Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up.
(1 Corinthians 14:1-5 - ESV)

Now we come to the big question. Were these Corinthians speaking in some sort of ecstatic tongue that went beyond actual human languages or did these have to do with real languages?  Let’s break down the first 5 verses of 1 Corinthians 14.

Why does the scripture say that people who speak in tongues speak to God, build themselves up and no one understands them?  Because the person who speaks in tongues is actually personally praising God and declaring His great works in a language that he/she can’t understand naturally with the miraculous working of God’s Spirit. People who had the gift of tongues had no natural ability in the language, they spoke through the working of the Holy Spirit. So unless there was somebody there who knew the language they were speaking, it was of no use to anybody else but the tongue speaker was edified because he/she was praising the Lord.

Now why does Paul give greater emphasis on prophesying than tongues? A problem was coming up where there were instances where some believers wanted to speak in tongues when it wasn’t even needed and then there was no interpretation taking place. It would have been better to just prophesy--simply praise God and communicate His truth clearly in your own natural language--to avoid having to sit for a period of time listening to someone that not only can’t be understood while he/she is speaking but then have no translation given afterward.

In the Law it is written, "By people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.” Thus tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is a sign not for unbelievers but for believers. If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your minds? But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all,  the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you.
(1 Corinthians 14:21-25 - ESV)

Tongues are indicated as being a sign for unbelievers. Specifically the unbelievers were the Jews who refused to believe in Christ. As a result, Christianity spread rapidly among the Gentiles (non-Jews) and their acceptance by God--which included the gift of tongues--was a sign that God was seeking any person of any race or gender that would follow Him. But there needed to be a proper order of how tongues were used.

Tongues are to be used in its proper place, according to the move of God. Otherwise, Paul points out to us that it is better to simply declare the truth of Jesus in whatever your regular language is. If people use the gift of tongues when it isn’t necessary, then it will cause confusion. Say we have people in the English native speaking assembly speaking in German, French and Spanish. Who would that benefit?  And then what if an outsider or unbeliever enters and can understand only English? Would tongues be fruitful for that situation? Indeed not.

What the biggest problem in the Church at Corinth wasn’t that they wanted to manifest the gift of tongues, it was that they were not following the leading of the Holy Spirit and that is why there was chaos in the assembly. Let’s remember that the gifts of the Spirit are by the Spirit, through the Spirit and for the glory of God. It’s not about us making it happen.

What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God.
(1 Corinthians 14:26-28 - ESV)

Now whether you believe in a prayer languge or heavenly language, if these 3 verses were followed in many charismatic churches today, there wouldn’t be nearly as much chaos as there tends to be during their services. First of all, the chaos isn’t endorsed by the Bible. Secondly, only a few people should be speaking in a tongues and each in turn. And when the tongues are spoken, they need to be interpreted. If not, Paul says for the tongue speakers to remain silent. Is this followed in your church? Or do feelings and experiences take precedence over God’s word?

According to the Bible, a person who speaks in an actual tongue in a church meeting without an interpretation and without being in turn is not one that should be recognized as being ultra spiritual. Instead the person is defined as being out of order and the biblical method would be to silence that person.

But all things should be done decently and in order.
(1 Corinthians 14:40 - ESV)

The Bible is pretty clear throughout that tongues are based on actual languages. And tongues are to be used not for our own purposes but for the purposes of God. The babbling seen in many churches today that have no interpretation to go along with it can not be seen as scriptural. We won’t find anything in the Bible that endorses this type of behavior. The Corinthian church had allowed this gift to be implemented in such a way that it was causing disorder, chaos and confusion. This isn’t God’s way of doing things and can not be attributed to God.

Let’s make sure that we always align ourselves to what the Bible clearly teaches and be willing to follow it.  

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