Hey All,
I have questions about the use of the gift of tongues. I see them used in
Acts 2:2-4. (First recorded usage, that I know, of the gift.)
Acts 2:2-4 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
I have never seen this happen, in the way described, at any church service I have attended. I have heard a person speak gibberish and call it tongues. And I have heard a person give an interpretation of the gibberish without any verifiable way to know if the interpretation is real.
Shouldn't the crowd's reaction in Acts 2:5-7 be mine; and the congregation's reaction as a whole?
Acts 2:5-7 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
Shouldn't I be amazed? Shouldn't I marvel at its occurance? Ths is a gift from the Holy Spirit.
1. How is speaking gibberish without interpretation edifying?
2. How does it build me up as a believer if I cannot understand it?
3. How, if only one person interpreted the gibberish, do I know, verifiably, what was said is true?
(I like the way Paul metaphorically asks this:
1 Corinthians 14:8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?)
Let me illustrate.
I only know English fluently, and I am in a meeting with a group that only speak German, and I am speaking to them in English, they need a translator so they can understand what I said.
When in that meeting I say:
"Hello, blessed be the name of Jesus."
" Then if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." (Romans 10:9)
But insteadof English, and through no interpreter, the crowd hears me my speach as German:
"Hallo, gesegnet sei der Name Jesu."
Römer 10:9 Wenn du mit deinem Mund Jesus als Herrn bekennst und in deinem Herzen glaubst, dass Gott ihn von den Toten auferweckt hat, wirst du gerettet werden.
While another person in the the crowd perhaps who only speaks Spanish, and again with no interpretor, they hear the same English speach as:
"Hola, bendito sea el nombre de Jesús."
"Romanos 10:9 Que si confiesas con tu boca que Jesús es el Señor, y crees en tu corazón que Dios le levantó de los muertos, serás salvo."
I believe this would qualify as amazing and marvelous.
1. It wouldn't be gibberish.
2. It would be edifying. (build my understanding)
3. What was said would be verifyable as true, through the interpretor, the crowd, and the Bible.
I have never seen this at any church service I have attended.
Can any evangelist say that this version of the gift of tongues happened to them?
Are there any missionaries out there that can verifiably say this happened to them?
Shouldn't there be a continuity with the gift in Acts and what is porported to be the gift today?
So I ask: Does this gift still exist in the world today?
1 Corinthians 13:8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
Have tongues ceased?
What is your understanding?
Keep walking everybody.
May God bless,
Taz