'Babbling Tongues'
The truth is, I've always wanted to speak in tongues. I wanted to experience the feelings associated with it. I wondered, would it be an outer body experience or would it feel like fire resting on my tongue like on the day of Pentecost? Anyway, it never happened and I'm satisfied with my spirit that it never did because it would be for the wrong reasons if that was all I wanted it for.
I've heard a lot of people speak in tongues, and I was always curious to know what they were saying. A tongue is a language and as such, it should be interpreted. For the numerous persons, Ive heard speaking in tongues, I have never once heard any of them translate what they've said. Anyway, we have the Word that gives clear rhetoric on speaking in tongues, "therefore let him who speak in tongue pray that he may interpret" 1 Corinthians 14:13. For the bible says, "for he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however,, in the spirit he speaks mysteries" 1 Corinthians 14:2.
The purpose of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost was to spread the gospel. Jesus has issued the great commission shortly before he ascended that they (the apostles) "but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth" Acts 1:8. Peter and the others were in one accord when they received the Holy Spirit. Unity is a prerequisite for the Holy Spirit to come upon us.
At Pentecost, there were devout men in the crowd who were dwelling in Jerusalem who had come from all over the earth. The Holy Spirit fell on Peter and the other disciples and about 120 others, they began speaking in tongues. When the men in the crowd heard them each speaking their own language, some were amazed while others said that they must be drunk on wine. Mind you, all the men who were on fire were Galileans Acts 2:8 yet they spoke in the languages of the Medes and Parthians, Elamites, Judea and Mesopotamia... v.9. They were witnessing to them so that the message that they heard would be brought back to their homelands to be shared with other unbelievers. The whole idea behind speaking in tongue is for a believer to witness in a tongue that is foreign but native to that whom you're witnessing to. Paul writes, "tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers." 1 Corinthians 14:22.
As it concerns the church, the church should receive edification if one or more of its members speak in tongue. Case in point, suppose there are all Jamaicans in a church and members start speaking in tongues, who receives the edification if everyone speaks English and can't interpret the tongues which are been spoken. Too many unintelligible tongues are being spoken without anyone there interpreting. Who are they witnessing to? Nobody in Jamaica speaks Gibberish (oalaha amnaah a maanauarrtik). See what I'm talking about.
If tongues are not interpreted to edify the church or witness to unbelievers then you're basically babbling tongues like babies!
I've heard a lot of people speak in tongues, and I was always curious to know what they were saying. A tongue is a language and as such, it should be interpreted. For the numerous persons, Ive heard speaking in tongues, I have never once heard any of them translate what they've said. Anyway, we have the Word that gives clear rhetoric on speaking in tongues, "therefore let him who speak in tongue pray that he may interpret" 1 Corinthians 14:13. For the bible says, "for he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however,, in the spirit he speaks mysteries" 1 Corinthians 14:2.
The purpose of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost was to spread the gospel. Jesus has issued the great commission shortly before he ascended that they (the apostles) "but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth" Acts 1:8. Peter and the others were in one accord when they received the Holy Spirit. Unity is a prerequisite for the Holy Spirit to come upon us.
At Pentecost, there were devout men in the crowd who were dwelling in Jerusalem who had come from all over the earth. The Holy Spirit fell on Peter and the other disciples and about 120 others, they began speaking in tongues. When the men in the crowd heard them each speaking their own language, some were amazed while others said that they must be drunk on wine. Mind you, all the men who were on fire were Galileans Acts 2:8 yet they spoke in the languages of the Medes and Parthians, Elamites, Judea and Mesopotamia... v.9. They were witnessing to them so that the message that they heard would be brought back to their homelands to be shared with other unbelievers. The whole idea behind speaking in tongue is for a believer to witness in a tongue that is foreign but native to that whom you're witnessing to. Paul writes, "tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers." 1 Corinthians 14:22.
As it concerns the church, the church should receive edification if one or more of its members speak in tongue. Case in point, suppose there are all Jamaicans in a church and members start speaking in tongues, who receives the edification if everyone speaks English and can't interpret the tongues which are been spoken. Too many unintelligible tongues are being spoken without anyone there interpreting. Who are they witnessing to? Nobody in Jamaica speaks Gibberish (oalaha amnaah a maanauarrtik). See what I'm talking about.
If tongues are not interpreted to edify the church or witness to unbelievers then you're basically babbling tongues like babies!
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