Christian Speakers Blog

Yes it is biblical
1st Corinthians 13:1
If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

1st Corinthians 13:8-10
Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part; 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away

When that which is perfect is come then the above shall cease, but since we still operate in knowlegde so we still speak in tongues too. http://search.yahoo.com/bin/search?fr=ybr_sbc&p=tongues%20are%20for%20edifying

http://home.comcast.net/~sr_born/Chapel/tongues.htm
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I’ve seen the running around part, and I think it’s silly. The tongues that I have received were done in private. I know what that is according to the scriptures. It’s edifying me.

As I understand it, speaking in tongues in a congregation requires an interpreter. I have been to a Pentecostal Church where there was tongues and an interpreter involved in speaking. It still didn’t strike me as being something that I experienced genuinely.
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…what do “Christians” have to do with it…? The Apostle Paul answers all your questions… (the gifts of the Holy Spirit are for everyone)
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originally it refered to speaking foreign languages in order to spread the gospels. it has involved into a mystical practice of speaking in gibberish to convince others of your piety.
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If by biblical you mean what you are describing is referred to in the Bible then yes it is… but not in a good way. Read through 1 Corinthians 12 and 14 and you will see that this sort of disorder is exactly what Paul was referring to in the church in Corinth.

Biblical scholars all agree that the most distinct expression of the gift of tongues is speaking in a language that has not been learned. The speaker has control over what they are saying but does not understand it which is why an interpreter (person with the gift of interpretation) is needed. Then it can be a blessing to the church.

There is clear advice against people speaking in tongues at the same time in 1 Corinthians 14 and yet we overlook this in many churches today in search of a 'spiritual' experience. Unfortunately it is very probable that this then becomes an act of condemnation on non-believers who conclude we are all mad and therefore become more convinced that there is nothing to Christianity. Honestly, I have never heard of a person entering a church, hearing a hundred people speaking in tongues (of the undistinguishable kind) and then thinking – Oh my, they are all far more spiritual than I am – I must repent and believe! Simply it doesn't happen and often only makes such people very uncomfortable…

If we use tongues properly it can be a blessing. If not then it can actually be a sign of judgment…

EDIT 1…

Of course, we do well not to condemn our own brothers and sisters for speaking glossalia for as Paul encouraged the Thessalonians – don't quench the Spirit and don't forbid speaking in tongues (1 Thessalonians 5). There are sufficient verses in the New Testament to suggest that tongues can be used during our own personal times of prayer or during times of corporate worship (if handled properly) and that we will not understand what we are saying for scholars to contend that speaking in unknown human languages might not be the only expression of this gift. BUT… That is something we must be sure to interpret so that we can be edified AND it is something we must be more cautious with lest we cause other brothers and sisters to stumble.

At the end of the day we ought to be convinced in our own minds. If we forbid speaking in tongues unless you know that you are speaking an unlearned language then when will you ever hear tongues spoken? Surely that is quenching the Spirit? I have known two people who have spoken on occasion in a language that they have not learned and they had no idea that was what they were doing at the time, they simply felt led to speak out. When interpreted, what they said was a blessing and encouragement to the church and it strengthened our faith in what we were believing for at the time. If they were told they needed to be sure before they spoke they would probably never have spoken and we would have been denied the blessing. These same two individuals also speak in glossalia at times when they feel led to speak out by the Spirit… on these occasions any translations brought have been different and less specific in nature. So let's not forbid expressions of tongues lest we risk quenching the Spirit and missing out on a blessing of confirmation from God.

EDIT 2…

I know that many people disagree on what tongues is so in case you want my opinion on this and why I believe that tongues can include a glossalia like expression have a read of my answer to the following question where I examine what expressions of this gift might exist and why (including where the support for such an expression might be in the Bible)

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Aj7MkRKsWp_MFoBfMLkefzXty6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20080909055506AA5JUP6&show=7#profile-info-yNJGSRQuaa

EDIT 3…

To God deserves only your best… I too read the articles linked to (the first two on the search page from Yahoo). It was interesting to see the contrast in the two articles and I could see that the chap from tmb was trying to be encouraging but the reality is that he falls at risk of telling someone they are not a Christian unless they speak in tongues which is simply not true. The second article from comcast was generally good as well although this person has clearly been damaged in some way by improper expression of the gift and overzealous pentacostalism which might lead her to risk quenching the Spirit. There is a balance to strike, I believe, where we do not forbid speaking in tongues but we also do not demand it; we remain uncynical when we hear it but we also do not just accept every expression as from God if the speaker and translation do not fit and seem to be pushing an agenda. Remember, God is not a God of disorder but of order. Tongues should be evaluated if heard in the public assembly and affirmed if they appear true and not affirmed if they do not. This judging is an important aspect of us exercising spiritual authority as elders and it helps the congregation to know that there will be order in this assembly of the saints )
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Well this is not an easy one to answer.. I believe there are SOME church houses and denominations that are *truth* when they speak and pray and worship in tongues but others, well, I think SOME , as you say, are abusing it big time !! However, I have spoken in tongues, mutterings, in private prayer, and that is what I believe it to be, a private prayer between a person and God, but that is my humble opinion on it.. the Bible does not make a big deal about a lot of things, there are things that are left up to each individual and church house assembly to monitor and or decide about… If you will notice in the Bible there were many times the Apostles brought things to Jesus’s attention and he said nothing about it one way or the other, it is because, though important to the flesh, it may or may not be important to God in the spiritual….. again, just my humble opinion.. go in peace…. God bless
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It is an egotistical abomination!!

Speaking in tongues in the bible meant all who heard it understood what was being said!!

These fantasists don’t even understand it themselves – this is a total discredit on christianity!!
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