God's Gift of Tongues Not for Private Use

[farouk]

Hello to you.

Went to a church that had charismatic or speaking in tongues people, like this a few times in my life, it was scary. I don’t believe that the way people portrays speaking in tongues is always biblical when people have been taught by a tradition of something that is not truth.

In love, peace, kindness, patience, of Christ,
Matthew Gallagher

It is very clear what tongues is though if you read through the book of acts and you read through the scripture. I believe people can speak prophecy’s (however that is in the meaning of edification and teaching (by the spirit) if that is how it so defined in the concordance).

(Just my two cents.) I’m always capable of being wrong.

In joy, kindness, forbearance, peace, gentleness, of Christ,

Matthew Gallagher

@MatthewG Good in any case to remember that in Acts the Bible was not yet complete; whereas now we have in Scripture full and sufficient authority for proclaiming the Gospel.

 

[MatthewG]

Thank you for sharing your insights, @farouk.

In Christ,
Matthew Gallagher

 

[amadeus]

@MatthewG Good in any case to remember that in Acts the Bible was not yet complete; whereas now we have in Scripture full and sufficient authority for proclaiming the Gospel.

What about Life? What authority does a dead man have?

 

[farouk]

What about Life? What authority does a dead man have?

I was thinking of the living Word of God (1 Peter 1)...which is itself a quote from Isaiah 40...

 

[amadeus]

I was thinking of the living Word of God (1 Peter 1)...which is itself a quote from Isaiah 40...

Without Life in himself, what man can speak the Word of God with Life and power and authority? Note the difference between the scriptures quoted by Satan and Jesus here:

"And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone." Matt 4:6

Quoting from the 91st psalm the words Satan spoke had no Life and no power and no authority.

"Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." Matt 4:7

Quoting from Deuteronomy 6:16, Jesus rebuked Satan with the Living Word of God with power and authority. To God, Satan was dead. Most of the people around us, I believe, are also dead.

 

[Robert Gwin]

Seeing it both ways does not mean I believe it both ways. I mean I can understand why people believe as they do even it may differ from what I believe:

"Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am." John 8:58

What I see is not just the one verse but my own view from reading and studying all of my Bible and from talking with God. When I came to God in the UPC in 1976, they taught me to read my Bible. A central doctrine for them was that there was only one God and Jesus was his name. No Trinity! I went along with that as I knew no different. They of course showed me the Bible verses supporting their belief. [My Trinitarian background was Catholic but there was no Bible for me in that.]

I guess during the years beginning in 1987, when for the last time I left the UPC, I went up and down and all over the place with my reading and with what I heard across pulpits. In the late 1990's I joined an Internet Christian forum and began hearing a greater variety of ideas on the subject than ever before:

1) Jesus alone is God; or
2) Jesus is one part of a three in one God; or
3) Jesus is only a special human being; or
4) Jesus is fully man and fully God; or
5) Jesus is a lesser God.

Often each individual or group believing one of those would have a whole set of scriptures ready to support their position. I listened and I looked at their arguments and I studied the scriptures independently of their words and I talked to God.

I see a type or shadow of Jesus in Joseph under Pharaoh in Egypt as per this verse:

"Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou." Gen 41:40

And then...

"Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I." John 14:14

"Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power.
For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.
The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
For he hath put all things under his feet. But when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted, which did put all things under him.
And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all." I Cor 15:24-28

"Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places,
Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come:
And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church," Eph 1:20-22

"But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings." Heb 2:9-10

From the Genesis verse do you see what I see? If not, that is between you and God, is it not?

Yes sir, you hit the key when you said: What I see is not just the one verse but my own view from reading and studying all of my Bible and from talking with God.
If one reads the preceding verses, they would see what Jesus was answering, and observe it was a question of time, not who is God. Knowing the Bible as a whole, we know that Jesus existed prior to coming to earth, not only did he know Abraham, but had personal dealings with him as well. Abraham being a friend of God, certainly was a friend of Jesus, as well as a friend of all of God's people. Most people use the I am as Jesus claiming to be God, of course that is used extensively throughout the Bible and they do not apply it to anyone else, cept God. Perhaps one day in the distant future, long after I am gone people will quote some of my posts, and say he is God. By that time it will no longer be called trinity but likely Tredecillion God. All kidding aside, it is an extremely important issue, as Jehovah will have no other gods before His face, ever. And since every being that exists came from Him, this means none of them. It includes non existent gods as well, such as baal, ra, or even money. Everlasting life depends upon knowing God 2 Thes 1:8

Keep in mind many verses people show to support the trinity have been altered. Jn 1:1 is a great example, and of course those Bibles did their utmost to remove God's name as well.

 

[amadeus]

Yes sir, you hit the key when you said: What I see is not just the one verse but my own view from reading and studying all of my Bible and from talking with God.
If one reads the preceding verses, they would see what Jesus was answering, and observe it was a question of time, not who is God. Knowing the Bible as a whole, we know that Jesus existed prior to coming to earth, not only did he know Abraham, but had personal dealings with him as well. Abraham being a friend of God, certainly was a friend of Jesus, as well as a friend of all of God's people. Most people use the I am as Jesus claiming to be God, of course that is used extensively throughout the Bible and they do not apply it to anyone else, cept God. Perhaps one day in the distant future, long after I am gone people will quote some of my posts, and say he is God. By that time it will no longer be called trinity but likely Tredecillion God. All kidding aside, it is an extremely important issue, as Jehovah will have no other gods before His face, ever. And since every being that exists came from Him, this means none of them. It includes non existent gods as well, such as baal, ra, or even money. Everlasting life depends upon knowing God 2 Thes 1:8

Keep in mind many verses people show to support the trinity have been altered. Jn 1:1 is a great example, and of course those Bibles did their utmost to remove God's name as well.

Biblical alterations will not stop a sincere person from finding God if and when he is seeking Him first before all things. God is too great to allow that.

What I believe is that if a person is searching sincerely for God and God's truth, God will see to it. The following verse frequently comes to my mind on this subject:

"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled." Matt 5:6

That is a promise. God has made many promises to men. If we do our part, God will keep His promises! Too many people want to stop doing their part. They want to receive the blessings while involving themselves too deeply in the interests and desires of the flesh: double mindedness is what James calls that.

"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." I John 2:15-17

We cannot serve both God and mammon if we really wish to approach God closely. Sometime, somewhere mammon must be eliminated from our ways. God is always ready to help us.

 

[Robert Gwin]

Biblical alterations will not stop a sincere person from finding God if and when he is seeking Him first before all things. God is too great to allow that.

What I believe is that if a person is searching sincerely for God and God's truth, God will see to it. The following verse frequently comes to my mind on this subject:

"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled." Matt 5:6

That is a promise. God has made many promises to men. If we do our part, God will keep His promises! Too many people want to stop doing their part. They want to receive the blessings while involving themselves too deeply in the interests and desires of the flesh: double mindedness is what James calls that.

"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever." I John 2:15-17

We cannot serve both God and mammon if we really wish to approach God closely. Sometime, somewhere mammon must be eliminated from our ways. God is always ready to help us.

Yes sir, I fully agree, anyone who is rightly disposed will definitely come to know God. But don't forget God promised to give them the opportunity Mat 28:19,29; 24:14; Rom 10:14;15; Eph 6:15