Speaking in Tongues

[Chris from TN]

Thanks, folks, for letting the new guy start a thread on this without it turning into a flame war. I'm at work and don't have time to type all of it out, but I'll say this:

In the last week I've read everything I could find on spiritual gifts. There's one common theme I've found:

Those who believe in gifts believe that having a gift, if nothing else, makes one a more effective witness. Based on things that have happened to me in the last week-including the witness of someone God placed in my path, who does believe in speaking in tongues, and has done so before, I have no choice but to accept that it's real, it happens, and it is a glorious thing.

Never has someone witnessed to me more effectively. Praise God! He has turned my life around.

 

[@@Paul@@]

So the gift of evangelism no longer exists?

We were all to do the work of an evangelist... The duty may exist but the "office" and/or "gifting" is gone.

2Ti 4:5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.​

Here is the office at work.

Act 8:39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip (the evangelist), that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.​

 

[JVD]

I have been brought up in a "baptist" tradition. Not really baptist but a non-denominational type church that would be very close to Conservative Baptist. I have been to 3 years of Bible School graduating when I was 21...then 4 years of University. I am now 51... for the last 30 years I have been looking at the gift of tongues.

I have many friends who do speak in tongues...my wife has. Many people I grew up with in the same church now speak in tongues. I have had people lay hands on me praying for me to receive the gift of tongues. I have heard many people speak in tongues.

But...I can't say convincingly that I have ever heard tongues spoken in a way that had the ring of truth. I have never heard anyone interpret what was spoken in the tongue in a convincing way. I have to say now that I believe most (not all) tongues speaking is "ecstatic speech" or learned babbling.

I still believe there is a real gift of tongues...but that it is much more rare than many wishful thinking tongues speakers would believe. If I heard what one on this thread posted about the man in the choir speaking and someone later interpreting I think I would accept that as real.

In the same churches that I hear what I now consider to be false tongues speaking I also observe gross crowd manipulation. Emotional appeals to the people that God is working now in them, visions, "words of knowledge", "healings" etc are also common there. Not that God cannot or does not work in the previously mentioned ways, but not in the instances that I witnessed.

 

[katieb2005]

i thought tongues were supposed to be a real language, just not one that the one who speaks in tongues actually knows, but that it wasnt just random sounds...its always been a topic that confused me

 

[@@Paul@@]

i thought tongues were supposed to be a real language, just not one that the one who speaks in tongues actually knows, but that it wasnt just random sounds...its always been a topic that confused me

Some people refer to the "gibberish" as "Angelic Prayer Language". (even though man was always able to understand angels)..

1Co 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.​

The "gift" of tongues was always an actual language.

Act 2:6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.​

Every man, outside the room, heard them (those inside) speaking in their (those outside) own language...

I think of Pentecost as the "reversal" of Tower of Babel...

 

[Steve_SandbachBaptist_UK]

I thought I might add my 2 pennies here. I'm a fairly new member (a week). While at college I have been attending a church in Liverpool which is quite keen on spiritual gifts, at first I could not do it at all, and found it embarrassing to even attempt. However, slowly but surely I have become able to "speak in tongues" with some fluidity. At first I thought it was a rather unnerving thing but I am much more comfortable with it now. I do think it is from God, but this thread concerns me: particularly what Kayanne said . But make no mistake, tongues DO exist but its just a case of what church you go to: I went to a C of E once a month from 5 to 14 but never heard them. But I've heard it a lot at the Liverpool church and a little bit at my home (baptist) church. I don't think they are demonic though.

Steve

 

[kayanne]

While at college I have been attending a church in Liverpool which is quite keen on spiritual gifts, at first I could not do it at all, and found it embarrassing to even attempt. However, slowly but surely I have become able to "speak in tongues" with some fluidity.

This doesn't make sense to me If tongues is a gift from God, why would you need to "slowly but surely become able to speak in tongues"? In the Bible, people didn't have to practice it awkwardly and with embarassment, until they could finally speak in tongues fluidly. God had a message to be spoken through them, and it just rolled right off their tongues. What you say sounds like it supports those who say it is a "learned behavior."

I do think it is from God, but this thread concerns me: particularly what Kayanne said .

Oh, I'm sincerely sorry. I thought I was being very open-minded about the topic, in light of what my church teaches. Or maybe you were referring to what I said my pastor believes (no, he is not open-minded about it at all!) In my second post (post #16) I thought I was being clear that I am open to receiving this gift as well as to believing others who tell me they have it. Sorry if it sounded otherwise.

 

[JVD]

I used to think tongues was only speaking in other languages that you did not know. I still think that is one form of speaking in tongues...but there are several references by the apostle Paul that lead me to believe there is another form that is not understood by the speaker or the hearer. That is why he suggests keeping the tongues speaking for private time (because it only edifies the speaker) and edifying others with language they can understand when you are with others.

It is still my belief that if you have to practice to speak in tongues, it is usually not the gift of tongues. It is babble.... meaningless sounds. Also, there are people who are overcome with emotion and break out in tongues. That is also babble...but it needed no practice.

Real tongues in a church setting as I understand it is done by God for a specific purpose and will have an interpretation that will be immediately accepted by discerning believers as from God. Other tongues in a church setting is distracting self-aggrandizement.

 

[Steve_SandbachBaptist_UK]

...I was referring to what your pastor said about it being of the enemy "to confuse and divide". I don't think this is the case but you can't help but wonder. On the other hand, if it was done by the early apostles, surely it couldn't be of the enemy? Anyway at my church just before Easter there was a service where a woman (the vicar's wife) started speaking in tongues, i.e. a language which seemed to make sense but we couldn't understand. Then a teenage girl who was new to the church interpreted it, also she and the people sitting next to her were crying...so make of that what you will. It did seem the Holy Spirit was in the room.

Steve

 

[eldermike]

Gifts have an outward purpose, they are not given to us, they are given to others through us.

 

[Chris from TN]

Gifts have an outward purpose, they are not given to us, they are given to others through us.

Of this I have no doubt.


This is what I was referring to about those w/ gifts being more effective witnesses...

 

[@@Paul@@]

Gifts have an outward purpose, they are not given to us, they are given to others through us.

Which was kinda my point.

We do NOT edify 'oneself'; we edify others. The gifts of "Pastors & Teachers" were given to edify the Body of believers (people who are already saved).

 

[eldermike]

We do NOT edify 'oneself'; we edify others.

This is the foundational truth by which all gifts should be measured.

 

[PaperSword]

From what i have heard from others is that the language in the speaking of tongues was Pig Latin, not so..i'm fluent in Pig Latin, i should know. I've also heard from another friend of mine that visited a Pentacostal church that at one time everyone in the whole congregation spoke in tongues at the same time. He thought they sounded rather insane and out of order.

1 Corinthians 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?"

1 Corinthians 14:33 "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints." (saint=true believer/one that is saved)

I do believe in the speaking of tongues, however, there are some guidelines to it.

1 Corinthians 14:27-28 "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. 28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.

I'm sure there is more but i cant seem to find it at the moment.

The Bible says it works, but I havent seen it myself. If all our beliefs were founded on seeing to believe why would we have faith?

1 Cor. 14:38 "But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant."

May Christ be with you.

 

[BT]

Hi Chris,

I just preached a message on this very subject. To summarize

The Gift of Tongues was a "sign gift"

It was used as a sign to unbelievers

It was used to prove the authenticity of the Apostles

The gift of tongues passed away at the closing of the canon/finish of the apostolic role

The gift of tongues is not alive today as it was then, it was not intended to be.

If you like send me a PM and I'll give you my sermon notes with all the scriptures (KJV)(Greek) that show the true meaning and mode of the gift of tongues.

I came from the Charismatic movement and tongues caused me all kinds of doubt. When I learned to read the Bible and understand it, I found the truth.

All the best!