Featured The AOG and speaking in tongues

In my Christian life I went a couple of times to AOG. I was in the military and was invited to the assembly service by a young lady.

It was very unpleasant the second time around - I was taken forward to "get the blessing" - to speak in tongues.

I left and never returned.

 

Peer pressure, sincerity, honesty, thinking for one's self.

Its the babble I do understand that scares me from other churches.

 

The way the church is to handle tongues (and it's purpose) is delineated in scripture:

1Co 14:13-33 NASB
13 Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15 What is [the outcome] then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also. 16 Otherwise if you bless in the spirit [only,] how will the one who fills the place of the ungifted say the "Amen" at your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying? 17 For you are giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not edified. 18 I thank God, I speak in tongues more than you all; 19 however, in the church I desire to speak five words with my mind so that I may instruct others also, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue. 20 Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature. 21 In the Law it is written, "BY MEN OF STRANGE TONGUES AND BY THE LIPS OF STRANGERS I WILL SPEAK TO THIS PEOPLE, AND EVEN SO THEY WILL NOT LISTEN TO ME," says the Lord. 22 So then tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophecy [is for a sign,] not to unbelievers but to those who believe. 23 Therefore if the whole church assembles together and all speak in tongues, and ungifted men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad? 24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ungifted man enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all; 25 the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will fall on his face and worship God, declaring that God is certainly among you. 26 What is [the outcome] then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, [it should be] by two or at the most three, and [each] in turn, and one must interpret; 28 but if there is no interpreter, he must keep silent in the church; and let him speak to himself and to God. 29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment. 30 But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, the first one must keep silent. 31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted; 32 and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets; 33 for God is not [a God] of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.

1Co 14:39
Therefore, my brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak in tongues.​

Many churches use it as a sign to believers and use it to instruct and exhort believers. But that is an incorrect use of tongues. It is supposed to be a sign to unbelievers. Unbelievers are supposed to hear the tongues given in their own language, and there should be a translator for the believers if someone offers tongues in church so that those hearing may understand and be encouraged. If there is no translator, then there should not be public tongues given... the person should remain silent. NOTE: the purpose of tongues is to be UNDERSTOOD. Either, they will be understood by the unbeliever who hears it in his/her own tongue, or they will be understood through a translator. However, it is commanded that tongues not be forbidden. Paul thanks God for tongues and says he does it more than anyone else. However, he also says he doesn't do it in church as much because he prefers to say 5 words that people understand than 10,000 words in tongues.

There is nothing wrong with tongues, or with people who pray, sing, worship, preach in tongues as long as it is being done correctly. God always understands it. If you are using it so that your spirit edifies itself and communes with God... great. Let it be done in private when that is the intention. When it is done so that unbelievers might understand truth, great. When there is a translator so that believers can also understand, great. But if no one is understanding it, then it shouldn't be given in a corporate church gathering, but kept for private fellowship times with between you and God.

 

It sounds like they followed Paul's instructions in 1 Cor. listed above by Gup20.

Paul allowed for the possibility it was sincere communication with God, though he clearly downplayed its importance.

I noticed you didn't explain what the interpretation was. Was it consistent with scripture?

I wouldn't worry so much about it or allow it to effect your friendship.

Hope your healing well. All 3 of my children were exposed to MRSA in the hospital. Not as bad as your experience, but tough to heal.

Peace to you.

 

You have described perfectly the typical Charismatic church service, as long in emotionalisms and worship, short on teaching and theology!

 

There is no valid need for tongues and interpretation to operate though in churches today, as we have the more sure word of the scriptures to clearly and plainly teach from!

 

The valid reasons for tongues are 1)as a sign for unbelievers (sadly the church in America doesn't really minister to unbelievers as a general rule of thumb), 2) as a private prayer between a believer and God, or 3) with interpretation to exhort believers.
I have heard of testimony given of tongues in action on several occasions in places outside of the United States where someone spoke in tongues and more than one non-believers heard the person speaking in their own language (they spoke different languages!). I have spoken in tongues but never more than just a personal prayer language between me and God. I have personally witnessed people speak in tongues and felt in my spirit I knew exactly what was being said and then watched someone get up to give an interpretation and say exactly what I felt in my spirit... so there is absolutely no denying that tongues is real and is used by God today. However, I feel like the churches who do embrace tongues often go too far into disorder and treat it as some mystical chanting that connects them to God. Some churches rarely give interpretations to the tongues that happen from the mic, and that doesn't' benefit anyone.

God invented language and created all of them at the tower of Babel... it's not too difficult for Him to use it supernaturally. But I feel like by-and-large the church in America uses tongues as a 'holy show' for entertainment or spiritual theater. In fact, a lot of American "mega churches" you could say that about the vast majority of the components their services.

 

Clearly and Plainly. LOL

You still got your own tongues. which is why "ALL" means "Some". Thousands of denominations for different take on what is "clearly and plainly" taught.


Calvinist still got the gnostic system thats still worst then a Pentecostals claim elect by tongues . So just as bad or even worst is all of scripture of is like a book of tongues that no one can understand unless they have been elect and chosen by God.


Even the words clearly and plainly must mean absolute chaos. With everyone claiming to the be the actual true loyalty to scripture and damning the rest who don't agree with you.

 

Ask Yeshua1 which doctrine is 'clearly and plainly' taught in scripture? Limited Atonement or Unlimited Atonement? Guaranteed CRICKETS! Lol .

As far as tongues go, what I have witnessed sounds like gibberish and nothing like an actual language. Seemed about as scriptural as 'holy laughter ' or 'The Holy Ghost Hokey Pokey'!

 

More lunacy attributed to the Holy Spirit. Can you imagine a non-believer being persuaded to take Christianity seriously by this? Tongues abound in this gathering as well:

 

I wouldn't take that seriously, no. They seem possessed, but not by the Holy Spirit.

However, if someone who did not know a word of English started speaking in perfect English, this would be convincing to an unbeliever (this has been known to happen in churches outside of the USA, for example).

 

Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret. ‎14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. ‎15 What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also. ‎16 Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say “Amen” to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying?

For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.

Far be it from me to argue with an apostle. Problem is, once you start eliminating parts of Scripture, where does it stop?

I personally don't like hearing people speak in tongues (it freaks me out) but I want to approach Scripture very carefully, lest I take the same approach to other verses I may not be willing to accept regarding time relevance, audience relevance.

Nevertheless, I'll stick with what I believe applies at this time;
For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. There just isn't enough meat on the bone (theological edification) at pentecostal meetings where I attended (great worship) poor exposition.

Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect (τέλειος."whole of sacrifices" without blemish) comes, the partial will pass away.

 

Take it seriously? No, how did dog collars and leashes magically appear at this 'service'? I have heard of tongues occurring on the mission field, but what of all the so called tongues (which to me sounds like gobble -gook) going on in countless churches around us? I think it confuses and causes skepticism among unbelievers, not the other way around.

 

The Lord told her to howl like a wolf

 

Like all the other spiritual gifts (prophecy for example), there is always counterfeit in action. It doesn’t mean there isn’t a legitimate use, but rather that we need to be discerning.

The scripture plainly says not to forbid tongues, but that it should be done orderly & properly.

 

The real question is does that scripture still apply for us today?

 

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.

 

Since prophecies and knowledge are still around, we can safely assume so too are tongues.

 

I don't think just gathering in a sanctuary for a service empowers anyone to speak in a "tongue". WE are at the HOLY SPIRIT'S beck-n-call, not vice versa. He manifests Himself in a given individual at HIS choosing, not ours.

I was taken to a "Holiness" service one time. After passing the collection plate & singing a coupla songs, the preacher made like "Bro. Love's Travelling Salvation Show", starting out softly, getting louder & louder til he was finally screeching unintelligibly, & most of the congregation was babbling gibberish, with many laying on the floor, cutting dust angels. I asked myself, "How can THIS be HONORING GOD?" If I hadn't known better, I woulda thought I'd walked into a funny farm at medication time.

I had to wait for the people who brought me to chill out, as it was many miles from my home. They were exhausted & soaked with sweat & I ended up driving them to my home. They asked me how I liked the service, & I simply said, "I DIDN'T! I didn't hear JESUS' name said once, nor any altar call for the unsaved. As we're friends, that's all I'm gonna say."

Needless to say, I've never attended one of those "churches" again!