Pastor Dan Nickerson – May 25th, 2021
(1 Corinthians 14:6-25)….. 6 But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you unless I speak to you either by revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching? 7 Even things without life, whether flute or harp, when they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the sounds, how will it be known what is piped or played? 8 For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle? 9 So likewise you, unless you utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. 10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without significance. 11 Therefore, if I do not know the meaning of the language, I shall be a foreigner to him who speaks, and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me. 12 Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel. 13 Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. 15 What is the conclusion then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding. I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding. 16 Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say? 17 For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified. 18 I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; 19 yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue. 20 Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature. 21 In the law it is written:
“With men of other tongues and other lips
I will speak to this people;
And yet, for all that, they will not hear Me,” says the Lord.
22 Therefore tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe. 23 Therefore if the whole church comes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind? 24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. 25 And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is truly among you.
I was just recently talking to a brother about the issue of tongues in the Scriptures, and he was telling me of a time when someone he knew misrepresented this doctrine and set him back years in growth due to a false teaching. Now I don’t want to spend time talking of all the wacky teachings that are out there about this issue, but I’d rather address the doctrine with God’s word. The tongues spoken of in Scripture is the ability, by gift of the Holy Spirit, to speak a foreign language without learning it beforehand, and not being able understand what is said in another tongue until someone interprets it. Tongues, when spoken, would convince unbelievers that God was working through the speakers to relay His message of salvation (Mark 16:14-15) (Acts 1:1-5, 8) (Acts 2:1-12) (Acts 8:14-17) (Acts 19:1-6).
Paul would say, “What profit are tongues spoken within the church by me unless I speak by….”
- Revelation – what God has revealed to me
- Knowledge – things that I know
- Prophesying – what is going to happen
- Teaching – the truths of God’s word
Even musical instruments need to have a distinct sound so one knows what is played. In a military situation various kinds of musical sounds gave various instructions. Reveille – Every morning the trumpet would blow reveille at 6:00 a.m. and every sailor – soldier knew it was time to get up. At 10:00 p.m. the trumpet would blow taps, which meant lights out, and go to bed. When in battle, the commander of an infantry unit would have the bugler blow the charge to advance the troops toward the enemy in battle. If the soldiers do not recognize the sound then they will not know what to do, an uncertain sound can bring about the wrong actions and results.
What is the point in Paul’s comparison? That if a musical instrument is required to make a clear noticeable sound, shouldn’t language when it is spoken make sense. The purpose of every language is to communicate a message, not to confuse a people. When it comes to the Church (the redeemed in Jesus Christ) it is for her edification and a sign (Romans 14:19 (1 Corinthians 14:15-25).
What is Paul’s conclusion? Notice that (spirit) is not capitalized in the text. Why? Because it is not referring to the Holy Spirit. Paul will both pray in the spirit (breath – wind – inner part), and with understanding. When I (Paul) talk to God, it’s going to come from inside of me. I’m going to use my (breath – wind – inner part), but I’m also going to use my brain. I will do the same when I sing. Why? So that the uninformed (ignorant – unlearned) can understand and agree with what is said when the believer gives thanks to God. Paul says that the Corinthian’s were children in understanding (14:20). They hadn’t really grown up spiritually to understand solid doctrine. They were like those described in (Ephesians 4:11-16). They were not thinking through the right things, biblical things, the things that they had received out of the revelation of God, so they were children in understanding rather than mature men with minds that grasped the truth about tongues. So Paul quotes (Isaiah 28:11-12) to set them straight on God’s intended purpose of tongues. The gift of tongues was never intended to be something for a Christian to exalt himself with, but it was for a sign to those who didn’t believe, a sign that God was going to judge those who rejected Him and His Word.
So the gift of tongues becomes a sign of blessing – proof that the Gentiles were given the same gift of salvation (1 Corinthians 14:22-25). So what do we learn from this? Rather than speaking in tongues, make sure that you are proclaiming God’s Word in order to exhort or console others. Then, when an unbeliever comes in, he will be convicted, he will know he’s guilty, and repent. He will bow on his face and worship God.