Kolburt and i disagree... how fun is that?!?!?!?!
First: we must make sure that experience isn't the dictating truth, but that the bible is. The bible is our standard, our truth, not what we have experienced. IF the bible said that there is no prayer language and a person got one...then it isn't a prayer language!!!! I am not saying that the bible says that, i want to emphasize that the bible is our standard for truth and life.
So throughout this discussion do not prove your point with experience but with scripture. This goes for me to, i believe that the Apostolic Sign Gifts (miracles, supernatural occurrences: healing a lame man, raising the dead, speaking to a crowd and everybody hears a different language) have ceased (not that God can't do them, but they are not common because God is done authenticating His gospel that way). But tonight i couldn't remember why i believe that from scripture. So i am going to study it! Could i be trying to fit my experience into scripture...
There are so many topics this brings up that i want to discuss, but lets just stick to this one.
My first question is why would God give a prayer language? (i am not using a negative tone i am just curious, why?) Also, where in scripture does it say that God gives a language different from our own to talk to Him with? I am not disagreeing with it, or agreeing, just not sure i know where this is coming from in the bible.
Anyway i am just picking from a thousand questions in this topic. 1,2,3 GO!!!!
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Andrew,
ReplyDeleteI'm game enough to engage in this topic. It's Marty.
THese are the verses that reference speaking in Tongues.
Mark 16:17 - Pretty much says that if you believe you will cast out demons AND speak in tongues.
Acts 2:4 & 2:11 - THis was the miracle where everyone was speaking in an actual language although it was unknown to them.
Acts 10:46 - They were speaking in tongues, generally accepted as an unknown language or heavenly language.
Acts 19:6 - THis was a speaking in tongues that was followed by a prophecy.
1 Corinthians 12:10 - Talking about spiritual gifts.
1 Corinthians 12:28 - Talking about teh different "parts" of the body of Christ.
1 Corinthians 12:30 - Explains that we don't all have these gifts that are "more exciting" but we need to seek whatever gift we have and exercise it.
1 Corinthians 13:1 - THis is generally just talking about speaking Known Languages.
1 Corinthians 13:8 - THis is the passage most often used to say that Tongues have ceased along with prophecy.
1 Corinthians 14:5-29 - THis is a great passage because I think it speaks a lot of truth into the whole issue. The point that Paul makes here is that tongues "may" be real he's not going to judge that but why not just speak in a language people know so you can edify them. He seems to indicate that speaking in tongues really only edifies the person speaking cause in a way it makes them feel "spiritual".
Personally here are my answers to your questions based on my reading of teh bible.
#1 - God gave a prayer language to certain people to simply show his power in their lives. Most people argue for a Prayer Tongues because it's personal and private and therefore it's less "risky" than speaking in tongues and looking and sounding like a fool in public. Also it's the least disruptive. If you want to speak in tongues in a church that doesn't believe in it you will get kicked out eventually for interupting the service but if you go to that church but admit to speaking in tongues in a prayer closet it's more "acceptable".
I believe based on study of the last passage quoted above that tongues while still around today are mostly useless as Paul said they would be. Most people don't understand them and they don't really edify. Most of the time they become a tool for legalism.
#2 - In the passages above it clearly says that God poured out His holy spirit on those people as a way of revealing himself or Theophanizing;)
It's an interesting topic. I'm definitely not a cessationist but I am a uselessnest. I think tongues are useless for the church today unlike prophecy which I think is a great thing for churches when it comes to building up the saints.
I suggest you open up the topic of Prophecy.
1. What is it?
2. How does it manifest itself in the church?
3. Is it different from old testament prophecy?
by the way, you can get all the answers to your questions on About.com just search speaking in tongues.
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