** Tongues And Their Purpose **
The first
thing we must do is realize that there are more than one type of tongues given
as gifts in the Holy Ghost.
1 Cor 12:8-10
8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the
word of knowledge by the same Spirit;
9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing
by the same Spirit;
10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another
discerning of spirits; to
another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of
tongues:
(divers
kinds of tongues simply means “different” kinds of
tongues.)
My hope
here is to help clarify the differences of these tongues and to encourage the
truth concerning them.
Acts 2:1-12
1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one
accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty
wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it
sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy
Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them
utterance.
5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews,
devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were
confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.
7 And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold,
are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?
9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia,
and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about
Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the
wonderful works of God.
12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another,
What meaneth this?
Here we
see where they, on the day of Pentecost, received the Holy Ghost with the
evidence of speaking in other tongues.
The first
thing we notice here is that the tongues they were using was a natural human
language.
The
amazing point was that those hearing them knew that those speaking were not of
their nationality and so they were amazed that they were hearing them in their
own language, which they had not been taught.
This is
what Paul referred to when he said he would talk in tongues of “men” and of “angels”. (This was the tongues of men)
1 Cor 13:1
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of
angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling
cymbal.
This
tongues is used for the unbeliever, that they might see and understand that the
knowledge of God's word is for them as well as for the believer. In this manner
they were able to receive the knowledge “with
understanding”
and know that salvation was offered to them also. (Without those speaking
having to take the time to learn each language in the natural manner, “which could have
taken years”,
God was able, in this manner, to give this wonderful news to all people present
immediately.)
God also
had another reason for using this gift to preach the gospel to the Jews.
1 Cor 14:21-22
21 In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips
will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me,
saith the Lord.
22 Wherefore
tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not:
but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which
believe.
Pentecost
was a very important Jewish Holy Day and there were Jews from every part of the
continent present, Jews and proselytes. (“Proselytes are
those who are converted from their original faith or religion to Judaism”)
Therefore
the Lord did complete the scripture in 1 Cor. 14:21 With men of other
tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will
they not hear me, saith the Lord.
God knew,
even though the people were given a wonderful sign as men speaking to them in
their own language, without being taught that language, they would still not
receive the truth.
Instead,
they as most humans will do when confronted with something they don't
understand or believe, will divert their attentions to the unnatural part of
the event and try to rationalize that event with a logical explanation. In this
event they began accusing them of being drunk.
Acts 2:12-13
12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another,
What meaneth this?
13 Others mocking
said, These men are full of new wine.
It's sad,
how that when we are confronted with something that doesn't fit the mold of our
traditional teaching or belief, we immediately begin searching for reasons not
to believe or accept it. Even without examining the truth of it. Such was the
case here on the day of Pentecost, but Peter under the leading of the Holy
Ghost, stood up immediately and set the record straight.
Acts 2:14-16
14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said
unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known
unto you, and hearken to my words:
15 For these are
not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
16 But this is that
which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
In his
correction of their false accusations Peter first confronted their natural mind
(sense of reasoning) pointing out to them that it was only the third hour of
the day. It was apparently simply unheard of that men would be drunk that early
in the day.
Secondly,
he confronted them with the scripture in order to show them that this was a
fulfillment of what the prophet of old had told them would come to pass.
In this
manner many were able to overcome their doughts and fears and accept that what
they were witnessing was truly of the Lord and were then able to receive this
wonderful gift from God.
“The gift of the Holy Ghost being given unto
all who would receive Him”.
Acts 2:17
17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour
out of my Spirit upon all flesh: …
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Secondly I
would like to look at the tongues of angels which Paul spoke of.
1 Cor 13:1
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not
charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
We can
clearly see the reason for the tongues of men being used through the first half
of this lesson, but what would be the purpose for us to speak in a language of
angels, (or unknown tongue) a language that is totally unknown to us?
1 Cor 14:2-4
2 For he that speaketh in an unknown
tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him;
howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.
3 But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and
exhortation, and comfort.
4 He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that
prophesieth edifieth the church.
Here we
begin to understand the purpose for speaking in an unknown tongue or
"tongue of Angels".
The Lord,
through Paul's writings to the church in Corinth, tells us that when we speak
in this unknown tongue that we are not talking to men, but rather, we are
speaking to the Lord Himself. God is able to understand this language because
it is the very Spirit of God which is speaking through us.
Realizing the source of this tongue, we
ask, (what is its purpose), which Paul shows us in verse 4. When we use this
tongue, we edify our self and not others, it edifies only the one speaking.
In other
words, it strengthens the faith of the one speaking.
Also:
“This in itself is the very evidence that
God's Holy Spirit has taken residence in our life”.
For it was
by the witness of this evidence in the gentiles gathered together in Cornelius'
house that the Jews knew that the Holy Ghost had been given to them also.
Acts 10:44-47
44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them
which heard the word.
45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many
as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the
gift of the Holy Ghost.
46 For they heard
them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which
have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
Though it
is important that we use this tongue of Angels to edify, or strengthen, our own
faith, it has little value to the church in general, aside from being the
evidence of the Holy Ghost, meaning “it verifies the
fact that God is dwelling within us”.
That's why
Paul also gave us understanding to the use of the gifts of the Holy Ghost while
in the congregation or assembly of the church.
In verse 3
of 1 Cor. 14, the bible tells us that prophesying (or speaking the word of God
with understanding) edifies man, which is to say, it strengthens the faith of
those listening and hearing what is said. How be it, when speaking in an
unknown language, those listening are without understanding.
So in
order that the church may grow together in strength and unity of God's word we
are shown how that it is more profitable to speak with the understanding while
in the assembly of the saints.
Paul
showing us by example, that he spoke in tounges more than most anyone, yet in
the church (or assembly of the saints "believers in Jesus Christ") he
would rather speak with his normal language so all may be edified.
1 Cor 14:18-19
8 I thank my God, I speak with tongues
more than ye all:
19 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.
1 Cor 14:12
12 Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are
zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the
church.
By his
example, Paul is both showing that it is more important to teach others, and he
is reminding us of the commandment that says we are to put others before our
self.
By
speaking in the normal language that all may hear and understand, we are giving
them the opportunity to understand the proper use of tongues so that they may
come to the acceptance of tongues as a source of strengthening them self in the
Lord and thereby gaining the strength to endure to the end, as well as becoming
mature Christians and being able to teach yet others of the truths in Jesus
Christ our Lord.
But, what
of the proper use of the unknown tongues while in the assembly of the church
members, is there a use for them there?
1 Cor 14:13-17
13 Wherefore let
him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret.
14 For if I pray in an unknown tongue,
my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.
15 What is it then? I will pray with
the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the
spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
16 Else when thou shalt bless with the
spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy
giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?
17 For thou verily givest thanks well,
but the other is not edified.
Paul lets
us know that there is proper use of the unknown tongue within the Church, but
that we must take care to use this gift to the edification of others also. So
he tells us that while in the assembly, if we have a tongue than we are to pray
for an interpretation of it in the natural language so that all present may
edify from its use.
In verse
17 he says that if you don't use an interpretation of the tongue than you are
giving thanks to God well enough, but those around you are not able to
understand and are thereby not edified.
Paul's
answer to the situation comes in verse 15 where he gives us the solution; he
says for us to pray with the spirit (which is to say, pray in tongues) and also
to pray with the normal language "understanding" so that all may be
edified. He also said that he would sing with the tongues and also with the
normal language.
In this
manner Paul is letting us know that we can be edified in the spirit and at the
same time give understanding "or edification" to those around us.
Seeing the
possibility of chaos and disorder in the church, such as happened in the church
of Corinth, which is why Paul was talking to them about this matter in the
first place. God simply had Paul to lay down rules for the proper use of the
gifts when the church assembled.
1 Cor 14:26-33
26 How is it then, brethren? when ye
come together, everyone of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue,
hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto
edifying.
27 If any man speak in an unknown
tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let
one interpret.
28 But if there be no interpreter, let
him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.
29 Let the prophets speak two or three,
and let the other judge.
30 If any thing be revealed to another
that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.
31 For ye may all prophesy one by one,
that all may learn, and all may be comforted.
32 And the spirits of the prophets are
subject to the prophets.
33 For God is not the author of
confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.
Paul was
seeing a disorder or misconduct of the use of the gifts of the Spirit in the
church and so he lays down the ground rules for the order of things when assembled
together.
He does
not tell them to quit using the gifts, but rather gives order to their usage.
In verse
27 he says if they speak in unknown tongues, let it be only 2 or at the most 3
and let them take turns in speaking, then let one interpret.
How ever,
if there is no interpreter present, than let the one with a tongue keep silent
as far as addressing the church. He is to speak to himself and to God. “In other words,
he is not to speak out as to be addressing the church with a message”.
Than so
that all may know that God does not force Himself on people and make them do
what they don't wish to do, he reminds us in verse 32 that the spirits of the
prophets are subject to the prophets. Meaning that we can control whether we
speak in tongues or not.
God is a
God of order and not a God of confusion.
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In closing
let us look at 1Cor. 14:39 where Paul tells us not to forbid people from
talking in tongues.
1 Cor 14:39
39 Wherefore, brethren, covet to
prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues.
Yes,
tongues are for the church today, but today as always, we are to understand and
practise their use properly.
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