Is tongues necessary?

[damo1]

from damo1

it seems to me poor in spirit you are very negative or not willing to let go of the bitterness in you you have not even heard what i said in my posts and today i come on line to see if you had responded it shows me as a brother in the lord that you as a person are showing us that do belive in this gift and use it propley and with in our own personal lives

i read every single thing you stated in your last post i mean how foolish can one person be poor in spirit ? you even had the nerve to chage in one of my topics to even line it up with your own words poor in spirit this topic is about is speaking in tongues necessary and its even showing me that you are on some mission to even correct those that do use this gift and have not been blinded but open to the truth of gods word

all i asked in my post is that you respond and you state that i my self and many others that do belive in this gift wil not listen this is what creats division in the body of christ you have one side thinking that it is wrong or have not seen it in its proper use than you have another side that belives in this and wil share but still some how one is saying you are a wack job or crazy and you need to be corrected

in the church i am in know poor in spirit we have people that have been hurt very bad and as i said to you in the post i left for you to read should that baptist pastor have said to those in the church he took over to repent and denounce the gift of tongues ?

and you have not given any in put to what i asked you to share your thoughts on to what i left for you to read

is my 11 yr old boy walking in sin then wanting to also ask for this gift or should i just give him the kings james version poor in spirit and tell him what you hold on to and say to my son no i do not want you seeking this gift

this wil creat more division that draw us together in unity

do you think god will not hold you acountable for what you are saying and how you are behaving towards those that do use this gift and openly cry out to the holy spirit to help them walk in this gitt

i feel sorry for you and i am not going to open up any more to you or to those that just want to bluntly attac and try to correct with out showing any respect at all

you some how need to ask the spirit to search your heart as i would not like to be in your shoes on judgment day

please do not ever try to correct me or try to get me to come to your way as i wil defend this gospel all the way to the end i wil even challange if i have to and as i stated to you i am with in my rights to do this as i want my son to move freely with out having any one lay the guilt trip on him and making him feel bad

this is al i am going to say on this

[poorinspirit]

please do not ever try to correct me or try to get me to come to your way as i wil defend this gospel all the way to the end i wil even challange if i have to and as i stated to you i am with in my rights to do this as i want my son to move freely with out having any one lay the guilt trip on him and making him feel bad

this is al i am going to say on this

That is why I have not been replying. We have opposing views, and that is that. I don't care to argue or to debate with anyone. I leave it to the Lord to cause the increase. It is not on me to convince or to convict, but to keep the faith as I trust Him to help me to do even that.

Love ya, brother, but as you seem to get offended quickly, I cannot share anything else with you at this time.

[damo1]

please do not ever try to correct me or try to get me to come to your way as i wil defend this gospel all the way to the end i wil even challange if i have to and as i stated to you i am with in my rights to do this as i want my son to move freely with out having any one lay the guilt trip on him and making him feel bad

this is al i am going to say on this

That is why I have not been replying. We have opposing views, and that is that. I don't care to argue or to debate with anyone. I leave it to the Lord to cause the increase. It is not on me to convince or to convict, but to keep the faith as I trust Him to help me to do even that.

Love ya, brother, but as you seem to get offended quickly, I cannot share anything else with you at this time.

from damo1

so then why think that god is going to correct me its as if you not even showing me any respect and felt you had the right to change one of my posts to come in line with the way you think ?

i do not get offended but what cuts me as a brother as wel and some one who reads the same bible as you you only want to hear one side and ignore the rest ?

this shows me that you are on a mission and i feel you will get no wear by saying what you are saying and only one group is right i too am a person and i to am walking in faith i do not curse god when i speak or worship in tongues or tel any new christian not to seek this gift

you some how have backed of or have no value back up to back your statments this is what it is showing me hear as we only debate an issue like the one hear if their is back up and i know the bible i am reading cuts to the heart the living word of god does not lie the living word of god does not miss lead any one and the living word of god sets a person free

we can not take one thing that means some thing to us and leave the rest out and then try to even bring confusion in to wear you even make some one else question their own faith as i said this is what creats devision well if you cant answer me then i ask that you walk the path you are on with god and alow me as a fellow brother to walk the path i am on with out trying to argue or go by what one person says to why they belive it is wrong to use the gift of speaking in tongues is wrong

i sort of was looking forward to disscusing this in an open manner wear unity and respect is shown but it seems to me some can not even walk in unity with us like minded brothers and sisters that hold on to this gift

i wish you al the best in your walk and i stil love you as a brother but please try to not be a stumbling block for a new christian that is all i am asking hear as new christians should have the same rights to move freely with out having any one lay the gullt trip on them your not the first one i have had sevral heated debates hear wear i live and from what i have seen and learnt is this when you pray that the truth sets some one free and stand by the truth of gods word with out taking in things we only want to hear god comes along and does what he has to do

as i said unless god tells me to repent of this then i wil repent i wil not alow a man to get me to do this as it was gods holy spirit that convicted me when i was in jail not man or the gaurds or the inmate that was in my cell i am not a wack job or a lunatic just because i belive in this and as i said i dont force my views i only challange when i am challanged and looked down on i am with in my rights i do not need no one to back me up or come on board and stick up for me i can do this on my own as i know my faith is strong in god

i wil just have to weight until i face god on judgment day and i wil ask him my self was what i was holding on to is this sin by asking you to give me this gift of speaking in tongues and we will just have to see take care brother and i wish you all the best in the futer may god increase in you and help you

[angels4u]

QUOTE(eric @ Oct 19 2007, 09:50 PM)

The title of this thread is...........Is tongues necessary? and the short answer is.....NO. I have managed for over twenty years of not speaking in tongues and have no desire to start now. I am sure the Lord can understand my Kiwi english

Eric I'm with you on this for since 1981, I speak 2 kinds of tongues Dutch and English

[AnotherTraveler]

What bothers me is how the subject of speaking in tongues to be more valued than prophesying.

Any gift is only necessary when the gift is needed. If you prophecy, and can tell us what the following days events are to be, yet I am sick, then the gift that is necessary (for me at the time) is healing, not to dismiss the other gifts.

It's easy to dismiss the gifts you disagree with (or don't personally possess), but what about the gift's you do agree with?

1 Cor 12:4-9 (KJV)

4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

1 Cor 12:4-9 (GW)

4 There are different spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit gives them. 5 There are different ways of serving, and yet the same Lord is served. 6 There are different types of work to do, but the same God produces every gift in every person.

7 The evidence of the Spirit's presence is given to each person for the common good of everyone. 8 The Spirit gives one person the ability to speak with wisdom. The same Spirit gives another person the ability to speak with knowledge. 9 To another person the same Spirit gives {courageous} faith. To another person the same Spirit gives the ability to heal.

Notice I have made the gift of faith to stand out in bold print. Is this gift of the Spirit also ceased? If so why? If not, why not?

Continuing to read this chapter we find.....

1 Cor 12:21-31 (GW)

An eye can't say to a hand, “I don't need you!” Or again, the head can't say to the feet, “I don't need you!” 22 The opposite is true. The parts of the body that we think are weaker are the ones we really need. 23 The parts of the body that we think are less honorable are the ones we give special honor. So our unpresentable parts are made more presentable. 24 However, our presentable parts don't need this kind of treatment. God has put the body together and given special honor to the part that doesn't have it. 25 God's purpose was that the body should not be divided but rather that all of its parts should feel the same concern for each other. 26 If one part of the body suffers, all the other parts share its suffering. If one part is praised, all the others share in its happiness.

27 You are Christ's body and each of you is an individual part of it. 28 In the church God has appointed first apostles, next prophets, third teachers, then those who perform miracles, then those who have the gift of healing, then those who help others, those who are managers, and those who can speak in a number of languages. 29 Not all believers are apostles, are they? Are all of them prophets? Do all of them teach? Do all of them perform miracles 30 or have gifts of healing? Can all of them speak in other languages or interpret languages?

31 You {only} want the better gifts, but I will show you the best thing to do.

"then those who help others" it says God appointed these, and clearly not every believer is or does everything, but neither can we dismiss one another because we have no need of the other (someone else might need them, and God might have provided them for someone else other than you)

The gift that is necessary is the one that is needed at the time by the one in need. Some expressed they have gone 20 years without needing the gift of tongues, fine, I have no problem with that, but that doesn't mean someone else has not had that need.

[Guest Greg Davies]

Wow! It's amazing how this topic has deteriorted into a confusing mish mash of personal opinions and declarations of unbelief.

I have yet to see one person, who thinks tongues and/or the gifts of the spirit has ceased, offer any scriptural support.

No one who has bothered to read the book of Acts can deny that tongues was an evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit.

I Cor. 14 establishes tongues as desirable with Paul's clear statements that he spoke in tongues "more that ye all", that he thought everyone should speak in tongues, and that tongues were for personal edification, something we all need.

Jesus said that the Father would give the Holy Spirit to anyone who asks. He is as free as salvation. Just ask and receive. Scripture plainly declares the benefits of speaking in tongues. Why wouldn't you want to. There is nothing but encouragement to do so.

The lengths some will go to in order to justify their unbelief is baffling. Instead of relying on men's opinion, why not just take the Word of God for what it says and believe it.

There is only one scriptural discouragement to the "unknown" tongue. In I Cor. 14, Paul says that we should refrain from it in the church as a matter of public declaration unless there is someone who will interpret.

The bottom line here is faith. Exrockstar has asked that someone describe how it is done. The answer is by faith. Just like everything else in the Bible. It is received by faith and acted on by faith.

Greg.

Edited October 22, 2007 by Greg Davies

[Sherman]

I'm curious, is there anyone who prophecies, but does not also speak in tongues? I cannot remember anyone ever saying that they prophecy and yet they do not also speak in tongues. For me, it's a bigger step of faith to prophecy than it is to speak in tongues; though it was a huge step for me to initially speak in tongues.

Also, unfotunately many limit prophecy to speaking of future events. However, prophecy is far more than just speaking of future events; it is sharing what you believe that the Lord is saying concerning past, present, or future events or situations. In fact, many, if not most, prophetic words are focused on current events and situations in people's lives, encouraging, edifying, and correcting them.

From both scripture and experience, I believe that praying in the Spirit (tongues) serves as a means of building up one's faith and clearing one's mind so that he/she can hear a "present" word from God and have the faith to share it openly and publicly. That's why Paul wrote that he desired everyone to pray and tongues and even more so that they would prophesy. When one prays in tongues, one builds himself up, but when one prophecys, one edifies others.

[Sherman]

A good example of tongues and interpretation:

Several years ago, the pastor of the church that I was attending, stood during worship and said that he believed the Lord had given him a message in tongues that was for the whole church and that he would share it and prayerfully wait for God to give the interpretation. He shared and almost immediately I could hear the first part of a prayer. Whey I prophecy, I usually will hear the first few words of the message; and then when I begin sharing those few words in faith, the remainder and bulk of the message comes spontaneously after I begin sharing. It was this way this time.

The interpretation turned out to be a prayer for God to deliver us from the sin that was amoung us. I didn't know what it meant at that time, what sin God was refering to, but it was something serious that needed to be dealt with.

Within the next couple of weeks, a terrible sin was uncovered; our primary worship leader was in some serious sin and actually abusing others. Of course, the other leaders in the church had no idea what this man was doing. It was a festering boil in our congregation that needed to be uncovered and lanced; and it was. PTL!!! God answers prayer, hallelujah!

Edited October 22, 2007 by Sherman

[Guest Greg Davies]

A good example of tongues and interpretation:

Several years ago, the pastor of the church that I was attending, stood during worship and said that he believed the Lord had given him a message in tongues that was for the whole church and that he would share it and prayerfully wait for God to give the interpretation. He shared and almost immediately I could hear the first part of a prayer. Whey I prophecy, I usually will hear the first few words of the message; and then when I begin sharing those few words in faith, the remainder and bulk of the message comes spontaneously after I begin sharing. It was this way this time.

The interpretation turned out to be a prayer for God to deliver us from the sin that was amoung us. I didn't know what it meant at that time, what sin God was refering to, but it was something serious that needed to be dealt with.

Within the next couple of weeks, a terrible sin was uncovered; our primary worship leader was in some serious sin and actually abusing others. Of course, the other leaders in the church had no idea what this man was doing. It was a festering boil in our congregation that needed to be uncovered and lanced; and it was. PTL!!! God answers prayer, hallelujah!

Excellent testimony Sherman!

In an earlier post, someone was lamenting the fact that there are some who get lifted up in pride and move in the gifts with wrong motives. Any time a human being is involved with something God is doing, there is the risk of the Lord's pure intent being defiled or polluted. But we can't "throw the baby out with the bath water".

Paul's final admonishion at the end of I Cor 14 was "let all things be done decently and in order". If we in the effort to keep everything decent and in order don't let anything be done, we are in error and the church is kept weak and immature. The above post demonstrates the need to let the gifts flow and the importance of tongues in the operation of the gifts. Praise God.

Greg.

[Sherman]

Excellent testimony Sherman!

In an earlier post, someone was lamenting the fact that there are some who get lifted up in pride and move in the gifts with wrong motives. Any time a human being is involved with something God is doing, there is the risk of the Lord's pure intent being defiled or polluted. But we can't "throw the baby out with the bath water".

Paul's final admonishion at the end of I Cor 14 was "let all things be done decently and in order". If we in the effort to keep everything decent and in order don't let anything be done, we are in error and the church is kept weak and immature. The above post demonstrates the need to let the gifts flow and the importance of tongues in the operation of the gifts. Praise God.

Greg.

I've come to accept that everything that I do and everything anyone else does is with mixed motives. The best that we have, our most excellent righteous acts and attitudes are polluted with our selfish nature. Accepting this is very humbling and very liberating. It also helps me to be more accepting of others and I stopped expecting them to be perfect.

I also find that those who accuse others are a kettle calling the frying pan black. In other words, what they accuse others of, they themselves are guilty of in a major way. People who worry about others being lifted up with pride are often themselves very prideful.

Scripture encourages and inspires me to seek to serve others using whatever gifts I have and to even desire new-to-me spiritual gifts. And the parable of the talents greatly encourages me to grow in the gifts I've experienced. Furthermore, pride is a common human condition that we all struggle with, that's why the word encourages us to not think more highly of ourselves than we should.

Concerning "let all things be done decently and in order," many people focus on the "decently and in order," but we also need to focus on the "let all things be done"! People get worried about wild-fire, but I've found that there are normally more than enough "wet-blankets" to smother most any fire. The gifts of the Spirit are powerful tools in expanding the Kingdom of God.

It's my sincere prayer that we are all increasingly filled with the Spirit of God.

Blessings,

Sherman