Let us take a close look at 1 Corinthians 14, in which the tongues problem is brought into focus. Over half of the verses in this chapter mention the words edify, understanding, learning, or teach. It is obvious that the Corinthian church was not using the gift as it was supposed to be used. Over and over Paul urged that tongues be used only to teach the barbarian, unbeliever, or unlearned. Apparently some were creating great confusion by speaking any foreign language they knew, even while others were talking, and also when no one present could understand the language they spoke.
you misunderstand the gift of tongues. let us try looking at it this way.
-prophesy is the supernatural utterance in a known tongue.
-divers kinds of tongues is the supernatural utterance in an unknown tongue.
-interpretation of tongues is the supernatural showing forth by the spirit the meaning of an utterance in other tongues. this is not a translation but an interpretation of tongues.
the Corinthian church was not using the gift as it was supposed to be used was right. they were speaking in tongues when there was no interpretation and without interpretation of tongues in use folks have no idea what is being said and as a result they will not be edified but confused for God is not the God of confusion(1 cor 14:33). speaking in tongues in a public or private setting we refer to mark 16:17-18. And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. all these things can be done publically or privately. 1 cor 14:18-19 says I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all: Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that [by my voice] I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an [unknown] tongue. in this passage paul is explaining the diffence between tongues used as a devotional gift and tongues used in public ministry. tongues is not a preaching or teaching gift. this is not the purpose of tongues. for example if i were to speak in tongues from the pulpit instead of teaching or preaching from the pulpit it would not edify the congregation at all.it would edify me but not the hearers. therefore it is more profitable to teach the congregation then to speak in tongues to them. in other words paul is saying that the congregation would get more good out of 5 words in their own language then the 10,000 words spoken in tongues. as with every gift of the Spirit it works as the spirit wills. no one should try to operate in this gift in public unless they have the unction of the Holy Spirit. this is the mistake the corinthians were making and this is where many believers often make a mistake.
The burden of the entire chapter is that no one use the gift of tongues except to edify someone who could not be reached otherwise. Interpreting of tongues was also to be utilized only for instructing those who could not understand without a translation.
1Cor 14:
Verse 4, "edifieth the church."
Verse 5, "except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying."
Verse 6, "except I shall speak to you ... by knowledge."
Verse 7, "except they give a dis-tinction in the sounds ..."
Verse 8, "if the trumpet give an uncertain sound ..."
Verse 9, "except ye utter ... words easy to be understood."
Verse 11, "if I know not the meaning of the voice ..."
Verse 12, "seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church."
Verse 13, "pray that he may interpret."
Verse 14, "my understanding is unfruitful."
Verse 15, "Pray with the under- standing ..."
Verse 16, "seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest."
Verse 17, "the other is not edified."
Verse 19, "that I might teach others."
Verse 20, "be not children in understanding."
Verse 22, "tongues are for a sign ... to them that believe not."
Verse 23, "unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?"
Verse 26, "Let all things be done unto edifying."
Verse 27, "And let one interpret."
Verse 28, "If there be no interpreter, let him keep silence."
Verse 30, "Let the first hold his peace."
Verse 31, "that all may learn ..."
Verse 33, "For God is not the author of confusion."
Verse 34, "Let your women keep silence."
Verse 35, "if they will learn anything ..."
Verse 40, "Let all things be done decently and in order."
Those who read this chapter of 1cor 14 for the purpose of finding ecstatic utterance can locate a couple of verses which seem to gave them support. But when those verses are studied in the context of all the rest of the chapter, and with an actual foreign known language in mind, they all can be seen to harmonize. Paul's discourse here is built around his contention that "tongues are a sign ... to them that believe not." Verse 22.
i like you truthseeker. you actually seem to want to know the truth but you have a stubborn streak in you that says once i know something then that is the end of the discussion. when one speaks with tongues and interpretation of tongues the church is edified. when used in line with the word of God, speaking in tongues with the interpretation of tongues can convince any unbeliever present of the reality of the presence of God, and that often causes them to turn to God and be saved(1 cor 14:22).
Why would the Holy Spirit seek to enlighten or instruct someone in truth by going through all the process of a strange tongue and translation when the listener could understand plain English to begin with? If the gift of tongues is for edifying the unbeliever, how perverse it seems just to talk among believers in a garble of words whose meaning must depend on the absolute veracity of another believer, whose "interpretation" provides no objective test for accuracy.
here are 8 scriptural reasons for a person speaking in an unknown tongue.
1. evidence of being filled with the Spirit(act 2:1-4, 8:5-17, 9:3-18, 10:44-46, 19:1-7)
2. speaks mysteries to God(1 cor 14:2, 14)
3. magnifying God(acts 10:45-46)
4. Edifying ourself(1 cor 14:4, 18, jude 20)
5. praying in the Spirit(eph 6:18, 1 cor 14:2)
6. be filled with the Spirit(eph 5:18, 19-21)
7. allows our spirit to contact the Father of Spirits(heb 12:9, rom 8:26, 1 cor 14:14)
8. spiritual refreshing(is 28:11-12)
Be very careful folks! This unknown/gibberish tongues is not a true gift from God, but is Satans counterfeit tongues! Be very careful as when you speak in unknown tongues you are CURSING God and not knowing it.
I want to share with you a true story. There was a women involved in the gibberish tongue movement and she has since left and share in a book about an experience. She says; There was a person talking in unknown tongues, and another went to that person and addressed the spirit and said; "In Jesus name I ask you what have you got to say about Jesus"? Then the person who was talking in gibberish tongues started to CURSE God in english.
any gift God has bestowed upon man the devil can copy and twist to use for his own desires. the devil cannot created but only copy what God has already created.
God bless.
Not according to Scripture. There is the true and false, the true was used in KNOWN LANGUAGES to share the Gospel so people understood the message. The false is UNKNOWN LANGUAGES. Satan always counterfeits.
This raises the question, Why would the Holy Spirit seek to speak through a person in sounds that are meaningless to all who listen? If the gift of tongues is to edify, why would it not manifest itself in the language of those present, that all might be enlightened and thereby benefited?
Let me ask you please, what is the true purpose of the gift of tongues?
It is not their purpose to work a change in the person's life. They are, rather, the work of the Spirit through him for the instruction and salvation of others. Yet in the Pentecostal movement tongues is being grossly misused as a self-edification tool and others are even taught that they aren't born of the Holy Spirit unless they talk in gibberish tongues and some Pentecostal movements even have classes to teach others to talk in gibberish..and that's about as evil as you can get!
They provide power for witnessing..to lead others to Jesus and share the Gospel..it's not so a whole bunch of people can stand in a room and talk gibberish amongst themselves!
The true purpose of the gift of tongues - to edify and instruct unbelievers in their own language - is not being served by the gibberish of the modern "tongues" movement. Read 1Cor 14:22.
all this is already answered in the above mentioned response.
When Jesus sent His followers to the world with the commission of proclaiming the wonderful story of salvation, He marvelously equipped them to communicate that message through the gift of "understandable tongues." Those who heard them speak took note of them that they had been with Jesus. (See Acts 4:13.) It was needed in order to overcome the language barrier.
this was a sign, miracle, and wonder that are to follows all who preach the gospel as confirmation that all which is said is truth.
The Bible teaches that it is a gift, and must be received by faith. Paul's doctrine is "that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." Galatians 3:14 It is by faith, not by feeling. In claiming the promise of forgiveness, we do not demand a sign from God that He has fulfilled His word, like Pentecostals do when they demand everyone speaks in gibberish tongues to prove they are saved and have the Holy Spirit. We know it is done because He said it would be. In the same way, we should claim the promise of the Spirit by faith, not requiring some special evidence from God that He kept His promise. By demanding signs and evidence people are doubting the Word of God.
Acts 2:9-11 records sixteen different language groups who were present as the Spirit-filled disciples stepped outside the house to start witnessing.
Here is a simple description of the true gift of tongues. It is not the uttering of some ecstatic language of heaven. The tongues were real languages that people could understand, and every person of every race was edified and enlightened by hearing the gospel preached in his OWN mother tongue and was led to JESUS as a result. It could be UNDERSTOOD!
On certain occasions it was needed in order to overcome the language barrier.
Subsequently, at Corinth, the gift began to be misused to such a degree that it was creating confusion in the church. Paul had to devote a full chapter of his first letter to the Corinthian church to correcting the problem.
Now let me ask you a question.. was there ever a single case in Bible where an Angel appeared to people and spoke in a tongue that they could not understand? Yes or No? OR were the Angels understood each and every time they appeared to people? Yes or No?
do you still need me to comment on this argument of angels after what i just said? if so i can explain this to you too.
God bless.
