Private Prayer Language

Here are some of my thoughts about speaking in tongues from a yahoo discussion group I am a part of.

I took First Corinthians in seminary with Dr. E. Earle Ellis. In his notes, he talks about this whole section (I Cor. 14:26-40) as being "Regulations of tongues and prophecy." That's the key word: regulation! Whatever is being taught here it is being regulated as to not abuse the hearers and assembly.

Ellis says that the purpose of the regulation is intended to demonstrate that Christian worship is done for edification, done decently and in order. God is not the God of confusion.

Ellis also says that there are limits placed on tongues and prophecy. In I Corithians 14:26-28, it is limited to 2-3 people and must be interpreted, which says to me that this probably was some kind of esctatic utterance not understood by the people.

What would be the point of these tongues and prophecy? Well, one can obviously see the point of prophecy. The early church didn't have the abundance of mass produced bibles and most of the NT was still being written. It could be that this was a supernatural phenomenon for the instruction of the people of God and individual churches.

As far as why tongues...I don't know. Could God have only communicated through prophecy? I'm sure he could. But Ellis gives two reasons:

1. They are not channeled through man's mind - They show the sovereignty of God in acts of revelation. It also humbles us.

2. It cuts skepticism about the supernatural - It may be helpful in a scientific skeptical mindset.

Ellis, in his book, Pauline Theology: Ministry and Society basically concludes that we must be careful and discerning when itcomes to this, always evaluating one's message. The contemporary charismatic movement has surely abused tongues since most are done without interpretation. My personal thoughts are that tongues and prophecy were done by specially gifted people called pneumatics and that these gifts were diminished with the advent of the scriptures being massed produced. It may be that in other third-world countries this phenomenon may still be applicable.