Tongues for today?

I believe in tongues, and I don't need a Bible reference to prove it. Just open your mouth in front of a mirror. You can see it for yourself. I believe in gums, too.

 

Tongues for today?

Yes.



See there.

 

Since tongues is nothing more than mankind speaking a foreign language (a true language, not babble) in sharing the Gospel with others of different tongues, absolutely I believe God uses tongues today.

 

Do You Mean Baptist Tongues?

I am baptized in the Holy Ghost, and I speak in tongues. Like Paul, it is not the most important of the gifts, and it is to be used responsibly. I am careful to not offend my braggers and sisters, and at NO time have I ever used my gift to proclaim my being superior to someone else. There are more than a handful of gifts, and tongues is but one gift. I also have the gift of discernment and prophesy. These two gifts usually cause people to "freak out" so, again, I keep them to myself and use them only when His Spirit moves upon me.

Acts 10:46 - For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.

Acts 19:6 - Then Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.

1 Corinthians 12:10 - to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.

1 Corinthians 12:28 - And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues.

1 Corinthians 14:22 - Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is for believers, not for unbelievers.

1 Corinthians 14:39 - Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.

I hope this helps you. It is still controversial, and I don't understand why. After all, it listed among the gifts, and most Baptists believe in the other gifts, but get all spooked when the topic of tongues come up.

Shalom,

Pastor Paul

 

Why does this cause people to freak out? Discernment and prophecy in regards to Scripture are common.

Also, do you know what languages you are speaking when you speak in tongues...and who do you speak to (what nationality of people in their native tongue)?

 

How did you get baptized in the Holy Spirit? Is this something I can do? I'm serious, I'm not baiting a trap or being sarcastic.

 

bump.......

 

Wow, I'd answer this, but it would be like answering the question,
"HAve you stopped beating your wife?"

 

Always looking for stuff I can agree with you on.
And I agree with you here.

 

Righteousdude, I'm with you. Tongues is a gift of the spririt, and I'm not talking about the ability to speak a foreign language. It is an ecstatic utterance that can only come from the Holy Spirit. Although I don't speak in tongues myself, I have seen this phenomenon several times and there is no doubt that it is real and highly spiritual. I have never seen a person speak in tongues who did not believe he/she was possessed of the Holy Spirit. Unfortunately, some people regard speaking in tongues as the sine qua non of having the Holy Spirit and Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians that is not true. We all have some gifts of the Spirit but not all of us have all of them. So . . . why do so few Baptists have the gift of tongues? Because we don't seek it. "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." Luke 11:9. If more of us sought this gift, we would surely find it.

 

Highly spiritual?
Of course people who speak in unknown tongues think they are being possessed by the Holy Spirit, but does that belief make it so?
The first and last time I was in the presence of a person who supposedly prayed in tongues was confusing and nothing I could say "amen" to.
And to further add to my confusion was the fact that tongues are a sign for unbelievers, so why was this person doing this when all present were professing and committed Christians?
I've known of Christians who were prayed over by other Christians in gibberish with no translation given. It wasn't helpful.

 

Yes, it is confusing, and no, most of us cannot understand it. That's why it is sometimes called the "unknown tongue." "For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries." ! Cor. 14:2. Speaking in tongues is not a sign for unbelievers. It is a private prayer language and its public use, including praying over other Christians, is not encouraged in scripture. However, private use of tongues is a precious gift of the Holy Spirit. 1 Cor. 14:18.

 

I don't believe you have applied that Scripture properly. I can begin speaking a Dutch dialect, and would have no idea what language I'm speaking. It woulld be unknown to me, but it is still a real language.

As far as any "private prayer language", Jesus gave us just that...but it is in OUR own language ("Our Father in Heaven, hallowed by Thy name...")

I find it kind of odd that you state tongues is not a sign for unbelievers. The entire point of speaking in tongues was for just that purpose.

 

The "tongues" of the NT were for Israel (Hebrews) as a sign gift confirming the authority of the Apostles (which ultimately was rejected).

When the apostolic age passed then these sign gifts went with it, the Scripture having been completed.

Hebrews 2:1 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.
2 For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward;
3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;
4 God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?

"was confirmed" It's been confirmed by those who "heard Him".
And those who "heard Him" have added their witness to Holy Scripture which is now the perfect and infallible confirmation.

HankD​

 

The tongues of Acts 2, i.e. the ability to be heard in different languages, was a sign for unbelievers. The tongues of 1 Cor. 14 is an entirely different phenomenon--ecstatic utterances and sounds that resemble no language. This would be of no benefit to unbelievers but countless numbers of Christians, including the apostle Paul, have found it very beneficial to their spiritual life.

 

The utterances and groanings were done by the Holy Spirit...not humans. This is commonly mistaken that WE speak in groanings, but the text states the Holy Spirit is the one doing it.

 

HankD, as I stated in my last post, speaking in tongues as we know it today is not a sign gift. But it is a gift of the Holy Spirit, no less than faith, healing, prophecy, discernment of spirits, etc. Are you saying these are all gone today? And if tongues is not a spiritual gift, how would you characterize it?

 

My point exactly--it is a gift of the Spirit.

 

You are reading that into the text, as the text doesn't state that. The text states the Holy Spirit prays FOR us in groanings...not THROUGH us.