Christ in Mark 16:17 promises the gift of speaking intongues to be one of the signs that will accompany those that believe, and in Acts of the Apostles we saw the manifestation of that promise, but what happened on the day of pentecost was that people understood those languages {tongues} to be foreign voices unknown to the speakers.
coming in today christian world where speaking in tongues have become order of the day, but in a different dimension that could not be understood, i think it's important for people that don't understand it be carried along.

I understood what the Bible says about this phenomenon, comment please.
not just comment without bible to support your stand.

God bless as you contribute meaningfully.

Doesn't make sense like the rest of christianity.

Dios
what ist that doesn't make sense in the rest of christianity?

@demanaira,

It would be well to study the events in Acts 2 and then see the details in the epistles (specially 1 Cor. 12-14).

Pilgrim.1
 
  What do you understand by gift of tongue or speaking in tongues?

All the stories. None of them are logical, from adam and eve to revelations, they are all fantastic bullsh#t.
Besides most nigerians only know world history through the eyes of the quran and bible even though people from the middle east are mostly represented in these books. What about our own history before the pale men and arabs invaded and pikllaged our culture, you can't tell me our people didnt have spiritual lives before and during the times of the bible. And christianity and islam don't think outside the box so while nigerians are still clinging to the laws of the bible and blaming everything on the devil the people who introduced you to it are moving forward without over interpreting the bible. IN THE YORUBA BIBLE "ESHU" IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE DEVIL, DO SOME RESEARCH ON ESHU PEOPLE JUST FOR STARTERS.

let me start by establishing why the promise of the gifts of the holy spirit is been given;
Special gifts were extraordinary power bestowed in the first ages to convience unbelievers and to spread the gospel. gifts and grace greatly differ. both were freely given of God, but while GRACE is given for the salvation of those who have it, GIFTS of the spirit are for the advantage and salvation  of others [unbelievers} and there may be great gifts where there is no grace.


Having say that gifts of the holy spirit is for the empowerment of the gospel, then we have to look at the manifestation on the day of pentecost more particularly gift of tongue which have been misinterpreted today. we will look at its manifestation and Paul's explanation of the phenomenon.

before going further, it we be neccessary to note this important fact about tongue as used in the Bible time.
going through different versions of the bible one will understand the meaning tongues to be languages, voices, and  dialects. so different versions used these interchangablly.

As regard to what happened on the pentecost day when the holy spirit decended on the disciples they started speaking in tongues {different languages] preaching the the good news of the gospel.  The Bible says that people around there marvelled and said to one another ", behold are not all these which speak galielaeans, how hear we everyman in our own tongue, wherein we were born?'' {Acts 2:4-8} Here we see very clear what tongues means { speaking foreign language unknow to the speaker by the utterance of the holy spirit}
The question will be why did the holy spirit gave them this utterance to speak unknown languages? The answer is not far fetch. At time of the early christians, the problem of language would have been a barrier in carrying out the gospel as it said to all the nations, tribes, tongues, and people {Mtt 24:14, mtt28;18-20, mark 16:15-18 Rev 14:6}
The confirmation of this is{ Acts 2:37-39} when the people heard the gosple in their own tongues they became pricked and asked foe what to do to be saved.

The gift of tongues is to prophesy and to manify God. see { Acts 19:6 Acts 10:45,46}.

Paul's commentary in 1 cor 14. " follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy" {vs1].

" for he that speaketh in an unknown  tongues speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him, howbeit inthe spririt he speaketh mysteries.'' [ no man understands-- generally speaking: the few who have the gift of interpretation of tongues are exception. Mysteries used here denotes unintelligible to the hearers, exciting their {speakers] wonders, rather than instructing to edify the church. Corinth, being a mart resorted to by merchants from Asia, Africa and Europe would give scope amidst it mixed population for the exercise of the gift of tongues; but its legitimate use was in an audience inderstanding the tongue of the speaker. Not as the corinthians abused it in display.

''As the papists in all their sermons and they that ambitiously pour out some Hebrew or Greek words in the pulpit before the unlearned people by this to get themselves a name of vain learning" {geneva study Bible}

Paul in [ 1cor 14:10,11} explained what tongues mean when he said ''There are, it may be kinds of voices {languages} in the world, and none of them is without signification{meaning}. therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice , i shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall unto me barbarian.''
It so simple to understand what paul is talking about here. Speaking in tongues means speaking in foreign language. Each people have their own dialect which when speaking sound mysterous to the hearer that don't understand it. And when one speak and the other don't understand, they become foreigner to each other.

It became problem in Corinth that so many learned christians in their gathering instead of using language that everyone understood used foreign learned language which in turn becoame problem that paul had to addressed it. paul admonished them that those that are learned if they want to used all these foreign tongues in gathering must have some one to be interpreting it to the congregation so that church of God will be edified or if some one is using it without some body interpreting it, the one using is only trying to display his high learning and at the sometime edifying himself. In this case, it better to prophesy {teach word of God} then to speak in tongues.

{vs14:22}Paul said; '' wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them that believe.'' Here Paul is saying that christian that knew different languages should not proud himself like unbeliever who this should be a thing of proud. that christians should proud only in teaching words of God.

Paul in {vs23} said it would be madness if those that are learned in gathering starting using all these languages that those that are not learned understood even  passerby unbelievers will see them as mad people.

Paul finally admonished that if two or three are speaking in tongues, let there be some one to interprete {vs27} " for God is not the author of confusion, but of peace in churches of the saints"{vs33}.

Paul commented that no man can confess christ except by the spirit. {1 cor 12:3}
The confession from the heart is always moved by the spirit, therefore you cannot so much as move your lips to honour christ at all, except by the grace of the Holy spirit.
{ here in this vs3 Paul is not saying any thing to contradict himself, rather he is  telling me and you that we today become christians and are confeesing christ as our Lord and personal saviour is by the grace of God through the power of the holy spirit}.

In verse10 of chapter 12, you will see what paul said; '' , to another divers kinds of tongues: to another interpretion of tongues." Here he is talking of the gift to understand foreign languages and to some God also give the gift to interprete these tongues as you know that it is  not everyone that understand or speak foreign language can interprete.

Note, God gift of understanding foreign language, more especially on the pentecost day is to break the barrier of language that would have been hinderance to the disciple to carry on this commission of proclaiming the gosple to every nation. And on that day barrier of language was broken. Know it that God can still do it today if you are a preacher of the gosple and find yourself in an unknown land that you don't understand their language, God through the utterance {power} of holy spirit will enable you to speak.

For those of us that think speaking in tongues to mean, speaking BRAAAAAAAA, that doesn't have meaning should repent and come to God today for better understand of the Bible, God is not author of confusion we see today in our different churches.

I Will be happy to read your contributions
God bless.

Dios

I wouldn't like to comment on the issue your raising as it will be derailing from the thread here before us. If i should advice, i say you establish a thread on that, then you will see my contribution as i also will ve some thing to say on that.

God bless.

I don't know what the Bible calls it, but normal people would call it a form of insanity

dtw_sola

Yes it become insanity if one cannot understand what they are speaking {1 cor 14:23}
It is purely a confusion from satan what we are seeing today as our God is not author of confusion {1 cor 14:33}.

@dreamnaira,

dreamnaira:

Pilgrim.1

What do you understand by gift of tongue or speaking in tongues?

It is simply one of the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Unless you're asking specific questions, I'd leave it at that for the moment.

@dreamnaira,

Let me help point out a few things in your previous treatise. I would only say that if we hold some misconceptions at the onset, what follows may not lead to sound principles on the whole. I do not mean to belittle your input - for most points you raised are helpful. However, here's something which might interest you:

dreamnaira:

Special gifts were extraordinary power bestowed in the first ages to convience unbelievers and to spread the gospel. gifts and grace greatly differ. both were freely given of God, but while GRACE is given for the salvation of those who have it, GIFTS of the spirit are for the advantage and salvation  of others [unbelievers} and there may be great gifts where there is no grace.

While it is true that "grace" and "gifts" differ greatly, it does not appear that you have given us what the Bible teaches on them.

You had stated that "gifts of the Spirit are for the advantage and salvation of others [unbelievers}"; but while that may be partly true, the Bible rather teaches that the gifts of the Spirit are given for the blessing of believers. The gifts of the Spirit are given for the profit of all (1 Cor. 12:7); to the end that "the church may receive edifying" (1 Cor. 14:5).

Please keep this in mind when you treat the gifts of the Spirit.

Cheers.

Pilgrim.1
Yea, when i made that statement i mean this, you as a christian today is by the grace of God. God lavish His grace by sending us his only begotten son. We don't,in any way merit grace of God becuase all have sinned and fall short the glory of God. That's what it mean when the Bible says that grace is unmerited favour.
Alright! could you wait a moment and ask yourself how you became christian? isn't that a mystery to you? That is the grace of God. it's a free gift which we don't deserve.

When you have become a christian you need so force to propel you, that is when the gift of the holy spirit comes to play. It was given becuase your not saved to have eternal life alone. You need some thing to convience the world around you that this person is serving God and that is the gift of the holy spirit. If it's for you that have accepted the grace of God alread, the gift is useless., it for the benefit of those that have not believe, to see and believe. See {Acts 2:37}. many believe becuase they saw how God had manifested Himself on the disciples.

When you study all the gifts of the spirit you will understand that they are for edification of the church not for edification of any individual christian. And that is why none of thet gifts can be independent of it own.

Anyway, except that do you have another area you diagree wth my explanation.
Thanx and God bless.

When you study all the gifts of the spirit you will understand that they are for edification of the church not for edification of any individual christian. And that is why none of thet gifts can be independent of it own.

Good point; one of the reasons for the sad widespread of glossolalia is failure of many Christians to understand or appreciate this point.

@dreamnaira,

dreamnaira:

Pilgrim.1
Yea, when i made that statement i mean this, you as a christian today is by the grace of God. God lavish His grace by sending us his only begotten son. We don't,in any way merit grace of God becuase all have sinned and fall short the glory of God. That's what it mean when the Bible says that grace is unmerited favour.
Alright! could you wait a moment and ask yourself how you became christian? isn't that a mystery to you? That is the grace of God. it's a free gift which we don't deserve.

Lol. . . are we missing something here? What was it you read in my rejoinder that made you think I was debating "grace"? Please take the time to re-read my inputs - I only asked that you bear the point earlier in mind that "the gifts of the Spirit are given for the profit of all". However, if you'd like to discuss "grace", I'd be willing to engage that with you.

dreamnaira:

When you have become a christian you need so force to propel you, that is when the gift of the holy spirit comes to play. It was given becuase your not saved to have eternal life alone. You need some thing to convience the world around you that this person is serving God and that is the gift of the holy spirit. If it's for you that have accepted the grace of God alread, the [b]gift is useless[/b]., it for the benefit of those that have not believe, to see and believe. See {Acts 2:37}. many believe becuase they saw how God had manifested Himself on the disciples.

I beg to disagree for the simply reason that your assertion as highlighted above is contradicting God's WORD. I'd like you to show me where that assertion is made in Scripture; otherwise please kindly reconsider. That is why I tried leaving you those verses above to see the point clearly - that the gifts of the Spirit are given for the edifying of the CHURCH (those who already are saved); while glossolalia may serve to the convicting of the unsaved: see again 1 Cor. 14:22 -

"Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not:
but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe."

How could you have missed this verse and then claim that "the gift is useless" it's for you that have accepted the grace of God already? I'd rather we discuss this subject based on what is written in God's WORD and not what we have come to accept from our personal ideas.

dreamnaira:

When you study all the gifts of the spirit you will understand that they are for edification of the church not for edification of any individual christian. And that is why none of thet gifts can be independent of it own.

Which is precisely the point I made earlier and left those verses for you to verify my points. Based on what you just said now above, I am still waiting to understand how you could yet claim that the gift could be useless if it's for those who have accepted the grace already?

dreamnaira:

Anyway, except that do you have another area you diagree wth my explanation.
Thanx and God bless.

Nope, just the above need to be clarified.

Many blessings.

Pilgrim.1

The gift are useful to believers, alright.
that my analogy is to bring out something though you may not understand what i'm trying to say,so in a nutshell, the gift benefits the believers though it has more to the unbelievers.

Be bless

@dreamnaira,

I'm trying to follow you; but you obviously keep missing the point. The gifts of the Spirit were given to edify the saints more than for the benefit of the unsaved. Please read 1 Corinthians 12 and 14 carefully; and if you find where your persuasions are established ("the gift benefits the believers though it has more to the unbelievers", could you kindly post them and let's consider together?

It's a new working week - many blessings to follow you. Enjoy.

speaking in tounges means speaking in a language one does not understand.eg, speaking chinese to a person that understands just igbo is a waste of time.to the igbo man, it would mean been spoken to in tounges cos he understands nothing of what he's been told.so,this thing about speaking in toungue is useless.glossolalia or xenoglossy, speaking in toungues is rugish.

@pilgrim.1: What did Jesus say? Not what others said, eg Paul. Since Jesus is your lord and savior, let us concentrate on him, alone. No paul no Peter, etc. What did Jesus say?

olabowale:

@pilgrim.1: What did Jesus say? Not what others said, eg Paul. Since Jesus is your lord and savior, let us concentrate on him, alone. No paul no Peter, etc. What did Jesus say?

You obviously do not understand the Holy Bible and prophesies. Neither do you take time to really search. If you want to know whether Jesus himself talked about believers spaking in new tongues, it is not far away. See Mark 16:17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

Does that help? Paul only claim to shed more light on the mysteries of the workings of the Holy Spirit and the relationship between Christ and the church to the gentiles.

Though Jesus did not tell of th dynamics of the gift, he sure said it was coming and it did not come in Paul's time, it came long before Paul even became converted on the day of Pentecost.

So please stop looking for confusion where there is none in the bible. It is only replete in other books but not the bible.

olabowale:

@pilgrim.1: What did Jesus say? Not what others said, eg Paul. Since Jesus is your lord and savior, let us concentrate on him, alone. No paul no Peter, etc. What did Jesus say?

@olabowale,

Sometimes you ask questions like a kindergarten.

What was your questions supposed to bring out on the topic? For starters, I think cgift has given you just a glimpse into what you really had no clue to graple with.

However, leaving Paul and Peter as you requested, what do you suppose Jesus would have said on the subject?

Infact, this brings me to the question: Apart from the skeletal references to some few things Jesus is purported to have said in the Qur'an, where exactly do you find the teachings of Jesus Christ in Islam?

I should be generous with you - so you can frantically run wildly around and quoted from any Islamic source. When you come back, I'll sit back and have myself a real treat of taking you to bits.

Oh, you bet that's not an empty offer!

Ciao.