The Gift of Speaking in Tongues? (page 6)

Maddie

SUNSPOT - Thank you for sharing your experience with us. Are you hoping to be able to talk in tongues too?

proplog2

Freestylin' that's what rappers call it. It's word jazz. A little like scatting. Pentecostals also "praise dance" which is pretty much what James Brown used to do.

hmike

So if it's found in many religions, don't they cancel each other out? If Hindus speaking in tongues wouldn't get unbelievers to start believing in Krishna (well I hope no one here would be taken in by that!) then how can Christians doing it be convincing to anyone with the ability to think? Whatever's going on in Hinduism and other beliefs, it's not their god's spirit, is it? Their gods don't exist.
If it's your one true god getting involved with them, how do you know Krishna isn't getting involved when you think Yahweh's spirit is with you?

serotonin,

Tongues is communication from one's spirit to one's god in an audible form. If the spirit has been re-born of Yahweh, then the communication is to Yahweh. If one's spirit is under the influence of another, then the communication is directed elsewhere.

Tongues, in an of itself, doesn't serve as a witness. I Cor. 14:23—

So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and some who do not understand or some unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind?

Even on Pentecost when the Spirit came on the disciples (this may be what you're thinking of), many people thought the disciples were babbling from being intoxicated. Some people understood the languages, but only when Peter explained the significance of the event was there repentance, faith, baptism, and the launching of the church.

This is why Paul considered prophecy of more value in the assembly: it is communication from God through man. I Cor. 14:24-25—

But if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everyone is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, "God is really among you!"

hmike

Chalam,

I know the scriptures you have quoted. I have no problem with the baptism of the Spirit. I do see a problem with anyone's insistence that this is necessary to indicate salvation. It's recorded to have happened in the book of Acts, but it's not stated that's what always happened then or how it has to happen.

I brought all this up so Maddie (and anyone else wondering) would realize that there is no "standard" interpretation here. There's going to be different positions depending on which church or fellowship one goes. Remember, it's not like JWs where you are told what to believe about everything and there's only their way. It can be quite a challenge to sort through all the differences and make a decision on your own. It's the price of freedom.

R.Crusoe

On all levels it defies understanding. A true test is to provide a large bucket of water, watch them stand ON it and then pour it over their head and watch as it turns to wine.

This then proves they are good at reading 2000 year old magic tricks and emulating them, sometimes with a ventriloquist interpreter.

A true gift is to find someone who really speaks several languages and makes use of the fact.

serotonin_wraith

serotonin,
Tongues is communication from one's spirit to one's god in an audible form. If the spirit has been re-born of Yahweh, then the communication is to Yahweh. If one's spirit is under the influence of another, then the communication is directed elsewhere.

hmike,

This is basically saying 'my god is real and those other gods are not'. Even though you know people in other religions speak in tongues too, you're assuming communication can only go to Yahweh and not those other gods, because you assume they don't exist. You have no way of knowing where communication goes. What if it goes to some other god you're not worshipping? Can you give one good reason to show you're right about where communication goes, and millions of people in other faiths are wrong?

If you can, I'd love to see it.

If not, why do you say these things as if they are true, when you actually don't have a clue?

hmike

seratonin,

Well, I have more than a clue, but, knowing your position, I'll say that this comes from what Ist Corinthians teaches, apparently based on what the practice was at the time, and leave it at that for you. Each can decide for him/herself what to do with it.

Chalam

Hi hmike,
Thanks for your post. Please see below.

"I know the scriptures you have quoted. I have no problem with the baptism of the Spirit."

Cool!

"I do see a problem with anyone's insistence that this is necessary to indicate salvation."

Who's is that? Certainly it was not Paul's, see the passage.

"There he found some disciples 2and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when[a] you believed?"
They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." "

So the two people were disciples, i.e. followers of the faith and they had believed in 'the gospel'. However, there is more and they had no understanding of the Holy Spirit. This was the situation I grew up in too. Everyone had read the Bible concerning Spirit baptism, speaking in tongues, healing and gifts of the Spirit but no-one had experience of them and thus assumed they had finished.

"It's recorded to have happened in the book of Acts, but it's not stated that's what always happened then or how it has to happen."

Baptism of the spirit first happened then and is still happening, see here.

Acts 2:38-40 (New International Version)

38Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call."

"I brought all this up so Maddie (and anyone else wondering) would realize that there is no "standard" interpretation here. There's going to be different positions depending on which church or fellowship one goes. Remember, it's not like JWs where you are told what to believe about everything and there's only their way. It can be quite a challenge to sort through all the differences and make a decision on your own. It's the price of freedom."

Very good point. Better to ask God about these things first I say. So can I ask if 'you believe', just as Paul did back then?

Regards,
Stephen

free2beme

I think that when you touch the spirit world, the mind can react in odd ways to the physical. However, I have seen this done and in the three examples I saw, 2 were obviously faking it, and one was interesting and yet I felt no connection to a religion or Christianity. I felt it was a mental state of their mind and possible spirit connection, but since I do not think Christianity is anything more then just one more key to a large lock. I think anyone could do it, if they so wanted too.

serotonin_wraith

seratonin,
Well, I have more than a clue, but, knowing your position, I'll say that this comes from what Ist Corinthians teaches, apparently based on what the practice was at the time, and leave it at that for you. Each can decide for him/herself what to do with it.

So you 'know' after reading the Bible, which has never been proven to be from any god. People of other religions honestly think they're in communion with their god, and seeing as you can't all be right, it stands to reason that even if one of these gods is true, as a matter of probability you shouldn't expect to be the one who is right about this. People instantly see through the deception and delusion of other faiths, yet rarely turn the mirror upon themselves.

The Gift of Speaking in Tongues?

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