| | I want to address common questions I've had and/or heard about tongues
through the years, and share scriptures and/or experiences that have
helped me grow in understanding. If you have question, scriptures and
experiences to share that will help us better understand the point
being discussed, please share it with us in the comments! I know I have
SO much to learn and want to benefit from what the Lord has show others
as well.
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF TONGUES
AND HOW DO TONGUES GLORIFY GOD?
Here are some scriptures that I believe explain at least part of the
purpose of speaking in a spiritual, God given language. Read them
prayerfully and with an open mind, and let me know what you think.
1 Corinthians 14:1-5
(1) Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts,
especially the gift of prophecy. (2) For anyone who speaks in a tongue
DOES NOT SPEAK TO MEN, BUT TO GOD. Indeed, no one understands him; he
utters mysteries with his spirit. (3) But everyone who prophesies
speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort. (4)
He who speaks in a tongue EDIFIES HIMSELF , but he who prophesies
edifies the church. (5)I would like every one of you to speak in
tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is
greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that
the church may be edified.
So, we see here that speaking in tongues edifies(builds up, strengthens) the speaker,
because he is speaking TO GOD. Both of these are good things.
We might say, "Well, isn't that a selfish thing to do?" Is it selfish
to eat and sleep and care for oneself? Are we not strengthened to take
care of our families and do our jobs and serve one another by eating
and sleeping and taking care of ourselves? God also wants us to take
care of ourselves spiritually. God wants us to strengthen ourselves and
build ourselves up. When we are stronger, we are more able to do all
the things He wants us to do with grace and in that we, we bring glory
to Him! One of the references in scripture that instructs us to to this
is in
Jude, chapter 1:17-21
(17) But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus
Christ foretold. (18) They said to you, "In the last times there will
be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires." (19)These are
the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not
have the Spirit.
(20) But you, dear friends, BUILD YOURSELVES UP in your most holy faith
and pray in the Holy Spirit. (21) Keep yourselves in God's love as you
wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal
life.
So, here in Jude we are instructed to "build ourselves up in faith" and
to "pray in the Holy Spirit". Praying in tongues is one way of praying
in the Holy Spirit. So, you see, the purpose of praying in tongues is
that it is one way to build up our OWN faith and strength. I believe
these scriptures refer to a private conversation between the believer
and God, as referred to in
1 Corinthians 14, in verses 2 & 4. This would be an entirely
different thing than praying in front of others and needing an
interpreter.
We live in the last days, and are surrounded by scoffers and people
living very ungodly lives. We, and those we love are being attacked and
undermined daily by the evil that surrounds us. If there is something
extra, some "vitamin" or "nutrient" that can make me stronger and help
me in this struggle, I'll take all the help I can get!
I admit, I have not prayed in tongues much during the past several
years, as I have not been in an environment that encouraged it and have
felt sensitive about it. Now, I'm starting to wonder what all I've
cheated myself of during this time. I have faced SO many horrendous
battles, of the type that can destroy people and families and if there
was something that could have made me stronger, calmer, and more
focused, I should have taken advantage of it. If this something extra
could build me up and empower my as a witness, I should have taken
advantage of it. If it would make me better equipped for any task the
Lord had for me to do, I should have taken advantage of it. But,
because I do not completely understand it and have not been around
people who support it, I have shied away from it. All this time, I was
choosing NOT to use a gift, a tool, that God has given me for the
express purpose of building myself up. How much better might things
have been in those situations if I had been using everything God had
give me to build me up? I guess I'll never know.
There are several other points related to this gift I want to share
about: questions I've asked and things God has shown me, things I've
learned from experience that, after which the scriptures made more
sense (as experience is a great teacher) and also the questions people
most commonly ask about this gift (when they have the courage to ask).
I'm going to break this up into small blogs, so that each point can
stand alone and we can give it the attention it deserves.
I do hope that others who do have this gift will also be willing to join in and share what they
understand through scripture and experience.
Love,
Robyn |
| | Posted 10/2/2007 2:43 PM - 2 views - 5 comments
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