Can some Christians explain to me this "tongue" speaking thing?

Question

I am trying to understand if the charasmatic's church tongue speaking is a true gift of the Holy Spirit. Or is it the babbling that the pagans did that Jesus said not to do? I am really trying to understand this gift.

I know in Acts that those men were speaking in other people's native tongue and not the unintelligible babbling.

Answer 1

Tongues was first used in Acts 2 when the disciples preached to the crowd of people from various nations in their own languages. The word "tongues" can simply be translated "languages." These are languages the disciples did not know and suddenly spoke. This was startling to the crowd. This was to show that the gospel had come to all nations and not just the Hebrew Jews. In 1 Corinthians 12 the spiritual gift of tongues is referred to. Again this is not to be some babbling, but actual languages that can be interpreted. There is also the gift of interpretation. Actually Paul says that if no interpretation is given it doesn't build up the church. It is just nonsense. Therefore the people speaking should keep silent. 1 Corinthians 14 also has reference to praying in tongues. Paul prayed in tongues, but Paul seems to diminish this as well since his mind is not involved if he can't understand what he is praying. So he says to pray for the gift of interpretation. Some think that this is the "tongues of angels", but there is nothing in the text that specifically says this exists. Paul could be speaking in a sarcastic way when refering to tongues of angels, because he wants to exalt love over any spectacular gifts of the Spirit.

So tongues or "languages" is a spiritual gift in the Bible. But it isn't to be just babble. It can be interpreted and has meaning. If it doesn't have meaning it isn't a real gift, but a psychological manifestation. Most charismatics really don't speak in tongues, but just babble.

It should be pointed out that nowhere does it ever say that everyone should speak in tongues as a sign of the Spirit. It is often presumed by some charismatics. Most of the tongues I have heard from charismatics do not follow any syntactical language and is just babbling. If you listen closely it just repeats a certain babble over and over again. It is more of a psychological thing than an actual spiritual gift. I have also never heard an interpretation. This isn't to say it hasn't happened. However I have heard of missionaries who are given the ability to speak in a tongue or language they didn't know when preaching to foreign people so the people can understand it. This is why Paul says it is a "sign" to unbelievers in I Corinthians 14.

I would say that 99% of the tongues speaking in charismatic churches is probably nonsense and a result more of peer pressure than an actual gift. This doesn't mean there isn't the gift of languages. But I find it interesting that in these charismatic churches they don't stress the gift of interpretation! They all just get up and babble in mass which goes directly against Paul's command in1 Corinthians 14:23 23 "If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your minds?"

Answer 2

In the book of Acts when the 120 people were filled with Holy Spirit they all began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. This was a sign from God that the Gospel would not remain in Jerusalem but would spread throughout the whole world.
The gift of speaking in tongues is for the edification--building up--of fellow Christians. It was never meant for show--God gave instructions that two or perhaps three at the most would speak in a service and there had to be an interpreter. You can read more about this gift in I Corithians chapters 12 and 14.

Answer 3

Okay, well there's a part of the Bible that explains the holy spirit pouring down onto a congregation in the early church. They were given the "gift of the holy spirit", as it was called. The Bible describes them being able to speak in tongues. That's all it says. The Charismatic Church seems to imply it's a more powerful medium of prayer. Look at Acts 2:4 and Acts 10:46.

Now, I used to go to a Charismatic church as a child and when I was about eight or so I said I wanted to be given the gift of the holy spirit. When I said that, there were about four or five people who surrounded me and put their hands on my shoulders and head and back and started praying with me. It was very intimidating and powerful, with all of those people standing around you praying loudly and with lots of intent. I closed my eyes and was shaking and totally overcome with emotion, and didn't really quite know what to do. Then one of the men started making this silly babbling noise and I supposed I was supposed to do that, too. After a few minutes, I just sort of moved my tongue around and made funny noises, too, and figured that I was speaking in tongues. I could never do it again after that, but it may be because it was a very emotional and overpowering experience the first time.

Answer 4

Most people do not speak in tongues as the Bible teaches, they are trying to prove they are saved! The correct way which is never done, is a man or woman says something in language that most all do not know, but is a real language. Then another or same person gives you the meaning of what was just said. Then 2 or 3 in the church must speak and say weather this was really God or not. After being confirmed then the church recieves this as a message from God. But it will never be" God is Good,kind, and wonderful" these are all things everybody knows. You cannot judge a fact everybody does know. This is a sign to unbelievers God is in the church. 1 Corinthians 14:2 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.1 Corinthians 14:19 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.1 Corinthians 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.
In the Penticostal churches they believe you must speak in tongues to go to Heaven. So they all stand around you and pray hoping to see you do this, but if speaking in tongues is a sign you are saved then Balaam's donkey was saved. Numbers 22:28
And the LORD opened the mouth of the ***(donkey), and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?

Answer 5

It's a useful gift. It overcomes the human inability to pray a perfect prayer by allowing your redeemed spirit to pray directly to God, bypassing your brain, and bypassing your native language. In a way it is letting the Holy Spirit plug in a lifeline that connects your deepest consciousness directly to the throne of God. That is why the Apostle Paul said, "I thank God I speak in tongues more than you all."
I explain it this way: It is like putting your car into neutral when going down a hill. The engine (like your mind) is still running, but it is no longer controlling your tongue (like the engine no longer control the wheels turning). Instead a different power, the Holy Spirit (like gravity begins to be the force behind the car's rolling), is keeping your tongue working. It is not uncontrollable; it is not a trance, you can put the "brakes" on to stop it whenever you please.

On the other hand, tongues expressed loudly in church service is different. It is wrong and should be considered "out of order" and unacceptable behavior in church unless accompanied by a translation of its meaning. The only way to assure that a message in tongues is interpreted is to make sure you never excercise it unless you know someone is present with the gift of interpretation, or that you have the gift of interpretation yourself. Because many have the gift of tongues and few have the gift of interpretation, it should be, and it is, rare in the modern charismatic church, but common in a believer's private prayer practices.

Answer 6

Not babblings, but a true gift for His chosen. I have questioned this as well. yr answer will come from other Christians, His word and the Holy Spirit. BTW...Christians who have this gift are not to be taken as being "more holy/better/godly" than the ones who don’t speak in heavenly tongues and is not a prerequisite for God loving you or entrance to heaven.

Answer 7

"For all you people who say it is plate tectonics, who do you think controls them,duh!!!! I agree with the asker and think that California is first in line for a one way ticket to hell!!" - ignorant fundie who claims California will have an earthquake because of gay marriage. I kind of agree but not in the extreme hes saying. According to the Bible it is aginst the rules, if you will, to have Gay Marraige. Although I doubt God will ever send anything to do anyharm to California like an Earthquake because after the flood with Noah he swore to never do it again. "There was no room on the ark for the dinosaurs so they drowned." - fundie That is ignorant. I agree we really dont know what EXACTLY happened to the Dinos, so no one should be making any proclomations as to how or believing any. "Evolution was always nothing more than a theory !Creationism is proven through fossils and history !" - fundie Hes half right and half wrong. YES we cannot fully prove the Evolution theory. NO is Creationism proven in anyway through fossils and history. The only way we will EVER find out what really happened is to die, hopefully go to heaven, and ask the Lord himself.

Answer 8

i could be wrong but i do believe that when a person "speaks in tongue" the Holy Spirt enters that persons body. Some Christians do not believe in this. I have seen it a few times and let me say it is scary if your not prepared for it.

Answer 9

The scriptures gives the explanation in the book of Acts chapter 2 is where you Will find the answers. In the New testament of the bible were the Apostle and Mary the mother of Jesus received the Holy Spirit and started to speak in tongue as evidence of the spirit.No one can coach you to speak in tongue you have to pray to receive this blessing.Jesus preach called it the Comforter or The Power in the Gospel

Answer 10

Speaking in tongues refers to the miracle of the Pentecost, when tongues of fire came down and touched the disciples when they were preaching after Jesus' crucifixion and enabled them to speak in all the native languages of the people in the crowd they were preaching to. Some churches preserve this tradition and hold prayer in "tongues" to remind themselves of the miracle of communication created by God.