SPECIAL JUNE RADIO SERIES
UNDER THE LENS OF GOD’S WORD
by Dr. Ralph L. Keiper Director of Research, Evangelical Foundation, Philadelphia
T hroughout the entire country there has been a resurgence of interest in the subject of speaking in tongues. This has been true in many denomin ations as well as in traditional Pente- costalism. Articles appear not only in religious magazines, but also in the secular press. It is well to go to the basis of the reason why people are in terested in speaking in tongues. In so doing, we find that there are four great motives underlying the present move ment. First of all, there seems to be a gen uine search for a deeper Christian life. People have heard the Gospel and many have professed to know the Lord Jesus Christ as their own personal Saviour. Now, however, they are interested in the question, “Is there anything more than salvation?” This is a very valid thought. Many times, in our evangel istic presentations, the idea is given that when a person gives his heart to Christ, or when he is bom again, or when he accepts Jesus as Saviour, he then has received everything the Gos
pel has to offer. Many people have the idea that the main thrust of the Gos pel is to be delivered from hell and to go to heaven. Consequently, there is a desire to find something which will meet human needs in this present life. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself has said, “I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). Although they may not realize it fully, many people are seeking this abundant life. Their method may be wrong but their spirit certainly is right. There is more to the Gospel than merely going to heaven and being saved from hell. The Lord Jesus Christ died on Calvary’s cross not only to be our Saviour in the hereafter, but also to be our Saviour here and now. Many churches, known for formalism, have had a movement of speaking in tongues. This is true, as an example, in the F.piscopal church. Where ritual and ceremony take an important part of the service, there is a tendency to suppress the emo- (continued on next page) 3
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