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Old 06-17-2008, 01:12 AM
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Biblestudent Biblestudent is offline
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Philippines
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Brother Chette, here are my thoughts:

I think tongues are both a gift and a sign, and the purpose of it was to convince an unbelieving Jew (1 Cor. 14:22; 1:22).

Under the Kingdom program, it is a SIGN of the kingdom - to convince an unbelieving Jew of the kingdom at hand.

Under the Church age, it is a GIFT for a certain period of time (1 Cor. 13:8, "they shall cease") - to convince an unbelieving Jew of the transition into the Church Age and the postponement of the kingdom.

Tongues are also one of the SIGNS of the kingdom apostles (the Twelve) as well as of the church apostles (Paul, Barnabas, etc.). Not all are required to speak with tongues during the Church Age (1 Cor. 14), and as this age progresses, God is lifting these signs. After about the first century, God no longer calls apostles and prophets, but evangelists, pastors and teachers (Eph 4).