What do you believe about speaking in tongues?

Answer 1

I was raised to "believe" it was NOT for today and died out with the apostles and was a gift of speaking in a foreign language you had never studied so you could teach the gospel to others to whom you could not otherwise verbally communicate with. That sounded so "right", but just isn't the truth of the subject.
The disciples; 120 in number in Acts chapters 1&2, on the day of Pentecost in the upper room there waiting as Jesus had given them instruction, including His mother, Mary received the infilling of the Holy Spirit and were so filled with the Spirit that people began to think they were drunk. There IS a condition of being "drunk in the Spirit" and you laugh and cry and stagger and so forth. The Apostles were filled with a language ability to speak to every person no matter what language there that day..., and the scripture says that the miracle was also on the ears of the hearers so each could understand the message and 3,000 people were convicted and accepted that Jesus WAS the Messiah and repented of their sins and were baptized and thus the church officially began.
Then in the book of Acts, it is also stated that believers had 'hands laid on them' and they began to speak with tongues and prophesy, with no particular elaboration about it. It is obvious that it is a 2nd work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a "believer" AFTER conversion and water baptism. Acts 19:1-7; Acts 10:44- 48.
In the book of Corinthians in chapters 12 - 14, tongues is discussed and it plainly says that when a Christian prays in an unknown tongue, he can't understand it; even no one can understand it and he is speaking to God; his spirit prays. It says we can pray in a devotional tongue/prayer language and sing in it and we are to keep it to ourselves and God.
The 3rd thing to know about 'tongues' is that there is also a tongue for giving forth supernatural messages within the congregational meeting and should only be done when someone is there that can interpret. It also says, to PRAY for the ability to interpret. Also in this case, it is equal to prophecy when interpreted.
It is interesting that only AFTER Jesus was baptized in Jordan and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him was He commissioned to go and do miracles. He was, what we may say, "empowered" and that is the same as today with all men. You have NO POWER over the devil to "cast out devils" or "lay hands on the sick and them recover" or "prophesy" until you ARE baptized with the Holy Spirit. That is why those who WON'T accept it, don't do those works of power and even deny them as being relavent today.
Now only one aspect of tongues is for a foreign language, a second is for personal prayer for the individual and Paul writes in Ephesians that it is a part of our spiritual armor and in Jude we are taught to use it to build ourselves up in the most holy faith. Then, finally it is used to give out supernatural messages of encouragement and edification and comfort to the body of Christ in a group meeting with an interpreter. There are guidelines with this spelled out in Corinthians. Evidently this group were needing some definite boundaries and guidance about using spiritual gifts in their meetings.
I HAVE the baptism of the Holy Spirit and I speak in a personal prayer language and so it's too late to tell me it isn't "real" or for today.

Answer 2

I believe that some Christians do, and some Christians don't.

I also believe, because scientists have done studies, that some people who AREN'T Christians have been proven to possess the ability to speak in tongues (golossalia I think is what science calls it).

I do not believe that Tongues is proof of one Christian having more of the Holy Spirit than a Christian who does not speak in Tongues. It's not a tool for measuring who is more spirit filled than not.

Answer 3

I think that certain segments of Christianity encourage speaking in tongues, and people feel pressured to do it because others around them do it, and they don't want to seem unfaithful. So, I think it is a psychological behavior stemming from the desire to fit in with one's religious sect and feel better about oneself.

Answer 4

Its number 8 on the gift list.

Answer 5

I find it very telling the those who do always use the syllables and sounds of their native language.

Answer 6

I think it can happen, and does, but most people just fake it.

Answer 7

it has been misjudged and misinterpreted

Answer 8

i believe its funnier than f*** to watch

Answer 9

babble