praying in tongues aloud

[jonathanbchristian]

The Bible says when we speak in tongues the Spirit gives the utterance. It also says if there is no interpreter at church to pray in tongues silently. This means the Spirit is in control of your tongue and your spirit is in control of the volume. Does the Spirit ignore this Bible verse? No but we do. I still believe it is the Spirit giving the utterance even when we are disobeying the Bible by being loud because the Spirit has grace. The only time we should hear tongues in church is when it is interpreted. Otherwise we need to turn the volume down.

 

[snumerouno]

Speaking in tongues is the ability to speak in a foreign language for the purpose of spreading the gospel.

It isn't a bunch of hobbidy bobbidy boo that you utter to yourself.

 

[RDKirk]

The Bible says when we speak in tongues the Spirit gives the utterance. It also says if there is no interpreter at church to pray in tongues silently. This means the Spirit is in control of your tongue and your spirit is in control of the volume. Does the Spirit ignore this Bible verse? No but we do. I still believe it is the Spirit giving the utterance even when we are disobeying the Bible by being loud because the Spirit has grace. The only time we should hear tongues in church is when it is interpreted. Otherwise we need to turn the volume down.

Yes, that is a proper interprestation, IMO, of what Paul is telling the Corinthians.

 

[RDKirk]

Speaking in tongues is the ability to speak in a foreign language for the purpose of spreading the gospel.

It isn't a bunch of hobbidy bobbidy boo that you utter to yourself.

The tongues spoken of in 1 Corinthians are a language not known naturally in any culture. It's a different phenomenon from the tongues of Pentacost.

 

[Bob Carabbio]

"The Bible says when we speak in tongues the Spirit gives the utterance. It also says if there is no interpreter at church to pray in tongues silently. This means the Spirit is in control of your tongue and your spirit is in control of the volume."

Although the Gift, also carries it's own "Dynamics" when one is burdened to Speak a MESSAGE IN A TONGUE to the gathered congregation. What Paul is referring to is THAT eventuality, and NOT the more common speaking in tongues in times of corporate worship or prayer. When One is Burdened to Speak in a tongue as a "Message", then the Holy Spirit WILL ALSO BURDEN one to interpret.

To listen to Hyper-legalists, you'd think that "Being heard speaking in tongues" was a "Federal Offense".

You need to understand the "Out of control" circumstances in 1 Cor 14 to properly evaluate Paul's teaching.

YOU CANNOT deliver a "Message in a tongue" to the church "just because you feel like it", and can speak in tongues at will, like we Pentecostals mostly ALL can. Just like you can't deliver a PROPHETIC message to the church "just because you feel like it", and can speak English at will.

DUring times of Corporate Worship, or corporate prayer, "Being heard in a tongue", or (as in our place) being heard in Spanish, English, German, or Hindee, isn't an issue at all.

 

[LinkH]

I lean toward the interpretation of I Corinthians 14:28 of the speaker in tongues not speaking in church at all, and doing it at home or elsewhere.

If you are praying in tongues with low volume at church, you are still engaged in a one-on-one activity. It distracts you from hearing someone else pray, agreeing with that and saying 'amen.' It distracts you from hearing a prophecy or a teaching. How can you listen if you are praying in tongues with low volume? Church meetings are for mutual edification, not solely self-edifying activities that you can do in your own devotional time at home.

 

[jonathanbchristian]

"The Bible says when we speak in tongues the Spirit gives the utterance. It also says if there is no interpreter at church to pray in tongues silently. This means the Spirit is in control of your tongue and your spirit is in control of the volume."

Although the Gift, also carries it's own "Dynamics" when one is burdened to Speak a MESSAGE IN A TONGUE to the gathered congregation. What Paul is referring to is THAT eventuality, and NOT the more common speaking in tongues in times of corporate worship or prayer. When One is Burdened to Speak in a tongue as a "Message", then the Holy Spirit WILL ALSO BURDEN one to interpret.

To listen to Hyper-legalists, you'd think that "Being heard speaking in tongues" was a "Federal Offense".

You need to understand the "Out of control" circumstances in 1 Cor 14 to properly evaluate Paul's teaching.

YOU CANNOT deliver a "Message in a tongue" to the church "just because you feel like it", and can speak in tongues at will, like we Pentecostals mostly ALL can. Just like you can't deliver a PROPHETIC message to the church "just because you feel like it", and can speak English at will.

DUring times of Corporate Worship, or corporate prayer, "Being heard in a tongue", or (as in our place) being heard in Spanish, English, German, or Hindee, isn't an issue at all.

Paul said unbelievers would think the church was crazy if everyone was prayin
in tongues aloud.

 

[chapdaddy]

Paul said unbelievers would think the church was crazy if everyone was prayin
in tongues aloud.

I have been in services where everybody is speaking in tongues... it IS crazy

 

[Bob Carabbio]

"Paul said unbelievers would think the church was crazy"

No biggie, y'all!! "People" think the "Church" is crazy anyway, and here in the U.S. it won't be long before they ALSO consider to be DANGEROUS as well.

 

[jonathanbchristian]

I always take Paul's side and he cared. But a wise man once said if they do not listen to Paul the apostle they will not listen to you.

 

[LinkH]

The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. And it's possible to keep on prophesying when you should really shut up and let the other person prophesy. Paul said that if another sitting by receives a revelation, let the first (prophet prophesying) hold his peace. If he kept on going, that doesn't mean he isn't prophesying, but he isn't following the right order the Lord commanded.

 

[Knockinghard]

The tongues spoken of in 1 Corinthians are a language not known naturally in any culture. It's a different phenomenon from the tongues of Pentacost.

 

[Knockinghard]

The Bible says when we speak in tongues the Spirit gives the utterance. It also says if there is no interpreter at church to pray in tongues silently. This means the Spirit is in control of your tongue and your spirit is in control of the volume. Does the Spirit ignore this Bible verse? No but we do. I still believe it is the Spirit giving the utterance even when we are disobeying the Bible by being loud because the Spirit has grace. The only time we should hear tongues in church is when it is interpreted. Otherwise we need to turn the volume down.

There are two different aspects of tongue speaking. One is unknown existing foreign language to the speaker but understood by people present. This happened on Pentecost with utterances by the Holy Spirit. There is no way this can be controlled by mortal men!

In Corinth, it was person's spirit that was uttering unknown language to all that required interpretation if at all required, and that was under the control of other persons, and to remain silent when no interpretation.

 

[Messy]

Speaking in tongues is the ability to speak in a foreign language for the purpose of spreading the gospel.

It isn't a bunch of hobbidy bobbidy boo that you utter to yourself.

You also get a prayer language, but I shouldn't use that in church, only in a prayer meeting where there are no visitors. Otherwise they'd think it's a lot of hobbidy hahaha.

 

[dragongunner]

"The Bible says when we speak in tongues the Spirit gives the utterance. It also says if there is no interpreter at church to pray in tongues silently. This means the Spirit is in control of your tongue and your spirit is in control of the volume."

Although the Gift, also carries it's own "Dynamics" when one is burdened to Speak a MESSAGE IN A TONGUE to the gathered congregation. What Paul is referring to is THAT eventuality, and NOT the more common speaking in tongues in times of corporate worship or prayer. When One is Burdened to Speak in a tongue as a "Message", then the Holy Spirit WILL ALSO BURDEN one to interpret.

To listen to Hyper-legalists, you'd think that "Being heard speaking in tongues" was a "Federal Offense".

You need to understand the "Out of control" circumstances in 1 Cor 14 to properly evaluate Paul's teaching.

YOU CANNOT deliver a "Message in a tongue" to the church "just because you feel like it", and can speak in tongues at will, like we Pentecostals mostly ALL can. Just like you can't deliver a PROPHETIC message to the church "just because you feel like it", and can speak English at will.

DUring times of Corporate Worship, or corporate prayer, "Being heard in a tongue", or (as in our place) being heard in Spanish, English, German, or Hindee, isn't an issue at all.

I would agree with this.

1 Cor 14:22 .....tongues are for a sign...to them that believe not.

But to do it all service, one would think you were crazy.

1 Cor 14:28 is talking about those that are given a message in Tongues to speak, which is different than just your prayer tongue. However if there is no one in church with the gift of interpretation then you should not give the message, but to use your prayer language to yourself and to God.

..."But if there be no inter peter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God."

So you have the gift of tongues (which is message giving, not tongues you receive by baptism of the HS) and you get a message to give you get up and give it and he that has the interpetation then reveals the message.....no one in the church yet that has the gift to reveal the message, then you do not give it.

Always seemed easy enough to me.

 

[DannLeavitt]

I think that too many people are judgemental about the whole tongues thing. Paul says that he is thankful that he spoke in tongues more than anyone else. He didn't belittle speaking in tongues, he confessed himself that he spoke in tongues often. If he spoke in tongues as often as it seems like he is saying he did, I would question where the crowd was every time? And if there was no crowd around of a different tongue than him, why was he speaking in tongues so often? I'll leave that one open for you's to think about.

When Paul says that others will think we are crazy, I think that speaks more to a "reservation" issue than a "get rid of it, quick!" issue. If we came together for church and all we did the entire service was speak in tongues for hours on end (Not going to lie, I've seen churches that actively encourage this and make it a regular occurrence...), no new comers are going to understand. No one will ever learn theological issues. Nothing productive will ever happen, because there is no "corporate" gathering, just a bunch of individuals having their own individual time with God.
I think what Paul was getting at was that tongues are important, but we can't neglect the other aspects of worship when we are together in order to have tongues.
I would argue that tongues still have a place in worship. It shouldn't consume the whole service, and you shouldn't be shouting tongues out just for a show if there is evidently no intention of interpretation, but I think that it should still be welcomed as a prayer language in a public setting.

 

[ByTheSpirit]

I think that too many people are judgemental about the whole tongues thing. Paul says that he is thankful that he spoke in tongues more than anyone else. He didn't belittle speaking in tongues, he confessed himself that he spoke in tongues often. If he spoke in tongues as often as it seems like he is saying he did, I would question where the crowd was every time? And if there was no crowd around of a different tongue than him, why was he speaking in tongues so often? I'll leave that one open for you's to think about.

When Paul says that others will think we are crazy, I think that speaks more to a "reservation" issue than a "get rid of it, quick!" issue. If we came together for church and all we did the entire service was speak in tongues for hours on end (Not going to lie, I've seen churches that actively encourage this and make it a regular occurrence...), no new comers are going to understand. No one will ever learn theological issues. Nothing productive will ever happen, because there is no "corporate" gathering, just a bunch of individuals having their own individual time with God.
I think what Paul was getting at was that tongues are important, but we can't neglect the other aspects of worship when we are together in order to have tongues.
I would argue that tongues still have a place in worship. It shouldn't consume the whole service, and you shouldn't be shouting tongues out just for a show if there is evidently no intention of interpretation, but I think that it should still be welcomed as a prayer language in a public setting.

 

[tturt]

Tongues are a sign to unbelievers of believers. (I Cor 14:22 and Mark 16:17) this contrast with the emphasis to not speak in tongues. All tongues can be interpreted (I Cor 14:13).

Paul wrote "Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue." I Cor 14:19 YET THREE verses down he also wrote "22 Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not:" How can they be a sign if they're not spoken. Clearly, we've emphasized v 19 and basically ignored v 22.

 

[parsley]

This means the Spirit is in control of your tongue and your spirit is in control of the volume.

Almost. We always have the choice to stop and start our tongues. The Holy Spirit propels the words, but we make choices to form them. And the more I pray in tongues, the more the pace seems like talking with expressions, pauses, ups and downs. And more of a sense of tandem Spirit:spirit activity.

I find almost a sense of obedience in knowing what words to form -- listening/being in tune, responding with word formation.

He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.
-John 7:38
​

It is not really about the words. Language is just a social form of expression. It is the language that offends people, but God deals with the heart of what we are asking and saying. He knows all the languages, and doesn't need to hear how we phrase our thoughts. People do.

Assuming that God leads us to pray for situations we don't know the whole story behind (and don't need to know), then our yieldedness and willingness to pray allows Him to pray through us to activate responses (ask, seek, knock, find).

There were times God led me to pray in accents of different regions, and I later found news stories on injustices and wars in these regions.

YOU CANNOT deliver a "Message in a tongue" to the church "just because you feel like it"

This seems to be at the heart of what Paul is saying. Tongues/other languages were useful to deliver the gospel in the languages of the visitors present for the census. When there are not many speakers of other languages, the congregation does not need other languages spoken. If God chose to deliver a prophecy in tongues, which I have seen before, then someone must be ready to give a translation. Maybe people got carried away after it happened the first time, and tried to replicate the experience.

I have to admit that I have been in Charismatic meetings where I have felt someone was about to prophesy, and also knew the gist of what they were going to say. The Holy Spirit gave me a split-second understanding, as though He might be training me for something where I would need to know.

At those times I felt compelled to pray in tongues, and did so to myself -- knowing it would not benefit anyone much to hear the tongues first. I sensed the tone, pace, determination behind the message and it seemed very much like translators work -- the speaker propelling the translator.

I'm not looking for commentary on this-- just wanted to explain some experiences in response to the OP.

 

[Levi777]

The Bible says when we speak in tongues the Spirit gives the utterance. It also says if there is no interpreter at church to pray in tongues silently. This means the Spirit is in control of your tongue and your spirit is in control of the volume. Does the Spirit ignore this Bible verse? No but we do. I still believe it is the Spirit giving the utterance even when we are disobeying the Bible by being loud because the Spirit has grace. The only time we should hear tongues in church is when it is interpreted. Otherwise we need to turn the volume down.

This is not a new view. Some people are embarrassed, or feel left out, or are just plain weirded out by spiritual manifestations that are not clearly spiritual manifestations.

Some years ago, we had some "Bring the Fire" conference, and during a service God was moving. Clearly it was Him. There was a man doing this loud long drawn out "whoooaaaaaaaoooh!" almost like a groan, and the pitch would rise and fall. My first thought was that he needed to be quiet.

It was a week later when the woman in charge of the worship team shared this testimony with the worship team. As the man began to 'moan', she had a vision of hills and mountains, covered in a foggy cloud. When his 'moaning' rose to a higher tone, the clouds lifted, and she saw the hills covered with angels on horseback, ready to ride at the prayers of the saints. This woman was not given to extremes, and shared that her first thought was the guy was way out of line. Then she received the vision.

My current thoughts on loud displays of speaking in tongues is that it must be first, by mutual agreement. At a men's prayer meeting at the church, if all are agreed, and they feel the need....the Spirit is not the author of confusion, and when all are agreed, how can there be confusion? I have seen loud displays of tongue-speaking, with grandiose emotional displays of getting slain in the spirit...and then I've seen those same people crucify a struggling pastor, who ends up leaving the ministry.

Should we speak in tongues? Absolutely! I once spent three days speaking in tongues every time I could, whenever I remembered to do so, and at that point, I had never felt God so close. But here's the thing, think about this; if we speak in tongues privately, and regularly, then we discover what an intimate language it is. If we take care with it, use it appropriately in private, then we will not abuse the gift in the public church setting. Those who pray loud and long in tongues probably have not found the intimacy in the gift.