Originally posted by sola fide
I'm going to end my discussion for the night with this post. After I received Christ I became a member of a charismatic church. The things you claim in your posts happen there all the time. I have this same exact debate every couple of weeks with a charismatic buddy of mine.
I've laid hands on the sick, had hands laid on me, had tongues spoken over me, everything else in the book. The only conclusion I could come to from those experiences are as follows...Even when I have had a purely repentant heart, I never understood a word another person was speaking (when they were speaking in tongues), and every time I had a hand laid on me at that church, the person was usually trying to knock me down.
I drew far much more confusion from that church than edification.
I have come to the conclusion that sola scriptura is the essential doctrine. Experiences should be based on scripture and not the other way around.
The experiences I had in charismatich churches were definitely not scriptural, nor are the ones I see on television daily. I definitely believe that scripture is sufficient and that these Biblical gifts that you suppose are in a dispensation, just as they were in the post-testament times. I am glad that you are striving for knowledge of our Lord, Jesus Christ...but my hope is that you will seek out the doctrine of sola scriptura and study its relevance for today....I recommend that you pick up the book "charismatic chaos" by John McArther if you haven't read it.
Believe me I've enough about the faith movement...just give it a try it'll be worth the read...if you don't agree with it, it'll give you something else to debate about.
Soli Deo gloria!
sola fide,
I can only apologize for the experience that you had at a charasmatic church. Someone should have been more responsible for explaining to you what was happening. Unfortionately, most of them probably did not understand it either, but just did what they've seen others do.
Anyway, in 1 Cor 14:2 (and forgive me if some have already gone over this with you. I've not been able to read all posts) we are told (Amplified Bible) "For one who speaks in an unknown tongue speaks not to men but to God, for no one understands or catches his meaning, because in the Holy Spirit he utters secret truths and hidden things not obvious to the understanding."
In verse 26-28 "What then, brethren, is the right course? When you meet together, each one has a hymn, a teaching, a disclosure of special knowledge or information, an utterance in a strange tongue, or an interpretation of it. But let everything be constructive and edifying and for the good of all. If some speak in a strange tongue, let the number be limited to two or at the most three, and each one taking his turn, and let one interpret and explain what is said. But if there is no one to do the interpreting, let each of them keep still in church and talk to himself and to God."
Basically, there are two types of unknown tongues. One, where the "tongue talker" is talking expressly to God. There is no need for an intrepretation because it is a private conversation between them and God. In a church setting, where everyone is praying in tongues together, it is not necessary for you to understand what your neighbor is saying.
The second is the "message from Holy Spirit". This is generally one that resounds above the others and all others stop talking to listen. There is always to be an intrepretation. If not, the person was out of order, and should refrain from future "messages" until possibly they themselves are able either to give the message without the tongue (commonly referred to as prophesy) or may intrepret it themselves.
This is a gift I am quite fluid in, so hopefully I have helped answer any questions you have. I'm not saying I'm perfect, it just is that I flow well in both, tongues and intrepretation.
I'm not sure what repentance has to do with it but if Jesus is in your heart then you have the Holy Spirit. Anyone that is saved may be "baptized" in the Holy Sprit and speak in tongues. 1 Cor 14:4 says "He who speaks in a strange tongue edifies and improves himself". It's for your edification brother, not for you to be confused.
Be blessed!
