What role should speaking in tongues play in personal and corporate worship today? Setting the Scene: Paul’s Personal Testimony “I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.” (1 Corinthians 14:18) What Paul’s Words Immediately Tell Us • Tongues are a genuine, God-given grace. • Paul used them frequently—yet never as an end in themselves. • Gratitude, not pride, framed his practice. Core Principles Drawn from 1 Corinthians 14 • Private edification versus public edification – “He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself.” (14:4) – “But he who prophesies edifies the church.” (14:4) • Comprehension matters – “In the church I would rather speak five coherent words…than ten thousand words in a tongue.” (14:19) • Order and peace govern gathered worship – “If anyone speaks in a tongue, two, or at most three, are to speak in turn, and someone must interpret.” (14:27) – “If there is no interpreter, he should remain silent in the church and speak only to himself and God.” (14:28) – “God is not a God of disorder, but of peace.” (14:33) Personal Worship: Praying in the Spirit • A gift for intimate communion with God—“Anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men, but to God.” (14:2) • Builds the believer’s inner life—“He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself.” (14:4) • Aligns with Romans 8:26—Spirit-energized prayer beyond natural vocabulary. • Encouraged, never forbidden—no scriptural time limit or geographic boundary. Corporate Worship: Building Up the Body • Interpretation is essential—tongues plus interpretation equals prophecy in its effect (14:5). • Limited use—“two, or at most three…in turn” (14:27). • Silence without interpretation—obedience, not suppression (14:28). • Goal: clear, intelligible edification of all present. The Broader Biblical Picture • Acts 2:4-11—missionary sign: real languages testifying to God’s works. • Acts 10:46; 19:6—evidence of Spirit baptism among Jew and Gentile alike. • Mark 16:17—Jesus foretold tongues among believing signs. • 1 Corinthians 12:10-11—Spirit sovereignly distributes both tongues and interpretation. Practical Guidelines for Today • Welcome the gift—ask God for all He desires to give (Luke 11:13). • Practice privately—strengthen devotion, intercession, thanksgiving (1 Corinthians 14:17). • In gatherings, submit to order—speak only when an interpreter is present and leaders affirm space for the gift. • Pursue love above all—“Let all that you do be done in love.” (1 Corinthians 16:14) • Test everything by Scripture—tongues must never contradict biblical truth (1 Thessalonians 5:21). Balancing Zeal and Order • Earnestly desire the gifts (1 Corinthians 14:1), yet remember their purpose: mutual upbuilding. • Tongues remain a vibrant avenue for personal prayer and, when interpreted, a blessing to the congregation. • Wherever God’s Word reigns, the Spirit’s gifts, including tongues, serve to exalt Christ, edify believers, and witness to the lost. |
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