Pastor Cymbala. May God BLESS YOU. You have talked to me everyday in my car since february when i started listening to your podcasts. You minister the word as-is. This is the bread the body of christ needs. Am in Kenya-Africa and truly you are my personal pastor. God bless!!!
It is so comforting that Jim Cymbala spoke clearly and Bible-based-ly against the current misunderstanding and misuse of "praying in tongues". Thanks and praises to GOD for building His faithful servant in building "Temple of Prayers to GOD", to demonstrate the truth and the true gift of PRAYER that GOD grants to His children. The true PRAYERS come from hearts to GOD by the HOLY SPIRIT, not by "tongues even the speakers they themselves don't know the meaning"! Hallelujah !
For the fifth time, tongues is a prayer language that enables people to utter things of the Spirit to God. It builds the believer's faith. Prophecy: there are specific interpretations of Biblical prophecies that are in happening now. Prophecy is still used to warn people of God's judgment; it gives a specific message to Christ's followers regarding something not directly mentioned in scripture and warns nonbelievers who don't read the Bible in the hope they would see its fulfillment and believe.
If tongues ceased, when did they cease ? people spoke in tongues on the day of pentecost. It is my experience that those who says tongues have ceased are usually guilty of spiritual jealousy because they do not have the gift.
I understand this quite clearly. part of the way that the mind heals is because God enables the mind to relax during meditation time when tongues are being spoken. This is part of the renewal of the mind. Those who have never spoken legitimately in tongues would not truly understand this phenomenon. look at scientific research. google this "What Happens in the Brain of 'Speaking in Tongues' Individuals"
There are four primary Scripture passages that are cited as evidence for praying in tongues: Romans 8:26;1 Corinthians 14:4-17;Ephesians 6:18; and Jude verse 20.Ephesians 6:18 and Jude 20 mention “praying in the Spirit.” However, tongues as a prayer language are not a likely interpretation of “praying in the Spirit.” Romans 8:26 teaches us, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.” Two key points make it highly unlikely that Romans 8:26 is referring to tongues as a prayer language. First, Romans 8:26 states that it is the Spirit who “groans,” not believers. Second, Romans 8:26 states that the “groans” of the Spirit “cannot be expressed.” The very essence of speaking in tongues is uttering words. That leaves us with1 Corinthians 14:4-17 and verse 14 especially: “For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. ”First Corinthians 14:14 distinctly mentions “praying in tongues.” What does this mean? First, studying the context is immensely valuable. First Corinthians chapter 14 is primarily a comparison/contrast of the gift of speaking in tongues and the gift of prophecy. Verses 2-5 make it clear that Paul views prophecy as a gift superior to tongues. At the same time, Paul exclaims the value of tongues and declares that he is glad that he speaks in tongues more than anyone (verse 18). Acts chapter 2 describes the first occurrence of the gift of tongues. On the day of Pentecost, the apostles spoke in tongues. Acts chapter 2 makes it clear that the apostles were speaking in a human language (Acts 2:6-8). The word translated “tongues” in both Acts chapter 2 and 1 Corinthians chapter 14 is glossa which means “language.” It is the word from which we get our modern English word “glossary.” Speaking in tongues was the ability to speak in a language the speaker does not know, in order to communicate the gospel to someone who does speak that language. In the multicultural area of Corinth, it seems that the gift of tongues was especially valuable and prominent. The Corinthians believers were able to better communicate the gospel and God’s Word as a result of the gift of tongues. However, Paul made it abundantly clear that even in this usage of tongues, it was to be interpreted or “translated” (1 Corinthians 14:13,27). A Corinthian believer would speak in tongues, proclaiming God’s truth to someone who spoke that language, and then that believer, or another believer in the church, was to interpret what was spoken so that the entire assembly could understand what was said. What, then, is praying in tongues, and how is it different than speaking in tongues? First Corinthians 14:13-17 indicates that praying in tongues is also to be interpreted. As a result, it seems that praying in tongues was offering a prayer to God. This prayer would minister to someone who spoke that language, but would also need to be interpreted so that the entire body could be edified. This interpretation does not agree with those who view praying in tongues as a prayer language. This alternate understanding can be summarized as follows: praying in tongues is a personal prayer language between a believer and God (1 Corinthians 13:1) that a believer uses to edify himself (1 Corinthians 14:4). This interpretation is unbiblical for the following reasons: 1) How could praying in tongues be a private prayer language if it is to be interpreted (1 Corinthians 14:13-17)? 2) How could praying in tongues be for self-edification when Scripture says that the spiritual gifts are for the edification of the church, not the self (1 Corinthians 12:7). 3) How can praying in tongues be a private prayer language if the gift of tongues is a “sign to unbelievers” (1 Corinthians 14:22)? 4) The Bible makes it clear that not everyone possesses the gift of tongues (1 Corinthians 12:11,28-30). How can tongues be a gift for self-edification if not every believer can possess it? Do we not all need to be edified? Some understand praying in tongues to be a “secret code language” that prevents Satan and his demons from understanding our prayers and thereby gaining an advantage over us. This interpretation is unbiblical for the following reasons: 1) The New Testament consistently describes tongues as a human language. It is unlikely that Satan and his demons are unable to understand human languages. 2) The Bible records countless believers praying in their own language, out loud, with no concern of Satan intercepting the prayer. Even if Satan and/or his demons hear and understand the prayers we pray, they have absolutely no power to prevent God from answering the prayers according to His will. We know that God hears our prayers, and that fact makes it irrelevant whether Satan and his demons hear and understand our prayers. We should also question todays open speaking of Tongues. Shall the same Holy Ghost who resides in us also reside in non-believers who perform the same signs? If cults act and conduct themselves the same way as what we think is a holy-angelic language. What does that tell us other then it cannot be anything other than false and misleading worship and we have been fooled? How can so called Christians who are known to be false teachers ( Kenneth Copeland and Benny Hinn as examples) use this same language be compared to others who are thought of as good Christians and also profess the Gibberish to be a valid language?
MrGizmolover - Thank you for using scripture to make your case. We must be like the Bereans, who diligently searched the scriptures to determine what Thus saith the Lord, and not be deceived. When we send missionaries to foreign countries, they must learn the foreign language because they cannot expect the people to understand them unless they learn to communicate in their language. What happened in the Book of Acts when Peter preached in his own language, was that the Holy Spirit supernaturally enabled the people listening to understand what Peter was saying. These people spoke various languages and yet, they all understood him and repented of their sins. God chose to do this in the early church in order to spread the Gospel of Christ to all peoples, tongues, and nations. The interpretation for tongues is actual languages. God loves order, which is why the universe He created runs like clockwork. Whereas the enemy is the author of confusion, chaos, and disorder. Whatever God creates is good and perfect, which the enemy defiles and counterfeits in order to deceive.
The gifts are given without repentance. Many will say on that day before the Lord " Have I not cast out devil's? Laid hands on people? Prophecy? Do mighty works in your name? He will " I do not know you." The Christian walk is one of holiness. Repentance of sins committed, it's a narrow road. Not a road that one can zig zag off and continually abide there. There's many who aren't even pastors or in a position of ministry but they can pray really well, give wise counsel, lay hands and heal the sick, etc; but their personal armor has chinks that they refuse to seal by the love of the Holy Spirit. They continue to operate in the gifts God has provided, and rely on their personal charisma, looks, etc., but that has nothing to do with believers who actually walk in the spirit and live it day in day out.
Its really pretty simple if we take the Bible for what it says. In Acts 1 we see that both men and women were there, in Acts 2 they all spoke in spiritual utterance, in 1 Cor. 13 Paul refers to tongues as being of angels, as well in 14 Paul refers to tongues as being spiritual language without human understanding interpretation for the edifying of the church is interpreted by someone with the gift it wouldn't be a gift if it was a known language to them...we either read by faith or doubt Mk16:15
You're right, the charismatic movements are false. But, don't make that the straw man for people that claim speaking in tongues and healing are Biblical. They are. Twitching and other kinds of weird movements are not.
The Bible says Despise not Prophesyings, and forbid not to speak with toungues.The Gifts of the Spirit are REAL ALL THE TIME. In this generation false spirits have invaded the church, and false prophets are everywhere. That is one reason we need the Holy Spirit gifts---to be able to discern that which is of the flesh and false.If your heart is pure before God, do not be afraid to speak in toungues, because it will be of the Lord and a strength to your soul..
He's a supernatural God... all powerful and omniscient. Don't you believe God can use somebody beyond their intellectual abilities? Either you've limited your "god" to being quite powerless, or you don't know Him at all. There are things in our spirits that are from God that we don't understand. The very idea that we are drawn to God is from Him. And we don't understand things of heaven, but God does.
It isn't a matter of Him forgetting to mention them. They just hadn't happened yet. We are living out the New Testament every day, even more specifically, the last days. I'm not claiming that we can actually add our testimonies to the Cannon, but rather, that this is the living Cannon. If you are a follower of Christ, are you not a brother or sister to all the saints in the Cannon? Don't you think when we get to heaven our stories will be just as important as theirs? Just as true?
Aha... Jesus forgot to mention? "Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written." John 21:25 Do you suppose that the writing of scripture on this generation's hearts (AKA testimonies of deliverance and healing) could have a place in those books?
Read Acts 2:8. Speaking in tongues refers to diverse members in a congragation prayed to God in their native tongue. Verse 9 mentions the nationalities; Parthians, Medes, etc. They cried out on their own languages all at the same time. Careful reading of God's word will help us translate accurately the word if God. Like The Brooklyn tabernacle choir has different nationalities in their assembly sometimes they sing in Spanish but most times it's in English because they live in an English speaking country; New York. Let God's spirit guide you when reading the Bible.
Where does it say "tongues will die out"? Back that with scripture. "Reconfirm Jesus is on earth?" What is that supposed to mean? You believe He is here now?
God is infinite. Do you really believe He is limited to the Cannon? He can't act outside of it? He can't cause people to stand up with a word from heaven? That is the church; the church serves a living God, and because He's living, He isn't limited to a book.
Yes, you should read the Bible and ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand it. I gave you several scriptures and you cannot understand them because you oppose the work of the Holy Spirit. Stop letting your denomination tell their lukewarm lies and seek God the Holy Spirit to reveal His truth to you. Also Read Acts 19:1-7 Why did Paul even ask if they received the Holy Spirit since they believed if there wasn't the possibility of 2 experiences. We don't need to keep arguing though its not good
And you ignored 14:1 entirely. "...desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy." There is no condemnation of gifts. Why should these gifts be so desired then, and not now? We need them more now than ever. God is supernatural. If you are born again, God has already spoken your life into motion. We are living out the story He has written down about us in heaven. And God still does miraculous things and can speak into a life. Don't limit Him, but pursue truth.
Tongues are not about adding or taking away. They are about praying to God privately and sometimes interpreting. This isn't about having the complete Cannon. You took this out of context. Look at verse 12: "For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known." It's about when we see Jesus in heaven, not about getting the complete Bible. They'll die out after we have died-God's love is the only thing that won't.
Every "fresh word from God" MUST be judged by Scripture. The trouble with today's churches is that people do not know enough Scripture OR the gift of discernment, to be able to recognize the false. So the false gets going without anyone knowing how to stop it. We need more people with Discernment to preach against the blatant baloney.
Pentecost -only two languages were spoken by the visiting Jews from the Diaspora; Greek - by those of the western Diaspora and Aramaic - by those of the western Diaspora.Those living in Judea spoke Aramaic. Both languages were spoken by the disciples. The expected language, and the proper one to use by Jews for religious teaching, was Hebrew, not the "native tongues" of the people. People were amazed and astounded to hear the disciples speaking Greek and Aramaic rather than the proper and expected Hebrew. No language miracle.
@memama2 I'm in agreement with you on all this and I stand with you in the truth. Charismatics (of which I once was) need to get into some deeper Bible study, and stop listening to those who are part of a still new movement that started in 1906. (even 1901 to a degree). the whole movement is founded on chaos, emotion, and bad theology. I don't doubt the sincerity of most of them, though some leaders know better.
Mate the blood of Jesus is not some magical force it an entity - it is a metaphor for the death of Jesus. Check the Old Testament as well as other Jewish literature, and you will find it always means the death or sacrifice of the living thing, never literally the blood itself : and everything I have read from John MacArthur reflects this correct sense of the Hebrew idiom
Matt, you should listen to some other teachings, besides what you have been taught.The whole "tongues of angels" thing is not what you think it is. He never said he speaks with tongues of angels. He said "though I speak..." The best translation of that word THOUGH, would be IF. "IF I speak with tongues of angels". IF I give my body to be burned". (Did Paul give his body to be burned? No.) He was speaking in hyperbole, obviously. Hypothetically, to make a point. Watch teachings of "1nemind"
I agree with you that the charismatic movement is false. This isn't the charismatic movement. You need to have discernment as to who and what to believe. Some of it is downright demonic.
this is a serious misunderstanding of God's word. as a former tongues speaker and bought up in a pentecostal church i do have first hand experience of this. it is false and is not what is in scripture. brother's and sisters please pray for wisdom and truth of God's word to be made clear. God bless you.
And the second part here is regarding discernment. Jim Cymbala is not a part of the drinking poison and jumping off cliffs scene, and I don't believe that anyone who has commented here is. The path of truth is a very fine line to walk. A little to the left and you'll have madness... to the right you have spiritual death. Tongues isn't supposed to be a public thing to glorify God. Didn't you listen to the message? It is private to build you up.
+Tom Winkelman 2 Peter 1:9 "We have also a more sure word of prophecy". Peter is saying that even having stood with the transfigured Christ on the mountain top and having heard the audible voice of God.... he believed that the written word of God was a more indisputable source. It would be foolish to close the bible and rely on feelings. Satan can give you a "feeling" just as easily as God can... we need the bible to help discern between the two.
+Tom Winkelman What a dangerous and foolish advice, without Scriptures I would never accept Yeshua as the Messiiah of Israel, I hated him and Christians, it is because of the prophecies about Jesus that I realize he is the Messiah of Israel, after that I started reading Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, followed by the epistles and Revelations, Scriptures full of the power of God.
+Michael Scott "my sheep hear my voice." Scripture is open to any interpretation which is why the Earth has over 40,000 denominations each claiming to be right.
Paul also taught to be perfectly united so that there be no divisions. 1 Corinthians 1:10. How can 40,000 denominations be united? They can't. Only way to unity if through the Holy Spirit not by ink and paper.
Pastor Cymbala. May God BLESS YOU. You have talked to me everyday in my car since february when i started listening to your podcasts. You minister the word as-is. This is the bread the body of christ needs. Am in Kenya-Africa and truly you are my personal pastor. God bless!!!
It is so comforting that Jim Cymbala spoke clearly and Bible-based-ly against the current misunderstanding and misuse of "praying in tongues". Thanks and praises to GOD for building His faithful servant in building "Temple of Prayers to GOD", to demonstrate the truth and the true gift of PRAYER that GOD grants to His children. The true PRAYERS come from hearts to GOD by the HOLY SPIRIT, not by "tongues even the speakers they themselves don't know the meaning"! Hallelujah !
For the fifth time, tongues is a prayer language that enables people to utter things of the Spirit to God. It builds the believer's faith. Prophecy: there are specific interpretations of Biblical prophecies that are in happening now. Prophecy is still used to warn people of God's judgment; it gives a specific message to Christ's followers regarding something not directly mentioned in scripture and warns nonbelievers who don't read the Bible in the hope they would see its fulfillment and believe.
If tongues ceased, when did they cease ? people spoke in tongues on the day of pentecost. It is my experience that those who says tongues have ceased are usually guilty of spiritual jealousy because they do not have the gift.
I understand this quite clearly. part of the way that the mind heals is because God enables the mind to relax during meditation time when tongues are being spoken. This is part of the renewal of the mind. Those who have never spoken legitimately in tongues would not truly understand this phenomenon. look at scientific research.
google this "What Happens in the Brain of 'Speaking in Tongues' Individuals"
Excellent!
Thank you!
There are four primary Scripture passages that are cited as evidence for praying in tongues: Romans 8:26;1 Corinthians 14:4-17;Ephesians 6:18; and Jude verse 20.Ephesians 6:18 and Jude 20 mention “praying in the Spirit.” However, tongues as a prayer language are not a likely interpretation of “praying in the Spirit.”
Romans 8:26 teaches us, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.” Two key points make it highly unlikely that Romans 8:26 is referring to tongues as a prayer language. First, Romans 8:26 states that it is the Spirit who “groans,” not believers. Second, Romans 8:26 states that the “groans” of the Spirit “cannot be expressed.” The very essence of speaking in tongues is uttering words.
That leaves us with1 Corinthians 14:4-17 and verse 14 especially: “For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. ”First Corinthians 14:14 distinctly mentions “praying in tongues.” What does this mean? First, studying the context is immensely valuable. First Corinthians chapter 14 is primarily a comparison/contrast of the gift of speaking in tongues and the gift of prophecy. Verses 2-5 make it clear that Paul views prophecy as a gift superior to tongues. At the same time, Paul exclaims the value of tongues and declares that he is glad that he speaks in tongues more than anyone (verse 18).
Acts chapter 2 describes the first occurrence of the gift of tongues. On the day of Pentecost, the apostles spoke in tongues. Acts chapter 2 makes it clear that the apostles were speaking in a human language (Acts 2:6-8). The word translated “tongues” in both Acts chapter 2 and 1 Corinthians chapter 14 is glossa which means “language.” It is the word from which we get our modern English word “glossary.” Speaking in tongues was the ability to speak in a language the speaker does not know, in order to communicate the gospel to someone who does speak that language. In the multicultural area of Corinth, it seems that the gift of tongues was especially valuable and prominent. The Corinthians believers were able to better communicate the gospel and God’s Word as a result of the gift of tongues. However, Paul made it abundantly clear that even in this usage of tongues, it was to be interpreted or “translated” (1 Corinthians 14:13,27). A Corinthian believer would speak in tongues, proclaiming God’s truth to someone who spoke that language, and then that believer, or another believer in the church, was to interpret what was spoken so that the entire assembly could understand what was said.
What, then, is praying in tongues, and how is it different than speaking in tongues? First Corinthians 14:13-17 indicates that praying in tongues is also to be interpreted. As a result, it seems that praying in tongues was offering a prayer to God. This prayer would minister to someone who spoke that language, but would also need to be interpreted so that the entire body could be edified.
This interpretation does not agree with those who view praying in tongues as a prayer language. This alternate understanding can be summarized as follows: praying in tongues is a personal prayer language between a believer and God (1 Corinthians 13:1) that a believer uses to edify himself (1 Corinthians 14:4). This interpretation is unbiblical for the following reasons: 1) How could praying in tongues be a private prayer language if it is to be interpreted (1 Corinthians 14:13-17)? 2) How could praying in tongues be for self-edification when Scripture says that the spiritual gifts are for the edification of the church, not the self (1 Corinthians 12:7). 3) How can praying in tongues be a private prayer language if the gift of tongues is a “sign to unbelievers” (1 Corinthians 14:22)? 4) The Bible makes it clear that not everyone possesses the gift of tongues (1 Corinthians 12:11,28-30). How can tongues be a gift for self-edification if not every believer can possess it? Do we not all need to be edified?
Some understand praying in tongues to be a “secret code language” that prevents Satan and his demons from understanding our prayers and thereby gaining an advantage over us. This interpretation is unbiblical for the following reasons: 1) The New Testament consistently describes tongues as a human language. It is unlikely that Satan and his demons are unable to understand human languages. 2) The Bible records countless believers praying in their own language, out loud, with no concern of Satan intercepting the prayer. Even if Satan and/or his demons hear and understand the prayers we pray, they have absolutely no power to prevent God from answering the prayers according to His will. We know that God hears our prayers, and that fact makes it irrelevant whether Satan and his demons hear and understand our prayers.
We should also question todays open speaking of Tongues. Shall the same Holy Ghost who resides in us also reside in non-believers who perform the same signs? If cults act and conduct themselves the same way as what we think is a holy-angelic language. What does that tell us other then it cannot be anything other than false and misleading worship and we have been fooled?
How can so called Christians who are known to be false teachers ( Kenneth Copeland and Benny Hinn as examples) use this same language be compared to others who are thought of as good Christians and also profess the Gibberish to be a valid language?
MrGizmolover nice writing but the preacher left no room for confusion. Blessings
MrGizmolover - Thank you for using scripture to make your case. We must be like the Bereans, who diligently searched the scriptures to determine what Thus saith the Lord, and not be deceived. When we send missionaries to foreign countries, they must learn the foreign language because they cannot expect the people to understand them unless they learn to communicate in their language. What happened in the Book of Acts when Peter preached in his own language, was that the Holy Spirit supernaturally enabled the people listening to understand what Peter was saying. These people spoke various languages and yet, they all understood him and repented of their sins. God chose to do this in the early church in order to spread the Gospel of Christ to all peoples, tongues, and nations. The interpretation for tongues is actual languages. God loves order, which is why the universe He created runs like clockwork. Whereas the enemy is the author of confusion, chaos, and disorder. Whatever God creates is good and perfect, which the enemy defiles and counterfeits in order to deceive.
The gifts are given without repentance.
Many will say on that day before the Lord " Have I not cast out devil's? Laid hands on people? Prophecy? Do mighty works in your name?
He will " I do not know you."
The Christian walk is one of holiness. Repentance of sins committed, it's a narrow road. Not a road that one can zig zag off and continually abide there. There's many who aren't even pastors or in a position of ministry but they can pray really well, give wise counsel, lay hands and heal the sick, etc; but their personal armor has chinks that they refuse to seal by the love of the Holy Spirit.
They continue to operate in the gifts God has provided, and rely on their personal charisma, looks, etc., but that has nothing to do with believers who actually walk in the spirit and live it day in day out.
Its really pretty simple if we take the Bible for what it says. In Acts 1 we see that both men and women were there, in Acts 2 they all spoke in spiritual utterance, in 1 Cor. 13 Paul refers to tongues as being of angels, as well in 14 Paul refers to tongues as being spiritual language without human understanding interpretation for the edifying of the church is interpreted by someone with the gift it wouldn't be a gift if it was a known language to them...we either read by faith or doubt Mk16:15
Good teaching
You're right, the charismatic movements are false. But, don't make that the straw man for people that claim speaking in tongues and healing are Biblical. They are. Twitching and other kinds of weird movements are not.
The Bible says Despise not Prophesyings, and forbid not to speak with toungues.The Gifts of the Spirit are REAL ALL THE TIME. In this generation false spirits have invaded the church, and false prophets are everywhere. That is one reason we need
the Holy Spirit gifts---to be able to discern that which is of the flesh and false.If your heart is pure before God, do not be afraid to speak in toungues, because it will be of the Lord and a strength to your soul..
He's a supernatural God... all powerful and omniscient. Don't you believe God can use somebody beyond their intellectual abilities? Either you've limited your "god" to being quite powerless, or you don't know Him at all. There are things in our spirits that are from God that we don't understand. The very idea that we are drawn to God is from Him. And we don't understand things of heaven, but God does.
It isn't a matter of Him forgetting to mention them. They just hadn't happened yet. We are living out the New Testament every day, even more specifically, the last days. I'm not claiming that we can actually add our testimonies to the Cannon, but rather, that this is the living Cannon. If you are a follower of Christ, are you not a brother or sister to all the saints in the Cannon? Don't you think when we get to heaven our stories will be just as important as theirs? Just as true?
Aha... Jesus forgot to mention? "Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written." John 21:25
Do you suppose that the writing of scripture on this generation's hearts (AKA testimonies of deliverance and healing) could have a place in those books?
Read Acts 2:8. Speaking in tongues refers to diverse members in a congragation prayed to God in their native tongue. Verse 9 mentions the nationalities; Parthians, Medes, etc. They cried out on their own languages all at the same time. Careful reading of God's word will help us translate accurately the word if God. Like The Brooklyn tabernacle choir has different nationalities in their assembly sometimes they sing in Spanish but most times it's in English because they live in an English speaking country; New York. Let God's spirit guide you when reading the Bible.
Where does it say "tongues will die out"? Back that with scripture. "Reconfirm Jesus is on earth?" What is that supposed to mean? You believe He is here now?
God is infinite. Do you really believe He is limited to the Cannon? He can't act outside of it? He can't cause people to stand up with a word from heaven? That is the church; the church serves a living God, and because He's living, He isn't limited to a book.
Yes, you should read the Bible and ask the Holy Spirit to help you understand it. I gave you several scriptures and you cannot understand them because you oppose the work of the Holy Spirit. Stop letting your denomination tell their lukewarm lies and seek God the Holy Spirit to reveal His truth to you. Also Read Acts 19:1-7 Why did Paul even ask if they received the Holy Spirit since they believed if there wasn't the possibility of 2 experiences. We don't need to keep arguing though its not good
And you ignored 14:1 entirely. "...desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy." There is no condemnation of gifts. Why should these gifts be so desired then, and not now? We need them more now than ever. God is supernatural. If you are born again, God has already spoken your life into motion. We are living out the story He has written down about us in heaven. And God still does miraculous things and can speak into a life. Don't limit Him, but pursue truth.
Tongues are not about adding or taking away. They are about praying to God privately and sometimes interpreting. This isn't about having the complete Cannon. You took this out of context. Look at verse 12: "For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known." It's about when we see Jesus in heaven, not about getting the complete Bible. They'll die out after we have died-God's love is the only thing that won't.
Every "fresh word from God" MUST be judged by Scripture. The trouble with today's churches is that people do not know enough Scripture OR the gift of discernment, to be able to recognize the false. So the false gets going without anyone knowing how to stop it. We need more people with Discernment to preach against the blatant baloney.
Pentecost -only two languages were spoken by the visiting Jews from the Diaspora; Greek - by those of the western Diaspora and Aramaic - by those of the western Diaspora.Those living in Judea spoke Aramaic. Both languages were spoken by the disciples. The expected language, and the proper one to use by Jews for religious teaching, was Hebrew, not the "native tongues" of the people. People were amazed and astounded to hear the disciples speaking Greek and Aramaic rather than the proper and expected Hebrew. No language miracle.
@memama2 I'm in agreement with you on all this and I stand with you in the truth. Charismatics (of which I once was) need to get into some deeper Bible study, and stop listening to those who are part of a still new movement that started in 1906. (even 1901 to a degree). the whole movement is founded on chaos, emotion, and bad theology. I don't doubt the sincerity of most of them, though some leaders know better.
Mate the blood of Jesus is not some magical force it an entity - it is a metaphor for the death of Jesus. Check the Old Testament as well as other Jewish literature, and you will find it always means the death or sacrifice of the living thing, never literally the blood itself : and everything I have read from John MacArthur reflects this correct sense of the Hebrew idiom
Rowan Marcus w
Matt, you should listen to some other teachings, besides what you have been taught.The whole "tongues of angels" thing is not what you think it is. He never said he speaks with tongues of angels. He said "though I speak..." The best translation of that word THOUGH, would be IF. "IF I speak with tongues of angels". IF I give my body to be burned". (Did Paul give his body to be burned? No.) He was speaking in hyperbole, obviously. Hypothetically, to make a point. Watch teachings of "1nemind"
I agree with you that the charismatic movement is false. This isn't the charismatic movement. You need to have discernment as to who and what to believe. Some of it is downright demonic.
this is a serious misunderstanding of God's word.
as a former tongues speaker and bought up in a pentecostal church i do have first hand experience of this.
it is false and is not what is in scripture.
brother's and sisters please pray for wisdom and truth of God's word to be made clear.
God bless you.
And the second part here is regarding discernment. Jim Cymbala is not a part of the drinking poison and jumping off cliffs scene, and I don't believe that anyone who has commented here is. The path of truth is a very fine line to walk. A little to the left and you'll have madness... to the right you have spiritual death. Tongues isn't supposed to be a public thing to glorify God. Didn't you listen to the message? It is private to build you up.
The Word of God is not your bible it is Jesus Christ. Close your bible and get into the Holy Spirit.
+Tom Winkelman 2 Peter 1:9 "We have also a more sure word of prophecy". Peter is saying that even having stood with the transfigured Christ on the mountain top and having heard the audible voice of God.... he believed that the written word of God was a more indisputable source. It would be foolish to close the bible and rely on feelings. Satan can give you a "feeling" just as easily as God can... we need the bible to help discern between the two.
+Tom Winkelman What a dangerous and foolish advice, without Scriptures I would never accept Yeshua as the Messiiah of Israel, I hated him and Christians, it is because of the prophecies about Jesus that I realize he is the Messiah of Israel, after that I started reading Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, followed by the epistles and Revelations, Scriptures full of the power of God.
+Michael Scott "my sheep hear my voice." Scripture is open to any interpretation which is why the Earth has over 40,000 denominations each claiming to be right.
Paul also taught to be perfectly united so that there be no divisions. 1 Corinthians 1:10. How can 40,000 denominations be united? They can't. Only way to unity if through the Holy Spirit not by ink and paper.
You need Jesus.