I would think that it would be obvious: Paul states that the tongues being used in Corinth were being abused for the sake of self edification. He STATES it without confusion. And then he states that whatever one practices without charity is useless. Now, when we consider that 'self edification' offers NO 'charity'. Isn't it obvious that there is NO PLACE in the BODY for those seeking SELF EDIFICATION?
Then, in order to eliminate ANY confusion, Paul offers the RULES of tongues: No more than three in a gathering and BY COURSE, (in ORDER. You know, one speaks, everyone else remains silent. When the first is FINISHED, the next speaks and then the next). And there MUST BE an interpreter.
Yet in my experience, I have witnessed half a dozen OR MORE speaking gibberish at the SAME TIME. And WITHOUT an interpreter. According to Paul's instruction, it would be IMPOSSIBLE for the Spirit to give such utterance. For it would be completely contrary to the instructions offered by Paul.
And then he ends with: "If anyone considers themselves Spiritual, let them ADMIT that the words that I offer are DIRECT inspiration of GOD". But in order to maintain PEACE in the Body, he then offers that we are not to FIGHT with those that are ignorant. But that doesn't mean that we should simply ignore the issue. For the TRUTH can be pointed out to those that have yet to find it without it being a FIGHT.
While some of the comments have been less than stellar, most have dealt directly with the issue as it pertains to scripture. Scripture as it is OFFERED.
But it seems that there is no end to the length those that practice this 'gibberish as tongues' will go to try and MAKE UP what they interpret scripture to mean. Taking sentences that are speaking out directly in opposition and twisting them in an attempt to justify their behavior.
Paul's words are NOT complex. They are SIMPLE. And meant to be SIMPLY interpreted. No 'church' of God would want strangers who are unbelievers to THINK THEY ARE MAD. That's ridiculous to even consider. And a stranger or unbeliever isn't IGNORANT about what they FEEL or what they SENSE or what they THINK simply because of what they feel, sense or think. The LAST thing that the Holy Spirit would DO is make a non believer think that TRUE believers are "NUTS".
I once discussed music in the church with a group. One guy, after much debate, finally states: "I don't care if God Himself revealed to me that playing my electric guitar in the 'church' is wrong, I'd still do it anyway".
While I applaud such honesty, he openly admitted that God was SECONDARY to HIS OWN PERSONAL SELF EDIFICATION. Yet the Bible plainly illustrates and even STATES that all that we do is suppose to be for the Glory of God. Not ourselves. So the message that he offered was perfectly clear.
And we often see this in myriad aspects of the lives of those professing to be 'followers'. They readily accept scripture that they AGREE with yet abandon that which is contradiction to their PERSONAL edification. Choosing to please themselves rather than God even KNOWING that their behavior is contrary to scripture.
And this is what I see in this modern Charismatic movement. Like spoiled children, they are more interested in that which makes them FEEL good than what they are suppose to be doing.
No different than those that preach we can MAKE God deliver on His promises. That all we have to do is NAME IT AND CLAIM IT. You know, FORCE God to make them wealthy and successful etc...........
These are like spoiled ROTTEN children that haven't the first clue of the TRUTH. They make up their OWN truth as they go along. Forgetting that the LOVE of money is the ROOT of ALL evil. And no one would attempt to FORCE God to bless them with MONEY that didn't LOVE MONEY.
All that's needed to discern the TRUTH about gibberish being 'tongues' is to read Paul's words WITHOUT attempting to justify. Just take them as offered.
And then consider that this 'modern tongues' movement is ONLY a little over a hundred years old. It takes someone who really wants to live in denial to believe that the tongues mentioned in the Bible CEASED for 1800 years and then ONLY reemerged for a SELECT group of individuals. If the 'gift of tongues' still existed, it would exist THROUGHOUT the BODY. NOT just in the small groups that insist upon it's validity.
And there is absolutely NO evidence in the Bible that GIBBERISH has EVER been considered to be the 'unknown tongues' of the Bible. Unknown doesn't mean GIBBERISH, it means a LANGUAGE unknown to the SPEAKER. You know, like being empowered to speak to those of other languages without ever having learned the language.
Those that DENY gibberish being 'unknown tongues' are not AGAINST the speakers. They are simply able to discern the TRUTH so far as Paul's words are concerned. It's not the person that they refute so much as the very principle.
The Letters Paul wrote to the 'church in Corinth' were letters of REBUKE, NOT PRAISE. He heard of their actions and did what he was able to try and put them BACK on the proper path. And he spoke to them as CHILDREN because that is obviously what they were acting like. While they SHOULD have been growing into MEN Spiritually, they instead had chosen to continue to play with Spiritually 'childish things'. Instead of focusing on 'charity', they were more concerned with their own personal edification.
It's one thing to openly admit the TRUTH and continue in the practice of self edification. But to try and alter God's Word in an attempt to justify such behavior is pretty childish in my opinion. For that's how children act or behave: "I don't CARE about the consequences, I want what I want and I want it NOW. Candy tastes good and that's good enough for me". It's only after they become obese, they develop diabetes and their teeth rot out that they realize why their parents tried to warn them and limit their consumption. But at the time, they didn't care. All they were concerned with is PLEASURE. How it made them FEEL.
The Bible tells us that it is the Devil that is SENSUAL concerning the things of this world. That's how he traps men. He encourages them to follow that which brings them PHYSICAL pleasure or even that which is 'spiritual'.
Hillsage often refers to the difference between one's 'spirit' and THE "Spirit". Yet doesn't seem to contemplate that one's spirit is exactly what brought about the fall of Adam and Eve. I often refer to the attempt of women to usurp the authority of men AS: the spirit of Eve.
So the indication that it's GOOD to appease our own 'spirits' is highly questionable. For our personal spirits are liable to follow ANYTHING that brings about sensual pleasure. Hillsage often uses the term SUPERNATURAL. That in and of itself is SCARY. For the occult deals intimately with the 'supernatural'. I would NEVER use this term in reference to one's Spiritual walk with GOD through Christ. I find the term to be more akin to VOODOO than anything Godly. And all one needs to DO is pay attention to HOW it's used in those 'things' that are subversive.
I don't discuss this issue for the sake of argument. I sincerely fear for those that practice such things. My hope is to be able to offer proper discernment. For whatever we do that impedes our walk is only capable of keeping us FROM God instead of bringing us closer TO God.
Blessings,
MEC
