Grace thinks I'm not charismatic enuff... Some classmates in MBS also ask if I speak in 'tongues' so it's time to say a few more words about wat i think of this topic as at now!
Having been 'filled with the Spirit' (a subsequent experience after faith in Christ) during my teenage days, I received the accompanying sign of tongues... I thot everyone should get it if they ask in faith. I have also laid hands on others to get this 'post-conversion experience'.
Later on, though, I realised that God freely gives different gifts to different people, so there is a diversity of gifts to different members of the body of Christ. So not everyone has the same gift just as not every body member is an eye or foot of the body. We need different gifts, and it's unhealthy to be fixated on only tongues.
At the same time, I began to doubt if my 'tongues' are genuine. The utterances would still 'flow' if I allow it. And I still think it is kinda helpful in private prayer. Especially in crisis moments like just before a nervous speaking engagement!
But during public worship, I still prefer to 'sing/flow in the spirit' in English or even Hindi (than in tongues). Bcos they are intelligible!
So I do pray in tongues, sometimes, especially when in 'desperate' times.
But I'm not really confident it's genuine. And because of the entire 1 Corinthian chapter 14, I dun do it in public worship (unless interpreted and in 'orderly' fashion)
Confusing, eh? I guess I am!
If you have some good advice for folks like me, drop a comment here!
Having been 'filled with the Spirit' (a subsequent experience after faith in Christ) during my teenage days, I received the accompanying sign of tongues... I thot everyone should get it if they ask in faith. I have also laid hands on others to get this 'post-conversion experience'.
Later on, though, I realised that God freely gives different gifts to different people, so there is a diversity of gifts to different members of the body of Christ. So not everyone has the same gift just as not every body member is an eye or foot of the body. We need different gifts, and it's unhealthy to be fixated on only tongues.
At the same time, I began to doubt if my 'tongues' are genuine. The utterances would still 'flow' if I allow it. And I still think it is kinda helpful in private prayer. Especially in crisis moments like just before a nervous speaking engagement!
But during public worship, I still prefer to 'sing/flow in the spirit' in English or even Hindi (than in tongues). Bcos they are intelligible!
So I do pray in tongues, sometimes, especially when in 'desperate' times.
But I'm not really confident it's genuine. And because of the entire 1 Corinthian chapter 14, I dun do it in public worship (unless interpreted and in 'orderly' fashion)
Confusing, eh? I guess I am!
If you have some good advice for folks like me, drop a comment here!
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