Tongues: Private and Public
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. If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret. But if there is no interpreter, let him keep silent in church, and let him speak to himself and to God. I Corinthians 14:26-28 (NKJV)
The Apostle Paul speaks to the Corinthians about the appropriate use of tongues in a church service. The bottom line is the intended audience. According to the Apostle Paul, if someone is speaking to the congregation in tongues, there must be an interpretation of it. If someone speaks to the congregation in tongues, and no one has an interpretation, the person was likely not led by God to speak in tongues and should have remained silent. Often people get emotionally charged and attempt to relase their emotions through tongues, which is not an acceptable reason to speak to the congregation in tongues.
Tomgues spoken in a public manner is to be a witness to the unbeliever. If no one can interpret what is said in tongues, it does not benefit those who hear it. Therefore, we must know that the Spirit is prompting us to speak out in tongues before we do it before the congregation. Paul did not say that tongues could not be spoken to the congregation, but it must be done in order and with an interpretation.
When our intended audence is God, tongues can be spoken at will. There is no interpretation requirement, although we can receive the interpretation when we are speaking alone to God- if we ask for it. Tongues is a way to edify ourselves, strengthening our inner man. We can pray in tongues, and pray the perfect will of God. Speaking in tongues in our personal, private time, is a very good thing to do.
What about tongues spoken as a congregation? In other words, is it wrong for a group of believers to pray in tongues publicly- all at the same time- with no interpretation? Can a church leader tell the congregation to all pray in tongues in the service without the benefit of interpretation? According to Paul, everything should be done with order. According to Paul, a tongue spoken to the congregation should be interpreted. If the person leading the service calls for everyone to speak or pray in tongues at once, it is being done in order because those speaking in tongues are in submission to the leader and are not being disruptive. As I said before the key is the intended audience. If our audience is God, and not the coongregation, even if we are praying during a church service, tongues can be an acceptable part of public worship. We must be sure that what we are doing is not disruptive or out of line with what the leader of the service is directing.
In general, public tongues should be done with the intention of being interpreted and not in a confusing or dusruptive manner. However, prayer and worship can be done in tongues while in a public service if the tongues are directed to God and do not disrupt or distract others. The Holy Spirit is not a disrupter. Tongues spoken in private do not have to be interpreted, although we can benefit if we receive the interpretation.
