Speaking in Tongues
I have always been skeptical of people who claim they have spoken in tongues. I thought that I had either read in the Bible, or heard from someone who'd read in the Bible, that this gift of the Spirit was no longer in effect for our world. But recently some friends of mine, all born-again believers in Christ, experienced the gift of tongues. I now believe that people today can speak in tongues by the power of God's spirit, for two reasons:
- One of the people who witnessed this event (who was skeptical of it even
while he witnessed it) pointed me towards 1
Corinthians 14, which says: "Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy,
and forbid not to speak with tongues." That chapter, along with
the book of Acts, has much to say about tongues.
- In this particular situation, 5 people were praying together. One of them began to speak in Chinese, without having ever learned Chinese, and not knowing what he had said when he was finished. Meanwhile another person cried out, "Save my... save my...." Eventually he cried, "Save my brother!" This person was Chinese. Later, the group asked him, "Was that your brother?" to which he replied, "No." They then asked him, "Was that about your brother?" and he said "Yes." He explained that his brother was rebellious and in need of salvation, and that the Lord had spoke to him through the person speaking Chinese.
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