1C 14:22 Tongues were a sign for UNbelievers. How?

[tonychanyt]

Let's see the context.

1C 14:

4 The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself

Speaking in a tongue was beneficial for the speaker.

but the one who prophesies builds up the church.

Paul contrasted tongues with prophesies in this chapter.

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.

Paul focused on the church as a whole: Don't just build yourself up; build up the church.

12 So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church

During a church service:

19 Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.

Paul quoted Isaiah:

21 In the Law it is written, “By people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.”

God warned the people of Israel that because they refused to listen to His clear message through the prophets, He would speak to them through "foreign lips and strange tongues" (i.e., the Assyrian invaders). The use of "strange tongues" in Isaiah was not a positive sign but rather a demonstration of God's judgment.

22 Thus tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers,

Strange tongues were a sign to judge the unbelieving Israelites. It was a bad sign to purge the unbelieving elements.

while prophecy is a sign not for unbelievers but for believers.

In contrast, prophecy was a sign for the church believers.

23 If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your minds?

These kinds of tongues did not help to expand the church to the unbelievers.

24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, 25 the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you.

This kind of prophecy helped to convert the unbeliever.

In what sense was speaking in tongues a sign to unbelievers in 1 Corinthians 14:22?

In the context of 1C 14, strange tongues were a sign to judge unbelieving Israelites or to purge the church. It was better not to speak in uninterpreted tongues during a church service:

27 If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. 28 But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God.

In contrast to tongues:

31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged.

A prophecy is better than an uninterpreted tongue during a church service. Strange tongues were used to purge the unbelieving Israelites. That was a bad sign. Don't misuse your gift of speaking in tongues during a regular church service.

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It's important to remember that 1C 14 doesn't negate the validity of tongues as a spiritual gift in the broader context outside of a regular church service. At Pentecost in Acts 2, tongues were a miraculous sign that authenticated the gospel message. Unbelievers from various nations heard the disciples speaking in their own languages, which led to their conversion.

 

[FutureAndAHope]

Hi,

I think you have missed the point of tongues and interpretation, it was for edification.

1Co 14:5 I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.

I have recently encountered tongues and interpretation:

Restoring the Gift of Speaking in Tongues

I have been rediscovering the gift of Tongues and Interpretation. Thanks to Open AI’s ability to interpret know languages. I have found that the gift given to the church in it’s early days still operates. We should be thinking of allowing it to operate in our churches, in its original form. Its...

www.christianforums.com

The following quote is correct though.

It's important to remember that 1C 14 doesn't negate the validity of tongues as a spiritual gift in the broader context outside of a regular church service. At Pentecost in Acts 2, tongues were a miraculous sign that authenticated the gospel message. Unbelievers from various nations heard the disciples speaking in their own languages, which led to their conversion.

 

[tonychanyt]

I think you have missed the point of tongues and interpretation, it was for edification.

Please read my OP and see what I said about edification.

 

[FutureAndAHope]

Please read my OP and see what I said about edification.

Tony,

You focused on tongues being a judgment, but that is not the purpose of tongues and interpretation. It is to "prophecy". Prophecy can be for any reason, encouragement, guidance, and a sign to unbelievers.

The reason why people were not to speak in tongues if there was no interpreter, is just because there was no point in speaking in a language people could not understand. An interpreter is necessary when tongues are spoken in church. An interpreter is just someone who speaks the native tongue of the listeners, and at least one other foreign language.

The people would speak in tongues, the interpreter, sitting by, if they suddenly heard their own language in the words spoken by those speaking in tongues, they would stop and he/she would interpret it so everyone could understand. The gift of tongues is a gift where God can use a person to speak in any language, if He "desires" to prophecy He will make it clear to the believer sitting by.

1Co 14:27-31 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. Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others judge. But if anything is revealed to another who sits by, let the first keep silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged.

 

[tonychanyt]

You focused on tongues being a judgment,

Therefore I did not mention edification?