(Un)intelligible (Worship Issues, Part 7)

Here’s the issue in Corinth: the Corinthians value a couple of spiritual gifts over and above other gifts of the Spirit. They make a big deal out of a few, and look down on the rest.

Paul has set forth the teaching that the Church is a body—every part needs the other parts. If every part of the body was an eye or an ear or an elbow, the body couldn’t function. In fact, the body would die. 1 Corinthians 12 was all about the giftedness of each member of the body and the importance of each member of the body.

Hear me now: you, Christian, are needed. “You is kind. You is smart. You is important.” You have value and worth and you, Christian, with your gifts are crucial to the life and health of the Church universal and this church here locally.

You are not disposable. Nor are not free to remove yourself from the body; that action would be something like self-amputation, which seems crazy and painful—ouch! Don’t do that.

In order to make sure we understand how we are to relate to one another, how we are to worship the Lord with one another, how we are to exercise our gifts for the glory of God and the good of one another, Paul writes 1 Corinthians 13 and instructs us in the way of love.

Love, writes Paul, is the controlling dynamic, the driving force, the highest virtue. Love has to be the central thing. What we say, know, and do as a church and as individual Christians relating with one another must be done with love, seasoned with love. Love must cover all we do, and if it doesn’t, we may not be part of Christ at all.

Now, building upon what he’s written about gifts and love, the Spirit-inspired Paul writes that our gifts, expressed in love, are meant to build up the Church and witness to unbelievers.

So Paul begins by telling us to pursue love:

1 Corinthians 14:1 NIV

1 Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy.

The NIV translation is a little weak. It’s not merely follow the way of love like you’re on some nice, Sunday afternoon stroll through the park.

It’s pursue love, chase after love, go after love as if your life depended on it—because it does.

We need to doggedly pursue love in everything we do as a church, but certainly in the midst of dealing with the specific gifts Paul addresses in 1 Corinthians 14—the Corinthians needed the reminder of love, and so do we.

Even our discussion of 1 Corinthians 14 needs to be controlled by love. Because this is some potentially divisive stuff. I’ve seen it divide churches. I’ve seen it divide families and friends.

So let’s get this straight at the outset:

1 Corinthians 13:4–7 NIV

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

These verses are a needed and valuable preface to whatever we’re discussing. These verses are a pretty good reminder to me on a daily basis, to strive to relate to my wife and kids, my church family, my neighbors. Love is the controlling dynamic. Love, love, love, church.

We need to love one another and we must never let this or any secondary/tertiary doctrine divide us. We can disagree on some of these things without having to see the whole thing blow up in our faces.

>Let’s begin by looking at the first few verses of 1 Corinthians 14:

1 Corinthians 14:1–5 NIV

1 Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy. 2 For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit. 3 But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort. 4 Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church. 5 I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be edified.

A good portion of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthian church is focused on correcting that congregation’s abuse of spiritual gifts—and the gift of tongues in particular.

Some of you bristle upon hearing the phrase: “the gift of tongues.” Others physically shift in their seat because they know the contentiousness of the topic. I preach this with fear and trembling because I am acutely aware that there are people in this room on many different sides of this issue. It’s not lost on me, the controversy surrounding this topic.

But remember: love for one another is our guide through issues like this, and fellowship is not to be affected by issues such as these.

What Paul is pleading for is intelligibility in worship. Paul is no fan of any kind of speech that is not intelligible. Sounds and syllables without meaning are of no use whatsoever.

When Paul is speaking of “tongues” he is referring to real languages.

1 Corinthians 14:10 NIV

10 Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning.

Throughout this chapter, Paul is writing about real languages with real meaning. The ecstatic gibberish of the modern charismatic movement doesn’t fit the apostle’s definition of a language.

If someone is authentically speaking in tongues, the utterance contains a message, and the message must be translated for those who hear. Even if the tongues-speaker is praying alone and no one else is around to hear, he or she is to pray for an interpretation.

1 Corinthians 14:13 NIV

13 For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say.

Whether in public or in private, interpretation is always to be sought. Without interpretation it’s unintelligible.

Full disclaimer: I don’t have a charismatic bone in my body. I don’t. Not in the sense of spirituality or in the sense of being charming/likable. I am no charismatic, not even slightly. You will rarely, if ever, even see me raise a hand in worship (I don’t have anything against that, it’s just not me). I’m not gonna dance (ever) and I have no rhythm by which to clap or sway or drum.

I am not charismatic in the least. And yet, I’m fairly comfortable around those who are. Some of my best friends really get into worship—hands raised, eyes closed, swaying to the beat.

Several years ago, I was invited to a revival at a charismatic church. I attended one night of the revival. The speaker was a good, biblical preacher, whom I enjoyed hearing. At the end of his message, he invited everyone to the altar to pray, to cry out to the Lord.

That’s when it happened. About 60 people all made their way to the front of the sanctuary, all praying out loud in what they would call “tongues”—just sounds and syllables, no words, no discernable language, no interpretation, no order.

As a non-charismatic person, I was uncomfortable, but I stuck around for a bit to see if anyone was going to call any of it to order, if anyone would offer any interpretation to any of the “tongues” being spoken.

After about 10 minutes, the speaker was starting to wrap up the time of “prayer” with no call for any interpretation from anyone.

It was then that I was officially upset, both as a non-charismatic and a student of the Bible.

Everything that happened there at the end of that service was unintelligible. It made no sense—not to me or anyone else. It was of no value to me or anyone else. It did not conform to the Biblical regulations in any way. It was chaos, unintelligible chaos.

This wasn’t merely against my preference (if that’s all it was, I’d deal with it); it was contrary to God’s Word.

Paul is calling for something markedly different than what happened that night. He’s pleading for basic intelligibility.

1 Corinthians 14:6–12 NIV

6 Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction? 7 Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the pipe or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes? 8 Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? 9 So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air. 10 Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. 11 If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and the speaker is a foreigner to me. 12 So it is with you. Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church.

If it’s unintelligible, it’s useless (vv. 6-12)

“What good will I be to you… if I come to you and speak in tongues?”

It’s a fair question. If all Paul did was speak to the Corinthians in untranslated, uninterpreted tongues, what possible benefit would there be?

Verse 9: Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air.

Clarity is key. This is what Paul is pleading for. Take whatever stance you’d like to take on the gifts of the Spirit—you might be a continuationist, believing the gift of tongues is still active today, or you might be a cessationist, believing the need for and purpose behind tongues ceased after the apostolic period. Take whatever stance you like (as long as it’s biblical), but understand from God’s Word: if it’s unintelligible, it’s useless.

I’m willing to admit that my stance as a cessationist (believing the miraculous gifts ceased long ago) might be wrong. I might be wrong. But I have never seen—not ever—the gift of tongues adhere to Biblical guidelines. Not once. Never even close.

We’ll discuss this more next week, but for now, we need to understand that everything done in public worship is supposed to be edifying to the hearers. That’s the key point. Paul is calling for intelligibility. He is pleading for clarity. When we say something in public worship, the people in the congregation need to understand the message and be built up by the message.

I do my best to make sure what I say can be understood. I might not be the most captivating preacher, but I pray I’m understood. I’m not up here speaking Spanish or Koine Greek, even though I might be able to. I’m not because what matters is congregational understanding.

The gift of tongues was never intended to be unintelligible utterances spoken randomly or haphazardly all at once with no discernable message or interpretation.

If it’s unintelligible, it’s useless.

If you take a look at this chapter as a whole and pay attention to the number of times the apostle uses terms like understanding, edification, and the mind you’ll see his point.

We must never bypass the intellect in some mystical search for true spirituality. That’s Hinduism, not Christianity.

The notion that we switch off our minds while we seek some for of mentally disengaged spiritual ecstasy is not Christianity.

We need clarity. We need intelligible teaching and witness.

1 Corinthians 14:13–19 NIV

13 For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15 So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. 16 Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer, say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since they do not know what you are saying? 17 You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified. 18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19 But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.

The Church needs intelligible words (vv. 13-19)

Edification, building up, only comes through understanding. If it’s a bunch of gobbledegook, it can’t possibly edify.

Matthew Henry writes this:

“Even an apostle could not edify unless he spoke so as to be understood by his hearers. To speak words that have no meaning to those to hear them is but speaking into the air. There can be no assent to prayers that are not understood. A truly Christian minister will seek much more to do spiritual good to men’s souls than to get the great applause to himself.”

Life together as a Church/church can be difficult. We certainly don’t need to make it harder to understand one another. We need to do whatever we can to edify one another, to build one another up.

What we say, know, and do when seasoned with love, submerged in love, with great effort given to clarity and intelligibility, builds up the church, edifies the church.

Paul says, “Be careful. You’re doing something, but no one else is edified.”

And then he brings it home in verse 19:

1 Corinthians 14:19 NIV

19 But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.

“In the church”… Paul wants to make sure that he instructs the people. He would rather speak a little intelligibly than a lot unintelligibly. He’s urging his Corinthian brothers and sisters to do the same.

It matters what happens in the church it matters how stuff happens in the church.

The church needs intelligible words, intelligible teaching, intelligible exhortation so that the whole church—not just the one speaking—will be edified.

1 Corinthians 14:20–25 NIV

20 Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults. 21 In the Law it is written: “With other tongues and through the lips of foreigners I will speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.” 22 Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is not for unbelievers but for believers. 23 So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and inquirers or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind? 24 But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, 25 as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!”

Unbelievers need intelligible words (vv. 20-25)

Imagine the scenario: the church gathers for worship and everyone starts speaking in tongues, all at once; everyone is speaking randomly, loudly, over the next person, maybe as part of the musical part of worship.

And then, a few minutes late to worship because they couldn’t get their kids out of the house on time and they got stuck behind a horse and buggy on the way to church, an unbelieving family seeking somewhere to take their children comes in and finds everyone speaking random, haphazard syllables and sounds. What are they going to think?

“You crazy!”

They might pop in, take a look around, and then likely back out slowly before anyone realizes that they were there.

“Will they not say that you are out of your mind?” asks Paul.

Yes, of course they will. “Those people are outside their minds!” That’s what it’s going to look and seem and sound like.

But if this same family comes in while everyone is prophesying, speaking a clear message they can understand in a language that can be understood, they might just fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!”

This couldn’t happen if what was being said was unintelligible.

Unbelievers need intelligible words in order to hear the Good News about Jesus. This, in fact, is what the gift of tongues originally accomplished.

At Pentecost, the disciples amazingly started speaking in languages that were not their own. To the Jew there that day, it would have been equally amazing to hear the disciples proclaiming truth about God in Gentile tongues.

At Pentecost, the gift of tongues changed the status quo. For the first time ever, inspired truth was revealed by God in languages other than Hebrew.

Tongues are a sign that the wall which separated the two groups had been broken down.

All the words of God had once been committed to the Jewish race alone. Now the message of God’s wonderful works would extend to every nation, people, tribe, and tongue. And so it was, that all the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

Acts 2:7–12 NIV

7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?”

This is the primary significance of the gift of tongues.

It was never intended to be a Babel of noise that no one, including the speaker, understood. It’s the message that God speaks to all people to bring all His people to Himself.

Gifts of the Spirit, expressed in love, are meant to build up the Church and witness to unbelievers.

We can, where 1 Corinthians 14 is concerned, miss the forest for the trees. We can get bogged down easily, myself more so than most. Some principles stand out to me as I look at this chapter. Be it dealing with the issue of tongues or not, these questions are helpful:

Will it build up the church, or just you?

This is a really good question to ask no matter the issue. What you’re doing, in the church and as part of the church—is it something that will build up the church and edify its members?

Or are you doing it selfishly, out a desire to build up yourself, to edify yourself? If it’s more for yourself than it is for anyone else, don’t bother. If it’s not others-oriented, you’re doing it wrong. If it doesn’t edify those around you, it has no place in the church.

Will it build up the church, or just you?

Will it lead anyone to worship the Lord?

This is the goal of the gathering (and our very lives as Christians). We are meant to spend our lives making sure that what we do, what we say, how we behave—both corporately and individually—is leading people to worship the Lord.

It’s very clear from Paul’s argument and from good common sense, that no one will be lead to worship if they can’t understand what’s being said. There’s no doubt many things we do that hinder the understanding of the lost. We have to be aware and mindful of the fact that people who don’t know the Lord are watching us.

Let us do our level best to conduct ourselves and our worship in such a way that unbelievers would fall down and worship and say, “God is really among you!”