Tongues and Interpretation
1 Corinthians 12:10 (Audio Only)
Message #8
We’re on week eight of the Holy Spirit series. We started with the “Baptism of The Holy Spirit.” Then, we dealt with “The Holy Spirit at Work in The World,” and we dealt with the Holy Spirit’s role in our lives, “The Manifold Grace of God.” We did “An Overview of The Gifts” of the Holy Spirit. This is our fourth week in the specifics of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Three weeks ago, we looked at "Knowledge And Wisdom." Then we addressed "Prophecy and Discerning of Spirit." Last week, we looked at the gifts of "Faith, Healing, and Miracles."
We finally get to the first thing that everyone always wants to talk about. Tongues. What about tongues?
1 Corinthians 12:4-11 (NKJV)
4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.
6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.
7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:
8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,
9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,
10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
The word tongues is GLOSSA in the Greek. It means, simply, “a language used by a particular people that is distinct from others.” The word different in your text in verse 10 is in italics. That means that translators added that word to try to convey what the context of the message was. But literally, it reads: to another languages, to another interpretation of languages.
And it’s very important that we understand when we say “tongues,” that word means “languages.” It is language just as we speak today. If you think about language for a second, all that language is a covenant between two people that certain sounds mean certain things. The only reason you can understand what I am saying is because there has been a covenant among us that when I say a word, you know what it means. And we call that “language.” That’s all that language is. It’s simply communicating between two people that understand those sounds.
We have many various languages within our English language. For example, men have their own various tongue. Their own various language. A man will say, “Hey.” That means, “How are you today?” A man will say, “What’s up?” That means, “What would you like to do this afternoon?” Often, this is the one that the wives can never understand; a man will say, “Huh.” Now, when a man says “huh,” another man knows exactly what he is talking about. But someone else may not know what “huh” means. Men have even brought language into the physical where we use violence to convey love. We hit each other, we poke each other, we slap each other on the back, and all that means something.
The other people that have their various tongue or language, are babies. Pam and I spent some time with the Gunn twins this week. There was a time when the twins were trying to share with my wife something. And it seemed like a hundred times, Pam would say “What?” and they would “speak.” All babies do this, and Pam would say, “I don’t know.” But as soon as Greg walks in the room, “Oh yeah, that means they want a cracker, they’re thirsty, and they need a nap.” Moms especially know this. Most of the time, when babies speak, we look to the mom or dad to see what the baby has said because they are the only ones that can understand them. And doesn’t a mother love that? Doesn’t a mother say, “Oh? I know what he’saying. I know what that means”? And it infers this intimate relationship between the mother and the child that no one else has.
A child says something that you and I can’t understand. And the mother receives that as a special intimacy of communication between her and her child. That’s all tongues is. Tongues is a covenant between you and God that when you pour your heart out, God understands. For us to say I know that God understands because we have a special covenant of communication, that is the miraculous gift of tongues. It is no more, and it is no less than a deep intimacy between you and your Creator in a covenant of communication that only you and he have.
The problem with tongues is that we are not three years old anymore. So, we have, now, a matured intellect. And our intellect often prevents us from saying things that we don’t understand. In general, we have this intellect that says, “I don’t know what that sound means. I am an articulate adult. I can articulate my thoughts. I don’t need to say something that I don’t understand.” But if you remember the baby, it doesn’t have that block of maturity. He knows that when he says, “Mmneonidmnah,” his mom knows exactly what he means. He’s getting a diaper change, a cookie, and some milk from saying that because he knows his mom knows what he meant. It’s the same with us.
Tongues is a supernatural language. It is a supernatural language that is an offense, an affront to our intellect. It flies contrary to everything in our mature nature. And that is its exact purpose. Through tongues, we can speak words of praise and adoration to God that go beyond our intellect. We can speak words of worship to God that go beyond our intellect. We can give thanks. We can, most importantly, pray beyond our own intellect.
So, turn to Acts Chapter 2, we will look at the famous tongues section.
Acts 2:1-11 (NKJV)
1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5 And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven.
6 And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language.
7 Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans?
8 And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born?
9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,
10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,
11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.”
We hear them speaking in a language that we understand, the wonderful works of God. In verse 6, we notice that everyone heard words in their own language. They heard them speaking in a real, natural earthly language. And in verse 9, it lists those languages, and there are plenty of them.
And so, the first thing we need to understand is that the first evidence of the gift of tongues was the speaking in known languages. We call that “languages of men.” So, if you could just imagine for a second, you miraculously starting to speak some other language. If you were to do that, everyone around you would be clueless. They wouldn’t know what you were talking about. They absolutely wouldn’t have a clue; it would be aimless rambling. But, if someone from the area that you were speaking in that tongue – that dialect and language – were to walk in the door, everyone else would still be confused, except that person would know exactly what you were saying. They would understand every single word.
So, it is not so much a miracle that we are able to speak in a language that we don’t know because there are who knows how many languages. I know there are well over three thousand. In fact, I think Gospel Recordings has placed the world’s languages above eight thousand. They have recorded the gospel message in almost four thousand. And so, if you were to speak one of them, everybody would think you were crazy except for the person who could understand the language. Real languages. That is exactly what tongues is. It is a language that somebody understands.
The languages of men can be languages that someone on earth could understand. There are testimonies in Living Water, although I have never personally seen this, of people speaking out in tongues and someone saying the dialect from the aristocratic French. Where did you learn that? “What are you talking about?” the person would say. “I thought that was a heavenly language.” It happens regularly.
So, tongues is often thought to be a known language. It is sometimes a known language; it was in Acts Chapter 2 a known language. And it might be a known language when you speak it; you just don’t know who knows it. But I know one Person who knows it, the one who gave it to you. He knows it for sure, and there may be someone else on this earth that knows it.
Chuck Smith talks about a word, just one word that he used to always speak until he realized that word (which was Kurios), and he was actually saying, “Lord” over and over again while he was praying in tongues. And he realized he was praying something that meant, Lord.
1 Corinthians 13:1 (NKJV)
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels,…
Now, this begins to get shocking because we come to understand that there are tongues of this earth, and there are tongues of heaven. Languages of angels. Languages of heaven.
1 Corinthians 14:2 (NKJV)
2 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.
And so, because of these verses and others, we say that tongues can either be a language of man – which some people call a “sign gift” or “manifestation gift” if you’re speaking a language known on this earth – or it can be a language of heaven – angelic language which is often called a “prayer language” – when that language is only known by God himself. Either way, our communication with God is a communication that he understands. And that is all tongues is. It’s a communication that God understands. It’s not something you can learn; it’s not something you can study; it’s something that you receive. A real language – either a real earthly language or a real heavenly language, but it is a real language.
And if you speak in tongues or if you begin to speak in tongues, you will find that you repeat the same words, often, over and over. And that may be very well because it’s in a language from earth. It may also be that it’s a heavenly language.
The important thing to understand is that when we speak in tongues, our spirit is speaking to God’s Spirit. Look at verse 4 of 1 Corinthians 14. This is a foundational statement about the gift of tongues, probably the most important statement you could hear.
1 Corinthians 14:4 (NKJV)
4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself,…
Tongues is the only gift for personal edification. Everything else in the giftings of the Holy Spirit is for the edifying of the Body. Even tongues, when interpretation is added, is for the edifying of the Body. But a prayer language, this intimate communion with God, like a three-year-old asking for a nap and a cookie, God hears you, and God understands. It’s the only gift given to strengthen us. It’s a personal strengthening gift.
Jude 20 (NKJV)
20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,
That is where we get this “praying in the Spirit,” that and other places. Also, Romans 8, where we talk about praying in the Spirit using tongues to pray.
In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul is comparing prophecy and tongues. And throughout this chapter, Paul is very clearly saying that tongues without interpretation has no place in a public service. Why? Because nobody can understand you. Only when there is interpretation does Paul give tongues the same level of importance in a public gathering as prophecy. But that doesn’t make it a bad gift. Look at verse 5.
1 Corinthians 14:5 (NKJV)
5 I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied (what Paul really wants is for you to speak the Word of God, but he would also like us to all speak with tongues); for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.
Very difficult thing for Paul to use this word greater but all he is doing is putting priority on prophecy, on speaking the Word of God. It does not diminish or remove the importance of the gift of tongues.
From verses 6-11, Paul explains why speaking in tongues in a public gathering is inappropriate. And then, in verse 12, he summarizes that.
1 Corinthians 14:12 (NKJV)
12 Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel.
The primary purpose of the spiritual gifts is the edification, the building up, the shoring up of the Body.
1 Corinthians 14:13 (NKJV)
13 Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret.
Again, he’s in the communal regulations of tongues when we are together corporately.
1 Corinthians 14:14 (NKJV)
14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays…,
That’s a good thing. Often, and I mean a lot, more than most, our intellect, our nature, our sin nature, our flesh, the world, everything else affects how we address God. When we’re mad, we pray for vengeance. We just pray based on how we feel or what’s going on around us. But our spirit prays in alignment with God’s Spirit – we’re going to see that in just a second.
1 Corinthians 14:14-19 (NKJV)
14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit pray, but my understanding is unfruitful.
15 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.
16 Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say “Amen” (I agree) at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say?
17 For you indeed give thanks well (referring to giving thanks in the Spirit – the whole context is about tongues), but the other is not edified (because they don’t understand you).
18 I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all;
19 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.
And we say amen to that, which is why we teach the Word of God.
But Paul is saying that he is very thankful for the gift of tongues, but it is much better in a church setting to speak in a known language. And so, that is why at the end of Chapter 14, in verse 39, he ends with this.
1 Corinthians 14:39-40 (NKJV)
39Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy (speak forth the Word of God), and do not forbid to speak with tongues.
40 Let all things be done decently and in order.
So, tongues is a miraculous gift of communication that is not generally for public church services unless there is an interpretation added to it.
So, this is the only gift that is not clearly used in the Old Testament. There is a text in Isaiah that I almost pulled out that talks about murmuring as the dove’s murmur, but it was a little bit of a stretch, so I left it out. But we do know this; in Isaiah 28, verse 11, it says this.
Isaiah 28:11 (NKJV)
11 For with stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people,
How do we know that is a prophecy about tongues in the Old Testament? Because Paul uses it right here in 1 Corinthians 14, verse 21. Paul uses that same prophecy in verse 21 to explain what the gift of tongues is. Look at 1 Corinthians 14:21 (NKJV) while I read Isaiah 28, verse 11.
Isaiah 28:11 (NKJV)
11 For with stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people,
That same context is Paul’s explanation in verse 21 of 1 Corinthians 14.
So, we move to the New Testament. Jesus said that tongues would be a sign of believers in Mark 16, verse 17. Jesus Christ never spoke in an unknown tongue. Here’s a trick question: Is it possible for Jesus Christ to speak in an unknown tongue? It’s called omniscience. There is no way that Jesus Christ could speak in an unknown tongue because there is no tongue that would be unknown to Jesus Christ. So, Jesus never spoke in tongues, and some people point to that for the reason that we shouldn’t.
There are five references to the Baptism of the Holy Spirit in Acts. Three of those five references include the speaking in tongues, and two do not mention tongues. So, I’m not giving you odds; I’m just telling you that it is not consistent that every time someone is baptized in the Holy Spirit, they speak with tongues. We (and this is a Calvary Chapel distinctive – as long as we’re not using the word “denomination” we try not to use the word “doctrine”) – this is a Calvary Chapel distinctive. We do not believe that you must speak in tongues as an evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. But I personally encourage you to receive that gift. We do not believe it is required as an evidence of the baptism.
The purpose of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is not to receive the gift of tongues. The purpose of the baptism is to receive power – DUNAMIS, dynamite, dynamic power – to live the Christian life. Tongues is a very small part of that. The evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is not speaking in tongues; the evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is rivers of Living Water, torrents of Living Water gushing forth from you. It is supernatural living that is the evidence of supernatural presence in your life.
The best question to ask about tongues is, how can I use it? What good is it? Let me give you a few things that the scripture gives us.
1). It strengthens your prayer life
Praying in the spirit strengthens your prayer life. Why? Because praying unhindered by your intellect allows your spirit to commune with God. It allows your spirit to be aligned with God’s Spirit aside from your own thoughts, aside from your pre-conceived notions, aside from the filters that we put between God and us. You’re not thinking of words; you’re just pouring your heart out. So, in the spirit, we have the confidence that we are praying God’s will.
Romans 8:26 (NKJV)
26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Now, let me just tell you theological Bereans, right now, that is probably the Holy Spirit groaning, not you groaning. If you put Greek syntax to that verse, the word that’s used for groaning is attached to the Holy Spirit, not to you. So, it is not a good verse that groaning is speaking in tongues. It’s the Holy Spirit groaning. Does that change the importance of the text of the verse? No, it doesn’t. The Holy Spirit is still interceding for us with his own groanings that cannot be uttered.
Romans 8:27 (NKJV)
27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
So, why would we not want the Holy Spirit praying on our behalf? Why would we not want the Holy Spirit leading our prayers? If there were a way for us to set aside all of our pre-conceived and generally selfish ideas and allow God’s will to be prayed through our lives, it would be the greatest thing in the world because we don’t know what’s right. What we think is right is what we see and what we hear. Our circumstances affect what we think is right, but God is not affected by what we see. God knows. He knows. And if we can connect our spirit to God’s Spirit so that we’re not praying based on our circumstances but based on God’s will, it would be a wonderful gift. That’s what praying in the spirit does.
1 Corinthians 14 attaches this praying in the spirit to the gift of tongues.
1 Corinthians 14:14 (NKJV)
14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays…,
Well, what a great thing, because your spirit is the Holy Spirit. If you believe in Christ, then he is in you. You are the Temple of the Holy Spirit. And so, you allow the Holy Spirit to pray God’s will in you. He aligns your spirit with his; praising God in the spirit is a wonderful thing because we praise him for who he is and what the Spirit leads us to praise him for.
1 Corinthians 14:15 (NKJV)
15 … I will sing with the spirit…,
2). Praying in tongues brings the peace of God
We see that in Romans 8, verse 26. If you will re-read Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV), and think about what does it mean, the peace that passes understanding? What does it mean to have joy unspeakable? These things come when you set aside your own thoughts on things, when you set aside your own perception, your own discernment (if you will), fleshly discernment. And just pray, allow your spirit to be connected to God’s Spirit, and you get peace that passes understanding. If we apply our own logic and our own understanding, we get frustration, anger, bitterness, resentment, and those other fruits of the flesh.
3). Tongues edifies
Again, I read this verse already.
1 Corinthians 14:4 (NKJV)
4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself…,
Guys, we are dealing with a realm beyond our nature. We are dealing in tongues with a realm that we cannot truly understand, and that’s why God gives us this ability to set our nature aside for a deeper and more intimate relationship with him.
I believe, as Pastor Chuck does – he believed it first, then I agreed with him – that most of the time that people who oppose tongues is because it’s an affront, and offense to their intellect and it’s an issue of pride that says I don’t want anything to do with that. We’ve got to be very careful.
1 Corinthians 13:1 (NKJV)
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
We see that a lot in churches who do use this gift a lot. If you speak with tongues – be happy. Just be grateful that you can commune with God. But don’t push it on someone who doesn’t, and never say someone must speak in tongues as an evidence of the Holy Spirit – that is a legalistic thing to say.
If you do not speak with tongues, don’t despise those who do. And don’t ridicule them, just understand that it is a great blessing for those who have received it – having it doesn’t make you better; not having it doesn’t make you better. That’s not the issue. Tongues isn’t the issue. The issue is love – supernatural love issuing forth from your life. And it’s a communion with God. The proof of the Spirit is the fruit of the Spirit; you can find that in Galatians 5:22.
Let’s move to interpretation. Again, back in 1 Corinthians 14 verse 5, it says that tongues is worthless unless he interprets. The word “interpretation” there is “hermanea.” It’s where we get our word “hermeneutics,” which is the science of scripture interpretation. Same thing; it’s interpreting words. Interpretation is not translation.
Old Testament reference is in Daniel 5:25 we see the gift of interpretation. God writes four words on the wall; Daniel interprets them. He tells the King what the words mean. There are no examples of tongues and interpretation in the New Testament. Why? Because the Church at large is spoken to generally by prophecy. The gift of prophecy is given to the Church at large. God never addressed the Church through tongues and interpretation.
Tongues is always magnifying the works of God. It is always a God-centered and God-focused response. And so, and interpretation of tongues is always a God-centered or God-focused response. If you hear tongues, and then you hear an interpretation that says something to us, it’s a prophecy. It’s not tongues. It’s not tongues and interpretation because tongues are always Biblically for giving praise and thanksgiving to God.
If you are given the gift of interpretation, you will understand what a person is saying in tongues. They’ll be speaking, and you’ll be getting words, just like when I say, white elephant, you know what I mean. It just comes into your mind. You will receive that; it’s supernaturally.
I want to close by speaking about how you can receive the gift of tongues. Anyone who is born again and baptized in the Holy Spirit, we believe (it is our distinctive) that anybody who is born again and baptized in the Holy Spirit has the ability – God’s side ability – to speak in tongues. Will everybody? No. Can they? We believe, yes. We believe it is the gift that is given to everybody because of a number of scriptures – Acts 2, Acts 10, and in 1 Corinthians also – that it’s the only gift that’s given to build us up.
So, why don’t we all speak with tongues? I don’t know. And I don’t need to know. I do know that it has a lot to do with our free will. I do know that, that God gives you the ability on his side, but it doesn’t mean you participate or experience it on your side.
1 Corinthians 14:15 (NKJV)
15 … I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding…
In essence, I believe Paul is saying, “choose.” Just go ahead and choose. If you want to pray with the understanding, that’s fine. But, if you want to set your own logic and intellect aside and pray with the Spirit, then go ahead.
So, it is the one gift we believe you can exercise at your control. That doesn’t mean the other gifts are beyond your control; they are always subject to your control. But, the gift of speaking in tongues is one that we believe is exercised at your will after you are born again and baptized in the Holy Spirit.
How does it happen? It’s really not that difficult. We do not believe in all of the coaching and things that some people do to try to get people to speak in tongues. But instead, we believe that you believe, that you are born again, and that in faith, you come to God asking for the best gifts. Now, if you desire to commune with God on the deepest, and most intimate level, setting aside what you think and how you feel about things, if you desire to pray purely God’s will, if you desire to be able to communicate with God outside of your own boundaries (which is what we have because what we see causes us to form boundaries in our lives), then you come to God in faith.
You say, “God, I desire to communicate outside the boundaries of my intellect. Please give me the gift of tongues.” And often, in the Bible, in fact – pretty much every time – there is a hands being laid on (except for Acts 2), there’s a laying on of hands. And so, we follow that also. It doesn’t have to be anything other than a believing and a receiving. You ask for it, believe that God has given it to you, but then here comes the hard part, you act. You step out. When God gives you a word of wisdom, it’s an application word, and so God says, “Say this.” Or a word of prophecy. And there’s always this time where you have to decide, “Is that me or God? Is that me or God?” And as soon as you say, “Okay God, I believe that’s you,” and you step out under that thin air, then he works.
And so, it is believing, asking and receiving, and then stepping out in faith. It’s a very, very simple process. The laying on of hands is effective for the receiving of the gift of tongues.
Step out in faith.
We finally get to the first thing that everyone always wants to talk about. Tongues. What about tongues?
1 Corinthians 12:4-11 (NKJV)
4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.
6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.
7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all:
8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,
9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit,
10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
The word tongues is GLOSSA in the Greek. It means, simply, “a language used by a particular people that is distinct from others.” The word different in your text in verse 10 is in italics. That means that translators added that word to try to convey what the context of the message was. But literally, it reads: to another languages, to another interpretation of languages.
And it’s very important that we understand when we say “tongues,” that word means “languages.” It is language just as we speak today. If you think about language for a second, all that language is a covenant between two people that certain sounds mean certain things. The only reason you can understand what I am saying is because there has been a covenant among us that when I say a word, you know what it means. And we call that “language.” That’s all that language is. It’s simply communicating between two people that understand those sounds.
We have many various languages within our English language. For example, men have their own various tongue. Their own various language. A man will say, “Hey.” That means, “How are you today?” A man will say, “What’s up?” That means, “What would you like to do this afternoon?” Often, this is the one that the wives can never understand; a man will say, “Huh.” Now, when a man says “huh,” another man knows exactly what he is talking about. But someone else may not know what “huh” means. Men have even brought language into the physical where we use violence to convey love. We hit each other, we poke each other, we slap each other on the back, and all that means something.
The other people that have their various tongue or language, are babies. Pam and I spent some time with the Gunn twins this week. There was a time when the twins were trying to share with my wife something. And it seemed like a hundred times, Pam would say “What?” and they would “speak.” All babies do this, and Pam would say, “I don’t know.” But as soon as Greg walks in the room, “Oh yeah, that means they want a cracker, they’re thirsty, and they need a nap.” Moms especially know this. Most of the time, when babies speak, we look to the mom or dad to see what the baby has said because they are the only ones that can understand them. And doesn’t a mother love that? Doesn’t a mother say, “Oh? I know what he’saying. I know what that means”? And it infers this intimate relationship between the mother and the child that no one else has.
A child says something that you and I can’t understand. And the mother receives that as a special intimacy of communication between her and her child. That’s all tongues is. Tongues is a covenant between you and God that when you pour your heart out, God understands. For us to say I know that God understands because we have a special covenant of communication, that is the miraculous gift of tongues. It is no more, and it is no less than a deep intimacy between you and your Creator in a covenant of communication that only you and he have.
The problem with tongues is that we are not three years old anymore. So, we have, now, a matured intellect. And our intellect often prevents us from saying things that we don’t understand. In general, we have this intellect that says, “I don’t know what that sound means. I am an articulate adult. I can articulate my thoughts. I don’t need to say something that I don’t understand.” But if you remember the baby, it doesn’t have that block of maturity. He knows that when he says, “Mmneonidmnah,” his mom knows exactly what he means. He’s getting a diaper change, a cookie, and some milk from saying that because he knows his mom knows what he meant. It’s the same with us.
Tongues is a supernatural language. It is a supernatural language that is an offense, an affront to our intellect. It flies contrary to everything in our mature nature. And that is its exact purpose. Through tongues, we can speak words of praise and adoration to God that go beyond our intellect. We can speak words of worship to God that go beyond our intellect. We can give thanks. We can, most importantly, pray beyond our own intellect.
So, turn to Acts Chapter 2, we will look at the famous tongues section.
Acts 2:1-11 (NKJV)
1 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.
3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5 And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven.
6 And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language.
7 Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans?
8 And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born?
9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,
10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes,
11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.”
We hear them speaking in a language that we understand, the wonderful works of God. In verse 6, we notice that everyone heard words in their own language. They heard them speaking in a real, natural earthly language. And in verse 9, it lists those languages, and there are plenty of them.
And so, the first thing we need to understand is that the first evidence of the gift of tongues was the speaking in known languages. We call that “languages of men.” So, if you could just imagine for a second, you miraculously starting to speak some other language. If you were to do that, everyone around you would be clueless. They wouldn’t know what you were talking about. They absolutely wouldn’t have a clue; it would be aimless rambling. But, if someone from the area that you were speaking in that tongue – that dialect and language – were to walk in the door, everyone else would still be confused, except that person would know exactly what you were saying. They would understand every single word.
So, it is not so much a miracle that we are able to speak in a language that we don’t know because there are who knows how many languages. I know there are well over three thousand. In fact, I think Gospel Recordings has placed the world’s languages above eight thousand. They have recorded the gospel message in almost four thousand. And so, if you were to speak one of them, everybody would think you were crazy except for the person who could understand the language. Real languages. That is exactly what tongues is. It is a language that somebody understands.
The languages of men can be languages that someone on earth could understand. There are testimonies in Living Water, although I have never personally seen this, of people speaking out in tongues and someone saying the dialect from the aristocratic French. Where did you learn that? “What are you talking about?” the person would say. “I thought that was a heavenly language.” It happens regularly.
So, tongues is often thought to be a known language. It is sometimes a known language; it was in Acts Chapter 2 a known language. And it might be a known language when you speak it; you just don’t know who knows it. But I know one Person who knows it, the one who gave it to you. He knows it for sure, and there may be someone else on this earth that knows it.
Chuck Smith talks about a word, just one word that he used to always speak until he realized that word (which was Kurios), and he was actually saying, “Lord” over and over again while he was praying in tongues. And he realized he was praying something that meant, Lord.
1 Corinthians 13:1 (NKJV)
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels,…
Now, this begins to get shocking because we come to understand that there are tongues of this earth, and there are tongues of heaven. Languages of angels. Languages of heaven.
1 Corinthians 14:2 (NKJV)
2 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.
And so, because of these verses and others, we say that tongues can either be a language of man – which some people call a “sign gift” or “manifestation gift” if you’re speaking a language known on this earth – or it can be a language of heaven – angelic language which is often called a “prayer language” – when that language is only known by God himself. Either way, our communication with God is a communication that he understands. And that is all tongues is. It’s a communication that God understands. It’s not something you can learn; it’s not something you can study; it’s something that you receive. A real language – either a real earthly language or a real heavenly language, but it is a real language.
And if you speak in tongues or if you begin to speak in tongues, you will find that you repeat the same words, often, over and over. And that may be very well because it’s in a language from earth. It may also be that it’s a heavenly language.
The important thing to understand is that when we speak in tongues, our spirit is speaking to God’s Spirit. Look at verse 4 of 1 Corinthians 14. This is a foundational statement about the gift of tongues, probably the most important statement you could hear.
1 Corinthians 14:4 (NKJV)
4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself,…
Tongues is the only gift for personal edification. Everything else in the giftings of the Holy Spirit is for the edifying of the Body. Even tongues, when interpretation is added, is for the edifying of the Body. But a prayer language, this intimate communion with God, like a three-year-old asking for a nap and a cookie, God hears you, and God understands. It’s the only gift given to strengthen us. It’s a personal strengthening gift.
Jude 20 (NKJV)
20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,
That is where we get this “praying in the Spirit,” that and other places. Also, Romans 8, where we talk about praying in the Spirit using tongues to pray.
In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul is comparing prophecy and tongues. And throughout this chapter, Paul is very clearly saying that tongues without interpretation has no place in a public service. Why? Because nobody can understand you. Only when there is interpretation does Paul give tongues the same level of importance in a public gathering as prophecy. But that doesn’t make it a bad gift. Look at verse 5.
1 Corinthians 14:5 (NKJV)
5 I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied (what Paul really wants is for you to speak the Word of God, but he would also like us to all speak with tongues); for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.
Very difficult thing for Paul to use this word greater but all he is doing is putting priority on prophecy, on speaking the Word of God. It does not diminish or remove the importance of the gift of tongues.
From verses 6-11, Paul explains why speaking in tongues in a public gathering is inappropriate. And then, in verse 12, he summarizes that.
1 Corinthians 14:12 (NKJV)
12 Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel.
The primary purpose of the spiritual gifts is the edification, the building up, the shoring up of the Body.
1 Corinthians 14:13 (NKJV)
13 Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret.
Again, he’s in the communal regulations of tongues when we are together corporately.
1 Corinthians 14:14 (NKJV)
14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays…,
That’s a good thing. Often, and I mean a lot, more than most, our intellect, our nature, our sin nature, our flesh, the world, everything else affects how we address God. When we’re mad, we pray for vengeance. We just pray based on how we feel or what’s going on around us. But our spirit prays in alignment with God’s Spirit – we’re going to see that in just a second.
1 Corinthians 14:14-19 (NKJV)
14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit pray, but my understanding is unfruitful.
15 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.
16 Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say “Amen” (I agree) at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say?
17 For you indeed give thanks well (referring to giving thanks in the Spirit – the whole context is about tongues), but the other is not edified (because they don’t understand you).
18 I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all;
19 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.
And we say amen to that, which is why we teach the Word of God.
But Paul is saying that he is very thankful for the gift of tongues, but it is much better in a church setting to speak in a known language. And so, that is why at the end of Chapter 14, in verse 39, he ends with this.
1 Corinthians 14:39-40 (NKJV)
39Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy (speak forth the Word of God), and do not forbid to speak with tongues.
40 Let all things be done decently and in order.
So, tongues is a miraculous gift of communication that is not generally for public church services unless there is an interpretation added to it.
So, this is the only gift that is not clearly used in the Old Testament. There is a text in Isaiah that I almost pulled out that talks about murmuring as the dove’s murmur, but it was a little bit of a stretch, so I left it out. But we do know this; in Isaiah 28, verse 11, it says this.
Isaiah 28:11 (NKJV)
11 For with stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people,
How do we know that is a prophecy about tongues in the Old Testament? Because Paul uses it right here in 1 Corinthians 14, verse 21. Paul uses that same prophecy in verse 21 to explain what the gift of tongues is. Look at 1 Corinthians 14:21 (NKJV) while I read Isaiah 28, verse 11.
Isaiah 28:11 (NKJV)
11 For with stammering lips and another tongue He will speak to this people,
That same context is Paul’s explanation in verse 21 of 1 Corinthians 14.
So, we move to the New Testament. Jesus said that tongues would be a sign of believers in Mark 16, verse 17. Jesus Christ never spoke in an unknown tongue. Here’s a trick question: Is it possible for Jesus Christ to speak in an unknown tongue? It’s called omniscience. There is no way that Jesus Christ could speak in an unknown tongue because there is no tongue that would be unknown to Jesus Christ. So, Jesus never spoke in tongues, and some people point to that for the reason that we shouldn’t.
There are five references to the Baptism of the Holy Spirit in Acts. Three of those five references include the speaking in tongues, and two do not mention tongues. So, I’m not giving you odds; I’m just telling you that it is not consistent that every time someone is baptized in the Holy Spirit, they speak with tongues. We (and this is a Calvary Chapel distinctive – as long as we’re not using the word “denomination” we try not to use the word “doctrine”) – this is a Calvary Chapel distinctive. We do not believe that you must speak in tongues as an evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. But I personally encourage you to receive that gift. We do not believe it is required as an evidence of the baptism.
The purpose of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is not to receive the gift of tongues. The purpose of the baptism is to receive power – DUNAMIS, dynamite, dynamic power – to live the Christian life. Tongues is a very small part of that. The evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is not speaking in tongues; the evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is rivers of Living Water, torrents of Living Water gushing forth from you. It is supernatural living that is the evidence of supernatural presence in your life.
The best question to ask about tongues is, how can I use it? What good is it? Let me give you a few things that the scripture gives us.
1). It strengthens your prayer life
Praying in the spirit strengthens your prayer life. Why? Because praying unhindered by your intellect allows your spirit to commune with God. It allows your spirit to be aligned with God’s Spirit aside from your own thoughts, aside from your pre-conceived notions, aside from the filters that we put between God and us. You’re not thinking of words; you’re just pouring your heart out. So, in the spirit, we have the confidence that we are praying God’s will.
Romans 8:26 (NKJV)
26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
Now, let me just tell you theological Bereans, right now, that is probably the Holy Spirit groaning, not you groaning. If you put Greek syntax to that verse, the word that’s used for groaning is attached to the Holy Spirit, not to you. So, it is not a good verse that groaning is speaking in tongues. It’s the Holy Spirit groaning. Does that change the importance of the text of the verse? No, it doesn’t. The Holy Spirit is still interceding for us with his own groanings that cannot be uttered.
Romans 8:27 (NKJV)
27 Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
So, why would we not want the Holy Spirit praying on our behalf? Why would we not want the Holy Spirit leading our prayers? If there were a way for us to set aside all of our pre-conceived and generally selfish ideas and allow God’s will to be prayed through our lives, it would be the greatest thing in the world because we don’t know what’s right. What we think is right is what we see and what we hear. Our circumstances affect what we think is right, but God is not affected by what we see. God knows. He knows. And if we can connect our spirit to God’s Spirit so that we’re not praying based on our circumstances but based on God’s will, it would be a wonderful gift. That’s what praying in the spirit does.
1 Corinthians 14 attaches this praying in the spirit to the gift of tongues.
1 Corinthians 14:14 (NKJV)
14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays…,
Well, what a great thing, because your spirit is the Holy Spirit. If you believe in Christ, then he is in you. You are the Temple of the Holy Spirit. And so, you allow the Holy Spirit to pray God’s will in you. He aligns your spirit with his; praising God in the spirit is a wonderful thing because we praise him for who he is and what the Spirit leads us to praise him for.
1 Corinthians 14:15 (NKJV)
15 … I will sing with the spirit…,
2). Praying in tongues brings the peace of God
We see that in Romans 8, verse 26. If you will re-read Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV), and think about what does it mean, the peace that passes understanding? What does it mean to have joy unspeakable? These things come when you set aside your own thoughts on things, when you set aside your own perception, your own discernment (if you will), fleshly discernment. And just pray, allow your spirit to be connected to God’s Spirit, and you get peace that passes understanding. If we apply our own logic and our own understanding, we get frustration, anger, bitterness, resentment, and those other fruits of the flesh.
3). Tongues edifies
Again, I read this verse already.
1 Corinthians 14:4 (NKJV)
4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself…,
Guys, we are dealing with a realm beyond our nature. We are dealing in tongues with a realm that we cannot truly understand, and that’s why God gives us this ability to set our nature aside for a deeper and more intimate relationship with him.
I believe, as Pastor Chuck does – he believed it first, then I agreed with him – that most of the time that people who oppose tongues is because it’s an affront, and offense to their intellect and it’s an issue of pride that says I don’t want anything to do with that. We’ve got to be very careful.
1 Corinthians 13:1 (NKJV)
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
We see that a lot in churches who do use this gift a lot. If you speak with tongues – be happy. Just be grateful that you can commune with God. But don’t push it on someone who doesn’t, and never say someone must speak in tongues as an evidence of the Holy Spirit – that is a legalistic thing to say.
If you do not speak with tongues, don’t despise those who do. And don’t ridicule them, just understand that it is a great blessing for those who have received it – having it doesn’t make you better; not having it doesn’t make you better. That’s not the issue. Tongues isn’t the issue. The issue is love – supernatural love issuing forth from your life. And it’s a communion with God. The proof of the Spirit is the fruit of the Spirit; you can find that in Galatians 5:22.
Let’s move to interpretation. Again, back in 1 Corinthians 14 verse 5, it says that tongues is worthless unless he interprets. The word “interpretation” there is “hermanea.” It’s where we get our word “hermeneutics,” which is the science of scripture interpretation. Same thing; it’s interpreting words. Interpretation is not translation.
Old Testament reference is in Daniel 5:25 we see the gift of interpretation. God writes four words on the wall; Daniel interprets them. He tells the King what the words mean. There are no examples of tongues and interpretation in the New Testament. Why? Because the Church at large is spoken to generally by prophecy. The gift of prophecy is given to the Church at large. God never addressed the Church through tongues and interpretation.
Tongues is always magnifying the works of God. It is always a God-centered and God-focused response. And so, and interpretation of tongues is always a God-centered or God-focused response. If you hear tongues, and then you hear an interpretation that says something to us, it’s a prophecy. It’s not tongues. It’s not tongues and interpretation because tongues are always Biblically for giving praise and thanksgiving to God.
If you are given the gift of interpretation, you will understand what a person is saying in tongues. They’ll be speaking, and you’ll be getting words, just like when I say, white elephant, you know what I mean. It just comes into your mind. You will receive that; it’s supernaturally.
I want to close by speaking about how you can receive the gift of tongues. Anyone who is born again and baptized in the Holy Spirit, we believe (it is our distinctive) that anybody who is born again and baptized in the Holy Spirit has the ability – God’s side ability – to speak in tongues. Will everybody? No. Can they? We believe, yes. We believe it is the gift that is given to everybody because of a number of scriptures – Acts 2, Acts 10, and in 1 Corinthians also – that it’s the only gift that’s given to build us up.
So, why don’t we all speak with tongues? I don’t know. And I don’t need to know. I do know that it has a lot to do with our free will. I do know that, that God gives you the ability on his side, but it doesn’t mean you participate or experience it on your side.
1 Corinthians 14:15 (NKJV)
15 … I will pray with the spirit, and I will also pray with the understanding…
In essence, I believe Paul is saying, “choose.” Just go ahead and choose. If you want to pray with the understanding, that’s fine. But, if you want to set your own logic and intellect aside and pray with the Spirit, then go ahead.
So, it is the one gift we believe you can exercise at your control. That doesn’t mean the other gifts are beyond your control; they are always subject to your control. But, the gift of speaking in tongues is one that we believe is exercised at your will after you are born again and baptized in the Holy Spirit.
How does it happen? It’s really not that difficult. We do not believe in all of the coaching and things that some people do to try to get people to speak in tongues. But instead, we believe that you believe, that you are born again, and that in faith, you come to God asking for the best gifts. Now, if you desire to commune with God on the deepest, and most intimate level, setting aside what you think and how you feel about things, if you desire to pray purely God’s will, if you desire to be able to communicate with God outside of your own boundaries (which is what we have because what we see causes us to form boundaries in our lives), then you come to God in faith.
You say, “God, I desire to communicate outside the boundaries of my intellect. Please give me the gift of tongues.” And often, in the Bible, in fact – pretty much every time – there is a hands being laid on (except for Acts 2), there’s a laying on of hands. And so, we follow that also. It doesn’t have to be anything other than a believing and a receiving. You ask for it, believe that God has given it to you, but then here comes the hard part, you act. You step out. When God gives you a word of wisdom, it’s an application word, and so God says, “Say this.” Or a word of prophecy. And there’s always this time where you have to decide, “Is that me or God? Is that me or God?” And as soon as you say, “Okay God, I believe that’s you,” and you step out under that thin air, then he works.
And so, it is believing, asking and receiving, and then stepping out in faith. It’s a very, very simple process. The laying on of hands is effective for the receiving of the gift of tongues.
Step out in faith.