Didn’t Paul say he spoke in angelic tongues?

[Dave Slayer]

May I please have some thoughts on the following arguments from http://charismatic-heresy.blogspot.com/ ... guage.html? Thanks and God Bless!

Didn’t Paul say he spoke in angelic tongues?

No. This is what Paul said: “If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal.†(1 Corinthians 13:1) He said nothing more, nothing less; Paul made a hypothetical proposal:

if I speak in angelic tongues,
if I moved mountains,
if I could do some other impossible thing but do not have love… See THAT is the point: If I don’t have love, no matter what wonderful thing I can do, I will be like a falsely reverberating instrument.

Of course Paul could have used something else to make his point. Yet charismatics concocted an entire system of “tongues of angels†and “private prayer language†based on a solitary, hypothetical analogy.

1 Corinthians 13:1 fails to make the case for people praying in some sort of “angelic tongue†or “private prayer languageâ€Â. To be sure, angels communicate, but it is highly unlikely they would use a system requiring human vocal chords and much less that we could perceive angelic communication with earthbound senses.

“Private prayer language†of course implies a type of prayer that is to be used in private. Except charismatics rattle off the same mumbo-jumbo "tongues" in private as they do at prayer meetings, conferences and charismatic masses. So then what makes charismatic tongues a “private prayer language� Anyone can pray the Our Father in private, but that does not make the “Our Father†a private prayer.

So then who would benefit from praying in a language nobody understands when nobody is around? The charismatic explanation is we do not know what we need, but the Holy Spirit does. That of course is true, but it fails to make a case for mindless babble. In the same way we do not have to verbalize for God what he already knows. The “Our Father†and the “Hail Mary†covers all the bases so to speak or we can just repeat Jesus’ plea to the Father from Matthew 26; pass this cup from me, but not my will, your will be done!

 

[Tina]

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Probably Paul began with tongues because of the Corinthians' fascination with this gift (see chaper 14). That is where the problem lay. He also built to a climax in verses 1-3 moving from the less to the more difficult actions. Evidently Paul used the first person because the Corinthians believed that they did speak with the tongues of men and of angels (1 Corinthians 14:14-15). Speaking with the tongues of men and angels does not refer to simple eloquence, as the context makes clear (1 Corinthians 12:10, 28, 30). The tongues of men probably refer to languages humans speak. The tongues of angels probably refer to the more exalted and expressive language with which angels communicate with one another. They may refer to languages unknown to humans, namely, ecstatic utterance. However throughout this whole discussion of the gift of tongues there is no evidence that Paul regarded tongues as anything but languages. Throughout the whole New Testament, "tongues" means languages. Of course humans do not know the language of the angels, but it is an exalted language because angels are superior beings. The Corinthians evidently believed that they could speak in angelic languages. Paul's point was that even if one could speak in this exalted language and did not have love (i.e., act lovingly) his or her speech would be hollow and empty. Gongs and cymbals were common in some of the popular pagan cults of the time. They made much noise but no sense.

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[justvisiting]

The point is...order is required in the church, and speaking in tongues without interpretation...IN CHURCH...is wrong...especially when unbelievers are present. Does Paul deny the gift? No. 1 Cor 14:18
The day of Pentecost was a special thing that happened...it was a witness to non-believers. The tongues in 1 Cor 12:30 is a gift that is not necessarily for the unbelieving. If in church...an interpretation is DEFINITELY NEEDED.
NOTHING SAYS THE GIFT OF TONGUES IS A REQUIREMENT. IT IS A GIFT.
1Co 12:28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
1Co 12:29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
1Co 12:30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
1Co 12:31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

1Co 14:12 Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.
1Co 14:13 Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret.
1Co 14:14 For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.
1Co 14:15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
1Co 14:16 Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?
1Co 14:17 For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.
1Co 14:18 I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:
1Co 14:19 Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.
1Co 14:20 Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.
1Co 14:21 In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord.
1Co 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.
1Co 14:23 If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?
1Co 14:24 But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all:
1Co 14:25 And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.
1Co 14:26 How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
1Co 14:27 If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.
1Co 14:28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.
1Co 14:29 Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.
1Co 14:30 If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.
1Co 14:31 For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted.
1Co 14:32 And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.

 

[justvisiting]

I myself think that there may be some carnal Christians seeking for some higher gifts. The early church was a marvel...miracles everywhere...persecution unto death...the apostles that had been with Christ were alive...accurate prophecies...tongues...etc.
Unfortunately, today. I think there is a zeal...but even as some attempt to prophecy and fail...they should be careful with manufacturing artificial things.
I do believe in these gifts...but I think they are sparser today...than some may think. The world we live in is very dead in sin, and unbelief.
At least at the time of Paul...they were superstitious...and had potential for believing the miraculous. Today, the world is more of an atheistic deadzone.
I think the closer we get to the 2nd coming of Christ...the more the miraculous will show on both sides.
I am sure these gifts still exist...but we need to careful. God doesn't give out gifts, without serious commitment to Him. Christianity is not a game...but an all consuming fire...to those that really desire the Lord.