Is praying in tongues not more available?

Post by **_Beaver** » Thu Jun 29, 2006 4:22 pm

I'm pretty confused about the charismatic stuff, wether it's real or not.
I listened to a preacher who said tongues do not exist anymore. He said that Paul makes this clear. All these signs died out after the apostles died. He also quoted from the bible, but I cannot find this verse right now. It was something about these signs passing but love will remain or something like that.
But if this is really true then what do all these charismatics have!?
If they can speak in tongues and these tongues are not from God then whose tongues are they!?
Would God simply allow christians to be deceived and to get wrong tongues? I mean how are they supposed to know if they still exist or not? What if a new christian grows up in a charismatic church and thinks that this is all biblical and then also wants to speak in tongues then why should God simply allow the christians to be misled? This also doesn't make sense. This is all so complicated and confusing. Ask 2 christians and you get 3 different opinions, why is there such a huge diversity in the body of Christ when all christians have the same spirit?

If tongues were not real anymore then why doesn't God simply tell it to the christian leaders? This would mean that all christian leaders which speak in tongues are deceived while God uses them at the same time and does miracles through them, this doesn't make any sense to me. If God does miracles through them why should he not be able to simply let them know that tongues do not exist anymore? This doesn't fit together. For example I know a christian in ministry who really teaches decent stuff and who really makes a good impression on me who also speaks in tongues but it sounds totally real, it's not the usual charismatic stuff which sounds like it's made up or only a repetition of the same word but in his case it sounded like a real language at first I thought he was speaking hebrew. This christian is definitely used by God. Once a woman with a brain tumor went to him and he laid hands on her and she was slain by the spirit. I witnessed it first hand. It looked totally real. He didn't push her, she simply fell down. And I also kept in touch with the person which knew this woman and she said that she was healed, she never had any more problems. Is it not possible that real tongues still exist today? Paul also says in the bible that he prays in tongues and that it's important. If praying in tongues was only a temporary thing why should Paul even write about it and say how good it is when we don't have it anymore?

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.

But I also think that a lot of speaking in tongues is not genuine. I know charismatics which all have the same style of speaking in tongues, it all sounds the same as if they simply learned a few words and then they repeat them over and over again, it doesn't sound like a language at all but rather made up. I could produce such words without any problems and pretend to be speaking in tongues. But if praying in tongues really exists then I would love to be able to do it, but I can't. People told me to simply try it but this doesn't make sense. Either you have it and know that you have it or you don't have it.

Post by **_TK** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 8:12 am

Man, i'm right with you on your question. because of my religious background, 5 years ago i would have said that tongues (today) is a bunch of baloney. my views in this regard have changed dramatically over the past few years, mainly because i have been listening to a bunch of sermons by teachers who obviously know the Lord and are also "charismatic." i used to associate "charismatic" with the people you see on TV; of course i realize now that this isnt the case; i.e. there are plenty of sincere charismatic people who are on solid theological footing. Steve's teaching on the spiritual gifts explained a lot for me. but tongues is still something of a mystery to me. i have honestly never been in a gathering of believers where someone uttered something in tongues. if they did, i would expect there to be an interpretation. i have heard it on MP3 sermons however.

there seems to be a distinction between uttering something in tongues publicly and what is called "praying in tongues" or a "personal prayer language." the idea of this is very attractive to me because it is supposed to be edifying, and I have even asked God to allow me to do this in my private prayer life. my problem is that i dont know how to do it. if i just start jabbering, then in the back of my mind i will know that it is me doing it, not the Spirit. but if i dont open my mouth to speak, then I will never pray in a tongue. the whole idea is very confusing and frustrating to me. part of the problem is that i am not a very emotional person but tend to be on the logical side of things. however, at the same time i have come to truly believe that the appropriate use of tongues is for today.

i certainly would welcome other people's comments,especially how to "get started" in regard to praying in a tongue.

p.s. of course i realize that being filled with the Spirit is a pre-requisite to receipt of any of the spiritual gifts.

thx for your post, TK

Post by **_Jesusfollower** » Sat Jul 01, 2006 11:16 pm

Try this, I've seen others stuff on this and it makes no sense
http://www.truthortradition.com/modules ... le&sid=579

More articles on the manifestations of the gift of holy spirit
http://www.truthortradition.com/modules ... ew_topic=9

Post by **_DonO** » Tue Jul 04, 2006 9:24 pm

I too am in a quandry conscerning the gift of tongues. Let me give a brief background I was saved in an Independant Fundamental Missionary Baptist church so my early training has been that all sign gifts died out with the apostles. their theory is that Paul said tongues and prophecy would cease when that which is perfect has come. The problem I have is their view is this was the new testament in it's complete form. I allways was doubtfull about that view. In my heart I think that was refferring to the return of Christ and the kingdom.

I see many missuses of tongues these days such as more than two or three spouting off and no order or interpretation. Paul did give guidelines how the gift was supposed to be used in the church.

I too have prayed many times to recieve the gift and am open to recieve any gift the Spirit wants to give me but I have never spoken in tongues. If i try it's me manufacturing it and zI know I am doing it. So I am open and not against it now but still nothing has happened in my personal time.

I am open to the gift but am not going to loose sleep if i never get it. Remember this was the gift that caused so much disruption in the Church at Corinth so it may be a blessing not to have it as well.

Post by **_Jesusfollower** » Wed Jul 05, 2006 1:16 pm

The word Gift is not in any of the text, the KJV italicized it to show you that, The word is Spiritual matters, and they are Manifestations of the gift of holy spirit.