Tongues in the bible

To view this in formatted text,
home.nc.rr.com...


You have no doubt heard people refer to, 'speaking in tongues'. There are plenty of people out there to tell you why you should do it, how you should do it, and that you should, in fact, be doing it. First I am going to list some MYTHS about speaking in tongues that are held by Christians.

Everyone filled with the Holy Spirit will speak in tongues
Anyone who does not speak in a tongue or prayer language is not saved
Prayer language is different than tongues
Basically, most people in the 'charismatic movement' think that tongues is something for anywhere, anytime, by anyone. Anyone who is filled with the Holy Spirit should be doing it. They can show you many verses in the bible to support what they say, and because they do, I will take it upon myself to show you , what they won't.

1Co 12:27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
1Co 12:28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
1Co 12:29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
1Co 12:30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
1Co 12:31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet show I unto you a more excellent way.
Do you see it? Clearly not everyone is expected to heal, or speak in tongues, or interpret tongues. Lets take a look at it in the MSG bible

1Co 12:27 You are Christ's body--that's who you are! You must never forget this. Only as you accept your part of that body does your "part" mean anything.
1Co 12:28 You're familiar with some of the parts that God has formed in his church, which is his "body": apostles prophets teachers miracle workers healers helpers organizers those who pray in tongues.
1Co 12:29 But it's obvious by now, isn't it, that Christ's church is a complete Body and not a gigantic, unidimensional Part? It's not all Apostle, not all Prophet, not all Miracle Worker,
1Co 12:30 not all Healer, not all Prayer in Tongues, not all Interpreter of Tongues.
1Co 12:31 And yet some of you keep competing for so-called "important" parts. But now I want to lay out a far better way for you.
So let no one tell you that you should be speaking in tongues, and thus making you feel that you have somehow done something wrong, or not done something right. Also notice this: In the verse above it says something about interpreting tongues. The bible says several things on that subject, but lets take a look at this, and then you can see if it applies to your church.

1Co 14:27 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.
1Co 14:28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.
That seems pretty clear. During church, there should NOT be a dozen or so people, including the pastor, blurting out tongues in some chaotic manner. To do so, is just not biblical. Lets take a look at the same verse in the MSG bible

1Co 14:27 If prayers are offered in tongues, two or three's the limit, and then only if someone is present who can interpret what you're saying.
1Co 14:28 Otherwise, keep it between God and yourself.
There is just no way around those verses. If you have witnessed tongues different then the way God says they should be, then , you have to wonder, is the motivation coming from a Godly desire?

Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, also weighed in on the matter of prayer.

Mat 6:1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.
Mat 6:2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Mat 6:3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
Mat 6:4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
Mat 6:5 And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
Mat 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
So how does this apply?
Every part of the bible applies to some part of our life. If you are going to ignore Paul's teaching on tongues, then it is clear you are not following the bible concerning your 'prayer language'. If your not following the bible, then who is it you are honoring? I have seen tongues coached, pushed, almost forced. I have seen peer pressure used to get folks to do it. That, my friend, is not from God. If God does not inspire it, then there will be NO interpretation.
Now before you decide if you agree, I want you to ask your self this question. Was anything taught on this page, that is not in the bible?

I hope this has blessed you, on a subject that many find very difficult.


home.nc.rr.com...

some people should also know that speaking in tongues has two meanings in the bible. One is shortly after the pentecost

Acts 2:6When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? 9Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11(both Jews and converts to Judaism Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" 12Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?"

13Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had too much wine."

In that a person that spoke in tongues could be heard by many differant nationalities in thier own language at the same time. I think God did this blessing mainly because Jeruselam was a sort of crossroads and it would help spread the Gospel.

The only more simple definition is just being able to speak in a differant language.

[edit on 5/2/2005 by Jehosephat]

Speaking in Tongues refers simply to the fact that throu divine work the apostles were able to sepak foreigner tongues to the pilgrines...it has nothing to do with the jiburish that the "Pentecostal" priest/revernds/pastor mumble during service... if it was ppl would understand what they say, but the fact is NOONE DOES ... because its not a "TONGUE" its balloney ... made-up baloney to fill-in the donation plates, its just ppl are to affraid to say, because if they admit they dont understand the BAHLBING they will be cast out of their church and accuse of not having the Holy Spirit.

"Speaking in Tongues" is only ONE of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and if a person doesnt have it it does NOT been they are not bor-again, thats just another of the many Protestant Church pryde trips.

the TRUE meaning of "speaking in tongues" is for example if i went to Greece, and all of the sudden i started speaking Greek, without having ever learned it. That was what happen at Pentecost.


If we choose to believe that anyone who has the Holy Spirit has to speak in tongues, than there is NOT ONE person in this world with the Holy Spirit, and all Christinas are fake ...


[edit on 2-5-2005 by BaastetNoir]

I'm not sure I follow this. Are you trying to say speaking in tongues is not an outreach tool, it doesn't happen any more, it is not an indication of faith, and/or something I'm completely missing?

I know that speaking in tongues is a major point of debate in Christian circles, but I haven't really run into it outside. I guess I'm just confused...Any help?

Originally posted by junglejake
I'm not sure I follow this. Are you trying to say speaking in tongues is not an outreach tool, it doesn't happen any more, it is not an indication of faith, and/or something I'm completely missing?

I know that speaking in tongues is a major point of debate in Christian circles, but I haven't really run into it outside. I guess I'm just confused...Any help?

NOt at all jake. No.

I wrote this to fellow christians on the board as a learning tool
Im not going to argue the validity of tongues with the non-believers.

The bible says that tongues are a gift from God.
There tongues(languages) and
Tongues - language of angels

Then I also explained that in church Paul said
Speak it by 2 or 3 at most, and let someone interpret
If no interpretation, then stop.
Why?
Because they were going nuts with it and it was chasing off the new guys.
So if you were ever in a church like that, then they should have known better.

That should have been the entire lesson, but then Ive had people say..
"But tongues is a prayer language and thus not interpreted"
So I refer back to Jesus who said not to pray out lound in the churches like the pharisees.

Thats all jake

just something to learn by.

Originally posted by jake1997

The bible says that tongues are a gift from God.
There tongues(languages) and
Tongues - language of angels

very true...

Then I also explained that in church Paul said
Speak it by 2 or 3 at most, and let someone interpret
If no interpretation, then stop.
Why?
Because they were going nuts with it and it was chasing off the new guys.
So if you were ever in a church like that, then they should have known better.

and they still are... nowadays there are plenty of churches that use and abuse of this gift, when they dont have it, and are going against Paul's advice.

That should have been the entire lesson, but then Ive had people say..

and i completly agree with you, if nowadays churches followed Paul's advice or teaching there would not be this madness of "false tongues" and deceit in order to get as much money as they can.

"But tongues is a prayer language and thus not interpreted"
So I refer back to Jesus who said not to pray out lound in the churches like the pharisees.

TRUE ! TRUE ! TRUE ! TRUE !
agreed 100%