[Open to MJs Only] To speak or not to speak in tongues?

[praiseyhvh]

To speak or not to speak in tongues is a very controversial topic among christians. I am not exactly sure what speaking in tongues is anyway, and that is why I was wondering what the MJs here thought and believed about speaking in tongues. Is it a major or a minor gift? My husband told me that churches have split over the issue of speaking in tongues. Is it really that important?

[Shimshon]

Tongues=languages

To speak in tongues is to speak in another language by the power of the holy spirit.

I do not see gifts as minor or major. Gifts are given at the leading of God. You don't get the gift of speaking in tongues and that is your only gift. God gives the gift as it is needed, to those who need it at that time.

I believe we have the ability to recieve any gift at any time, as the Lord needs and assigns.

The split comes from those who say tongues is angelic babeling and if you don't 'speak them like they do' (follow Torah like they do) you are not of God.

Anyone who levels this at another has scores to learn about God himself, in my opinion.

Others believe the gifts of the spirit have ceased, so they argue ceasation, and again call those who do not believe like they do 'not of God'.

If only people would stop judging others by their observance and understanding of God's instructions.

Have they not heard God tell us that we will be judged according to the way we judged others?

This is why in my understanding Yeshua told us to forgive others who sin against us. And judge us according to their own understanding. There is only One judge, and he has forgiven all who ask him and turn to him. And it's up to him to determine how and if a soul is returning. We are to love our brothers and our enemies.


Any gift of God is important. But how they are given and how they operate should only be to glorify God. Those who make it the focus of salvation seem to see the gifts, or Torah observance for that matter, as glorifying themselves. As a sign of the Spirit in them. Yet the sign to the world was the Spirit itself. We are sealed by the Spirit, not by it's works. The Spirit seals us to walk in works of God prepared beforehand. The Spirit seals, we don't seal the Spirit by our works.

Tongues is speaking. The bible mentions speaking in other languages by the utterance of the Spirit within. So as to glorify God and speak his message. Which glorifies him. It's a gift he uses as he see's fit. As with all the gifts.

[Athaliamum]

I personally believe that if someone speaks in tongues in a congregation there should always be someone to interpret it, it shouldn't just be nonscence babble, it will be a real language. You see at Shavuot that when the talmidim spoke in tongues there was someone there who understood it, it wasn't just babble.

The only time I believe that tongues will be given and not interpreted would be in times of personal prayer, when the speaking of tongues is between you and God.

[Ivy]

I do know it is very edifying in my personal prayer time. When I've had times of depression or fear, praying in tongues helped to dispel that.

But on the other hand, when people make it a bone of contention and use it as an excuse to exclude other believers in some way.....I don't think that that was at all what God intended when he gave the gift. It's supposed to edify, not create contention.

[jgonz]

I speak in tongues~ but privately. It's been a wonderful gift from the L-rd as there are many times praying in English just doesn't "cut it". I would never judge someone else for not speaking in tongues though... that's personal, between them and the L-rd. And certainly not a question I ask other Believers anyway! lol

[plum]

I was raised charismatic. tongues was more or less expected. But the gift was not how I understand it today...

I agree with shimshon on this one. and my view is that the gift of tongues is a gift the Ruach gave to bring the nations to HaShem. I think it is speaking in other languages than your own without knowing those languages first... but I want to say that even though this is my belief, I still have no authority to say that the popular use and understanding of tongues is not of HaShem. :) I think it can be gorgeous.

[Ivy]

I spent a lot of time in charismatic churches, too, and the one thing I had trouble with was it being expected. Sometimes I felt like people were being graded by some sort of external standard as to whether they were being "uninhibited enough" to suit the taste of others around them.

I think I was probably being a little hypersensitive at the time, but still, worship is not "for" the taste of others around us or to satisfy them, worship is "for" God and to suit his taste.

[Shimshon]

All glory to God. Messiah is everything. Amen

I remember my time in vineyard. I was told 'just let go' 'go with it' 'submit'.......Yea, release my soul to the spirit of ..........of what? I'm the type of person that doesn't believe it till I see it. Or till it happens without control. I never had an experience with 'charismatic' christianity that I didn't control. I was never thrown back, never uttered things I had no control over. In fact most every occurance of this I saw seemed 'contrived'.

Plus, I never could justify 'language of angels' as reason to babble. Just like I could never justify the nephilim as demonic angels who populated the world with satans seed. It's just not in the text. It's postulated.

Yet, I do believe in the power and moving of the Spirit in signs and wonders through gifts given by God for his edification. Most assuredly. Just imagine a Hebrew in a congregation of babbling groaning flailing charismatics, as he's just standing there with arms open wide thinking.....'this is what my God wants?' As I shift my eyes to one side then the other, then shutting them to focus on the Yeshua 'I' have come to know.

[Sephania]

I believe it is a gift, however I don't believe it means you are better than anyone either. HaShem bestows on who he will Bestow.

I have been prayed over by someone in tongues many times and it always amazes me, you know something is going on in the spritual, you can feel it, at least I can. And I have even had someone start to pray over me and then it switched to these tongues and then he started singing, and this person cannot hold a note, yet when in this 'mode' I guess you could call it, it was harmonious. And strange yet peaceful. Something that can't be described. But I have never been pushed down and out "in the spirit".

Now the stuff you see on TV, to me that is all hocus pocus, and I don't believe in that. But I do believe for all that prayer is our greatest weapon so from that standpoint you might say it is great. :)

[praiseyhvh]

I find this issue confusing but of course pretty much everything about Christian faith, theology and doctrine is confusing to me. :confused:

[jgonz]

I find this issue confusing but of course pretty much everything about Christian faith, theology and doctrine is confusing to me. :confused:

Speaking in tongues is not an exclusively Christian thing... It's in the book of Acts, as well as several other places throughout the 'New Testament'.... and these people were, for the most part, Jewish Believers...

[StormSeeker]

The scripture has always shown tongues to be languages of the world- nothing more than that. No offense meant to anyone who thinks differently.

I have been to charasmatic churches- some people believe tongues were a private communication to God. Again unfounded by scriptural standards. As I understand the bible- there is no such thing as private communication with God via tongues- there is however private communication with God when you pray in your heart- not even Satan or the angels know what you are praying at that point. Only God who can read the thoughts of our heart.

Another thing I heard in the churches is that "tongues" (as in not a language on earth) is the language of angels as also mentioned in this thread. The language of Heaven is Hebrew- nothing remotely close to what the churches have made it out to be.

We know Torah was originally written in Hebrew. I think it safe to say that God spoke to Moshe in Hebrew. Even the names and titles of God are originally Hebrew.

Next- Shaul who knew many languages- among them Hebrew was spoken to by Yeshua in Hebrew on the road to Damascus.

Acts 26:14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.

Yeshua could have used any language that Shaul knew- but he spoke Hebrew.

Next, Yochanan in Revelations only spoke Hebrew and he was able to understand the words spoken amongst the angels.

Hebrew as a language almost died if it weren't for Eliezer Ben Yehuda reviving it. God saw it fit to have the language brought back.

It is Hebrew that has aided the sages down the years to unlock the secret treasures hidden in the bible- including things like the Torah codes.

Shalom.

[tshuvah]

To speak or not to speak in tongues is a very controversial topic among christians. I am not exactly sure what speaking in tongues is anyway, and that is why I was wondering what the MJs here thought and believed about speaking in tongues. Is it a major or a minor gift? My husband told me that churches have split over the issue of speaking in tongues. Is it really that important?

Shalom,

I believe it is an important gift, and i agree that it is not like what has been seen on TV. Most of them do not follow what the word of YHWH says :(

1 Corinthians 14:27,28
says If the gift of tongues is exercised, let it be by two or at most three, and each in turn; and let someone interpret. And if there is no one present who can interpret, let the people who speak in tongues keep silent when the congregation meets - they can speak to themselves and to God.


1 Corinthians 14:2-28 has a lot to say about this gift.

I will be praying that you receive the revelation you are seeking.

[Athaliamum]

Good post tshuvah, and welcome. By the way I like your username.

Shabbat Shalom!

[praiseyhvh]

Speaking in tongues is not an exclusively Christian thing... It's in the book of Acts, as well as several other places throughout the 'New Testament'.... and these people were, for the most part, Jewish Believers...
I suppose I should not have said only Christian. I do realize that speaking in tongues is not only exclusive to them.