A Question for Penticostals (fwd)

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Richard Masoner wrote:
 
> --
> Subject: A Question to Penticostals
> Date: 12 Feb 1997 22:33:09 -0500
> From: "Scott R. Brewer" <srb3323@NebrWesleyan.edu>
> Organization: Nebraska Wesleyan University, Lincoln, NE USA
> Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian
> 
> As a Christian that comes from a rather quiet tradtition I have had a
> question about Penticostal services that has troubled me for awhile. In
> Acts when the disciples are speaking in tounges it is to preach the
> word of Christ to people who did not understand Hebrew or Greek.
> 
> Understnading that, why do modern day people, in assemblies made up of
> people speaking the same language, do people speak in tounges? I find
> the tradition interesting and certainly much more spirit-filled than
> most of the services I have been a part of, yet I would like to have
> more information on the motivation for the practice.
> 
> Please send your replies to: srb3323@NebrWesleyan.edu
> 
> Scott R Brewer
> Nebraksa Wesleyan University

In Acts 2, the speaking in tongues experienced by the 120 was not for the
purpose of preaching to people.  The onlookers said they heard them speaking
in their languages the wonderful works of God.  In other words, they
worshipped God in other tongues.  They were  not preaching to the sinners.

My pastor was missionary in India and during service there one night,
heard a woman praising Jesus in clear english.  He was relieved
to think he could chat with someone after service in english.  As it 
turned out he found her after service and mentioned how he was glad to
meet an english speaking person.  All the while he talk to her she
looked puzzled.  It turned out that she did NOT know english but that
he heard her speakinging tongues during her worship.

Paul said that such tongues are not meant for man to hear, but rather God.

1 Cor 14:2  For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh 
not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit 
in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.

According to this verse speaking in tongues is not intended for people
of other languages to hear.  Nowhere, in fact, does the Bible say that
God used tongues to preach to foreign people.  That thought simply
came from people who do not believe in speaking in tongues, and it
is unbiblical.

"Prophecy" is intended for people to hear, since it is the utterance
of truth in local languages.  

Now, it should be stressed that many pentecostals ignore the words
of 1 Cor 14, although they are genuinely talking in tongues, when
they speak in tongues in public.

Paul taught that tongues should never be uttered aloud in public unless
they are followed by the interpretation of tongues (see 1 Cor. 12:10),
for Paul taught the following:

NIV 1 Cor 14:6  Now, brothers, if I come to you and speak in 
tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some 
revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction?

Paul said that tongues is profitable for others in a service
when it is accompanied by the local language in giving forth
teaching or a newly-received revelation.  When tongues is
interpreted it may be a revelation from God, or a teaching
concerning doctrine, etc.  But it is not to be done in public without
these things.

KJV 1 Cor 14:9  So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue 
words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what 
is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air.

1 Cor 14:12  Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of 
spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying 
of the church.
1 Cor 14:13  Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown 
tongue pray that he may interpret.
1 Cor 14:14  For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my 
spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.

Edifying the public is not accomplished through me
when I speak in tongues.  Tongues edifies myself (1 Cor 14:2).
Prophecy and exhortation edifies the others.

In the "church," Paul said, when we around others, we
should not blurt out in tongues, but rather seek to interpret
any tongues should we utter them.  Why?  So that others
might be edified as well as we.

1 Cor 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?

If someone hears me talk in tongues, what good is it to him?
He cannot agree or thank God since he does not know what I 
am saying.

On the day of Pentecost, the believers were inundated with visitors
WHILE THEY WERE receiving the Holy Ghost.  That is why Peter began
preaching in the local language and not in tongues after they came.
Otherwise they would have continued speaking in tongues and
Peter would not have preached.

1 Cor 14:18  I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than 
ye all:
1 Cor 14:19  Yet in the church I had rather speak five words 
with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others 
also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.

Some ignore verse 18 and stress verse 19 as though Paul was 
saying we should never speak in tongues.  Nonsense.  Paul is
saying that in public - in church gatherings amongst others -
even other believers - we should refrain from tongues.  Tongues
is for our private praying to God so we can be edified ourselves.
But when others are around we need to think of them, and seek
to edify them and not just ourselves.

Paul quotes Isaiah and says Isaiah referred to tongues and that
such a reference in tongues being for unbelievers, and not 
"church" believers.

Believers gather in the church.  Tongues are not for them.
Prophecy is for believers and their edification.

1 Cor 14:21  In the law it is written, With men of other 
tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and 
yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord.
1 Cor 14:22  Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them 
that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying 
serveth not for them that believe not, but for them 
which believe.

Notice that Isaiah is saying that tongues are a sign to 
unbelievers.  This was what occurred in Acts 2.  But in church 
worship where the body is gathered, we are to notice that
the BODY of belivers as a whole should be edified if one
is to speak up loudly.  So that loud speaking should be
in the common language, unless it is the gift of tongues
and interpretation that is going on.  That is when God wishes
to speak and moves upon one to speak in tongues.  Such an event
moves over the whole congregation and everyone senstive to
the Spirit knows that God is going to speak in a special way 
momentarily.  I have experienced OFTEN a sense that God was going
to use somebody to speak in tongues and have that one or another
interpret those tongues.  And in a matter of moments, sure 
enough, it happened!

Such tongues are signs to unbelievers.

But that is the GIFT of tongues.  Pentecostals have noticed that
there are the "gift of tongues" as signs for unbelievers,
but also another kind of tongues which are not for unbelievers,
for this kind of tongues were a sign to Peter, a believer.

Acts 10:45  And they of the circumcision which believed 
were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that 
on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the 
Holy Ghost.
Acts 10:46  For they heard them speak with tongues, and 
magnify God. Then answered Peter,

Peter heard the gentiles speak in tongues and it was a sign
to believing Peter that the gentiles received the baptism of the
Holy Spirit.  This was a completely different set of tongues
than that which is a sign to unbelievers.  This was a sign to 
believers that another has just received baptism of the Holy 
Spirit.

Notice that in Acts 10, no foreigners were there to hear
the tongues to be able to understand a sermon.  Peter even
preached to them BEFORE they were filled with the Spirit, and
it was THEY who were Spirit filled and not the preacher!!

Same thing happened in Acts 19!

Acts 19:2  He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy 
Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have 
not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.

Acts 19:6  And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, 
the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, 
and prophesied.

Here once again the speaking in tongues was not for
unbelievers, but for a believer named Paul so that he
would know they had received the Holy Ghost
which he just formerly asked them about.  Once he heard
them speak in tongues Paul knew they received the Spirit,
so he need no longer minister to them about that issue,
which issue he first mentioned to them.  (Obviously
Paul was ministering to people to see them receive
the Holy Ghost baptism as one of his main points).

So the tongues for unbeleivers is the GIFT mentioned in
1 Cor 14, and the tongues one speaks with upon receiving
the Holy Ghost baptism is a different thing altogether, and
not associated wit gifts but rather is INITIAL evidence that 
one has received the Spirit.  Notice I said, "INITIAL" evidence
since following evidence must be in the form of the FRUIT
of the Spirit.



-- 
In Christ,
Mike Blume
mfblume@ns.sympatico.ca
http://www3.ns.sympatico.ca/mfblume/mblume.htm