Why Oral Roberts’ Vice President Quit The Tongues Movement
Wayne O. Robinson knows the inside story of the “tongues movement” as few people in America.
Mr. Robinson is one critic of the tongues movement who cannot be dismissed as “someone criticizing something he doesn’t know anything about.” Wayne grew up in the home of a Pentecostal preacher. He was educated at Southwestern Pentecostal Holiness College. He served as a Pentecostal seminary professor. Wayne Robinson traveled across America as a Pentecostal evangelist. As a young man he rose to Vice President of the Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association. He served as Editor in Chief of Publications, the Executive Director of radio programs and films for Mr. Roberts. Working with Roberts associated him with the strongest figure in America’s modern tongues movement.
Why would a man raised in a tongues background, a man who spoke in tongues, taught tongues, preached tongues and rose, to the top in the tongues movement quit it?
Wayne Robinson wrote the reasons in a book that deserves a hearing, “I Once Spoke in Tongues.”
Robinson said he was obsessed with obtaining the gift of tongues as a young man. He tarried at the altar, read his Bible, prayed and prayed for the gift of tongues. Finally, one night he went to the altar following a sermon by a lady evangelist who had quite a reputation for helping people get the gift; The lady laid hands on him. He prayed and prayed. When she Saw that it wasn’t working, she started “patting” his throat while he prayed out loud. The sounds were naturally distorted. She claimed his “gift” had begun!
Years later, after becoming an evangelist, Wayne Robinson sat down next to a Baptist preacher on his way home from a Texas revival. Robinson asked him if he had “received the Holy Ghost” since he believed. The Baptist evangelist said he had, but that he did not speak in tongues.
Robinson proceeded to make his point.. He could not possibly have the baptism without tongues. He appealed to Acts 2:1-4, 10:44-47 and Acts 19:2-6, in the usual manner.
To his surprise the Baptist evangelist just kept pressing one question, “Where does the Bible SAY tongues is the initial evidence of the baptism”” When Robinson was stumped at this point the brother proceeded to read him of cases in Acts where people were baptized without the gift of tongues. Then
Robinson said he turned to a verse which he never remembered having read before; “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body” (I Cor. 12: 13). He then asked Robinson if he understood that “all” to mean every Christian.
Wayne confessed this encounter discredited his “scriptural basis” for the tongues experience.
After that Wayne Robinson said speaking in tongues was no longer a “religious feeling,” it was just air being shoved through his larynx.
Mr. Robinson was strong enough to renounce the tongues error at great price. He is to be admired for not bending to the pressures of family, friends and position to be true to the Word of God.
Your “Experience” Must Always Be Tested
By the “Word of God” Otherwise “You”
Become the Highest Authority
On the day of Pentecost Peter confirmed their experiences by the Word of God, “But Peter standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said … this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; and it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: … ” (Acts 2:14,16,17). Peter’s argument for their experience was not. “it feels wonderful,” “everybody’s getting in on it,” “it’s a new experience,” “its an experience not a denomination.” Peter argued the experience was “scriptural.”
Roy H. Hughes, general overseer of the Church of God, Cleveland, Tennessee, warns that our experience must always be challenged by scripture, “If this were not so, man would be the ultimate authority, and his experience would be unchallengeable or the last word.”
There is one thing upon which we must base all our beliefs about God. One thing for “correction” when we are in error. One thing to examine our experience by. That one thing is Holy Scripture. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works” (II Tim. 3:16,17). All our experiences must always be subject to “correction” from Holy Scripture.
There is only one thing there can be no reasonable doubt cast upon, regarding it being a work of the Holy Ghost, that is the Scripture. “For the prophecy came not in old times by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (II Peter 1:21).
All our religious beliefs and experiences must be examined in the light of the one work we “know” was done by the Holy Ghost- Scripture. Sensible tongues people are even forced to admit this.
Pentecostal scholar, Carl Brumback, said regarding tongues, “the doctrine stands or falls on its Scripturalness or lack of it.”
No matter how many tongues a man may speak in, or how many miracles he may perform, it can never sanctify false doctrine!
In the last days of this planet, Satan will succeed in deceiving men with “signs, wonders and miracles” (Rev. 13:14) because men will not “‘love the truth” (God’s Word). “And then shall that Wicked be revealed … even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders. And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; BECAUSE THEY RECEIVE N0T THE LOVE OF THE TRUTH, that they might be saved” (II Thess. 2:8-10).
The safest thing any man can do is “love” the scripture, “study” the scripture, “believe” the scripture, “live” by the scripture and “examine” every experience by scripture.
Satan is constantly using every trick at his command to get us away from the truth of Scripture. One device of the Devil is to distort the Bible. When he tempted Jesus he presented “incomplete truth.”
Trying to get Jesus to jump off the temple he said, It is in the Bible! “If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God” (Matt. 4:6,7).
“It’s in the Bible. It’s in the Bible.” Yes, but Jesus knew more than one verse of the Bible. He quoted Deut. 6:16 to the devil, “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”
I listen to the voices of tongues people crying, “It’s in the Bible. It’s in the Bible.” But many never “study” all the Scriptures regarding tongues and “jump off the temple,” thinking it is God’s will. Tongues have to be right, they reason, “They’re in the Bible” Yes, so is, “He shall give his angels charge concerning thee and in their hands they shall bear thee up” (Ps.91:11 ,12).
Persuasive persons are often the instruments that lead sincere people away from God’s Word. In the day of Jeroboam God commanded a “man of God” to “eat no bread, and drink no water” ( I Kings 13:9). But a persuasive old prophet of Bethel said, “I am a prophet also as thou art; and an angel spake unto me by the word of the Lord, saying, Bring him back with thee into thine house, that he may eat bread and drink water” ( I Kings 11:18). Convinced, the young miracle worker went in -ate-and died (I Kings 13:24). So the persuasiveness of men is used to turn people from the Words of God.
Our own “feelings” can be a tool of Satan in deceiving us. “It is better felt, than telt” is only true when what is “felt” passes the test of scripture. When Jacob set out to trick his father into giving him the blessing Isaac intended for his “hairy” son Esau, he wrapped the skins of goats about: his neck and hands. The blind father was suspicious of the voice, “The voice is Jacob’s voice.” But feeling the goat skin did it, “But the hands are the hands of Esau” (Gen. 27:22). Isaac was the forerunner of those today who believe what they “feel” instead of listening to ‘”the Voice of God.” Experience is their authority, rather than scripture.
Preachers who preach “their” words and call them “God’s” words, deceive and lead many astray. ‘”Behold, I am against the prophets, saith the Lord, that use their tongues, and say, He saith. Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams, saith the Lord, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their lightness; yet I sent them not, nor commanded them: therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the Lord” (Jer. 23:31,31).
There is no way –no way- we will ever be approved by God until we rightly divide His word. “Study to show thyself approved unto God,… rightly dividing the word of truth” (II Tim. 2:15). Experiences won’t do it, visions won’t do it, what some spiritual Guru says won’t do it, what we feel or think won’t do. It is only through accurate knowledge of the Bible that we become a worker who is “approved unto God.”
“Cut Your Apron Strings From Mother
Scripture,” Tongues Preacher Commands
It is no secret that the tongues movement is unscriptural, just listen to its leaders. They will tell you.
In “Christian Life” magazine, charismatic Lutheran professor, Dr. Mark Hillmer said in his “debate” with a non-charismatic Baptist, “I would encourage you to cut the apron ties from Mother Scripture and walk slowly but confidently over to the arms of your Heavenly Father.”
Hillmer says to the non-charismatic, “You’ll forgive me, I hope, when I suggest that you appear to be in bondage to the Book. You know, of course, that you are not to be a slave of the Book but enslaved to Him who wrote the Book.”” Dr. Hilmer says we have to make a choice to be a slave to, or to obey, the Word or to be a slave to, and obey God. Dr. Hillmer, “Are the two different? If that isn’t enough try this, “I do not believe He wanted us to confine His speech to the written words of Scripture. He is alive and speaking to us right now.”
So, do we have some inner voice as an authority equal to scripture? Dr. Hillmer might do well to note: “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall ADD unto THESE THINGS, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book ” (Rev. 22:18).
Oral Roberts makes no bones about it. Roberts says we must keep a “balance” between what the gifts of the Spirit are revealing and what the Bible is revealing!’
But Mr. Roberts saves his bomb for the last paragraph of his book. Roberts actually states that sometimes the Holy Spirit manifests Himself through a gift of tongues and interpretation that seems to contradict the “general” rules found in Holy Scripture! Mr. Roberts urges us to just go right on and trust Him because He is a “gentleman.”
So Mr. Roberts, America’s mightiest tongues voice equates the revelation of tongues with scripture and urges us to follow a spirit that seems to violate the “general rules of God’s word,”
Just compare this with Paul’s exhortation, “Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince …” (Titus 1:9).
Every time a charismatic leader says, “You can’t judge tongues if you haven’t experienced it,” he is saying tongues can’t be tested by the authority of scripture only through experience.
Believe it or not the tongues leaders are brazen enough to put it down in print; “cut the apron ties from Mother Scripture.”
“The Ability of Tongues to Cross AII
Denominational Lines, Testifies It Is Unscriptural”
One of the loudest boasts of the charismatics, the way they cross denominational lines, is actually one of the greatest indictments against them. Tile thing that divides the denominations is their understanding of Scripture (or their disregard for it).
The success of the tongues movement in crossing denominational lines is due to their disregard for scripture. The tongues leaders don’t rebuke a charismatic Episcopalian who believes that baptism, by pouring or immersion is necessary for the regeneration of a child or adult.
What difference does it make about some “Bible doctrine” about salvation, they’re speaking in tongues!
And what about the Catholic Charismatics; 30,000 met at Notre Dame in 1974. Seven hundred priests were right in the middle of it. Joseph Cardinal Suenens, the highest-ranking prelate to endorse the movement, encouraged the charismatics to “fly as high as you want; with Mary as one wing and Peter (meaning the Pope) as the other.” And so the Catholic, who believes in papal infallibility, the re-crucifixion of Christ in the mass, the sinless perfection of Mary, etc., joins with others who believe none of these and “fly with Mary.” Why the only difference they ever had with Protestants in the first place was over Scripture.
The tongues promoters love to point out that they were all with one accord at Pentecost. They forget to mention the accord was not only with each other-they were in accord with Holy Scripture, also.
Nothing could possibly be mutually palatable to people who don’t agree about Scripture, don’t agree about salvation, don’t agree about the basics of the Bibles teaching-unless they have silently agreed that the Bible doesn’t really matter.
Eighteen Cases of the Tongues Movement
Contradicting the Bible
If you have any doubts about the modern, tongues movement being unscriptural, just open your Bible.
The TONGUES leaders say unintelligible noises are the gift of tongues. The BIBLE says the ability to speak understandable human languages is the gift of tongues (Acts 2:6-11).
The TONGUES teaching is that you can be saved and receive the Holy Spirit later. The BIBLE teaches you receive the Holy Spirit at the same time your sins are forgiven,(Acts 2:38). The TONGUES promoters declare the gift is for every Christian. The BIBLE says that tongues are not for every Christian. (I Cor. 12:8-11, 28-30). The TONGUES leaders say all Christians do not have the Baptism of the Spirit.
The BIBLE says all Christians do have the baptism of the Spirit (I Cor. 12:13). The TONGUES leaders say “tongues” bring believers together.
The BIBLE testifies tongues marked the divided church at Corinth (I Cor. 1:12,13) and tongues came “after” they were already of one accord at Pentecost (Acts 2:1). Some TONGUES people say their unintelligible sounds are an “angelic language.”
The BIBLE records that every time angels spoke it was in a language clearly understood by men (example: Acts 12:7). The TONGUES teachers say there are two tongues, one public and one private.
The BIBLE says the “same” tongue is for public and private use (I Cor. 14:28).
The TONGUES promoters teach men cannot understand tongues because of the vocabulary (unintelligible sounds). The BIBLE says men cannot understand them because of the content. (mysteries) (I Cor. 14:2). The TONGUES people allow public “tongues” without an interpreter. The BIBLE does not allow public tongues without an interpreter (I Cor. 14:28).
In TONGUES meetings hundreds are sometimes encouraged to speak in “tongues” in the same meeting.
The BIBLE forbids more than three to ever speak in tongues in one meeting (I Cor. 14:27).
The TONGUES leaders allow and encourage many to speak in tongues at the same time.
The BIBLE insists on tongues being spoken by course, or one at a time (I Cor. 14:27).
The TONGUES ministers allow women to speak in tongues publicly. The BIBLE forbids women speaking in tongues (or speaking at all) in the church (I Cor. 14:34).
The TONGUES people declare praying in the Spirit means praying in sounds humans cannot understand.
The BIBLE says the Holy Spirit speaks through us in understandable human language (Rom. 8:15) just like the tongues at Pentecost (Acts 2:6-11) The TONGUES people say that tongues are for our time. The BIBLE says, “tongues shall cease” (I Cor. 13:8).
The TONGUES preachers say the blessing of the Holy Spirit can come ion, after a person is saved. The BIBLE says the Holy Spirit is the “first” gift of God in salvation (Rom. 8:23). The TONGUES teachers say tongues is a sign to believers that a brother has received the baptism. The BIBLE says tongues is not a sign to believers, but a sign to unbelievers (I Cor. 14:22). The TONGUES leaders say handicapped mutes cannot receive the baptism, for they cannot speak in tongues.
The BIBLE says the baptism is for all (I Cor. 12. 13). The TONGUES belief is that tongues can only come by the Holy Spirit. The BIBLE says tongues can be learned ( I Cor. 14: 16,23)
The Decision That the Tongues Leaders are Forcing America’s Church Members to Make
Whatever might be said about the modern tongues movement, no one could ever call them “timid.” They are zealous and forceful. They encompass land and sea to make a proselyte. It seems they will never rest until every Christian is making their “peculiar noises.” They are forcibly demanding a decision of America’s church membership. “To speak in tongues or not speak in tongues.”
The decision boils down to one of believing in “experience” or believing in “Scripture.” The basis of the modern tongues talking is “human experience.” The tongues promoters build their case on testimonies of people’s experiences. They tell of someone who spoke in tongues and was happier. Someone spoke in tongues and was healed or prospered or became more spiritual. Human experiences are their basic argument.
On the other hand you have beliefs based on the Bible. The authority is “God’s Word says it.”
All the attempts to reconcile the 3,000 year old pagan practice of glossolalia with the Bible are ridiculous failures. You can never make these “a-bo-da-ma” sounds into the true tongues at Pentecost where “every man heard them speak in his own language” (Acts 2:6).
You simply cannot have this modern so called “tongues” and Scripture. You can have tongues; or you can be true to Scripture. But you cannot have both. You can have the baptism of the Holy Ghost, joy, miracles, praise, a life in the Spirit and follow Scripture. But when you try to call these peculiar tongues noises a “Biblical experience” you are adding to the experiences taught in the Word of God. Regarding such things Prov. 30:6 says, “add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.” We cannot escape the choice between following the modern tongues movement and following scripture.
It seems that among those who want to be true to God’s Word and yet approve the tongues movement there is inevitably one common reason. They know someone who speaks in tongues that appears so “dedicated,” so “spiritual.” The fallacy in their reasoning is threefold.
First, God did not give us human “experiences” for doctrine, but rather Scripture. Scripture alone was given to reveal the truth about God. Three billion testimonies do not out weigh one verse of God’s Word. “Let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mlghtest overcome when thou art judged” (Rom. 3:4).
Second, there are people in all religions, even idol worshipers, that have a “spirituality” that appears to shame the average church member. As you remember, Judas could cast out evil spirits and heal the sick (Matt. 10:14) and appeared so spiritual no one suspected him when Jesus said a betrayer was among them (Matt. 26:21,22). Yet Judas was actually a devil (John 6: 10).
Third, even the most Godly spiritual Christians are sometimes wrong at one point. Paul said, “But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed” (Gal. 2:11). If the great Apostle Peter could be wrong and in need of a strong rebuke, is anyone in the modern tongues movement above the same?
Many will read these Bible passages that show tongues are foreign languages, tongues are a sign gift for only one period of time, tongues are never to be spoken in public by women, etc., but they will not believe. They will choose to believe the testimonies of men’s experiences. To them Jesus said, “And if any man hear my words, and believe not, judge him not. for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day” (John 12:47,48).
You can judge tongues by your experience and others experiences for now. However, sooner or later tongues must meet the test of God’s Word. Whenever they do they will stand condemned by Holy Scripture. Far better that men judge them now, than that God do it on the Day of Judgment.
But besides all of this, Jesus NEVER spoke in tongues!
Copyright, M.A.E.A.
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