SPEAKING IN UNKNOWN TONGUES

07-10-66

I Corinthians 14:1-40

 

            Today, the sermon is the gift of speaking in tongues.  I suppose that I have been years and years in preparation on this sermon.  Yet, when I had finished it, and looked it, one would've thought it could have been done in five minutes. 

            But there hasn’t been anything over which I have struggled in my own spirit and in my study and in my own observation in the thirty-eight years that I have been a preacher more than over this subject of glossolalia.  That’s a funny-sounding name, glossolalia, speaking in tongues. 

            For about two thousand years, it was almost unknown and unheard of.  And then in the middle of the last century, there was an English man by the name of Irving, a tall fella about six feet, five inches tall, with his hair uncut, long, flowing over his shoulders, a Presbyterian, and associated with the world-famed, Dr. Chalmers.  And he led a movement, a tongue-speaking movement.  And it has appeared in this century and in our day. 

            Some of the finest Baptist churches in our state are divided, clipped, tragically so.  And some of the fine churches in this city, wrestle with that at this present moment. 

            So when we address ourselves to this subject, we are looking at one of the phenomenal developments in Christendom this very hour. 

            Now, how shall I do it?  These two sermons, ought to be together.  The one next Sunday, the one this Sunday.  And there is not the beginning of time to present them.  So, I just pray, I could hope that you could listen next Sunday also.  And if you are unable to, these sermons will be printed in a book.  The book will be out the last of this year.  It will be entitled “The Holy Spirit in Today’s World.” 

            Now, presenting the message.  Do you remember a television program called “Dragnet?”  And there was a man by the name of Webb, who was the detective in that long series. 

            And in everyone of the stories there always was developed a scene wherein the detective was will say to a man -- usually garrulous -- that he was questioning, would you, quote, “Just the facts, mister, just give me the facts.” 

            Do you remember that?  “Just the facts, mister, just give me the facts.”  This sermon will be that.  Just the facts, Preacher, just give me the facts.  What does God say?  What does the Bible say?  What is presented in the Holy Scriptures?  And then next Sunday, we shall speak on the interpretation. 

            Now, the facts.  What are the facts of glossolalia?  When I turn to the 2nd Chapter of the book of Acts: When the day of Pentecost was fully come, there came suddenly a sound from heaven as of a rushing, mighty wind -- the first miracle. 

            And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire -- the second miracle. 

            Over in Embree Hall, there is a magnificent painting that will be greatly enlarged and housed in one of the magnificent structures in the city of Dallas beyond Knox Park, in the Hillcrest Cemetery area as you have in Forest Lawn in Los Angeles. 

            The marvelous miracle of Pentecost is presented in that glorious project.  Now the third miracle was: And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.  And began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. 

            Now, there were dwelling there in Jerusalem, Jews, Hellenists from all over the world.  And they heard every man in his own language the glorious works of God. 

            They were amazed and marveled saying: Are all of these which speak Galileans?  How hear we then every man in his own tongue wherein he was born?  Parthians and Medes, Elamites,6 Mesopotamians, Judeans, Cappadocians, Babylonians, Greeks, Romans, Latins. 

            It was a phenomenal miracle.  Three of them.  The sound of a mighty rushing wind.  The fire as it parted and lambently flamed upwards on the heads of each apostle.  And the preaching of the gospel of the Son of God in languages.  And all of the people, all of those representatives of those languages could hear it and understand it and they were amazed by it. 

            I turn the page now to the 10th Chapter of the book of Acts.  In the household of Cornelius at Caesarea, when Peter was done with his sermon in Verse 44 of Chapter 10.  While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all of them which heard the word. 

            And those Jews that were there with Simon Peter were amazed that on these Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit.  For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. 

            Now, the third time in the book of Acts.  In the Chapter 19, it came to pass that Paul found certain disciples.  And he said to them: Have you received the Holy Spirit? 

And the King James Version is translated: Since ye believed.  When you believe. 

            Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you were saved?  When you believed? 

            They said unto him: We haven’t heard so much whether there be a Holy Spirit.  And he says: Well, whose disciples are you then?  And they said: John the Baptist. 

            The Baptist movement did not die when John was beheaded.  And I am preaching on the martyrdom of John the Baptist tonight.  But the Baptist movement continued alongside the Christian movement. 

            And the disciples of John made disciples who made disciples who made disciples who made disciples and there are disciples of John the Baptist today. 

            And these men were disciples of disciples, of disciples, of disciples, of disciples of John the Baptist.  Now John the Baptist preached the Holy Spirit.  These men haven’t even heard of such a thing as the Holy Spirit. 

            So Paul preached the gospel unto them and they were saved and they were baptized.  And when Paul laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came upon them and they spake with tongues and prophesied.  Magnified God. 

            Now, that is all in the book of Acts.  I have read all of it to you.  There is one other place in the New Testament.  And it is in the passage of I Corinthians, Chapter 12, Chapter 13, Chapter 14. 

            In I Corinthians, Chapter 12, in listing the nine gifts of the Spirit here, the last two are: To another, diverse kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. 

            Then Chapter 14 is a discussion of this gift of speaking in tongues.  In Pentecost, it was an understood language.  But in the Corinthians church, it is an ununderstandable language.  It is an unknown tongue. 

            In the 2nd Verse, Paul says: He that speaketh in an unknown tongue, speaketh not unto men, but unto God.  For no man understandeth him.  It is an unknown tongue. 

            And in Verse 14: For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.  It is an unknown tongue. 

            Glossolalia, an unknown tongue.  I am astonished in many things in the Bible, in the word of God.  I am astonished at this.  I am amazed at it.  I am overwhelmed by it. 

            “But the facts, mister, just tell us the facts.”   These are the facts.  One, the saints of the Old Testament, had all of the gifts of the Spirit.  All of them are seen in the spirit-filled men of God of the Old Testament.  But not this. 

            This phenomenon is not seen in the Old Testament, nor is there any approach to it.  Second, this phenomenon of speaking in unknown, ununderstandable tongues is not seen in the life of our Lord.  And to be honest, again, I could not conceive of Jesus, the Son of God speaking in unknown tongues. 

            Nor is there anything in the life of our master that approximates it or approaches it.  In the Gospels, it is never mentioned, never referred to.  The most spiritual gospel, that of John, never mentions it.  It is not seen in the life or ministry of our Lord. 

            In the listing of the gifts, in Romans, and in Ephesians, it is never referred to.  Nor is it found in any church, except in this one church this Corinth, that Paul -- that Paul calls a carnal church.  And the people as babes in Christ. 

            It is not found in the churches of Macedonia.  In the churches of Achaia.  In the churches of Asia.  In the churches of Judea.  In the churches of Samaria.  In the churches of Rome.  It is never referred to.  The only time it is ever seen is in this one carnal church in Corinth, in Corinth. 

            It is never referred to in the epistles of Paul, except here in the letter to Corinth.  It is never referred to in the pastoral epistle when Paul writes to his young sons in the ministry how to conduct a house of God, how to carry on the work of the Lord, it is never referred to. 

            It is never referred to in the book of Hebrews.  It is never referred to in the general epistle it is by Peter, James and by John.  And it is never referred to in the Revelation.  It is a phenomenon that you find only in this church in Corinth.  This speaking in an unknown tongue. 

            So I take up this holy book.  And I read what Paul has to say in this 14th Chapter of I Corinthians about glossolalia, speaking in unknown tongues.  And when I read that chapter, I can see, plainly, evidently, lucidly, I can see that Paul is wrestling with a problem in the church at Corinth. 

            It is always a problem.  It has never been anything else in the history of the world, but a problem.  And Paul is wrestling with it here in the church at Corinth.  Plainly, manifestly. 

            Why, he says, when you come together as a church, and you speak in tongues.  And there comes an unbeliever, will he not say: You are -- and it is translated here -- mad?   The Greek word is mainomai which is a Greek word for insane. 

            When I turn to the last verse in that chapter, he says: Let all things be done decently and in order. 

            He’s having trouble with it.  It is a problem in the church at Corinth.  Can’t you see the difference?  Had the church at Corinth given itself to great things, Paul would have commended them and encouraged them.  Had the church at Corinth given themselves to a great sacrificial commitment to God, he would have written words of encouragement and commendation. 

            Had they been given to prayer, to intercession, to witness, to testimony, to any of the fruits of the spirit, Paul would have written to them words of commendation. 

            But he is wrestling with this problem.  It is a problem in the church at Corinth.  And this chapter that Paul writes concerning glossolalia speaking in tongues, this chapter is not a series of rules to speak in tongues, but it is a series of mandates to restrict it. 

            In every way possible, Paul is seeking to control, to dissuade, to discourage.  “Just give me the facts, mister, give me the facts.”

            We are going to look at everyone of them.  Even in these words where Paul speaks of speaking in tongues in the spirit of permission and understanding, he will always put a “but” with it. 

            I am going to read them all.  I am going to read every time that he says anything that might open the door to glossolalia.  But every time he will say something of permission, he will say but and then seek to interdict its use and its practice and its exercise. 

            Look at it.   I Corinthians 14 Verse 4: He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself.  But he that speak intelligibly prophesies, speaks out, edifieth the church. 

            When a man speaks in an unknown tongue, he may build up his own spiritual egotism.  And his own feeling of rapture and ecstasy.  But says Paul, for the church, we need a plain and intelligible language. 

            All right, turn the page and look at that “but” again.  Verse 5.  Turn the page just a little.  I forget you don’t have my Bible.  Verse 5: I would, he says, that ye all spake with tongues.  But -- and always it is there.  I would that you all spake with tongues.  But rather that you spake intelligibly and intelligibly. 

            All right once again.  Verse 18:  I thank my God that I speak with tongues more than you all.  But -- always that.  But in the church, I had rather speak quiet words with my understanding than by my voice that I might teach others also than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue. 

            Now, there is one other place.  We are reading all of them.  The 29th Verse.  Forbid not to speak with tongues.  But brethren, commit to prophesy.  To speak, to edification and intelligently. 

            I am just repeating that when you read that chapter, Paul is wrestling with a problem.  It is a divisive problem even in this carnal church in Corinth. 

            All right, having seen the tenor and the feelings in the heart of the apostle as he writes, now let’s see what he says.  Just the facts, mister, what are the facts? 

            One, did you ever see such tremendous odds as Paul writes in the church, I had rather speak five words with my understanding.  Five words with my understanding.  That by my voice I might teach others also.  Than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue. 

            Five to ten thousand.  Did you ever see such tremendous odds?  And yet there are men who had rather give themselves to that deprecatory situation that Paul described.  Five to ten thousand and I don’t understand it.  I don’t understand it. 

            He’s doing everything possible to dissuade, to discourage.  Let us speak five words intelligently, understandably than ten thousand in an unknown tongue. 

            All right.  Second, just give us the facts, mister, just the facts.  Second, let your women keep silence in the churches.  It is not permitted unto them to speak.  And if they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home.  For it is a shame for women to speak in the church. 

            Now, I turn the page in my Bible.  I turn the page and here in the 11th Chapter of I Corinthians, Paul has just described how a woman ought to dress when she prays in public and when she prophesies in public. 

            Now, this man Paul is stupid if he cannot remember that one page over he just got through writing how a woman is to dress, when she prays in public and when she prophesies, when she speaks out in public.  And then turn the page, and then he writes. 

            Let the women keep silence in the churches, it is not permitted for them to speak.  For it is a shame for the woman to speak in the church.  Well, the reason and the answer is plain. 

            He has spoken here of these women in the very heart and middle in the chapter of glossolalia .  And he is talking about a woman speaking in an unknown tongue.  He’s talking about speaking in tongues. 

            Well, why would Paul object to a woman speaking in an unknown tongue?  When you study ancient Greek history, it is very apparent, most apparent. 

            If you have ever visited the ancient site of Corinth, the sea is right here and the city is here.  The ancient city was built here.  And right there in the most impressive Acrocorinthius you could ever imagine.  The Acropolis of Corinth. 

            Far more majestic, higher, larger than the Acropolis in Athens found by the Parthenon.  The Acropolis of Corinth.  And on top of that Acropolis was a glorious Greek temple to Aphrodite.  Her Latin name is Venus. 

            And in that ancient day, they worshiped the goddess Aphrodite, Venus in sexual orgies.  When a man went up to worship Aphrodite, that’s the way he worshiped her.  The filth and the dirt of those ancient religious worships lie untranslatable in the language in which they have lain for thousands of years. 

            You don’t translate it into modern language.  And everyone of those temples had women dedicated to the goddess.  And those women in order to carry through those orgies of worship, worked themselves up into frenzies. 

            And Paul said: If that were to happen by an unbeliever and he stopped and he looked in and there your women are speaking in unknown tongues, he would say, “Well, we have a little colony of Aphrodite here.  Let’s go in and take part of the orgy.” 

            No, said Paul.  Such a thing is unthought for.  It is unnameable in the house of God and in the churches of Christ.  Let your women keep silence.  It is a shame.  As up there in Aphrodite.  It is a shame for a woman to speak in an unknown tongue in the church. 

            And you take the women out of the unknown tongue’s movement, and it will die overnight.  The frenzy, the ecstasy, the unknown glossolalia is kept alive by women. 

            And Paul says: Just the facts, mister, just the facts.  Well, what is this?  And what is its purpose?  God has a purpose at Pentecost, you saw it.  At Caesarea, in the household of the Gentiles, you saw it.  And at Ephesus, you saw it.  And here he is, speaking of it.

            This thing is in the Bible.  Well, what does it mean?  Where did it come from and what is its purpose?  Just the facts, mister, just tell us the facts. 

            Paul, under the inspiration of God interprets what God has done and what it meant.  You listen.  Verse 21, 22: In the law -- that’s in the Old Testament -- in the law it is written with men with other tongues and other lips will I speak to this people.  And yet for all that, they will not hear me, saith the Lord. 

            Wherever tongues are for a sign.  Not to them that believe.  But to them that believe not.  Well, what does it mean?  What is Paul speaking of here?  In this glossolalia in this speaking of tongues, what does he mean? 

            Why, it is simple.  It is plain.  He is quoting here, Isaiah 28:11 in the Old Testament, which is called the law of the whole book.  In the Old Testament it is written, then he quotes Isaiah 28:11: With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak to these people and yet for all of that, they will not obey me.  They will not repent and believe me and trust me. 

            Now, the historical context of that prophecy of Isaiah was this: The Lord says to his prophet Isaiah.  You say to these people, I have spoken to you plainly.  I have spoken to you in an intelligent language.  I have spoken to you in a language you can understand, in your mother’s tongue. 

            But you are obstinate and recalcitrant and incorrigible and disobedient.  Now, says the Lord God, I am going to speak to you in a language that you can’t understand.  The foreign tongues. 

            And the historical context is, God brought in the Assyrians and they couldn’t understand Assyrians.  And God brought in the Babylonians and they couldn’t understand Chaldeans and the Lord spoke to Israel as a sign in these other tongues and other languages and yet they didn’t repent and they didn’t believe. 

            Now, Paul takes that prophecy out of Isaiah and he applies it to what God is doing to the Jewish nation and the Jewish people.  Wherever he says, tongues are for a sign.  Not to them that believe.  But to them that believe not.  It is a sign. 

            Well, I can see that now plainly.  Pentecost, there were three signs to the Jewish nation and the Jewish people.  To the Jews in Jerusalem.  At the beginning of this new dispensation, there were three -- there were three signs from God that this is of heaven.  A new dispensation.  A new era. 

            First, the sound as of a rushing, mighty wind.  Pneuma, breath, a type of the Holy Spirit.  Second, fire that cloved, that split, that parted, flaming above each one.  Fire is a sign of the Holy Spirit.  Third, the gift of tongues. 

            And they spake the word of God in the languages of all of the people, the Jewish people that had gathered there for Pentecostal feast day from the ends of the earth. 

            It was a sign to the Jewish nation.  I can see that.  And the same thing happened at Caesarea.  The speaking in tongues was a sign. 

            As Paul says: It is a sign for there were those Jewish brethren who came with Simon Peter into the house of the Gentile Cornelius and when they returned to Jerusalem in the 11th Chapter of the book of Acts, Peter and those Jews were called on the carpet. 

            You went into the house of a Gentile.  And it is not lawful for a Jew to go into his house, much less eat with them. 

            And Paul -- Simon Peter replied: But my brothers, we saw the sign from God.  That’s what he says.  This thing that happened at Pentecost.  The sign from God that this is the gospel of the new dispensation.  That same sign saw we at Caesarea.  For we saw these Gentiles speak with tongues, even as we saw at Pentecost. 

            I understand that.  The gift of tongues was the sign gift as Paul says to the Jewish nation.  To the Jewish people in introducing the new dispensation.  But to a Gentile, now I’m going to continue.  The next verse. 

            But to us, to us, if the church comes together and you speak in tongues, and there comes a visitor by, he will say: You are mainesthe.  You are mad.  You are insane. 

            But if a man prophesies, if he speaks intelligently, and there come in that man unbelieving, the secrets of his heart, he will be convicted in his soul and he will bow down and worship God and say, “God is among you and true.” 

            The sign was for the Jewish nation and the Jewish people as you see in Pentecost, as you see in Caesarea.  But when you turn to the Gentile world, to preach the gospel of the Son of God, could you imagine in your wildest imagination, could you imagine standing on Mars Hill before the court of the Areopagus, the Supreme Court of the Athenian nation, could you imagine Paul standing there before the Areopagus, speaking in tongues and Silas standing by his side interpreting? 

            They would have said, “They are insane.  They are mad.” 

            Just the facts, mister, just tell us the facts.  Tongues were for a sign.  And when the sign had done its purpose, it ceased.  We shall preach on that.  Tongues shall cease, said Paul. 

            And to recreate the sign is an affront to God.  It is not faith.  It is presumption.  Oh, my soul, the parting of the Red Sea, under the hand Moses.  And we stand there and say: Lord God, do it again.  Part the Red Sea.  Why you did it, do it again.  Just see it. 

            It was a sign under the hand of Moses delivering God’s people in a new dispensation, that of the law.  Do it again, it has served its purpose. 

            And Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.  And Elijah saw the chariot of fire and the horses of fire.  And we stand by the side of a prophet Isaiah, a John the Baptist, a Peter, a Paul, and we say: Do it again.  Let’s see you go up into heaven in a chariot of fire.  Do it again. 

            How beautiful the story of the incarnation.  And the angels came and they spake.  Leroy says they sang.  God says they spake.  Just depends on which one you want to follow.  And they spake.  And with the glory of power. 

            And we stand now under the night sky and say, “Lord, do it again.  Let’s hear the angels speak according to the word of God and sing according to Leroy here.  Let’s see if He can do it.  Do it again.” 

            Or the star comes.  Lord, do it again.  And they spake with tongues, a sign at Pentecost.  Lord, do it again.  Do it again.  You finally disrupt the purpose of God.  And Paul says.  And the unbelievers come by and they say you are mainomai, you have lost your mind. 

            Isn’t that a compliment to the house of God and to the kingdom of Jesus?  Well, what does he say for us then?  Ah, he has a lot to say to us.  It starts at Verse 6.  He starts at Verse 6: Now brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you? 

            If I speak in an unknown language and an unknown tongue, what shall I profit you?  Except I speak to you by revelation or by knowledge or by prophesying or by doctrine in understandable language, what shall I profit you? 

            Why, he says, even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give station to sound, how shall it be known what is piped or harped?  Just make a conglomerate out of that organ and somebody try to play it and see if it plays music. 

            Every sound, every note has to be distinct and understood.  What if the trumpet gives a certain sound?  Who prepares himself to battle?  When I turn to the 33rd Chapter of Ezekiel, God says: I put you on a wall a watchman and when you see the sword come, blow the trumpet. 

            If you don’t blow the trumpet and the people die, their blood will I require at your hand.  The trumpet has to give a certain sound. 

            So likewise, ye, except ye utter by the tongues, words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken?  For ye shall speak in the air.  Paul is making appeal for what is sane and understandable and intelligent and decent and in order. 

            Why, I just feel the throb of a man as he speaks.  When you come to church and when the people are gathered together, speak in an intelligent language. 

            And then finally, I must close, when the whole church comes together in one place, Verse 23 and 25.  There come in those that are unbelievers.  If you talking in tongues, we may not say you are mad, but if all prophesy, and speak out. 

            To edification, to encouragement, to faith, to trust, to believe.  If all prophesy and there come in one that believeth not, he’s convinced of all and judged of all and the secrets of the heart have been made manifest and the Spirit of God convicts him.  And so falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that God is among you in truth. 

            That’s the way says Paul.  That’s the way.  The sign was for the Jewish nation at the beginning of the new dispensation.  It served its purpose.  It is done.  It has ceased.  No need for this kind. 

            But now when you come together in church.  Let God call the lost to faith.  And the commitment by a plan and an understandable word.  And the simpler you can make it, the more effective will God use it and bless it. 

            For God does not call His people to faith by sign and by wonders and by miracles and by voices and by tongues and by strange sounds.  <