I was recently at a Ministers Conference where the vast majority of attendees were of the Pentecostal / Charismatic persuasion. The main speaker was a well-known Baptist gentleman who had some amazing things to share over the 3 days we were there. The most interesting moment, however, is when he stood on the last night and preached out of Acts 2 on missions and explained to us (Pentecostals) what was "really" going on in Acts 2 when they all "spoke with other tongues". I have to admit...I either admire his confidence to approach the subject or he just had some sort of audacity to try to untangle all of us on our view of tongues. Of course, his view was the typical evangelical view that they were speaking in "known languages"...(long sigh!)

I have written below a quick apologetic and hopefully an understandable article about this subject. Lots more could be said, I know, but for those who wonder why I land like I do and how I untangle certain things with regards to spiritual language, perhaps this will be a starting place. I call it: PUBLIC GIFT vs. PRIVATE PRAYER...
 

The most common confusion when dealing with Christians who are unfamiliar with “tongues” is to untangle the TWO aspects of spiritual language as it is taught in the Scriptures. The two manifestations of tongues are usually referred to as “prayer language” and the “gift of tongues”. One of these is used for the personal and most often private devotional use of tongues and the other is for the public gift of speaking in tongues. Many believers are confused about this and confuse the two.

I Corinthians 12:10, tells us that there is a “gift” of tongues that the Holy Spirit releases as He wills (12:11). This expression of spiritual language is to bless, help, and potentially direct the Church as a “word from the Lord” (much the same way a prophetic word would be released). I Corinthians 14:5, 14-15; instructs us that there is a tongue that can be used to pray to the Lord and that benefits the believer personally (14:4, Jude 20). These TWO elements are defined in I Corinthians 14:2, 21. In v.2, we see that there is a tongue which speaks TO GOD (prayer language). In v.21, we see a tongue that GOD SPEAKS TO US (public gift). The key to chapters 12 and 14 is to begin to see how Paul directs the usage of each and where is he talking about the prayer language in distinction from the public gift.

Many people mix this up and do not wrestle with certain concepts. For instance:

1. Why does Paul seem to both encourage and restrict the usage of tongues? (14:5, 14:19; 14:39)

2. Why does he seem to say that he uses this language in worship and prayer, yet also seems to say it causes confusion? (14:15, 14:23)

3. Why does he seem to limit its use and yet says it is a sign for unbelievers; yet seems to release it as well? (14:19, 14:22, 14:39)

As you can see, there appears to be contradictory information about the use of tongues. Is the Bible contradictory? Of course not, the only explanation is that Paul is distinguishing the use of a personal, devotional prayer language and a public use.

Now practically, it can all “sound” the same. However, there is a spiritually discernable difference between the two. You cannot evaluate the difference between the two with your natural mind or senses (I Corinthians 2:11-14). Remember, this is SPIRITUAL LANGUAGE that flows out of your spirit (inner man) and cannot be judged by the natural mind alone.

I personally believe that Paul used I Corinthians 14 to begin to untangle the confusion that was beginning to arise in Corinth concerning these two usages. I will try to walk through these verses and provide the commentary as I have come to understand it:

V.1> Obviously, love is the object of our greatest pursuit. Everything is done in love and is meaningless without it. However, we are told to PURSUE spiritual gifts (including tongues).

V.2> This is about the prayer language because you are speaking TO GOD and not men. No one should understand you because it wasn’t directed to men for their benefit.

V.3> When we speak TO PEOPLE, we should use preaching or prophecy in words which they understand.

V.4> Prayer language “builds up” and strengthens the individual (Jude 20). Of course, no one else understands it. That is why prophecy (preaching) builds up the church because all will understand that.

V.5> Paul is glad for the expression of tongues and says that he wishes it for all. However, your personal prayer language edifies only you and not others; therefore it is even better when we build up the rest of the body through prophecy. The exception is when the public gift is exercised and INTERPRETED so the entire church can be built up as it is when there is preaching.

V.V.6-9> Paul reemphasizes the point that if we were to look at EACH OTHER and talk to EACH OTHER and speak in tongues, that would be fruitless. It would “spitting sounds in the wind” or as he says, “a trumpet with an uncertain sound”. So we should speak in a language of understanding TO EACH OTHER, in order that we might be helped.

V.10> But Paul reminds his readers that there are ALL KINDS OF LANGUAGE (known and unknown / natural and spiritual). He says that all are significant.

V. 11-13> Paul illustrates the need for understanding again and states that if a person has the “GIFT” of tongues to be used by God TO SPEAK TO PEOPLE, then it must be interpreted BY THE PERSON WHO GIVES THE PUBLIC TONGUE.

V.V.14-15> Paul states that he is able, by an act of the “will” to release his spirit (inner man) and PRAY in tongues and he doesn’t understand all that he is saying. SO…he practices both praying and singing in the spirit as he wills. (NOTICE: The gift of tongues in public is as God wills. The personal devotional tongue is released as Paul wills.)

V.V.16-19> Uninterpreted public tongues (GOD SPEAKING TO PEOPLE) is worthless. However, this has nothing to do with personal prayer language (YOU SPEAKING TO GOD). Please note VERSE 28! Paul says if there is no interpreter then the person with the public tongue is to be silent (in giving the public tongue) and “speak to himself and TO GOD”. (This means he is allowed the use of his devotional, personal tongue in the church.)

SOME OBSERVATIONS ABOUT TONGUES THROUGH THE YEARS

1. In the  years of Legacy’s existence we have had only four or five manifestations of the public tongue. Four were on target and were interpreted by the people who released it at the appropriate time. There was a great sense of order. On one occasion there was a release that was of the flesh. (How do you know? It is spiritually discerned and obvious.) That tongue was publicly corrected.

2. Can there be demonic tongues? Yes, I experienced this while in Russia that people would speak in an “unknown tongue” before they would accept Jesus into their life. You could sense the attempt to detour you from the prime purpose of receiving Jesus and your discernment was instantly piqued. Again, these things are spiritually appraised. It took Paul “many days” to discern the spirit of the girl who had a demon spirit in Acts 16:16. The enemy likes to counterfeit legitimate things to keep believers confused.

3. I believe people can be Baptized with the Holy Spirit and not speak in tongues. For me it is not THE evidence, but should be an anticipated aspect of the Spirit-filled life.

4. Tongues is not “irrational” speech, it is “transrational” speech. It does not violate the mind, but rather transcends the mind. It is the language of another realm. It is the language of the inner man.

5. I can pray in the spirit at will. I cannot give a public tongue at will. One is a choice on my part as God is moving in me. The other is a sovereign unction that comes as the Spirit wills it. Personally, I have never been used in giving a public tongue although I pray in the spirit regularly.

REFUTING COUNTER-ARGUMENTS

1. “We never read that Jesus spoke in tongues”. That is true. It is also true that we never read that Jesus ever went to the bathroom. Jesus never said the word “trinity”, “rapture”, or “original sin”; yet we embrace the thought that He was “for” these concepts. An argument from silence proves nothing.

2. I Corinthians 13: 8 states that “tongues have ceased”. That is true in reference to what is the “perfect” thing (v.10). Cessasionists believe that the “perfect” thing is the canonization of Scripture. Many, many people believe it to be the 2^nd coming of Christ.

3. Tongues are “known languages” as is demonstrated in the book of Acts. Not exactly. If you read carefully the Bible tells us that the disciples were ALL speaking in tongues (GLOSSALALEO) and they were thought of as “drunk”. The Bible also says the crowd was “confused”. Why? Slurred speech perhaps. Giddy? Interestingly, their tongues were not interpreted but we are told the crowd “heard” in their own language (DIALECTOS). They were perplexed and amazed in the crowd. (Have you ever been amazed at someone who speaks in your language? Probably not.) Something more was happening here. I believe they were speaking in spiritual language (unknown tongue) and the miracle was that they “heard” (or received revelation) from God Himself.

4. People can fake this. Yes they can. But the presence of a fake only reinforces the genuine article. You cannot “fake” what doesn’t exist. Furthermore, if a “fake” means to avoid something then we would have to avoid loving people because people “fake” love. People “fake” Christianity. There are “fake” preachers and teachers, yet that does not deter us from the real thing.

CONCLUSION

The bottom line on either point concerning public and private tongues is that Paul said (14:39) that we were not to forbid the speaking in tongues. There is an old aphorism that went something like this: Abuse and misuse does not equal disuse. People can criticize the Pentecostal / Charismatic movement for lots of good reasons (believe me, I have and do). However, this is not a movement issue, this is a Biblical issue. Current research indicates that there are over 537 MILLION Christians who testify about the personal use of tongues. I realize that numbers do not necessarily reflect truth, but that seems to be a significant number of people who adhere to this very ORTHODOX and historical doctrinal view.