There is something I have never quite understood about the speaking in tongues of modern day. If it goes back to the Day of Pentecost, then why is it so drastically different than what they did then?

 

The account of the Day of Pentecost, when Peter preached the first gospel sermon, tells of all the apostles speaking and everyone understood every word they were speaking. There were present peoples of different nations, all who spoke and understood their own native language, and the Apostles were all Galileans.

 

They weren't speaking jibberish, their words were not unintelligible babbling. No, on the contrary, EVERYONE understood EVERY word, regardless of what nationality they were. That would be like me addressing the UN, and when I open my mouth and speak my natural native English, everyone heard me in their native language. Spanish speaking people would hear Spanish, French would hear French, and so on.

 

The Holy Spirit spoke through these men to get their message out to the multitudes, it was miraculous. It was necessary because of the great language barrier between the Apostles and all the people present.

 

And I don't see how that example translates into the speaking in tongues we see today. Please know that I'm not being snide, I'd just like to be able to understand it better.

 

That's exactly what I've never understood.

 

To those of you explaining these concepts, thank you for your time and effort! It really is very enlightening!:thumb:

There is something I have never quite understood about the speaking in tongues of modern day. If it goes back to the Day of Pentecost, then why is it so drastically different than what they did then?

 

The account of the Day of Pentecost, when Peter preached the first gospel sermon, tells of all the apostles speaking and everyone understood every word they were speaking. There were present peoples of different nations, all who spoke and understood their own native language, and the Apostles were all Galileans.

 

They weren't speaking jibberish, their words were not unintelligible babbling. No, on the contrary, EVERYONE understood EVERY word, regardless of what nationality they were. That would be like me addressing the UN, and when I open my mouth and speak my natural native English, everyone heard me in their native language. Spanish speaking people would hear Spanish, French would hear French, and so on.

 

The Holy Spirit spoke through these men to get their message out to the multitudes, it was miraculous. It was necessary because of the great language barrier between the Apostles and all the people present.

 

And I don't see how that example translates into the speaking in tongues we see today. Please know that I'm not being snide, I'd just like to be able to understand it better.

Your view of speaking in tongues is not entirely correct. The Bible speaks of tongues (no pun intended) in two ways. The first way, at Pentecost, you've already described. But if you read Paul's letters, he describes a second way. It's exemplified in the popular verse that says "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal."

 

Mark 16:17-18 sums up the whole pentecostal movement. "And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well."

 

Corinthians has many references to speaking in tongues.

I know that is not a complete study of the practice of speaking in tongues. I thought the Pentecostals attributed the practice back to the events of the Day of Pentecost. That's why I referenced only that instance.

2C makes a very good point and HHSDad has a good post as well. Again, not being Pentecostal, I hesitate to attempt to represent their viewpoints, but what HHSDad has posted is the way I've always thought of them. It is my understanding that the handling of snakes and drinking of poisons is now considered taboo with almost all congregations but it is still possible to find such practices deep in the mountains of West Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee if one looks hard enough. Rare, but exists just frequently enough that a news report will list someone bitten occassionally. I'm sure rcr's church, as rcr stated, does not practice this but unfortunately it's a reputation that has been a struggle to overcome.

 

I wish I had the faith that someone who would take up a snake or drink arcenic has, but I live by the verse that states, "Do not tempt the Lord thy God".

Most Pentecostals believe that speaking in tongues is the initial sign of baptism by the Holy Spirit.

When I was growing up I didn't believe it either until about 9 years ago. I was with a friend of mine at a BAPTIST church. The preacher was preaching about the last days and he started speaking in tongues and about 50 of the 150-something people got up and left. Afterwards my friends dad came over and started talking to him; the preacher said he had NEVER been to a penecostal/holiness church and had NEVER spoken in tounges before. That's when i began to believe in it fully.

 

Yes, I agree EVERY church has it's fakers in everything. I would even be willing to go as far as say that Brush Creek has fakers (Father forgive me for that). Don't other churches have the same? Baptist people that claim to be saved and attend church regularly that kidnap little girls, Catholic priests that molest small children, Methodist that come to church, throw money in the plate and pretend to listen so they can be "seen"?

 

I am not saying that all of this is true, but I am just showing you that people "fake" religion all the time in ALL walks of life.

BTW back to the topic. 3 more people got saved last night. That brings the running total to 21 people in 14 days!!!!!

1st Corinthians 13:8 "Love never fails, but where there are prophecies, they will CEASE; where there are tongues, they will be STILLED; where there is knowledge; it will PASS." verse 9 says..."For we know in part and we prophesy in part, verse 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect DISAPPEARS."

 

 

These three things cease because they are partial in nature and will be unneccesary.

 

Acts 2...at Penecost verse 5 "Now they were staying in Jerusalem, God fearing Jews from EVERY NATION under heaven, 6 when they heard this sound a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them SPEAKING IN HIS OWN LANGUAGE, Utterly amazed they asked "are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? Then how it is that each of us hears them in thier own NATIVE LANGUAGE?"

 

Glad to hear people are hearing the Gospel. Philippians 1:18

I have a question. If tongues do not happen now, what are these people doing when they say they are speaking in Tongues? Please be specific.

JJ, If someone speaks this way to God and I speak in my own language...Does God look at his prayer different than mine? I believe God can hear if we just use our normal language. The jibberish isn't needed and folks just want to act out. Jesus says don't be like the Pharisees and go out in the streets and pray to be seen, go into a closet and pray. These folks stand up and do this jibberish to be seen.

JJ, If someone speaks this way to God and I speak in my own language...Does God look at his prayer different than mine? I believe God can hear if we just use our normal language. The jibberish isn't needed and folks just want to act out. Jesus says don't be like the Pharisees and go out in the streets and pray to be seen, go into a closet and pray. These folks stand up and do this jibberish to be seen.

 

 

You are treading VERY lightly on a touchy subject man. Calling the speaking of tounges jibberish is very very inconsiderate. You can look at the Bible however you want to that is your God-given right. Just be more thoughtful and less of a pri......egotist when you convey those views.

Rock, I'm doing like I always do. Let the scripture do the talking. Look up my posts and see where that is what I do, its not my think so's. The man asked a question and asked, scripture answered. Did Jesus not say that? Did you read 1st Corinthians Chapter 13. You have a right to believe in anything you want, so do others.

While I do not venture into this forum very often and really do not know anyones beliefs here, I would gather you are Southern Baptist?

A Christian who attends a Southern Baptist Church.

 

Don't anyone misunderstand me. I've done a whole lot of research on the New Testament. And I have some thoughts on issues that differ with people in my own church. Rock, if you folks want to do something in your service I have no right to say what y'all do. I was answering the question from Jesse James and how my interpretation of scripture brings those thoughts.

 

Jesse...we did a huge topic section on this a few weeks ago.

 

I should have just been quite. I'm sorry.:sssh:

You are treading VERY lightly on a touchy subject man. Calling the speaking of tounges jibberish is very very inconsiderate. You can look at the Bible however you want to that is your God-given right. Just be more thoughtful and less of a pri......egotist when you convey those views.

I think I was the one who used the term jibberish first, rock. I didn't mean it in disrespect. I used that term because I was trying to illustrate my understanding that what the Apostles did on the Day of Pentecost was not uttering words that are indeciferable to us. They were understood by everyone, no matter what language they spoke.

 

I had no intention of being disrespectful to you or anyone else and I apologize if my choice of words had that effect. I hope you will forgive me for using that word.