This will probably be disagreement with what I say here, but please understand that I am posting in the spirit of Love and I not trying to convince anyone.
There have been several threads discussing Baptism of the Spirit. A subtext that is less prominent but none the less critical aspect is the subject of the charismatic gifts, particularly glossolalia (speaking in a spirit language), and xenoglossia (speaking in a human language that was never learned).
Speaking in tongues is not a part of the tradition of the churches I have attended. Respect for my brothers in Christ is part of my tradition, even if a small minority of those churches have fallen short in this regard.
Because some congregations I have been involved with have had unfortunate periods where they were preached against by the Pentecostals, or where much loved members have left one church or another over this issue, I did a little investigation.
As for scripture, it really seems to depend upon who is interpreting what. The same verses are used to come to markedly different conclusions be the various churches.
In related effort to understand for myself, I read explanations and theological statements from several competing sources and examined the scriptures each cited. I also did a little literature searching to see what has been said about glossolalia in the research community. Some authors were openly Christian, some did not state their background.
Here is what I found concerning glossolalia:
1. Glossolalia has been observed in controlled tests fairly regularly.
2. Glossolalia in a Christian context is appears to be closely related to similar phenomena in non Christian settings
3. There are several studies that indicate that Glossolalia can be learned by observing it in others
3.1. but reading the abstracts associated with these studies cause me to conclude that there were fundamental flaws in their concept, execution, or analysis.
So, here is where I stand at the present:
Glossolalia is a real phenomena. I believe that there is a fundamental part of man’s makeup that supports this. It is likely (and all this is an opinion, or conjecture) that this was placed in man’s makeup as a resource that the Holy Spirit can tap into. When a non-believer exhibits this behavior, I believe this is a miss-fire of an inherent ability.
That being said, based on the fruits of churches outside of the Charismatic, or Pentecostal churches, I cannot believe that Pentecostals are any more Spirit filled or Spirit led than other Christians. It is a different path, but that does not mean that either is not according to God’s word, or His will. I have openly disagreed with preaching against our brothers in the Pentecostal church across the street.
Happily, most pastors by whom I have had the privilege of being taught have recognized that the central truth of those fellowships are the same as theirs. That of Christ’s love and atonement for us. What we differ in is our ministries after that fact.
I Cor 12:12-21 [NASB ]
For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.
For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot says, "Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. And if the ear says, "Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. If they were all one member, where would the body be? But now there are many members, but one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; or again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you."
We all see him imperfectly
I Cor 13:12 [NASB]
For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.
And that is OK. We are to grow in knowledge of Him, not start with full understanding.
Just as individuals are not perfected in this life, fellowships of imperfect believers will have imperfections.
The Lord and His will are infinite. If someone else, or another church has a better grasp of something that escapes you, that is not an indication that either you or they are in ‘the wrong’. It does not mean that you should abandon a fellowship that is exploring His will from a standpoint compatible, but challenging, with the way the Holy Spirit has led you and join another church with a different grasp of His truth.
We each (and each denomination) may have misconceptions along with a solid core of preaching the truth of Christ’s atonement for our sins. If we knew where our misunderstandings occurred, we could correct them, but I am not convinced that would be more glorifying to God than following the Holy Spirit step by step down the path He has laid for us.
Paragraph removed due to clear violation of Rule 3.2b
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For the record, the only human language in which I have been fluent is English, though I made haulting attempts at German, French, and Spanish when I was in school. As far as non-human languages, they only ones would be would such made-up languages as be Ada, Cobol, Fortran, C, Jovial, Assembler, etc.
I hope that this will be seen as respectful. I know we are treading close to violating rules, and I appreciate the forbearance of the moderators. If they feel this steps over the line, I will bear no ill will if they delete this post.
