Praying in tongues and its benefits.

[BibleStudent100]

On 1/24/2025 at 4:55 AM, FreeGrace said:

Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air

What is the purpose of speaking in tongues if such "tongue" is not a known language?  Additionally, when people speak in "tongues" is it babbling?  I have never been in such a scenario so I am asking.  For those who engage in speaking in tongues, has it been recorded and then passed to a linguist for analysis?  Or is it mumbling?  Why not just use actual words to speak to God?

[FreeGrace]

1 hour ago, BibleStudent100 said:

What is the purpose of speaking in tongues if such "tongue" is not a known language?

The point of 1 Cor 14 is that no one benefits from hearing but not understanding someone speaking in a language they don't know, except the speaker.  So if there is no one with the gift of interpretation, the speaker should only speak to God (in prayer).

1 hour ago, BibleStudent100 said:

  Additionally, when people speak in "tongues" is it babbling?

I don't know.  I've not been to churches where people claim they are speaking in tongues.

1 hour ago, BibleStudent100 said:

I have never been in such a scenario so I am asking.

From others who have heard people doing it, they have described it as babbling.

1 hour ago, BibleStudent100 said:

  For those who engage in speaking in tongues, has it been recorded and then passed to a linguist for analysis?  Or is it mumbling?  Why not just use actual words to speak to God?

Paul said that speaking in tongues edifies the person speaking, but not anyone else, unless there is someone who has the gift of interpretation, and explains what was said, so that others can benefit (be edified).

Like the miracle and healing gifts, that were common during the first century, and were used to give credibility to the gospel message, I believe the gift of tongues was a way to instruct the congregations before the written canon was completed.  

So, once the canon was complete, the need for such spiritual gifts was no longer needed.

Without these spiritual gifts, the establishment of churches in the first century would have been much slower.

[Cyoder]

1 hour ago, other one said:

There is praying in tongues of angels between that person and God.

I attend a Nazarene Church, and we fund missionaries all over the world.   We have reports where people converse with groups of people, not knowing their language.

I believe God gives people the ability to speak languages they don't understand.  Actual languages.  This is what is taught in the Bible. Like me waking up and somehow being able to speak Russian when I need to teach the gospel in Russia.  That would be a miracle.  Mumbling incoherent nonsense?  Not so much.  I think Biblical reference to this is weak at best.  Seems like the work of charlatans.  

[other one]

13 hours ago, Cyoder said:

I believe God gives people the ability to speak languages they don't understand.  Actual languages.  This is what is taught in the Bible. Like me waking up and somehow being able to speak Russian when I need to teach the gospel in Russia.  That would be a miracle.  Mumbling incoherent nonsense?  Not so much.  I think Biblical reference to this is weak at best.  Seems like the work of charlatans.  

You would be partially right.   There is also a prayer tongue that you seem to be missing any experience with.    And actually that came to me in the middle of the night while I was away from home working and my wife was in serious trouble.

[Your closest friendnt]

 

13 hours ago, Cyoder said:

I believe God gives people the ability to speak languages they don't understand.  Actual languages.  This is what is taught in the Bible. Like me waking up and somehow being able to speak Russian when I need to teach the gospel in Russia.  That would be a miracle.  Mumbling incoherent nonsense?  Not so much.  I think Biblical reference to this is weak at best.  Seems like the work of charlatans.  

They say when they pray the way they do it is for their edification. They do not connect with a charlatan spirit but they have the peace of the sweet Holy Spirit and they like or need to fill that way. They get a touch from the Holy Spirit who is not judging them. They have this need or for anyother reason as it clears their minds and I won't take it away from them. Their intent is to pray or worship the Lord in their Spirit. It was told that we will worship in Spirit and in truth. The scriptures also say that the Holy Spirit is praying for us for we do not know what we need. 

 

Edited January 26 by Your closest friendnt

[In the Clouds]

There are different types of divine communication:  prayer and supplications with or without words, speaking in tongues, resting in the Spirit, constant communication, even dreams and revelations.  Does the personal experience need to be defined?  

[Ray12614]

On 1/25/2025 at 7:43 AM, Cyoder said:

I don't believe speaking in tongues is a real thing.

That settles it for you then . . . you don't believe Paul's explanation and the scriptures concerning this . . . . Hummmm . . . . 

To me it is the greatest comfort ( the Holy Spirit is an comforter). If you don't want that precious gift . . . No problem . . . But . . . what else do you choose in the scripture that you don't believe in? Hummm . . . . that is a slippery slope.

[Your closest friendnt]

12 hours ago, Ray12614 said:

That settles it for you then . . . you don't believe Paul's explanation and the scriptures concerning this . . . . Hummmm . . . . 

To me it is the greatest comfort ( the Holy Spirit is an comforter). If you don't want that precious gift . . . No problem . . . But . . . what else do you choose in the scripture that you don't believe in? Hummm . . . . that is a slippery slope.

 We are saved and we are blessed without speaking in tongues. 

It's because we believe. 

 

Edited January 27 by Your closest friendnt

[Ray12614]

11 hours ago, Your closest friendnt said:

 We are saved and we are blessed without speaking in tongues. 

It's because we believe. 

 

Agreed. It is not an salvation requirement.

My thought on this is that it is more an fellowship with Jesus issue (privately), and an edification issue to the assembled church (publicly when interpreted and in order).

There certainly are other weightier issues to consider as well . . . how about giving of ourselves, our money, our support? How about holiness and consecrated living to Jesus? How about the Gifts of the Spirit? How about the fruit of the Spirit? How about not bickering and complaining about  various ministries and denominations (one of the posters in this thread above took a cheap 'drive-by shot' at Copeland ministries)?

Are we in an 'cafeteria style' Christianity where we pick and choose what scriptures to believe and which ones we ignore?

Just asking . . . . 

[farouk]

On 1/25/2025 at 7:43 AM, Cyoder said:

I don't believe speaking in tongues is a real thing.  It's just people making up nonsense.  In the Bible, speaking in tongues was a miracle only because the disciples instantly could speak another language. A real language, like Spanish or Latin.  I totally believe that is real.  If they spoke some made up jumble of words, nobody would be able to understand, and everyone would have thought they were just crazy.  Made up language that nobody but an "interpreter" can understand sounds like a way to manipulate people.  Watching good ol Kenneth Copeland going off mumbling nonsense then begging people for money comes to mind.

Hi @Cyoder The gift of tongues - languages - was relative to the Apostolic period when there was as yet no complete canon of Scripture.