p. 6 | SPEAKING WITH TONGUES by A. M. Dart

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Mountain View, California · Apr 10, 1907

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 33, No. 15.

SPEAKING WITH TONGUES.

By A. M. Dart

“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.” Phil. 2: 13.

“Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” Matt. 16: 24.

THE first text assures us that God’s pleasure may be accomplished in us. Indeed, the unlimited power of the Creator is pledged to this glorious end. The second text reveals what is required of us that this may be true.

In the majority of people God is not working “to will and to do of His good pleasure.” This is not because His love is not for all alike, neither because He does not desire thus to work in all.

Of all the battles ever fought, none have been waged so fiercely, none have held out so great possibilities for the winner, and such dire results for the loser, as the battle with self. The accumulated misery and wo of millenniums is the result of self-aggrandizement. When Lucifer said, “I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: . . . I will be like the Most High,” God could no longer work in him “to will and to do of His good pleasure.” He was, therefore, cut off from the plans and purposes of God for his everlasting and ever-increasing happiness. To secure these now he must “deny himself,” accept the infinite sacrifice which his selfish attitude had drawn from the merciful God, and “follow” Christ. This he refused to do, and after gaining about one-third of the heavenly intelligences as his followers, was finally, with those followers, cast out of heaven. Rev. 12: 4, 9.

When man was created, Lucifer (Satan) immediately set himself about to secure followers from among the human family. How well he succeeded is set forth in the sad record of man’s expulsion from his beautiful Eden home. He has ever continued his work of seeking followers for himself, but that his career will eventually end is as certain as that God is able to carry out His plans for the happiness of His people. This Satan knows; for we read in Rev. 12: 12 that his wrath is greater “because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.”

The power of God in His followers is measured by their full surrender, their entire submission to Him. They must deny self. The least vestige of selfishness will, to just that extent, hinder His working “to will and to do His good pleasure.” Now it is evident that in the final struggle between truth and righteousness, between Christ and Satan, will be revealed what God can do thru His followers and what Satan can do thru his. This means, on the part of God’s followers, a knowledge of His will according to His word, and a full surrender to Him, that He may accomplish His will thru them. It means on the part of Satan’s followers that they will be fully surrendered to him that he may accomplish his will thru them. God will work thru His people “both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to His own will.” Heb. 2: 4. This will be the final effort on God’s part to recover from the last generation, “out of the snare of the devil,” those “who are taken captive by him at his will.” 2 Tim. 2: 26. Those whom Satan has taken captive at his will, being at this time fully surrendered to him,—having entirely chosen his ways,—are worked by him to the full extent of his power. He works thru them with “all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” 2 Thess. 2: 9, 10.

Since Satan’s work is deceptive, his greatest “wonders” will be done by professed Christians claiming to be doing the will, and carrying forward the work, of God. But “such are false apostles, deceitful workers transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.” 2 Cor. 11: 13, 14. See also, Matt. 7: 21-23.

Speaking with Tongues

May this gift, handed down to us with such prominence from the day of Pentecost,

be used by Satan? or is such an experience absolute evidence that God is in the midst of those in whom it seems to be manifest?

In the fifth chapter of Mark we have a record of an experience Jesus had with an “unclean spirit, who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains.” Verses 2, 3. “But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshiped Him, and cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with Thee, Jesus, Thou Son of the Most High God? I adjure Thee by God, that Thou torment me not.” Verses 6, 7. Are not these strange words for the worshiper to speak? Were these the words of the man, as he would choose to speak for himself as he was sitting at the feet of Jesus? No, Satan spoke thus thru the man. When the man was delivered from Satan, he spake differently. See verses 15 and 18. This is an example of how fully Satan can control human instrumentalities.

Again alluding to the fact that in the final conflict between Christ and Satan, Satan’s most effective agents will be professed Christians, deceived, deluded souls, I propound the query, Is it anything strange that we should find them speaking with tongues? Is Satan confined to one language? When he has the unfettered use of an agent, can he not speak one language thru that agent as well as another?

“My doctrine is not Mine,” says the Master, “but His that sent Me.”

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils.” Now when God’s message is rejected, and souls are fully surrendered, with no longer a doubt, to Satan’s doctrine, Satan can use them to the fullest extent of his power, as verily as he did the man in the country of the Gadarenes.

Dear reader, the final conflict is on. Are you looking for “signs and wonders” to determine whether a movement is of God or not? If you are, you are likely to be swept into the vortex of destruction, for there will be signs and wonders on the wrong side of the issue so great “that if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” Let us meet the enemy as did the Son of God Himself, with “It is written.” Study the word in the light of God’s message for to-day—the Threefold Message of Revelation 14. In this light “we are not ignorant of Satan’s devices.” His greatest deceptions are unmasked.

A. M. DART. Ketchikan, Alaska.