Assembly of God and Tongues

[IAMANOBODY2015]

Assembly of God believes that speaking in tongues is the evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Are they right?

 

[prodromos]

1 Corinthians 12:27-30

Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, then healers, helpers, administrators, speakers in various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?​

Ephesians 4:11-13

And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ​

It is pretty clear that everyone did not receive the same gifts, and to claim that every believer must speak in tongues does violence to the meaning of the above passages.

 

[Albion]

I'm with prodromos on this one, "IAMNOBODY."

Some gift might be evidence, but the statement as given in the OP isn't right, even though you have indeed stated it the way many Pentecostal Christians do.

And it's made even worse when some churches say that you are not a genuine or full Christian UNLESS you speak in unknown tongues.

We can see why they make that assertion about tongues, though, since it is the one "gift" that can be mimicked by almost anyone. Think what would happen to those congregations if the church insisted that to be a full (as opposed to a "baby") Christian, you had to do faith healing on cancer victims or correctly intuit how God is answering the prayers of some unknown person in another state (a so-called "Word of Knowledge").

 

[High Fidelity]

In my opinion, no, they are not right.

Conveniently, this video was just uploaded by a great Seminary on the subject and it addresses it adequately.

P.S. It's a short video, don't worry

 

[Geralt]

the comedy comes in when people say those unintelligible repetitive words every sunday, and every sunday has a different interpretation of those words.

you may fool people sometimes, but you cant fool people all the time.

 

[Lady&TheCoatofmanycolors]

Assembly of God believes that speaking in tongues is the evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Are they right?

AN EVIDENCE ... Should not be The

 

[Lady&TheCoatofmanycolors]

I'm with prodromos on this one, "IAMNOBODY."

Some gift might be evidence, but the statement as given in the OP isn't right, even though you have indeed stated it the way many Pentecostal Christians do.

And it's made even worse when some churches say that you are not a genuine or full Christian UNLESS you speak in unknown tongues.

We can see why they make that assertion about tongues, though, since it is the one "gift" that can be mimicked by almost anyone. Think what would happen to those congregations if the church insisted that to be a full (as opposed to a "baby") Christian, you had to do faith healing on cancer victims or correctly intuit how God is answering the prayers of some unknown person in another state (a so-called "Word of Knowledge").

I don't think it can be mimicked by All if you do happen to speak in a different language that you have never spoken in fluently ( which has occurred ) and the hearer knows this ... then it is a sign to them.

3 different spiritual tongues
Tounges of Men= you speak Arabic by miracle ..

Tounges of Angels = prayer language
And or praying in the spirit ( your spirit praying to God )
For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries.’ (1 Corinthians 14:2)


Unknown tounges.. prophetic tounges
‘I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.’ (1 Corinthians 14:15)

One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself.’ (1 Corinthians 14:4)

The apostle Jude says that praying in the Spirit doesn’t only strengthen your inner being but it also keeps you in the love of God:

‘But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God.’ (Jude 1:20)

 

[Lady&TheCoatofmanycolors]

AN EVIDENCE ... Should not be The

The apostles even encourage in their letters to the Christians to desire the gifts of the Spirit:

‘Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts.’ (1 Corinthians 14:1)

‘Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues.’ (1 Corinthians 14:5)

Many Christians have become afraid of speaking in tongues due to the influence of dispensationalism.

They reason like this: ‘the power of God is no longer at work in this time, Lol Really ??? Why even pray???

If God doesn't speak, move and act for us today , Tell me how pastors get " The. CALL" ????? Paul even tells us to Covet the Gifts , Covet ???? Really Paul??


The Bible emphasizes that the gifts of the Spirit are given to the church to build us up spiritually.
‘But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift… for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ.’ (Ephesians 4:11)

‘There are varieties of effects, but the same Godwho works all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.’ (1 Corinthians 12:6)
AND they are Still for today .

Romans 11:29

For God's gifts and his call can never be withdrawn

 

[All4Christ]

AN EVIDENCE ... Should not be The

The Assemblies of God when I attended believed that speaking in tongues was THE evidence, and that all who asked for it, would receive it. Is this different than the Assemblies of God you are familiar with?

Though many non-Pentecostals teach a baptism in the Holy Spirit without speaking in tongues, the position of the Assemblies of God is clearly declared in Section 8 of its Statement of Fundamental Truths: "The baptism of believers in the Holy Spirit is witnessed by the initial sign of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit of God gives them utterance (Acts 2:4)." The evidence always occurred (and still does today) at the time believers were baptized in the Spirit, not at some indeterminate future time.

http://ag.org/top/beliefs/topics/gendoct_02_baptismhs.cfm

 

[shioks]

Not all members of AOG speak in tongue. I don't think is a "requirement" or "evidence" as I know one AOG senior pastor who doesn't speak in tongue.

 

[Albion]

The fact is that there are dozens of different ways that the "gifts" issue is explained or understood among the many Pentecostal church bodies.

 

[All4Christ]

Not all members of AOG speak in tongue. I don't think is a "requirement" or "evidence" as I know one AOG senior pastor who doesn't speak in tongue.

Perhaps they don't all have to follow the official Assembly teachings then. Officially, the AoG general assembly teaches that speaking in tongues is the initial sign of baptism in the Holy Spirit, as they say directly on their website. It is "promised" to all believers if they ask. The AoG is a loose fellowship of churches though, and I know that they do not require for someone to be considered saved. This was a big teaching when we learned our faith, in the Missionettes program, Sunday School and preparation for baptism and membership of the church.

(An example: Asking for it didn't work for me, but I now don't think it is the primary sign of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. For example, at a church camp, I couldn't leave the altar with the camp leaders all around me until I "spoke in tongues". As a 12 year old, that was pretty discouraging for me. )

http://www.ag.org/top/beliefs/statement_of_fundamental_truths/sft_full.cfm#7

8. The Initial Physical Evidence of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit
The baptism of believers in the Holy Spirit is witnessed by the initial physical sign of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit of God gives them utterance.

Acts 2:4 [KJV/NIV]
The speaking in tongues in this instance is the same in essence as the gift of tongues, but is different in purpose and use.

1 Corinthians 12:4-10 [KJV/NIV]
1 Corinthians 12:28 [KJV/NIV]

 

[All4Christ]

The fact is that there are dozens of different ways that the "gifts" issue is explained or understood among the many Pentecostal church bodies.

Agreed. There are many different Pentecostal denominations with different beliefs.

 

[com7fy8]

But if something is real, Satan will have counterfeiting of it.

So, what is the evidence that the "tongues" really is another language spoken by the Holy Spirit through someone?

 

[swordsman1]

Assembly of God believes that speaking in tongues is the evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Are they right?

They are wrong on both counts IMO.

Firstly all believers are baptised in the Spirit from the moment they beleive. It is not some secondary blessing or experience. It is the beleiver's initiation into the body of Christ, the universal church....

1 Cor 12:13 "For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit."​

Secondly the phenomenon they experience is not the tongues of the New Testament. There is only one description of the gift in scripture - Acts 2:4-11, and it is clearly the miraculous ability to speak a foreign human language that you have not previously learned. Nowhere is the gift redefined as an extra-terrestrial language or anything else.

They point to 1 Cor 14:2 to say otherwise but all that verse says is no one in the Corinthian church understood the language spoken. If someone was speaking say Swahili in a predominantly Greek church then undoubtedly no one would understand. Only God, who knows all languages, would understand what was spoken.

 

[WolfGate]

Assembly of God believes that speaking in tongues is the evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Are they right?

I would also say with certainty they are wrong on the count that it is THE evidence. All the support I need for that statement is the way the Holy Spirit has worked in me, guiding me, in the years since I accepted Christ. He has directed me through situations where I have been thoroughly unequipped. I have felt clearly the Holy Spirit in times of worship, struggle, praise, need.

I have seen people accept Christ and the fruits of the spirit become evident quickly and perpetually. I myself am a different person and have seen both the fruits and gifts of the spirit. But no speaking in tongues by me or most of those I know who show signs of being truly indwelled by the Holy Spirit.

To believe that tongues is a requirement would run contrary to the reality I have seen. In fact, while I see much that I admire about Pentacostals, particularly as I think many churches underplay the importance of the Holy Spirit, I find the AoG position to be hard to understand.

 

[Lady&TheCoatofmanycolors]

I'll bet that was I'm sorry @ AllForChrist
I don't understand why people push that type of thing . The Holy Spirit is a gentleman.

We can't say Have tounges NOW , that's trying to hone the Holy Spirit to Our Will.

Should be the opposite.

 

[Lady&TheCoatofmanycolors]

I would also say with certainty they are wrong on the count that it is THE evidence. All the support I need for that statement is the way the Holy Spirit has worked in me, guiding me, in the years since I accepted Christ. He has directed me through situations where I have been thoroughly unequipped. I have felt clearly the Holy Spirit in times of worship, struggle, praise, need.

I have seen people accept Christ and the fruits of the spirit become evident quickly and perpetually. I myself am a different person and have seen both the fruits and gifts of the spirit. But no speaking in tongues by me or most of those I know who show signs of being truly indwelled by the Holy Spirit.

To believe that tongues is a requirement would run contrary to the reality I have seen. In fact, while I see much that I admire about Pentacostals, particularly as I think many churches underplay the importance of the Holy Spirit, I find the AoG position to be hard to understand.

I agree, I don't think it is The evidence
I

 

[Lady&TheCoatofmanycolors]

The Assemblies of God when I attended believed that speaking in tongues was THE evidence, and that all who asked for it, would receive it. Is this different than the Assemblies of God you are familiar with?

I've attended , where that issue was pushed . And I Disagree with it .
Nowhere in the Word does it say tounges Is THE evidence.

But if something is real, Satan will have counterfeiting of it.

So, what is the evidence that the "tongues" really is another language spoken by the Holy Spirit through someone?
@com7fy8
When someone translates tongues of Men.
Or
When a prophecy is spoken in a unknown tongue and another interprets it & brings edification or comes to pass .
& There will always be the presence of God .
( the Peace Of God) & it will Always line up with scripture & point ( direct to Christ )



http://ag.org/top/beliefs/topics/gendoct_02_baptismhs.cfm

 

[All4Christ]

Secondly the phenomenon they experience is not the tongues of the New Testament. There is only one description of the gift in scripture - Acts 2:4-11, and it is clearly the miraculous ability to speak a foreign human language that you have not previously learned. Nowhere is the gift redefined as an extra-terrestrial language or anything else.

They point to 1 Cor 14:2 to say otherwise but all that verse says is no one in the Corinthian church understood the language spoken. If someone was speaking say Swahili in a predominantly Greek church then undoubtedly no one would understand. Only God, who knows all languages, would understand what was spoken.

At the start of the Pentecostal movement of the 19th century at Azusa Street, most believed that the evidence was speaking in a foreign language that they did not learn, rather than prayer languages. Now most profess both Glossolalia and Xenolalia. Until college, I hadn't even heard of the foreign language tongues - we only were taught about the prayer language.