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After His ressurection Our LORD issued a commission saying "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." (Mark 16: 15-18) This passage is spoken to the disciples ONLY! The passage continues..."So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen."TennYankee2004 said:OK....now your all going to think that I am really new and I am....you may believe this is a stupid question...but what is "Speaking in Tongues"?
See http://www.middletownbiblechurch.org/tongues/tongues9.htm for full text!!When did tongues cease? If foreign tongues were really a sign of coming judgment upon the nation Israel, then once this judgment had come, the sign-gift would no longer be necessary. Any Jew who knew his Old Testament should have recognized foreign tongues as a solemn warning of coming judgment. Once the judgment had come, the warning sign was no longer needed!
God graciously waited four decades following the crucifixion of His Son (Israels rejected Messiah) before He brought final judgment upon the nation. But in 70 A.D. the Romans under General Titus brought the Christ-rejecting nation to its final ruin. Ever since A.D. 70 there has been no question that Israel as a nation is under the judgment of God. The Jews have been forced out of the land. They have been scattered and persecuted throughout the world. It is obvious that God is no longer working through His chosen nation. His program has now shifted and Gods witnesses are among all nations. The Jews are out of the land, a definite sign that they are now under Gods curse (cf. Deuteronomy 28).
In every nation where they have been scattered they constantly hear foreign tongues (Russian, German, English, etc.) as a continual reminder to them that they have refused the blessing and rest of God. Interestingly enough, not one book in the New Testament was written in the language of the Jews. Not only did God shift from Israel to the Church, but He also shifted from Hebrew to Greek as the language through which He would give His Word! God has not cast away His people Israel (Romans 11:1), but He has cast them aside for a time. The final and ultimate event which marked Israels judgment was the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., an event that was predicted by our Lord forty years before (Matthew 23:38; 24:2).
Therefore, it must be concluded that the gift of tongues as a sign-gift was no longer needed after 70 A.D. Tongues must have ceased on or before 70 A.D. The last historical mention of the gift of tongues is in 1 Corinthians which was written about 55 A.D. There is no evidence historically that the genuine gift of tongues ever occurred after 70 A.D. Tongues served their purpose, and tongues ceased, even as God had predicted through the Apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 13:8).
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 (1 Corinthians 14:22).As previously noted, tongues were a sign for the unbelieving, rebellious, Christ-rejecting nation of Israel. The believers in the Corinthian assembly needed to understand the purpose of tongues, but much more they needed to avail themselves of the gift of prophecy, which is valuable towards edification and exhortation and comfort (verse 3). Not only is prophecy of value for believers, but prophecy is also of value for potential believers (those visiting the assembly), as Paul explains in verses 23-25.
It is important to realize that the unbelievers mentioned in 1 Corinthians 14:21-22 are very different than the unbelievers mentioned in 1 Corinthians 14:23-24, even though the same Greek word is used (apistos). In verses 21-22 Paul describes rebellious and disobedient unbelievers, who heard Gods message but then refused and even rejected the God who gave it. These were unbelievers who would not hear God (1 Corinthians 14:21). They stubbornly refused Gods gracious offer of rest (Isaiah 28:12). These were unbelievers who belonged to "this people" (1 Corinthians 14:21; Isaiah 28:11), which in the context of the Isaiah passage can refer only to the people of Israel, the Jews. Tongues were a foreboding sign of coming judgment for an unbelieving nation who would not listen to their God.
But the unbelievers described in 1 Corinthians 14:23-24 are in marked contrast to the rebellious, God-rejecting Jews just mentioned. These were unbelievers who had come into the assembly. Paul was most likely thinking of unbelieving Gentiles who decided they would visit the Corinthian church and see what was going on there. They were willing to come and to listen to whatever the church had to offer. Apparently these unbelievers were seekers. In fact, they were potential believers! Paul knew that the one thing potential believers need more than anything else is prophecy, not tongues.
The Bible teaches, in 1 Corinthians 14:22, that tongues served as a judgmental sign to the nation Israel. [George E. Gardiner, The Corinthian Catastrophe (Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1974), pp. 35-36. See also the excellent discussion by Dillow, pp. 26-34.] Does this mean that wherever tongues were spoken, there had to be unbelieving Jews present? Such a position is very problematic. Why would a rebellious, Christ-rejecting Jew be present at a church service in Corinth? Assembling with Christians would be the last thing he would want to do. Also, there were no unbelieving Jews present in Acts 10 or Acts 19, when the tongues speaking occurred. The Bible never says that unbelieving Jews must be present whenever tongues are spoken, and Paul did not include this in his list of regulations in 1 Corinthians 14:27-35.
How then could tongues serve as a sign to the Jews? It should be understood that the unbelieving Jews in the Roman empire knew about the Christian church. They were conscious of the Christian community in their midst. The Christians were the talk of the synagogue! Indeed, the Jews were very much aware of the fact that some of these Christians had the amazing ability to speak in foreign languages-languages that they had never learned. They had at least heard of this amazing phenomenon.
How can it be said that the unbelieving Jews were aware of the gift of tongues? It is important to think back to the day in which the Church first began and tongues were first heard. On the day of Pentecost there were assembled Jews "from every nation under heaven" (Acts 2:5-6). These Jews all witnessed the gift of tongues in operation. Many of them believed the gospel as Peter preached it, but many did not (compare the "mockers" of Acts 2:13). As these Jews returned to their homes they must have told their kinsmen about the remarkable things which they saw and heard. One can almost imagine such a conversation:
"Have you heard what went on at Jerusalem? The followers of Jesus of Nazareth were claiming that their leader had come back from the dead. On the day of Pentecost the most amazing thing happened! They spoke in foreign languages. It was remarkable! The men who spoke in these tongues were Galileans!"
Many years go by and then: "Do you remember when you told me about that tongues-speaking in Jerusalem? Well, certain Christians have started meeting our city and I have heard a report that some of them speak in foreign languages also!"
It is not necessary to be present in a church to know what takes place there. Reports go out and word gets around! In the days of the early Church people were aware, at least to some degree, of what was taking place in the Christian assemblies. The same was true in Old Testament times. When the Assyrians or Babylonians came to invade the land, the news was spread quickly. The Jews did not need to see their enemies and hear them speak to know that they were coming!
In 1 Corinthians 14:22, the Greek article precedes the word "tongues" in verse 22 and is very significant. It is an article of previous reference (pointing back to what has just been mentioned).
"Wherefore the tongues are for a sign."Thus if the tongues in verse 21 are foreign languages (Isaiah 28), then the tongues in verse 22 (the Corinthian tongues) must be the same thing.
"What tongues are you talking about, Paul?"
"The tongues I just finished talking about in verse 21, namely foreign tongues."
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? But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: and thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and report that God is in you of a truth ( 1 Corinthians 14:23-25)In order for the Corinthian assembly to have an effective testimony before the lost, its members must manifest the life of Christ. The world needs to see a healthy, growing organism (not organization). The number one characteristic of an organism is that it possesses life. The local church is animated by "the very life of God (cf. 1 Timothy 3:15--"the assembly of the living God"). The assembly is pulsating with Gods life because it is indwelt by the living Christ (Colossians 1:27).
During our Lords incarnate life and ministry here upon the earth, God was manifested in the flesh! But the great mystery that thrilled the heart of the Apostle Paul is that today God is incarnate in a body upon this earth (1 Timothy 3:15-16; Colossians 1:26-27). Christ now has a body on the earth, in addition to His resurrected body in Heaven.
The world cannot see Christ directly, because He is in Heaven, but it can see His body which is upon the earth--a living organism manifesting the heavenly, resurrected life of Christ! The Head is in Heaven, but the body is upon the earth, for the purpose of bearing witness to the Head! And there is only one way that the world can see Christ today. It must see "Christ in you!"(Colossians 1:27) It must see Christ in the Church, because Christ is today manifesting Himself in a body, which is His Church, "the fulness of Him that filleth all in all" (Ephesians 1:23). How precious the assembly must be to the Lord!
According to Colossians 1:27-28, there is only one way that the living Christ can truly manifest Himself in and through the assembly. Every single member of the body must be warned, every single body member must be taught, and every single member of the body must be well fed! When the members are well fed, then the body is going to be healthy; when the body is healthy, then the life of Christ will be manifested, sinners will be convicted, and God will be glorified!
In 1 Timothy 3:15 Paul describes the local Church as the house of God, indicating that the Most High God lives and dwells in the assembly. What a marvel--the indwelling presence of the living God in the Church! If the expression, "house of God" (oikos theou) were to be translated into Hebrew, the resultant word would be Bethel (Beyt-el). If one is ever going to understand the New Testament "Bethel" (1 Timothy 3:15), then he must first realize what Jacob discovered about the Old Testament Bethel in Genesis 28.
When Jacob awoke from his dream, he exclaimed, "Surely the LORD is in this place; and I knew it not. And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God.... And he called the name of that place Bethel" (Genesis 28:16-19).
"The LORD is in this place" and Jacob did not even realize it! And those who belong to the New Testament Bethel often fail to realize this very thing. Paul wrote to the Corinthian "Bethel" and said, "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" (1 Corinthians 3:16) God dwells in the assembly. The Church is the habitation of God through the Spirit (Ephesians 2:22).
Ephesians 4:11-16 makes it very clear that Gods priority is a healthy organism. In 1 Corinthians 14 (especially verses 3,4,5,12,17) it has been noted that the body of believers must be edified and healthy. The world needs to see a healthy assembly, not a sick one!
What will happen when an unsaved person comes into an assembly that is functioning contrary to the principles of edification? The answer is found in 1 Corinthians 14:23. He will say, "This is a madhouse! These people are out of their minds!" But what a difference when he comes into an assembly that is functioning according to principles of edification (verses 24-25). Now he sees a healthy organism, and he sees Christ-like saints! So, falling down on his face he will worship God and say, "God is in these people. God is in this place. How dreadful is this place. This is none other than the house of God. This is not a madhouse. This is the house of God! Bethel."
Is this what unbelievers notice as they come into local churches today? Do they see a healthy organism? Do they see well-fed members? Do they see "Christ in you"? Are they convicted by the awesome Presence and Person of God?
The greatest testimony before the world results when the local church functions as an "edificational center," not as an "evangelistic center." The greatest need today is for a lost world to see the Lord Jesus Christ manifesting Himself in and through a healthy assembly of believers. This cannot be produced by preaching "John 3:16" salvation sermons every Sunday. The saints need nothing less than a steady diet of the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:26-32; Matthew 28:20; 2 Timothy 4:1-2; etc.)...
I am...but in order for her to make up her own mind she needs to understand the cessationist case!rainbowprism said:Why don't some of you let this woman discern for herself whether or not the gift of tongues exisits for today? She was just asking what it was....not about the historitcy of it.
Prove this with scripture!!OP--...or you can recieve a 'language' to be used in prayer
AV1611 said:I am...but in order for her to make up her own mind she needs to understand the cessationist case!
Prove this with scripture!!
You CANNOT recieve the Gift of Tongues today because its purpose has been completed for the time being...http://www.middletownbiblechurch.org/tongues/tongues9.htm and http://www.middletownbiblechurch.org/tongues/tongues7.htmChica4Christ said:The gift of tounges is real, and it IS a gift for today. What are you guys talking about? I thought all Christians knew this. I was baptized on February 29th of this year and about 2 weeks afterwards God gave me the gift of tounges in which I received at my then church.
Are yall saying you CANNOT recieve the gift of tounges today or you CAN? Little confused here..
God bless
No I want you to try to prove your case...which you cannot do scripturaly because it is not in scripture...furthermore I am still awaiting your reply to my PM.rainbowprism said:You are a cessationist; why would you want me to prove anything of a prayer language's existence with scripture? You aren't open to it, you'd would just try to turn it around on me...and this certainly is not the thread to do this in. PM me if you really want to prove me wrong.
Please read my earlier post carefully..Chica4Christ said:The gift of tounges is real, and it IS a gift for today. What are you guys talking about? I thought all Christians knew this. I was baptized on February 29th of this year and about 2 weeks afterwards God gave me the gift of tounges in which I received at my then church.
Are yall saying you CANNOT recieve the gift of tounges today or you CAN? Little confused here..
God bless
TennYankee2004 said:OK....now your all going to think that I am really new and I am....you may believe this is a stupid question...but what is "Speaking in Tongues"?
Chica4Christ said:The gift of tounges is real, and it IS a gift for today. What are you guys talking about? I thought all Christians knew this. I was baptized on February 29th of this year and about 2 weeks afterwards God gave me the gift of tounges in which I received at my then church.
God bless