TO be a Real Christian do you HAVE to speak in tongues???

Question

I have tried but can't speak in "tongues", does that mean I am not a real christian? If it is a gift from the Holy Spirit, how come some people do it and others can't? also why can't people understand it and translate???

Answer 1

Why don't Christians "get it" that "speaking in tongues" means speaking in foreign languages, i.e., foreign "tongues"? The nonsense that is passed off as "speaking in tongues" in the modern distortion of the term is more likely just "echolalia". Look it up. Christianity spread far and wide because its missionaries could speak foreign languages - foreign "tongues". The reason some people can't do it or understand it is because in the real world it doesn't make any sense. Want to be a missionary? Learn a foreign "tongue", and forget about "speaking in tongues" as that is just plain silly.

Answer 2

The purpose in the Bible of speaking in tongues is to preach the gospel in another person's language so they can hear and understand the gospel. If people who claim to speak in tongues are not speaking a real language that is not of the Holy Spirit. It is caused by man or the devil and is evil.

You can most certainly be a true Christian filled with the Holy Spirit and not have the gift of speaking in tongues. Anyone who tells you different is either deceived themselves or is lying.

If you can not convince them of this truth don't associate with them as they will lead you away from Jesus. Look for another group that follows the Bible more closely.

Answer 3

Being filled the the Holy Ghost is the only way you will speak in tongues, and YOU wont actually do it, you will speak when the 'spirit gives you utterance'! Read the book of Acts and speak to your pastor regarding this. It is not something to play with. Pray and ask God to fill you with his Spirit, and read your bible. The Holy Ghost (or Holy Spirit) comes upon a clean life. You have to be separated from sin, and seek the Lord like never before! You may even want to fast(going without food) for a day or several hours a day if possible. Keep praying, and I'll be praying with you!!

Answer 4

There will only be a few that will a little more than 144,000 that is it!

Understand what speaking in tongue is!

Speaking in Tongues:
You have a room and there are 10 people in this room from 10 different countries of the world.
A teacher comes into the room and speaks to the 10 people.
Each person hears the teacher in his language from the town he was raised in, and marvels that the others in the room can understand the teacher!

This will happen again soon, this is one who is filled with the holy Spirit!

Answer 5

The gifts of the spirit are as follows
I. the word of wisdom
2. the word of knowledge.
3. faith,
4. gifts of healing,
5. working of miracles,
6. prophecy,
7. discerning of spirits.
8. Speaking tongues,
9. interpretation of tongues.
Most Real Christians would be Blessed With the ability to have from time to time, to use 2-3 of these. Most can not speak in Tongues, and far fewer will have interpretation of tongues.
Min Will

Answer 6

To be a real Christian you don't have to speak in tongues. Everyone has their own unique gift and it may not be this way.

Speaking in tongues, you can't really say whether or not they are genuinely speaking in tongues cos you don't understand it. I have heard someone say that they go for classes?!?! It will only have any meaning to us if one speaks in tongues and another who can translate as mentioned in the bible. Other than that it is something personal that only God can understand and jibberish to the rest of us.

Answer 7

1) You do not have to speak in tongues to be a christian. By grace are ye saved through faith ... not of works lest any man should boast. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and ye shall be saved. The moment you believe, The Holy Ghost is sealed in you. Stop trying so hard and trust. Rest in your salvation. 2) There are many spirits. Be carefull. Try them to see if they are of God. Tongues were given as a sign to the unbelieving Jew so they could hear the gospel news in their own language and be saved. 3)Also, there must be an interpreter present. If they are spoken out of order, the people hearing it will think the speaker is crazy. A buch of chimes add to confusion. That's just what Satan wants.

Answer 8

Apparently, people even back in the early church thought it was cool to speak in tongues.

Paul had to address this issue right from the start. He made it clear that the gift of speaking in tongues was a "MINOR" gift and should not be made so important.
He also explains that we are all given "different" gifts at different times and to use what you are given at that time. Not everyone gets all the gifts, some get just one at any given time.

The trick is to use what you are given for good. If you are speaking in tongues and no one else can understand you, what good are you doing? It is quite possible that you are actually doing harm to a new Christian who cannot figure out what in the world you are doing. Paul states all this very clear in his writings.

Answer 9

The miraculous gift of tongues attended the outpouring of God’s spirit at Pentecost, 33 C.E. The approximately 120 disciples assembled in an upper room (possibly near the temple) were thereby enabled to speak about “the magnificent things of God” in the native tongues of the Jews and proselytes who had come to Jerusalem from faraway places for the observance of the festival. This fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy proved that God was using the new Christian congregation and no longer the Jewish congregation. In order to receive the free gift of the holy spirit, the Jews and proselytes had to repent and be baptized in Jesus’ name.—Ac 1:13-15; 2:1-47.
The gift of tongues proved very helpful to first-century Christians in preaching to those who spoke other languages. It was actually a sign to unbelievers. However, Paul, in writing to the Christian congregation at Corinth, directed that when meeting together, not all should speak in tongues, as strangers and unbelievers entering and not understanding would conclude that they were mad. He also recommended that the speaking in tongues “be limited to two or three at the most, and in turns.” However, if no one could translate, then the person speaking in a tongue was to remain silent in the congregation, speaking to himself and to God. (1Co 14:22-33) If no translating took place, his speaking in a tongue would not result in upbuilding others, for no one would listen to his speech because it would be meaningless to those unable to understand it.—1Co 14:2, 4.
Point being this: These gifts were for first century Christians to be able to comunicate with others about God's word - to spread the news. Not everyone did it then and there's no use for it now, unless somebody miraculously is able to speak a foreign language and decides to go to the country where it is spoken and spread the word of God there. But I haven't heard of that happening anywhere. What I hear of is people uttering uninteligable babble and claiming it's from the holy spirit, but what purpose would that serve today? None.

Answer 10

Not at all. It simply means you have different Gifts. God gives everyone talents they can use. If you can't speak in tongues then you have something else you can do.
As for understanding/translating.... if someone's standing right in front of you and speaks in tongues, and no one's around to translate..it simply means they were hit w/ the Holy Spirit to speak directly to God. Don't fret..... most of the time there's someone around, especially in church that can interpret what was said.