What was the original speaking in tongues?
The apostles spoke in their own language and the people heard in their own language.
Tongues were not each person speaking babble incoherent to themselves and others, they were a work of the Holy Spirit in times when the people hearing did not speak the same language as the people speaking.
God confused the languages at the Tower of Babble because they were disobediently remaining together to build a tower when God told them to disperse throughout the earth.
Tongues in the Bible were a reversal of what God did at the Tower, He caused the people to be able to understand one another at a time when they didn't speak the same language.
1 Corinthians 14:22 " 22 Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers, but for unbelievers. Prophecy, however, is for believers, not for unbelievers."
The apostles were instructed by God to go into all the world and preach the gospel. The only way that could happen is if the apostles spoke in their own language and the Holy Spirit caused the hearers to hear in their own language.
Tongues were for the purpose of allowing the apostles to preach and for the unbelievers who did not know their language would be able to hear in their own language.
Not everyone will speak in tongues and it is not evidence of salvation. There are no verses that say the evidence of salvation is tongues.
God needs no evidence that we are born again, He knows who belongs to Him.
The evidence that helps believers identify one another of being born again is the fruit of the Spirit. What is the fruit of the Spirit?
Galatians 5:22-23
"22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
The fruit of the Spirit are the very character qualities of Christ Who lives in the born again believer.
Matthew 7:15-20
You Will Know Them by Their Fruits
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Therefore by their fruits you will know them."
Those who do not display all those character qualities as a lifestyle are not born again.
When Christ changes us into a new creation our conscience becomes tender and sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. We are deeply agitated when we do not obey God, it leads us to confess to be cleansed, causing us to improve our hearts. With each new confession we make a Spiritual stride toward greater holiness.
1 John 1:9
"9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Those who do not confess their sin as it arises will not grow in holiness and if there is never confession it may be the evidence that there has never been a born-again experience.
Those who have no desire to discuss problems in relationships are not open to admitting or confessing their flaws to grow, they merely wish to appear right more than they love God and more than they love others.
Those who are born again are very sensitive to offending others, they hate it when they have hurt someone and quickly confess it to restore the relationship. We don't see much of this in these last days because of the 2 Timothy 3 mentality of total selfishness.
2 Timothy 3:1-5
Difficult Times Will Come
"3 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, slanderers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, [a]haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of [b]godliness although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these."
Proverbs 14:12
"There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death."
Proverbs 21:2
"Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the heart."
Isaiah 5:21
"Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and shrewd in their own sight!"
Proverbs 12:15
"The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice."
Often the rituals of speaking in tongues is a show rather than an authentic expression of the work of the Holy Spirit. We are living in times of deep pretense, in which many "Christians" care more about being seen as spiritual without substance and authenticity.
Many even go so far as to claim others have not been saved because they have not spoken in tongues. This is foolishness and rejects the Word of God.
1 Corinthians 12:1-13
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord.
6 There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.
7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
8 For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit;
9 to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,
10 and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to other various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues.
11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.
12 For just as the body is one and yet has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ.
13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit."
When we judge our brothers and sisters expecting them to do the same things we do or act exactly the same way we do that is not sin, we are wrongly judging.
Everyone has gifts and everyone is led by the Holy Spirit according to God's purposes if they are seeking Him. There are those who are not displaying gifts either because they have not been born again or because they are lazy and ignoring God when He speaks to them.
1 Thessalonians 5:19
"19 Do not quench the Spirit,"
When we do not consult the Holy Spirit or obey Him when He speaks we will silence Him. God is a gentleman, He will never force Himself on anyone, He does however want us to ask Him for direction and wisdom, then He will give us what we ask generously.
James 1:5
"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him."
A born-again believer has no excuse for not knowing something because we have the Holy Spirit living in us ready and willing to speak to us if we want Him to impart wisdom to us.
