1 Corinthians 14:6-26
6 Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction? 7 Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the pipe or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes? 8 Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? 9 So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air. 10 Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. 11 If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and the speaker is a foreigner to me. 12 So it is with you. Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church.
13 For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.15 So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. 16 Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer,[d] say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since they do not know what you are saying? 17 You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified.
18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.19 But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.
20 Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults.21 In the Law it is written:
“With other tongues
and through the lips of foreigners
I will speak to this people,
but even then they will not listen to me,
says the Lord.”[e]
22 Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is not for unbelievers but for believers. 23 So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and inquirers or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind? 24 But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, 25 as the secretsof their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!”
I went a while ago to a service that was completely in Latin and I sat there with no idea what was being said or what was coming next. It was fascinating but alien and I felt very much on the outside looking in. In this church in Corinth, they had a similar issue with services being held in tongues. This is when you pray and you ask God to speak through you in a heavenly language. The Holy Spirit bypasses your thoughts and you pray from your soul. It is a powerful and beneficial gift. However, if no one else can understand you, it does not benefit other people.
Can you imagine this church praying in tongues loudly, thinking that they look spiritual and powerful? Everyone shouting out and making a lot of noise. Paul says to them, this does nothing to help others. This is not building up your church family and it is confusing for people who are seeking God. It is selfish and you need to stop.
Paul says that we should ask God to grow our gift of prophecy in church so that if an unbeliever comes the secrets of their hearts would be laid bare and they would fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!” When we come together in worship, we can all be asking God to speak to us and share what he is saying to the community. He often uses these moments powerfully bringing clarity and healing to people.
Wisdom is great and giving good advice can be very helpful. However, when we take the time to ask God what He wants to say it can be truly transformational.
But don’t wait until Sunday to ask God to speak. He is speaking right now and wants to speak through you today. You can prophecy in your workplace, you can prophecy in your home, you can prophecy to a stranger on the bus. Simply ask God what he wants to say and start a conversation.
What does God want to say through you today?
