do you speak in tongues

[oldzimm]

Joe I believe anything is possible through Jesus Christ, as in the example Fez gave. The question that you failed to answer, is where in the Bible does it say those that speak in tongues have more faith then those that don't. I don't believe speaking in tongues is a measure of faith between Christians, less somebody through scripture can prove me wrong.

I believe that the Church (Believers in Christ) have different gifts to build up the body of Christ and the gifts aren't a measure of faith between believers.

Romans 12:3-8

English Standard Version (ESV)

3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. 4 For as in one body we have many members,[a] and the members do not all have the same function, 5 so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. 6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.

Ephesians 4:11-13

English Standard Version (ESV)

11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds[a] and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood,[c] to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,

I think you missunderstood me. I didnt say those speaking in tongues had more faith then those who don’t -- And to answer your question where does it say that in the bible? -- It doesn’t say that in the bible at all. I said it takes faith to do it, it takes exercising ones faith to speak in tongues is what I said. And I said the message in speaking in tongues is to the individual and that message is – it takes using your faith to accomplish that task. And I said most cant muster enough faith to even accomplish that simple task, let alone heal the sick, prophecy, or raise the dead.

All the gifts are open to all who will exercise faith to use them. We all have the same measure of faith, exercising that faith the issue.

And Ro 12:3-8 as you quote is perfect example of that measure of faith.

And in Ep 4:11-13 apostles, prophets, evangelists, shepherds, teachers, equip those for the work of ministry – but here is the kicker – 13. Until we ALL attain the unity of faith and knowledge of the Son of God and obtain the fullness of Christ.

When we receive in us the same thing as Jesus had in him as stated above in the fullness of CHrist then all of these things are added to you, nothing lacking. Having the knowledge of the son of God and obtaining the fullness of Christ is Christ in you. Same Spirit in you who was in Christ Jesus. Now if we have obtained His promise that He will come to us and be in us and that we will be like Him if we have obtained His fullness, then all of these gifts are at work in your being same as it was at work in Jesus no different at all.

A son of God is exactly that and the Father is not going to give something to one son that He isn’t willing to give to another. If one is a teacher and cannot prophecy it doesnt mean that he can’t prophecy, it only means he hasn’t received that fullness is all -- and stuck in his own measure of faith to do his task at hand. Christ in you is not limited to gifts, Christ in you is you working in Gods fullness.

Joe

I apologize for the misunderstanding, but I will say none of us will obtain the fullness of Christ in this world, we will receive the fullness in Christ when we meet in Heaven. On Earth we strive to be more like Christ and since we are not immune to sin, it is increasingly yes but perfectly no.

[godrulz]

@godrulz so beat boxing is also speaking in tongues. I know God is omniscient thats not even a question. Paul tells us speaking in tongues is for the edification of the church.

I Cor. 14:4 talks about speaking in tongues personally TO God without interpretation for self-edification. This is contrasted and denoted by the phrase 'BUT in the CHURCH' where tongues in corporate worship is for Body edification when INTERPRETED. One must read I Cor. 14 verse by verse to see the changing context and 3 points about tongues (self-edification, corporate edification with interpretation, sign for unbelievers in our midst). It is both/and, not either/or.

[Holy Joe]

Ive stated before, tongues is a message to you, to the individual and that message is – It takes using your faith to accomplish and manifest a task. And no matter what language one speaks, English, French, Spanish, what ever,

those who speak in tongues understand that same message. And in Acts they all understood the same thing and so do we all who speak. The message in tongues is it takes faith to do it. The message is to the individual, it is a lesson in using faith.

Tongues is least of the gifts yet most cant even muster enough faith to speak in tongues, let alone heal the sick of raise the dead.

Some use tongues almost like a religion and worship it as evidence one had Gods Holy Spirit saying you must speak in tongues to have Gods Spirit. But that isn’t evidence one has Gods Holy Spirit, it is evidence one used faith to manifest what wasn’t before. Everyone who has what Jesus had in him has Gods Holy Spirit. And those who do, these signs follow. God isn’t going to zap you with these gifts, you have to use your faith to accomplish.

Joe

Whoa there Joe, you make it sound like the use of tongues is a measure of a persons faith, show us where it says that in the Bible. When was the last time you raised somebody from the dead?

It is a measure of faith and most don’t even have that. Tell me how one can speak in tongues if he doesn’t use that measure of faith to do it?. And tell me how one could raise the dead if there is no faith that you can, and tell me how you might heal the sick if there is no faith? You miss the whole point in tongues and exercising your faith. Can you do any of these with out faith?

And It has been a few years sense one was raised from the dead. But then who will believe it -- You? No you won’t! You have to see it right? I figured that – after all it would take faith to believe that someone even Jesus could do that now wouldn’t it?

By the way, I was raised from the dead. Don’t believe that either do you?

Joe

7 years ago, and not my brother nor I, but Jesus through our prayers.

The prayer? "Not him Lord, not today".

Speaking in tongues is easy after seeing Jesus at work like that.

Anything is easy to believe in His name after that.....

That's interesting Fez, sounds like a good real life story to learn by. Was it a near death experiences or somebody that was declared dead by doctors and with God's will, came back to life? I've heard of such cases, but I never talked to anyone who has witnessed it or anyone who came back to life. (I truly believe it is possible)

I totally agree -- It is easy to believe after that.

Myself in 1966 I was nineteen years old when I died on an operating table at St Josephs Hospital in Fort Worth Texas resulting from head injuries sustained from an auto accident. A person in Christ believed God that I would come back from death and here I am today. So it is easy for me to believe the same.

We talk of having faith in Jesus Christ for him to to accomplish whatever it may be, but what we don’t hear from our pulpits is, it is you who is supposed to have His kind of faith at work in you, Christ in you, just as that lady did who believed for me.

Jesus stated to those who came to him -- like the one who had the lunatic son who often fell into the fire and into a ditch, and another who had a sick loved one that least he come he will die. Jesus said, go your faith has made them whole. Jesus didn’t say His faith made them whole but his faith working in them made them whole.

The blind man didn’t have a clue what Jesus looked like, all he knew was if he believed he would be healed and he exercised his faith to see that what he had not seen before and accomplish a seeming impossibility. If he didn’t exercise his faith that he had in Christ, meaning -- Christ in him, his eyes never would have been opened.

There is a vast difference in having faith in Christ and having the faith of Christ, we are to have His faith. And when we have His faith working in us we can do all things through the Christ that is in us who gives us His strength.

When we first start our walk with Jesus we have faith in him that he will do what he says he will do. But when that prophecy is actually fulfilled and Christ is revealed in you, Christ formed in you, then we become like him just as Paul said we do and only then have we have picked up that cross and continued where he left off just as he commanded us to do.

And Jesus said that in that day you will ask me nothing but go to the Father for yourself. John 16:23.

And with no faith even Jesus couldn’t do anything in some because they didn’t believe, they didn’t have the faith that comes with Christ in you.

Matthew 13:58 And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.

Joe

Edited April 20, 2012 by Holy Joe

[Floatingaxe]

@godrulz so beat boxing is also speaking in tongues.

What are you talking about? Aren't you being needlessly argumentative?

I know God is omniscient thats not even a question. Paul tells us speaking in tongues is for the edification of the church.

As a part of the Body of Christ, I enjoy His edification frequently.

[nChrist]

I just find it humorous in this world where people claim they speak to the dead or aliens or ascended masters etc. that anyone would think its unreasonable to provide a scriptural basis for what they claim is scripture.

I don't recall anyone saying they spoke to the dead, or was you just making a statement?

I was just making a statement. Theres alot of different things that could be equated with the idea that babbling is speaking in tongues, automatic writing for example, I have no doubt that speaking in tongues is valid but I just dont see any scripture which supports babbling as speaking in tongues. Babbling phonemes is no different from taking a pencil and scribbling randomly (automatic writing) of course you may find something there but its just a trick of the mind called pareidolia or patternicity. Its no different from a Rorshach test or seeing images in clouds. The imagination is a tricky thing.

You make a good point. Tongues in the Acts period were known languages used to spread the Gospel. Tongues are only legitimate if they are known languages. What many times passes for tongues today is psycho-babble - a show for vanity, status, or some other self-centered purpose. A modern day example of genuine tongues would be missionaries learning 2nd and 3rd languages - preparing to go to the mission field. Psycho-babble does NOT come from God, and we know that God is NOT the author of confusion.

[godrulz]

Tongues is NOT preaching in known languages. In Acts 2, tongues was worship and praise to God. Some who knew the languages understood them, but the speakers did not understand their supernatural gift. The gospel was preached in Peter's known language to an audience that understood him naturally. Peter did not preach in tongues?!

[Mark2005]

But do any of us know ALL languages in the world? How can any of us categorically say that what is being spoken is "babble" or "gibberish" and not a REAL language?

[OneLight]

@godrulz so beat boxing is also speaking in tongues. I know God is omniscient thats not even a question. Paul tells us speaking in tongues is for the edification of the church.

Let's not be disrespectful in your replies.

Colossians 4:6

Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.

[nChrist]

Tongues is NOT preaching in known languages. In Acts 2, tongues was worship and praise to God. Some who knew the languages understood them, but the speakers did not understand their supernatural gift. The gospel was preached in Peter's known language to an audience that understood him naturally. Peter did not preach in tongues?!

Acts 2:4-8 KJV And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. 6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. 7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? 8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?

[Oneaccords]

Has any one here ever heard of a book called "They Speak with Other Tongues" by John L Sherrill. It is interesting to say the least. The back of the book says...

"John Sherrill was a skeptic as far as miracles were concerned. Then the magazine he worked for sent him to investigate a biblical event that was cropping up across the country: the phenomenon of speaking in tongues. Before long he became a believer. As Sherrill relates the historical and biblical background of speaking in tongues, examines significant contemporary events, and shares his personal experience, he gives valuable insight into this gift of the Holy Spirit.

This classic has already inspired over two and a half-million readers worldwide. Now you, too, will be challenged and moved by the powerful story told in this book."

tongues is just another word for languages in the KJV Bible. I used to speak what you call tongues but then i stopped it when i found it to be unbiblical.

http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/False%20Doctrines/Speaking%20in%20Tongues/speaking_in_tongues.htm

what are you trying to achieve?