Speaking in tongues

[Scarletprayers]

Is tongues a more important way to pray? Does God hear tongues better than he can hear us...humble servats who do not have the gift of tongues?

I really want to know...

No.

Like Paul, I would rather pray a single word in a discernable tongue than a thousand in another.

Prayer is prayer, is prayer is prayer.

Then why is tongues so important to so many people?

Because a lot of people are seeking supernatural experiences.

I agree

[Giaour]

1 Corinthians 14

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.

5. I would that ye all spake with tongues; but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.

6. Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?

7. And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?

8. For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?

9. So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air.

10. There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification.

11. Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me.

12. Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.

13. Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret.

14. For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.

15. What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.

16. Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?

17. For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.

18. I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:

19. Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.

20. Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.

21. In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord.

22. Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.

23. If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?

24. But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all:

25. And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.

26. How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.

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.

29. Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.

30. If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.

31. For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.

32. And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.

33. For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.

34. Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.

35. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.

36. What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only?

37. If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.

38. But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.

39. Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.

40. Let all things be done decently and in order.

[CaritateDei]

Ok...that Bible quote by Giaour tells me a few things.

One...it would seem that tongues is not a switch you can turn on or off. It seems that praying for the gift of tongues is an oxymoron. It seems to me that there MUST be an interpreter for tongues to be valid at all.

So...since none of this happens...ummm...why use them? Why try to pray and spread the gospel with useless jibber-jabber?

Seems to me that way too many Christians confuse spirituality with emotion.

A guy prayed over me to give me the gift of tongues once. I let him and two others do so with an OPEN mind.

The guy actually said "Oblah-Dee, Oblah-Dah!" Does God speak the language of the Beatles? Is that TONGUES?

Or was the well-educated man from Rhema Bible College simply giving me a bunch of jibber-jabber?

[Floatingaxe]

Oh, it happens!

However, when one prays in the Spirit, as Paul did constantly, in tongues, in personal prayer, there is no interpreter required, for it is not a message or encouragement to the church itself, but is for the edification of that believer only.

Hopefully, it happens alot! I don't see a day go by that I don't worship or pray in tongues at least once. I am sure the practice is just what Paul encourages us to be doing.

[Giaour]

Did I just read that Paul said it was forbidden for women to speak in tongues in church?

It sure looks that way.

34. Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.

35. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.

[Floatingaxe]

Did I just read that Paul said it was forbidden for women to speak in tongues in church?

It sure looks that way.

34. Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.

35. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.

Oh Sheesh! We aren't talking about church behaviour! Paul never forbade the use of the gifts..only chatterboxes!!!

[Karen C.]

Did I just read that Paul said it was forbidden for women to speak in tongues in church?

It sure looks that way.

34. Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law.

35. And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church.

Oh Sheesh! We aren't talking about church behaviour! Paul never forbade the use of the gifts..only chatterboxes!!!

AMEN!!

[Davve]

I sure had a lot of fun reading all the responses justifying seeking tongues. Seems to me that those who recieved them in the Bible didn't seek them or ask for them or desire them, they just got them.

I think that is just so cool the way the Holy Ghost did something that they didn't ask or seek for, but equiped them for, at the time that they needed it. I love it.

As an ex-penacostal I enjoy hearing the passion with which the Gifts and defended and Tongues are defended.

My well meaning, but misguided pastors led me to, "The Power" of God also, but were all the while leading me further away from Jesus himself.

Tongues are a waste of time and energy and rob a saint from serving Jesus without their own agenda being incorporated. (that should get a lot of quotes)Look, it's something we are seeking after, going for....for What? More power, More direct connection, More special or secret knowlege, More, More More....I remember being in services were all we did was Cry Fervently, MORE....MORE....MORE....MORE....Tears streaming down our faces, wailing and crying and reaching, and when someone screamed we all got excited because someone just got touched by God! Where do you think tongues lead? Don't you see it?

The Bible is superseeded by the NEW word from God spoken by the pastor or someone in the congreation.

Yes the Bible says: Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. But we prove all things by taking texts from here and there and putting them all together like a puzzle so the picutre is what we think it should look like. So what ever doctrine we think fits, gets sucked into the mix.

I have relation that are still in the tongues deception of today. They pity me. I watch them be manipulated by highly emotionally charged services where;

"God really showed up this morning" and are so addicted to "Proof Text Preaching" that as they read the Bible, context is not a consideration any longer, just personal revelation.

What A Mess!

I am a servant of Jesus Christ alone. My identity is wraped up in him. I have no agenda but to serve him today, and, by the grace and mercy of God, tomorrow. I want no power, I want no special word, I want only to serve him by serving those around me, and I trust him to equip me along the way.

An ex-pentacostal with no regretts,

Daave

So where does ridiculing and belittling others fit into your servanthood? Seems to me like you could have prefaced your entire post by saying "In my own personal opinion" instead of tossing out a lot of bitter, and superior-sounding rhetoric like it was fact. . . What part of your post above is constructive or edifying?

Good Questions!

The constructive parts are these:

1. Where do you think tongues lead? I don't want anyone to blindly follow their teachers.

2. The unspoken message of pentecostalism is that experience is the truth, thus by sharing my experience I hope that I am appealing to the language most pentecosals are familiar with. Here is another experince....I have been a staggering drunk from bellying up to the bar of what is called the Holy Ghost, numb lips, slurred speach, falling down drunk and held to the floor by an unseen presence that pressed upon my whole body, while calling on Jesus and praising God for being able to be drunk in the spirit but without having a hang over.

When we are first saved and Jesus is so precious to us and we experinece sin that once enticed us with such strenght has lost it's power and we can come off a little obnoxious to those who are still fighting with addictions we have little or no struggle with any longer because of who Jesus is to us, and the power of the Holy Ghost applying the blood of the covenant of Christ to our lives.

Well that would be me as an ex-pentacostal. I am so glad to be a normal Jesus loving, Holy Ghost lead child of God. I have included some quotes from Matthew

Matthew 23

1. Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,

2. Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:

3. All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.

4. For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

5. But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,

6. And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues,

7. And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.

8. But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.

9. And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.

10. Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.

11. But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.

12. And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

13. But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.

14. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.

15. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

16. Woe unto you, ye blind guides, which say, Whosoever shall swear by the temple, it is nothing; but whosoever shall swear by the gold of the temple, he is a debtor!

17. Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gold, or the temple that sanctifieth the gold?

18. And, Whosoever shall swear by the altar, it is nothing; but whosoever sweareth by the gift that is upon it, he is guilty.

19. Ye fools and blind: for whether is greater, the gift, or the altar that sanctifieth the gift?

20. Whoso therefore shall swear by the altar, sweareth by it, and by all things thereon.

21. And whoso shall swear by the temple, sweareth by it, and by him that dwelleth therein.

22. And he that shall swear by heaven, sweareth by the throne of God, and by him that sitteth thereon.

23. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.

24. Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel.

25. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess.

26. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.

27. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness.

28. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

29. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,

30. And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.

31. Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.

32. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.

33. Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

34. Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:

35. That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.

36. Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.

37. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

38. Behold, your house is left unto you desolate.

39. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Luke 6:24 But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.

25. Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.

26. Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

Somber warnings arn't they.

Luke chapter 11 has some Woe's as well, why would Jesus say these things, what scriptures was he quoteing? He didn't quote any did he, he clearly stated what they were doing.

One of the consatant failings of Israel was that of the nation going back into the pagan practices of the surrounding nations. Do you know which pagan practices our are churchs involved in now? Are you willing to search it out?

Daave

2 Timothy 4

1. I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;

2. Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

3. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

4. And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

[Vickilynn]

Edited March 15, 2007 by Vickilynn

[CaritateDei]

Oh, it happens!

However, when one prays in the Spirit, as Paul did constantly, in tongues, in personal prayer, there is no interpreter required, for it is not a message or encouragement to the church itself, but is for the edification of that believer only.

Hopefully, it happens alot! I don't see a day go by that I don't worship or pray in tongues at least once. I am sure the practice is just what Paul encourages us to be doing.

But is says that tongues are invalid and useless without an interpreter...so I guess we are advocating useless prayer on these boards?