Putting Tongues in it's Proper Place
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Today we are going to address yet another extremely difficult topic to understand. Highly debated highly controversial subject amongst evangelical Christians. A subject that Paul himself needed to address. This is the subject of the “sign gifts” as we often refer to them as namely today the gift of speaking in tongues. To tell you how controversial this subject is, one such writer said this from Bible.org “it is likely that no issue in Christendom has caused as wide a split in its ranks in modern times as has speaking in tongues.” And I happen to agree with him.
I’ll admit as most of you would probably agree that in our circle as baptists, speaking in tongues today is something we quickly discard cast off, and ignore. Something to us that may seem “silly”, confusing, down right unbiblical, and some would call it even demonic. We probably point to the wackos like Benny Hinn and the like that use this stuff on the daily. But if you were to ask us why we believe this, well we might say “cause the Bible says so” but have actually absolutely no idea where in the Bible to turn to, nor any idea how to defend our position from a scriptural foundation.
This “movement” as we might call it at one time seemed small. Rather insignificant. But let me tell you that in my research, it’s well over 50% of evangelical christians believe in speaking in tongues today. It’s no longer just Pentecostal churches but found in many different denominations such as Assemblies of God, Church of God, Methodists, Presbyterian, Community and Bible Churches, as well as even Baptist Churches.
I’ve come to find out that there are many prominent pastors that believe that the gift of tongues is still in use today. Men such as Wayne Grudem, Sam Storm, John Wesley, David Martin Loyd Jones, some have even stated that A.W. Tozer, and D.A. Carson believe it continues today, and most notably John Piper, who you can find videos on youtube of him addressing it. The Gospel Coalition and Desiring God websites feature several articles written by Pastors who are not pentecostal or self described charismatic but write in support of speaking in tongues for today.
All that to say is that this matter is not so simple as saying that the people that believe this stuff are just ignorant and emotional driven people that don’t truly value the word but value spiritual experiences over the Word. If anything, this study has allowed me to see that there are many godly people that believe the gift of tongues is still for today and they are indeed our brothers in Christ.
Now let me also say, there are definitely extremes in both camps. The continuationist group (group that beliefts the “sign” gifts such as miracles, tongues, and word of prophecy in a future sense are still in existence today), they have their extremes. Men such as Benny Hinn & Kenneth Copeland who are in my mind definitely money grabbers, thiefs, false teachers, and extortionists using religion to gain selfishly and leading people astray. And there are all sorts of “charismatic” practices that are entirely unbiblical that we will talk about in the next 2 weeks.
But there are also extremes in the cessationists camp (those that believe that sign gifts have ceased.) Extremists in this group, they avoid all individual leadings of the Spirit and greatly bottle Him up. Not allowing for Him to work lest it be “charismatic” and demonic. As well as all gifts of the Spirit all out. Both of these should be avoided.
I’m sure that by now you are wondering where I land on all this, I am a supporter of the cessationist position (sign gifts cease) but not for the reasons you might think… Regardless, it’s important for you and for all of us to know what we believe and stand for truth. To know counterfeits from genuine believers. All “charismatics” are not our enemies as some of us might be inclined to think. So we should know and be aware of what is false and what is true and not ourselves be ignorant of things just because it is what we have always believed. If we are not willing to study and to learn and be challenged even pushed and encouraged to hear there arguments then how are we to grow. That’s called foolishness when we are unwilling to hear and learn. The Bereans had it right, they searched the scriptures for themselves to understand truth. It’s easy for us to simply agree with someone we’ve always read, but know they are human too and their perspective may be wrong as well. Let’s not be ignorant but be students of the Word.
So with all that being said, let’s dig in to this topic. Before we jump right into the context of 1 Corinthians 14 which chapter 14 is difficult to understand, it’s important first that we get a running start. We should first review the overall context of chapter 14 then we should look at the place and purpose of tongues outside the book of 1 Corinthians to give us understanding of this chapter.
Context of 1 Corinthians 14.
Why does Paul write about Tongues in the first place? Well going back quite a few chapters, we had discussed that Paul in the midst of his letter to the Corinthian church was addressing concerns and questions they had starting all the way back to chapter 7 with questions regarding marriage. We come to chapter 12 verse 1 which states
Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed.
What was the issue?
Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.
The Corinthians had a problem here. The people were speaking using “spiritual” gifts to say things of Jesus Christ that simply were not true, and the problem was that they didn’t do anything about it. The Corinthians had come to judge the nature and use of gifts on the basis of experience rather than content. The more flashy, spectacular, unusual, bizarre a practice was the more it was accepted.
Do people do this today. Absolutely. Here’s one case that I recently read about. A man came into a service one day after visiting from afar. He sat down and listened as the speaker was preaching. Suddenly, during the serviced, he stood up and said, I have something that God needs to tell all of us. He went on to say something of this nature, that God would punish those that continue to rebel against Jesus and continue to crucify the Lord, breaking there bones even as his bones were broken. Was anything done about it? No. Many appreciated it. Pastor ignored it. Problem was, this could not be a word from God. How can God contradict Himself. He tells us in His scriptures that not a bone was broken in His body yet this man claimed God told him to say that.
This is very similiar to what happened in the church at Corinthian. What motivates people like this man to do something like this. Many things are potentials.... like ignorance or misinformed, you don’t know what you don’t know and you do it because you’ve been taught that way or that’s all you know to do. It also could be out sin… attention seeking etc.
That later is a large part why people in the church of Corinth gravitated to these spectacular speaking gifts. That really is what prompted Paul’s pen to go from speaking on the Lord’s table to speaking on spiritual gifts. Anyone remember why?
Selfishness...
For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
And the very immature, carnal, idolatrous, selfish Christian in Corinth was applying that same selfishness to gifts. And that’s why Paul brings it up. They knew what spiritual gifts were as chapter 1 points out that they were not lacking in any spiritual gift but they had certainly got it wrong. Chapter 12 begins really with a crash course again on spiritual gifts. What the purpose of them is, who has them, what their function showed be, how the church should view them and how ultimately they should be a major contributor to unity within the body if truly done in the Spirit.
And then at the end of chapter 12, Paul does what most teachers do and goes on a rapid trail. A very crucial rabbit trail. Love is essential. Love is the great motivator. Love should dictate our spiritual practices such as spiritual gifts. Love outlasts even the spiritual gifts. They cannot miss this. Paul finishes that section with chapter 14:1, pursue love. Means to follow, hunt, chase after with intensity. Above all else in ministry, pursue love. Paul wanted them to understand this before he returns to the topic at hand and gets to the climax of this topic. Addressing really what was wrong. Again remember, most of this book, Paul has been correcting wrong behavior. He often starts with the theology, setting up the truth before coming in with the hammer to squash wrong practice. And that’s what is happening here.
Chapter 14
I. Improper Preferences in Gifts (v.1-5)
I. Improper Preferences in Gifts (v.1-5)
Even though they were to pursue love, that doesn’t mean discard the gifts. In fact, they were still to earnestly desire the spiritual gifts. The Corinthians had a strong desire for gifts but it was improperly directed and improperly motivated. They had placed a wrong order of importance on certain gifts and were jealous of others for certain gifts. Paul corrects their thinking and says all gifts are important.
For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell? But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.
The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable,
So Paul wishes to readjust their improper focus on the flashy gifts to what is Biblically appropriate. So here is his…
A. Ranking of Gifts
A. Ranking of Gifts
Paul ranks 2 gifts side by side… prophecy and tongues. Prophecy as we have discussed before, can simply mean “to speak forth, to proclaim.” It doesn’t have to carry new divine revelation. Some in the past have (like the prophets of old), but that doesn’t mean that is what the gift entirely is for. He compares that with tongues. And how does he compare them. I’ll let ya know that, Paul values one much higher...
Let’s look at the side by side...
Tongues Prophecy
-Speaks to god -Speaks to people
-No one understands -Everyone understands
-Edifies himself -Edifies the Church
Does Paul prefer prophecy over tongues? It would seem like yes. Some would even say yes based on 1 Corinthians 12: 27-31
Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the higher gifts.
And I will show you a still more excellent way.
But that kind seems off since a large section of chapter 12 talks about how every part of the body is vital. Every role, every gift is equally as important. So that almost appears like Paul is retracting his statements. I don’t believe He is because he’s not comparing 2 actual gifts but one counterfeit and one actual.
And how do we get to that conclusion.
B. Reasoning in Gifts
B. Reasoning in Gifts
What is the reasoning or purpose for spiritual gifts. Anyone remember....
Back when Paul was setting up the foundation for spiritual gifts, he stated that gifts are for....
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.
Let’s go farther than that. Remembering that spiritual gifts and the list of them are found in 4 different places in scripture. 1 Corin. 12, Rom. 12, Eph.4, 1 Peter 4. And guess what each list says about gifts. It also says their purpose.
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,
As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace:
What reason were the spiritual gifts given for. The common good, for serving one another, for the building up of the body of Christ.
Check this out, go back to chapter 14…
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.
So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.
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.
So how does that signal a counterfeit gift. The way that these corinthians were using the “gift” of speaking in tongues wasn’t legitimately being done by the Spirit of God because even Paul mentions that using the gift rightly would build up the body of Christ.
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.
Before we jump into the later part of that verse, some of you might be confused by Paul’s statement, I want all of you to speak in tongues. Is that really what Paul wanted? No, Paul is employing sarcasm here as he often does? Two questions come up. Paul uses sarcasm?
Or was it from you that the word of God came? Or are you the only ones it has reached?
So he absolutely does alot even within this chapter!
How do we know that he is using sarcasism here. Again, Paul already spoke on that.
To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.
To another is the key phrase. He continues by comparing the church to a body as we discussed. Just as a body is composed of different parts so we bring our different gifts and functions into the church where together with others we form one body.
What’s the point?
Rather than expecting everyone to perform the same function or have the same gift, Paul wants the Corinthians to appreciate diversity within their community. They don’t all have to be the same. They don’t all have to have the same gift.
He finalizes with this rhetorical question.
Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?
And the obvious answer is no. The spirit of God “works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills (12:11).
Going back to our challenging verse in chapter 14:5
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.
Paul is not saying everyone should speak in tongues nor does he ask that everyone prophecy. “Even more to prophesy” because that would be against what he already said. And it would be to assume that He knows better the the wisdom of the Spirit in assigning gifts. What he is doing is saying is a sarcastic way, that if your are gonna clamor after gifts, I would rather you clamor after gifts that actually do what they are supposed to do, real gifts.
There is a really interesting note that John MacArthur makes. He says...
1 Corinthians: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Prophecy Edifies the Whole Congregation
It is an interpretive key to this chapter to note that in verses 2 and 4 tongue is singular (cf. vv. 13, 14, 19, 27), whereas in verse 5 Paul uses the plural tongues (cf. vv. 6, 18, 22, 23, 39). Apparently the apostle used the singular form to indicate the counterfeited gift and the plural to indicate the true
More study can be done on that for sure. But look again at our verse.
Can tongues edify the church of Corinth. Yes. Is prophecy greater than tongues? Yes, UNLESS SOMEONE interprets so the church may be built up.
If a gift is truly a Spirit given gift, it will be used to edify the church. Is speaking in tongues a Spirit given gift. Absolutely. It is most definitely listed in the gifts. Knowing this now, let’s go back to our comparison and work backwards through it.
Why does Paul prefer prophecy over tongues. He doesn’t but prefers prophecy over counterfeit tongues.
Tongues Prophecy
-Speaks to god -Speaks to people
-No one understands -Everyone understands
-Edifies himself -Edifies the Church
Edifies himself- if truly a gift then it will be used to edify the church. Many in the modern tongues movement get this one extremely wrong. Is there a part that we out to build ourselves up (or edify ourselves) in a none selfish sense. Sure.
But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit,
But that’s not the purpose of spiritual gifts. So this “gift” or the way the Corinthians thought they were using this gift was wrong. We will see later in the chapter that the Corinthians weren’t even having an interpreter which true tongues requires. So how did it edify himself. It wasn’t their minds. They didn’t grow in the knowledge of God at all through this. That will be discussed in the preceeding verses. So the only way it could have supposedly edified them is through emotionalism and self.
1 Corinthians: The MacArthur New Testament Commentary Prophecy Edifies the Whole Congregation
Paul here is referring to the supposed value the Corinthians placed on their self-styled tongues-speaking. The satisfaction many of the believers experienced in their abuse of tongues was self-satisfaction, which came from pride-induced emotion, not from spiritual edification. It is an illegitimate self-building, often building up nothing more than spiritual pride.
That makes absolute sense of the Corinthian church. That absolutely characterizes them in every way. So much selfishness in them.... as seen in their divisions, rivalries, their taking one another to court discussed in ch. 8, and their not caring about offending their brothers, only caring about their own rights. So if Paul reprimands the Corinthians for using gifts to edify themselves (again not the purpose of gifts) how much should that alarm us of the way we view gifts and about how many charismatics practice these gifts illegitimately.
But they are speaking to God. Gifts were for building up church not the individual to God. Second, theos doesnt have to refer to God Almighty, but can refer to any dieity meaning lower case “g” God. Supporting this fact is that the Bible never records on instance of believers speaking to God in anything but normal, intelligible language. So it is certainly reason to believe that again Paul is not speaking positively of their speaking to god, but sarcastically speaking about it because they obviously weren’t employing a real Spirit-given gift.
So for application: what do we take away from this.
How many times did we see the purpose of the gifts in this chapter. No less than 6 or more times. Build up the church using your gifts. Everyone is given a gift? What gifts are you bringing? Are you valuable? Would you be missed if you were gone?
But many of us come bearing the mind of how can the church serve me? What’s the church got for me? What’s the church got for my kids? What activities do they have that please me? Where can I be edified? Where can I shine?
We should certainly be asking in what ways we can grow. We should certainly seek that out and desire it. We should certainly seek out what is God’s best for us and our lives within the church. But God’s best is for you to serve. Chapter 13…love. What made the Corinthians immature in their lack of love is the same thing that describes many believers today in their lack of service? It’s not that you aren’t just unprofitable to the church, but as the Corinthians were, you are immature and even destructive to the church when the church resolves around you instead of others. Quickly soon, divisions, rivalries, fights, courts all of those same things will become of our church if you allow room for a me centered approach to coming to church. WHY ARE YOU HERE???
Paul is now going to take what was said in the first few verses and expound on it showing how foolish and unwise the false practice is. So let’s look at it together, the…
II. Illogical Practice of Tongues (v.6-20)
II. Illogical Practice of Tongues (v.6-20)
A. In Public
A. In Public
Read 1 Corinthians 14:6-11
Now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching? If even lifeless instruments, such as the flute or the harp, do not give distinct notes, how will anyone know what is played? And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle? So with yourselves, if with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said? For you will be speaking into the air. There are doubtless many different languages in the world, and none is without meaning, but if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me.
Paul’s point out how illogical speaking in tongues is unless it is done correctly and this is nothing like what the Corinthians were doing.
We can gather several facts about how the corinthians were practing the gift of Tongues.
Corinthians Practice of Speaking in Tongues
Several speaking all at the same time. v.27
Several speaking without an interpreter v.28
Several speaking diberish- unintelligble words, nobody understood it v. 2,9
Several prayed diberish, stuff that has no meaning (my mind is unfruitful, by passing the mind) v.14-16
Ladies leading the speaking in tongues v.34
We’ll talk about many of these later on why they were wrong/and what they should have done but right now Paul shares how illogical their counterfeit tongues speaking was.
He says his trips to them would have been a waste
He gives illustration of how they would be like a be a lifeless instrument
why illustrate with instruments… because many of the estatic pagan rituals which many of the believers in Corinth came from or was saved from included out of body mindless dibberish filled with strange and non-melodious music, they associated these together
For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.
As in all the churches of the saints,
that’s still practiced in many pagan cults today
It totally misses the point of why God created language. Foolishness of preaching. God created the world with words. God used words to save. It would seem highly unlike God after making words so important to just not have use for them
Words without meaning make us strangers/foreigners which again is not apart of the plan of God. Believing in Christ's Sacrifice places us in the family of God in which we are no longer foreigners but family. So dibberish speaking is not logical as Paul points out.
Some would argue that this form of speaking in tongues wouldn't be for the public use but plenty good can be said here about using it in our private life such as prayer.
B. In Private
B. In Private
Let’s Read 1 Corinthians 14:13-18
Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also. Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say “Amen” to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying? For you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up. I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.
So what is it. What is praying in tongues. Here’s a definition I found from one of their websites.
Praying in tongues is a personal prayer language between a believer and God (1 Corinthians 13:1) that a believer uses to edify himself (1 Corinthians 14:4) and grow in relationship with God.
The verses they use to support this are...
The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church.
For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful.
For you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up.
And there ultimate example...
I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.
They argue when did Paul do that since we rarely/never read about him doing so in the Bible. They argue that it only seems feesible that he did this in his private life. In His alone time. So is there a place for speaking in tongues in prayer or this secret prayer language.
Now I’ll give you why I believe it is unbiblical:
1. How could praying in tongues be a private prayer language if it is to must be interpreted (1 Corinthians 14:13-17)?
2) How could praying in tongues be for self-edification when Scripture says that the spiritual gifts are for the edification of the church, not the self (1 Corinthians 12:7)?
3) How can praying in tongues be a private prayer language if the gift of tongues is a “sign to unbelievers” (1 Corinthians 14:22)?
4) The Bible makes it clear that not everyone possesses the gift of tongues (1 Corinthians 12:11, 28-30). How could tongues be a gift for self-edification if not every believer can possess it? Do we not all need to be edified? Why aren’t we ever commanded to pray in tongues?
Speaking in Tongues the way the corinthians were doing it is illogical and meaningless. It’s only value is for selfish sinful value.
That’s how Paul closes this section on the illogical practice of tongues.
Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.
Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.
Conclusion
Conclusion
1. Praying/speaking in tongues is most definitely an issue on which Christians can respectfully and lovingly agree to disagree. Praying in tongues is not what determines salvation. Those that believe so a spreading false teaching and can be very dangerous. I have an article available written by a Pentecostal in opposition of this what they call second blessing why speaking in tongues is not a requirement and is a false teaching. It’s really well written and is available if you would like it. Furthermore praying/speaking in tongues is not always what separates a mature Christian from an immature Christian, unless they are practicing it in unbiblical ways. Whether or not there is such a thing as praying in tongues as a personal prayer language is not a fundamental of the Christian faith. So, while we believe the biblical interpretation of praying in tongues leads away from the idea of a private prayer language for personal edification, we also recognize that many who practice such are our brothers and sisters in Christ and are worthy of our love and respect.
2. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones cautions:
Never interpret Scripture in the light of your experiences, but rather, interpret your experiences in the penetrating light of Scripture. When experience lines up with Scripture, the emotions that follow can be good and God-given.
3. What makes this counterfeit tongues meaningless, no knowledge or understanding of what is true… by way of application.... what things do we do that have no meaning… that don’t add knowledge or growth. Have we put too much effort in things in our church that don’t build up and add comfort, consolation, and conviction.
III. Innate Purpose of Tongues (v.21-25)
III. Innate Purpose of Tongues (v.21-25)
D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones cautions: Never interpret Scripture in the light of your experiences, but rather, interpret your experiences in the penetrating light of Scripture. When experience lines up with Scripture, the emotions that follow can be good and God-given. Emotions can be a mark of the Spirit as reflected in the life of Griffith Jones, who preached during the Welsh revivals of the 18th century: “The tears [of the congregation] began to flow in streams down their cheeks. Soon, they wept openly, and cried out, ‘What shall we do to be saved’?”