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Key Definitions #12 - What’s the deal with speaking in Tongues? I thought tongues ceased. [or] I thought tongues was a supernatural translation tool. Key Definitions: Glossolalia Glossolalia or speaking in tongues, according to linguists, is the fluid vocalizing of speech-like syllables that lack any readily comprehended meaning, in some cases as part of religious practice in which it is believed to be a divine language unknown to the speaker. (from Wikipedia) Charismatic Emphasizes the work of the Holy Spirit, spiritual gifts, and modern-day miracles as an everyday part of a believer's life. According to Pew Research Center, Pentecostal and Charismatic Christians number over 584 million as of 2011, which is 8% of the planet or more than 1 in every 13 people. (from Wikipedia – the Charismatic Christianity entry) Pentecostal Places a special emphasis on a direct personal experience of God through the baptism with the Holy Spirit, especially as described throughout the book of Acts starting on the day of Pentecost, in Acts 2, marking the birth of the New Testament church. (from Wikipedia – the Pentecostalism entry) Pentecostals differ from Charismatics Maybe a diagram will help… think of this in that Charismatics believe in and box as “All Christians” and each shape emphasize the gifts of the Spirit, in the box as a group of Christians. but Pentecostals believe that the Charismatics experienced indwelling of God’s Spirit is Baptists an essential part of the New Testament Pentecostals plan of salvation. Checking out the diagram: Apostolics Catholics • All Apostolics are Pentecostal. • All Pentecostals are Charismatic. • So if you are paying attention… then all Apostolics are Charismatic. • Some Catholics are also Charismatic. • But no Baptists are Charismatic, and they aren’t Catholic either!!! #12 - What’s the Deal with Speaking in Tongues? | 1 Key Players (Who’s Who in the Tongues Debate): Pro-Tongues / Pro-Glossalia The Tongues-Haters Pentecostals Tongues is a Translation Tool You must have the Holy Spirit to be For those against speaking in tongues, saved, and tongues is the only sign the newest argument is that tongues given in scripture for the indwelling of is a miraculous translation tool for the Holy Ghost and we are told to connecting with other nations. expect it. The belief is that “tongue talkers” in Romans 8:9 NKJV Acts 2 and Acts 10 translated Peter’s But you are not in the flesh but in words so the rest could understand the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God them. dwells in you. Now if anyone does People who follow this strongly not have the Spirit of Christ, he is believe that the tongues speaker not His. ALWAYS knows what they are saying. Mark 16:17 NKJV Glossolia is gibberish and ridiculous And these signs will follow those and dangerous, or possibly from who believe: … they will speak with demon-possession. new tongues. Non-Pentecostal Charismatics Tongues Have Ceased (which most just call Charismatics ☺) This group argues that tongues Tongues is a great idea and part of worked in the early church until the God’s plan. Don’t forbid it. But not perfect thing, the Bible, was every real Christian will speak in completed, but then we are told that tongues. tongues would cease at that point. 1st Cor 12:30 NKJV For this group, modern day Glossolia is Do all have gifts of healings? Do all gibberish or from demonic influence. speak with tongues? Do all 1st Cor 13:8-10 NKJV interpret? Love never fails. But whether there 1st Cor 14:39 NKJV are prophecies, they will fail; Therefore, brethren, desire whether there are tongues, they will earnestly to prophesy, and do not cease…; 10 But when that which is forbid to speak with tongues. perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. #12 - What’s the Deal with Speaking in Tongues? | 2 The Keys to Understanding When answering the Tongues the Tongues Questions: question, what level will you reach? • The New Testament talks about Padawan Tongues in two different ways. Knows the difference between a Charismatic and a Pentecostal? • The first is the sign of tongues, where tongues is used as a prayer language. Which chapters in Acts mention people speaking in tongues? • The second is the gift of tongues, a (Acts 2, 10, 11 and 19) specific supernatural message from Which chapters in the Epistles God to be interpreted. give instructions and details on • Check out the booklet included in tongues? (1st Cor 12 to 14) this section on Tongues, or at least Jedi the chart on page 21 of this section. Definition of Glossolalia? Tongue-Hater Arguments Can generally explain the two arguments of Tongue-Haters. Tongues Have Ceased Can find the passages in Corinthians that are used • Used to be a very popular argument, by both and figure it out. particularly with Baptists, but rarely Can figure out which passages brought up now that approximately show tongues as a sign and ¼ of Christians and maybe 8% of the which show tongues as a gift. planet has claimed an experience of speaking in tongues. Jedi Master st • Based on the passage in 1st Cor 13 (see Knows the outline of 1 Cor below) where tongues are promised to 12 through 14 by memory. cease when the perfect thing comes Knows what each salvation (1st Cor 13:8-10). So when the Bible account in Acts covers – was completed, tongues was no including tongues and baptism longer necessary… (Acts, 2, 8, 9, 10, 11, 16, 19, 22) • Uh, lots of people speak with tongues? Can describe each tongue-hater argument, what the scriptures • And why does the New Testament say and answer it from memory. contain instructions on tongues (i.e. 1st Corinthians 14) if it ceases with #12 - What’s the Deal with Speaking in Tongues? | 3 the New Testament. Why put it in the instruction manual if the instruction manual causes it to stop? • And if that is what 1st Cor 13 is talking about, why hasn’t knowledge stopped? And why can’t we see Him face to face? This is about the return of Jesus, not the completion of the New Testament. Tongues is a Translation Tool / Missionary Gift • This argument is the new kid on the block. No major denomination teaches this, or for that matter, directly and officially opposes tongues any more. Only the Christian cults (especially the JW’s, the Mormons and the 7th Day Adventists) and other individual leaders among Evangelical Christians, publicly oppose speaking in tongues. John MacArthur is probably the most well-known Christian leader against speaking in tongues. He believes the translation tool argument. • This argument claims that a Christian speaking in tongues is a miraculous learning of a foreign language for missions and outreach, and that the speaker always understands what they are saying. So when tongues came in Acts 2, it was to translate the words of Peter to the rest of the crowd. The same is claimed in Acts 10, in that Peter preached to a few, and then others translated when the Holy Spirit came upon them. • Pause, and scratch your head. It’s okay. Now turn back to Acts 2 and Acts 10 and see if you can find any hint that anyone said something and then it was translated by another person. Go ahead, we’ll wait. • And if you always know what you are saying, then why does 1st Cor 14 tell us that those with the gift of tongues should pray to interpret? (v13) • If you always know what you are saying when you speak in tongues, then read 1st Cor 14 out loud replacing the word ‘tongues’ with the phrase ‘a language you understand’ and see how many times you giggle. The Bible Shows Not Everyone Will Speak in Tongues • Based entirely on 1st Cor 12:30, this argument is again tied to the failure to see the difference between tongues as a sign and tongues as a gift. • Ironically, this argument almost always comes up as a last straw attempt by someone who is against any kind of speaking in tongues. #12 - What’s the Deal with Speaking in Tongues? | 4 All the Passages that Connect to Tongues: Speaking in Tongues as a Sign / Connected with Salvation Mark 16:15-17 NKJV (The first Commission after the Resurrection) And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. 16 He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues. Luke 24:46-49 NKJV (Also the first Commission, recorded in the 3rd person) Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 And you are witnesses of these things. 49 Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.” John 3:5-8 NKJV Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes.
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