face to face* is compared to the meaning of *for now we see through a glass darkly* in the same verse. First, the translation *darkly* is from the Greek word "aninigma". A more accurate translation is *obscurely*. The word denotes the obscurity of that which is known and prophesied at present, compared to the clarity of what will be known and prophesied in eternity. Second, the phrase *through a glass* when compared to its use in other NT passages, indicates that though prophecy and knowledge are obscure now, the more they are manifested on Earth, the less obscure they will be presently. This idea is taught in 2 Cor 3:18. Here Paul says that Christians *behold as in a glass." In the Greek, this phrase is one word. It is from the same root word translated *glass* in 1 Cor 13:12. The two verses are expressing similar truths; that is, in some sense our present knowledge of the Lord is obscure. But there is an added feature to 2 Cor 3:18. This feature is expressed in the word *changed*. The Greek word is _metamorphoomai_. (The English word *metamorphosis* is derived from it. When a caterpillar changes into a butterfly it is called a *metamorphosis*) It is in the Greek present tense and should be translated *are being transformed*.

This translation shows that the Christian is continually being transformed into the same image as the Lord. Paul says that he is being changed from *glory to glory*. This means that there is a present glory and a future glory. The present glory is our justification and sanctification, while the future glory is our glorification. Salvation is a twofold process. The first is the salvation of the spirit; the second is the salvation of the body. We see this pointed out clearly in Rom 8: where Paul talks about our spirit and God's Spirit and the current adoption while Paul tells us that our bodies still await their adoption at a future time. At justification the Christian receives his new resurrected spirit. This new spirit brings the unsaved body under subjection throughout the Christian life, and the process by which this is accomplished being called sanctification. In the sanctification process the Christian is *being transformed* into the image of God. Literally, the Christian is being *metamorphized*. This fact is supported by the use of *metamorphoomai* in other contexts. It is used only 4 times in the NT. In Rom 12:2 it is used pertaining to sanctification. Paul says, *be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind*. The word *transformed* is the Greek word "metamorphoomai". As we grow in sanctification we are being transformed into the image of God. Though we see the glory of the Lord through a *glass*, the more we are transformed, the more clearly we see Him. The same is true in 1 Cor 13:8-12. Because we have knowledge and prophecy *in part*, we *see through a glass darkly*. But the more knowledge and prophecy we attain from the word of God, held together by love, the less we will see darkly together by love, the less we will see darkly and the more we will *see* His image.

The other uses of "metamorphoomai" in the NT also relate to the principle developed in 2 Cor 3:18. "Metamorphoomai" is used in Mt 17:2 and Mk 9:2 and is translated as *transfigured*, in reference to the transfiguration of Jesus. This transfigured body of Jesus is the prototype of the glorified spiritual body that will be received by all believers on the last day (cf., 1 Cor 15:44-52; John 6:39-44). This bodily transformation refers to the second glory of the phrase *glory to glory* in 2 Cor 3:18. In the language of 1 Cor 13:12 this bodily transformation is when we finally see Christ in his full glory *face to face* (cf., Rev 22:4; 1 Jn 3;2). The Christian life is a continual metamorphosis, beginning with justification, proceeding on through sanctification and reaching the goal in glorification.

8 - This study has shown that the gift of tongues would cease gradually by itself before the second coming of Christ. More specifically, the information in the NT indicates that the gift of tongues was already ceasing in the apostolic age. Evidence from church historians and exegetes immediately after the apostolic age confirm that tongues ceased in the first century. Knowledge and prophecy, on the other hand, as contained in the bible, would continue beyond the apostolic age and on into eternity. In addition scientific research shows that glossalalic speech of today is purely learned phenomenon, each person having the ability to produce non-lexical utterances in states of hyper arousal. Thus, it is the position of this study that present day tongues speaking is not inspired by God. Since it is only w/i the last century that a resurfacing of the subject of tongues has occurred, this in itself makes the phenomenon quite suspect. In light of this evidence, one would have to ask the fair question that is other gifts of the Holy Spirit have continued through the centuries of Christianity, why were tongues not among them? Was God depriving the church or in reality had tongues ceased in the first century? The former reason seems quite unlikely; the latter agrees with the biblical, historical and practical evidence.

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