The Gift of Tongues and Interpretation

I. TONGUES AND THE BELIEVER

A. The gift of tongues is not the only evidence of the filling of the Holy Spirit.

B. In 1 Corinthians 14 there seems to be an inconsistency between v. 22 and vs. 23-24. J. B. Phillips believes the copyists made an error in v. 22 and meant to say that tongues are not for a sign to believers and that prophecy is. Perhaps Paul meant that tongues serve as an evidence to a person that he has been filled with the Spirit since some people have trouble believing that God will fill them if they simply ask Him to.

C. Some people feel that the gift of tongues was for the early Church but not for today.

1. They use 1 Corinthians 13:8 as the basis for their belief. However, prophecies have not failed and knowledge has increased, rather than vanished.

2. They say v. 10, "that which is perfect" refers to the Bible and that since we have the complete Scriptures, tongues are unnecessary. However, tongues were never used as a teaching tool like the Bible is. We believe "that which is perfect" refers to Jesus and His second coming and that prophecy and tongues are valid gifts until then.

II. THE INTERPRETATION OF TONGUES

A. If we speak in tongues in a group of believers, we need to pray for the interpretation

(1 Corinthians 14:13). Otherwise, we are edified but the others are not (v. 16-19).

B. An interpretation of tongues is usually the expression of thoughts that are given to us by the

Spirit.

C. Interpretations of tongues will be prayers offered to God. If someone gives an "interpretation" addressed to the church, then it is actually a prophecy, not an interpretation of tongues.