The Gift of Tongues: its General Availability, Purpose, and Power

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Berserk

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At age 16 I was so nagged by doubts about the reliability of Scripture and the authenticity of charismatic manifestations in church that my faith crisis prompted me to spend a week at Manhattan Beach Camp near Ninette, Manitoba with the hope that God would meet me in the Pentecostal camp meetings in the huge outdoor amphitheater there. I responded to the encouragement to seek God at the altar after the services. But my heart felt like stone when I did because I felt tempted to succumb to wishful thinking and just speak gibberish in the flesh. So on Tuesday, I went on a long 7 mile country prayer walk, pleading with God to resolve my crippling doubts and pledging my willingness to die in His service, if He would only make Himself real to me. When I returned from my walk, I was famished and went to the camp dining hall to buy dinner. But then it occurred to me that I should instead fast and put the money I would have spent on dinner into the evening offering plate. So I did and then attended the evening camp meeting.

At the end of the service, as I had done previously in vain, I walked to the altar up front and knelt in prayer. My heart again felt like stone and I was determined not to succumb to the power of suggestion and wishful thinking by stepping out in faith and speaking in tongues. Soon everyone had left and I lingered in my depressing prayer vigil in the mostly darkened amphitheater. Suddenly I felt a warm breeze, which I assumed had blown in off of the adjacent Pelican Lake. I was shocked when I realized that this breeze was in fact the wind of the Holy Spirit! The Spirit immediately overpowered my resistance and I found myself speaking in tongues at the top of my voice. I was engulfed by wave after wave of liquid love, each wave more intense than the last, until I felt like I might die! At one point, my ego seemed on the verge of collapse into the divine mind. I can only describe this outpouring of divine love as a hundred times more intense and sweeter than I have experienced before or since. This proved to be unquestionably the highlight of my life and, decades later, I continue to draw emotional nourishment from the memory of that epic day.

After several minutes, I noticed a few spectators sitting reverently nearby. I asked one lady why she was staring at me and she replied, "Don't you know? Your face is glowing in the dark!" I returned to my knees to continue feasting on God's presence. Then I was interrupted by a Lutheran minister, who tapped me on the shoulder and said he was there only as an interested spectator of other religious traditions and didn't believe in speaking in tongues. But he could sense that God was doing a special work in my spirit and he asked me to pray for him. I didn't argue wit him, but just touched him gently on the forehead and he exploded in other tongues!

When I returned to my cabin, I realized that God had spoken to me, though not in an audible voice or a message printed on the neon screen of my mind. God told me, "You desperately need answers to your vexing questions. But right now answers are not good for you because answers would lead you to live too much in your head rather than from your heart. I'm calling you to live the big questions until they lead you to the center of my heart." That calling led me to get an MDiv from Princeton and a doctorate in New Testament, Judaism, and Greco-Roman religion from Harvard.

Like many others, I believe that speaking in tongues is like a gateway drug that leads to other gifts of the Spirit. Shortly after the experience, I had my first of many experiences of "the word of knowledge (see 1 Corinthians 12:8-10)." I suddenly knew that I would obtain the highest high school GPA in the province as a gift from God to signify my academic calling. At a funeral a few years ago, my cousin reminded me that I had informed him of this divine message before it was fulfilled. Previously, my academic performance had been nothing special. So I believe that my Baptism in the Holy Spirit had "renewed my mind (as per Romans 12:1-2). Duff Roblin, the Premier of the province, awarded my a scholarship in recognition of this achievement. I believe this recognition supported my earlier attempts to witness to classmates, which had seemed to give me a reputation as a religious fanatic. To God be the glory!

I post this experience at the beginning of this thread because, quite apart from the teaching of Paul and the Book of Acts on this matter, I'm convinced that if any of you had experienced what I did that fateful night, it would by BY FAR the spiritual highlight of your life. It is the raason why I never drifted off into agnosticism.
 
D

Dave L

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At age 16 I was so nagged by doubts about the reliability of Scripture and the authenticity of charismatic manifestations in church that my faith crisis prompted me to spend a week at Manhattan Beach Camp near Ninette, Manitoba with the hope that God would meet me in the Pentecostal camp meetings in the huge outdoor amphitheater there. I responded to the encouragement to seek God at the altar after the services. But my heart felt like stone when I did because I felt tempted to succumb to wishful thinking and just speak gibberish in the flesh. So on Tuesday, I went on a long 7 mile country prayer walk, pleading with God to resolve my crippling doubts and pledging my willingness to die in His service, if He would only make Himself real to me. When I returned from my walk, I was famished and went to the camp dining hall to buy dinner. But then it occurred to me that I should instead fast and put the money I would have spent on dinner into the evening offering plate. So I did and then attended the evening camp meeting.

At the end of the service, as I had done previously in vain, I walked to the altar up front and knelt in prayer. My heart again felt like stone and I was determined not to succumb to the power of suggestion and wishful thinking by stepping out in faith and speaking in tongues. Soon everyone had left and I lingered in my depressing prayer vigil in the mostly darkened amphitheater. Suddenly I felt a warm breeze, which I assumed had blown in off of the adjacent Pelican Lake. I was shocked when I realized that this breeze was in fact the wind of the Holy Spirit! The Spirit immediately overpowered my resistance and I found myself speaking in tongues at the top of my voice. I was engulfed by wave after wave of liquid love, each wave more intense than the last, until I felt like I might die! At one point, my ego seemed on the verge of collapse into the divine mind. I can only describe this outpouring of divine love as a hundred times more intense and sweeter than I have experienced before or since. This proved to be unquestionably the highlight of my life and, decades later, I continue to draw emotional nourishment from the memory of that epic day.

After several minutes, I noticed a few spectators sitting reverently nearby. I asked one lady why she was staring at me and she replied, "Don't you know? Your face is glowing in the dark!" I returned to my knees to continue feasting on God's presence. Then I was interrupted by a Lutheran minister, who tapped me on the shoulder and said he was there only as an interested spectator of other religious traditions and didn't believe in speaking in tongues. But he could sense that God was doing a special work in my spirit and he asked me to pray for him. I didn't argue wit him, but just touched him gently on the forehead and he exploded in other tongues!

When I returned to my cabin, I realized that God had spoken to me, though not in an audible voice or a message printed on the neon screen of my mind. God told me, "You desperately need answers to your vexing questions. But right now answers are not good for you because answers would lead you to live too much in your head rather than from your heart. I'm calling you to live the big questions until they lead you to the center of my heart." That calling led me to get an MDiv from Princeton and a doctorate in New Testament, Judaism, and Greco-Roman religion from Harvard.

Like many others, I believe that speaking in tongues is like a gateway drug that leads to other gifts of the Spirit. Shortly after the experience, I had my first of many experiences of "the word of knowledge (see 1 Corinthians 12:8-10)." I suddenly knew that I would obtain the highest high school GPA in the province as a gift from God to signify my academic calling. At a funeral a few years ago, my cousin reminded me that I had informed him of this divine message before it was fulfilled. Previously, my academic performance had been nothing special. So I believe that my Baptism in the Holy Spirit had "renewed my mind (as per Romans 12:1-2). Duff Roblin, the Premier of the province, awarded my a scholarship in recognition of this achievement. I believe this recognition supported my earlier attempts to witness to classmates, which had seemed to give me a reputation as a religious fanatic. To God be the glory!

I post this experience at the beginning of this thread because, quite apart from the teaching of Paul and the Book of Acts on this matter, I'm convinced that if any of you had experienced what I did that fateful night, it would by BY FAR the spiritual highlight of your life. It is the raason why I never drifted off into agnosticism.
I used to think along these lines until I tried to either prove or disprove my beliefs from scripture. Scripture does not support speaking in tongues today by any stretch.
 

Berserk

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HOW TO AUTHENTICALLY SPEAK IN TONGUES

Bible commentators generally agree that Paul intends speaking in tongues to be included among the spiritual gifts we are to strive to exercise:
"Strive for the greater gifts (1 Corinthians 12:31)."
"Strive for the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy (14:1)."
Prophesying is Paul's top priority because, unlike private prayer tongues, prophecy edifies the whole church. But in the context of both quoted texts, Paul discusses speaking in tongues. So just how are we supposed to "strive?"

First a word on what not to do. Pentecostal pastors tend to be results oriented. So they often advise seekers to "just step out in faith and speak it out," with the result that wishful thinking prompts the seeker to experience counterfeit tongues. Similarly, if the pastor lays on hands to incite you to speak in tongues, the pressure you feel to comply with his intent may spark a counterfeit outburst in tongues. As I like to say, the Holy Spirit doesn't jump just because we crack our whip! As a teen, prior to the epic life-changing experience of tongues described in my last post, I had occasionally spoken in tongues "of the flesh." My counterfeit tongues were part of what led to the disillusionment that my later epic experience had to remedy.

The real thing may take a considerable amount of time as a seeker, but it is well worth the wait. Here are 5 tips you might find helpful:
(1) First ask the Lord to baptize you with the Holy Spirit and express your desire and willingness to speak in tongues.

(2) Then replace your petitioning with seeking the Giver, and not the gift. God may choose to baptize you in the Spirit without the initial evidence of tongues.

(3) Then allow your longing for more of God to intensify and until your words seem woefully inadequate to express the purity of your longing and how lost in praise and gratitude you feel for your blossoming intimacy with the Spirit. Meditate on this divine promise:
"When you search for me, you will find me, when you seek me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13)."

(4) Your breakthrough may take several prolonged prayer vigils. So remember the caution that qualifies the glorious promise in Psalm 37:4, 7: "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart...but be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him."

(5) At some point, perhaps when you least expect it, the inadequacy of your contrived words will be compensated by a heavenly language you will find yourself spontaneously speaking and you will be engulfed by wave after wave of liquid love. The way you will discern that you have experienced the real thing is that later in retrospect it will be impossible for you to doubt the genuineness of this self-authenticating experience. Your praise sessions will take on a whole new meaning as the intimacy of your communion with God becomes sweeter and sweeter and ever more real.
 
D

Dave L

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HOW TO AUTHENTICALLY SPEAK IN TONGUES

Bible commentators generally agree that Paul intends speaking in tongues to be included among the spiritual gifts we are to strive to exercise:
"Strive for the greater gifts (1 Corinthians 12:31)."
"Strive for the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy (14:1)."
Prophesying is Paul's top priority because, unlike private prayer tongues, prophecy edifies the whole church. But in the context of both quoted texts, Paul discusses speaking in tongues. So just how are we supposed to "strive?"

First a word on what not to do. Pentecostal pastors tend to be results oriented. So they often advise seekers to "just step out in faith and speak it out," with the result that wishful thinking prompts the seeker to experience counterfeit tongues. Similarly, if the pastor lays on hands to incite you to speak in tongues, the pressure you feel to comply with his intent may spark a counterfeit outburst in tongues. As I like to say, the Holy Spirit doesn't jump just because we crack our whip! As a teen, prior to the epic life-changing experience of tongues described in my last post, I had occasionally spoken in tongues "of the flesh." My counterfeit tongues were part of what led to the disillusionment that my later epic experience had to remedy.

The real thing may take a considerable amount of time as a seeker, but it is well worth the wait. Here are 5 tips you might find helpful:
(1) First ask the Lord to baptize you with the Holy Spirit and express your desire and willingness to speak in tongues.

(2) Then replace your petitioning with seeking the Giver, and not the gift. God may choose to baptize you in the Spirit without the initial evidence of tongues.

(3) Then allow your longing for more of God to intensify and until your words seem woefully inadequate to express the purity of your longing and how lost in praise and gratitude you feel for your blossoming intimacy with the Spirit. Meditate on this divine promise:
"When you search for me, you will find me, when you seek me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13)."

(4) Your breakthrough may take several prolonged prayer vigils. So remember the caution that qualifies the glorious promise in Psalm 37:4, 7: "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart...but be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him."

(5) At some point, perhaps when you least expect it, the inadequacy of your contrived words will be compensated by a heavenly language you will find yourself spontaneously speaking and you will be engulfed by wave after wave of liquid love. The way you will discern that you have experienced the real thing is that later in retrospect it will be impossible for you to doubt the genuineness of this self-authenticating experience. Your praise sessions will take on a whole new meaning as the intimacy of your communion with God becomes sweeter and sweeter and ever more real.
You cannot authentically speak in tongues today. Nobody does. They only have been trained to think they do.
 
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GTW27

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At age 16 I was so nagged by doubts about the reliability of Scripture and the authenticity of charismatic manifestations in church that my faith crisis prompted me to spend a week at Manhattan Beach Camp near Ninette, Manitoba with the hope that God would meet me in the Pentecostal camp meetings in the huge outdoor amphitheater there. I responded to the encouragement to seek God at the altar after the services. But my heart felt like stone when I did because I felt tempted to succumb to wishful thinking and just speak gibberish in the flesh. So on Tuesday, I went on a long 7 mile country prayer walk, pleading with God to resolve my crippling doubts and pledging my willingness to die in His service, if He would only make Himself real to me. When I returned from my walk, I was famished and went to the camp dining hall to buy dinner. But then it occurred to me that I should instead fast and put the money I would have spent on dinner into the evening offering plate. So I did and then attended the evening camp meeting.

At the end of the service, as I had done previously in vain, I walked to the altar up front and knelt in prayer. My heart again felt like stone and I was determined not to succumb to the power of suggestion and wishful thinking by stepping out in faith and speaking in tongues. Soon everyone had left and I lingered in my depressing prayer vigil in the mostly darkened amphitheater. Suddenly I felt a warm breeze, which I assumed had blown in off of the adjacent Pelican Lake. I was shocked when I realized that this breeze was in fact the wind of the Holy Spirit! The Spirit immediately overpowered my resistance and I found myself speaking in tongues at the top of my voice. I was engulfed by wave after wave of liquid love, each wave more intense than the last, until I felt like I might die! At one point, my ego seemed on the verge of collapse into the divine mind. I can only describe this outpouring of divine love as a hundred times more intense and sweeter than I have experienced before or since. This proved to be unquestionably the highlight of my life and, decades later, I continue to draw emotional nourishment from the memory of that epic day.

After several minutes, I noticed a few spectators sitting reverently nearby. I asked one lady why she was staring at me and she replied, "Don't you know? Your face is glowing in the dark!" I returned to my knees to continue feasting on God's presence. Then I was interrupted by a Lutheran minister, who tapped me on the shoulder and said he was there only as an interested spectator of other religious traditions and didn't believe in speaking in tongues. But he could sense that God was doing a special work in my spirit and he asked me to pray for him. I didn't argue wit him, but just touched him gently on the forehead and he exploded in other tongues!

When I returned to my cabin, I realized that God had spoken to me, though not in an audible voice or a message printed on the neon screen of my mind. God told me, "You desperately need answers to your vexing questions. But right now answers are not good for you because answers would lead you to live too much in your head rather than from your heart. I'm calling you to live the big questions until they lead you to the center of my heart." That calling led me to get an MDiv from Princeton and a doctorate in New Testament, Judaism, and Greco-Roman religion from Harvard.

Like many others, I believe that speaking in tongues is like a gateway drug that leads to other gifts of the Spirit. Shortly after the experience, I had my first of many experiences of "the word of knowledge (see 1 Corinthians 12:8-10)." I suddenly knew that I would obtain the highest high school GPA in the province as a gift from God to signify my academic calling. At a funeral a few years ago, my cousin reminded me that I had informed him of this divine message before it was fulfilled. Previously, my academic performance had been nothing special. So I believe that my Baptism in the Holy Spirit had "renewed my mind (as per Romans 12:1-2). Duff Roblin, the Premier of the province, awarded my a scholarship in recognition of this achievement. I believe this recognition supported my earlier attempts to witness to classmates, which had seemed to give me a reputation as a religious fanatic. To God be the glory!

I post this experience at the beginning of this thread because, quite apart from the teaching of Paul and the Book of Acts on this matter, I'm convinced that if any of you had experienced what I did that fateful night, it would by BY FAR the spiritual highlight of your life. It is the raason why I never drifted off into agnosticism.

Blessings in Christ Jesus! Ah, What does it mean "And The Lord was not in the wind" But that sometimes He is. I love the wind! I too understand your experience and as you spoke of it, it was confirmed(By the Holy Spirit). Glowing is all part of walking(or being) in The Spirit. I could say many things on this subject, but for most, it would not be understood. So I would say only, that The Lord as so much more for those who truly love Him, and seek after Him, including the gift of tongues.For those that are truly His and have not, I leave this:
1. Believe that it is The Lord's will for you to have this gift.
2. Go and ask The Lord for this gift. (In prayer).
3. Thank The Lord for receiving this gift.(exercising your Faith)

And as for you, your experience was not meant to be just a one time experience. The Lord is faithful in all His ways to all that love Him.
 
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Berserk

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There are 3 basic grounds for the claim that the Holy Spirit intends us to strive to speak in tongues throughout the church age:
(1) In Acts 2:38-39 Luke's Peter promises the gift of the Holy Spirit throughout the church age:

"You will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far off."

But what does Luke mean by "the gift of the Holy Spirit?" The right answer depends on being clear about what he doesn't mean.
Luke knows nothing about the regenerating work of the Spirit prior to a Spirit baptism accompanied by evidence. So when Luke records Paul's question to the Ephesians, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" Luke has in mind the outpouring of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of tongues (19:5-6). Indeed, tongues are evidences in 3 of the 4 bestowals of the Spirit in Acts, and in the 4th case Simon the magician's monetary offer for this power suggests that he witnessed some form of ecstatic manifestation as evidence of the Spirit's bestowal. For Luke, then, speaking in tongues is embedded in "the promise of the Holy Spirit" throughout the church age as he understands this gift.

This in itself refutes the bogus claim (wrongly based on 1 Corinthians 13:8-12) that tongues, prophecy, and knowledge will all cease with the completion of the biblical canon. All modern academic commentaries on 1 Corinthians agree that "the perfect" points to the 2nd Coming when we will see Christ "face to face (13:12)," no to the completion of the biblical canon.

(2) Paul implies that we should all "strive for the spiritual gifts" and he intends to include the gift of tongues in that command (12:31; 14:1). After both texts, he immediately discusses speaking in tongues and prophecy. True, in 12:29-30 Paul implies that not everyone exercises all the spiritual gifts. But he does not mean that none of these gifts are available to everyone, only that, as a matter of observation, not everyone speaks in tongues or prophesies. In fact, Paul wants every believer to both speak in tongues and prophesy (14:5) and he insists "You can all prophesy one by one (14:31)." This truth is not diminished by his preference for prophecy during corporate worship because he makes it clear that tongues, far from being the least of the gifts, is equal to prophecy if the glossolalia is interpreted (14:5). So the commentaries agree that glossolalia is listed last in 12:38-30 only because of its abuse during public worship. The high esteem with which Paul holds the gift of tongues is especially evident from his remark, "I thank God that I speak in tongues more than you all (14:18)."

(3) Twice the NT commands us to "pray in the Spirit (Ephesians 6:18; Jude 20)" and speaking in tongues is an important form of praying in the Spirit (1 Corinthians 14:15). So the pursuit of glossolalia is implicitly included in this command as well.
 

Waiting on him

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There are 3 basic grounds for the claim that the Holy Spirit intends us to strive to speak in tongues throughout the church age:
(1) In Acts 2:38-39 Luke's Peter promises the gift of the Holy Spirit throughout the church age:

"You will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far off."

But what does Luke mean by "the gift of the Holy Spirit?" The right answer depends on being clear about what he doesn't mean.
Luke knows nothing about the regenerating work of the Spirit prior to a Spirit baptism accompanied by evidence. So when Luke records Paul's question to the Ephesians, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" Luke has in mind the outpouring of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of tongues (19:5-6). Indeed, tongues are evidences in 3 of the 4 bestowals of the Spirit in Acts, and in the 4th case Simon the magician's monetary offer for this power suggests that he witnessed some form of ecstatic manifestation as evidence of the Spirit's bestowal. For Luke, then, speaking in tongues is embedded in "the promise of the Holy Spirit" throughout the church age as he understands this gift.

This in itself refutes the bogus claim (wrongly based on 1 Corinthians 13:8-12) that tongues, prophecy, and knowledge will all cease with the completion of the biblical canon. All modern academic commentaries on 1 Corinthians agree that "the perfect" points to the 2nd Coming when we will see Christ "face to face (13:12)," no to the completion of the biblical canon.

(2) Paul implies that we should all "strive for the spiritual gifts" and he intends to include the gift of tongues in that command (12:31; 14:1). After both texts, he immediately discusses speaking in tongues and prophecy. True, in 12:29-30 Paul implies that not everyone exercises all the spiritual gifts. But he does not mean that none of these gifts are available to everyone, only that, as a matter of observation, not everyone speaks in tongues or prophesies. In fact, Paul wants every believer to both speak in tongues and prophesy (14:5) and he insists "You can all prophesy one by one (14:31)." This truth is not diminished by his preference for prophecy during corporate worship because he makes it clear that tongues, far from being the least of the gifts, is equal to prophecy if the glossolalia is interpreted (14:5). So the commentaries agree that glossolalia is listed last in 12:38-30 only because of its abuse during public worship. The high esteem with which Paul holds the gift of tongues is especially evident from his remark, "I thank God that I speak in tongues more than you all (14:18)."

(3) Twice the NT commands us to "pray in the Spirit (Ephesians 6:18; Jude 20)" and speaking in tongues is an important form of praying in the Spirit (1 Corinthians 14:15). So the pursuit of glossolalia is implicitly included in this command as well.
How odd that only certain religious sects receive this alleged gift?
 
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amadeus

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How odd that only certain religions sects receive this alleged gift?
Who could or would receive it if they did not seek it? Not even necessarily seeking for that one in particular but simply for the best gifts God has for me [or for you]... which may or may not in each case include a gift of tongues!

"Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet show I unto you a more excellent way." I Cor 12:30-31


What Jesus says is this:

"But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matt 6:33

How many in any church group or congregation are seeking always the first things first? If they are then would not some of them as God directs receive a gift of tongues as part of the those things which "shall be added unto you"?
 
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soul man

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I enjoyed your story, it's a wonderful thing to have experiences with God.
 
D

Dave L

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There are 3 basic grounds for the claim that the Holy Spirit intends us to strive to speak in tongues throughout the church age:
(1) In Acts 2:38-39 Luke's Peter promises the gift of the Holy Spirit throughout the church age:

"You will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far off."

But what does Luke mean by "the gift of the Holy Spirit?" The right answer depends on being clear about what he doesn't mean.
Luke knows nothing about the regenerating work of the Spirit prior to a Spirit baptism accompanied by evidence. So when Luke records Paul's question to the Ephesians, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" Luke has in mind the outpouring of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of tongues (19:5-6). Indeed, tongues are evidences in 3 of the 4 bestowals of the Spirit in Acts, and in the 4th case Simon the magician's monetary offer for this power suggests that he witnessed some form of ecstatic manifestation as evidence of the Spirit's bestowal. For Luke, then, speaking in tongues is embedded in "the promise of the Holy Spirit" throughout the church age as he understands this gift.

This in itself refutes the bogus claim (wrongly based on 1 Corinthians 13:8-12) that tongues, prophecy, and knowledge will all cease with the completion of the biblical canon. All modern academic commentaries on 1 Corinthians agree that "the perfect" points to the 2nd Coming when we will see Christ "face to face (13:12)," no to the completion of the biblical canon.

(2) Paul implies that we should all "strive for the spiritual gifts" and he intends to include the gift of tongues in that command (12:31; 14:1). After both texts, he immediately discusses speaking in tongues and prophecy. True, in 12:29-30 Paul implies that not everyone exercises all the spiritual gifts. But he does not mean that none of these gifts are available to everyone, only that, as a matter of observation, not everyone speaks in tongues or prophesies. In fact, Paul wants every believer to both speak in tongues and prophesy (14:5) and he insists "You can all prophesy one by one (14:31)." This truth is not diminished by his preference for prophecy during corporate worship because he makes it clear that tongues, far from being the least of the gifts, is equal to prophecy if the glossolalia is interpreted (14:5). So the commentaries agree that glossolalia is listed last in 12:38-30 only because of its abuse during public worship. The high esteem with which Paul holds the gift of tongues is especially evident from his remark, "I thank God that I speak in tongues more than you all (14:18)."

(3) Twice the NT commands us to "pray in the Spirit (Ephesians 6:18; Jude 20)" and speaking in tongues is an important form of praying in the Spirit (1 Corinthians 14:15). So the pursuit of glossolalia is implicitly included in this command as well.
Nowhere in Acts does it say all spoke with tongues. It happened with the Apostles and Cornelius' entourage during the two outpourings. And from then on, only through an apostle's hands. You are adding to scripture if you go beyond this.
 

GTW27

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A word on perfectionism; these words have flowed from my lips on the subject, When a person seeks to be perfect in their lives, the more they try, the more it alludes them. But if that person seeks out(moves closer) to "The Perfect", then He("The Perfect') will move closer to them.To whom is this He("THe Perfect") that I speak of? Is it not He who will return for His own? Is it not He who until then, is perfecting His own? "And when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away."
 

Phoneman777

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At age 16 I was so nagged by doubts about the reliability of Scripture and the authenticity of charismatic manifestations in church that my faith crisis prompted me to spend a week at Manhattan Beach Camp near Ninette, Manitoba with the hope that God would meet me in the Pentecostal camp meetings in the huge outdoor amphitheater there. I responded to the encouragement to seek God at the altar after the services. But my heart felt like stone when I did because I felt tempted to succumb to wishful thinking and just speak gibberish in the flesh. So on Tuesday, I went on a long 7 mile country prayer walk, pleading with God to resolve my crippling doubts and pledging my willingness to die in His service, if He would only make Himself real to me. When I returned from my walk, I was famished and went to the camp dining hall to buy dinner. But then it occurred to me that I should instead fast and put the money I would have spent on dinner into the evening offering plate. So I did and then attended the evening camp meeting.

At the end of the service, as I had done previously in vain, I walked to the altar up front and knelt in prayer. My heart again felt like stone and I was determined not to succumb to the power of suggestion and wishful thinking by stepping out in faith and speaking in tongues. Soon everyone had left and I lingered in my depressing prayer vigil in the mostly darkened amphitheater. Suddenly I felt a warm breeze, which I assumed had blown in off of the adjacent Pelican Lake. I was shocked when I realized that this breeze was in fact the wind of the Holy Spirit! The Spirit immediately overpowered my resistance and I found myself speaking in tongues at the top of my voice. I was engulfed by wave after wave of liquid love, each wave more intense than the last, until I felt like I might die! At one point, my ego seemed on the verge of collapse into the divine mind. I can only describe this outpouring of divine love as a hundred times more intense and sweeter than I have experienced before or since. This proved to be unquestionably the highlight of my life and, decades later, I continue to draw emotional nourishment from the memory of that epic day.

After several minutes, I noticed a few spectators sitting reverently nearby. I asked one lady why she was staring at me and she replied, "Don't you know? Your face is glowing in the dark!" I returned to my knees to continue feasting on God's presence. Then I was interrupted by a Lutheran minister, who tapped me on the shoulder and said he was there only as an interested spectator of other religious traditions and didn't believe in speaking in tongues. But he could sense that God was doing a special work in my spirit and he asked me to pray for him. I didn't argue wit him, but just touched him gently on the forehead and he exploded in other tongues!

When I returned to my cabin, I realized that God had spoken to me, though not in an audible voice or a message printed on the neon screen of my mind. God told me, "You desperately need answers to your vexing questions. But right now answers are not good for you because answers would lead you to live too much in your head rather than from your heart. I'm calling you to live the big questions until they lead you to the center of my heart." That calling led me to get an MDiv from Princeton and a doctorate in New Testament, Judaism, and Greco-Roman religion from Harvard.

Like many others, I believe that speaking in tongues is like a gateway drug that leads to other gifts of the Spirit. Shortly after the experience, I had my first of many experiences of "the word of knowledge (see 1 Corinthians 12:8-10)." I suddenly knew that I would obtain the highest high school GPA in the province as a gift from God to signify my academic calling. At a funeral a few years ago, my cousin reminded me that I had informed him of this divine message before it was fulfilled. Previously, my academic performance had been nothing special. So I believe that my Baptism in the Holy Spirit had "renewed my mind (as per Romans 12:1-2). Duff Roblin, the Premier of the province, awarded my a scholarship in recognition of this achievement. I believe this recognition supported my earlier attempts to witness to classmates, which had seemed to give me a reputation as a religious fanatic. To God be the glory!

I post this experience at the beginning of this thread because, quite apart from the teaching of Paul and the Book of Acts on this matter, I'm convinced that if any of you had experienced what I did that fateful night, it would by BY FAR the spiritual highlight of your life. It is the raason why I never drifted off into agnosticism.
"general availability" or "divided severally"? 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 KJV
 

Soverign Grace

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At age 16 I was so nagged by doubts about the reliability of Scripture and the authenticity of charismatic manifestations in church that my faith crisis prompted me to spend a week at Manhattan Beach Camp near Ninette, Manitoba with the hope that God would meet me in the Pentecostal camp meetings in the huge outdoor amphitheater there. I responded to the encouragement to seek God at the altar after the services. But my heart felt like stone when I did because I felt tempted to succumb to wishful thinking and just speak gibberish in the flesh. So on Tuesday, I went on a long 7 mile country prayer walk, pleading with God to resolve my crippling doubts and pledging my willingness to die in His service, if He would only make Himself real to me. When I returned from my walk, I was famished and went to the camp dining hall to buy dinner. But then it occurred to me that I should instead fast and put the money I would have spent on dinner into the evening offering plate. So I did and then attended the evening camp meeting.

At the end of the service, as I had done previously in vain, I walked to the altar up front and knelt in prayer. My heart again felt like stone and I was determined not to succumb to the power of suggestion and wishful thinking by stepping out in faith and speaking in tongues. Soon everyone had left and I lingered in my depressing prayer vigil in the mostly darkened amphitheater. Suddenly I felt a warm breeze, which I assumed had blown in off of the adjacent Pelican Lake. I was shocked when I realized that this breeze was in fact the wind of the Holy Spirit! The Spirit immediately overpowered my resistance and I found myself speaking in tongues at the top of my voice. I was engulfed by wave after wave of liquid love, each wave more intense than the last, until I felt like I might die! At one point, my ego seemed on the verge of collapse into the divine mind. I can only describe this outpouring of divine love as a hundred times more intense and sweeter than I have experienced before or since. This proved to be unquestionably the highlight of my life and, decades later, I continue to draw emotional nourishment from the memory of that epic day.

After several minutes, I noticed a few spectators sitting reverently nearby. I asked one lady why she was staring at me and she replied, "Don't you know? Your face is glowing in the dark!" I returned to my knees to continue feasting on God's presence. Then I was interrupted by a Lutheran minister, who tapped me on the shoulder and said he was there only as an interested spectator of other religious traditions and didn't believe in speaking in tongues. But he could sense that God was doing a special work in my spirit and he asked me to pray for him. I didn't argue wit him, but just touched him gently on the forehead and he exploded in other tongues!

When I returned to my cabin, I realized that God had spoken to me, though not in an audible voice or a message printed on the neon screen of my mind. God told me, "You desperately need answers to your vexing questions. But right now answers are not good for you because answers would lead you to live too much in your head rather than from your heart. I'm calling you to live the big questions until they lead you to the center of my heart." That calling led me to get an MDiv from Princeton and a doctorate in New Testament, Judaism, and Greco-Roman religion from Harvard.

Like many others, I believe that speaking in tongues is like a gateway drug that leads to other gifts of the Spirit. Shortly after the experience, I had my first of many experiences of "the word of knowledge (see 1 Corinthians 12:8-10)." I suddenly knew that I would obtain the highest high school GPA in the province as a gift from God to signify my academic calling. At a funeral a few years ago, my cousin reminded me that I had informed him of this divine message before it was fulfilled. Previously, my academic performance had been nothing special. So I believe that my Baptism in the Holy Spirit had "renewed my mind (as per Romans 12:1-2). Duff Roblin, the Premier of the province, awarded my a scholarship in recognition of this achievement. I believe this recognition supported my earlier attempts to witness to classmates, which had seemed to give me a reputation as a religious fanatic. To God be the glory!

I post this experience at the beginning of this thread because, quite apart from the teaching of Paul and the Book of Acts on this matter, I'm convinced that if any of you had experienced what I did that fateful night, it would by BY FAR the spiritual highlight of your life. It is the raason why I never drifted off into agnosticism.

That was a powerful experience and I'm so glad that you shared it. Early on when I was saved I didn't know any believers but then met a couple in our neighborhood who were Christians. I went to their Pentecostal church for a short time and they were big on speaking in tongues. I received it but then later on read that it could be demonic so I stopped using it, although there were times when I really felt that I could not express what I wanted to God and I would then speak in tongues. But your experiences seemed to be assured of being from God.
 
D

Dave L

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That was a powerful experience and I'm so glad that you shared it. Early on when I was saved I didn't know any believers but then met a couple in our neighborhood who were Christians. I went to their Pentecostal church for a short time and they were big on speaking in tongues. I received it but then later on read that it could be demonic so I stopped using it, although there were times when I really felt that I could not express what I wanted to God and I would then speak in tongues. But your experiences seemed to be assured of being from God.
Really? He thinks he saw Jesus and that people can see dead people too.
 

Berserk

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Dave L: "Nowhere in Acts does it say all spoke with tongues. It happened with the Apostles and Cornelius' entourage during the two outpourings.
I have refuted your claims; so you feel the need to lie and put false words in my mouth. Nowhere have I said that "all spoke with tongues."

Dave: "And from then on, only through an apostle's hands."
You keep mindlessly ponticating this bogus claim and have no answer for my rebuttal. So I guess I'll just have to repeat it:
There is not a shred of evidence that Corinthian tongues speakers received their gift through apostles who laid hands on them.
 
D

Dave L

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Dave L: "Nowhere in Acts does it say all spoke with tongues. It happened with the Apostles and Cornelius' entourage during the two outpourings.
I have refuted your claims; so you feel the need to lie and put false words in my mouth. Nowhere have I said that "all spoke with tongues."

Dave: "And from then on, only through an apostle's hands."
You keep mindlessly ponticating this bogus claim and have no answer for my rebuttal. So I guess I'll just have to repeat it:
There is not a shred of evidence that Corinthian tongues speakers received their gift through apostles who laid hands on them.
You need to provide scripture for your claims. Show where the gifts came in any other way than through the two outpourings or through an apostle's hands. You are adding to scripture unless you provide this.
 
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farouk

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As I read the OP (without being personally hostile), it seems to imply the insufficiency of Scripture. The sign gifts emerged in the transitional Apostolic period at the beginning of the New Testament era when the Scriptures were still not complete.

"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." (2 Timothy 3.16-17)
 
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Dave L

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Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. - 1 Corinthians 14:39
Paul said; “so that ye come behind in no gift; waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall also confirm you unto the end, that ye be unreproveable in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 1:7)

Notice the Revelation would also confirm them to the end. So they would not seek the gifts until the end. But only until the Revelation of Christ.

The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show unto his servants, even the things which must shortly come to pass: and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John;” (Revelation 1:1)

So he was saying the gifts would expire with the Revelation of Jesus Christ that we now know was written by John in either 60 or 90 AD.

All of the gifts expired, and history confirms this, as John published Revelation.
 
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