Is Speaking inTongues of the Devil?

1Cr 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.

1Cr 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, [even] the hidden [wisdom], which God ordained before the world unto our glory:
1Cr 2:8 Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known [it], they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
1Cr 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
1Cr 2:10 But God hath revealed [them] unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.
1Cr 2:11 For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
1Cr 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
1Cr 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
1Cr 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned.

 

A healthy church is one that is balanced in the distribution and development of ALL the gifts within the proper context of Scripture

That being said - no such church exists that I have seen or heard

HOWEVER - ANY church that exercises one gift throughout every member that church is one of three things

1)focussing on the tangible rather then the intangible which could lead it down to number 2 if steps are not taken and eventually to 3

2)extremely spiritually unhealthy

3)Not of God

 

The Biblical gift of tongues is first and foremost a gift. All of the spiritual gifts mentioned in 1Cor.12 are spiritual gifts. These gifts were ALL given to the local church, in this case the Corinthian Church. There is not a sngle gift that was given for selfish purposes: that is for self-edification, for one's own prayer life, etc. That is totally unbiblical. Every gift was given for the benefit of the local church. For example, the gift of healing was never gift for one to heal just themselves, but for the healing of others in the church. The same is true of tongues. It is always for the benefit of the entire church, not a prayer language, not for the edification of one person. It is a gift for the entire local church.

--This verse is a rebuke to the Corinthians. Don't speak in tongues, becasue the rest can't understand you. The key is understanding. If there is no understanding the gift is unprofitable and useless. All that you are doing is speaking to God in another language that only God can understand, and not even yourself. What good is that??
[QUOTE}1Cr 14:5 I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater [is] he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying. [/QUOTE]
Another rebuke. He plainly tells them that it is better to prophecy than it is to speak in tongues. The gift of prophecy is better because it gives the church understanding, whereas tongues does not. The statement is diplomatic. It would be like saying, "Yes, It would be nice if you could all speak in tongues (but it is not necessary). Rather it is better that you all prophecy. The only way that tongues is beneficial is when there is clear interpretation provided so that all can understood.

Another rebuke. Paul said this because the Corinthians were abusing the gift. In his missionary journeys there were times in other countries where he had the need to speak in other languages where people would not understand Hebrew, or perhaps even Greek. He was given the gift of tongues that all could understand. The key in the chapter is understanding. The Corinthians were abusing the gift. Thus he says that he thanks God that he speaks in tongues more than they all. They were not using the gift correctly.

Again look at the emphasis. It is on prophecy, not tongues. And what is the context of speaking in tongues. It is in the first century. "Forbid not to speak in tongues (in the first century). The gift ceased after that.

It was a supernatural gift, given in a supernatural way without prayer. Take a look at the Day of Pentecost. No one prayed for tongues. It came totally unexpectedly. We are never commanded to pray for tongues. That in itself is unbiblical. It is not a way to tune into God. It was a way to: one receive revelation of God in a different language, and then have it interpreted into a language so that all could understand. Secondly it was a sign to the unbelieving Jew that the message of the gospel was from God, and that judgement from God would fall if they would not hear and believe (1Cor. 14:21,22).

Chapter and verse please. No where in Scripture does it teach that tongues is a way for your spirit to speak to God or connect. That is a totally unbiblical concept with no foundation in Scripture. Tongues was a gift given to the entire local church for their edification, not for yours. There is no such thing as a selfish spiritual gift.

The context is the first century. Tongues ceased after that. Forbid not to speak in tongues in the first century. Everything must be kept in its proper context. When a person speaks in tongues today do they also have cloven tongues of fire over their heads, and mighty rushing winds going through their windows??

If there is no understanding what is the point in speaking to God. Even God would have you to speak to God in a way that you understand. Prayer is for your benefit, not God's.

There is no personal basis for tongues. It is a gift given to the local churh for the purpose of edifying the entire local church. God does not give out gifts for selfish uses. The gift of helps is mentioned. Is it a gift just to help yourself, or is it a gift intended to help others? Think about it.

What evidence? There is none? The Book of Romans does not mention tongues once. It does not deal with the subject at all. The only places that you will find the subject of tongues are three times in the Book of Acts: chapters 2, 10, and 19. And in chapters 12,13, and 14 of 1Corinthians. Those are the only places in the New Testament that deal with this subject.

It was a source of understanding to those that did not understand the language of the Apostles. It was a sign to the unbelieving Jews of the first century. At the end of the first century it ceased.

Do you have any Scriptural basis for what you are saying. Tongues has no such purpose, and no purpose at all in today's society and age. They are not from the Holy Spirit, and if so you tell me where they are from?

Both are spiritual supernatural gifts that have ceased. They were given to the early church of the first century, and are no longer in use today. See 1Cor.13:8.
DHK

 

I am familar with those verses as I attended a Pentecostal Church as a teenager. The logic was "when the original gift of the Holy Ghost was given, it was evidenced by speaking in tongues." So the logic applied was, since if one was "saved" they would get the Holy Ghost. If one had the Holy Ghost, then one would speak tongues. In the case one didn't speak tongues, they weren't saved. At least this is how it was in the eyes of the congregation and associated congregations we met with.

I of course didn't subscribe to this, as I had known Christ for several years by this time. I attended the church as they had a bus (with "Acts 2:38" prominently painted in many places on it) that would pick us up where we lived, and some church was better than none.

Over time I got to know the boys from church very well. Several had confided in me that their speaking of tongues was their own fabrication, although they did beleive they were saved.

One of those boys was the pastor's son, who now has "inhereted" his father's congregation. They still do "speak tongues," "hit for the holy ghost," and shake and writhe during their Sunday Night services (less visitors to turn off.) I am of the opinion that the whole of them are all practicing behavior that they feel is expected of them in the same manner they did as teens.

I don't know if it's of the devil, although I feel it is a corruption of doctrine. I also think it is an example of how an exclusionary focus on one or two verses can be problematic.

 

Is speaking in toungues of the devil?
No, it is not, as long as it is the true gift that is given by God.

 

I spent a few years in aog type Churches... Saw plently of "yamahakawasakihonda BettyBotterboughtsomebutter yabbadabbadoyouwantsomefrieswiththat ", usually everyone at once with never an interpreter in sight...Now if a group all decided to pat their heads and rub their stomachs at the same time, it would be a bit silly, but who cares. However if patting heads and rubbing stomachs at the same time contradicts a few Bible passages, then what would the origin of the practice be?

 

Jabbezzz

Thanks Either way I'm just glad that at last I have seen an interpretation


....oops, G'day & welcome to BB too

 

Alot of Pentacostal denominations believe it to be the evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Where they get it I do not know..

 

In Acts 2 during Pentecost, the Apostles spoke in different tongues (languages) - and people visiting Jerusalem from other countries could understand the Apostles.

They just spoke in other "tongues", languages.

http://bible.crosswalk.com/InterlinearBible/

 

The 1 Cor 12, 1Cor 14 and Acts 2 gift of tongues -- is not of the devil.

Counterfeit versions are, like gossip is, of the devil.

So just as in the case of Gossip -- you are not actually being demon possessed - so also with false and counterfeit tongues.

In Christ,

Bob

 

There are at least two Baptist Denominations that are "Bapticostal", the Full Gospel Baptist and the Pentecostal Freewill Baptist.

http://www.pfwb.org

http://www.fullgospelbaptist.org

 

I find it interesting that Baptists in particular, especially those who tend to be literalists in their interpretation and application of scripture, switch from a literal to a figurative or symbolic interpretation of scripture when it comes to gifts of the spirit, particularly tongues, healing and interpretation. They do this without a context directive in the scripture.

If tongues was a gift given only for the establishment of the church, and was to cease at some point, never to be re-initiated, I'd expect that the apostle Paul would have clarified its use in the church to that effect. But he doesn't. A correct interpretation and application of scripture finds that the weight of Biblical evidence does not support the Baptist cessationist view.

Pentecostals and Charismatics also make a mistake, the other direction, when they claim the gift of tongues is the same thing that occurred at Pentecost. Paul doesn't make that connection, either. The gift of tongues at Pentecost, and at the other points in the book of Acts where it is recorded at points when the Holy Spirit came upon believers, had the specific purpose of translation so that the message of the gospel could be understood by those who spoke other languages. The gift of tongues and interpretation is a sign gift to signify a specific message delivered for edification by the Holy Spirit. Not all believers have this gift, it is sovereign from the Spirit. It is not a sign of initial "spiritual baptism," but is used to bring and authenticate a specific message from God through the Holy Spirit. When it happens, there are those in the congregation who are also gifted with discernment, and it has the immediate effect of edification and uplifting. To forbid it would be to reduce the worship service where it is happening to a human ritual. It does not happen in every worship service, because there are other people who are sensitive and aware of other gifts that enhance worship and the spirit moves them as well.

I was raised in Baptist churches, in the home of a Baptist pastor. It was quite difficult to transition from a worship service that was essentially completely planned in advance to one in which the congregation expectantly waits and prays for the moving of the Holy Spirit. It was equally difficult to move from being a participant in worship, to being the pastor who leads worship. And yet, time and time again, I am constantly amazed at how the Holy Spirit works in a worship environment where there is dependence on the Spirit's presence.

Tongues is not from the devil.

I would also add that those who have the gift of tongues are no more, or less, spiritual or Biblically and doctrinally correct, or important, than other believers who are gifted with other things. This is generally where this gift gets abused and becomes divisive.

 

Paul spent much time clarifying the use of tongues. He also not only tells that they will cease, but when they will cease. It is clearly laid out for us in the Scripture for those who want to believe. Unfortunately there are too many that refuse to believe no matter what evidence is presented to them. It is not for lace of evidence; but rather for stubborness of heart.

#1. The will cease.
1 Corinthians 13:8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

There is no question about it. Paul said that tongues would cease. Put yourself in Paul's shoes. Paul was expecting the imminent return of Jesus Christ. He was expecting these gifts to cease very soon, as he expected the return of Christ to be very soon.
Secondly the very context of 1Cor.13:8-13 shows that Paul believed that these gifts mentioned in verse 8 would cease at the completion of the New Testament canon which was complete by the end of the first century.

But the most convincing argument for the cessation of the gift of tongues is that the usefullness of the sign of the gift has ceased to function. Look what Paul says:

1 Corinthians 14:21-22 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.
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.

The purpose of tongues was not for believers, but for unbelievers, specifically for unbelieving Jews. Paul explains this very carefully in these two verses. First he quotes from Isaiah 28. "in the law it is written." What is written in the law? "With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people."
Who is "this people" that is going to be addressed with men of other tongues? Remember this is an Old Testament quotation. The "this people" referred to is the Jewish nation. For the sign of tongues that was given to them at this time (Pentecost, and at other times recorded in the Book of Acts), was a sign that the message of the gospel was a genuine message from God. It was to be believed, and if not, Judgement would come. "Yet for all that they would not hear me." The prophecy came true. In spite of the miracle of the gift of tongues the Jews rejected the gospel message. Judgement came in the form of Titus destroying the city of Jerusalem, and in particular the Temple. Historians after that (both Roman and Jewish) record a cessation of tongues. Neither is tongues mentioned in any other epistle. 1 and 2 Corinthians were two of the earliest epistles to be written. They were a sign to the Jews.

And as verse 22 specifically says: the unbelievers. That is, the unbelieving Jews. The two verses are connected together by the world "wherefore" a connnective. Tongues are for a sign for the unbelieving Jew. That sign passed away by the end of the Apostolic Age after the prophecy was fulfilled in that generation of the unbelieving Jews that had crucified our Lord.

Are there those same unbelieving Jews today? No.
Are there any unbelieving Jews in your churches today? No.
Are tongues Biblical for today? No.
Their function for today has ceased.

What is being passed off as tongues today is entirely fake and not of God.
DHK

 

Speaking in tongues is biblical. However what you see today for the most part in the gibberish is not of the Lord. The true gift was known languages used to win others to Christ, but those who do it today for the most part use it to puuf up their spiritual pride and do not have the true gift.

 

Wop,
Was this on the Sabbath?

 

I'm about to start leading a Sunday School class in Spanish... and I'm just learning it myself. Wouldn't it be great if I just started speaking fluent Spanish? I won't hold out for that though, and keep my nose in the books and my ears to the CDs!

 

Ummmmm, I wonder if knowledge has also ceased? </font>[/QUOTE]Yes it has. The gift of knowledge was a supernatural gift. It was the gift of revelatory knowledge given to certain individuals in the church at a time when the Bible was not yet complete. It ceased at the end of the first century when the Bible was completed.
"When that which was perfect (the Bible) was come, then that which was in part (revelatory sign gifts) came to an end.
It does not refer to common knowledge.
DHK