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I just read the "Speaking In Tongues" article by Lehman Strauss posted on the bible.org website. Finally I receive some clarification on this issue!

I am very happy at the Pentecostal church I attend; however, have never been comfortable with the rare occasion of someone "speaking in tongues." I have felt that it has always been overdramatic, gibberish, and rather silly. I have felt guilty for feeling this way and have never been able to get past it.

As Mr. Strauss relates:

"In Acts 2:4 Luke uses a different adjective when he says, "they began to speak with other tongues." The word "other" (Gr. heteros) simply means that they spoke in languages different from the normal language they were used to. The context substantiates this. Notice the surprised reaction on the part of the hearersâ€â€

Just needed to apologize for the misspelling of "Pentecostal" in my previous post!! Oops!!

Hi Skydiver,

Your question is difficult to answer. Largely you must be guided by the Holy Spirit within you as to where the Lord wants you to be. You need to look inside yourself to where you THINK and FEEL He is leading you. (For it is not just about heart - feelings - but also about mind - thinking.) We are lead by the Spirit BUT intelligently with eyes wide open. (It is not the blind leading the blind).

But some things to think about are can you consciously and without reservation join with a group that you know to be teaching and preaching contrary to the word of the Lord? If you stay can you openly speak the true word of the Lord in accordance with the Bible or will your voice be continually suppressed and silenced?? Indeed will they even let you stay if you declare the true word of the Lord??

Jesus said those who love ME follow MY word and keep MY commandments (John 14:21-24).

Your question for yourself is can you follow HIS word and Keep HIS commandments where you are?? Does staying where you are require that you NOT do this, that you deviate from and not follow the word and teaching of the Bible?? It is not about following your church - it is about following your Lord and King Christ Jesus. Jesus alone is the head of HIS church.

I hope this has helped you.

In Christ

Misty.

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NOTE: All Bible references are from KJV/AV UNLESS otherwise noted. (Because it's the only Electronic Bible I've got on my computer ... besides I like the way it says things - most times.)

Hi Misty!

Thank you so much for your thoughts on this situation! I feel so torn!

I agree with you, but I am so comfortable at my church too! I have developed so many wonderful friends there and I look forward to listening to the wonderful sermons our Pastor preaches each Sunday. On the other hand, I have not joined the church and do not plan to, due to my conflicting views.

My boyfriend attends the same church and has the same views as I do, but also enjoys the sermons and friends, as well as contributing by playing the drums for the music every other Sunday. We have also both contributed by helping out with the high school and college youth groups, which we have both enjoyed.

There is only one woman who, once in a blue moon, will begin babbling and then "interpret" what she babbled about in English. I have lightly approached some of my friends in the church about their position on this and they believe in this apparent "gift from God." I respect their opinion, but it definitely differs from my own. I can be outspoken at times and have told a few friends that I didn't agree. They tried to explain it further to me, but then dropped the conversation. At least now I have Lehman Strauss' explanation in which to arm myself!! You asked if they would let me stay if I declared the true word of God. I know my church would never "excommunicate" me for having conflicting views.

<sigh> It would be hard to leave this church, but I know God will direct me to where He sees fit. I guess I'm just not ready for it yet!

Thank you again, Misty, for your response! It helps to have an outsider's point of view and eases my sense of "guilt" for not believing!

Shannon

Sky, I attended churches where this was practiced for more than 20 years, although I never had the gift myself.

I do believe it is a gift from God, and when done in church it should always be interpreted.

I do not agree with the view of many Pentecostal churches (not all of them) that a person does not have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit unless that person has spoken in tongues. I find that inconsistent with the scripture.

If you are comfortable at the church and this is rare at that church, then there is no reason to leave.

I have always preferred an interpretation by someone other than the speaker. If this ever comes up with one of the church elders, you might want to encourage that. Waiting for a different person to interpret gives, in my opinion, greater credibility to the speaker.

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Cobra (the car, not the poisonous reptile)
all scripture is NRSV unless otherwise noted

Hi Cobra!

Thank you for your response! My question; however, is what of the passage, "So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into air" (I Corinthians 14:9)? This verse is noted in Lehman Strauss' article and provides credence to the possibility that the "speaking in tongues" in Corinthians was not actual "babble," but the gift of speaking in another language so that foreigners in attendance would understand the word of God.

I can believe that speaking in another language (known to man), of which the speaker is not familiar, is a gift from God; however, I am having a hard time accepting that "babbling" is of the same.

Thank you for helping me with this!!

Shannon

This is interesting and I'm glad the question was raised. But I now have some new questions in reguard to this.

I attend a pentacostal/apostolic church as well. Love it there. I have been baptized in the name of Jesus there and speak with tounges.

But not one of these times I spoke in touges was a different language (at least to my knowledge).

I was under the impression that speaking in tounges was evidence (proof) that you have the Holy Ghost.

Now if what you say is true, how will I know for sure (proof) that Jesus is living inside of me? What church should I attend to hear the perfect truth about salvation?

And if I don't have the Holy Ghost and I am just "Babbling" then does this mean I'm going to Hell?

I believe with all my heart that I love jesus and put him first in all things. I spend hours a day in pray and in scripture. How could I of misinturpreted this.

Help pls...


Thanks.

Boy, this is a tough topic, isn't it?!

In my humble opinion, I believe that if you seek God, He will be in your heart. When my conscience bothers me about something, I feel it is God speaking to my heart about what is right and what is wrong. That is proof enough for me that God lives within me. I don't have to have tangible proof that "Jesus is living inside me." I just know He is there because I accepted Jesus as my saviour. This is my interpretation of faith.

If you have accepted Jesus Christ, then you are not going to Hell. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16, NIV)

I was baptized in my Pentecostal church as well and do enjoy all aspects of the church. I don't know that I will leave, but I may have a "sit-down" with my Pastor to discuss this issue.

This topic has prompted me to read further in Corinthians and it is resulting in even more questions for me!! What do you think about the following verse: "Dear friends, even if I myself should come to you talking in some language you don't understand, how would that help you? But if I speak plainly what God has revealed to me, and tell you the things I know, and what is going to happen, and the great truths of God's Word - that is what you need; that is what will help you." (1 Corinthians 14:6, The Living Bible)

"Seven weeks had gone by since Jesus' death and resurrection, and the Day of Pentecost had now arrived. As the believers met together that day, suddenly there was a sound like the raring of a mighty windstorm in the skies above them and it filled the house where they were meeting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on their heads. Everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in languages they didn't know, for the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. Many godly Jews were in Jerusalem that day for the religious celebrations, having arrived from many nations. And when they heard the raring in the sky above the house, crowds came running to see what it was all about, and were stunned to hear their own languages being spoken by the disciples. "How can this be?" they exclaimed. "For these men are all from Galilee, and yet we hear them speaking all the native languages of the lands where we were born!" (Acts 2:1-8, The Living Bible)

Obviously, God gave the disciples the ability to speak in a foreign language in order to communicate to the people from foreign lands. It wasn't babble.

But then there is the following:

"Let love be your greatest aim; nevertheless, ask also for the special abilities the Holy Spirit gives, and especially the gift of prophecy, being able to preach the messages of God. But if your gift is that of being able to "speak in tongues," that is, to speak in languages you haven't learned, you will be talking to God but not to others, since they won't be able to understand you. You will be speaking by the power of the Spirit but it will all be a secret. But one who prophesies, preaching the messages of God, is helping others grow in the Lord, encouraging and comforting them. So a person "speaking in tongues" helps himself grow spiritually, but one who prophesies, preaching messages from God helps the entire church grow in holiness and happiness. I wish you all had the gift of "speaking in tongues" but, even more, I wish you were all able to prophesy, preaching God's messages, for that is a greater and more useful power than to speak in unknown languages - unless, of course, you can tell everyone afterwards what you were saying, so that they can get some good out of it too. Dear friends, even if I myself should come to you talking in some language you don't understand, how would that help you? But if I speak plainly what God has revealed to me, and tell you the things I know, and what is going to happen, and the truths of God's Word - that is what you need; that is what will help you. Even musical insturments - the flute, for instance, or the harp - are examples for the need for speaking in plain simple English rather than in unknown languages. For no one will recognize the tune the flute playing unless each note is sounded clearly. And if the army bugler doesn't play the right notes, how will the soldiers know that they are being called to battle? In the same way, if you talk to a person in some language he doesn't understand, how will he know what you mean? You might as well be talking to an empty room." (1 Corinthians 1-9, The Living Bible).

"I thank God that I "speak in tongues" privately more than any of the rest of you. But in public worship I would much rather speak five words that people can understand and be helped by, than ten thousand words while "speaking tongues" in an unknown language." (1 Corinthians 18-19, The Living Bible)

Geez....I think I am about to type the entire chapter!! Anyway, there is more to read about it after that! Whew!!

In my research on all of this, I have just discovered that this topic has been covered several times in these chat rooms. I am new and did not realize this! My apologies for bringing up an already debated subject!!

I think Paul is basically pointing out that unless you understand the message speaking in tongues is worthless.


I think this is why Paul tells them:

If no one in the congregation knows German and I get up and start relaying God's truth (using the gift of tongues since I do not know German) and no one interprets for us how have we benefited?

I believe that tongues were a sign to unbelieving Jews to repent and avoid the Judgment that was inflicted on Jerusalem in AD 70. According to this passage tongues are to be practiced for the benefit of unbelievers and prophecy for the saints.

Hi again SkyDiver.

From what you have posted I think you getting your head around this and the Holy Spirit is guiding you to an answer for yourself. As regards that woman the Bible does say that in church they should be interpreted by ANOTHER with the gift of interpretation and not by themselves. But that is for your own understanding as to what the Lord has commanded.

Don't feel guilty if the topic has been covered before (in all probability they ALL have - and probably more than once) This is not about debating the subject - it's about helping you and others like you who have the same concern so ask away!

The sad truth is that very few if any of today's churches FULLY follow the word of the Lord. The question is how serious is the deviation and, provided one is listening, the Holy Spirit and the word of the Lord will be our guide on this. Romans 14 holds the key to minor differences. I like the saying that summarises Romans 14 and which many of the more autonomous LOCAL churches operate under - which is:-

"In the essentials UNITY, in the non-essentials DIVERSITY, and in ALL things LOVE!!"

As Paul says in Romans 14 some things are just neither here nor there in the scheme of salvation and life in the Lord. But OTHER things ARE essential and MUST be adhered to. The Bible (in the counsel of the Holy Spirit) is the yardstick by which to measure which is which.

Not all denominations or church authorities may be truly following Jesus BUT I usually find ALL of them have at least some true followers in them. My advice is search them out and support one another in fellowship.

My motto:- "FELLOWSHIP where (by the counsel of the Holy Spirit) you can - DWELL where you must (in the word of the Lord) - BELONG where you should (in Jesus Christ alone).

In Christ our only home

Misty

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NOTE: All Bible references are from KJV/AV UNLESS otherwise noted. (Because it's the only Electronic Bible I've got on my computer ... besides I like the way it says things - most times.)

I do believe that the gift of tongues is a gift of languages, not babbling.

There is also anecdotal evidence to support this. In one of his books, Jack Hayford lists two examples that I recall:

1) One of the tapes of his messages that was sent overseas included a message in tongues and an interpretation. When the tape was received in Thailand, the tongues were recognized as Thai and the interpretation was confirmed as accurate.

2) Another time Pastor Hayford felt led to speak in tongues on an airplane with an unbeliever. This was very unusual; that is not something normally done. The unbeliever recognized the language as an ancient dialect of a native American language (I think it was Kiowa).

Sometimes people may babble. I have filled up a passport with international travel, and sometimes it is hard for me to tell a babble from a real language.

Much of what I have heard in the scores of messages I have heard sound like languages. Sometimes it sounds like babbling.

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Cobra (the car, not the poisonous reptile)
all scripture is NRSV unless otherwise noted

skydiver,

While I do not agree with the practice of tongues, that is really not a big issue with me. What I find extremely troubling is the Pentecostalists denial of the Trinity. Here's a quote from the doctrinal webpage you posted:



I would have a great deal of trouble worshipping at a place that denied the nature of God.

BTW - I notice you are from NC. I live in Roxboro. You?

Only some (I would guess a small minority) of the charismatic groups deny the Trinity.

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Cobra (the car, not the poisonous reptile)
all scripture is NRSV unless otherwise noted