NewChristian1694 said in post #1:
Can you be saved without the ''speaking tongues'' part? And is it okay to be quiet when you pray, in church.
Yes to both questions.
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Also, it should be pointed out that some saved people speak in tongues still today because the gifts of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:8-10), which operate in believers who have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Acts 19:6, Acts 11:15-16 & Acts 10:44-46), won't cease operating until Jesus' second coming. For 1 Corinthians 13:8-12 means that just as only when children become adults do they put away childish things, so only when believers will become perfect when they see Jesus face to face at his second coming (1 John 3:2) will they no longer need the Spiritual gifts of prophecy, tongues, and the word of knowledge (1 Corinthians 12:8,10). During the coming tribulation (which will precede the second coming: Matthew 24:29-31), are some in the church going to reject the ministry of the two witnesses simply because it will involve the two witnesses prophesying and performing miracles (Revelation 11:3,6)?
Because the second coming (like the tribulation) hasn't happened yet, all the gifts of the Spirit are still operating in the church today (within Pentecostal and charismatic-type congregations, which can be found within different denominations). God's Word commands believers to operate in the Spiritual gifts when believers come together (1 Corinthians 14:26-31). So congregations today must be careful never to quench the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19), such as by despising prophesyings (1 Thessalonians 5:20) or forbidding all speaking in tongues (1 Corinthians 14:39b).
Tongues are one of the Spiritual gifts which the Holy Spirit miraculously gives to believers (1 Corinthians 12:8-10) through which believers can be regularly edified (1 Corinthians 14:4-5,12,26). Not all Holy Spirit-baptized believers will speak in tongues (1 Corinthians 12:30), but almost all will (cf. Acts 19:6, Acts 10:45-46), for tongues are one of the lesser gifts of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:28, 1 Corinthians 14:5).
Different believers receive different kinds of tongues (1 Corinthians 12:10). Some tongues are languages which can be understood by humans (Acts 2:4,8) while other tongues are languages which can't be understood by humans (1 Corinthians 14:2), not even the speakers (1 Corinthians 14:14). Unintelligible tongues could include ancient human languages which are unknown to history, ancient human languages which are known to history but aren't understood, and angelic languages (1 Corinthians 13:1).
Unintelligible tongues aren't useless, however, because when they're prayed or sung privately to God without interpretation (1 Corinthians 14:2,28) they edify the spirits of those who speak or sing them (1 Corinthians 14:4,14-15, Jude 1:20), to bless God and thank God (1 Corinthians 14:16). And when unintelligible tongues are prayed or sung out loud in a congregation, and then Spiritually interpreted (1 Corinthians 12:10b-11), their interpretation edifies the whole congregation (1 Corinthians 14:5b,12-13,26). When Christians sing in tongues to God they are singing the "spiritual songs" which Paul distinguishes from psalms and hymns (Ephesians 5:19, Colossians 3:16).
Paul sets no restrictions on how much believers can pray and sing to God in tongues out loud at home, or silently in church (1 Corinthians 14:28) (just as regular praying can be done silently: e.g. 1 Samuel 1:13a,17). Indeed, Paul prayed and sung to God in tongues in private more than anyone (1 Corinthians 14:18-19). But with regard to church meetings, Paul sets very strict rules on speaking tongues out loud: they must never be spoken out loud in church meetings unless there's someone present who can Spiritually interpret them to the whole congregation (1 Corinthians 14:28).
And even when a tongues-interpreter is present in a church meeting, at the most only three people should in turn speak out loud in unknown tongues, which should then be interpreted to the whole congregation (1 Corinthians 14:27). Everyone who has received the gift of tongues should be praying for the separate gift of the interpretation of tongues (1 Corinthians 12:10b), so that he or she can edify others (1 Corinthians 14:12-13).
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Besides getting water baptized, believers can also get Holy Spirit baptized (Acts 11:15-16, cf. Acts 10:44-46). They usually have to ask to receive the Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13b) baptism, because it isn't usually automatically given to them the moment they become believers; that's why Paul the apostle asked some believers: "Have ye received the Holy Spirit since ye believed?" (Acts 19:2).
Believers usually receive the Holy Spirit baptism through prayer accompanied by the laying on of hands, subsequent to water baptism (Acts 8:15-17, Acts 19:5-6). As was pointed out earlier, Holy Spirit baptism won't result in speaking in tongues for everyone (1 Corinthians 12:30), but for almost everyone, as speaking in tongues is one of the lesser gifts of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:8-11, 1 Corinthians 12:28, 1 Corinthians 14:5).
Many believers haven't yet experienced the Holy Spirit baptism simply because they haven't yet asked for it, under the principle of "ye have not, because ye ask not" (James 4:2b). Many believers haven't yet asked for it because they've come under the influence of mistaken teachings which say that it's no longer in effect. Believers can get hands laid on them to receive the Holy Spirit baptism at, for example, a Pentecostal or charismatic-type congregation.
