Written by Steven J. Smith
Yesterday a co-worker sent me a text message asking me, "do you have to speak in tongues in order to receive salvation?" This is an example of the type of religious hot button topics that "News, Views and The Pews" will delve into in an attempt to shine even more light on very contentious and much debated topics. So does one have to speak in tongues in order for them to receive salvation?"
I know most of my Pentecostal faith tradition friends will say absolutely yes. Here is an example of where Christian faith traditions take us in different directions. Over the past four decades I have had the awesome opportunity to be immersed in many different Christian faith traditions that exist here in the United States. As a little boy I remember attending Sunday School at a Lutheran church, then I went to a Pentecostal church as a teenager, in high school and college I went to Catholic schools where religion was taught and all students had to go to mass, as an adult I have attended Baptist churches, United Church of Christ churches and now I am a pastor of a non-denominational congregation. After over 40 years of worship, fellowship and study my answer is no to the question, "does one have to speak in tongues in order for them to receive salvation."
Those who say yes to the 'tongues' question will cite New Testament scripture in the Book of Acts (Chapters 2, 3, 5, 9, 19) and those who say no will cite Romans 10:9, " if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, you will be saved" and Romans 10:13 "whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Here in Romans the Bible does not mention the requirement of tongues in order to be saved. Jesus saves you once you declare his Lordship over your life.
For we are saved by faith, not works: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and it is not yourselves, it is the gift of God, so no one can boast." When my friends who believe in the tongues requirement claim that their faith tradition has a monopoly on salvation and it is their way or the hell way I ask them about one of the great servants of Jesus in the 20th century. Mother Theresa is one of my faith heroes, she dedicated her life to the Lord and she served tirelessly the downtrodden, the orphaned and the poor of the Third World. I ask my tongue speaking friends if they feel that Mother Theresa is disqualified from going to heaven because she did not speak in tongues. I think not.
To my co-worker who asked this question on yesterday, sometimes we just have to agree to disagree without being disagreeable.
Yesterday a co-worker sent me a text message asking me, "do you have to speak in tongues in order to receive salvation?" This is an example of the type of religious hot button topics that "News, Views and The Pews" will delve into in an attempt to shine even more light on very contentious and much debated topics. So does one have to speak in tongues in order for them to receive salvation?"
I know most of my Pentecostal faith tradition friends will say absolutely yes. Here is an example of where Christian faith traditions take us in different directions. Over the past four decades I have had the awesome opportunity to be immersed in many different Christian faith traditions that exist here in the United States. As a little boy I remember attending Sunday School at a Lutheran church, then I went to a Pentecostal church as a teenager, in high school and college I went to Catholic schools where religion was taught and all students had to go to mass, as an adult I have attended Baptist churches, United Church of Christ churches and now I am a pastor of a non-denominational congregation. After over 40 years of worship, fellowship and study my answer is no to the question, "does one have to speak in tongues in order for them to receive salvation."
Those who say yes to the 'tongues' question will cite New Testament scripture in the Book of Acts (Chapters 2, 3, 5, 9, 19) and those who say no will cite Romans 10:9, " if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God hath raised him from the dead, you will be saved" and Romans 10:13 "whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Here in Romans the Bible does not mention the requirement of tongues in order to be saved. Jesus saves you once you declare his Lordship over your life.
For we are saved by faith, not works: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and it is not yourselves, it is the gift of God, so no one can boast." When my friends who believe in the tongues requirement claim that their faith tradition has a monopoly on salvation and it is their way or the hell way I ask them about one of the great servants of Jesus in the 20th century. Mother Theresa is one of my faith heroes, she dedicated her life to the Lord and she served tirelessly the downtrodden, the orphaned and the poor of the Third World. I ask my tongue speaking friends if they feel that Mother Theresa is disqualified from going to heaven because she did not speak in tongues. I think not.
To my co-worker who asked this question on yesterday, sometimes we just have to agree to disagree without being disagreeable.
