I was approached by a great friend of mine not too long ago. He asked me if I had accepted Jesus as my lord and saviour. When I said yes, He asked if I was baptized in the name of Jesus? And did I come out of the water speaking in tongues? When I said no, He told me I was still condemed to hell? I was amused by this. So I had to reasearch it further.His religion is primarily based on the book of Acts, and a few rules out of Duetromonomy... When I told him this is not what Jesus had in mind he was very mad at me and told me I had to switch to his religeon and speak in tongues.. Well I told him I love him as a brother in Christ and spreading that message is only assisting satan!! When you tell people that the only book is Acts you are forcing them away from the whole truth. That religeon is just that, a religeon? Was I wrong?
2007-06-29 15:05:18 · 13 answers · asked by John M 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
My source is the entire Bible...
2007-06-29 15:06:16 · update #1
I'm a Pentecostal and believe in speaking in tongues.
Your friend is totally wrong and completely out of line.
Less than 5% of Pentecostals in the USA believe as your friend does and the rest of us consider them to either a false cult or on the borderline of being a false cult.
While speaking in tongues is described in Acts as a sign someone has received the Holy Spirit, not speaking in tongues it never described as proof someone is not saved.
God used tongues in the Book of Acts to prove to the stubborn Jews that gentiles could be saved without becoming Jews first.
In fact the Bible is clear that not everyone will speak in tongues.
Pastor Art
2007-06-29 15:09:35 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
No, he was wrong. Pentacostals take the phrase "speaking in tongues" incorrectly, in its first use as Jesus used it, it means to speak other languages ... as in French, German, Russian, Chinese.
It's a gift to be able to speak other languages, some people are blessed with that gift. I'm am definately not one of these, I can barely speak Spanish, even at a Mexican restaurant! lol
Even when Paul speaks of it in Acts, he is saying that what good does it do if you speak in another language if no one understands you. Makes sense when put that way eh? But the Pentacostals think it means that you mumble-jumble some weird thing and someone across the room "interprets" what you said. In the Bible, did God ever ONCE use this method to get across to His people? No, obviously.
In Greek, the word tongues as used on the Day of Pentacost was glossa (pronounced gloce-sah), which literally means language. It's the same word used by Paul 26 times in the New Testament.
2007-06-29 22:17:28 · answer #2 · answered by arewethereyet 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You are right. Speaking in tongues was done away with when the 'unity of faith' came upon the church (1Corin.13 and Eph. 4?). The tongues in Acts were known languages and never this gibberish that is also spoken by pagans and Satanists. Some like to twist Paul's words (1Corin. 14?) about tongues of angels, but Paul was not saying he spoke angelic tongues. It was an analagy. Look at the same chapter and note that he also says 'though I give my body to burn...'. We know he died by beheading. He was not prophecying.
I left a Foursquare (pentecostal denomination) churchafter I realized their heresy (shortly after believing).
Eph.4:5 tell us "one Lord, one faith, ONE BAPTISM". THERE'S NOT SOME LATER BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. In the Book of Acts you see people speaking in tongues after baptism. But, notice that this was always as a sign to the Israelite people to validate the New Covenant. Miracles and tongues were for the same purpose.
Don't be discouraged. Let the Bible do the fighting for you. Keep your sword sharp. God bless.-Jimmy
2007-06-29 22:19:29 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Speaking in tongues is a gift and occurs when baptized by the Holy Spirit. There are many Christian religions that do not believe in speaking in tongues. I have never heard that one was still condemned to hell for not doing so. You are right that his spreading that message is only assisting Satan and I really don't think God put him on this earth to judge others.
2007-06-29 22:10:25 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
Anyone who attempts to converts others to his/her point of view by condeming opinions which differ from their own, and/or threatening the dissenter with divine punishment, is not likely to get too far with their conversion attempts.
Yes, the Bible does reference glossalalia, or speaking in tongues, as you indicate. There are many Pentecostal or "full gospel" groups who believe strongly that speaking in tongues is a gift of the Holy Spirit and an indication of full communion with God.
Of course, there are just as many Christian groups which don't emphasize, or even recognize, speaking in tongues. There are Christian groups who practice infant baptism, adult baptism, baptism by immersion, communion with bread and wine (or not), last rites, intercessory prayer.....the list goes on.
The way I see it is like different flavors of ice cream. Everyone likes different flavors and toppings, but it's all a pretty tasty dessert. If we can tolerate people liking different flavors of ice cream than the one that we prefer, why can't we tolerate some diversity in religious beliefs and practices. In the end, does it matter if one person speaks in tongues and another is an effective teacher, or if one person's gift is praying for others while another's is collecting food for the local homeless shelter? As long as all of those people believe that they are using the gifts they have been given to the glory of God, they are honoring Him.
2007-06-29 22:25:41 · answer #5 · answered by Mel 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No you are very right and he was wrong. There are several gifts of the Holy Spirit and tongues is just one of them and it is clear not everybody is given that gift and it is not even the greatest of them. The problem with teaching this garbage is it makes people pretend they have the gift of tongues so they do not feel like they do not belong or that they have done something wrong because they do not have the Holy Spirit or something. Bad news.
2007-06-29 22:51:49 · answer #6 · answered by Midge 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you've accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior you ARE saved. No matter what. The only way to get out of believing in God, is simply to stop believing. Praying in tongues is a good way to talk to God, but you're not a "satanist" if you don't come out of the water praying in tongues. I didn't pray in tongues when i came out and neither do most people. Your friend is sinning right then because he is judging you by trying to play the part of God in deciding whether you're saved or not.
2007-06-29 22:14:38 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Good question John
However in saying this I do no want you to throw the baby out with the bath water. Tongues are from God however it is not a prerequsite for salvation.
2 Tim. 3:16 (NIV) all Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,
Read everything that you can about tongues and write me if you have any additional questions
2007-06-29 22:13:26 · answer #8 · answered by Tommy D 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
There is no evidence that Jesus practiced speaking in tongues; is there?
2007-06-29 22:09:12 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
My opinion is that you're both deluded, but he is even more deluded than you. What a load of absolute superstitious nonsense. That sort of thinking is not only insane, but dangerously so.
2007-06-29 22:09:56 · answer #10 · answered by Nodality 4 · 0⤊ 4⤋