How does 1 Corinthians 14:2 guide our understanding of speaking in tongues today?

Setting the Context

- Paul devotes 1 Corinthians 14 to orderly use of spiritual gifts so “the church may be built up” (v. 12).

- Verse 2 answers why uninterpreted tongues can leave others uninformed.

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Key Observations from 1 Corinthians 14:2

-: “For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God…”

• Audience: God, not people.

• Listeners gain nothing without interpretation; the speaker utters Spirit-given mysteries.

- Contrast with prophecy (v. 3 – 4): prophecy edifies the body; uninterpreted tongues edify only the speaker.

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Implications for Today

- Private use: Tongues remain a God-ward prayer language that strengthens the believer (v. 4, 28).

- Corporate use:

• Must be limited (v. 27).

• Requires an interpreter; otherwise the speaker stays silent in the meeting (v. 28).

• Goal is clarity and mutual edification (v. 19).

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Tying in Other Scriptures

- Acts 2:4: “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues…”—the gift originates with the Spirit.

- Romans 8:26 shows the Spirit helping us pray “with groanings too deep for words,” paralleling tongues as Spirit-directed prayer.

- 1 Corinthians 12:7-11 lists tongues among gifts given “for the common good,” underscoring their purpose when interpreted.

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Practical Takeaways

- Pursue love first (14:1); motives matter as much as manifestations.

- Welcome the gift of tongues while honoring Paul’s guidelines for order.

- Use tongues freely in personal devotion; seek interpretation in public gatherings.

- Measure every exercise of tongues—or any gift—by this standard: does it build up the church (v. 26)?