*I encourage you to have a bible with you so that you may look at the verses and not just take my word for it*
Spiritual gifts are a very touchy subject for many people. Some people believe that the spiritual gifts seen in the bible are no longer present, some believe they are still in full effect. Others believe that some are still seen and other gifts are dead. Personally, I believe God is capable of anything, and capable of doing anything through anyone. For this reason I believe gifts still exist. However I think that they are sometimes misused.
I believe in tongues and prophesy, healing, and many other spiritual gifts. However these are often very much misused.
On the matter of tongues, in my experience, 90% of the time (or more) it is used in an unbiblical manner. In the bible, typically when someone spoke in tongues, it was in a language that someone understood (See Acts 2:6-8). Tongues refers simply to speaking in another language; one that is known and understood by others but is not native to or previously learned by the speaker. It would be like me going to Brazil and speaking Portuguese which is something I've never done.
One of the only times the Bible mentions speaking in tongues as an incomprehensible language is in 1 Corinthians 14.
14:2 "For the one speaking in a tongue does not speak to people but to God, for no one understands; he is speaking mysteries by the Spirit." To me this is what many call "a heavenly language". I believe that this type of tongues is present today.
14:3-5 "But he who prophesies speaks to men for their edification, exhortation, and consolation. He who speaks in another language edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the assembly. Now I desire to have you all speak with other languages, but rather that you would prophesy. For he is greater who prophesies than he who speaks with other languages, unless he interprets, that the assembly may be built up."
"13 So then, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret."
To me, when someone speaks in tongues that no one, not even the one speaking it, can understand, it is pointless and possibly wrong. It says that the one who speaks in tongue builds himself up. A spiritual gift should not be used to build oneself up, but to build up others and bring glory to God. There are some people out there that I truly believe aren't really speaking in tongues, but are just speaking jibberish.
I think the following verses sum this up nicely. 1 Corinthians 14:26-28 "What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church. If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God."
This makes it clear that an interpreter must be present if speaking to the church in tongues, whether it be in a known or unknown language.
At a church I used to go to there was a guy that would go up by the stage in the middle of worship and start speaking in tongues. People would always say, oh look how filled by the spirit he is. He must be so close to God. All I knew about the man was that he was the guy that went up to the stage and spoke in tongues. I don't think anyone knew what he was saying. All of that did nothing but build him up and make him seem more holy, when he may not have been at all.
Verse 13 says that one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret. I do believe that one can speak in tongues, and God can give the speaker insight into it's meaning. This would be prophesy. More or less, God speaking through a person. If one speaks in tongues, and it is interpreted, I have no problem with that. When someone speaks in tongues and no one knows what it is, I have to be skeptical on if it is truly the spiritual gift of tongues.
Verse 14 says "If I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unproductive."
There are people I know that will speak in tongues when in personal prayer to the Lord. As the verse says, it is your spirit praying. This to me is what Romans 8:26-27 speaks of. "In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don't know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can't be uttered. He who searches the hearts knows what is on the Spirit's mind, because he makes intercession for the saints according to God.". In personal prayer, speaking in tongues is the Spirit praying what we cannot (though honestly, and to be fair to those that don't agree with tongues, this verse may also simply mean that God knows what we want to say when we can't find the words). That would be beautiful and I hope that someday I can do so.
Another interesting story. At my gym once, there is a Christian family I coached. We'll call them the Robinsons family (that is not their real name). I found out they were home schooled, and it's usually a safe assumption that home schoolers are Christians so I asked what church the kids went to and let them know what church I went to. I think this is why the kids always found their way into my classes. I made it clear that I was a home schooled Christian as well. On their last day at the gym they brought some friends with them to open gym. I hate to stereotype the family the Robinsons brought, but from a very short conversation with them and you could tell (knowing previously that they are Christians) they are Assemblies of God Christians (don't forget, stereotyping isn't always a negative thing, it just means generalizing or assuming based on characteristics of a group). We'll call this family the Smiths. They were the last ones to leave the gym because the two families were talking to each other for awhile, it being the last day they'd see each other before the move. I told them I didn't mind because it was my job to close the gym and was in no rush. The mom of the Smiths asked me if I would mind if they prayed for the Robinsons. I said of course not. The Mrs. Robinson mentioned that I was one of the adult leaders at my youth group and that I was Christian too. Mrs. Smith then immediately asked me what I thought about speaking/praying in tongues. After some hesitation I said "I believe that it exists, but is often misused". She said she agreed and just wanted to make sure before she prayed.
She went on to pray over each member of the Robinson family. She prayed in English at first, then at the end of each individual prayer she prayed in tongues. I stood on the outside praying with them, but when she started to pray in tongues I opened my eyes. The kids had also opened their eyes and were looking at each other petrified. It is not my place to say whether or not the lady was truly speaking in tongues, but I think this is a case of misusing the gift because there was no one to interpret.If she were praying by herself in tongues for them, I would not object. But the Word says that it is to be used to build up the church. Paul even says "I want to speak five words with my mind to instruct others, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue." (1 Cor 14:19).
Once again I must say that I believe in the spiritual gift of tongues. If you are a person that has this gift, I pray that you would study how the Bible presents it and says it should be used. Use your gift but use it in a way that brings glory to God and builds up the church.
For those that do not believe in the gift of tongues, I pray that you would not look down upon those that do. Instead of telling someone that believes in it that they are wrong, it would best to simply go over what the Bible says about the gift. And DO NOT just say it, show it. Use the Bible and the verses.
Again, this is a touchy subject. Please express your opinions, questions, comments, and concerns in a manner that will not provoke others. Understand that each person may have their own opinion on these topics and that it is not either of our places to judge another.
