Friday, August 2, 2013

Tongue is an unknown mysterious language.

Tongue is an unknown mysterious language.

Unknown meaning something that is not known or heard of.
Something mysterious not known to exist.

So it cannot be a known thing. It cannot be a known language.
Language meaning the method of human communication, either spoken or written, consisting of the use of words in a structured and conventional way. Any method of expression or communication: body language.

Unknown Language seems to me like some angelic language. It's like singing a new song to God.(Psalm 96:1) An expression that cannot be express through words. No words can describe how great the love of God is for His people.

It is not some babble or jibberish sound but truly an expression of unspeakable praise to God.

Not all have the gifts of speaking in tongue.(1 Corinthians 12:30) It is unusual for the whole congregation to speak in tongues.

We are unable to decern who truly could speak unless one who is gifted to interpret is around to point out one.

1 Corinthians 14:27-28
New Living Translation (NLT)
27 No more than two or three should speak in tongues. They must speak one at a time, and someone must interpret what they say. 28 But if no one is present who can interpret, they must be silent in your church meeting and speak in tongues to God privately.

This too can be deceiving since no one can acertain whether it is real or not. Only the one speaking and God knows. So if the whole congregation speaks in tongue. We know that the majority is faking it.

1 Corinthians 14:1-2
New Living Translation (NLT)
2 For if you have the ability to speak in tongues,[unknown language] you will be talking only to God, since people won’t be able to understand you. You will be speaking by the power of the Spirit,[b] but it will all be mysterious.

The speaker does not even understand what he is saying because it is his spirit that is praying. (1 Corinthians 14:14)

So anyone who speaks in tongues should pray also for gifted individual with the ability to interpret what had been said. (1 Corinthians 14:13)

1 Corinthians 12:30
English Standard Version (ESV)
30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?

1 Corinthians 12:30
New Living Translation (NLT)
30 Do we all have the gift of healing? Do we all have the ability to speak in unknown languages? Do we all have the ability to interpret unknown languages? Of course not!

1 Corinthians 14:13-14
New Living Translation (NLT)
13 So anyone who speaks in tongues should pray also for the ability to interpret what has been said. 14 For if I pray in tongues, my spirit is praying, but I don’t understand what I am saying.

Tongue is an unknown language like that of an angel. (1 Corinthians 13:1)

Paul speaks in tongues more than any of us. (1 Corinthians 14:18-19)

1 Corinthians 14:18-19
New Living Translation (NLT)
18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than any of you. 19 But in a church meeting I would rather speak five understandable words to help others than ten thousand words in an unknown language.

1 Corinthians 14:18-19
King James Version (KJV)
18 I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:
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.

1 Corinthians 13:1
New Living Translation (NLT)
13 If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

1 Corinthians 13:1
New King James Version (NKJV)
13 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

Speaking in tongues is also a sign, not for believers, but for unbelievers.

1 Corinthians 14:20-22
New Living Translation (NLT)
20 Dear brothers and sisters, don’t be childish in your understanding of these things. Be innocent as babies when it comes to evil, but be mature in understanding matters of this kind. 21 It is written in the Scriptures[a]:“I will speak to my own people through strange languages and through the lips of foreigners.
But even then, they will not listen to me,”[b] says the Lord.

22 So you see that speaking in tongues is a sign, not for believers, but for unbelievers. Prophecy, however, is for the benefit of believers, not unbelievers.

According to Isaiah 28:11-12 these unbelievers are God's people.

Isaiah 28:11-12
New Living Translation (NLT)
11 So now God will have to speak to his people
through foreign oppressors who speak a strange language!

12 God has told his people,
“Here is a place of rest;
let the weary rest here.
This is a place of quiet rest.”
But they would not listen.

Could it also be talking about the unbelievers these days?

Matthew 13:14
New Living Translation (NLT)
14 This fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah that says,
‘When you hear what I say,
you will not understand.
When you see what I do,
you will not comprehend.

Isaiah 6:9
New Living Translation (NLT)
9 And he said, “Yes, go, and say to this people,
‘Listen carefully, but do not understand.
Watch closely, but learn nothing.’

Don’t forbid speaking in tongues.

However speaking in tongues will not be edifying if it is not done in an orderly manner.
It will not be edifying for the church if there is no interpreter who is not gifted to interpret your tongue.

Speaking in tongue is a spiritual gift between you and God.
It is not to scares people away or to demonstrate your spiritual superiority for that does not benefit anyone.

1 Corinthians 14:39-40
New Living Translation (NLT)
39 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and don’t forbid speaking in tongues. 40 But be sure that everything is done properly and in order.

Conclusion:

So I do not write off the ability to speak in tongue even though churches now a days abuse it. God still give this gifts of speaking in tongue to specific individual according to His pleasure.

Most importantly is that we must use our gift to Love one another. What's the point of showing off our gift without Love for each other? (1 Corinthians 13:1)

And yes I believe there is still miracle. Every tongue that confess that Jesus is Lord is a miracle from God.

1 Corinthians 12:3

New Living Translation (NLT)
3 So I want you to know that no one speaking by the Spirit of God will curse Jesus, and no one can say Jesus is Lord, except by the Holy Spirit.

Reference:

Has the gift of speaking in tongues ceased? - Tim Conway .
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMkpn0iZonA

What Is Speaking in Tongues? - John Piper
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzipsG3-S6A

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