Why is praying in tongues necessary?

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wolfwint

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Feb 15, 2014
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I Cor 12
29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?

From the grammar the answer is NO, not all are prophets .... not all speak with tongues....

4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; 5 and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; 6 and there are varieties of working, but it is the same God who inspires them all in every one. 7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are inspired by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

One Body with Many Members
12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

14 For the body does not consist of one member but of many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? 18 But as it is, God arranged the organs in the body, each one of them, as he chose. 19 If all were a single organ, where would the body be? 20 As it is, there are many parts, yet one body. 21 The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 On the contrary, the parts of the body which seem to be weaker are indispensable, 23 and those parts of the body which we think less honorable we invest with the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, 24 which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so adjusted the body, giving the greater honor to the inferior part, 25 that there may be no discord in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. 26 If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.

27 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, then healers, helpers, administrators, speakers in various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the higher gifts.

And I will show you a still more excellent way.
And then follows chapter 13!
 

TheLearner

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Jan 14, 2019
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Paul also never said praying in tongues is necessary. And as the bible says it is normal that not all believers will get this gift.
So for what is it nessassary today?
Today, many Christians are trained in foreign languages which makes speaking in tongues not needed today.
Also, Many cultures have only a few languages that many people who are Christians speak.

How many languages has the Bible been translated into?

One should not start with the false assumption that what is going on is really from God. We are expected to "prove all things and hold onto what is good". God expects us to test spiritual manifestations to determine if they are genuine. Otherwise, God would not have given us tests to determine if a prophet is from him.
 

Waggles

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Praying in tongues brings me not to an deeper relationship with the father.
So for what is it nessasary to pray in tongues?
How would you know as you do not pray in tongues?
Praying in tongues is the Holy spirit within praying unto God: Jesus and my Father.
Praying in tongues is praying by the Spirit of adoption and thus I truly become intimate spiritually with my Father who is Spirit
and wants me to worship him in spirit and in truth.
 

wolfwint

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Feb 15, 2014
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How would you know as you do not pray in tongues?
Praying in tongues is the Holy spirit within praying unto God: Jesus and my Father.
Praying in tongues is praying by the Spirit of adoption and thus I truly become intimate spiritually with my Father who is Spirit
and wants me to worship him in spirit and in truth.
Do you realy believe that only praying in tongues is a way to pray in the spirit?
What is with all the believers which are have not this gift ( and Paul says clear that not all will get it). Are they not able to pray in the Spirit?
What did the christians before the year 1900? They was not able to pray in the Spirit, because the pentecostal movement starts in 1900?
Sorry I cant find the proof in the bible that it is nessasary to pray in tongues for to pray on the Spirit.
 

Waggles

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Do you realy believe that only praying in tongues is a way to pray in the spirit?
What is with all the believers which are have not this gift ( and Paul says clear that not all will get it). Are they not able to pray in the Spirit?
What did the christians before the year 1900? They was not able to pray in the Spirit, because the pentecostal movement starts in 1900?
Sorry I cant find the proof in the bible that it is nessasary to pray in tongues for to pray on the Spirit.
And you will never find proof nor come to the knowledge of truth as you simply do not believe the gospel as expounded by Jesus
and the Apostles and enacted by the first century church we read of in the NT.
As for no Pentecostal experience nor praying in tongues before 1900 that is complete false assertion - simply not true.
 

Didymous

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Feb 22, 2018
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To answer the OP: I don't believe it's necessary, but many of my Pentecostal friends would disagree.
 

Didymous

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Feb 22, 2018
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I love the extremes of this controversy, and know that most will never be of one mind and one accord on this subject.
 
J

jaybird88

Guest
And you will never find proof nor come to the knowledge of truth as you simply do not believe the gospel as expounded by Jesus
and the Apostles and enacted by the first century church we read of in the NT.
As for no Pentecostal experience nor praying in tongues before 1900 that is complete false assertion - simply not true.
the only one that connects tongues to angel language is Paul who was not Jesus nor one of the 12. there is no proof of this outside of Paul. Peter says Paul can be hard to understand and this is a good example of that. IMO Paul would never teach anything outside of scripture. and the angel language is definitely outside of scripture.
 

Sketch

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Nov 1, 2018
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From the grammar the answer is NO, not all are prophets .... not all speak with tongues....
That is in reference to prophetic tongues.
Tongues used to address the entire congregation. (#3 below)
There are at least five different kinds of tongues.

Five Different kinds of tongues
1) Personal prayer language - Speaking to/with God
2) Intercessory prayer language - Praying for others in the Spirit
3) Prophetic ministry language - Addressing the whole church/preferably with interpretation
4) Singing in the Spirit - Singing in tongues/worship activity
5) Evangelistic language - Speaking the message of God to a people in their own language (not yours)
 

Sketch

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I love the extremes of this controversy, and know that most will never be of one mind and one accord on this subject.
Most?
You believe some are? (of one mind and one accord on the subject)
 

Sketch

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Nov 1, 2018
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God expects us to test spiritual manifestations to see if they really come from the giver of gifts or are just made up or are from demons.
Really?
When did God say that? (especially the - "made up or are from demons" - part)
 

Sketch

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Nov 1, 2018
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Otherwise, God would not have given us tests to determine if a prophet is from him.
What test are those? I want to compare notes.
Can you define prophecy while you are at it? Thanks.
 

wolfwint

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Feb 15, 2014
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And you will never find proof nor come to the knowledge of truth as you simply do not believe the gospel as expounded by Jesus
and the Apostles and enacted by the first century church we read of in the NT.
As for no Pentecostal experience nor praying in tongues before 1900 that is complete false assertion - simply not true.
Would I am Not believe the Gospel, i would not be here.
Then tell me where I find in the Word of God that praying in tongues is necessary for an believer.
Tell me where I find in the Word of God that all believer have to pray in tongues, without having this Gift.
Then tell me one Church before 1900 who taught that praying in tongues is necessary for an believer.
 

wolfwint

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Feb 15, 2014
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That is in reference to prophetic tongues.
Tongues used to address the entire congregation. (#3 below)
There are at least five different kinds of tongues.

Five Different kinds of tongues
1)
Personal prayer language - Speaking to/with God
2) Intercessory prayer language - Praying for others in the Spirit
3) Prophetic ministry language - Addressing the whole church/preferably with interpretation
4) Singing in the Spirit - Singing in tongues/worship activity
5) Evangelistic language - Speaking the message of God to a people in their own language (not yours)
Where you have it from, that 1. Cor. 12,30 is speaking from prophetic tongues? You Making differences where the Bible did not. Ore you have an different Bible?


To 5F.e.After the Azusa Street Event they sent many missionaris out in Countrys which Language the spoke in tongues. The most of them went back Home, because they were not longer able to speak this Language.
So why 5 has something to do with praying in tongues? Of course must they speak the Language of the Volk they went otherwise they would not understand one Single Word.
Yes, sometimes God uses then miracles, but this has nothing to do with praying in tongues.
 

Angela53510

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Jan 24, 2011
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Well, are you are part of the solution or a part of the problem?
Claiming that modern tongues is gibberish is contentious.

I find it interesting that tongues speakers never expect anyone else to speak in tongues,
but anti-tongues people want us to stop. Or at a minimum "instruct" us as to what it is and when it should be used.
Arming themselves with Cessationist "proof-texts" and experiential ignorance.
Which seems to be exactly what you are doing. You are contributing to the division. Right?

If you spoke in tongues even once, you would have a much deeper understanding of it.
Alas, you don't think that is possible, or at a minimum not "necessary", so you will continue as you are.
Here we are at page nine. What have you "learned"?

So, you are wrong. I went to Pentecostal/charismatic churches for my first 15 years as a Christian. I was active in them, so was my husband. I taught Sunday School, led worship and played in a 40 piece orchestra in the last tongues-speaking church I was in, for quite a few years.

I spoke in tongues for that whole time. I also read my Bible through once a year, making that 15 times I read through it during that period. I also prayed a lot.

As I read my Bible, I began to see a disconnect between what I was reading, and what I was hearing in these churches. I heard more sermons on Acts 2 and the other 4 incidents in Acts of speaking in tongues, out of the other 28 chapters. And other than correction that Paul has to write in his first letter to the Corinthians, not a lot morels in the Bible in tongues. Acts 2 is the birth of the church, when the Holy Spirit was given to the church. We have always had the Spirit since then!

I was reading about the birth of the church in Acts, and how their numbers grew. Not because of tongues, but because of the gospel being preached in their language, (after the day of Pentecost, of course!) and the fellowship and caring for the newcomers.

I was reading the most amazing systematic theology in Romans in my Bible, and never heard a reference, positive or negative in church. I got sick of the shallowness of the preaching, the judgement that if "fire did not fall from heaven" then God was not there. If there wasn't group praise in tongues, the service was flat.

I heard people telling unsaved people all they need was to be baptized in the Holy Spirit, when these people didn't know the name of Jesus! I think biblically, you really do have to believe, before anything else.

I began to reflect on my salvation experience. From the moment God saved me, the Holy Spirit was there in power to lead and guide me. Then everyone started telling me I need to have the Holy Spirit, and speak in tongues. I was sure I did have the Holy Spirit, but as a new Christian, I thought these people knew more than me.

I later learned, we could not be saved, without the Holy Spirit, no second attempts necessary.

I prayed, tried to hide my doubts, which were very serious, as to whether the whole thing was fake. Then a couple of incidents at that Pentecostal church and a Vineyard church, where I was point blank lied to by a pastor, convinced me I was not dealing with mature, educated (in a spiritual sense, this was long before I went to seminary) Christians.

And really, how could anyone grow in that kind of atmosphere, when the Word was never expounded? Including the pastors. The tongues seemed more and more forced. I stopped speaking in tongues, prayer language or otherwise, and just talked to God. Sometimes I groaned, when life was bad, which was a far cry from the fake tongues I and everyone else had been pretending to speak in. Of course, they thought it was real, as I once had, before I woke up and realized it was a lie!

We changed to an Evangelical Free Church, and it was night and day. People were so much more loving and caring. People helped me with my RA. The pastor went through so many books of the Bible, over the next 5 years we lived there. He taught doctrine. What I was reading in my Bible, was being preached in Sunday morning. Later, we attended Baptist churches, no charismatic churches, were I grew more as a Christian in a month, than in 15 years in tongues speaking churches.

I would love to see more people freed from tongues, the way it is practiced today. I pray they will read their Bibles, and reflect if the whole Bible, and question whether many doctrines are being taught, or just tongues, which doesn't even begin to touch on the work of the Holy Spirit.

So, until you can break free if your experiential addictions, and seek the whole counsel of God, you will never see how this kind of church, and what goes on in them, are not a step forward, but a stagnant and unbiblical emphasis which literally hold people back from walking with God and being transformed into the image of Christ!

PS For those that think that non tongue speaking churches are "dead" churches, lose the addiction, and you will find a much richer, dynamic and creative worship and teaching when the nonsense babbling is stilled, and God is truly free to move among his people!
 

TMS

Senior Member
Mar 21, 2015
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Australia
Spiritualism.....

if i don't know what i'm saying why do i say it? it could be dangerous, and the devil is a very cunning liar and had a lot of practice at deceiving. If i don't know what i'm saying it has no value. I'm sure that God is glorified by the universe, all of His creation, the stars and Angels, without forcing us to speak praise that we don't understand.
How do you know it isn't the Devil causing you to say condemning and evil stuff?
2Co 11:13 For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
2Co 11:14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
2Co 11:15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
Joh 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

God understands every language and can read our minds, communicating with God is not conditional with the noises we make.
 

FollowHisSteps

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Feb 15, 2019
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So, you are wrong. I went to Pentecostal/charismatic churches for my first 15 years as a Christian. I was active in them, so was my husband. I taught Sunday School, led worship and played in a 40 piece orchestra in the last tongues-speaking church I was in, for quite a few years.

I spoke in tongues for that whole time. I also read my Bible through once a year, making that 15 times I read through it during that period. I also prayed a lot.

As I read my Bible, I began to see a disconnect between what I was reading, and what I was hearing in these churches. I heard more sermons on Acts 2 and the other 4 incidents in Acts of speaking in tongues, out of the other 28 chapters. And other than correction that Paul has to write in his first letter to the Corinthians, not a lot morels in the Bible in tongues. Acts 2 is the birth of the church, when the Holy Spirit was given to the church. We have always had the Spirit since then!

I was reading about the birth of the church in Acts, and how their numbers grew. Not because of tongues, but because of the gospel being preached in their language, (after the day of Pentecost, of course!) and the fellowship and caring for the newcomers.

I was reading the most amazing systematic theology in Romans in my Bible, and never heard a reference, positive or negative in church. I got sick of the shallowness of the preaching, the judgement that if "fire did not fall from heaven" then God was not there. If there wasn't group praise in tongues, the service was flat.

I heard people telling unsaved people all they need was to be baptized in the Holy Spirit, when these people didn't know the name of Jesus! I think biblically, you really do have to believe, before anything else.

I began to reflect on my salvation experience. From the moment God saved me, the Holy Spirit was there in power to lead and guide me. Then everyone started telling me I need to have the Holy Spirit, and speak in tongues. I was sure I did have the Holy Spirit, but as a new Christian, I thought these people knew more than me.

I later learned, we could not be saved, without the Holy Spirit, no second attempts necessary.

I prayed, tried to hide my doubts, which were very serious, as to whether the whole thing was fake. Then a couple of incidents at that Pentecostal church and a Vineyard church, where I was point blank lied to by a pastor, convinced me I was not dealing with mature, educated (in a spiritual sense, this was long before I went to seminary) Christians.

And really, how could anyone grow in that kind of atmosphere, when the Word was never expounded? Including the pastors. The tongues seemed more and more forced. I stopped speaking in tongues, prayer language or otherwise, and just talked to God. Sometimes I groaned, when life was bad, which was a far cry from the fake tongues I and everyone else had been pretending to speak in. Of course, they thought it was real, as I once had, before I woke up and realized it was a lie!

We changed to an Evangelical Free Church, and it was night and day. People were so much more loving and caring. People helped me with my RA. The pastor went through so many books of the Bible, over the next 5 years we lived there. He taught doctrine. What I was reading in my Bible, was being preached in Sunday morning. Later, we attended Baptist churches, no charismatic churches, were I grew more as a Christian in a month, than in 15 years in tongues speaking churches.

I would love to see more people freed from tongues, the way it is practiced today. I pray they will read their Bibles, and reflect if the whole Bible, and question whether many doctrines are being taught, or just tongues, which doesn't even begin to touch on the work of the Holy Spirit.

So, until you can break free if your experiential addictions, and seek the whole counsel of God, you will never see how this kind of church, and what goes on in them, are not a step forward, but a stagnant and unbiblical emphasis which literally hold people back from walking with God and being transformed into the image of Christ!

PS For those that think that non tongue speaking churches are "dead" churches, lose the addiction, and you will find a much richer, dynamic and creative worship and teaching when the nonsense babbling is stilled, and God is truly free to move among his people!
walking with God and being transformed into the image of Christ

I have heard from both sides of the churches experience resisting the above words.
The gifts are there to help people know how to walk in the image of Christ.

Some are simple people, who express themselves through pictures, some through actions and some
through words. Scripture study appeals well to those who learn through words and study, but not
if they learn other ways. We limit God, and often we expect too much of others and what works for
them.

The Holy Spirit activates a hunger in the hearts of people. This hunger is fed by the words of Jesus,
listening and following.

The greatest opposition I have found is from believers who despise walking with God and being transformed
into the image of Christ, because they link this to legalism, and think of failure, hypocrisy and condemnation.

It is like unbelief that the cross is the promise of this transformation, which our souls desire and long for.
So tongues are a great gift to uplift our spirits before the King. But are we willing to embrace Gods will
or dictate how He works?