For he who speaks in
a tongue
does not speak to men
but to God,
for no one
understands him;
however, in the
spirit he speaks mysteries.
1 Corinthians 14: 2
If there is
one Scripture that has caused much contention among Christians, especially
those of the charismatic and Pentecostal movement, it is this scripture. Therefore, we must take time to critically
investigate what Paul was saying to the Corinthians, also that which pertains to
our beliefs. Some would use this
scripture as a proof scripture that they are being instructed to speak in some
sort of unknown tongue, although albeit an unintelligible or not understandable or even
a sound other than of being gibberish. Is this
true? We shall allow scripture to
instruct us. As a caveat, I must inform
that I am not speaking from my own opinion.
I am not telling you what I believe Scripture to say. This unfortunately, many pastors, and
teachers in the Christian church, preach and teach from their own opinions and
not taking time to study the original languages so that they are teaching a
lie. As I pointed out in the previous
blog our concern is not with those who are heathens, or atheistic, as much as
it is with those who seem to be speaking the Gospel when all it is another
gospel and not the truth. So let's
investigate this scripture and not be led to use this as a simple single verse
proof scripture. We must look at what
Paul has been writing and why he wrote this particular scripture. Paul in this chapter instructed us: "Therefore let him who speaks in a
tongue pray that he may interpret"(1 Corinthians 14: 13). It is pretty
clear here that the person who is speaking in some sort of tongue understands
what he is saying because he is also to be able to interpret what he is
speaking. Paul is using an hyperbole
when he says that a person who is speaking in a tongue does not speak to men
but to God for this is in obvious and intentional exaggeration, a figure of
speech not to be taken literally. In
other words, by the sound that a person is making calling it to be speaking in some
sort of unknown tongue, a gibberish type of sound, no man could understand it but
only God could. Now what it says that
no one could understand him, yes the Greek word that is used here is the Greek
word for hearing: άκούει, third person singular present indicative an active,
and is a verb that means to hear, to harken to give audience to something also
to understand as it was used in Acts 4:19, et al, and here in this verse we are
considering means to take in or to commit to a mental acceptance, in other words
to understand. You heard and you are
not able to understand. What good is
speaking in some sort of unknown tongue, a tongue that no one could understand,
to the church, to anyone, unless they speak something that is
intelligible. Is all that person is
speaking in the spirit some sort of mystery?
Paul says this: "He who
speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the
church" (1 Corinthians 14: 4). Paul
is ensuring us that this may be a gift that anyone could desire, but not
necessarily the ability to speak in some unlearned and unknown tongue unless
that person can interpret that tongue; rather to be able to prophesy, that is
to speak what God desires to have spoken to His children: "But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and
comfort to men... I wish you all spoke
with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is
greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the
church may receive edification" (1 Corinthians 14: 3; 5). How can this not be understood in those
churches whereby many people are standing up or laying down, or doing all kinds
of things, and are speaking in some sort of gibberish tongue and expecting it to
edify the church? I personally cannot
understand because the Bible is very clear that we are to be doing things that
are to edify one another who are the church of God. Let us not forget that the church and the Greek word ecclesia, are
called out ones and if we are pursuing love then what we are doing is doing
things to edify one another in love.
Paul had already made clear that if love is not involved then anything
we are doing, especially speaking in some sort of gibberish language is nothing
more than a clanging cymbal or a clashing of brass. No wonder the world is so confused with the Christian
church. Even the Christian churches
confused! Now Paul adds this: "But now, brother and, if I come to
you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either
by the revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching? Even things without life, whether flute or
heart, when they make it sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds,
how will it be known what is piped or played?
For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for
battle" (1 Corinthians 14: 6 -- 8)?
I've heard of people going off into their "closet" and
speaking to God in this unintelligible gibberish type the sounds as though they
were speaking something so religiously accepted by God. I ask where in the Bible do they find any unction or warrant for such
an exercise? Its not there! Paul writes: "So likewise you,
unless you utter by the tongues words easy to understand, how will it be known
what is spoken? Before you will be speaking
to the air" (1 Corinthians 14: 9). How much more clear and
it be? If you are participating in such
type of exercise whereby you believe that those sounds those that
our unintelligible, then you must understand what the word of God has just
said: YOU ARE SPEAKING TO THE AIR! Once
again we are informed that the word tongues is not some sort of unknown gibberish
sound, rather it is a language:
"There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none
of them is without significance.
Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a
forerunner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me"
(1 Corinthians 14 10 -- 11). To go
about speaking in this sort of mysterious language is only to edify one's self,
to be euphorically feeling that you are being godly and somehow speaking to God. Paul makes it clear this is not true.
Do you believe the Bible? Or are you just putting your faith into what
some man has said is truth? Only you
have the answer!
The LORD your God
in your midst,
the Mighty One, will save;
He will rejoice
over you with gladness
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice
over you with singing.
Zephaniah
3: 17
God is gathering
you for eternity
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