Based on 1 Corinthians 14:1-25 (New King James Version)
“Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification. 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? 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? For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will prepare for battle? 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. There are, it may be, so many kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without significance. 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. Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel. Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. 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. 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? For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified. I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all; 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. Brethren, do not be children in understanding; however, in malice be babes, but in understanding be mature. 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. 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. 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? But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is convicted by all. 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.
Through the years, there has been much controversy within our Christian community of whether the gift of tongues exists or not. Many affirm that it does, and to the point that they even see this as a sign that the Holy Spirit is within a person. And others deny it saying either that it was something of the past or for those past times only, or that it does not exist, or they even make fun of it, and they take it as something crazy or theatrical. I can say well-founded on the Word that both extreme views do not agree with the fulness of the Scriptures. If it is written in the Word, can something be denied existing, or worse, made fun of that is part of the gifts of the Holy Spirit? If something is not understood, but it is written in the Word, at the very least, it should be respected because then, will God see as good someone that mocks something that belongs to Him? There are things that should just be left for the Lord to decide whether they are real or not. Now, can they be used as an indication that a person has or does not have the Holy Spirit? That is also not right because the Word teaches that the Holy Spirit distributes the gifts however He sees fit, and the fruit of the Spirit is not speaking in tongues, just as the Word says: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23. This is what truly reveals if a person has the Holy Spirit or not. For it is also written: “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.” 1 Corinthians 13:1. And unfortunately, there is much sounding brass and clanging cymbals today which takes us to the real point I am guided to deal with today. Beyond giving a dissertation about tongues, God desires for something to be understood more deeply that is more urgent, and that is, “Are we more focused on speaking clearly to people that surround us about God’s salvation?” Are those words more important in our conversation with our fellow man?
Here is something where we need to start: “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” Luke 6:45. What are we sharing with others? According to what the Word teaches, we should prophecy or preach as clearly as possible the gospel of Christ to people so that they can come to the Lord also and glorify God. That is what Paul is talking about here. Prophesying, especially in this passage, has nothing to do with talking about future things, as many people take prophecy as meaning. Prophesying or preaching means talking on God's behalf. That is the true work and function of the prophet. This is what the holy prophets did before like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and so many others; they spoke on God's behalf. And what we should talk about the most is about what Christ came to do. What was the most important reason for why Christ came to die on the cross? So that we could have gifts? For physical or financial well-being? For vanities or temporary things? Christ died and was resurrected for you and me so we could have eternal life. And this is not what is communicated today. We are so focused on the here and now that people do not talk about the eternal anymore, like if eternity did not matter anymore.
And this takes us to an even more profound thing. If we are not talking about Christ’s salvation with others, then what is filling our hearts (“…For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks”)? If we are talking more about the things of the world, about vanities, or even talking about God but only as a means to resolve temporary problems, then we should ask ourselves, “what do we truly believe”? That is the big problem that exists today. Many talk more about temporary things or solutions to problems then what really matters, then about salvation, and how eternal life is obtained. Are our daily problems important? Yes, but they cannot become the all of our lives. We cannot preach about a Christ that only comes to fulfill desires and fix problems. That was not the purpose of the cross. The most important words should be the ones that we believe with our heart, and I hope for your own good that they are the words of life that the Lord spoke about. Otherwise, a person continues in the world with a sure destination to perdition. This is what is written: “…that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.” Deuteronomy 8:3b. So then, what are the most important words to you? Lord bless! John