Why do Pentecostals stress speaking in tongues the most?

[Dave Slayer]

Of all the denominations, Pentecostals stress speaking in tongues the most, why is that?

 

[mutzrein]

Of all the denominations, Pentecostals stress speaking in tongues the most, why is that?

Could it be that they are no different to any other group / denomination? They focus on that which they believe is evidence of salvation.

 

[Dave Slayer]

Of all the denominations, Pentecostals stress speaking in tongues the most, why is that?

Could it be that they are no different to any other group / denomination? They focus on that which they believe is evidence of salvation.

Well I am saved and I do not speak in tongues. According to some, I am not saved because I don't speak in tongues.

 

[mutzrein]

[quote="Dave Slayer":3jnmxz8r]Of all the denominations, Pentecostals stress speaking in tongues the most, why is that?

Could it be that they are no different to any other group / denomination? They focus on that which they believe is evidence of salvation.

Well I am saved and I do not speak in tongues. According to some, I am not saved because I don't speak in tongues.[/quote:3jnmxz8r]

Yes I'm well aware of that. I am born again, I do speak in tongues but by no means do I believe that those who don't are not born again.

 

[Cornelius]

We do not do things we do not believe in.

Those who believe in speaking in tongues, and pray for the baptism of the Holy Spirit, they will speak in tongues.

Those who do not believe,.........well , they will not speak in tongues.

Heb 4:2 For indeed we have had good tidings preached unto us, even as also they: but the word of hearing did not profit them, because it was not united by faith with them that heard.

No mixing with faith, no profit.

 

[Imagican]

We do not do things we do not believe in.

Those who believe in speaking in tongues, and pray for the baptism of the Holy Spirit, they will speak in tongues.

Those who do not believe,.........well , they will not speak in tongues.

Heb 4:2 For indeed we have had good tidings preached unto us, even as also they: but the word of hearing did not profit them, because it was not united by faith with them that heard.

No mixing with faith, no profit.

Corny,

While what you say may make perfect sense to you, from my perspective I believe what you utter is nonsense.

For there was a 'time' that I had NO opinion on 'tongues' whatsoever. Yet I have NEVER been led to speak any sort of 'inane babbling'.

From the perspective of those that 'speak in tongues', what BENEFIT is derrived from speaking in such a manner? Answer this and I believe the truth will be manifest in the answer.

Blessings,

MEC

 

[Imagican]

Let me offer this:

I couldn't care LESS if those that BELIEVE speak in tongues. It has NO bearing on my walk whatsoever. What I find discouraging is that OFTEN TIMES we hear those that 'believe' stating that those that DON'T are NOT of The Spirit. This is UTTER FALACY and has no right to be uttered. It is nothing other than attempted manipulation of others to BELIEVE in the SAME thing that they do.

The Spirit is NOT confined to ANYONE because of 'something then do or DON'T do'. The Spirit was left behind for ALL to benefit from that believe in and follow the commandments of Our Savior. And it is debatable that the Spirit is able to go BEYOND the mere statement that I just made. That it IS possible that The Spirit IS able to affect those that have NOT YET EVEN BEGUN TO BELIEVE. We simply are NOT able to set RULES FOR The Spirit. We are simply to ACCEPT.

So, I have seen what I would consider to be 'damage' caused by those that would INSIST that one MUST show 'physical signs' of The Spirit or they are NOT SAVED. My wife was once a member of such an organization and I couldn't tell you the times that I witnessed here UTTER DESPAIR for the LACK of these 'physical signs' in her walk. DESTRUCTIVE is all I can call it. Like telling the crippled girl that the 'REASON' that God does NOT heal her legs is for HER LACK OF FAITH. Dangerous ground indeed. Father forgive them for they know NOT WHAT THEY DO.

Blessings,

MEC

 

[Imagican]

Oh, and 'speaking in tongues' or 'falling down slain in the spirit' does NOT make ANYONE 'special' in the EYES of God. There is not ONE that is RIGHTEOUS, no, NOT ONE. Therefore, no 'signs of the spirit' are able to SEPARATE ANYONE from what they have been COMMANDED to DO. Either one LOVES God and their neighbors or they don't. And no 'signs' of the spirit are able to discern the TRUTH of that which is in our hearts.

Blessings,

MEC

 

[Rocksolid]

Of all the denominations, Pentecostals stress speaking in tongues the most, why is that?

That's like asking why are lakes bigger than ponds. They're called Pentecostals because they build their distinctiveness on the events of Pentecost in Acts 2.

For a less circular answer, it's because they want to see a sign.

 

[lovely]

To answer the OP, I think the Pentecostal denomination in general stresses if for the same reason the church at Corinth stressed it, because it was a miracle of God that they came to idolize and use to lord over their brethren. I would say that not all Pentecostals speak with tongues, and not all who have, or have had, the gift of tongues are Pentecostal. I think mutz is right, all denominations do this type of thing, and with the Pentecostals it happens to be tongues...with some Pentecostals, though, they make it salvific in nature, and I think this contradicts the Word.

Cornelius, I think we should pray things in faith, and so I agree with the principal, but don't you think that God just gives others a different gift for the edification of the body? I mean, I like MEC, do not believe that I do not have tongues due to a lack of faith.

The Lord bless all of you.

 

[Relic]

.

Dave, you tell those Pentecostals who are accusing others of not being a saved because that person doesn't speak in toungues that they (the accussing pentecostals) are mistaken. Have they not read ?


Book of 1 Corinthians 12:1-31

1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. 2 Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led. 3 Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: F41 and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. 4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: 11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For the body is not one member, but many. 15 If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? 18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. 19 And if they were all one member, where were the body? 20 But now are they many members, yet but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. 22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: 23 And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. 24 For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: 25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. 26 And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. 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. 29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? 30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? 31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

 

[Pogo]

Little children are perfect mirrors of the doctrines held by their families.

Once, when playing with others in a park, my neighbors kids came running home crying. They said that another neighbor's children, Pentacostals, told them...and ended up jeering at them...that if they did not "talk in tongues" then they weren't really saved!

This seems, to me, to be sufficient evidence as to what is really being taught in some, if not all, Pentacostal congregations.

Also, a co-worker shared with me that she once visited a Pentacostal church near her home during a revival that they were having.

When the preacher invited all that felt burdened to come up to the altar and pray, while he also led the congregation in a prayer, she and a few others, went up and knelt in prayer.

While she was kneeling in prayer, a lady from the congregation came up behind her, bent over her, and whispered to her that she should not feel unconfortable, or left out, if she couldn't speak in tongues...that they could TEACH her how to talk in tongues!

Think about this, some where on this planet are those who truely believe that they can TEACH a gift of the Holy Spirit to others!

Thankfully, when she finished her prayer, she stood up, turned and walked back to her seat, gathered up her purse and Bible, and continued walking...right on out through the front door.

Sadly, events such as these make lasting impressions on us (me), and stains everything I see, hear, and read, about Pentacostals.

In Christ,

Pogo

 

[follower of Christ]

Of all the denominations, Pentecostals stress speaking in tongues the most, why is that?

The Corinthians reborn...

 

[follower of Christ]

Sadly, events such as these make lasting impressions on us (me), and stains everything I see, hear, and read, about Pentacostals.

In Christ,

Pogo

....check this one out.

We used to visit a charismatic church some years ago and one nite this homeless guy comes in and sits down in a back pew. Hes obviously lost and needing to find Christ.
So the details go that everyone is having a good old time which generally included tongues and all the flopping around on the floor that they do.
So at the end of the evening after no one had even talked to the man I guess the main elders wife says out loud 'I dont know how we're going to get that smell out of the pew'...talking about the smell of the homeless man that had been sitting there.

I was very sad because I hadnt been there that evening but we stopped going there after I heard this had happened. It makes me sick that not one person in that group would reach out to this guy just because he was in rags.
That elders wife died not to long after that. Ive always wondered if that wasnt an angel passing judgment on that little church because it fell completely apart after that.

I dont judge charismatics, but for folks who claim to have the spirit of God and demand everyone show them proof, in my life that Ive seen they have shown me that overall they are callous and very self righteous and often dont even recognize their own sin.
Not all, but many of them that Ive known.

 

[MMarc]

It's not the Holy Spirit that brings salvation it's repentance, the sacrifice of Jesus, then you get the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus didn't say you need to be born again to get saved, He said you need to be born again to enter the Kingdom of God. Those of faith resurrect at the second resurrection, those of faith and with the Spirit go to Heaven. Even then those with the Spirit could be refused. Not all who say Lord Lord wil enter even if they have the Holy Spirit to do miracles in the name of Jesus.

There is a difference between Salvation and having the Holy Spirit. Salvation is at the cross the Holy Spirit is given AFTER at Pentecost.

Those who boast of speaking in tongues, are I fear, are mislead.

 

[Guest]

Of all the denominations, Pentecostals stress speaking in tongues the most, why is that?

The Assemblies of God, the Pentecostal denomination with which I am most familiar, labels the doctrine of the initial physical evidence as on of their cardinal doctrines. They believe the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a second experience separate from salvation. This baptism is consider important to provide the Christian believer with power (think: extra special powers) to be witnesses for God (i.e., sharing the Gospel). The initial physical evidence, or first outward sign, that an individual has been baptized in the Holy Spirit is speaking with other tongues.

Thus, for the Assemblies of God, the importance of the doctrine is connected to the desire to evangelize the world and share the Christian faith.

 

[Guest]

To answer the OP, I think the Pentecostal denomination in general stresses if for the same reason the church at Corinth stressed it, because it was a miracle of God that they came to idolize and use to lord over their brethren.

There are actually many Pentecostal denominations. There is the Church of God, Church of God in Christ, Assemblies of God, Pentecostal Holiness, Foursquare Church, United Pentecostal Church (non-Trinitarian), and so on.

Second, though I am not familiar with all of them, I can point out that the generalization made above does not necessarily apply to most Pentecostals. There certainly are some Pentecostals who idolize and wield it over others, but a broad-sweeping generalization like that is inaccurate and unwarranted.

 

[Cornelius]

From the perspective of those that 'speak in tongues', what BENEFIT is derrived from speaking in such a manner? Answer this and I believe the truth will be manifest in the answer.

Blessings,

MEC

Praying in tongues is beneficial to the believer.

Jud 1:20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,

 

[lovely]

To answer the OP, I think the Pentecostal denomination in general stresses if for the same reason the church at Corinth stressed it, because it was a miracle of God that they came to idolize and use to lord over their brethren.

There are actually many Pentecostal denominations. There is the Church of God, Church of God in Christ, Assemblies of God, Pentecostal Holiness, Foursquare Church, United Pentecostal Church (non-Trinitarian), and so on.

Second, though I am not familiar with all of them, I can point out that the generalization made above does not necessarily apply to most Pentecostals. There certainly are some Pentecostals who idolize and wield it over others, but a broad-sweeping generalization like that is inaccurate and unwarranted.

Minnesota, I agree there are different branches, and some believe that tongues are salvific in nature, while others don't, but I think all believe that it's the 'evidence' of the Holy Spirit in the believer. I don't know of any branch that believes one is given the Holy Spirit upon salvation along with gifts and administrations other than tongues. Anyway, We have been talking about this specifically lately in other threads, and so I may have come off more 'broad-sweeping' than I intended based on a running conversation, but in general, which is the word I used in my first post, there is an error according to the Word that gets perpetuated by the denomination as a whole...and it does have an idolatrous quality. Even if I had been intentionally broad-sweeping, I do not find the statement unwarranted, because they denomination does stress speaking in tongues in order to have the Holy Spirit. In the part of my post that wasn't quoted, I also agreed with Mutzrein and said that all denominations are guilty of this...putting their denominational beliefs above the truth of the Word.

As far as all individual pentecostal believers making it an idol, just to be clear, I don't believe that is always the case...and in my personal experience with the Pentecostal Church of God believers I know, it's not even the norm. I grew up with some friends who were Pentecostal Church of God, and many of them do not speak in tongues...they believe they do not have the Holy Spirit, and yet they have been faithful brothers and sisters in their church for these 25+ years. (I do not deny tongues, for the record, even though I have personally never witnessed an authentic demonstration followed with an interpretation.) This specific church has been very active in spreading the Gospel in a crime infested urban area for as long as their doors have been open...they have been tireless servants. I know other believers who profess to speak in tongues, and they are not pentecostal at all. I tried to touch on that in my post, but looking back it didn't come through very well.

The Lord bless you.

I wanted to edit this to say that while I am not convinced that tongues have ceased, I do not believe they are the evidence of the Holy Spirit in a person, and I do not believe that they are essential to salvation. I just want to be clear. The Lord bless you all, again. ;)

 

[Jon-Marc]

Pentecostals focus their attention more on the Holy Spirit than on Jesus Christ, but the Holy Spirit points people to the Christ and NOT to Himself.