Sorry for the late response.
onelove said:
Don't see the connection in 1 Co 12,so let's look at the definition you provided.
There was a typo, I meant 1 Co 14.
I Corinthians 14:2 "For he that speaketh in an [unknown] tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries."
"Mysteries" as given in the Greek text is "divine secrets"; so why would he be speaking in divine secrets? Note also that the word "unknown" was added by the translators for it just wasn't there in the early manuscripts.
He is speaking mysteries in the spirit.
Corinthians 14:4 "He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifeth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church."
If I went to a foreign land and taught this chapter in English, where no one knows the English language, the only one that would be built up by what I said would be me. However, if I went to a church that spoke English and taught in the English, the entire church would be edified or built up by those same words. If you are truly teaching the Word of God to the body of Christ and speaking in their language, then they would gain from what you would say.
It edifies the spirit inside you, it charges up the spirit inside you, at this moment, in this spiritual prayer you are building yourself up in the spirit.
One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is to be able to learn another tongue or language than you were brought up with, so that you can teach someone who is not of your language
Learn? If that's true then what one passage you have to support your conclusion?
I Corinthians 14:5 "I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying."
Prayer was never meant to be edifying to others, especially praying in an unknown tongue. But the one issue that the Cor. had was speaking in an unknown tongue unto men there's no interpreter. Paul was against that, so this is what he said: But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God. (1Co.14:28) You can see that Paul was not against praying in an unknown tongue, he was against speaking in an unknown tongue unto men when there is no interpreter.
I Corinthians 14:6 "Now, brethren, 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?"
Paul is saying that if I come to you with great revelations and knowledge speaking in a in a language that that you do not understand, what will it profit you? Of course if you cannot understand what is being said in that foreign tongue, it will be nothing more than a turkey call. You wouldn't know if it was prophesying, doctrine, or knowledge.
1 Corinthians 14:6 "Now, brethren, 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?"
It will profit him, but it won't profit the others around you because no one understands. So don't start speaking in an unknown tongue unto man when there's no interpreter, pray to God.
If you pray in a language that your mind doesn't understand, then of what benefit is your prayer. You uttered words that mean nothing, and have created nothing but noise. When you pray to the Father, know exactly who you are praying to and for what purpose. However if you are just muttering words and sounds that have no meaning, your prayer is in vain. In short, you have to be able to communicate, before people know what you are saying. Remember that this chapter is dealing with teaching those that are foreigners to you, and those that do not speak your language. The ability to communicate is a gift from God.
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If you pray in a language that your mind doesn't understand, then of what benefit is your prayer. You uttered words that mean nothing, and have created nothing but noise. When you pray to the Father, know exactly who you are praying to and for what purpose. However if you are just muttering words and sounds that have no meaning, your prayer is in vain.
4 He that speaketh in an [unknown] tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.
(1Co.14:4)
You edify yourself in the spirit, you build up yourself in the spirit, you charge up yourself in the spirit, your spirit grows when you pray in the spirit, pray in an unknown tongue.
2 For he that speaketh in an [unknown] tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth [him]; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.
(1Co.14:2)
Paul was certainly not against praying in the spirit, praying in tongues. He was against speaking in tongues unto men when there's no interpreter.
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.
28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.
(1Co.14:27,28)
The pattern was only when tongues were being speaking unto men, and of course, interpreted. But if there's no interpreter, you have to keep silence -meaning don't stand up and start speaking in an unknown tongue unto men, and pray to God.
In short, you have to be able to communicate, before people know what you are saying. Remember that this chapter is dealing with teaching those that are foreigners to you, and those that do not speak your language. The ability to communicate is a gift from God.
No:
In this chapter Paul is given the Corinthians the correct pattern of speaking with tongues. The Corinthians, as new Christians, were misusing the ability to speak with tongues. As we know, tongues cannot be understood, so the Corinthians were speaking with tongues unto men when there was no interpreter. So because of this, Paul told them that when there's no interpreter, let him speak unto God (v28). Basically, Paul is telling them that the church wont receive edification when you speak in an unknown tongue unto men, because no men understands him (v2). In this case, for the whole church to receive edification, Paul wants them to prophesy (v5), or at least have an interpreter.
(Please keep in mind that Paul was not against praying with tongues, he was against people speaking with tongues unto men when there's no interpreter.)
