The Biblical gift of tongues

[ayin jade]

I may think you are missing out on something

Please dont think that way. I am content with what He has given me. Im not missing out on anything.

Well, to me it's like I'm eating a Dove ice cream bar, and someone mentions they never ate one, and so I say, "Oh, you have got to try one!" And they respond, "Nah, I'm not missing anything." And I'm thinking, "Oh, but this ice cream and this chocolate are so rich and creamy!" "How can you think you are not missing anything? If you only knew!"

Or it's like you going to the NY City area talking to someone about the night sky you can see in Arizona, and the person responds that what they see is enough for them. And you are thinking, "Oh, but if you only knew!"

That is one thing I dislike about those who are so into tongues. They set themselves up as having a superior faith or walk because of their tongues, believing that those who dont have them are missing out. Your walk is not better than mine because of your tongues. Your faith is not superior to mine because of your tongues. Nor is mine better than yours.

The Holy Spirit gives the gifts as He sees fit. He has not seen fit to give me that gift so how can you say Im missing out? You are essentially saying that you know better than the Holy Spirit what I need for my walk with Him.

[bigape]

Hello everyone

I am new here, therefore I did not know what I was getting into with my statements about tongues.

With all the hundreds of responses posted so far, there is no way that I can respond to each and every one of them.

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It is clear, that a lot of people are passionate about this subject, but passion alone, does not make something Biblical, when it isn

[~candice~]

But unfortunately, I am sure, that this also will be either ignored or explained away by those who are caught up in this unbiblical practice.

I don't know how you can be so sure about this. I find it rather offensive that anyone who speaks in tongues has apriori been presumed to ignore or explain away evidence (which, by the way, hasn't been provided apart from the dropping of some big names).

Let's be clear about something... just because someone takes an alternative view or interpretation, doesn't mean they have arrived there from a lack of study or from ignorance. It just means they disagree with you.

I acknowledge that there are some very well studied people who disagree with me on the topic of tongues, and Chief is one of them, but that doesn't make what I do automatically unbiblical. Just as I don't think they arrived at their conclusion from ignorance, but from study.

[enoob57]

Now some have suggested that this version of tongues, predates 1901 and asked how we know, it wasn't around before 1901?

Well we know it wasn't because not one word was ever written about it, prior to 1901.

Remember there was an extended period when participating in anything not considered accepted Christian/church practice could endanger your llife.

there is a mention of it in the Montanist around 400 ad -they were of the anabaptist line... which really makes the Baptist squirm

[Guest]

That is one thing I dislike about those who are so into tongues. They set themselves up as having a superior faith or walk because of their tongues, believing that those who don't have them are missing out. Your walk is not better than mine because of your tongues. Your faith is not superior to mine because of your tongues. Nor is mine better than yours.

The Holy Spirit gives the gifts as He sees fit. He has not seen fit to give me that gift so how can you say I'm missing out? You are essentially saying that you know better than the Holy Spirit what I need for my walk with Him.

Thank you, Ayin, for saying this before I could.

I'd like to add that now I'm beginning to understand why this tongues issue causes so much division in the church. Like many others in the Body of Christ haven't (yet) spoken in tongues. God has set the members in the body where He wants them, and given them the gifts needed to work as they should. I think its great that so many say they speak in tongues. Praise God for your gifts, but please accept that there are those of us who do not speak in tongues. God has not given me that gift as far as I know (thus far in my walk with Jesus,) and He is far wiser than I.

[enoob57]

Now some have suggested that this version of tongues, predates 1901 and asked how we know, it wasn't around before 1901?

Well we know it wasn't because not one word was ever written about it, prior to 1901.

Remember there was an extended period when participating in anything not considered accepted Christian/church practice could endanger your llife.

there is a mention of it in the Montanist around 400 ad -they were of the anabaptist line... which really makes the Baptist squirm

Hmm..the montanist crowd were considered heretics by the nicene mob.

Was it a catholic spat?

oops 100 - 200 ad (not 400ad) rusty mistake...

Clement and Tertullian Examine Philosophy

Tertullian (150 A.D. - 212 A.D.) was horrified by Clement's overall approach to Christian theology. So disgusted he was at such theological decadence (and the moral decay of the church in general) that he eventually defected from the Great Church and joined the Montanist "New Prophecy" church in Carthage.

(from Pocket History of Theology

[Guest man]

1 Corinthians 12

1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant:

2 You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols, however you were led.

3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.

6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.

7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:

8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,

9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,

10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.

11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.

[Botz]

there is a mention of it in the Montanist around 400 ad -they were of the anabaptist line... which really makes the Baptist squirm

Can't be all bad then.

[Botz]

I may think you are missing out on something

Please dont think that way. I am content with what He has given me. Im not missing out on anything.

Well, to me it's like I'm eating a Dove ice cream bar, and someone mentions they never ate one, and so I say, "Oh, you have got to try one!" And they respond, "Nah, I'm not missing anything." And I'm thinking, "Oh, but this ice cream and this chocolate are so rich and creamy!" "How can you think you are not missing anything? If you only knew!"

Or it's like you going to the NY City area talking to someone about the night sky you can see in Arizona, and the person responds that what they see is enough for them. And you are thinking, "Oh, but if you only knew!"

That is one thing I dislike about those who are so into tongues. They set themselves up as having a superior faith or walk because of their tongues, believing that those who dont have them are missing out. Your walk is not better than mine because of your tongues. Your faith is not superior to mine because of your tongues. Nor is mine better than yours.

The Holy Spirit gives the gifts as He sees fit. He has not seen fit to give me that gift so how can you say Im missing out? You are essentially saying that you know better than the Holy Spirit what I need for my walk with Him.

There is a vast difference between encouraging and provoking one another in the love of the L-rd, out of a desire to share what G-d has blessed us with, and boasting and parading certain things in a puerile demonstration of one-up-manship.

There may well be people that have an immature overemphasis on the tongues gifted by G-d for personal devotion, but there is not the hint of it in Neb's post, nor even the vaguest whiff of superiority.

Personally I embrace being provoked and challenged...I am not threatened by it, and if someone I trust and respect shows me something they have learnt or dicovered in G-d, and is biblical that I think I can use in my own walk...then my NEW- NATURAL inclination is to pray about it and desire it....I want whatever is going....but my greatest desire by far is for personal character and to be a man of faith that can stand firm on the Rock of Ages as the storms keep coming.

[Botz]

A few further thoughts...(good thread by the way)

The type of tongues/languages given by G-d to Believers for personal devotions is of immense blessing to those gifted with it, and is usually in daily constant use in personal prayer and worship and is a personal supernatural evidence of the desposit of Heaven G-d has placed in us through His Spirit.

Has it been abused? Yes. What hasn't!

If we have examples of abuse of G-ds giftings way back in biblical times, then you can bet your bottom dollar people being people will make similar mistakes in this day and age...We could do with a few more Pauls and better discernment in the Body to avoid some of the awful trashy garbage and teaching that appears on Religious broadcasts and in the Body and was exemplified with the Todd Bentley fiasco.

To be factual....many Christian people do believe that tongues died out way back when...and they also believe that what is evident among Believers now, is not the same, just some gobbledegook and ultimately is actually of a devil, because it is counterfeit and divisive...and G-d is not the author of confusion...and they too will wheel out some well worn proof texts, not least.

1Cor 13:8 Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part; 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away.

It doesn't usually stop there...those that believe this type of personal tongue is not the same as evidenced in the Bible, usually believe everything else that was a spiritual gift, also disappeared with the death of the Apostles, or with the completing of the Scriptures, and to my mind have a rather dry approach to the Christian life, with everything supposedly based on the Word (according to their interpretation)...admittedly there is often a stronger emphasis on character, which I admire and cherish.

Babies have been thrown out with the bath-water since the time of Moses, and another human tendency is to write-off some of the things of G-d, in particular his gifts for equipping the Saints, because of traditional teaching, personal bias, and the human condition which prefers the cozy surroundings of what we are familiar with (comfort zone)....but if G-d deemed it necessary and vital to equip His Church right from the onset....I certainly don't think it has the right to reject or despise these things now....and in fact should be hammering on the gates of Heaven to be empowered.