Tongues

Everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.

1 Corinthians 14:40

The gift of tongues is the God-given ability to speak in a known language with which the speaker is not previously acquainted. The purpose is not to win the lost, but to edify the saved. Not every believer had this gift, nor was this gift an evidence of spirituality or the result of a “baptism of the Spirit.”

Only three persons were permitted to speak in tongues in one meeting, and they had to do so in order and with interpretation. If there was no interpreter, they had to keep silent. Prophecy was the superior gift, but tongues were not to be despised if they were exercised according to Scripture.

When the foundational work of the apostles and prophets ended, it would seem that the gifts of knowledge, prophecy, and tongues would no longer be needed. “Where there are tongues, they will be stilled” (1 Cor. 13:8). Certainly God can give this gift today if He pleases, but I am not prepared to believe that every instance of tongues is divinely energized. It is unfortunate when believers make tongues a test of fellowship or spirituality. Let’s keep our priorities straight and major on winning the lost and building the church.

Something to Ponder

Why do you think Paul gave so many instructions regarding the proper procedures for speaking in tongues?