Private vs. Public tongues

First of all, we must understand that public speaking in tongues are different than praying in tongues.  Many pray in tongues.

 

1 Cor 14:14-15

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 mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.  (NIV)

 

Clearly praying in the spirit here is not saying the rosary, or making some prayer up in your own native language.  Verse 15 tells us that praying with your mind is different than praying with your spirit.  From the immediate context we can tell that “praying in the spirit” is allowing God to pray through you in an unknown tongue. The context bears this out:

 

1 Cor 14:14-15

13For this reason anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret what he says. 14For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind. 16If you are praising God with your spirit, how can one who finds himself among those who do not understand[5] say "Amen" to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying? 17You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified.
18I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.

 

You can pray/”praise God with your spirit” at any time.  The context of verse 16 tells us that this involves tongues.  We who pray in tongues know that we can do it silently.  Paul commands us to so in the absence of an interpretation at a church meeting: 

 

28If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God

 

He did not tell him to stop praying, or to quit speaking in tongues:  He only told them to be quiet in the church, continuing to speak in tongues to himself and God. 

 

You can pray (1) in a tongue, (2) with your spirit, and (3) with your mind at the same time.  Anyone with such prayer language knows that you can pray in tongues quietly enough not to freak people out. Otherwise, this scripture would be difficult to carry out—if the meaning of “praying with my spirit” above is the same as the similar phrase in the verses below. 

 

Eph 6:18

18               And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.  (NIV)

 

Jude 1:20

20               But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit.  (NIV)

 

It is better to pray with your mind while you pray with your spirit, instead of just praying in tongues and thinking about the weather, or football.  That way, you may interpret what your (or the) spirit is saying—keeping in step with the spirit (Gal 5:25).

 

1 Cor 14:13-16

13               For this reason anyone who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret what he says.

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 mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind.

16               If you are praising God with your spirit, how can one who finds himself among those who do not understand say "Amen" to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying?  (NIV)

 

Verse 16 makes it obvious that “praising God with your spirit” is not done in you and your colleagues’ native language—but in an unknown tongue.  This supports the interpretation of “praying in the spirit” presented above.

 

Speaking in tongues is the same thing as praying in tongues, just louder and more public:

 

1 Cor 14:2

2  For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit.  (NIV)

 

That’s why there should be an interpretation—because it is public.  That’s also why less (not all) believers do it. Most people are too shy.  Also, they may be afraid that there will be no interpretation—and then they will look silly.

 

 

 


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