By: Sidney Paul Achia

sidneyachia@gmail.com

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Here are some 24 Clear Bible Guidelines with regard to Speaking In Tongues.

1. The purpose of this and ALL Spiritual Gifts is the edification (building up) of the
Church.
1 Cor. 14:12: “... seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.”
[See Vs. 4, 26.]

2. Tongues is not a universal gift (for everybody in church).

1 Cor. 12:29, 30: “Are all apostles? are all prophets? ... do all speak with tongues? do all
interpret?”

3. The gift of Tongues come lower down in the order of importance of Spiritual Gifts.
1 Cor. 12:28: “And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, second-arily prophets,
thirdly teachers, AFTER THAT miracles, ... diversities of tongues.”

4. The Bible encourages us to desire the Higher Gifts or the Best Gifts (and Tongues is
not one of them).
1 Cor. 12:31: “But covet earnestly the BEST GIFTS: and yet shew I unto you a more
excellent way.”
1 Cor. 14:39 “Wherefore, brethren, COVET TO PROPHESY, and forbid not to speak with
tongues.”

5. The Universal Gift -- which ALL CHRISTIANS should have (is not Tongues) -- is
LOVE! And this is because Love will endure, and last to eternity. Love is the ENGINE
or MOTIVATOR behind ALL GIFTS.
1 Cor. 12:31; 13:1, 8: “But covet earnestly the BEST GIFTS: and yet shew I unto you a
more excellent way. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not
charity, I am become as sounding brass, ...”
6. Tongues ONLY becomes a tool to edify the Church when used to Teach or Edify
Others.
1 Cor. 14:6: “... if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I
shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?”

7. It is a COMMUNICATION TOOL used to break the Tongues Barrier or Language

Barrier.
At Pentecost “when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were
confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.” Acts 2:6
But the on-looking multitudes were greatly amazed at what the 120 were saying, and cried,
‘We do not know what is happening. We can all hear them speak in the language of our own
home country.’ Acts 2:8 (EasyEnglish Version)
[N.B.: This gift is USELESS when it is ALONE, for it is a CARRIER of OTHER GIFTS.
And why should the CARRIER overshadow the MESSAGE ITSELF?]

8. When a person speaks in tongues in a Public Worship Meeting, then he is doing

something useless -- tantamount to “speaking into the air”.
1 Cor. 14:9: “... except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be
known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air.” [See Vs. 9.]

9. When done, it MUST be taking place with NOT MORE THAN 3 people doing do in a
Congregation.
1 Cor. 14:27: “If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by
three, and that by course; and let one interpret.”
[See Vs. 29]

10. When done, it MUST take place SYSTEMATICALLY, from Tongue Speaker to
Interpreter 1, to Interpreter 2.
1 Cor. 14:27: “If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by
three, and that by course; and let one interpret.”

11. Speaking in tongues MUST be done by Speaker ONE AT A TIME.

1 Cor. 14:30, 31: “If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his
peace. For ye may all prophesy ONE BY ONE, that all may learn, and all may be
comforted.”

12. There MUST be an interpreter when a person speaks in Tongues.

1 Cor. 14:13: “Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue PRAY that he may
interpret."

13. The one Speaking in Tongues needs to PRAY to get an Interpreter.

1 Cor. 14:13
[N.B.: From this verse we see that this Gift is not FOR PRAYER.]

14. In the event that in the service there is NO INTERPRETER, the person speaking in
Tongues MUST Shut Up (and continue privately with his meditations).
 1 Cor. 14:28: “But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him
speak to himself, and to God.”
[The term “let him speak to himself, and to God" simply means "let him commune with the
persons around him who understand that language" -- in other words, "to Himself and God".]

15. The words must make sense. A Tongue is simply that: A TONGUE, … A
LANGUAGE.
1 Cor. 14:10: “There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and NONE of
them is without signification.”

16. The ones listening to the one speaking in tongues (i.e., the Congregation) should
JUDGE whether what is being said is TRUE.
1 Cor. 14:29: “… let the other judge.”
[So whatever is said in tongues should be subjected to REASONING -- to weigh whether the
content is edifying. So does my Tongue Speaking edify anyone else?]

17. Your Tongue Speaking MUST speak to the INTELLECT of your hearer.
1 Cor. 14:16: “Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the
ROOM OF THE UNLEARNED say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he under-standeth
not what thou sayest?”
[The term "he that occupies the ROOM OF THE UNLEARNED” denotes a person who has
not LEARNED the Tongue being spoken by the Tongue Speaker.]

18. The speaking of 5 Comprehen-sible Words is of MORE VALUE than 10,000

Incomprehensible Words.
1 Cor. 14:18, 19: “I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all: Yet in the church
I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others
also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.”

19. This gift is a TOOL for UNBELIEVERS (not for Believers / Members).
1 Cor. 14:22: “Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but TO THEM
THAT BELIEVE NOT: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them
which believe.”

20. It is PROPHESYING that can be done by MORE THAN 1 Person in a

congregation.
1 Cor. 14:24: “But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one
unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all”.
[A great example is the experience at Pentecost (Acts 2).]

21. If this is not done in this prescribed manner, then it confuses Unbelievers.
1 Cor. 14:23: “If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak
with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say
that YE ARE MAD?”
22. Apostle Paul has prescribed what is decent and orderly in the Church of God!
1 Cor. 14:40: “Let all things be done decently and in order.”

23. If one is spiritual (a born again CHRISTIAN), then he MUST follow these
instructions!
1 Cor. 14:37: “If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him
ACKNOWLEDGE that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.”
[If adisputes the ORDER GIVEN, then their spirituality is to be considered as being
doubtful.]

24. Jesus instructs His servants to avoid prayers for display or vain repetitious prayers
(chants).
Mat. 6:5-9 “And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to
pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, THAT THEY MAY BE
SEEN OF MEN. ... But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast
shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; ... But when ye pray, USE NOT VAIN
REPETITIONS, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much
speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have
need of, before ye ask him. After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in
heaven, Hallowed be thy name. ...”

IN CLOSING:
~ Let us repeat what Apostle Paul summarizes in the 1 Cor. 14:37,39 teaching: “If any man
think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write
unto you are the command-ments of the Lord. ... Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy,
and forbid not to speak with tongues."
~ So shall we continue with the Traditions Of Men, or with the Commands Of God and the
Word Of God ? (Mat. 15:1-6; Mk. 7:8, 9, 13)

“But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of
God.” (1 Cor. 11:16) It is YOUR CHOICE to SPEAK wisely henceforth!

Amen.

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