Singing in tongues en masse

[LinkH]

I went to an Assembly of God tonight where the pastor had the microphone and sang in tongues after a song as the congregation joined in.

I was raised AOG during my teenage years. One church I went to had a Bible College associated with it, and it was taught that if tongues were spoken out in church, they were to be interpreted. I don't recall any singing in tongues in a church service there. There were occasional messages in tongues and interpretations. The other AOG I spent a lot of time in had messages in tongues, followed by interpretation. Usually, a tongue or prophecy came between songs. I don't recall any singing in tongues in the public service in this church.

In neither AOG did I hear speaking in tongues 'en masse' where everyone spoke in tongues at the same time. Some Pentecostal churches do that. Some AOGs probably do that even though the Bible colleges from what I hear teach order, that tongues should be interpreted.

I go to this AOG from time to time on Sunday night. Where I go in the morning doesn't have a night service. But i was just thinking tonight. They do this mass singing in tongues thing, but I don't ever remember a tongue and interpretation. They don't allow people who aren't authorized somehow to pray for people in the front, so I wonder if they have limits on interpreting tongues, or if these gifts just aren't nurtured or aren't present, or what.

I don't see how having everyone sing in tongues at the same time fits with the instructions Paul gives in I Corinthians 14. Unbelievers may still think you are mad. If one person speaking in tongues in church even when it is obvious there is no interpreter is out of order, how much more disorderly is everyone singing in tongues at the same time? We each edify ourselves if we do that, but we don't edify one another without the interpretation.

 

[stormdancer0]

Sometimes, the purpose of tongues is to edify the speaker. I would personally love to hear an entire congregation singing in tongues. These people are expressing inexpressible love and worship of God.

In some instances, there should be an interpretation. But a lot of the time, people are just praising God. Yes, we should keep order. But not to the point of regulating the Holy Spirit.

 

[tturt]

I agree with stormdancer. Also, our church sings in tongues, too. Isn’t it beautiful?

OK, in relationship to your post, this is the way our church interprets the Scripture pertaining to tongues.

All tongues can be interpreted (I Cor 14:13).

Regarding singing in tongues Scriptures such as Eph 5:19;Col 3:16; I Cor 14:15 (I didn’t include the Scriptures because of the length.

Tongues are a sign to unbelievers of believers. I Cor 14:22; Mark 16:17. So whether the tongues are spoken for church (I Cor 12:10) or personal edification (I cor 14:4,5), they are a sign yet for either purpose visitors could say they don’t understand. In other words, the interpretation isn't going to eliminate how they reacted to the tongue portion.

Since you’ve been around these churches, you know there’s a difference when the message in tongues is given. I Cor 14:27-28 pertains to church edification - messages in tongues and interpretation. So we acknowledge and respect this and this gift operates in our church. I do wonder how many times a believer who is just beginning to operate in this gift doesn't speak in fear there wouldn't be an interpretation. There are numerous reasons why there may not be an interpretation such as there's a believer who is just learning to give the interpretation. Some churches appoint one person to be their interpreter, then someone one else gets the message and they don't speak it because they are following that church's rules, ETC.

Some purposes for personal edification includes builds up our faith Jude 1:20-21; magnifies God: Acts 10:4; prayers to be Spirit-Led: I Cor 14:14; believers can speak to God; I Cor 14:2; and brings rest and refreshing. Isa 28:11. Our church gives believers the opportunity to do these while at church.

Are tongues spoken anytime during the service? No, there are still numerous blocks of time during a service where no one usually speaks out loud in tongues.

Dr. Bill Hamon wrote Sixty Purposes of Tongues recently and it may provide more Scriptural information that you’ve looking for. I know some of the believers at His church speak in tongues for personal and church edification during most, if not all, of their services[FONT=&quot] - [/FONT]again depending on what is going on at the time.[FONT=&quot]

[/FONT]There are reasons for not allowing just anyone to pray for people in the front – our church doesn’t. Our reasons have nothing to do with speaking in tongues.

 

[LinkH]

I know tongues edifies the speaker. But Paul tells the one who would speak in tongues, if there be no interpreter 'let him keep silent in the church and speak to himself and to God.' So why wouldn't this apply to singing in tongues. When we are in church, we are to edify the church. We can pray in tongues at home and get the same spiritual benefit out of it.

 

[paul1149]

The tongues you refer to are in the context of personal worship. Mass tongues are one step removed from everyone worshiping the Lord aloud extemporaneously together. And even mass extemporaneous intelligible worship is chaotic in its own way, yet it's ok.

In 1cor 14, Paul is talking about individuals using tongues to command the attention of the assembly - that is, when the Holy Spirit speaks through that person, to the Body. He wants that done in order, and he doesn't want it done without interpretation, because that would generally be pointless.

But mass worshiping in tongues is another story. It's the Body coming together in love, not one person speaking to the Body. Paradoxically, in the apparent chaos of mass tongues one senses a high order of unity. Each person expresses deep love for the Lord, and in so doing the entire Body comes together in love. I don't believe Paul's warning about stumbling others would apply.

 

[Bob Carabbio]

Folks who are opposed to "tongues" ideologically tend to try to make 1 Cor 14 a COLLECTION OF FEDERAL LAWS which MUST BE OBEYED at all times - instead of a set of guidelines for an Out-of-control, and poorly disciplined bunch of enthusiastic, but carnal believers - who were having problems getting their meeting into order.

 

[Created2Write]

There is a difference between one or two people speaking out in tongues without an interpretation, and an entire congregation speaking out in tongues at the same time. Depending on the size of the congregation, that could be a massive amount of interpretations, kwim? Also, in prayer groups when a congregation/group of people are praying corporately, there doesn't always need to be an interpretation, so it does depend on the circumstance, imo.

In a church service where one person speaks out in tongues and the congregation listens, there should be an interpretation. When a church is corporately praying/worshipping in tongues I don't think interpretations apply.

 

[boldlion]

1C 14:6 Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?

What profit indeed is there for everyone else listening ? None ! Speaking in tongues edifies only the person doing it, except when there is an interpretation, in which case everyone is edified by the interpretation !

1C 14:23 If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in [those that are] unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?

Why the whole church shouldn't speak in tongues without intepretation.

And here is how it should be done in the church:

1C 14:27 If any man speak in an [unknown] tongue, [let it be] by two, or at the most [by] three, and [that] by course; and let one interpret.
1C 14:28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.
1C 14:29 Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.

And if anyone thinks that they are above these instructions then:

1C 14:37 If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.
1C 14:38 But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.


And finally:

1C 14:40 Let all things be done decently and in order.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

If a whole fellowship is agreeable to mass singing in tongues, then no one really has the right to put them down. The only issue would be in a public meeting where there are non believers present. But the pastor can simply get up and explain what is going to happen so that everyone knows that this is the way this particular church decides to worship God during that time of worship.

I was converted in an AOG church in 1966, and I walked into the meeting as a non believer and walked out saved. People were speaking in tongues and prophesying all over the place. I was fascinated. I have never been in a church like that before, and I saw that Christianity was fun and exciting. It was all explained to me at the time, and that made the difference.

So, when the Holy Spirit is there, then these problems are easily solved.

 

[LinkH]

Folks who are opposed to "tongues" ideologically tend to try to make 1 Cor 14 a COLLECTION OF FEDERAL LAWS which MUST BE OBEYED at all times - instead of a set of guidelines for an Out-of-control, and poorly disciplined bunch of enthusiastic, but carnal believers - who were having problems getting their meeting into order.

Hi Bob,

Many people who are in favor of tongues also believe in actually following what the passage says. Paul is pretty strict toward the end of the passage where he says that if anyone acknowledges himself to be a prophet or spiritual must acknowledge what he wrote are the commandments of the Lord. The Lord's commandments are more serious than federal laws. He also appeals to universal church practice when he says 'as in all the churches of the saints' and 'what came the word of God from you or unto you only has it come?' Apparently, Paul was passing down instructions also used in the Jerusalem church.

I find it strange that people think that Paul's instructions for tongues to be given one after the other, and for the speaker to keep silent if there is no interpreter somehow exempt the practice of mass speaking in tongues? What is the purpose of the 'and that by course' bit in verse 27 if this is the case?

The idea that there is something special about mass speaking in tongues would seem to contradict the passage. If I were to speak in tongues with a group of others, I wouldn't get anything more out of it than doing it alone at home. It might feel good for some people, but it won't edify them anymore. Your tongues don't edify me. Mine don't edify you. Tongues only edify people other than the speaker who do not understand them unless there is an interpretation that they can understand.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

Some people must have different experiences than me, because all the time I have been amongst Pentecostals and Charismatics in meetings, I have not met anyone who has laid down any strict rules for worship. All I have observed are groups of people who just love to worship Jesus and praise His Name any way they want to, and the leadership just sets them free to do just that.

I have seen guys who look like ex gang members, jumping around and dancing for the Lord. Perhaps they were rejoicing and praising the Lord because He has delivered them from the hellish life they were living before they were saved. Those who are forgiven much love much. Therefore when I see a group going overboard in their praise and worship of God, singing and shouting, in tongues and English, jumping up and down, laughing, weeping, even rolling on the floor, I think to myself, here is a group who know that they have been forgiven so much that they want to just lose themselves in praise and worship.

I wonder if those who are critical of that don't have much of an appreciation of just how much they are forgiven of the Lord. Maybe they don't see that they have much to rejoice about. I am not sure whether those folks will enjoy heaven very much, because there is going to be some fairly loud praising and rejoicing when we all get there.

What do you say?

 

[LinkH]

Some people must have different experiences than me, because all the time I have been amongst Pentecostals and Charismatics in meetings, I have not met anyone who has laid down any strict rules for worship. All I have observed are groups of people who just love to worship Jesus and praise His Name any way they want to, and the leadership just sets them free to do just that.

What I had in mind was not people getting excited while singing praises to God. If someone speaks in tongues during this time, unless he is extremely loud, no one would notice anyway.

What I am thinking of are churches where everyone prays in tongues at the same time. I've been in meetings overseas where the song leader says, "And now, let's all speak in tongues. Pray with your spirit." The crowd then said 'bababababa' or 'badabadabadabada." (That was weird, and I was raised Pentecostal). Something similar is done with singing in tongues.

I know there are some AOGs, for example, where everyone speaks in tongues. I went to one AOG where it was expected that if there was a tongue, it was to be interpreted. Another AOG I grew up in would have interpretation for tongues spoken out to the congregation. I can't recall where the tongues spoken out weren't interpreted except once when the pastor laid hands on a woman to be filled with the Spirit, and she spoke in tongues that first time.

I have seen guys who look like ex gang members, jumping around and dancing for the Lord. Perhaps they were rejoicing and praising the Lord because He has delivered them from the hellish life they were living before they were saved. Those who are forgiven much love much. Therefore when I see a group going overboard in their praise and worship of God, singing and shouting, in tongues and English, jumping up and down, laughing, weeping, even rolling on the floor, I think to myself, here is a group who know that they have been forgiven so much that they want to just lose themselves in praise and worship.

I think we are talking about too different issues. Exuberant praise is one thing, and speaking in tongues en masse or as an individual when it is known that there is no interpreter.

I heard several times from different preachers throughout the years that if you get excited at a football game, why are you so glum in church, hoping to get the crowd more excited. I remember talking to a guy who went to a different kind of church who said when he heard that, he thought why should church look like a football game?

He had different underlying assumptions. If there is someone who gets set free from drugs who goes to a more reserved church where they sing hymns, couldn't he be just as thankful singing those hymns as someone who goes to a church with loud praise and worship.

There is a lot in the Psalms about rejoicing with song and dance. I'm not against that. But I think we need to be careful not to judge churches based on style.

I wonder if those who are critical of that don't have much of an appreciation of just how much they are forgiven of the Lord. Maybe they don't see that they have much to rejoice about. I am not sure whether those folks will enjoy heaven very much, because there is going to be some fairly loud praising and rejoicing when we all get there.

Again, I don't think we need to judge churches based on their styles. And the issue is not exuberance in our church meetings, but whether or not we should obey what the Lord commanded regarding speaking in tongues in I Corinthians 14.

When we see churches that don't believe in spiritual gifts, we can show them in the Bible that they are wrong. We expect that they should listen and follow what the Bible says. But why is it that when it is pointed out that some Pentecostal churches don't follow Biblical instructions on tongues, some of these Pentecostals will try to find a way to argue that the verses don't apply. It reminds me of cessationists trying to argue away this verse or that.

 

[Leimeng]

~ Of one would go back and read of day of Pentacost in the Book of Acts, one would find that the entire group was worshiping in tongues. The non-believers who were viewing them thought they were drunk and out of order. Very similar to what happens to day with non-believers. Please note that; 1) this was very clearly ordained of the Holy Spirit (who is not a respector of persons meaning it can happen to anybody at any time and any place). 2) The assembled believers were all speaking in tongues at the same time. 3) There was no interpreter for each individual speaking in tongues. 4) It was loud and disorderly enough that the non-believers thought they were drunk. 5) After all this happened, a message was given and people responded to the message. (Got saved after hearing the Gospel in this instance.)
~ It is very obvious that people in Acts were not 'following Biblical instructions on tongues." It is also very obvious that there is a lot more to speaking in tongues than Corinthian rules.
~ The Bible does not contradict itself and the Holy Spirit is never the author of confusion. But many today would say that a group of individuals who all speak in tongues at the same time and seems drunk is out of order and confused. The question then becomes, who are you going to believe, the Holy Spirit or your theology?
~ Continue to discuss amongst yourselves...

Peace,

Leimeng

Flatulo Ergo Sum ~~~

(***Insert Personal One Liner Here***)

 

[stormdancer0]

Group speaking in tongues is only confusing to non-believers and people who have not received this gift.

But the Gospel itself is nonsense to those who do not believe. So can believers who do not believe in speaking in tongues not see that maybe it is only nonsense to them?

I'm not saying that people that speak in tongues are in any way more spiritual or "above" those who don't.The only ones we should compare ourselves to is the person we used to be.

But anyone who has received this gift will tell you that they are more spiritual and above where they themselves used to be. So perhaps it is a step closer to God. I know it is an impartation of power - power and strength like I never knew existed before I received the Holy Spirit Baptism.

 

[Presbyterian Continuist]

What I had in mind was not people getting excited while singing praises to God. If someone speaks in tongues during this time, unless he is extremely loud, no one would notice anyway.

What I am thinking of are churches where everyone prays in tongues at the same time. I've been in meetings overseas where the song leader says, "And now, let's all speak in tongues. Pray with your spirit." The crowd then said 'bababababa' or 'badabadabadabada." (That was weird, and I was raised Pentecostal). Something similar is done with singing in tongues.

I don't have a problem with people speaking in tongues during services as long as it is during a worship time when everyone else is doing it. I first visited an AOG church as an unbeliever and experienced people speaking in tongues all over the place, prophesying, etc., and I saw a demon being cast out. It was fascinating. I left that church a believer after accepting Jesus as my Saviour. I think that if people want to visit a Pentecostal church, then they need to expect that people are going to be free in their use of the gifts of the Spirit.

But I do have a concern about the type of tongues you are describing. A good preacher once told the congregation that we should be speaking tongues from our hearts and not just from the mouth. That was a rhema to me and I was able to speak in tongues with much great expression afterward.

It seems that some churches use "bababababa" to try and get people to speak in tongues, but it is merely vain repetition. When I encourage people to speak in tongues I encourage them to speak real words, and to think of the prayer need that is closest to their heart, and use the language to express that need to God. That produces a much better language and it flows out of the person because he or she touches the love and compassion of Christ when using the language to intercede for others.

Some use tongues as a toy to play with, and they take it lightly. Others use tongues to show that they are more spiritual than others. But think about it: Good and bad mechanics still use the set of tools to fix cars. Even apprentices use the tools. Using the set of spanners or the torque wrench does not make a person a better mechanic. In the same way using the Spirit's tools of trade (ie: the gifts) does not indicate that the person is closer to God or more spiritual than someone who doesn't.

I fellowship with some wonderful Christians who don't speak in tongues, but they are high quality and have my highest respect. Just because I speak in tongues does not make me better than them. It is just that I use a different type of toolkit to serve God.

So, someone speaking "bababababa" is not speaking genuine tongues. They are mere talking vain repetitions.

I will demonstrate what I mean by a proper language. I have to speak the words to myself and then give a phonetic version here:

"Karabudianda sikutakawa nabaranda kinganda siburumo tipatandoe." [When I live my voice to God in praise, I am joining in with the angels and the saints in glory.] As you can see if I speak in tongues publicly I have to be consistent with Paul's teaching and give the interpretation.

You will see that I use real words, believing that God is understanding what I am saying. My vocabulary is much greater than this, but this short sentence is just to demonstrate the difference between speaking just with the mouth and speaking from the heart.

I know there are some AOGs, for example, where everyone speaks in tongues. I went to one AOG where it was expected that if there was a tongue, it was to be interpreted. Another AOG I grew up in would have interpretation for tongues spoken out to the congregation. I can't recall where the tongues spoken out weren't interpreted except once when the pastor laid hands on a woman to be filled with the Spirit, and she spoke in tongues that first time.

That used to be my experience to, but it seems that interpretation of tongues is a dying skill. Because in many churches there are no interpreters, tongues spoken out is not interpreted. I believe that if someone prays aloud in tongues in a service, except for corporate praise and worship, it is because they have not done their praying at home and in secret with the Lord. When I speak in tongues it is always in secret, and when I go to church I would rather use the gift of prophecy to build up the faith of the others there. But prayerless people can't use prophecy because they cannot hear the voice of God. You can tell the prayerless people. They are the ones who are praying in tongues out loud during services (note I said praying and not praising).

I think we are talking about too different issues. Exuberant praise is one thing, and speaking in tongues en masse or as an individual when it is known that there is no interpreter.

There have been times when I have been praying for someone to be delivered, I have asked the group to pray in tongues out loud as intercession. That is a very powerful weapon against demons and sometimes makes it much easier to cast them out. But I would not use that resource in a public meeting, and I would only use it if the Holy Spirit directed me to.

I heard several times from different preachers throughout the years that if you get excited at a football game, why are you so glum in church, hoping to get the crowd more excited. I remember talking to a guy who went to a different kind of church who said when he heard that, he thought why should church look like a football game?

Leonard Ravenhill wrote that in his book "Why Revival Tarries". He was speaking about nominal Christians who got excited about the football match on Saturday but lacked passion in church on Sunday. He said that they yelled like Commanche Indians on Saturday, and sat in church like wooden Indians on Sunday.

He had different underlying assumptions. If there is someone who gets set free from drugs who goes to a more reserved church where they sing hymns, couldn't he be just as thankful singing those hymns as someone who goes to a church with loud praise and worship.

There is a lot in the Psalms about rejoicing with song and dance. I'm not against that. But I think we need to be careful not to judge churches based on style.

I wondered about loud praise and worship for a while, and seeing individuals jumping around and nearly swinging from the light bulbs until the Lord spoke to me and said, "Those people who are forgiven much will love me much." That put me right. When I see people overenthusiastic in praise to God I know that they were delivered by Christ from their own personal Hell, and all they were doing was expressing their deep thankfulness for God's love and undeserved grace toward them. If we thought about that more often, we would be less critical of churches that engaged in loud worship.

Again, I don't think we need to judge churches based on their styles. And the issue is not exuberance in our church meetings, but whether or not we should obey what the Lord commanded regarding speaking in tongues in I Corinthians 14.

When we see churches that don't believe in spiritual gifts, we can show them in the Bible that they are wrong. We expect that they should listen and follow what the Bible says. But why is it that when it is pointed out that some Pentecostal churches don't follow Biblical instructions on tongues, some of these Pentecostals will try to find a way to argue that the verses don't apply. It reminds me of cessationists trying to argue away this verse or that.

I agree with you on this. Traditional church members need to know more about how to use the gifts of the Spirit in their churches without having the need to become Pentecostal or Charismatic, ie: "the third wave". And Pentecostals need to get back to the Scripture and look more closely at it to ensure that they are prophesying more in their services, and using their gift of tongues at home in secret before God.

It all has to do with good, competent teaching of Scripture.

 

[ltwin]

I went to an Assembly of God tonight where the pastor had the microphone and sang in tongues after a song as the congregation joined in.

I was raised AOG during my teenage years. One church I went to had a Bible College associated with it, and it was taught that if tongues were spoken out in church, they were to be interpreted. I don't recall any singing in tongues in a church service there. There were occasional messages in tongues and interpretations. The other AOG I spent a lot of time in had messages in tongues, followed by interpretation. Usually, a tongue or prophecy came between songs. I don't recall any singing in tongues in the public service in this church.

In neither AOG did I hear speaking in tongues 'en masse' where everyone spoke in tongues at the same time. Some Pentecostal churches do that. Some AOGs probably do that even though the Bible colleges from what I hear teach order, that tongues should be interpreted.

I go to this AOG from time to time on Sunday night. Where I go in the morning doesn't have a night service. But i was just thinking tonight. They do this mass singing in tongues thing, but I don't ever remember a tongue and interpretation. They don't allow people who aren't authorized somehow to pray for people in the front, so I wonder if they have limits on interpreting tongues, or if these gifts just aren't nurtured or aren't present, or what.

I don't see how having everyone sing in tongues at the same time fits with the instructions Paul gives in I Corinthians 14. Unbelievers may still think you are mad. If one person speaking in tongues in church even when it is obvious there is no interpreter is out of order, how much more disorderly is everyone singing in tongues at the same time? We each edify ourselves if we do that, but we don't edify one another without the interpretation.

Paul's instructions strictly applied would also have to be applied to corporate prayer and praise which are a ubiquitous part of Pentecostal worship. If corporate praying/singing in the Spirit is to be banned because it cannot be understood by the entire congregation then corporate prayer or praise should also be banned because it impossible to make out what everyone is saying during these times as well.

 

[tturt]

Some unbelievers are going to think folks are mad whether there's an interpretation or not.

All tongues can be interpreted I Cor 14:13

Since tongues are a sign of believers to unbelievers Mark 16:17 “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;” I Cor 14:22 “Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe" then there has to be some lack of understanding to marry all the Scriptures that are about tongues. What's interesting to me is we accept some of the Scriptures on tongues but ignore others such as the above.

 

[apmercer]

My opinion: The public tongue must be interpreted, otherwise you will properly confuse non-believers as they will think that you are crazy.

 

[Biblicist]

LinkH,

As we have now reached 2012 and that there has been a wealth of discussion over the years on this very subject, both by lay members of the Church and by scholars; I am fascinated with how we can even challenge or disregard Pauls stringent admonitions regarding both prophecy and tongues in that the corporate use of tongues within the congregational setting is forbidden - other than having 3 words in tongues with each being subsequently interpreted.

It is often been said that when we see a congregation who are virtually all singing or praying in the Spirit during a congregational meeting, that we are witnessing hundreds of people who are simply there for their own satisfaction, we are not witnessing a congregation that is in corporate worship of their Lord but we in fact have hundreds of individuals doing their own thing even though it can be to the detriment of others.

Even though we will always hear arguments that support the corporate use of tongues which go along the lines of “it makes me feel good”, this is exactly the same problem that Paul was encountering with the Corinthians in that their self-centred life style and behaviour was showing through within the congregational setting.

Considering the strong language that Paul uses regarding the improper use of tongues within a corporate setting where he likens the unbridled use of tongues as being similar to the strange voices of an invading army, we would have to ask why this question is being asked in this day and age. But maybe I have just answered my own question by linking the selfishness of the Corinthians with our own, or maybe our western culture is even more selfish that that of the Corinthians.

Even though I’ve not directly referred to any Scriptures, I doubt if there is really any need to do so as I suspect that most people who are involved in this selfish practice know full well that they are standing strongly against God’s will in this matter, or at least with those who read their Bibles.

 

[Biblicist]

Since tongues are a sign of believers to unbelievers Mark 16:17 “And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;” I Cor 14:22 “Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe" then there has to be some lack of understanding to marry all the Scriptures that are about tongues. What's interesting to me is we accept some of the Scriptures on tongues but ignore others such as the above.

It needs to be pointed out that Pauls use of a sign is being used in a negative sense as with a negative sign to the unbeliever. So when an unbeliever (or a cessationist) encounters this improper use of tongues they may see it as a negative sign of confusion or as Paul says, even madness.