Is speaking in tongues a heavenly prayer language?

[DaveSlayer]

Is speaking in tongues a heavenly prayer language? Some have used the following scripture for their position on this. I will give my thoughts and then ask for your thoughts.

1 Corinthians 13:1 (ESV)
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.]

It appears that Paul is using a hyperboyle when he says "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels.."

Paul goes on to say further in the chapter:

2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Surely Paul did not "understand all mysteries and all knowledge". He did not have "all faith", Paul also did not give his body to be burned, he was beheaded.

Paul is just saying "Even if all this were possible, it would be nothing without love". This is why I believe Paul to be speaking in hyperbolic language to make a point.

Therefore this cannot mean that Paul was teaching a heavenly prayer language. Paul never said he spoke in angels, he said "If I" did. Even if Paul did speak in tongues of angels, that doesn't prove that it was a heavenly language that we are to be praying in.

There are some other verses that are often used to teach a heavenly prayer language but this is just one of them.

[canny]

hyperbolic ? wassat

[DaveSlayer]

Originally Posted by canny

hyperbolic ? wassat

From: hyperbolic definition | Dictionary.com

hy⋅per⋅bol⋅ic   /ˌhaɪpərˈbɒlɪk/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [hahy-per-bol-ik] Show IPA Pronunciation

–adjective
1. having the nature of hyperbole; exaggerated.
2. using hyperbole; exaggerating.
3. Mathematics. a. of or pertaining to a hyperbola.
b. derived from a hyperbola, as a hyperbolic function.

The hyperbolics Paul was using was definitions 1 and 2.

[canny]

Ooooooo thank you

[DaveSlayer]

Originally Posted by canny

Ooooooo thank you

You're welcome!