St. Petersburg Thological Seminary, Nepal education mission Paper presented to Dr. George P. Pierce 13,08,2013 By Tek Thapa Relevance of Speaking in tongues and its confusion problems and solution in the church today I. Introduction Speaking in tongues is the New Testament phenomena where a person speaks in a language that is unknown to him. This language is either the language of angels or other earthly languages (I Cor 13:1). It occurred in Acts 2 at Pentecost and also in the Corinthian church as is described in 1 Corinthians 14. This New Testament gift was given by the Holy Spirit to the Christian church and is for the purpose of the edification of the Body of Christ as well as for glorifying the Lord. There seems to be three divisions in the use of tongues: First, a private prayer language that is not interpreted; second, a language that is interpreted -- this defines proper usage in the Christian Congregation; and third, missionary context -- that is, it appears in the context of evangelism, where people (in the New Testament) are presenting the gospel Today, it would certainly be no exaggeration to say that the tongues phenomenon has caused so much confusion among the Christians of all section and denominations. For centuries, the Christian community thought the gift to be inoperative but no with its accompanying claims of healing, miracles, revelation, spiritual laughing and even slaying in the spirit, it has invaded virtually every denomination, and almost all Christians are curious about this phenomenon. Its proponents claim that the occurrence is a modern Pentecost. Some accuse the preachers who refuse to recognize the gift of speaking in tongues as deceiver not obeying the Holy Spirit. In short, it has become one of the important issues in ecclesiastical levels. The issue of tongues in churches in continues to grow in intensity. Consequently, it continues to causes confusion among believers. The problem disturbs many genuine believers, who really have this and that are using it according to the scriptures. The big question today is, weather the modern day tongues phenomenon should be considered to be a repeat of the biblical use of tongues? The main debate revolves around the disagreement concerning the definition of tongues. It is at this point that the paths diverge. Some give a convincing argument that tongues means ecstatic speech. It can be referred to as a heavenly language or language not known to humans. The main passage that is used to support this argument is in I Corinthians 14:2, 14. According to Paul, speaking in tongues is one of the spiritual gifts, but he does not insist that all should speak in tongues. It is an ongoing issue for the church. For Paul, the gift of tongues is authentic and relevant to the church. Even he himself spoke in tongues, but for Paul the great dilemma was the pagan converts using the gift of tongues in a way that was similar to the mystery cults, with the influence of emotionalism and ecstasy (feeling of joy). There are two differences speaking in tongues between Pauline and Lukan accounts. II. Lukan concept of Glossolalia Glossolaia: speaking in tongues is the fluid vocalizing (or less commonly the writing) of speech-like syllables that lack any readily comprehended meaning. Charismatic circles are identical with the tongues in the early church. This seems to be a false assumption Today’s church is facing a crucial problem, because people think that tongues practiced in because the tongues of the bible were legitimate languages (Acts 2: 4-8). It is significant to note that there are some differences between these tongues. Robert G. Gromacki reflects that even though certain differences are identified, it could be concluded that this spiritual gift of tongues in Corinth was a non-language kind of speaking. But when Paul wrote about the gift of tongues, he wrote about the kind of tongues I Cor 12:10). For Paul, it is unintelligible to the fellow humans, whereas for Luke it is intelligible for the one who hears. Luke uses a different adjective when he says, “they began to speak with other tongues.”Only in Acts 2 the word ‘other’ in Greek heteros simply means that they spoke in languages different from the normal languages they were used to. Most of the Disciples of Christ were Galileans and were not generally learned men, yet now all hear, every man, his own tongue. Every man heard them speak in his own language (2:6). Wayne Grudem comments that, the two words tongue and language are used synonymously, making it obvious that the disciples were speaking known language other than the languages native to them. In verse 2-9 of Acts 2, the languages are identified and it was a miraculous phenomenon which enabled the disciples to speak in tongues, which they had never learned. Luke believes that it is the languages that God gave them to speak. (It was happened miraculous sign in the history for coming the Holy Spirit in the world and never been happened again in the same way). The Lukan description indicates that the people who gathered around understood what the disciples spoke, and it was intelligible. But when we go to Corinth, the practice is something different in the sense that, it is unintelligible to the hearers. Corinthians glossolalia (babbling is a none-existed language) is different from that of Luke. Here, Paul who had founded the Church at Corinth found it necessary to respond to some of their problems. The Corinthian Church was overwhelmed with a lot of problems in their worship and church administration such as division of authority, moral and ethical problems, the Eucharist, the issue of bodily resurrection and the exercise of spiritual gifts and so on. In chapter 12 Paul lists nine of the gift of the Holy Spirit: knowledge, wisdom, discerning of Spirit, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, speaking in tongues and the interpretation of tongues. Luke describes while speaking in different tongues that both the speaker and the listeners understood in Jerusalem what was being uttered, whereas just opposite happened in the Corinthian church. What really happened there? Were the tongues from God in the Corinthian Church? The possibility here is that, the manifestation of glossolalia in the Corinthian church was an utterance of words, phrase, sentences, intelligible to God but not to the person who was uttering them. To avoid such confusion, what was being uttered needed to be interpreted by another who had the gift of interpretation. The one speaking was edified by what he spoke in the same way as those in the church were edified and built up when they heard God’s truth spoken through a prophecy proclaimed in their native language (v.4). Here the Lukan description of speaking in tongues is question because the report of Luke is not the report of eyewitness, whereas Paul’s report was from an eyewitness account. When we look back in the bible, a common language created the back ground for the problem at Babel. Language was given by God for fellowshipping with Him and was misused to bring the people together in proud arrogance to build the tower of Babel, which caused the people to be scattered( Genesis 11). But the experience of Pentecost (Acts 2) is renewed experience. It was a re-establishment of the broken language, of which speaking in tongues was a sign. Pentecost was in the divine plan of God and it took place according to His own predetermined time III. The phenomenon of speaking in tongues in the early church When we study I Cor 12-14 chapters, we should not assume that the tongues spoken in the early church and the tongues movement of today are identical. A true biblical understanding of the nature and purpose of tongues has to be embraced. The gifts of discernment, word of knowledge, tongues, interpretation of tongues, and prophases were all intended to supply the purpose of worship service to all churches. God intended spiritual gifts to profit the community of God’s people (12:7; 14:5), the entire fellowship of believers, not just those with certain gifts. Was speaking in tongue prevalent in the early church? Paul does not mention about speaking in tongues in any letter in detail other than I Corinthians. May be, the phenomenon was so wide spread among the new testament churches that Paul saw no reason to mention it except, where it was being abused or maybe, he did not want to mention this problematic and confused gift to the Roman (12:6-8), and Ephesians (4:11), when he addressed other charismatic phenomenon, because it seems he did not want to encourage the use or spread of this gift. Let every man who has the gift of preaching and interpreting the scriptures it in proportion to the grace and light he has received from God, and in no case arrogate to himself know which he has not received; let him not esteem himself more highly on account of this gift, or affect to be use above what is written, or indulge in fanciful interpretations of the world of God . In I Cor 12-14 Chapters, Paul uses the term “spiritual gifts” while describing the miraculous gifts such as tongues and healing. The miraculous gifts provided this confirmatory evidence for the church at its inception. In today’s context, it is painful to the way people undue importance to the gift of tongues who, like the Corinthians speaks in tongues whenever they meet. Speaking in tongues should be legitimate and also reflect spiritual fervor. But we should not forget that God gives equal importance to all the gifts that are given by Him. They are good and meant to be used. Having exaggerated regard for this gift by giving less priority to other gifts is a sad affair. Therefore Paul strongly insisted the church to give preference firstly to the gift of prophesy, then love, and continue that category. IV. Flawed or crack Perception of Spiritual Gifts in the Church at Corinth False teaching based on legalism and emotionalism had infiltrated the church at Corinth. What happened in Corinth almost 2000 years back, is happening over and over now in all parts of t on the world on a huge scale. Believers in the church at Corinth had both a superiority and inferiority complex regarding their spiritual gifts. Both groups were ignorant about divine truth. The spiritual gifts one possesses is not the most important factor. The filling of the Holy spirit is the most important factor. We all derive the spiritual capability of our spiritual gifts as a grace provision, under the power of the Holy Spirit according to the I Cor 12: 4-11. Now, there are varieties of gifts, but the same spirit. In the early church the gift of tongues was regulated and in the worship service, certain spiritual gifts were to function while other minimized or avoided. In I Corinthians 14: 1-4, Paul emphasized the spiritual gift of prophecy. Because prophecy conveys a divine message, therefore, it has a powerful effect on the lives of the individuals. One must pursue love, yet earnestly desire the spiritual gifts in order to prophecy. Practicing in tongues also is expected to be so from God and touching the lives on the earth.. For who speaks in tongues dos not speak to men, but to God, no man understands him and h speaks mysterious language in spirit. So one who speaks in tongues edifies himself, but who prophecies edifies the church ( I Cor 14:1-4). V. Speaking in Unintelligible Language is a Universal Religious Phenomenon It is understood that Glossolalia had pre- Christian antecedents and that the phenomenon was by no means uncommon in ancient ritual where pagan gods were worshipped. This truth is known to many frontline Charismatic leaders but they rarely divulge this to believers. The concept of glossolalia having pre-Christian roots makes it more meaningful and gives it universal significance, because the practice of glossolalia( babbling in a non-existed language). were prevalent in other faith too. Within the Elusinian Dionysian festival of ancient Greece, the glossolalic sound was frequently made by the tongue alone. With the liveliness of the worshipper reaching rapturous heights, the incredible and sometimes musical utterance, began. They were like sounding brass and tinkling cymbals. The speakers became the center of attraction. Initiates listened, chanted, and once overpowered, would burst into a babble of sounds, which was something not unlike the Christian concept of speaking in tongues. ( The Eleusinian Mysteries (Greek: Ἐλευσίνια Μυστήρια) were initiation ceremonies held every year for the cult of Demeter and Persephone based at Eleusis in ancient Greece. Of all the mysteries celebrated in ancient times, these were held to be the ones of greatest importance. It is acknowledged that their basis was an old agrarian cult which probably goes back to the Mycenean period (c. 1600 – 1100 BC) and it is believed that the cult of Demeter was established in 1500 BC.[1] The idea of immortality which appears in syncretistic religions of antiquity was introduced in late antiquity.[2] The mysteries represented the myth of the abduction of Persephone from her mother Demeter by the king of the underworld Hades, in a cycle with three phases, the "descent" (loss), the "search" and the "ascent", with the main theme the "ascent" of Persephone and the reunion with her mother. It was a major festival during the Hellenic era, and later spread to Rome.[3] The name of the town, Eleusís seems to be Pre-Greek and it is probably a counterpart with Elysium and the goddess Eileithyia.[4]The rites, ceremonies, and beliefs were kept secret and consistently preserved from a hoary antiquity. The initiated believed that they would have a reward in the afterlife.[5] There are many paintings and pieces of pottery that depict various aspects of the Mysteries. Since the Mysteries involved visions and conjuring of an afterlife, some scholars believe that the power and longevity of the Eleusinian mysteries came from psychedelic agents. The Dionysian Mysteries were a ritual of ancient Greece and Rome which used intoxicants and other trance-inducing techniques (like dance and music) to remove inhibitions and social constraints, liberating the individual to return to a natural state. It also provided some liberation for those marginalized by Greek society: women, slaves and foreigners. In their final phase the Mysteries shifted their emphasis from a chthonic, underworld orientation to a transcendental, mystical one, with Dionysus changing his nature accordingly (similar to the change in the cult of Shiva). By its nature as a mystery religion reserved for the initiated, many aspects of the Dionysian cult remain unknown and were lost with the decline of Greco-Roman polytheism; our knowledge is derived from descriptions, imagery and cross-cultural studies.)From the Encyclopedia. The path of glossolalia led from the festival of Eleusis to Delphi where the oracle sat in the sulphurous midst, her throne the tripped of Apollo, whose messenger she was. Here she prophesied and her voice was taken over by Apollo and her words were even unknown to herself. People thought she was intoxicated with the presence of god. A city by the name, Delphi grew up around her, where men drank of the sacred stream and stood the water’s dg and spoke in tongues. The same way some of the Christian groups honoring God and Jesus in this manner. It can be linked to creating unscriptural shortcuts to reach into a state, which they themselves call a “higher spiritual being”. Paul says,’ even if you have all these so called gifts and don’t have love, it is useless.’ (Delphi (/ˈdɛlfaɪ/ or /ˈdɛlfi/; Greek: Δελφοί, [ðelˈfi])[1] is both an archaeological site and a modern town in Greece on the south-western spur of Mount Parnassus in the valley of Phocis.Delphi was the site of the Delphic oracle, the most important oracle in the classical Greek world, and became a major site for the worship of the god Apollo after he slew Python, a dragon who lived there and protected the navel of the Earth. Python (derived from the verb pythein, "to rot") is claimed by some to be the original name of the site in recognition of Python which Apollo defeated.[2] The Homeric Hymn to Delphic Apollo recalled that the ancient name of this site had been Krisa)From the Encyclopedia. Historically, the most controversial gift has been tongues; from the day of Pentecost in Jerusalem to Caesarea a few years later and then from there to Corinth. Throughout the centuries, small of Christians have occasionally spoken in tongues, almost always generating controversy. Today, irrespective of their universal religions, millions of Christians speak in tongues. Some organizations and denominations which practice the gift of tongues alone are identified as charismatic groups. It is amazing to see that the spirituality of an organization is determined by tongues speaking, which is unbiblical. Nevertheless, tongues speaking are still controversial. Some Christian teach that God simply does not give miraculous gifts to anyone in the church today; yet others still claim that all Christian ought to seek and practice the gifts of the tongues. Tongues speaking is an authentic gift of the Holy Spirit, it is a scriptural and true also, but people should desire and wait for this gift and use it the way God wants one to use it whether for personal and congregational edification. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the Azusa Street Revival in 1906 with another wave of tongues speaking occurring in more traditional churches in the 1960’s, certainly establishes that God expects anointed people to use their gifts decently, otherwise it is better to look for other gifts. Today many people blindly believe that, the most important gift to be received is speaking in tongues. Firstly, gifts are not meant for personal gain but for the benefit of the community and then the individual. If one does not have the gift of interpretation of tongues, one can still love one’s neighbor as oneself and, by doing so, one bring heaven down to the earth. This is also great service for the Lord and benefit to others. With the lack of any Biblical evidence, it supposed that angels have a language of their own, which is different from human languages, but which has its own linguistic characteristics. Thus understanding presents a barrier to those who claim their ecstatic speech is the tongues of angels. One thing should be remembered that whenever angels spoke to people from different linguistic backgrounds the angles used the respective language of the people concerned. Vi. Paul’s attitude to speaking in tongues Did Paul try to stop or discourage the practice of speaking in tongues? Absolutely not! In chapters 12-14 of I Corinthians, most definitely, Paul was correcting the church which misused this God given gift. The Corinthians church behaved in an unpredictable manner after subjecting themselves to speaking in a frenzied (a state extreme excitement) manner. Paul values the place of this spectacular gift, but main concern is that it should be done in a decent or respectable manner. In these chapters, Paul is limiting the gift of diverse kinds of tongues and normal tongues, while giving importance to prophecy and an interpreter for the tongues. Paul begins by beseeching the Corinthians to desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy. The two fold reasons are here, firstly, speaking in tongues is directed towards God, not to humans. And secondly, there was an unavailability of interpreters of the gift of tongues. Probably, the Corinthian believers were enthusiasts for Christ, and possessed seemingly boundless energy. When they came together for worship, they sought to use all of the gifts in a very energetic display but they were very aggressive and often loveless in the manifestations. Everyone wanted to be in the frontline of the church’s spirituality and competed (14:1-3) as if they were in a revitalizing game. But they missed the love. Every Christian should use their gifts to serve others for the common good (I Cor 24:7, Peter 4: 10). The awareness and exercise of spiritual gifts have been a great blessing for members and congregations. However, even some people use the concept of spiritual gifts as an excuse to refuse to serve others. This is the opposite of what Paul intended. He explained that Gifts are given to people to serve others. We should respect and honor the Christian who speak in tongues, when it is not like a pagan’s gibberish talk. We need to make sure that people with the help of an interpreter in the congregation. Otherwise, let them speak between themselves and God, as well as respect and honor others who do not have such spectacular gifts, because they will have other gifts.(I Cor14:39). Tongues without interpretation served no other purpose than to speak to God but prophecy was more valuable than tongues because sinners were saved and saints were edified. We also have to heed what Paul says in the very next verse that everything should be done in an orderly way (v. 40). All uncontrolled motions should be avoided to save the church from confusion in the areas of tongues- speaking. VI. The Application of Speaking in Tongues If the gift of tongues was not ecstatic utterances and if the gift of tongues was not prevalent shortly after the death of apostles, then how do we account for the phenomenon of tongues in the form of ecstatic utterance today? Gearge J. Jennings, “An Ethnological Study of Glossolalia” in Journal of the American Scientific Affliliation, March, 1968. 18. Observes that glossolalia was practiced by the following non-Christian religions of the world: Peyote cult among the North America Indians, the Haida Indians of the pacific Northwest, Shamans in Sudan, the shango cult of the west Coast of Africa, the shango cult in Trinidad, the voodoo cult in Haiti and so many cult and religions in the Asia, including Nepal and so on which also practice tongues in their worship services. One thing we can be sure of is that there is no uniqueness in glossolalia when we compare the heathen religious practices of speaking in tongues. But often today’s Christian tongues- speaker fails to identify the uniqueness of the biblical tongues. The meaning and function of glossolalia is closely tied to its social and cultural convert. This matter we have to discuss both theologically and historically whether tongues are of divine or devilish origin. Some may think it is irrelevant, but it is important for us to avoid confusion. Why does perception of Luke and Paul differ? Is the Lukan version practical today? If not, why does not Paul have a high opinion about the practice of speaking in tongues? Many scholars think that the Lukan version is an ideal description since Luke was not an eyewitness to Pentecost. How does another type of tongue, one which we do not understand, come to influence the Corinthian believers? Will it make sense for a convert from Hinduism or from any other so-called cult? For Paul, community and individual edification was of the utmost importance. He gave more importance to the edification of the individual that to a public exhibition of speaking in tongues. For the betterment of the Church, there must be an interpretation of tongues. If there is no interpreter, they should use the tongue as one of the gifts for individual edification, because the one who speaks tongue speaks to God or prays to God. Tongues speaking such as we know today is being practiced by Buddhist, Hindus, Mormons, Muslims, shintoists, Spiritists, and Voodoo devotees ect. Another amazing thing today is that some of the rock music groups also have developed an unintelligible tongue speaking which is incomprehensible to anyone. The gift of tongues is not the ability to speak gibberish as that requires no supernatural ability. There are people who believe the gift of speaking tongues as an ecstatic utterance but do question the possibility of God’ supernatural acts. According to I Corinthians 14: 4, one thing that is clearly evident is that the one in which the mind was active. Pau’s implication is that, the one speaking in a tongue understood what he was saying along with an interpretation and so the congregation was edified. His point in the following verses is that what is not understood cannot edify. Otherwise, he must speak silently to God in private prayer or conversation to God, because it is understandable to God alone. Like any other gifts, tongues must also be exercised intelligibly. The true gift has nothing to do with gibberish. The gift of the interpretation of tongues was the ability to translate the message given in a foreign tongue to the native language. On the day of Pentecost, everyone heard them speak in their own language without an interpreter. Then the question arises, why should it be different for Corinthians, if this is a genuine gift? There is no evidence that the tongues of Acts is any different from that of I Corinthians, except there may be some abuse of the true gift by a few new converts from the pagan background, who misused it. The modern phenomenon of speaking in tongues has created widespread controversy in the modern Christian world. 1. The purpose of Tongues It is a sign to unbelievers Jews in particular and unbelievers in general. (I cor. 14:22), “tongues then, are for a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers.” The argument goes back to Pentecost where Jews were first confronted with the sign of tongues and again in Acts 10 and 19 where the gift was given as a sign to Jews and Gentiles are included in The New Testament. Tongues also serve as a revelation and edification gift. 2. Rules for the Practice of the Gift If we observe Paul’s discussions regarding the rules for the practice of the gift of tongues in I Corinthian 12-14, we must not forbid the use of tongues (Vs. 39). Not more than three to speak in tongues in any one meeting (Vs. 27b). They must speak one at a time (Vs. 27). What they say must be edifying(Vs.26).The reason Paul was forced to give these rules was because the Corinthians had apparently misinterpreted the importance of the gift and were practicing it in such a way that brought chaos to the worship services. 3. Edification as the guiding principle in exercising the spiritual gifts What Paul reminds the Corinthians in regard is that God divides His gifts among His people (I Cor 12:8-11; 29-30). This is troublesome today, just as it was in ancient Corinth where speaking in tongue was misused along with the pagan phenomenon of speaking in tongues. The gifts are given to serve others and oneself, but not to create a scene or showcasing a person’s spiritual superiority to others. Tongues is not a spiritual exhibition, rather it is to edify self and not to impress others (12:4). Even Paul makes it clear that part of the fruit of the spirit is self control (Gal 5:23;2 Timothy1:7). When tongues is manifested in a believer’s personal life for prayer and worship, they are free to talk to God in the spirit rather than confusing the congregation. 4. Suggestions for a balanced Approach It is common that when someone practice public tongues speaking people always focus on the speaker, not on God. Though some may consider it as the sign of divine blessing, most do not. Today many are blinded by such unscriptural teaching taught by false preachers. People need to be impressed by the gospel and our life, not by the usual and unscriptural phenomena operating in it. Speaking and translating multiple language (I Cor 12:10, 28, 30) were consider by Paul to be the manifestation of the Spirit and they are to be used for the purpose of group edification and the common good. It must be understood by today’s believers that none of the gifts should be forbidden, even tongues (v. 39). On the other hand, “everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way” (v.40), as illustrated by the regulations for prophecy and tongues in verses26-38. The challenges we have today, do our churches believe in the gift of tongues and practice the tongues in order way according to scripture or do we practice just the way as we wish to speak and make force others to speak without discernment by the Holy Spirit? 1. Tongues must be interpreted (I Cor 14:28), otherwise speako to God and privately. 2. Tongues never been spoken turn by turn ( I Cor 14:27). 3. Tongues has never been spoken different 4. Tongues is not the sign of new born 5. Tongues is not the sign of revival 6. Tongues is not the sign of superiority 7. Tongues is not the sign of Spirituality 8. Tongues is not the sign of baptism of the Holy Spirit. ( From the paper presentation by Hom Tamang) Conclusion The phenomenon of speaking in tongues in the Corinthian Church was closely related to ecstatic (emotion, feeling joy, rapturous) speech in the religions of the wider Greco-Roman world, especially among the mystery religious cults. In the time of Corinthian church certain mystery religions were popular in the Empire. The Corinthian church earned the name of being the most carnal church that ever assembled in the name of the Lord and the church was marked by disorder in worship, confusion, and spiritual pride. Paul faced many problems regarding tongues-speaking in Corinthian church, who were experimenting with tongues, probably included ecstatic utterance. But Paul clearly showed that the gift in no way agrees with such a practice because the tongues-peaking practice of the new converts of the Corinthian church had roots in paganism. The same way the greatest danger in our today’s church regarding tongues comes when a subjective faith based on experience replace the objective faith we have in inspired scripture. Several crucial points in Corinth 12-14 chapters have been interpreted along new lines in which Paul directly attacks the Corinthians. Here a new development takes place in a wrong way. Biblical tongues were the supernatural ability to speak an unknown foreign language. Today name of the Charismatic and modern Pentecostal churches and Christians compel the believers to speak in tongues in order to b saved or to be more spiritual. This is unfortunate folly for a pastor who is anointed and commissioned by the Spirit of God to lead his flock wrongly. Paul is clear that all people do not speak in tongues because not all people are gifted by this same gift, which does not mean that one who has the gift of speaking in tongues is great and more spiritual in the church. Scripture says that if you can love your enemy as yourself, then that act of love itself is a great gift, sometime greater that tongues speaking. In Paul’s writings to the Corinthians, it is clear that believers were restricted from speaking in tongues. What kind of tongues is the question? Paul does not talk like many modern day Pentecostals, speaking in tongues as a sign or evidence of the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the present day church needs to be warned against entertaining such an unscriptural manner of practice within the church and not to deviate from sound biblical doctrine regarding the gift of speaking tongues. Speaking in tongues as Paul describes it, is a genuine manifestation of God’s grace, in which His sovereignty is bestowed by the Holy Spirit (I Cor 12:8-11). Is it not true that they are emotionally move by the desire to emulate others when they are speaking in tongues and to show off their spirituality? Like the Corinthians, the modern tongue speaking movement can reflect a confusion and ignorance of Biblical doctrine. Leaders of the charismatic movement know how to use emotion to produce the desire effect. If there is no interpreter, let the speaker speak to God silently and pray and praise rather than uncontrollably Cursing Jesus or misleading unbelievers. And let the exercise of the spiritual gifts be utilized for the purpose of edification and let them be practiced decently and in order. Emotional ecstasy is good if one is led by the spirit of God but he/she must be controlled by the same spirit. Amen!!! Refernces: Gromacki, Robert G. The Modern Tongue Movement, Philadelphia: Presbyterian and Reformed, 1967 Grudem, Wayne. Systematic Theology; An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994. Simon,Sahayadas. The phenomenon of speaking in tongues in the Corinthian Church, Kerusomen Publishing House, 2008.
Posted on: Sat, 24 Aug 2013 16:05:34 +0000