There is so much controversy over Tongues within the body of Christ, one group says it is carnal the other says it is a gift of God. So let us ask God who is correct. Let the Bible answer these questions.
Jude 20 – “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit.”
What great benefit is received by praying in the Holy Spirit? When I pray in the Holy Spirit, I build myself up.
Acts 2:4 – “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”How many people were filled with the Holy Spirit? All of them.
What did they all do as a result of being filled with the Holy Spirit? They spoke in tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
1 Corinthians 14:14 – “For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.”What part of you is praying when you pray in an unknown tongue? My spirit is praying.
1 Corinthians 14:2 – “For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.”When a person speaks in an unknown tongue who is he speaking to? God.
When a person prays in an unknown tongue, do people understand what is being said? No.
When you pray in an unknown tongue, your spirit is speaking what? Mysteries, secret things (New Century Version), intimacies just between me and God (The Message).
1 Corinthians 14:4 – “He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.”When a person speaks in unknown tongue he is doing what? They are edifying themselves ( building them self up)
1 Corinthians 14:16 – “Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?” When you are praying in tongues you are doing what ?You are blessing God and giving God thanks.
Paul told us:
He said that he used his ability to speak in tongues to pray, and to worship God. [verse 15].
He was thankful to God for the ability to pray and worship God in other tongues [verse 18].
He found this to be a deeply spiritual and edifying experience [vs. 4].
Jude agrees with Paul’s assessment of the edifying power of praying in tongues [Jude 20].
And he urged all of us to speak, pray, and worship God in other tongues, “I would that ye all spake with tongues…” [vs. 5].
Paul indicated two different functions of speaking in tongues:
Prayer from man to God. Our spirits speak to God in private, no one understands but God.
And Messages from God to man. Which is a Gift of God, for others, and they will understand it.
When man prays to God in tongues, “no man understandeth him.”
When God speaks to man through other tongues, no man will necessarily understand the tongue, unless God simultaneously gives the interpretation to another.
This same pattern of private prayer and public Gift is demonstrated in the New Testament, throughout the Early Church, resurfacing again and again during revivals over the course of centuries of Church History, and continuing among the 537 million born-again Christians who currently speak in tongues.
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