Grant, it is also my understanding that tongues was a sign gift to
the Jews, pointing out judgment. In the book of Acts, when tongues
were spoken, I understand that Jews were present at each occurrence.
earlier, Grant Metcalf, wrote:
>Ronda, below is a snipit from the book "Me! A Priest?", pages
>523-524,by David Spurbeck. It is discussing music but relates to the
>term "filling of the Spirit" found in Ephesians 5:18. The term
>translated "unsavingness" indicates a believer living in his old
>sinful nature, whereas, when a believer is rightly related to the
>Father, i.e. spiritual and living in the realm of his new divine
>quality of nature, he is allowing the Holy Spirit to make up his
>deficiencies. It should be obvious as well that this is a command
>that the believer decides whether or not he or she will obey its
>directives. The general context is about music but nonetheless it
>describes the means of Spirit filling for the believer.
>
>=Begin quotation=
>
>"When the believer serves, he has a standard so that he can know
>that he is acting right as a believer and a priest.
>Ephesians 5:18, 19 indicates that this should be the result of the
>filling of the Spirit. "And stop being drunk with wine, in which is
>unsavingness, but keep on being filled [having your deficiencies
>made up] by the Spirit while speaking to Yourselves in Psalms
>[basically Praise] and hymns [basically worship] and spiritual songs
>[songs which come from the Holy Spirit], singing and Psalming in
>your heart to the Lord." A spiritual believer has the Potential for
>truly expressing appreciation to God as he sings with his voice and
>within his heart. Every believer priest should be a singing priest.
>The melody sung in the heart is far more important than that which
>is produced on the lips. Undoubtedly, some of the best musical
>appreciation comes from those who are tone-deaf. They sing in their
>hearts even though they are incapable of hitting a note accurately
>with their voices. Music must conform to biblical guidelines to be
>acceptable as an expression of appreciation by God. One must always
>remember that music appeals to the emotion and secondarily to the
>mind. Most popular music clearly illustrates this fact. A third
>grader could produce better lyrics yet crowds emote over the music,
>performers and atmosphere. A spiritual believer will express his
>appreciation with intelligent and accurate lyrics that have found a
>home in his heart because they express his attitude of appreciation
>toward God and all He has done. It is the words that are
>important. Every believer should enjoy accurate lyrics communicated
>by pleasant, appropriate [to the words] music in his life." =End of quotation=
>
>I personally can find no place in Scripture where the "filling of
>the Spirit" is linked with the gift of "tongues (literally
>languages)". Furthermore, it seems to me that the practice of
>praying in tongues is based on taking one specific Scripture out of
>its full context and misapplying its meaning. The gift of tongues
>(rather languages) was given for the purpose of spreading the Gospel
>during the first century before the New Testament was completed to
>other people of other languages throughout the Roman Empire. All
>spiritual gifts were given for the purpose of evangelism, building
>up or edifying, of other believers and never for self-indulgence or
>whatever. This is at best a manmade doctrine.
>
>Thanks for reading this little rant of mine. May the Father richly
>bless you as you continue to relate to Him by considering yourself
>dead to your old sinful nature and alive to God through our Lord
>Jesus Christ (Romans 6:11), while reflectively thinking on your
>position and possessions in Christ at the right hand of the Father
>in the heavenlies (Colossians 3:1-3).
>
>Listening for His shout!
>
>Grant
>Bartimaeus Alliance of the Blind, Inc.
>Website: http://bartimaeus.us/
John
|