Tongues, a SIGN to the UNBELIEVER
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Getitright
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It is both positive and negative. So a third option would be in order.
reformed1689
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Hidden In Him
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Surprised this thread didn't take off.
A positive sign. On Pentecost, they were proclaiming the wonderful works of God:
1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. 6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. 7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? 8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? 9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, 10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God. (Acts 2:1-11)
I watched a strange TV preacher last night saying that "prophecy" is always positive and believers are doing so all the time without even realizing it. Nonsense. Most prophecy contains warnings, and sometimes these warnings are foreboding in the extreme. Most tongues on the other hand are positive in nature, as the gift is often used to give praises and thanks unto God, and glorify His name (1 Corinthians 14:13-17). Praying unto God in tongues is also mentioned in this context, i.e. positively (1 Corinthians 14:14)
do all speak in tongues"?
Ha! You are correct!Why do they think many of the Ot prophets were hated and persecuted...not because of GOOD news, warnings, yes!
As far as tongues, I have never had the gift but I have one brother and one sister that do. Aren't we to not forbid tongues? Some Christians have said I was not saved because I did not speak in tongues..."do all speak in tongues"? Cor.12:30.
I haven't voted as I believe there to be more to it than that. I believe the ability to speak in tongues is a gift from God and has a number of manifestations. But it is greatly maligned by some folk much to the detriment of the Church and individual growth.
Hidden In Him
Well-Known Member
Yeah, that whole nonsense about someone is not saved unless they do was concocted by the Devil to actually attack the gift of tongues in the modern church and vilify it. And yes, there are commands in the NT to forbid neither tongues or prophecy, but only to operate in them in an orderly fashion (1 Thessalonians 5:20-21). Many operating in prophecy in an unorderly fashion (i.e. especially not seeking or expecting confirmation) has been another weapon Satan has used to vilify its modern use as well.
Oh, come Lord Jesus come! Can't wait for us all to be truly united in Him!
Oh, the humanity of it all!!!
Hidden In Him
Well-Known Member
Oh, come Lord Jesus come! Can't wait for us all to be truly united in Him!
Oh, the humanity of it all!!!
Yes. So much of Christianity is Hindenburging... Gotta think on the positives, and not the "less positive" stuff.
@Hidden In Him and @Nancy
Growing up I always thought of tongues as a sign to the unbeliever as a positive sign too, because of Acts 2, but when reading the NT through, 22 and 23 were the only verses that just didn't seem to flow. It was verse 23 that just didn't seem to fit what I thought was a positive sign to unbelievers.
22 Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; ... 23 Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind?
I couldn't figure it out, so thought I'll figure it out someday, and kept reading through the NT. I didn't know the answer for 30 years! When I read through the NT, I like to read different versions to get what others see that maybe I didn't see. Then one year I read J.B.Phillips NT and it made perfect sense. Why? So I read it again and noticed an * at verse 22. He switched unbelievers to believers for tongues. He had been just as confused as I had been. But are we to actually change God's words?
1 Corinthians 14:22-25 J.B. Phillips New Testament (PHILLIPS)
22-25 That means that tongues are a sign of God’s power, not for those who are unbelievers, but to those who already believe. Preaching the word of God, on the other hand, is a sign of God’s power to those who do not believe rather than to believers. So that, if at a full church meeting you are all speaking with tongues and men come in who are both uninstructed and without faith, will they not say that you are insane? But if you are preaching God’s word and such a man should come in to your meeting, he is convicted and challenged by your united speaking of the truth. His secrets are exposed and he will fall on his knees acknowledging God and saying that God is truly among you!
Growing up I always thought of tongues as a sign to the unbeliever as a positive sign too, because of Acts 2, but when reading the NT through, 22 and 23 were the only verses that just didn't seem to flow. It was verse 23 that just didn't seem to fit what I thought was a positive sign to unbelievers.
22 Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; ... 23 Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind?
I couldn't figure it out, so thought I'll figure it out someday, and kept reading through the NT. I didn't know the answer for 30 years! When I read through the NT, I like to read different versions to get what others see that maybe I didn't see. Then one year I read J.B.Phillips NT and it made perfect sense. Why? So I read it again and noticed an * at verse 22. He switched unbelievers to believers for tongues. He had been just as confused as I had been. But are we to actually change God's words?
1 Corinthians 14:22-25 J.B. Phillips New Testament (PHILLIPS)
22-25 That means that tongues are a sign of God’s power, not for those who are unbelievers, but to those who already believe. Preaching the word of God, on the other hand, is a sign of God’s power to those who do not believe rather than to believers. So that, if at a full church meeting you are all speaking with tongues and men come in who are both uninstructed and without faith, will they not say that you are insane? But if you are preaching God’s word and such a man should come in to your meeting, he is convicted and challenged by your united speaking of the truth. His secrets are exposed and he will fall on his knees acknowledging God and saying that God is truly among you!
Interesting, I will have to re-read your post...have not thought of it that way before. I so wish to be able to pray in tongues as sometimes I'm overwhelmed with prayer as there are so many to pray for and about. I have prayed for this gift, but to be honest (of course!) I always believed that tongues were actual human languages. I can see both sides here...something tells me that tongues of other languages are most likely used to reach other Nations so as to preach in their own language so they can understand what is spoken. Personally, the praying in tongues kind of scares me, lol.
Good post, food for thought!
Yes, in verse 22 in context, it is actually a negative sign to unbelievers. It confirms them in their unbelief. That is why we have so many mockers in the Church even, to say nothing of the world. In verse 23, the mockers in the Church are the uninformed. Those in the world are the unsaved.
Hidden In Him
Well-Known Member
:).
CL, It is only a negative experience for unbelievers (and believers as well) if the tongue is spoken without an interpretation being given so other unbelievers can understand it (1 Corinthians 14:13). What's happening is that an utterance in tongues may well not be understood by everyone (or even anyone) present, so while it is a sign to the unbeliever who understands the tongue, it sounds like madness to all the unbelievers present who don't.
But with interpretation, it is a positive sign not just to the one who understood it in their native language, but also to everyone else who didn't and is wondering what was being said.
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This is true about the 1 Corinthians 12 gift of diverse kinds of tongues that must be interpreted. But not the sign of tongues of Mark 16:17. It does not need interpretation and is the one of the two abilities of tongues that is being described in 1 Corinthians 14:22-23. Because our prayer language given in Mark 16 does not require interpretation and all may receive this ability, but not all will receive the gift of receiving messages from God that requires interpretation, if all were speaking in their prayer language and an unbeliever or an uniformed person came in, they would think they were crazy, confirming them in their unbelief.
Hidden In Him
Well-Known Member
I dunno. I think all publicly declared tongues need to be interpreted, or at the very least outlined in brief publicly to confirm it is the supernatural voice of God speaking. This took place on Pentecost. Not all may have understood every language being spoken, but the confession of many there was that they where hearing the wondrous works of God being spoken in a foreign tongue, leading to the conclusion amongst them all that all of it was divine utterance, and not just a bunch of guys getting drunk at 9AM in the morning.
HIH, There were two gifts at work by God on that Day of Pentecost. The second is only recognized when you see past your reasoning. Like this:
Hidden In Him
Well-Known Member
HIH, There were two gifts at work by God on that Day of Pentecost. The second is only recognized when you see past your reasoning. Like this: What do the black lines spell?
The black lines spell, "This is a really weird way to spell 'Jesus, Jesus.' I hope it makes people's eyes hurt." LoL.
I've seen woodblocks speak in tongues like this, but rarely a woodblock interpretation of it. Selah. Such is the state of the modern church. It's like prophetic or something.
The black lines spell, "This is a really weird way to spell 'Jesus, Jesus.' I hope it makes people's eyes hurt." LoL.
I've seen woodblocks speak in tongues like this, but rarely a woodblock interpretation of it. Selah. Such is the state of the modern church. It's like prophetic or something.
Correct. What I want you to 'see' is when you change your focus on the hearing in Acts 2, rather than the speaking. Then what do you 'see'?
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