1 Corinthians 14:1 Follow after charity, and desire spiritual [gifts], but rather that ye may prophesy.
(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.
(5) I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater [is] he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.
(6) Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?
(7) And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?
(8) For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?
(9) So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air.
(10) There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them [is] without signification.
(11) Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh [shall be] a barbarian unto me.
(12) Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual [gifts], seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.
(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.
(18) 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.
(20) Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men.
(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.
1 Corinthians 14:23 If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in [those that are] unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?
26 How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one 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.
This is one of the most misused scriptures in the New Testament. Because of misunderstanding of this verse, many churches preach against talking in tongues. Paul is correcting the Corinthian church for their misuse of spiritual gifts. The church was out of order. However Paul is not preaching against what happened on the day of Pentecost Acts 2 or what happened to Cornelius in Acts 10. Let us investigate through scripture the true understanding of this teaching.
Ephesians 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
(11) Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
(12) For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high [places].
(13) Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
(14) Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
(15) And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
(16) Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
(17) And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
(18) Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
(19) And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,
Part of putting on the whole armour of God is having utterance given to Paul, so that he could open his mouth bodly to make known the mystery of the gospel.
Genesis 11:1 And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.
(2) And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.
(3) And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter.
(4) And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top [may reach] unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.
(5) And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.
(6) And the LORD said, Behold, the people [is] one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.
(7) Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.
(8) So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.
(9) Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.
God specifically used the confounding of language to separate the nations, but used the same sign in the New Testament to establish His Church and “gather all nations”. Just like a kingdom has a language, the kingdom of God citizen’s have a language, tongues. These tongues are both vernacular and “angelic” and according to scripture has a purpose for the believer.
Biblical Purposes of tongues
“the rest [wherewith] ye may cause the weary to rest; and this [is] the refreshing”
Isaiah 28:9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? [them that are] weaned from the milk, [and] drawn from the breasts.
(10) For precept [must be] upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, [and] there a little:
(11) For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
(12) To whom he said, This [is] the rest [wherewith] ye may cause the weary to rest; and this [is] the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
(13) But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, [and] there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
“He that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh to God.”
1 Corinthians 14:2 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.
“He that speaks in tongues editifieth himself”
1 Corinthians 14:4 He that speaketh in an [unknown] tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.
Bible examples of receiving the Holy Ghost and speaking with tongues
Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Notice on the day of Pentecost, they (120 people) were all filled with the Holy Ghost and all began to speak in tongues as the Spirit gave utterance. (v 4)
Peter referred to the speaking in tongues on the day of Pentecost as “This is that which was spoken of the prophet Joel”
Acts 2:14 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; (17) And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:
Joel 2:25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. (26) And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed. (27) And ye shall know that I [am] in the midst of Israel, and [that] I [am] the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed. (28) And it shall come to pass afterward, [that] I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:
– Therefore Acts 2:4 is what Joel 2:28 prophesized of, a day of God pouring out His Spirit upon all flesh. The way that this happens is that when God pours out His Spirit upon flesh, people speak in tongues. It would be enough evidence of this Truth if it only happened this way on the day of Pentecost, but what really establishes this truth is how the pattern is shown throughout the first century church through the book of Acts.
Acts 10:44 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?
(48) And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
The evidence to Peter that the Gentiles received the Holy Ghost was speaking in tongues.
This previously happened in Acts 8 with the Samritans:
Acts 8:5-8
(5) Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.
(6) And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did.
(7) For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed.
(8) And there was great joy in that city.
So even with all this the Holy Ghost still had not been received.
Acts 8:16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
So therefore speaking in toungues is what was the evidence of the Holy Ghost in Acts 2, 8, and 10. We also have a fourth witness to this in Paul's ministry:
Acts 19:1 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,
(2) He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
(3) And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.
(4) Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
(5) When they heard [this], they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
(6) And when Paul had laid [his] hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
(7) And all the men were about twelve.
Four examples of people receiving the Holy Ghost and speaking in tongues, if this is how it happened for the first 30 – 100 years of Christianity when did it stop happening? This happened when false doctrine entered the church, taking tears out of repentance, Jesus name out of baptism, and tongues out of the Holy Ghost.
Jude 1:1 Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, [and] called:
(2) Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.
(3) Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort [you] that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
(4) For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jude 1:17
But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ;
(18) How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.
(19) These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.
(20) But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost,
(21) Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
Remember the preacher that loves you will
not stop you from praying in the Spirit. Praying in the Spirit has always been
praying in tongues.
So the baptism of the Holy Ghost and the "gift of tongues" are 2 seperate operations of the same Spirit. If that does not make
sense to you, then compare the gift of faith with faith. Every man is given a measure of faith, but not all have the gift of faith.
So it is with the Spirit of God, the initial evidence of speaking with tongues is the same mechanism of the gift of tongues. All
believers in the NT Church speak with tongues as the Spirit gives utterances (Acts 2) but not all have the gift of tongues (1 Corinth 14).
The ungodly and mockers of the last days who walk
after their own lusts will try to teach otherwise. But remember the apostles
told us to “quench not the Spirit”. Praise God. In Jesus name let’s keep our
firing burning and pray for outpouring of the Spirit of God in these last days.