-
Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.
If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!
To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
Z
Over the past century or so people have tried very hard to prove that the present day tongue-speaking phenomena is biblical in origin. If you will take the time to research the history of it, you will find that the present day phenomena literally began at a Methodist college in Kansas. It went from there to Houston, Texas and finally to the Azusa Street Mission Revival in LA where it finally garnered national news media attention.
It bears all the marks of being a learned behavior passed on from person to person despite any claims to the contrary. If you are serious about studying the phenomena, you need to read a book, ORTHODOXY AND THE RELIGION OF THE FUTURE, by Fr. Seraphim Rose, even if you are not Orthodox Christian. He does a thorough job of examining tongue-speaking.
For those of you who may not know, tongue-speaking is the most common phenomena in religions world-wide. One of the reasons it was so popular in ancient Corinth is because it was common among mystery religions even then.
It bears all the marks of being a learned behavior passed on from person to person despite any claims to the contrary. If you are serious about studying the phenomena, you need to read a book, ORTHODOXY AND THE RELIGION OF THE FUTURE, by Fr. Seraphim Rose, even if you are not Orthodox Christian. He does a thorough job of examining tongue-speaking.
For those of you who may not know, tongue-speaking is the most common phenomena in religions world-wide. One of the reasons it was so popular in ancient Corinth is because it was common among mystery religions even then.
M
I have not read all the responses, but would like to put in a satement. It is sad to see the missuse and abuse of the gift of speaking in other tounges, as well as other Gifts of the Spirit.
For those who think the gifts don't apply anymore, Why would God give this Gift of the Holy Spirit to the early Church and not us? Some argue that since the canonization (spelling?) of the Bible, we don't need this gift anymore. That doesn't make sense to me. Whey would God stop using this Gift and not the others... healing, prophecy, wisdom etc.
It would sound something like this "I am going to give power to My church to help them, but once they put my Word into print (the Bible), I am going to stop using that power like I did at the beginning." Just doesn't sound right.
I think it is more of a lack of experience of the proper use of the Gift.
Man's missuse of the Gifts does NOT invalidate them. Just because mankind perverts the things that God has given, does not mean that they are not true.
I have come to a place that if someones belief about tounges differs than mine and that difference would break unity in Christ, that it is not worth the argument. The Holy Spirit will lead us into all truth.
For those who think the gifts don't apply anymore, Why would God give this Gift of the Holy Spirit to the early Church and not us? Some argue that since the canonization (spelling?) of the Bible, we don't need this gift anymore. That doesn't make sense to me. Whey would God stop using this Gift and not the others... healing, prophecy, wisdom etc.
It would sound something like this "I am going to give power to My church to help them, but once they put my Word into print (the Bible), I am going to stop using that power like I did at the beginning." Just doesn't sound right.
I think it is more of a lack of experience of the proper use of the Gift.
Man's missuse of the Gifts does NOT invalidate them. Just because mankind perverts the things that God has given, does not mean that they are not true.
I have come to a place that if someones belief about tounges differs than mine and that difference would break unity in Christ, that it is not worth the argument. The Holy Spirit will lead us into all truth.
It's to resolve this conflict that some do teach that all exceptional charismata have ceased. At best, they say, somebody might receive particularly keen insights into the interpretation of the Bible, but these don't even count as private revelations.
Canonization was accompanied by a lot of doctrinal strife. There were various pretenders to the throne and it was seen as necessary to shut them up. It's not at all a coincidence that prophecy and other potentially disruptive gifts were to cease about this time. By removing the ability of a heretic to appeal to a direct revelation from God, the heretic was left with relatively few options. Their position became even more difficult as their preferred texts were destroyed or no longer copied.
Whether this was God's plan or a deft consolidation of earthly power is left, I suppose, to your interpretation, but it did give a particular school of early Christian thought a bigger bat with which to whack heretics.
Canonization was accompanied by a lot of doctrinal strife. There were various pretenders to the throne and it was seen as necessary to shut them up. It's not at all a coincidence that prophecy and other potentially disruptive gifts were to cease about this time. By removing the ability of a heretic to appeal to a direct revelation from God, the heretic was left with relatively few options. Their position became even more difficult as their preferred texts were destroyed or no longer copied.
Whether this was God's plan or a deft consolidation of earthly power is left, I suppose, to your interpretation, but it did give a particular school of early Christian thought a bigger bat with which to whack heretics.
Last edited:
M
This is my opinion on speaking in tongues (Languages), I believe in speaking in tongues but not the way people interpret it to be today. I believe that God gave the apostles the gift of tongues to be able to evangelize in different countries. The ability to speak in languages to me is being able to go into an unknown country and being able to understand and speak their language using your own native Language. I believe that the Holy spirit translate the language to be able to spread the Gospel. I know that we here in the USA will never see the miracle of tongues in our churches because we are segregated by culture, and God gave the apostles the spirit of Tongues to reverse what he did in the Tower of Babel.With this being said in order to see the miracle of tongues we need to all unite as one church no matter what language we speak. Again this is my opinion , God Bless you and thank you for the topic.
B
If your church was all babbling in a bunch of tongues at once with no interpreters or anything, I'd assume it was just mindless non-sense. Why would you even need to speak in tongues to people who speak YOUR language? But, is tongues useless? I don't think so. Here is a pretty informative video on the matter actually:
YouTube - Has the gift of speaking in tongues ceased? - Tim Conway
Take some time and watch it if you're genuinely wondering about the subject of tongues.
YouTube - Has the gift of speaking in tongues ceased? - Tim Conway
Take some time and watch it if you're genuinely wondering about the subject of tongues.
Speaking in “tongues” is the ability to miraculously and suddenly speak in a language/s not yet learned.
The purpose of this gift was to glorify God and to preach/translate his word to people of the nations that have different languages. It came about because God’s favor had shifted from the Jewish system of worship to the newly established Christian Congregation.
Speaking in tongues had meaning and were understood in the first century. Is this what is being accomplished by those who claim an ability to speak in tongues today through outbursts of unintelligible sounds? Keep in mind that this same phenomenon is claimed to cover under occult/demonic influences. See
Matthew 7:21-23; 1 John 4:1; 2 Corinthians 11: 14, 15.
This gift fulfilled its intended purpose and ended with the deaths of the disciples, apostle Paul-including those of whom they passed this gift to by “laying hands” on.-Acts 8:17; 19:6; 1 Corinthians 13:8.
The purpose of this gift was to glorify God and to preach/translate his word to people of the nations that have different languages. It came about because God’s favor had shifted from the Jewish system of worship to the newly established Christian Congregation.
Speaking in tongues had meaning and were understood in the first century. Is this what is being accomplished by those who claim an ability to speak in tongues today through outbursts of unintelligible sounds? Keep in mind that this same phenomenon is claimed to cover under occult/demonic influences. See
Matthew 7:21-23; 1 John 4:1; 2 Corinthians 11: 14, 15.
This gift fulfilled its intended purpose and ended with the deaths of the disciples, apostle Paul-including those of whom they passed this gift to by “laying hands” on.-Acts 8:17; 19:6; 1 Corinthians 13:8.
J
I often wonder what it must be like for the Lord to see a gift He gave become the conflict among His people that it has. It can't be pleasing, can it? Even back in Paul's day it was a huge issue (per 1 Cor 14).
The bottom line for me is this:
[SUP]39 [/SUP]Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. [SUP]40 [/SUP]But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.
1 Cor 14
If you know without question that God has blessed you with this gift, yield and allow it to be used solely for His glory. If it is not your gift, it's not your gift...why sweat it? I sure would not want to be in the shoes of anyone who would foolishly mock the Lord regarding such a holy thing though.
The bottom line for me is this:
[SUP]39 [/SUP]Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. [SUP]40 [/SUP]But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.
1 Cor 14
If you know without question that God has blessed you with this gift, yield and allow it to be used solely for His glory. If it is not your gift, it's not your gift...why sweat it? I sure would not want to be in the shoes of anyone who would foolishly mock the Lord regarding such a holy thing though.
Last edited by a moderator:
I agree..I believe though it has gotten to the point that people believe 'we no longer need it to spread the gospel to other languages' I STRONGLY disagree. I remember a testimony of two different women in our churches. One of them felt called out to do ministry in a foreign country in Africa and while she did not speak the language she decided to put her faith in the Lord that he would provide. She brought thousands to Christ with divine inspiration from the Holy Spirit to speak in tongues in a language that SHE DID NOT EVEN KNOW their native language they understood her through that WOW! I get goosebumps at the thought of someone being inspired through the Holy Spirit in that way. The other woman was at a church service and began to pray at her seat and began to speak in tongues. Another woman of Chinese descent who was sitting next to her began to cry and asked her how this Caucasian woman could speak in MANDARIN, and that she was speaking the Gospel in Mandarin to her (a nonbeliever) who just happened to attend a church service. God does give people this gift not just to proclaim the gospel but to praise him. Sometimes I'm just at awe at the wonders of the Lord even when I feel let down or disappointed with how life is turning out (especially this week I was hit with some tough news) but I just imagine Lord you are so great and mighty and worthy of my praise that the words I have don't give you enough justice. Sometimes I pray that God give me this gift, not for me but so that I can give glory and praise to him in words that I do not know, because of all the words I have to bring praise and worship to him do not do enough justice to how really great awesome and amazing he is. Granted I am at work right now and I can't help feeling goosebumps and a burning sensation in my heart speaking of this. God is so eternally good, and his gifts are available to those that will use it for HIS Glory and HIS Glory alone!
king james version(kjv)
1 Corinthians 14:39
Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.
1 Corinthians 14:39
Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.
A
Be very sensitive and full of care when anyone decides to think for God about any of the Holy Spirit's moving in any believer, when anyone decides they know and can tell what God does and if HE does or does not do something through and by the Holy Spirit will be addressed by Him to them about resisting Him or the gospel and deemed idle faithlessness. O Lord Jesus by your great mercy minister to us your Holy Spirit to open our souls to Him and you and our great Holy Father that we welcome our most intimate Comforter The Holy Spirit to inhabitant in us for we are His temple.
N
1 Corinthians 14:2-4 KJV
For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.
I believe tounges are present to this day and will be present until the day of the Lord. (Joel 2:28)
I do believe that if one speaks in tounges in public there must be a translation provided by the spirit from the person that spoke the tounges or from someone else.
Not all Pentecostals practice speaking in tongues at one time altogether. BTW I'm Pentecostal and we don't do that.
For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.
I believe tounges are present to this day and will be present until the day of the Lord. (Joel 2:28)
I do believe that if one speaks in tounges in public there must be a translation provided by the spirit from the person that spoke the tounges or from someone else.
Not all Pentecostals practice speaking in tongues at one time altogether. BTW I'm Pentecostal and we don't do that.
Acts 2: 1
The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost
1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”
You see the spoke in tongues but it was a language that others could interpret and translate for themselves. Now the different people heard them declaring God's works in their own language!! That's just amazing praise be to God!
The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost
1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.
5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”
You see the spoke in tongues but it was a language that others could interpret and translate for themselves. Now the different people heard them declaring God's works in their own language!! That's just amazing praise be to God!