Why is speaking in tounges controversal?

[Guest Teditis]

21 minutes ago, Saved.One.by.Grace said:

So you're basing your beliefs regarding "tongues" on one scripture.  The term identifying the speaking in tongues movement is “glossolalia,” made up of two Greek words, glossa (language or tongue) and lalia (speech).  It means therefore speaking in another language.  Have you heard angels speak often to positively identify there language?  Why is the Holy Spirit speaking in the language of angels?  There are a lot of phony preachers on television and in mega churches that say they are speaking God's truth.  In my opinion based on my experience, not all are.  But as long as you check what you think you're hearing against God's word, I'm not going to condemn you for it.  Your heart is in the right place and you genuinely want to hear and do God's will.  That's what I sense from you.  Shalom my brother in Christ.

Well, another piece of Scripture too...:

[1Co 14:1-40 KJV] 1 Follow after charity, and desire spiritual [gifts], but rather that ye may prophesy. 2 For he that speaketh in an [unknown] tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth [him]; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. 3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men [to] edification, and exhortation, and comfort. 4 He that speaketh in an [unknown] tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church

Again, it seems that there is a language, unknown to humans, that God understands and that people are given this Gift by the Holy Spirit.

I understand that there are a lot of fakes out there and use tongues as a way to bolster their "show". I can't account for them.

I think that Paul does a good job in telling us how to understand the workings of tongues and what it's used for... when it is to be used, and

when it's not appropriate for use. As for the deceivers, God will indeed take it up with them in His good time. ~Blessings!

[SavedOnebyGrace]

1 minute ago, Teditis said:

Well, another piece of Scripture too...:

[1Co 14:1-40 KJV] 1 Follow after charity, and desire spiritual [gifts], but rather that ye may prophesy. 2 For he that speaketh in an [unknown] tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth [him]; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. 3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men [to] edification, and exhortation, and comfort. 4 He that speaketh in an [unknown] tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church

Again, it seems that there is a language, unknown to humans, that God understands and that people are given this Gift by the Holy Spirit.

I understand that there are a lot of fakes out there and use tongues as a way to bolster their "show". I can't account for them.

I think that Paul does a good job in telling us how to understand the workings of tongues and what it's used for... when it is to be used, and

when it's not appropriate for use. As for the deceivers, God will indeed take it up with them in His good time. ~Blessings!

So just reading 1 Corinthians 14:1, we should follow after charity and desire spiritual.  Now the word gifts in brackets is not in the original text.  Some translator added that sometime later, probably before 1611, I cannot be certain.  Other translators thought, hmmm, that sounds good, let's keep it in.  Not a problem; all translators do this and the KJV is no better than its weakest link ... its translators.  So the translators were trying to convey the thought to desire spiritual things [not the things of this world] and especially the spiritual ability to prophesize.  Now if you look through the Old Testament, you'll see all kinds of prophets.  One thing they had in common besides hearing from God and/or angels, they lived a hard life.  This was not a life they could turn on and turn off with an utterance.  This was a permanent condition that they gladly accepted [except Jonah] and it became the focus of their lives.  Jonah soon learned it is better to obey your calling!

What about the self-proclaimed prophets of our day?  At least some of them are more interested in profits than prophets or prophesizing.  [God just gave me that.]  I like that.  In the next verse, we have the translators adding the word unknown and him.  It seems like Paul is saying that if someone is speaking in a spiritual way (whatever that is), it doesn't benefit anyone if you don't know what he's saying.  It would be like me listening to someone prophesizing in Russian to me! 

Who are our prophets today?  Who is ready to wear the mantle of an Old Testament prophet?  Let's separate them from the wannabes.

Sincerest blessings to you my brother in Christ Jesus.

[SavedOnebyGrace]

8 minutes ago, Giller said:

Ya I know there are a lot of bad stuff out there, I once went to a meeting with a friend of mine, and heard this preacher speak in tongues, and it was evil, you could feel an evil presence behind it, I find when it is genuine, there is a sense of humbleness and humility to it, a sense of reverence.

God bless.

Because you could sense the bad stuff is proof to me that the Holy Spirit is watching over you and resides in you.  God bless you and keep you humble, as I sense you are.

Both the good and the bad have happened to me too.  I write about the good in my testimony.  The bad just happens when I'm around certain people.  I don't expect it, it just happens.  My wife is a much better person than I could ever hope to be.  She was exchanging phone numbers with a couple she just met at a bookstore and I immediately felt unease.  Turns out they were members of what I would consider a cult.  My wife didn't know this and had never heard of this organization.

Before I became a born-again believer, before I heard the testimony of the former outlaw biker at Silver Dollar City, my wife went to a prayer service with relatives away from home.  When she came back, I could feel the Holy Spirit pouring out of her pores.  I felt uncomfortable around her for a few days because I wasn't a believer at that time and was in rebellion against God's word.  That would all change when I least expected it.

[BobRyan]

3 minutes ago, Giller said:

I will share two scriptures here:

1Co 14:2
(2)  For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.
 

1Co 14:27-28
(27)  If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.
(28)  But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.

How can we know if unknown tongues is referring to other tongues which are known in the world, but not known to the person, or if it is referring to tongues that are not known at all to men, but is known to God?

Well it is very easy to know.

 

Indeed it is easy to know because 1 Cor 14 says that tongues are for a "sign to unbelievers" not even a sign at all to believers. AND it says that if you speak in a tongue not known to the unbeliever then they will call you a pagan a barbarian you will be a "barbarian to the unbeliever" rather than a "sign that you are of God"

 

3 minutes ago, Giller said:

We just have to compare scriptures with scriptures.

What does it say on the day of Pentecost about other tongues?

Act 2:4-6
(4)  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.
 

The unknown tongues that are not spoken to oneself and to God, always have to be interpreted, but the other tongues in Acts needed no interpretation, which this all by itself, shows a distinction between the tongues.

In 1 Cor 14 the statement is made that someone in the room needs to know what is being said. In Acts 2 "They are all drunk" is the accusation made against them - because the local Jews could not understand the other languages. Just as 1 Cor 14 -- if the listener does not understand and does not have the gift of interpretation you will be "A barbarian to them"

[Riccardo]

As a new christian I went to a pentecostal  church for about a year, & all told me that they just repeat a few words over & over & said it felt good, similarly to meditating with a mantra, which feels good, from my own personal experiences. Basing something as good because of emotional feelings is very unwise, & is a way for satin to get his foot in the door, fortunately the bible forbids chanting.  Repeating a few words over & over is chanting.

I have heard at a gathering of tong speaking, a new visitor to the church mentioned that what a person was saying was from their language & was satanic.

Why would someone say something that they have no idea was being said, except for self gratification in one form or another. 

Edited May 30, 2017 by Riccardo

[Riccardo]

Hello Brother Giller,

I also believe in the gift of tongues, & can only talk from my experiences of asking those around me &  of their experiences & that covers 2,000 kms of the Australian coast at different congregations. 

I am well aware that speaking in tongues is & was a gift & what the gift was for & not for.  1Cor 14  makes it quite clear the problems they had in Corinth & their abuse of it. It is a language & should have a translator & to have it translated you first must ask if some one can speak that particular language so to translate it for the congregation. The body of Christ is not all eyes or all ears but yet seem to be all tongues in some churches. 

I have yet to see it used in any congregation in the correct manner. I only see people with false pretenses of a gift babbling, not edifying the church, & not knowing what they are babbling on about. How can one say its from God, how would they know? Don't tell me you just know that doesn't qualify.
   

I am happy for you or anyone to have the real deal, because it edifies the body & that's its purpose to spread the gospel.

God bless, I do wish the best for you & I believe in your sincerity, which is all any of us can live by, our conscience. 

 

  

[fixerupper]

On 5/23/2017 at 7:14 PM, firestormx said:

I know of one. We lived in Alaska when I was a kid. During one of the services, the spirit moved and my mother began speaking in tongues. Nothing out of the usual for my mom or the church.  No interpretation was given during the service and the service moved on. After the service was over we were approached by these people. One of them began to speak to my mom in a language I didn't understand. My mom explained she didn't understand them or the language they were speaking. It turns out this family wanted to be in church. But there was an older woman with them that spoke no English and wasn't saved. She was a native Eskimo and that was the only language she spoke. They told my mom that when she stood up and spoke in the service that she had spoken in this Eskimo's native language perfectly, talking about Jesus and the salvation that is only in him.

 You can choose to believe this very true story or not but God can speak through any of his children who will submit and let him.  Speaking in tongues is nothing more then the Holy Spirit Giving the utterance or words ( Acts 2:4 ). The source of the utterance or words is God, not the mind or experience or heart of the person speaking. 

What you've just described is how the true gift of tongued works.  Nearly everything else is bogus.

[bryan]

4 hours ago, fixerupper said:

What you've just described is how the true gift of tongued works.  Nearly everything else is bogus.

Agreed

[fixerupper]

48 minutes ago, bryan said:

Agreed

I witnessed it that way in 1973 in a church in Augsghurg.  Three Muslim's from Cyprus were there and you could tell this wasn't gibberish but a real language. After the service they all said how the speaker spoke in Turkish and the translation in English was the same.  I knew the speaker well and know he didn't speak Turkish.

Edited June 23, 2017 by fixerupper

[Fidei Defensor]

Another reason Tounges are feared is the Spirit of Jezebel and control. Tounges can lead to the Holy Spirit falling and controlling people don't want the Spirit in control. Why Tounges would offend me is odd, we live in an age when you hear other languages daily, and for some reason Latin and Greek and Slavonic being used in other churches doesn't offend, but Tounges does?