How to Authentically Speak in Tongues

[John Caldwell]

For those congregations that are still active with The Holy Spirit,... yes we do.

It is common in our church to see a speaking forth of tongues by The Holy Spirit, then an interpretation following by The Holy Spirit also.

This can happen up to 3 times in this form, but The Holy Spirit can introduce various ways to accomplish it. There can be a tongue with interpretation then an operation of the gift of prophesying then another tongues with interpretation, or there can be a singing in tongues with interpretation, etc. It just depends on what The Holy Spirit wishes to do at that given time.

I can at least speak for the Assemblies of GOD services,.... yes we follow scripture in this area since it is Holy Spirit directed, and He does not go against His word.

I never thought about singing in tongues. It is interesting to me that in evangelistic churches (such as mine) worship often takes a back seat to the sermon (which is sometimes looked upon as the most important part of the service).

Reading threads on this forum it seems to me that Pentecostal churches (and Assemblies of God) are less likely to make that mistake.

 

[John Caldwell]

Interesting!

Most of the time denominations that are adamantly against the Spiritual gifts attempt to say that the tongues in acts 2 were different than what was taught over in Corinthians, thereby creating an unneeded argument. Scripture agrees with scripture, so what was taught over in Corinthians is applicable in Acts.

Acts 2 seen all the gifts poured out,.... so yes, the people were witnessing Holy Spirit inspired "speaking" in tongues with the following interpretation gift by the same Holy Spirit.

I agree.

I will note that I am not against speaking in tongues (just for clarification). While I do not have that gift I don't oppose those who do.

Since tongues is foreign to my personal experience...except when the hammer slips, but that's different...I came with questions and appreciate you taking the time to entertain them.

 

[ARBITER01]

I never thought about singing in tongues. It is interesting to me that in evangelistic churches (such as mine) worship often takes a back seat to the sermon (which is sometimes looked upon as the most important part of the service).

Reading threads on this forum it seems to me that Pentecostal churches (and Assemblies of God) are less likely to make that mistake.

The worship portion is very important, but having Holy Spirit preaching is just as important also. Strong Holy Spirit preaching delivered me from smoking back in '96. No one laid hands on me, it was just GOD speaking in strength through an 80 year old man.

I walked out a completely delivered and a changed person that night.

Worship though, is where the people connect with GOD. It should lead you into more closeness with GOD and a cleansing of sorts, and then the gifts should follow.

It's also very important to have a worship leader who actually has a ministry gift from GOD. Most anyone can learn music and such, but when The Holy Spirit is operating through that person during worship, the difference is stark.

 

[ARBITER01]

I agree.

I will note that I am not against speaking in tongues (just for clarification). While I do not have that gift I don't oppose those who do.

Since tongues is foreign to my personal experience...except when the hammer slips, but that's different...I came with questions and appreciate you taking the time to entertain them.

A lot of times experience is the best teacher. It clarifies and affirms sections of scripture, and having The Holy Spirit as your teacher is the ultimate.

On here, I try to share at times, but normally things turn into an argument. If you have questions I can try to answer things for you.

 

[John Caldwell]

A lot of times experience is the best teacher. It clarifies and affirms sections of scripture, and having The Holy Spirit as your teacher is the ultimate.

On here, I try to share at times, but normally things turn into an argument. If you have questions I can try to answer things for you.

Thank you.

I have (and do) experience the Holy Spirit as a teacher. Sometimes what has been taught comes as a surprise to me.

I do have a question about praying in tongues. I have prayed without articulating words (hard to explain). But Paul indicates praying in tongues not to edify the mind but benefitting the spirit.

I am not sure I understand that last part. The only thing I can think of is my own experiences where the thoughts were fleeting, or perhaps meditation.

Can you speak to "praying in tongues"?

 

[ARBITER01]

Thank you.

I have (and do) experience the Holy Spirit as a teacher. Sometimes what has been taught comes as a surprise to me.

I do have a question about praying in tongues. I have prayed without articulating words (hard to explain). But Paul indicates praying in tongues not to edify the mind but benefitting the spirit.

I am not sure I understand that last part. The only thing I can think of is my own experiences where the thoughts were fleeting, or perhaps meditation.

Can you speak to "praying in tongues"?

Sure.

Paul describes two uses of the gift of tongues, praying in tongues, which is a personal use of the gift, and speaking in tongues which is The Holy Spirit's use of the gift in the assembly. One use edifies the individual, the other edifies the corporate body as a whole.

When we are talking about edification, we are talking about mainly a strengthening of our human spirit inside our torso/chest. These gifts are Spiritual gifts from The Holy Spirit, but they are also planted within our human spirit by The Holy Spirit when we are filled. Some of these gifts do have a personal use to them, and tongues does have that.

Being that these gifts are within our human spirit, they are not really connected to our minds, hence why they can be operated apart from our thoughts and such. For instance, I could be praying in tongues while I'm typing out this message to you. Since it is my human spirit operating the gift my mind is still able to focus on and type out what I want to say to you apart from the operation of the gift.

When you mentioned about "praying without articulating words" that is actually a decent description of it. It is a language yes, but not a human one, or one that we can understand without The Holy Spirit's help with interpretation. It could be viewed as sort of an encrypted type of language.

 

[Berserk]

WHAT IS SPEAKING IN TONGUES? PART I:
Before I get specific about how to speak in tongues, I need to explain what this type of praying in the Spirit actually is. I will do this in 2 separate posts.

The tongues spoken in Acts 2 include languages recognizable to some of the observers. Peter says that Cornelius' household "received the Holy Spirit just as we have (10:47)." But this does not necessarily imply that Cornelius' household spoke in recognizable human languages (10:46). Indeed, as far as we know, their tongues and the tongues spoken by the Ephesian "disciples" (19:2, 6) were neither understood nor interpreted.

"Tongues" in Greek need not mean "human languages"; it can mean "a secret "language" or an "expression" which is strange and obscure and needs explanation" often by a "prophet." For pagan Greek examples, see TDNT, Kittle, ed., vol I, p. 720. The Corinthians speak in uninterpreted tongues in church with outsiders present. Thus, those tongues are of the flesh, and so, do not likely express human languages.
Peter identifies the tongues expressed in Acts 2 as prophecy (2:17) because the human languages spoken are recognized. But the tongues spoken at Ephesus are distinguished from prophecy (19:6).

There is no reason to suppose that, apart from the unique outpouring at Pentecost, the tongues spoken by first-century Christians were any different than modern speaking in tongues. Here are just 3 of many examples of modern Pentecostal tongues expressing human languages:
(1) Dennis Balcomb was visiting a Pentecostal church near Los Angeles. A message in tongues in Hebrew was interpreted by the pastor's wife, who knew no Hebrew, and called Balcomb to evangelize Communist China. A visiting American Jew confirmed the accuracy of this Hebrew message. Balcomb's efforts led to mass conversion of millions of Chinese who then formed charismatic house churches.
(2) A while ago, I met the pastor who replaced me at my United Methodist Church. I mentioned my Pentecostal background and he smiled and said that when he was Sprit baptized in a prayer meeting, he praised God in other tongues in Korean, a fact confirmed by a Korean Christian present. (3) In a Saskatchewan Pentecostal church another pastor's wife interpreted a message in tongues as reassuring her that her daughter trying to leave an African region where Swahili was spoken had safely made it out and would soon return home. An African member who knew Swahili confirmed that this message was spoken in Swahili.
I grew up in a Canadian Pentecostal church and, based on decades of observation, I have concluded that most messages in tongues don't express human languages. Some of these are Spirit-inspired and others are of the flesh just as in first-century Corinth. In my next planned post, I will address question (2) about Paul's teaching on the possibility of speaking "tongues of angels."

 

[ARBITER01]

Let's provide a little critique shall we,..

Before I get specific about how to speak in tongues, I need to explain what this type of praying in the Spirit actually is. I will do this in 2 separate posts.

Now watch carefully,...

The tongues spoken in Acts 2 include languages recognizable to some of the observers. Peter says that Cornelius' household "received the Holy Spirit just as we have (10:47)." But this does not necessarily imply that Cornelius' household spoke in recognizable human languages (10:46). Indeed, as far as we know, their tongues and the tongues spoken by the Ephesian "disciples" (19:2, 6) were neither understood nor interpreted.

Boom,.... right from the start he contradicts scripture.

The Holy Spirit made it very clear in Corinthians that the gift of tongues is not understood by anyone, it is never in a human language since it is not directed unto men...

1Co 14:2 For he that speaketh in a tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God; for no man understandeth; but by the spirit he speaketh mysteries.

Scripture agrees with scripture. There's never a point where a section of scripture will contradict another teaching of scripture. Acts 2 and Corinthians are always in agreement.

Peter identifies the tongues expressed in Acts 2 as prophecy (2:17) because the human languages spoken are recognized. But the tongues spoken at Ephesus are distinguished from prophecy (19:6).

Acts 2 was not praying in tongues, it was speaking in tongues by The Holy Spirit, and we know this to be true by this statement from Him,....

Act 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Utterance by The Holy Spirit is speaking to the assembly in tongues. Because The Holy Spirit is providing the utterance in tongues, He will also provide the interpretation by His utterance. When tongues and interpretation by The Holy Spirit happen in the assembly, those gifts operating in tandem are equal to the operation of the gift of prophesying,.... as scripture states,....

1Co 14:5 Now I would have you all speak with tongues, but rather that ye should prophesy: and greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.

This was the reason why it was considered prophesying when both of those gifts operated together, and The Holy Spirit quoted the section of Joel confirming the event as such.

Never trust people and their reliance upon personal experiences or men's opinions, always trust The Holy Spirit and His word. Cultivate a communion and fellowship with Him, you're way better off when you do.

 

[Berserk]

Arbiter01: "The Holy Spirit made it very clear in Corinthians that the gift of tongues is not understood by anyone, it is never in a human language since it is not directed unto men..."

Nope! Wrong on 3 counts:
(1) I have argued that "glossai" (tongues) need not always refer to human languages, but "human languages" is its primary meaning and the Pentecost glossolalia expressed the languages of the onlookers.
(2) Paul clearly distinguishes "tongues" in human languages from angelic tongues: "Though I speak in the tongues of people or angels... (13:1)."
(3) My last post documents 3 marvelous examples of speaking in tongues expressing the Korean, Swahili, and modern Hebrew languages in a manner similar to the Day of Pentecost.

Arbiter 01: "...never in a human language, since it is not directed to men."
1Co 14:2 For he that speaketh in a tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God; for no man understandeth; but by the spirit he speaketh mysteries.

Sadly, you overlook Paul's distinction of "various kinds of tongues" (12:10), that is, tongues as a prayer language, messages in tongues, "tongues of people and tongues of angels (13:1; cp. 14:12).
Thus, you confuse prayer (praise and thanksgiving) in tongues (14:13-16) with messages in tongues directed at believers.

The church is edified by messages in tongues precisely because the messages address the needs of believers: ..."unless someone interprets, SO THAT THE CHURCH WILL BE BUILT UP (14:5)."
So when messages in tongues address the people, not God, these tongues express edifying messages of the 4 types listed in 14:6: "If I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you UNLESS I SPEAK TO YOU IN SOME REVELATION OR KNOWLEDGE OR PROPHECY OR TEACHING?"
The distinction between tongues as a prayer language and messages in tongues needing interpretation is illustrated by the 3 modern examples given in my last post (#27).

The UMC pastor who succeeded me was praising God in Korean. No gift of interpretation was needed because a Korean believer present recognized the fluent Korean language expressed by the praise. The messages in tongues in my other 2 modern examples expressed a call in modern Hebrew to evangelize China and an assurance in Swahili of a missionary daughter's safe through dangerous jungle. The recipients of these messages needed to hear the interpretation of tongues to be edified by them.

 

[ARBITER01]

Just for those watching,....

Act 2:15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose; seeing it is but the third hour of the day;
Act 2:16 but this is that which hath been spoken by the prophet Joel;
Act 2:17 And it shall be in the last days, saith God, I will pour forth of my Spirit upon all flesh: And your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, And your young men shall see visions, And your old men shall dream dreams:
Act 2:18 Yea and on my servants and on my handmaidens in those days Will I pour forth of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy.

There are only two ways in scripture that "prophesying" happens in the body of Christ,...through the use of the gift of prophesying, or the gift of tongues with interpretation in the assembly by The Holy Spirit.

There are no other ways that prophesying can happen according to scripture.

This is the contention: For acts 2 to be designated as "prophesying" according to the quotation from Joel, then either one of these uses of the gifts had to have happened by The Holy Spirit during that event, or both did.

To properly understand that section of scripture, we must understand it according to Joel's quotation. It's the only way that acts 2 and 1 Corinthians will be in agreement.

 

[Berserk]

Readers will not how Arbiter01 ducks the specifics of my refutation in my prior post.

Arbiter01: "There are only two ways in scripture that "prophesying" happens in the body of Christ,...through the use of the gift of prophesying, or the gift of tongues with interpretation in the assembly by The Holy Spirit.
This is the contention: For acts 2 to be designated as "prophesying" according to the quotation from Joel, then either one of these uses of the gifts had to have happened by The Holy Spirit during that event, or both did."
Again, your refuted agenda compels you to read something into cts 2 that is not there.
As usual, you miss the point of the glossolalia in Acts 2. Acts 2 makes no mention of either prophesying in one's native language nor interpretation of speaking in tongues. Rather, the speaking in tongues is prophetic because the messages shared in tongues are recognizable to onlookers from all over the Mediterranean world. Prophesying is clearly distinguished from tongues in Acts 19:6, where there is neither comprehension nor interpretation of the tongues spoken.

 

[ARBITER01]

Readers will not how Arbiter01 ducks the specifics of my refutation in my prior post.

I'm just providing some critique and correct scriptural knowledge so people can go study scripture for themselves over this subject.

I'm not interesting in trying to refute/debate your theology based around your personal experiences, I'd rather just stick by scripture. Besides, I don't think you have much experience with the gifts beyond just praying in tongues.

 

[Berserk]

Arbiter01: "I'm just providing some critique and correct scriptural knowledge so people can go study scripture for themselves over this subject."

I encourage readers to do what Arbiter01 won't do--actually consult modern critical book commentaries on Acts and 1 Corinthians. If you do, you'll discover that none of them agree with Arbiter01.

ArbiterO1: "I'm not interesting in trying to refute/debate your theology based around your personal experiences,

You just need to get out more! Readers will notice that none of my reported 3 recent confirmed incidents of people speaking in a human language unknown to them is my experience.

Arbiter01: "I'd rather just stick by scripture."

Then why don't you actually get into the Word and consider the biblical case in post#29 that you keep ducking?

Arbiter01: "Besides, I don't think you have much experience with the gifts beyond just praying in tongues."
Your biased preconceptions sabotage not only your interpretation of Scripture but also your misperception of the extent of my paranormal experiences exercising other gifts of the Spirit. For a still expanding sampling of these, see my thread "The Spirit's Power and Basic Christian Experience" in the "Spiritual Gifts" section and stay tuned for more personal testimonies there.

 

[ARBITER01]

As usual, you miss the point of the glossolalia in Acts 2. Acts 2 makes no mention of either prophesying in one's native language nor interpretation of speaking in tongues. Rather, the speaking in tongues is prophetic because the messages shared in tongues are recognizable to onlookers from all over the Mediterranean world. Prophesying is clearly distinguished from tongues in Acts 19:6, where there is neither comprehension nor interpretation of the tongues spoken.

Oh,....now the gift of tongues by itself is able to prophesy messages!?!?!

I guess while we are at it, tongues can also heal bodies, and tongues can feed thousands in one setting, right?

To be clear, each gift has a separate function in scripture, and those functions don't cross over into other gifts thereby creating confusion.

Even in Ezekiel where GOD had his prophet prophesy over the dead bones, two gifts began operating, the gift of prophesying and the working of miracles. It wasn't the gift of prophesying that operated a miracle during that moment, it was the working of miracles gift that began operating also when the prophet was obedient to GOD. Again, each gift is separate in function from each other, but more than one gift can operate at the same time by GOD.

He's not the first to come on this message board with a dumpster fire doctrinal stance, and I'm sure there will be others.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

It isn't something that is taught nor should be sought after. Isn't bad either if you can't.

I know of many who can "speak in tongues" but is completely deceived and unknowingly serving the devil and end up spreading the lies of the devil instead like loving the things of this world and loving money.

Although the gift of tongues cannot be taught, seeing that it is a supernatural gift that the Holy Spirit bestows on a person, there are Scriptural steps to follow for anyone desiring spiritual gifts as well as the gift of tongues.

The first step is that one has to be totally sure that it is the will of God for them to have the gift. Christian peer pressure or church expectations are not enough. The person must be totally sure within themselves that this particular gift is what the Holy Spirit wants them to have. This certainly can come only after prayer and study of God's Word.

The next step is to ask God for the gift. "Everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God." If the person has, through prayer and the study of God's Word, receives an assurance from the Holy Spirit that He will bestow the gift, then the request will be done in faith. This is not because the person believes, having his faith in what they believe, but having faith in God's promise that has come through prayer and study of God's Word.

The third step is to receive the gift. Because they know that the Holy Spirit wants to bestow the gift, and has asked for it in faith, then they can receive the gift from God's outstretched hand. "He who asks, receives". "Receive that your joy may be full." The prayer would be: "Thank you Lord. I now receive the gift of [whatever]". This is not naming and claiming. We can make no claims on God at all. We don't have that right, and it would be the height of arrogance to think we can claim things from God as our right. We receive the gift from God's hands as He extends it to us through His grace, and not because we have done anything to earn it.

The fourth step is to launch out and do what we couldn't do before. As with the gift of tongues, we try to form the language by putting together sounds and syllables. What happens is that the Holy Spirit will cause the flow of language to come up from within us. We can't say we are using the gift of tongues until there is a fluent flow of expressive, articulate language coming from within us.

A lot of what we hear through Youtube videos is not fluent articulate language. It is just a hodge podge salad of sounds. This is because it is spoken publicly without interpretation, something that Paul opposed. But when the person is engaged in prayer to the Lord, actively seeking His face, then the environment is right for the river of living water to flow out of him in an expressive, articulate language that gives them the inner witness that God is hearing and understanding what is being spoken.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

1. (4) In desperation at age 16, I sought to regain my devastated faith by attending the Pentecostal camp meetings at Manhattan Beach on Pelican Lake (Manitoba). Of course, speaking in uninterpreted tongues was not allowed during the public evening services, but we were encouraged to tarry at the altar after the service to seek God's face. When I tarried there, I was determined not to succumb to wishful thinking by just "stepping out in faith" and speaking in tongues. So I just waited there, pleading with God to make Himself real to me, but with no expectation of a divine answer. Then on Tuesday, I went on a 7-mile prayer walk toward the nearest town (Ninette) during which I made 2 points clear to God: (1) If I was going to serve Him, I needed to do so with integrity; so I needed Him to make Himself real to me to prevent me from renouncing my faith. (2) I promised Him that if He made Himself real to me, I'd serve Him with all my heart and mind throughout my life.
   
   When I returned to the campground, I was very hungry and went to the refectory to buy dinner. Then the thought occurred to me to do something I'd never done in my young life--to fast instead and put my dinner money in the evening offering. After the evening service, I dutifully went to the altar and knelt woodenly in unexpectant prayer, resisting every impulse to surrender to contrived wishful thinking. Then a strange thing happened--I felt what I assumed was an evening breeze coming into the amphitheater off the adjacent lake. But it was no ordinary breeze; it was the wind of the Holy Spirit enveloping my entire being, possessing me and compelling me to speak in tongues at the top of my voice. Wave after wave of liquid love surged through me, each wave more intense than the last! It was a hundred times sweeter and more powerful experience of God's love than anything I have experienced before or since. At one point it seemed like my mind was about to be absorbed in God mind and this was marvelous yet terrifying because it felt like me ego was about to be extinguished in the absorption. I have no doubt that any of my readers had this experience they'd view it as the happiest and most spiritually profound experience of their lives!
   
   By now the amphitheater was darkening and I noticed a man and a woman sitting nearby. I asked the woman why she was staring at me and she replied, "Don't you know? Your face is glowing in the dark!" A Lutheran pastor approached me and said, "I'm just here as an interested observer and I don't believe in speaking in tongues, but I can see that God is doing something special in your life." Rather than argue with him, I gently touched him on the forhead and he just exploded in other tongues.
   
   
2. I soon realized that God had been speaking to me through this experience. He said, "Son, you're desperate for answers to your difficult burning questions, but right now such answers aren't good for you because you need to live from your heart rather than your head. Instead, I want you to just live with the big questions until they lead you to the center of my heart."
   Then I realize that this tongues experience had transformed my mind and I received a word of knowledge that I would be acknowledged has having the highest academic average in the province in my senior year of high school. A blown-up photo of the premier of Manitoba, Duff Roblyn, shaking my hand at my graduation in acknowledgement of this achievement sits on my living room table as a testimony to God's grace and transforming power. The scholarships arising from that achievement helped finance my long educational pilgrimage (MDiv--Princeton, doctorate in New Testament and Judaism--Harvard). Thanks be to God for His grace and faithfulness!

I just finished reading a sermon about the miracle of the loaves and fish. It is interesting that the food was passed out to the crowd by the hands of the disciples. Peter handed out bread in his usual impetuous manner. John handed out his portion in his loving personal manner. James handed out his in his precise measured manner. It didn't matter who was handing out the food; everyone got all they needed and none went hungry. What does this teach us? There is only one bread, but it can come to us in many different ways. In other words, people come to Christ through many pathways, different people, and different environments. But what they all have in common is that they all come to Christ, who is the only way to the Father.

You have come to faith in Christ through a particular set of experiences. But when others have tried to bring you to Christ through their own pathway, it hasn't worked for you. That was not your fault. It is the fault of others who have tried to prescribe the "right" way for you to come to a saving and sanctified place in Christ. You first became aware of God as a five year old in a way that was unique to you. That experience started you seeking more of God. You had to work your way through church-based obstacles, and it was when you turned your back on all that and came to Christ your own way, then He met you. Just because your experience is not the same as those around you, it doesn't mean that your experience of Christ is not real and God-given. Because there is only one faith, one baptism, and one Christ of the New Testament, we have to ensure that the Christ whom we are trusting in is the Christ of the New Testament, and not a Jesus of your imagination. This is where a good close study of the New Testament is essential.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

I do not see that they ate gifts for every believer in the passages provided. Also, the "greater gifts" seem to be pointing to gifts greater than tongues (which Paul indicates is gor the unbeliever) because they edify the congregation.

I am not opposed to "tongues", but in order to be biblical we cannot ignore Scripture (in the same passages you reference from Paul):

1 Corinthians 14:27–28 If anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn, and one must interpret; but if there is no interpreter, he must keep silent in the church; and let him speak to himself and to God.

I am not Pentecostal. Do Pentecostals speak in tongues biblically when it comes to the congregation (one to two, with an interpreter)?

That is the way Paul taught it should be used in the public meetings so it has to be the Biblical way. But a lot of the speaking in "tongues" without interpreters present is not, therefore I don't believe it is any more than gibberish in most cases.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

John Caldwell: "I do not see that they ate gifts for every believer in the passages provided."

"Are all prophets (12:29)?
"You can ALL prophesy one by one (14:31)."
"I'd rather that you ALL prophesy (14:5b)."

"Do all speak in tongues (12:30)?"
"I want ALL of you speak in tongues (14:5a)."

Paul's comments after the quoted questions demonstrate that, at least in the case of prophecy and speaking in tongues, some gifts are intended for every believer.

John Caldwell: "Also, the "greater gifts" seem to be pointing to gifts greater than tongues (which Paul indicates is for the unbeliever) because they edify the congregation."

No, you must examine the context to see which gifts Paul deems "greater gifts." Only prophecy and speaking in tongues are discussed as "greater gifts, each equalling the other in "greatness" if the tongues are interpreted (14:5). Nothing is said about the relative greatness of the other listed gifts.

Commentaries on 1 Corinthians agree that tongues as a prayer language also edify the believer: "He who speaks in tongues builds up (edifies) himself (1 Cor. 14:4; cp. 14:28)." My last post illustrates how this is an understatement: my tongues experience at age 16 made my face shine in the dark and so transformed my mind that I soon received the highest academic average in my senior high school year! Also, it so edified me that, without that experience, I doubt a skeptic like I was back then would still be a Christian.

John Caldwell: "1 Corinthians 14:27–28 If anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn, and one must interpret; but if there is no interpreter, he must keep silent in the church; But let him speak to himself and to God."

The academic book Commentariies on 1 Corinthians agree that the underlined text authorizes tongues as a private prayer language spoken at home and presumably in prayer groups where no outsiders who might be offended are present.

John Caldwell: "Do Pentecostals speak in tongues biblically when it comes to the congregation (one to two, with an interpreter)?"

Yes--at least in the large Pentecostal church of my youth.

I think you and others here have misunderstood Paul's identification of tongues as a sign for unbelievers, but I will save that explanation for a future post.

The tongues manifested on the Day of Pentecost were the sign for unbelievers because of the unique way every unbeliever heard the wonderful works of God in his own regional language. This is not the same form of tongues that Paul taught about in 1 Corinthians 14, because he was teaching Christian believers on how they should conduct themselves in church - totally different environment, therefore totally different form of tongues.

 

[John Caldwell]

That is the way Paul taught it should be used in the public meetings so it has to be the Biblical way. But a lot of the speaking in "tongues" without interpreters present is not, therefore I don't believe it is any more than gibberish in most cases.

A lot do speak in tongues without an interpreter, and in congregations. I know tongues is practiced in many religions. I can't say it is gibberish in any case.

What I can say is that Scripture gives instruction on speaking in tongues within a congregation. I believe going against God's instructions (in any matter) whether genuine or gibberish, is disobedience constituting sin.

I will note that I'm just speaking of tongues in congregations. Paul does speak of praying in tongues where the mind is not edified but the spirit benefits.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

I agree Paul wished all had the gift of tongues and prophesy (even though Paul points out that all are not given the gift of prophesy). When we have a spiritual gift we typically wish it for others.

The greater gift, of course, is love.

I get praying in tongues. I was wondering about churches where people speak in tongues (in the congregation).

I have no problem with tongues (if one or two people speaking and the words being interpreted), just wondered how it was practiced.

Thank you for answering my question.

I disagree that 1 Corinthians 14:22 (So then tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophecy is for a sign, not to unbelievers but to those who believe) does not mean that tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers.

Not that unbelievers speak in tongues but that every time tongues occurs in Scripture it is a believer speaking as a sign for unbelievers (as occurring at Pentecost).

There is a difference between the gift of prophecy available to all believers as the Holy Spirit chooses to bestow, and the ministry of Prophet. Paul doesn't contradict himself when he asked, "Are all prophets?" [no], and then says, "You may all prophesy". [yes]. This shows that not all who prophesy in church are Prophets.