1 Corinthians 12:10b

The Gifts of the Holy Spirit ~ part 5

Would you open your Bibles to...

1Co. 12:4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

Pray

Intro

√ Did you do your homework?

Did you…

Identify the gifts in the Biblical examples?

Discern between discernment and the discerning of Spirits?

Figure out which of the spiritual gifts Jesus is not recorded as manifesting?

Share which gift you would like to have and why?

Great stuff! Continue to pray for our fellowship that God would do a fresh work of His Spirit here for the purpose of making us a more effective tool for His work.

√ The gifts of the Spirit ~ part 5

This morning we’ll look at the last two gifts mentioned by Paul in our text…

Tongues

Interpretation of tongues

What fun!

Tongues (vs. 10d)

1Co. 12:10d …to another different kinds of tongues…

√ The gift of tongues

This one gift, though not one of the greater gifts, has caused more concern, more division, and has been misunderstood by more people than any other gift.

Talk about any of the other gifts without any problems, but mention tongues and people get hostile!

Let’s get a Biblical basis for our understanding of this gift…

What it is (and isn’t)

Who has it (and who doesn’t)?

How it is used (and how it shouldn’t be)

So that we can deal with it the way God intended and no longer be estranged from the gift or its use.

√ Definition of the gift

Tongues are the God-given ability to speak in a language never before learned by the one using it.

The language can be one that is known, such as Spanish, English, Arabic, or…

…it could be an unknown language.

Ex. Papa New Guinea has 750 tribal dialects!

Further more the language could be human or angelic.

1Co 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

√ The purpose of the gift

There are a number of purposes for the gift of tongues mentioned in Scripture

1. Sign

The gift of tongues can be a sign that God is present, or moving, in and upon a people.

Sign to unbelievers…

I Co. 14:21 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.

I Co. 14:22 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.

Ex. The day of Pentecost ~ Acts 2:1-13

Note the response of the unbelievers…

Drawn to the noise

Sign to the unbelievers

“Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born?” ~ Acts 2:7-8

Opportunity to share the Gospel

Sign to believers…

We find another example where tongues are a sign to believers!

Acts 10:44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word.

Acts 10:45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.

Acts 10:46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered,

Acts 10:47 “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?”

Acts 10:48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.

Peter and the believers with him recognized that the Gentiles could be saved by the sign of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit evidenced by the gift of tongues.

2) Means of prayer

Paul explains later in his letter to the Corinthians that tongues can be used by the believer to pray with the Spirit in times when he/she may not know how to pray for a situation…

I Co. 14:2 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, Paul elaborates…

I Co. 14:14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.

I Co. 14:15 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.

This is probably the most frequent use of the gift by believers, as a means to pray when you don’t know how to pray.

Ex. A person caught up in sin

I pray for deliverance from the sin, but sometimes I don’t know if they should be delivered from the consequence of their sin…

…leave that in God’s hands.

3) Channel for the Holy Spirit

God will lead a person to speak in tongues aloud in a gathering of believers with interpretation as a means of bringing a message to Christians.

I Co. 14:5 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.

So, when tongues are interpreted it becomes a means by which the church is blessed by the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

√ The use of the gift

The Bible gives very specific directions for the proper use of the gift of Tongues in 1 Cor. 14…

…for the sake of brevity we won’t read the entire chapter but I’d suggest that you do in your free time, plus we’ll cover it in-depth later in our study of this book.

I Co. 14:23 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?

And…

I Co. 14:26 How is it then, brethren? Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.

I Co. 14:27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret.

I Co. 14:28 But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God.

Note that Paul is very clear on the use of tongues in a public assembly – note that

Primarily for times when only believers are present, a small group meeting, or time of prayer.

Only 2 or 3, each in turn may speak.

Only if there is someone present who can interpret.

Before we move on let me address vs. 22 & 23 as these two verses have caused Bible students and commentators endless confusion, as they seem to contradict one another…

1Cor. 14:22 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.

1 Cor. 14:23 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?

So which is it! A sign to believers or unbelievers!

I think the solution to what seems contradictory is to look at the context in which the gift of tongues is used.

That is, in vs. 22 the example is tongues as a sign to unbelievers when they understand what is being spoken…

As in the example of Pentecost.

However, in vs. 23 tongues is not a sign to unbelievers when they don’t understand what is being spoken…

As in a church meeting where tongues are being spoken, but without interpretation, and in a language not understood by the unbeliever…

…then the unbeliever is going to think you’re all nuts because it sounds like gibberish to them.

So, tongues is a gift that must be used with caution and discernment and the leading of the Holy Spirit because when it is not interpreted it is no benefit to either the Church, or unbelievers.

√ Brings up a good point ~ how is a tongue interpreted?

Two ways!

1) Human understanding

As in our example in Acts 2 where those people gathered in Jerusalem heard the apostles speaking in their own native tongue.

This is an example of tongues used as sign to unbelievers.

The Apostles didn’t know what they were saying, but those who heard did.

2) God given ability

To interpret what the hearer would otherwise have no way of understanding. This would primarily be the method used in a believers meeting.

This is an example of tongues used as a channel through which God ministers to believers.

In both cases the interpretation will be God-directed.

I Co. 14:2 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.

I Co. 14:3 But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men.

And…

Acts 2:11b “…we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God."

Basically when the gift of tongues is interpreted it will sound like a Psalm…

…the direction of communication is from Man to God.

Contrasted to prophecy where the direction of communication is from God to Man.

Ap. The use of tongues

For those of us out of a Pentecostal background we see immediately that most of what goes on in that environment is not based on Biblical instruction.

Which is probably why most of those from a non-Pentecostal background want nothing to do with the kind of manifestation they see in Pentecostal circles.

So what should we do?

Use every gift that God has given, including tongues, but make sure we use them per the Biblical instructions so that the Church is edified.

√ Does every Christian receive the gift of tongues?

Important question because there are some in the Body of Christ who say that the gift of tongues is the sole evidence that you are baptized in the Holy Spirit.

While some go as far as saying that you are not even saved if you don’t speak in tongues!

What does the Bible say?

1) Paul clearly states that all do not receive the gift of tongues.

In this same chapter Paul gives insight into how the Holy Spirit distributes the gifts and offices in the Church…

I Co. 12:29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles?

I Co. 12:30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?

In the original Greek these rhetorical questions can only be answered with a negative response…

That is “no” ~ all are not apostles, all do not receive the gift of tongues!

Furthermore, a look at the Book of Acts reveals that people are saved without being given the gift of tongues, and even baptized with the Holy Spirit with no mention of tongues.

Ap. Ask the Lord for the gift and let Him by the Holy Spirit determine whether or not you need it!

If He gives it to you great! If not, you’re not like a second-class citizen in the Kingdom!

Interpretation (vs. 10e)

1Co. 12:10e …to another the interpretation of tongues.

√ Interpretation

The gift of interpretation is the god-given ability to interpret a spoken tongue unknown to the interpreter.

It is not the human ability to translate a foreign language.

The Bible tells us that the gift of tongues can only be used in a public setting where the gift of interpretation is also present…

1Cor. 14:27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret.

1Cor. 14:28 But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God.

Obviously then it is an important gift as the gift of tongues is limited to private use when there is no one present with the gift of interpretation, thus Paul encourages the Corinthians to…

“Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret.” ~ I Cor. 14:13

Which means that a person could have both the gift of tongues, and the gift of interpretation!

Ap. Pray for the gift

There are a number of people in our fellowship who have the gift of tongues, but to date I haven’t met anyone with the gift of interpretation.

So, in our small group meetings if you feel led to speak aloud in tongues you will have to step out in faith to see if anyone has the gift to interpret.

If so, great! Everyone will be built up in their faith.

If not, don’t stress over it. Now you know that no one in the group has the gift to interpret so next time you just keep silent.

But don’t be afraid to try, or to let someone else try. You won’t know if anyone has the gift unless you try.

Close

√ The gifts of the Holy Spirit