Christians: What is this speaking in tongues about?

They are filled with the holy spirit

In the event the language spoken in "tongues" is not understandable to anyone, but is mere gibberish, it is not the gift of the Holy Spirit received by the apostles at Pentecost.

A valid interpreter (priest) should be present during the above to determine the tongue.

Remember, the tongue can also be from the demonic realm of which the priest will note.

Personally, I believe speaking in tongues is authentic when it is understood.

During a Mass I visited the seventh heaven in a similar sense as Paul the Apostle, I did not see anything but the chants and musical sound was far beyond what I have ever listened to on Earth - it was beautiful!

Peace be unto you'

'Bluebird' and others that express this idea, is stating something that is not in the Bible.

There are two types of tongue-speaking which we have witnessed.

One is when a message is spoken inspired by God, in a foreign language in a Christian meeting, where there is a person who speaks this language as his native 'tongue'.

The other kind, and claimed by St Paul, is a prayer language for praying to God privately, this is a very useful Gift for people who are not naturally eloquent, for any reason. Christians often see strong results from this kind of praying for it is God's spirit using the human mind. It is often used against spiritual attack.

I believe this is a psychic gift which can be sanctified (made holy) for God's pure purposes. It is a gift which can be used to channel messages which are not from God, for people of other religions use this gift and immature Christian can unwittingly be used in this way.

Some Christian groups believe that it is a necessary sign to affirm salvation, I believe this to be a limited concept of God's Grace and working. Those who receive this Gift normally exercise faith to receive it, but often it comes spontaneously, especially just when a person receives Christ by faith or when they have a further infilling of the Holy Spirit at another time.

The following scripture is misquoted by the scoffers of 'tongues' -

"Where there are prophecies, they will cease...tongues will be stilled....knowledge will pass away...when perfection comes the imperfect will pass away." that is - the aids and gifts appointed for this life will pass away." 1 Corinth, 13:8-10 and on to the end.

The fact is - we shall only know perfection in the next heavenly life. Knowledge will be replaced by all-knowing, people who have been taken to heaven in a vision have experienced this inner 'knowing' without learning knowledge, as we have to in this life.

It's a gift that YAHUAH (God) gives to people, so that they can witness to someone who doesn't speak their language. It has not been "done away with" either.

I have a friend who was speaking English to a Chinese person, and the Chinese person was hearing them speak in Chinese! There are MANY people that this has happened to. I The word "tongue" in the Bible means LANGUAGE.....a known language. Not a gibberish tongue that no one knows.

The gift of tongues is for the UNBELIEVER, not the believer. (1 Corinthians 14:22) Satan can imitate tongues....and the way I look at it, is WHY would anyone want to pray to YAHUAH in a language with no interpretation? You do not know what you are saying, and you could be cussing Him out in another language-or even a language of demons.

I have heard stories of that happening-a man walked into a Pentecostal church, and a lot of people were speaking in tongues with no interpreter. As he got closer, he realized that they were cussing YAHUAH out in Latin-a language he was fluent in.

Its delusional, attention seeking, plain mentally ill or demonic possession.

The Bible's speaking in tongues at Pentecost was the ability to be understood in the language of those foreigners in the city - this meant the message of the kingdom of God would be more quickly spread. The Bible tells us such gifts only happened in the presence of an apostle and ended.

Some of the whackier born again religions get into a frenzy talking nonsense from hysteria and to prove to others that they "have the spirit ":) They are not led by God's truth, thats for sure.

modern-day speaking in tongues is very different from the gift of holy spirit given to Jesus’ early followers.

In fact, there is no reliable record of anyone receiving that same miraculous power since the death of the apostles.

This is not surprising to Bible readers. Regarding the miraculous gifts, including that of speaking in tongues, the inspired apostle Paul prophesied: “They will cease.”

Loyola University president Donald P. Merrifield noted that “tongues could be a hysterical experience, or, according to some, a diabolical one.”

Clergyman Todd H. Fast said: “Tongues is controversial. The devil has many ways of working at us.” The Bible itself warns that Satan and his demons are able to influence people and control their speech.

Jesus acted against a demonic spirit that had moved a man to shout and fall to the floor. (Luke 4:33-35) Paul warned that ‘Satan would transform himself into an angel of light.’

Those today who seek the gift of tongues that God no longer bestows on his people are really opening themselves to deception by Satan, who, we are warned, would use “every powerful work and lying signs and portents.” 2 Thessalonians 2:9, 10.

first-century Christians who received the gift of speaking in tongues used it to explain the magnificent things of God.

Stress was laid on the need to interpret clearly the message conveyed in tongues so that it could be understood by all and result in the edification of many.

Paul admonished: “Unless you through the tongue utter speech easily understood, how will it be known what is being spoken? You will, in fact, be speaking into the air.”

It is people longing to be unique, but not Biblical. In Acts 2, the speaking in tongues was talking in known earthly languages in which the speaker never had studied before. It was never godly gibberish and did not continue after the Apostles.

Personally I have never spoken in tongues. but I have heard it done several times. Some of it, I believe, is purely for show. On the other hand, some of it seems perfectly genuine. I leave it to the Lord to sort that out, however.

My spiritual gifts are in other areas and I serve Him with the gifts the Holy Spirit has chosen to give me.

The speaking in tongues (languages not studied by the speaker) was a sign from God that he had turned his attention away from the Jews and gave it to the newly formed Christian congregation.

What was spoken was not gibberish, it was a bonified language.

It was given first to the 120 disciples of Jesus gathered in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost.

Now while the day of the Festival of Pentecost was in progress, they were all together at the same place.  Suddenly there was a noise from heaven, just like that of a rushing, stiff breeze, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.  And tongues as if of fire became visible to them and were distributed, and one came to rest on each one of them, and they all became filled with holy spirit and started to speak in different languages, just as the spirit enabled them to speak.

(Acts 2:1-4)

At that time devout Jews from every nation under heaven were staying in Jerusalem.  So when this sound occurred, a crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in his own language.

Once the Christian congregation was established, the gift of languages was done away with. One could only get the ability to speak in tongues if an apostle layed his hands on them. So, when all the apostles died the gift dies with them.

It is real. It is a gift of the Holy Spirit. There are different types of speaking in tongues, for different reasons.

It can also be be counterfeit.

It was one way God enabled holy men of God to teach the Gospel to other nations. But he recalled this gift long ago.

We now have Gods complete word the Holy Bible which has been translated into most every language.