Is speaking in tongues for communicating with God?
Question:
May God continue to strengthen you guys in Jesus' name. Amen.
You may not be aware, but many issues arise with the topic of speaking in tongues here. A brother recently sent me some voice notes discussing speaking in tongues with a man. He explained that speaking in tongues, as described in the New Testament book of Acts, involves miraculously speaking in a different human language without prior knowledge of that language. However, the man he spoke with took him to I Corinthians 14:2 and claimed that when the Bible says, "For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him," the context isn’t limited to the church in Corinth. He argued that the phrase "no one understands him" refers to all Christian churches, not just the church at Corinth.
He also pointed to I Corinthians 14:22, which says, "Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not." According to him, this means that the tongues mentioned in verse 2 are different because in that verse, it says, "In the spirit, he speaks mysteries." He questioned why Apostle Paul would use the word "mysteries" when speaking to God if the tongues in verses 14 and 2 are the same. He suggested that the Holy Spirit gives utterance for both types of tongues: the one that is for men (human language) and the one that is not for men (mysterious languages).
He then referenced Romans 8:26, which says, "The Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." He explained that there are two kinds of prayer: one with understanding, and one in the Spirit. He said that when we pray with understanding, we use our intellect and know what we're praying about. However, when we pray in tongues, as described in 1 Corinthians 14:14, we pray in the Spirit (speaking mysteries to God, as mentioned in verse 2), and our understanding is unfruitful.
He further explained that sometimes we feel a burden to pray for someone or something, but we don’t know exactly how to pray. In these cases, he suggested, we pray in the Spirit. He emphasized that this "praying in the Spirit" has both a theological and practical aspect. According to Romans 8:26, the Spirit helps in our intercession, so when we pray, the Spirit takes over part of the prayer. The Spirit gives us the utterance and inspires us to pray.
When we don’t know what to pray for, we can pray in the Spirit, which means praying in tongues. In this case, the Spirit gives us utterance, and our understanding doesn’t benefit from it because we’re speaking directly to God, not to men, as explained in 1 Corinthians 14:2. We are speaking in mysteries to God.
The man shared a personal experience when he had a strong burden to pray for his mother. He started praying in his understanding, but because he didn’t know exactly what to pray for, he switched to praying in the Spirit, i.e., in tongues. Afterward, he felt relief, and when he visited his mother, she told him she had been very sick (near death) and had a dream of him calling her back from the dead. She described everything in detail, and he knew that this was the exact moment he had been praying in the Spirit, in tongues.
Finally, the brother mentioned that when we pray in the Spirit (speak in tongues), we don’t have control over what comes out—the Spirit of God inspires us. He also pointed out that there are tongues of men and tongues of angels, as described in 1 Corinthians 13:1—one is known to men, and the other is unknown to men.
Answer:
The Mystery Language
"Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries. But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation. One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but one who prophesies edifies the church" (I Corinthians 14:1-4).
In the first part of I Corinthians 14, Paul discusses using spiritual gifts. He compares the gift of prophecy with the gift of speaking in tongues. All of the Holy Spirit's gifts are useful, but Paul states that prophecy is the better gift. Why does Paul pick the gift of tongues? Probably because the Corinthians valued this gift since it was showy.
When a person speaks in a language that no one present understands, there is no communication taking place. This is why it is referred to as a "mystery." God understands what he is saying, but no one is built up except for the speaker. He knows what he is saying, but it doesn't help his audience. In contrast, the one who prophesies speaks in the same language as everyone else. His words come from God, and all who listen to him are benefited.
Paul's observations are being told to the church in Corinth. I do agree that his points are true regardless of which church a person is in. What he skipped over is why no one understands him. He assumes that the speaker is speaking in a heavenly language, but nothing in the passage states this. Paul only mentions that those present don't understand the language (tongue) that the person is currently using.
Paul's point is that the use of a language that no one understands is useless because the point of language is communication. "So also you, unless you utter by the tongue speech that is clear, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air" (I Corinthians 14:9). Thus, claiming to speak in a heavenly tongue is a claim of possessing a useless gift. It doesn't benefit anyone. "So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church. ... Otherwise if you bless in the spirit only, how will the one who fills the place of the ungifted say the "Amen" at your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying? For you are giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not edified" (I Corinthians 14:12, 16-17). Christianity is not about serving yourself but serving others.
A Change in Tongues?
The claim that I Corinthians 14:22 is a different tongue shows that he doesn't understand the passage. The context hasn't changed. Paul starts by comparing prophecy to tongue speaking, which continues in I Corinthians 14:22.
"In the Law it is written, 'By men of strange tongues and by the lips of strangers I will speak to this people, and even so they will not listen to Me,' says the Lord. So then tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophecy is for a sign, not to unbelievers but to those who believe. Therefore if the whole church assembles together and all speak in tongues, and ungifted men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad? But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ungifted man enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all; the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will fall on his face and worship God, declaring that God is certainly among you" (I Corinthians 14:21-25).
Paul refers to Isaiah 28:11-12. This passage is not a prophecy about the miraculous gift of languages. In Isaiah 28:11-12, God is telling Israel that He will punish them by sending them to foreign lands where they would not be understood and where they would not understand those around them. Yet, despite the punishment, they would not listen to God. They remained rebellious and stubborn. From this, Paul draws the point that foreign languages did not benefit God’s people when they were not inclined to listen to God. For the same reason, the gift of tongues won’t improve God’s people if they are not so inclined. Hearing words you don’t understand won’t change your mind.
Note that I Corinthians 14:22 contains two “not ... but” idioms. These should be read as “not merely” or “not only” and “but more importantly."
If the gift of tongues is not just for God’s people, who are they really for? Paul concludes that God gave the gift of tongues to benefit non-believers. It allows teachers to reach people by talking to them in their own native language, and it leaves a strong impression on them. It serves as a sign to the unbeliever that God is behind the message.
In contrast, prophecy is more for the believer than for the unbeliever. The unbeliever does not yet have faith in God, so God’s teachings don’t significantly impact his life. Yet the child of God lives to do God’s will, and the words of God from the prophets are very important to him. Seeing the truth in God’s message becomes a significant sign to the believer that God is with him.
Since it is not a "heavenly language" here in I Corinthians 14:22, we can also conclude that Paul was not talking about a heavenly language in I Corinthians 14:2 but a human language that no one present understood. The person you are talking to realizes this conclusion is possible but rejects it because it undermines his created narrative.
Prayers of Groaning?
"In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God" (Romans 8:26-27).
A sleight-of-hand has taken place. Who is doing the groaning? The person you are talking to says it is himself as he repeats what the Spirit says. But read what Paul wrote carefully. We pray to God, and the Spirit intercedes on our behalf. The Spirit uses more than words to express on our behalf what we cannot properly express. Nothing in this passage indicates that Spirit is controlling the words coming out of our mouths. Paul didn't even say we know what the Spirit tells God on our behalf.
"Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also" (I Corinthians 14:13-15).
If there is no one to interpret a prayer said in a language no one present understands, Paul says that the one speaking the prayer in a different language understands in his spirit (since he knows what he is expressing); however, what his mind is expressing doesn't produce results (fruit) since no communication takes place. Public prayer is not just about the individual but is meant to benefit everyone who hears. This verse does not say the speaker doesn't understand what he is trying to express.
Sometimes, not knowing how to pray as we should does not mean our prayers become unintelligible to others or ourselves. It only means that what we express may not be the best word, but the Spirit helps us by adding His thoughts to what we are trying to convey to God. Nothing in Romans 8:26 says that the Spirit takes over our prayers. He intercedes with God on our behalf.
I Corinthians 14:15 states that I will "pray with the spirit," which refers to my personal spirit as the source of my prayers. My prayers come from the depth of my being and from my intellect ("with the mind"). It does not say that I will "pray in the Spirit," as this person claims.
Personal Experience
The example given illustrates God answering prayers, which God said He would do (I John 5:14-15), but it doesn't prove that claiming to speak in a heavenly language causes God to listen to his prayers.
Does a Person Inspired by God Have No Control?
Paul said, "And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets" (I Corinthians 14:32). If that was true of prophets, it would be more so regarding those speaking in tongues (I Corinthians 14:27-28). Besides, there is no evidence that when a person is speaking in a different language that the Holy Spirit takes over and the person has no control over what he says. No passage is offered to prove this and no passages exists to show this.
Response:
Thank you very much for your time and fast response. Honestly, there have been a lot of claims people have given about this topic.
