Is Speaking in Tongues still available today?

It will never happen that way and the conditions could never be met exactly the same because the prophesy has been fulfilled. They saw the RISEN JESUS and He ascended. They were beaming with so much faith no one today could ever match it. And it was the first miracle of the Holy Spirit after Jesus ascended. It could never ever be duplicated.

We do agree it could happen. Those exact condition that made Acts 2 unique likely wouldn't occur in modern church society. It would be such a beautiful sight to see, that much faith contained in on building or room, amazing

In the church of 10,000 people at least half, if not more were speaking in tongues. It was the most amazing thing I ever experienced. The power of God was incredible. And that happened in many of their church services. And still no claims of understanding theiur native language. That is my point.

I sat on the main floor, the side areas, the balcony areas and just watched when I was not worshiping. I just wanted to see.

It will never happen that way and the conditions could never be met exactly the same because the prophesy has been fulfilled. They saw the RISEN JESUS and He ascended. They were beaming with so much faith no one today could ever match it. And it was the first miracle of the Holy Spirit after Jesus ascended. It could never ever be duplicated.

Understanding the theme of 1Cor. 14, as far as tongues is concerned, focuses on tongues that need interpretation

Once you get it through your head that in the KJB "tongues" simply means "languages", which is the correct translation for glossais (not glossolalia, which is not found in Scripture), then ALL tongues needed interpretation. The purpose of all spiritual gifts (including tongues) was for the EDIFICATION OF THE CHURCH. And only those who could understand what was being said could be edified.

All the Church Fathers (early Christian ecclesiastical writers until the 5th century) understood that the spiritual gift of tongues was the supernatural ability to speak foreign languages not known by the speaker. They believed that this gift was given for the spread of the Gospel throughout the world. That is not the current understanding at all.

Acts 2:3-4 (NRSVue) Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability."

Acts 2:3-4 (NET) And tongues spreading out like a fire appeared to them and came to rest on each one of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them."

Acts 2:3-4 (KJV): And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

I have never seen a language appear as "tongues of fire". And they don't come to rest on people. It makes zero sense. Translations that use the same word for flames and languages are clearly poor translations.

The writings of the Church Fathers until the 5th century are plenty of documentation. Had the gift of supernaturally speaking foreign languages been prevalent for 400 years after the apostolic period, they all would have recorded it. But none of them claimed to speak in biblical tongues (glossais).

Augustine live in the 4th-5th centuries and this is what he had to say about tongues in his Retractiones:
"Likewise, this statement of mine is indeed true: “These miracles were not allowed to last until our times lest the soul ever seek visible things and the human race grow cold because of familiarity with those things whose novelty enkindled it.” For not even now, when a hand is laid on the baptized, do they receive the Holy Spirit in such a way that they speak with the tongues of all nations; nor are the sick now healed by the passing shadow of the preachers of Christ. Even though such things happened at that time, manifestly these ceased later.

But what I said is not to be so interpreted that no miracles are believed to be performed in the name of Christ at the present time. For, when I wrote that book, I myself had recently learned that a blind man had been restored to sight in Milan near the bodies of the martyrs in that very city, and I knew about some other, so numerous even in these times, that we cannot know about all of them nor enumerate those we know.2728
https://charlesasullivan.com/3668/augustine-on-the-tongues-of-pentecost-intro/#anch7

Why can't God speak His own language He had before He created the angels and then humans?

In the church of 10,000 people at least half, if not more were speaking in tongues. It was the most amazing thing I ever experienced. The power of God was incredible. And that happened in many of their church services. And still no claims of understanding theiur native language. That is my point.

I sat on the main floor, the side areas, the balcony areas and just watched when I was not worshiping. I just wanted to see.

Verses that confirm the Holy Spirit acts first then tongues can be spoken:

1. 4 and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, (as the Spirit) gave them utterance.

2. 2 For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries (by the Spirit).

3. 8 To one there (is given through the Spirit the utterance) ...All of the Gifts including speaking in tongues

That's THREE VERSES that say the Spirit gives utterance before tongues is spoken.

So you are misunderstanding Chapter 14. There's only one way it can be true and genuine. When the Holy Spirit gives the utterance ""first.""

Spiritual gifts can be given 'as the Spirit wills' apart from the laying on of hands of the apostles.

What passages would you use to support this?

If you don't mind, maybe you can help me to understand why you believe we still have spiritual gifts today by helping me with how I misunderstand what the bible is telling me.

I think a logical place to start would be how does someone receive a spiritual gift. This is what I see the bible telling me then I will address your counter arguments.

By the laying of the apostle's hands:
6 These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them.
This is the seven and we see evidence that they received spiritual gifts



18 Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands,
Peter didn't have to address Simons request because he had a bigger problem, for your heart is not right before God

Those in Ephesus. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.

You are correct, Paul does say about Timothy 14 Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you.
If he hadn't told us For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, then I would agree. In a situation like this, I would look to harmony of scripture and say Paul gave him the gifts. For arguments sake, if elders could give gifts, then there would be a supporting scripture of an elder giving someone a gift that an apostle hadn't laid hands on.

11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you—
Why does Paul need to come to them to give them a spiritual gift if an apostle isn't required?

As for Barnabus and Paul, yes the prophets and teachers laid hands on them but it doesn't say they gave them spiritual gifts.


Now to Cornelius. If you don't see Cornelius as a special situation then I will need a good explanation of why not in order for me to put any value in what you tell me. I will lay out why Cornelius is a special situation. They received spiritual gifts directly from God for a specific purpose. To prove, to the Jews, the gospel is for Gentiles and they are to be included as God's people. Other than the apostle Paul, there is no other conversion that is like it nor comes close to being as detailed before or after Cornelius. There is a complete, long, chapter devoted to it and it's talked about in 2 other chapters. There is also a vision involved.
There are only 2 times God directly gave someone spiritual gifts as evident by speaking in tongues and each was a special situation. The apostles on Pentecost and Cornelius. Each time they are referred to, it's called "baptized WITH the HS".

The apostles:
4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” And we know that they received the HS directly from God evident by the speaking in tongues.

Cornelius:
We know that they received the HS directly from God and it was evident by speaking in tongues. When Peter later tells this account, this is what he says; 15 As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them just as on us at the beginning. 16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’
If Cornelius isn't a special situation, then all you have to do is point out another conversion where they received the HS directly from God and it was evident by the speaking in tongues.

That's my understanding of the bible telling me how someone gets spiritual gifts.

What passages would you use to support this?

What passages would you use to support this?

We can only go by what we have available through the Word of God and don't know every situation and circumstance of when God's power is on display.

I was in a Youth Convention one time and suddenly right in the middle of song service it got extremely quiet (which was unusual because there usually someone play piano softly or something) suddenly in great travailing and weeping and moaning and groaning which can't be uttered, everyone (including ALL on the platform everyone that played an instrument) fell to their knees ALL at once. So amazing. God can and will surprise you at time with His display of Power.

That was only the beginning of Joel's prophecy being fulfilled and its still being poured out today. I love God so much.

Easy thing to say if you don't read these books or check it out, or look at a quick web search on the topic, or familiarize yourself with theological works on the subject that contain the quotes.

Irenaeus, a missionary to France and church overseer wrote of brethren who prophesied, spoke in tongues, prophesied, had foreknowledge, healed, and rose the dead. That is found in 'Against Heresies.' In the other of his works that survived he argued that rejecting the gift of prophecy was one of the characteristics of the heresies.



It looks like Augustine tried to make his doctrine out of his lack of experience on this one. He wasn't seeing this stuff, so he created a justification for cessationism. But later, he recorded a wave of miracles and healings, and told believers who were healed of their obligation to testify to what God had done. He records many healings in City of God.

If you start reading Augustine's records of healings, be warned there was a disproportionate number of accounts of the healing of anal fistulas. Roman style public restrooms did not use water the way middle easterners do or toilet paper. Instead, there was a communal sponge on a stick in vinegar or salt water.

You could also read Bible commentator Craig Keener's 1000+ page book 'Miracles' which includes numerous historical references to miracles among Christians. Another source is the first volume of Burgess work 'The Spirit and the Church" I think the subtitle on the first volume is "Antiquity" and has volume 1 in there. Eusebius Ecclesiastical history records some references to spiritual gifts during the era, but it quotes heavily from Irenaeus' Against Heresies' and I don't remember if the other content deals much with miracles. It does address the fact that the church affirmed that it had the gift of prophecy before and after the Montanist controversy, even when the Montanists claimed it had ceased after Montanus had passed away.

If we assume your premise is correct, the Bible doesn't tell us where this was a different language from what He spoke to Adam. But the Bible never says anything about 'tongues' being the language God spoke before He created man.