This message comes from the 1969 teaching of Rev. G.W. Van Horn of El Reno, OK
The three types of Supernatural Speaking
(I Corinthians Chapter 14)
The three types of Supernatural Speaking are Gifts of the Spirit.
1. Gift of Prophecy
2. Gift of Tongues
3. Gift of Interpretation of Tongues
I Corinthians 14:1-4
Prophecy edifies the Church more than un-interpreted tongues.
1. I Corinthians 14:2 This verse indicates that the principle use of tongues, whether in the Church or in private, is to speake primarily onto God and not to men. When tongues are directed unto God, they involve communing with God by the Holy Spirit and can take the form of prayer, praise, singing, blessing, and thanksgiving.
What is spoken are mysteries or things not understandable to the speaker or hearers. The interpretation of the utterance in tongues can be to edify the church (verse 5) or so the congregation can enter into this manifestation of the Spirit-directed worship and thus say "Amen" (verse 16).
2.I Corinthians 14:3 The gift of prophecy in the
Church is motivated by the Holy Spirit, not
primarily to foretell the future, but to strengthen
the believer’s faith, spiritual life, and moral
resolve to remain faithful to Christ, and His
teachings.
a. Prophecy is not preaching a prepared sermon, but
giving a spontaneous word under the impulse of
the Holy Spirit for the edification of the
congregation.
3. I Corinthians 14:4 Tongues without interpretation
edify the speaker because it puts him in direct
communion with God by the Spirit, bypassing the
mind. (verses 14-15)
I Corinthians 14:5
Prophecy and tongues with interpretation are
equally important to the Church.
1. "I would that ye all spake with tongues. . ."
Paul’s wish here refers to tongue-speaking in
private devotion to God. Clearly such tongues have
value for the individual Christian’s personal
worship and prayer. (verses 2 and 4) Paul adds that
tongues accompanied with interpretation in the
assembly bring edification to the Church, just as
prophecy does. However, speaking in tongues without
interpretation does nothing for the Church. (verses
7-9)
I Corinthians 14:6-13
Speaking in tongues in public worship services
without interpretation is of no benefit to others.
1.I Cor. 14:6 Speaking in tongues can at times be
directed toward the Christian community. Paul
describes the hypothetical situation of coming to
the Corinthians and speaking in tongues in the
worship service. Such speaking would be of no
benefit to them except he brings some revelation or
knowledge. The construction of this verse suggests
that his speaking in tongues, when interpreted,
would consist of a message containing revelation,
knowledge, prophecy, or instruction to the
congregation.
This interpretation finds support in verse 8, where
Paul gives the analogy of a trumpet which brings a
message and warns to prepare for battle. In other
words, speaking in tongues can bring a message to
prepare for spiritual warfare with Satan, sin, and
the ungodly elements of the world, or it can
challenge us to be ready for the imminent return of
Christ.
2. 1 Cor. 14:7-12 When a person is used by God to
interpret the tongues that are spoken, it should be
with sounds that are clear, distinct, and easy to
be identified (verse 7). Like a trumpet they must
convey a clear message (verse 8). Thus when tongues
are spoken in the Church they should be interpreted
so that the body can be edified.
3. Those who speak or pray in tongues in the Church
should seek to edify the Church by praying for the
gift of interpretation.
I Cor. 14:14-19
In Paul’s personal life speaking in tongues to God
is an important means of worship and spiriitual
growth.
1.I Cor. 12:7 Paul refers to his own experience, to
his own private use of tongues unto God. "I will
pray with the spirit" means to pray in tongues with
one’s own spirit under the impulse of the Holy
Spirit. The believer’s spirit prays as the Holy
Spirit gives the utterance (Acts 2:4).
2.I Cor. 14:14-16 Paul used tongues not only for
praying, but also for singing, praising, and giving
thanks unto God. To "pray with the understanding"
means to pray and praise with one’s own mind in a
learned language, also under the impulse of the Holy
Spirit.
3. I Cor. 14:18 Paul considered the gift of tongues an
important part of his spiritual life, which was
frequently given to praying, singing, praising, and
giving thanks in tongues. He speaks in reverence
and gratitude for this manifestation of the Holy
Spirit. Paul did not say I speak in more languages,
but, I Speak in tongues more than all of you.
4. I Cor. 14:19 Yet in the Church Paul preferred to
speak a few words that people could understand than
ten thousand words in tongues without
interpretation. Verses 18 and 19 imply that Paul
spoke tongues more in private devotion than in
public worship.
I Cor. 14:20-25
Prophecy is more useful than un-interpreted tongues
because prophecy brings conviction of sin and the
knowledge of God’s presence.
1. Tongues within the congregation become a negative
sign to unbelievers in that they signify that the
unbeliever is separated from God and cannot
understand what is occurring (I Cor. 14:21-23).
Prophecy, however, is a sign to the believer, for
he recognizes that it is a supernatural work of the
Holy Spirit and a proof that God is at work in the
Church (I Cor. 14:24-25).
Tongues may also be a sign to believers indicating
that the Holy Spirit is being poured out and
manifested among God’s people (Acts 10:44-46, Acts
11:15-17, I Cor. 12:7).
2. One of the surest signs that the Holy Spirit is
present and at work in any congregation is His
conviction of sin (I Cor. 14:24, John 16:8).
a. Through the manifestation of the Spirit among
God’s people, sin will be exposed, repentance
called for, and sinners convicted. Where there
is no exposing of unrighteousness, no
conviction of sin, or no plea for repentance,
the Holy Spirit is clearly not at work
according to the Biblical pattern.
b. The exposing of sin within a person’s heart
does not require a special gift of revelation
or "mind reading". The word of prophecy and
its moral truth when proclaimed under the
impulse of the Holy Spirit is sufficient to
convict the heart of a sinner (I Cor. 14:25,
Heb. 4:12)
Cor. 14:26-40
Speaking in tongues and prophesying must be regulated so that order may be maintained in the Church.
1. The principle purpose of all spiritual gifts is to
edify the Church and the individual (I Cor. 14:26).
Edify means to strengthen and promote spiritual
life, maturity, and Godly character in believers.
It is a work of the Holy Spirit through spiritual
gifts by which believers are increasingly
spiritually transformed in order that they may not
be conformed to this world (Rom 12:2-8).
2. In the use of spiritual gifts there must be order
and balance. The guidelines for speaking in tongues
within the Church are:
a. Any time tongues are spoken in a meeting there
must not be more than two or three who speak,
pray, or praise in tongues before the
interpretation. These are to be done one at a
time and then one should interpret (I
Cor:14:27).
b. If there is no interpreter after the three
have spoken in tongues, the person with the
togues should keep silent in church but he may
talk in tongues to himself and to God (I
Cor.14:28).
3. All prophecy that is spoken should also be by two
or three and must be judged.
a. At times prophecy and speaking in tongues might
not be a word from God (I John 4:1). Even evil
spirits, through the presence of false teachers
or prophets, can work in the congregation.
Prophesying, speaking in tongues, or possessing
any supernatural gift is no guarantee that one
is a true prophet or a true believer, for
spiritual gifts may be counterfeited by Satan
(Mat. 24:24, II Thes. 2:9-12, Rev. 13:13-14).
b.If the Church has not set up proper and orderly
ways to evaluate and judge prophecies, it has
failed to follow Bible guidelines (I Cor.
14:40).
c.Prophecy was not considered an irresistable
impulse of the Holy Spirit, for only one prophet
could speak at a time (I Cor. 14:29-32).
4. I Cor. 14:34-35 Here Paul is talking about the
women in the Corinthian Church that were
interrupting the services by asking questions which
could be asked at home. Paul assumes that women do
pray and prophesy in public assemblies (I Cor.
11:5).
5. If the Churches refuse to recognize that Paul’s
instructions are the commandments of the Lord, then
they prove they are neither prophets nor the people
of the Holy Spirit (I Cor. 14:37).
6. Churches today that claim to follow God’s Word must
not forbid speaking in tongues and must earnestly
desire that their people prophesy (I Cor.14:39).
