Speaking in Tongues and Gifts of the Holy Spirit
A study of 1 Corinthians Chapters 12 through 14
© 2009 John David Clark, Sr.
Introduction
Before discussing chapters 12 to 14 of 1 Corinthians we must consider to whom Paul addressed the letter. It was "to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord."
Sanctified means washed from sin by the Spirit of God for in 1Cor.6:9-11 Paul wrote "but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God."
A saint has been sanctified by the holy Spirit of God. Whether presently obeying God or not, any who have received the holy spirit baptism is "a sanctified one", or, a saint. As explained in Romans 10:13, “calling on the name of the Lord” refers to communication between God and His children. Sinners cannot call on the name of the Lord (Ps.14:4) because they do not have the pure language with which to do it (Zeph.3:9). (See also Acts 7:59; 2Tim.2:22; 1Pet.1:17)
Paul is addressing saints who have already been sanctified by receiving the spirit of God. These saints were sanctified "in Christ Jesus" and later in chapter 12 Paul tells them that it is by the baptism of the holy spirit that they were now in the body of Christ. So, it is the holy spirit baptism that both "sanctified" them and put them "in Christ Jesus".
So when Paul later speaks of receiving and seeking gifts of the Holy Spirit he is not speaking about the initial experience of receiving the holy spirit baptism. As we will see speaking in tongues at the time of the holy spirit baptism is not being discussed by Paul in these chapters. The Corinthians already received the Spirit of God (1 Cor 2:12), the gifts are something beyond the initial receiving of the baptism of the holy spirit.
Understanding this we can now properly consider what Paul says about spiritual gifts in chapters 12 to 14.
Chapter 12 - One God
Verses 1-3
There is only one God. Paul said in chapter 8:4-6, " ... an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. For though there be that are called gods ... But to us there is but one God, the Father, ... and one Lord Jesus Christ ... " However, not all understood because he adds, "there is not in every man that knowledge".
Paul begins by speaking of spiritual gifts but this chapter is not primarily about gifts of the Spirit. It was written to confirm the truth that there is but one God.
The God they now serve is not dumb (v2-3), as were the idols they had once served. The contrast here is between dumb, speechless idols and a man speaking by the Spirit of God. The idols were dumb but the God they now know speaks, by His Spirit, through them. And they need not be concerned about what they say when speaking in tongues, for “No man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed.” Paul's comment clearly shows that the man is not speaking in words known to him so it must be a reference to a man speaking in tongues as the Spirit of God gives him utterance. It is plain that he is speaking in tongues that are unknown and are not being interpreted. Speaking in tongues sets the true God apart from all others who were thought to be gods. Speaking in tongues is God himself speaking through a person by his Spirit just as Isaiah prophesied (Is 28:11-12).
In the second part of verse 3 Paul makes a startling assertion "that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost." We have already seen that speaking by the Spirit of God is a reference to speaking in tongues so Paul is saying that a man's profession that Jesus is Lord means nothing unless it is "by the Holy Ghost". Without a man speaking in tongues his own confession of faith alone, cannot be trusted. God's way of speaking in tongues is the necessary second witness that His own law always required. It is the testimony Jesus referred to when he said that the Holy Spirit would "testify of me" (Jn 15:26).
Verses 4-6
The ancient world believed that different manifestations of divine power and glory meant that different gods were at work. However, the power of the sea is controlled by the same God who controls the sun and the differences in those great natural wonders is not to be understood to mean that Neptune is busy with his work (the sea) and Apollo busy at his (the sun). “It is the same God that worketh all in all.”
Paul is speaking here concerning different ways that God uses individuals who are already in the called-out assembly of God. He uses one to prophesy, one to heal, one to teach, etc. Paul does not want the Corinthian believers to revert to their old way of thinking; that is, that differing displays of divine power and glory means that various gods are at work.
Is Speaking in Tongues a Gift?
Verses 7-11
Paul continues to contradict the polytheistic notion that if one prophesied, he was operating under the influence of a spirit (god) different from the one who worked miracles, etc. In whatever ways the Spirit is manifested through a member of the body of Christ, it is the same holy Spirit of God that is at work. It is (the one) God’s choosing as to how each one is used for the good of the whole body.
These gifts are an added measure of spiritual power for those who have already experienced the power of God through the holy spirit baptism. Quite frequently, this section is offered as proof that no one in the body of Christ speaks in tongues unless he has been given the “gift of speaking in tongues”. First of all, there is no such thing as “the gift of speaking in tongues”; the gift is speaking in diverse tongues, and it is an added dimension of the Spirit for those who already speak in tongues. Let me demonstrate.
Following is what many, especially Christians who have not received the holy spirit baptism, teach.
- Speaking in tongues is a gift.
- Speaking in tongues is only a gift.
- Only those in the body of Christ who have that gift speak in tongues.
- No one else in the body of Christ speaks in tongues.
To demonstrate for yourself the error of this widely-held doctrine, simply replace “speaking in tongues” in the above lines with another of the gifts listed here in Corinthians or from the list in Romans 12. Replace “speaking in tongues” with the gift of faith (v.9). Does no one else in the body of Christ have faith except those few in the body of Christ with that gift? Can no one in the body of Christ give, unless he has the gift of giving (Rom.12:8)? Of course not. Neither is it true that only those with the gift of speaking in diverse tongues speak in tongues. Every one who experiences the new birth or born again experience by receiving the holy spirit baptism experiences God speaking in tongues through them by His spirit when it happens (Isa.28:11-12; Jn.3:8; Rom.8:15; etc.). But to some, God adds a measure of that expression of the Spirit for the sake of ministry to the body, and perhaps to others as well. I speak in tongues very often when I am praying, but I do not have the gift of speaking in diverse tongues.
Verses 12-21
Whatever spiritual graces (gifts) one possesses, he is never self-sufficient. Paul uses the figure of a human body to explain the necessity and goodness of diverse operations of different body members, but his main emphasis is that even though a body performs many different functions, there is only one body. By this means, then, Paul makes it clear that even though there are different manifestations of the Spirit of God at work, there is only one God. The various gifts and operations of the Spirit are functions within the body of Christ. Again, we see that Paul in speaking about spiritual gifts is not speaking of how a person becomes a member of that body, but, rather, of the functions or spiritual gifts, that a member of the body may receive after becoming a member.
By One Spirit - The Holy Spirit Baptism
In verse 13, Paul says something that in his time needed no further explanation. The various congregations everywhere in his time understood that the baptism of the holy Spirit is the new birth and that it is the holy Spirit baptism that places us in the body of Christ. In our time, however, this simple truth has been ignored, to our own hurt. Conversion is not of the will of man; it is not “joining a church”; it is not “making a decision for Christ”; it is not going to an altar and repenting, it is not shaking hands with the minister; 
it is not repeating a few scriptures and “meaning it with all your heart”; it is not any form of water baptism; it is not even believing the gospel! Rather, conversion is God’s response to your believing: the baptism of the holy Spirit, with the evidence of speaking in tongues as the Spirit “gives utterance” (Acts 2:4).
If there is anything that has perverted the work of Christ on earth, it is the rejection of this simple truth. Christian teaching has supplanted God’s new birth with various contrived forms of its own, and all of them are wrong. If there is anything that needs to be known in our time, it is God’s answer to the question, "When is a person born again?"
In saying, “If they were all one member, where were the body?”, Paul is asking another question: If God is the One who baptizes a person into the body, but that is all He does, who then moves you to prophesy, or to heal, etc? Those things could never happen without God, anymore than a body made up of nothing but ears could speak. There would be no other body parts whose function would be speech, or grasping, etc. So, without the diversity of God’s wisdom and power, there would be no differing functions in the body of Christ. Our different functions are evidence, not of differing gods at work, but of the glory of God’s power and wisdom.
Verses 22-26
Rather than be “puffed up” against any who have a function in the body which differs from your own, and rather than start a club of prophets, or wise men, etc., let us be happy for one another for the grace given to us all. Even feeble-minded members of the body have a divinely-appointed function for the body’s good.
Do All Speak With Tongues?
Verses 27-31
Various functions of members in the body of Christ are given, with an exhortation not to use these God-given differences as a cause for envy or strife. It is your God who is using your brothers and sisters for your blessing. Be happy for them and for yourself.
Paul’s question, “Do all speak with tongues?”, obviously demands a negative answer, as do his other questions in this section. This does not contradict what Jesus, the prophets, and the apostles (including Paul himself) taught in other places. We must not forget the context. Paul is referring to gifts of the Spirit, functions of different members of the body. The issue of new birth, and whether speaking in tongues occurs whenever the baptism of the Holy Spirit is received, is not a part of the discussion here.
Finally, Paul exhorts the saints to covet an excellent way, which is the way of spiritual gifts. Still, Paul desires that they consider a “more excellent way”.
Chapter 13 - The More Excellent Way
The more excellent way: charity.
Verses 1-3
Paul compares all the various functions, or gifts, of the Spirit with the life governed by the love of God. Some of the gifts to which Paul refers here are the gift of diverse tongues, the gift of prophecy, the gifts of knowledge and wisdom, the gifts of faith and working of miracles, and the gift of giving.
Verses 4-8a
Paul describes a typical life when the love of God directs it.
Verses 9-13
When the perfect has come, that is, when Jesus returns, at least some gifts of the Spirit will be done away. There will be no need for them. There will be no need for hope, for all our hopes will have been realized. Faith will not be needed, for “faith is the substance of things hoped for”, and when the hoped-for things have come to pass, faith has completed its mission. When Jesus returns, then, we will need faith no more. When he returns, we will have no more hope, because all our hopes will have been realized. Yet, the love of God in action--charity--will continue into eternity. The greatest expression of God’s love for us will be to save us from the coming wrath and to give us an inheritance with his sinless Son, Jesus.
Even when we demonstrate great gifts from God, we know that what we are doing manifests only a part of God’s glory which Jesus will reveal when he returns. Until then, however, the way of spiritual power and gifts is an excellent way of walking with God, and the way of charity is a more excellent way.
Chapter 14 - Edification
Concerning the manifestation of spiritual graces.
Verses 1-14
Paul encourages the saints to seek especially those gifts which edify the assembly. Paul mentions what is properly translated in the KJV as an “unknown” tongue, for “no man understandeth him; howbeit, in the Spirit he speaketh mysteries.” Secondly, it is “unknown” to the speaker, unless an interpretation is also given to him, for the mind of the one praying is “unfruitful”; that is, ignorant of what is being said.
Paul teaches here that, as Jude said (v.20), one who prays in tongues improves his spiritual condition. But, of course, it is better to edify the body than just oneself. So, to prophesy is more beneficial for the body than speaking in unknown tongues, unless of course, there is an interpretation of those tongues to add.
In the flesh’s drive to exclude speaking in tongues from life in the Spirit, many often make much of several of Paul’s comments concerning speaking in tongues in this chapter. One typical comment is that speaking in tongues, with no interpretation, makes one like a barbarian (v.11). The second is that it is not possible for some to approve of it (v.16). And the third comment is that some will think that the speaker is insane (v.23). It must be pointed out, however, that Paul is did not say that the one who is speaking in tongues is a barbarian; nor did he say that he disapproved of it, indeed he said, “I thank my God I speak in tongues more than ye all.” (v.18) nor did he say that he considers those speaking in tongues to be insane. Who then does think so, Paul? “Those who are ignorant, or unbelievers.” (v.23).
Speaking in Tongues a Sign to Unbelievers
Verses 15-25
The happy life in Jesus is the one filled with songs and prayer in the spirit and songs and prayer with the mind’s participation. Otherwise (notice the first word in v.16), those who come into the assembly will be completely left out. In verse 16, Paul did not say to omit speaking in tongues or singing in tongues when ignorant people were among the assembly of saints. His point was that there should be both spiritual praise and praise with the mind’s participation, both spiritual songs and songs with the mind’s participation, both spiritual prayer and prayer with the mind’s participation. By all being done in the spirit, the assembly has done nothing wrong (v.17), but if it is all done exclusively in the spirit, then there is little opportunity for unbelievers to understand what to believe or to do.
Paul refers to Isaiah’s prophecy that speaking in tongues was to be God’s chosen sign for unbelievers (vv.21-22). But a sign of what? Insanity? Barbarianism? No! It is a sign of the true way of Christ, a sign of where to find the real Spirit of God! It is not a sign to believers (v.22), because believers are the ones speaking in tongues (Mk.16:17). It is a sign to unbelievers because God loves them and wants them to know where to go to find genuine mercy and healing. You must also ask yourself what use is speaking in tongues as a sign to unbelievers if the believers never speak in tongues? And how many churches there are where speaking in tongues is never heard and is often even denounced!?
In The Assembly
Verses 26-33
One of the most misunderstood of all Paul’s statements concerning expressions of spiritual worship or gifts among the saints is in verse 28. The reason this is misunderstood is because of the long-standing, practice found in Christianity of calling the building people meet in to worship God a church. Understanding the word typically translated church to mean a building, they misread Paul’s words, “If there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church” (v.28). Such men wrongly assume that Paul was forbidding speaking in tongues in the building where the saints meet! This, in complete disregard to the rest of Paul’s statement: “Let him speak unto himself, and to God.” The phrase translated “In the church” never meant “in a building” to the apostles. That is a completely wrong notion. By “in the church (Greek ekklesia)” 
Paul meant “in the assembly”; that is, as speaker to the assembly. In that case, as Paul already said (v.19), “I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.” Note that Paul did say that a person with uninterpreted tongues could speak in tongues to himself and to God. In fact, such a one is commanded to speak in the tongues he has of God. The Greek here is giving a command when it says "let him speak".
The Corinthian assembly's lack of government is reflected in the fact that Paul has to remind them that without some order, there is no point to exercising any spiritual gift. Our salvation will not be given to us on the basis of our gifts, but our deeds. “Ye may all prophesy”, writes the apostle; but, then he reminds them of the purpose for the gifts, “that all may learn, and all may be comforted.”
Forbid not to Speak in Tongues
14:34-40 Again, Paul uses the phrase, “in the assembly”, when he commands the women to be silent. Paul is not forbidding women to sing, pray, speak in tongues or testify in gatherings of the saints. We know, for example, that Priscilla was highly esteemed by Paul as a fellow worker (Rom.16:3), and that Paul did not reprove Philip because God used his four daughters to utter prophecies (Acts 21:8-9). He is, instead, repeating the holy standard of propriety among the saints which he learned from God and which both he and God demanded of all assemblies of saints; to wit, “I do not allow a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence” (1Tim.2:12). Inasmuch as the men in the assembly at Corinth were shirking their duty to govern the affairs of the saints, there was a growing danger that the women would step in to fill the void. That is not allowed, “for it is a shame for women to speak in the church [assembly].”
Paul bluntly states that if any man is truly spiritual, he will acknowledge that what Paul has said is true and from God. If any man is unwilling to admit that his doctrine is true, Paul says, “Let him be ignorant.”
Finally, Paul says, "So, my brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues" (ESV). Oh, how many have arrived at a very different conclusion to the apostle Paul concerning speaking in tongues. Then he says, “Let all things be done decently and in order.” I hope that we can see that “decent and in order” is from God’s viewpoint, not the flesh’s. It is doubtful that for a group of men to fall prostrate (Rev.4:10), or for the saints to wave palm branches and shout (Rev.7:9-10), would be considered decent and orderly forms of worship by proud men. Those forms of worship certainly are rarely seen on earth.
Conclusion - Power with God
NOTE: It is necessary that I add this general comment concerning subject matter of the last three chapters (1 Corinthians 12-14). In modern times, the body of Christ is cursed with division, strife, envy, and spiritual blindness and weakness. It would require a vast improvement in the body’s condition now, in order merely to attain to the problems that the Corinthian believers had. With all their faults, they had faith. And it was a faith which the people of God, in the main, have now lost. With all their problems, they had power. And it was a power of which most of us only dream. We may note the Corinthians’ weaknesses and faults, but only because Paul pointed them out so clearly. Let us not fail, however, to note as well that they lived on a spiritual plane which is nowhere to be seen today. May God grant us the mercy to grow to that plane, so that we may understand fully these matters, for only if the Father shows us such a kindness, will we ever fully or perfectly understand these three chapters. It is only by experiencing what the Corinthians experienced in Christ that we can comprehend their temptations.
Speaking in tongues, speaking in diverse tongues and interpreting the tongues as well as the exercise of many other spiritual gifts was normal for these believers. Paul encourages, even commands them to zealously seek after these things and specifically forbids people to forbid speaking in tongues. Speaking in tongues is God's sign to unbelievers, it is Him speaking to their hearts through His spirit dwelling in those who have already believed the gospel and received the holy spirit baptism.