Speaking In Tongues Today : Evidence of Satan Or Almighty God At Work Here?

Question

Supply a Scripture Either way to Support Your Answer.

As Always.. No Goofy Answers Please.

Answer 1

Speaking in tongues (as described in the Bible) does not exist today.

In the Bible, speaking in tongues is speaking a language that the one speaking has never learned.

In Acts 2, the apostles spoke in tongues and men heard in their own languages.

Also, in 1 Corinthians 14:27-28, the Bible says that if a person speaks in a tongue (language) that the audience does not understand, then he should either have an interpreter or keep silent. Speaking in tongues is not the uncontrollable babble that so many represent it as today.

Also, in 1 Corinthians 13, it says speaking in tongues were to cease. (verse 8)

In the first century, the New Testament was not complete. Paul said, "For we know in part and we prophesy in part." (1 Corinthians 13:9)

The next verse says that "when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. " (1 Cor 13:10) Those things to be done away include the gift of tongues mentioned in verse 8.

"That which is perfect" refers to the complete Word of God, the New Testament. James 1:25 refers to the scriptures as "the perfect Law of Liberty". We now have the complete New Testament, therefore we no longer need tongue speaking.

To know if someone speaks according to how God directs, we do not need a sign like tongues because we can compare their doctrine to the Bible. (Acts 17:11, 2 Timothy 3:16-17)

Speaking in tongues is no longer a gift given by God. The purpose of tongue speaking has passed. Now, we have the Bible to show what is true.

Answer 2

There are legitimate speaking in tongues today as well as satanic counterfeits and people who just act like they are speaking in a tongue for reasons of their own.

1 Corinthians 14:27 If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. 28 But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God.

I know the cessationist argument that the sign gifts came to an end at the close of the Apostalic era, but I also know several Pastors who are sound in doctrine, non-charistmatic, Pastors who live lives comitted to personal holiness who pray in tongues and there is no reason to think that they are lying or have a satanic counterfeit.

My Pastor is one of them. He tells a story about how he went down to a youth conference in Kentucky and was very nervous because he was a young black preacher at the time and it was all white kids from the South so he didn't know how well they would relate to him.

He says that the Lord move him to pray in tongues that weekend. He preached 3 sermons and kids were coming up to the altar and crying and being saved. Some of them went back to their rooms and brought their rock posters and marijuana and pipes and tore them up and threw them away in front of everyone. When my Pastor went back to Philadelphia it seemed like most everyone at the youth conference had gotten saved. He has even had people come up to him years later and tell him that they were at that conference and are still strong in their faith. Now if that's a trick of the Devil, well...

You can hear him by clicking on the My Pastor button @ http://web.express56.com/~bromar/

Another Pastor I know, Zac Poonen who lives in India speaks in tongues. He doesn't take any money from people for his work and has planted 40 churches over there. If you look on the Free Stuff page on the above link you can see more about him too.

Answer 3

Question: "What is the gift of speaking in tongues?"

Answer: The first occurrence of speaking in tongues occurred on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2:1-4. The apostles went out and shared the Gospel with the crowds, speaking to them in their own languages, “we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!" (Acts 2:11). The Greek word translated "tongues" literally means "languages." Therefore, the gift of tongues is speaking in a language a person does not know in order to minister to someone who does speak that language. In 1 Corinthians chapters 12-14, where Paul discusses miraculous gifts, he comments that, “Now, brothers, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction?" (1 Corinthians 14:6). According to the Apostle Paul, and in agreement with the tongues described in Acts, speaking in tongues is valuable to the one hearing God’s message in his/her own language, but it is useless to everyone else – unless it is interpreted / translated.

A person with the gift of interpreting tongues (1 Corinthians 12:30) could understand what a tongues-speaker was saying even though he/she did not know the language that was being spoken. The tongues-interpreter would then communicate the message of the tongues-speaker to everyone else, so all could understand. “For this reason anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret what he says” (1 Corinthians 14:13). Paul’s conclusion regarding un-interpreted tongues is powerful, “But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue" (1 Corinthians 14:19).

Answer 4

The first-century church had problems in Galatia, as evidenced by Paul's letter to them. But Eusebius, the church historian, writes that they 'chattered and talked nonsense' while denigrating valid Bible truths. They were removed from the universal church because they wouldn't repent.

I was once a Pentecosta, and found they fed sugar coated religion to people and neglected Bible truths.

In Acts 2, the Disciples were probably speaking their native language of Aramaic, but it lists fifteen different language groups that understood in their own language. That was a true gift of God to help spread the Gospel.

Thus, I'd say this text applies: "If you say you know Him and don't keep His commandments, you are a liar and the truth is not in you." And that is regardless of what language you speak.

More on this in the Bible code at: http://abiblecode.tripod.com

Shalom, peace in Jesus, Ben Yeshua

Answer 5

Read Acts 2 and while your at it the rest of the book of Acts! There isn't just one Scripture referring to it but a whole book! It's Biblical!

Answer 6

Almighty craziness. It's not a goofy answer. It's what I think.