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Originally Posted by Praxeas
Paul's main point was Love and where the gifts came into that. So he points out the best gifts are those that edify OTHERS.
Yet in that vein Paul did not merely say "seek prophesy"
1Co 14:5 Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up.
"UNLESS", when does he that speaks in a tongue become equal to he that prophesies? when someone interprets so the church may be built up, because that was the point to prophesying, to build up the church
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I think we all agree that Paul said to seek all the gifts ... most earnestly prophecy ....
but the issue here is what is the function and purpose of tongues and interpretation ...
As long as I was in Pentecost ... tongues were almost always interpreted with the book ends "
THUS SAITH THE LORD," ... or as to say this was a direct communique from God ...
Yet everything in
1 Corinthians 14, which is our primary source for teaching of the gifts and their purpose, tells me that tongues fits along the lines of singing a psalm, prayer, and thanksgiving, which in Paul's words edify the church as well, ... along with teaching, revelation, word of knowledge ... while inspired by the Spirit ... but, not per se, a prophetic message from God to the Church or those congregated.
1. Paul states that tongues are unto God ... while prophecy is unto men.
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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.3 But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation.4 One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but one who prophesies edifies the church. Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church.
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2. He then argues that tongues that are not intelligible, profits little as it is a sign to the believers. He reasserts that tongues is my spirit praying unto God. And that the believer cannot say "Amen" to your glossalaic thanksgiving if he can't understand it ... in the same way if I started singing in Chinese.
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For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15 So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. 16 Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer,[d] say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since they do not know what you are saying? 17 You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified.
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Here neither the song nor the tongue of thanksgiving is edifying, his onus (not mine) .... because it signifies nothing to the listener.
My question remains ... I can probably count the times I've heard tongues interpreted in which the sum total was the tongue-talker praising and glorifying God ... as exemplified by Paul in this passage.
I believe he's saying that we, the Church, is edified when we catch a glimpse of the tongue speaker praying and magnifying God ... as we see with ... Cornelius and his household when they spoke in tongues and magnified God (
Acts 10) and the Jewish believers who heard the Apostles speak of the wonders of God (
Acts 2) in their own language.
It is the role of the gift of prophecy that I believe many tongue talkers accompanied by their interpreters are trying to fill, imo.
If I take Sam's account of Paul also having to deal with the pagan practice of interpreting speaking fits of ecstasy as messages from the gods ... in context, Paul, may be trying to correct error in their liturgical Church practice that had crept in.
Paul states that is through prophesying that the unbeliever, backslider, doubter etc. seeking signs would be convicted of their sin. And would declare "God is among us".
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Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is not for unbelievers but for believers. 23 So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and inquirers or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind? 24 But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, 25 as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!”
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. I'll just tell myself it means that they're really good 
Hybrid Mode
