Do people actually speak in Tongues (for real) anymore?

[jb]

Well Gods word does not change. Marvel not that satan is transformed into an angel of light.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

Oooooooh Roger darling I just feel the love flowing from you!

 

[peacefulbeliever]

1 Co 12:1-11
12 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.2 Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.
KJV

I can see basis both for considering them as manifestations or as gifts; though I have no desire to cause you to be peeved.

LOL! Thank you!

There are different kinds of gifts - the gift of holy spirit - the gift of healing - the gift of salvation - all given by the same Spirit. The word "but" sets in contrast what was being said before - 1-6 are speaking about spiritual matters or spiritual things then the subject changes to the manifestation of the Spirit and it is given to every man [believer] for profit. Healing is always considered a gift because it is a gift to have God heal us. I think what gets me is that when we call it a "gift" then people have a tendency to say well - I didn't get that gift, I don't have that gift - God says the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man. Every man [believer] has been given the gift of holy spirit [Acts 2:38] so every man [believer] can manifest that spirit he has within.

Anyway . . . thanks for not wanting to cause me to be peeved!

 

[SoulWeaver]

At any rate, not having an interpreter around to translate and make edification of the other worshipers (including myself) possible is really not ideal, practically speaking. I believe there are actually scriptures concerning that point. How can the other Christians that do not understand what the speaker is saying receive admonishment and encouragement from what is being said if there is no one to interpret?

That said, I do not believe I have ever met a person in my life who has spoken in real tongues. Nor have I met anyone who claims to have met such a person. Those who have "used the gift" in front of me were obviously posers, so I'm really beginning to think this whole speaking in tongues thing is really just not that prominent anymore.

And what's the use? I just look at the speakers who apparently "have the gift" like they're insane most of the time anyway!

Seriously, is there anybody out there who really speaks in tongues anymore, and where could I find an interpreter for such people? The "tongue speakers" are rare to be sure, but the "interpreter people" seem to be practically non-existant.

How can I learn spiritual truth from someone whom I can't understand? And how can I tell they are actually saying anything (or what they are saying) without an interpreter? Plus, any unbeliever that comes in and here's these people just thinks that they're high on drugs anyway! To me, this whole tongues thing seems to be getting counterproductive to the Cause of Christ unless we start getting some interpreters.

I have the gift of interpretation, but I dont always get the meaning, only as the Spirit gives. People also have different measures of the gift, someone with stronger gifting will get more detail, while someone might get just an impression of what is being said.
I have witnessed both tongues and interpretation in undoubtedly Biblical way. Counterfeits do not mean the real thing does not exist.
You may PM me if you want to discuss this further, because a lot of people are simply abrasive and profaning the Holy Spirit when these topics are being discussed. That's also the reason why people usually keep it in their prayer closets.

 

[peacefulbeliever]

1 Corinthians 13:8 clearly says that tongues will cease. We must determine what tongues scripture is talking about. Are they earthly languages or are they ecstatic utterances that are not human languages? Are the tongues spoken of in the mouth of the speaker or in the ears of the hearers like at Pentecost? So much confusion and yet God is not the author of confusion. There is a great lack of discipleship in the church and a great absence of sanctification so how can one even suggest that God is at work in these folks? The vagabond Jews of Acts 19:13-19 cast out demons by what power? It was not the authority of Christ. Questions to ponder and answers to be sought.

For the cause of Christ
Roger

1 Cor. 13:12 - It depends on if you consider scripture the perfect that has come and that you see face to face.

They are languages given by God - earthly or angelic [1 Co. 13:1]. Did the apostles sit in the back room and say to each other - ok Peter you speak in Medean for the Medes; Thomas you speak Parthinian for the Parthians, James you speak Arabian for the Arabs, etc. . . . No. They manifested the gift they had received and God gave them the language - they spoke it out. There were plenty of people around because they were all celebrating the Feast of Pentecost . . . The people there were utterly amazed that these Galileans were speaking their language.

 

[SoulWeaver]

And just this thing, to the OP. If you dont interpret, it's meant for your prayer closet and you speak to yourself and to God (1 Cor 14:28). So it is wrong to label it "unproductive", it's productive but just not meant to be in public in that case. It's edifying and you can pray powerfully in Spirit as He stirs you up. So it's not like you cant help others with it at all, you can, you just cannot edify aka instruct them, unless you interpret. But not all things are meant to be about teaching and preaching... intercessory prayer also has its value in lifting others up to God so the gift is not "unproductive" for other believers.

 

[Willie-T]

What is written in the bible? I read Peter preaching and everybody hearing. What of the other evidences of tongues in Acts? What languages did they speak? Was it a replication of Pentecost only on a smaller scale or something different?

For the cause of Christ
Roger

If the hearers are "hearing" something they comprehend, it doesn't seem to matter if German, or Chinese, or Farcie, or Italian, or as you guys like to say, "gibberish", or any sound, at all, or no sound whatsoever, actually comes out of the speakers mouths. The message God intends gets delivered in a supernatural way none of us can truly fathom.

 

[84Niner]

I understand full well that speaking in tongues is an actual spiritual gift, and am in no way implying that it didn't (or even doesn't still) happen. However, there seem to be a lot of people who are just fakers at this gift that do it for attention or as an emotional outburst, but not from God.

In fact, I have never met a Christian in my life yet who had the ability to (as far as I can tell) really speak in tongues. Maybe they were and just needed an interpreter, so I don't know. But every time I've actually heard somebody speak in "tongues" I can tell that these people are struggling with trying to make up words that sound like language or are talking just plain gibberish.

At any rate, not having an interpreter around to translate and make edification of the other worshipers (including myself) possible is really not ideal, practically speaking. I believe there are actually scriptures concerning that point. How can the other Christians that do not understand what the speaker is saying receive admonishment and encouragement from what is being said if there is no one to interpret?

That said, I do not believe I have ever met a person in my life who has spoken in real tongues. Nor have I met anyone who claims to have met such a person. Those who have "used the gift" in front of me were obviously posers, so I'm really beginning to think this whole speaking in tongues thing is really just not that prominent anymore.

And what's the use? I just look at the speakers who apparently "have the gift" like they're insane most of the time anyway!

Seriously, is there anybody out there who really speaks in tongues anymore, and where could I find an interpreter for such people? The "tongue speakers" are rare to be sure, but the "interpreter people" seem to be practically non-existant.

How can I learn spiritual truth from someone whom I can't understand? And how can I tell they are actually saying anything (or what they are saying) without an interpreter? Plus, any unbeliever that comes in and here's these people just thinks that they're high on drugs anyway! To me, this whole tongues thing seems to be getting counterproductive to the Cause of Christ unless we start getting some interpreters.

Whether it is genuine or not, believers would do themselves and the rest of the body well to put more effort into learning what it is to "prophecy" (speak an edifying word of God) and thus help build up and edify the church, instead of this teaching (in some groups) that tongues is the main thing we should be pursuing. Tongues, even if it is genuine ( I agree with you that mostly it is manufactured) it is something that Paul goes out of his way to de-emphasize. However, Paul goes on to speak about his desire that all would "prophecy".

 

[Willie-T]

Whether it is genuine or not, believers would do themselves and the rest of the body well to put more effort into learning what it is to "prophecy" (speak an edifying word of God) and thus help build up and edify the church, instead of this teaching (in some groups) that tongues is the main thing we should be pursuing. Tongues, even if it is genuine ( I agree with you that mostly it is manufactured) it is something that Paul goes out of his way to de-emphasize. However, Paul goes on to speak about his desire that all would "prophecy"...........

................. while stating that he speaks in tongues more than any of them.

 

[peacefulbeliever]

Whether it is genuine or not, believers would do themselves and the rest of the body well to put more effort into learning what it is to "prophecy" (speak an edifying word of God) and thus help build up and edify the church, instead of this teaching (in some groups) that tongues is the main thing we should be pursuing. Tongues, even if it is genuine ( I agree with you that mostly it is manufactured) it is something that Paul goes out of his way to de-emphasize. However, Paul goes on to speak about his desire that all would "prophecy".

We are to seek to excel in ALL nine manifestation - And in the church - tongues with interpretation edifies the church in the same way as prophesy does - 1 Cor. 3-5

 

[Cee]

I do. And the "perfect" is love. As evidenced by 1 Co 12, 1 Co 13, and 1 Co 14. Not Scripture. No matter how hard people want it to be. God's still here. He still heals. And His gifts for the world are still in operation.

When Jesus said whosoever believes on Me will do the things I do, He meant it.

C.

 

[Cee]

We are to seek to excel in ALL nine manifestation - And in the church - tongues with interpretation edifies the church in the same way as prophesy does - 1 Cor. 3-5

Well said. And in my opinion, tongues with interpretation is prophesy. That's why Paul parallels the two. And for people who think we don't need prophesy. They don't understand why people are still having trouble living the Christian life. Prophesy reveals identity of God and the believer. And that's been drastically forgotten in many circles. Which is no beuno because behavior flows out of identity. That's why Jesus said good trees don't bear bad fruit and Paul said renew our mind to the reality of what Christ did and is inside of us. Aka walking by the Spirit of Christ.

 

[DesiredHaven]

Paul spoke in Hebrew and Greek and prayed in tongues

I dont know why these folks cant just pray in their incoherent language in private and when the actual gift of speaking to men in a legitimate other tongue (someone can understand) is needed comes use that. But that seems rarely the case.

Why do christians take missionary language courses then? Why doesnt God step in and say, son (or daughter) here from me to you, "spread the gospel" with my gift verses having so many take a course?

 

[phil112]

I certainly have not spoken in tongues since three or four days ago.

You say that with authority and conviction. It IS a gift, like interpreting, so you won't mind giving us the names of those few people you know that interpret for you. I mean, you wouldn't speak in tongues unless there was an interpreter, and people don't generally mind it being known they have a gift from God... names?

 

[SoulWeaver]

Paul spoke in Hebrew and Greek and prayed in tongues

I dont know why these folks cant just pray in their incoherent language in private and when the actual gift of speaking to men in a legitimate other tongue (someone can understand) is needed comes use that. But that seems rarely the case.

Why do christians take missionary language courses then? Why doesnt God step in and say, son (or daughter) here from me to you, "spread the gospel" with my gift verses having so many take a course?

Because one thing is to "test the spirit to see if it is from God" (line up manifestation with the Word, look at the fruit), completely another thing to "test the Lord thy God" ("God, produce us a miracle on demand" - He's just not doing that).

 

[phil112]

Well said. And in my opinion, tongues with interpretation is prophesy. That's why Paul parallels the two.....................

Scripture please?

 

[phil112]

We are to seek to excel in ALL nine manifestation - And in the church - tongues with interpretation edifies the church in the same way as prophesy does - 1 Cor. 3-5

What is nine manifestations?

 

[DesiredHaven]

Because one thing is to "test the spirit to see if it is from God" (line up manifestation with the Word, look at the fruit), completely another thing to "test the Lord thy God" (God, produce a miracle on demand - He's just not doing that).

My own aunt did that tongues thing and to be quite honest it would get on my nerves, she confessed Jesus Christ but it didnt mean I wanted to hang around in the same room with her while she went into some tongue thing.

Is nothing private?

Thats just weird, why do I want to listen to someone babble?

 

[phil112]

I have the gift of interpretation, but I dont always get the meaning, ............................................

If the Spirit of God has given you the gift to interpret, and someone speaks "tongues" that you don't understand, then that person doesn't have anything from God and they should keep their mouth shut.

 

[SoulWeaver]

If the Spirit of God has given you the gift to interpret, and someone speaks "tongues" that you don't understand, then that person doesn't have anything from God and they should keep their mouth shut.

I do not interpret what other people speak, but what God gives me.
Btw you're unscriptural else why would Paul talk about interpreters in church.
1 Corinthians 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.

 

[Willie-T]

You say that with authority and conviction. It IS a gift, like interpreting, so you won't mind giving us the names of those few people you know that interpret for you. I mean, you wouldn't speak in tongues unless there was an interpreter, and people don't generally mind it being known they have a gift from God... names?

Hardly anyone (other than those who know me) would have any idea I speak in tongues. I said not one single word about speaking before the assembly. If you insist on being a religious sniper, do it with accuracy, not just with knee-jerk shot-gunning.