Comments on: Questions About Speaking in Tongues http://www.ministrymaker.com/speaking-in-tongues Christian living, sermon outlines, church planting, worship resources and more Fri, 10 Sep 2010 19:37:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc By: Gary Linton http://www.ministrymaker.com/speaking-in-tongues/comment-page-1#comment-749 Gary Linton Wed, 20 Jan 2010 14:35:56 +0000 http://www.ministrymaker.com/?p=146#comment-749 Joe I appreciate your comment. 1. The Lord is not saying we should not edify ourselves. 1 Corinthians 14:2-4 does say that prophecy edifies the body which is best as you said. It also says in verse 4 that when we speak in tongues we edify ourself. I used to think we shouldn't seek to edify ourself or seek personal blessings but just seek to bless others. The reality is that we can not adequately bless others if I am not edified and blessed myself. We should not seek edification and blessing in and of itself but as a mean to bless others. 2. Speaking in our understanding. You do have it right that in verse 15, Paul says he speaks and sings with his understanding but he also says he speaks and sings with his spirit also, which refers to tongues. We have to look at all the verse or passage and not just part of it. 3. As for tongues being only a certain language, this is not true. Tongues can be a known language or an unknown language. The key to it being other or unknown tongues is that it is unknown to the one speaking. Paul says his mind is unfruitful when speaking in tongues (1 Corinthians 14:14). It can be and often is a language known only to God (1 Corinthians 14:2). 4. Tongues as a sign (1 Corinthians 14:22). It can be a sign as in Acts 2 and also to unbelievers when it is interpreted and God speaks to their heart through the interpretation. Thanks for your comment again. I hope this helps. Pastor Gary Joe I appreciate your comment.

1. The Lord is not saying we should not edify ourselves. 1 Corinthians 14:2-4 does say that prophecy edifies the body which is best as you said. It also says in verse 4 that when we speak in tongues we edify ourself. I used to think we shouldn’t seek to edify ourself or seek personal blessings but just seek to bless others. The reality is that we can not adequately bless others if I am not edified and blessed myself. We should not seek edification and blessing in and of itself but as a mean to bless others.

2. Speaking in our understanding. You do have it right that in verse 15, Paul says he speaks and sings with his understanding but he also says he speaks and sings with his spirit also, which refers to tongues. We have to look at all the verse or passage and not just part of it.

3. As for tongues being only a certain language, this is not true. Tongues can be a known language or an unknown language. The key to it being other or unknown tongues is that it is unknown to the one speaking. Paul says his mind is unfruitful when speaking in tongues (1 Corinthians 14:14). It can be and often is a language known only to God (1 Corinthians 14:2).

4. Tongues as a sign (1 Corinthians 14:22). It can be a sign as in Acts 2 and also to unbelievers when it is interpreted and God speaks to their heart through the interpretation.

Thanks for your comment again. I hope this helps.

Pastor Gary

]]> By: joe http://www.ministrymaker.com/speaking-in-tongues/comment-page-1#comment-741 joe Fri, 08 Jan 2010 17:19:19 +0000 http://www.ministrymaker.com/?p=146#comment-741 Hi Gary, Getting back from the holiday rush. I trust you had a blessed celebration of the birth of the Savior? In reading chap 14 of 1 Cor. I believe that the Lord is instructing people to NOT edify themselves. It begins with the exhortation to pursure prophesy over all other gifts. In v2 when we read that he who speaks in tongues speaks to God - - - I believe that this means that we speak our minds in the given language of our birth and God translates it so that others say: "How is it that we hear in our own language?" Acts 2.8. For one to believe that the gift of tongues is to be of an uncertain language or "prayer language" is handled here in vv.8,9. See v.15 - Paul teaches to pray with understanding, to sing with understanding. Paul would rather speak 5 words with understanding (v.19) than to speak ten thousand in tongues. V.22 is the clincher for me on the issue of tongues for today: 1Co 14:22 Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe. So when people share their belief that tongues is for today all I want to know is how is it being used to reach unbelievers? Isn't that a fair question in light of Scripture? Hi Gary,
Getting back from the holiday rush. I trust you had a blessed celebration of the birth of the Savior?
In reading chap 14 of 1 Cor. I believe that the Lord is instructing people to NOT edify themselves. It begins with the exhortation to pursure prophesy over all other gifts. In v2 when we read that he who speaks in tongues speaks to God – - – I believe that this means that we speak our minds in the given language of our birth and God translates it so that others say: “How is it that we hear in our own language?” Acts 2.8.
For one to believe that the gift of tongues is to be of an uncertain language or “prayer language” is handled here in vv.8,9.
See v.15 – Paul teaches to pray with understanding, to sing with understanding. Paul would rather speak 5 words with understanding (v.19) than to speak ten thousand in tongues.
V.22 is the clincher for me on the issue of tongues for today:
1Co 14:22 Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe.
So when people share their belief that tongues is for today all I want to know is how is it being used to reach unbelievers? Isn’t that a fair question in light of Scripture?

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