Reflections with Andy - 1 Corinthians 14: 1-25 – Where Does Speaking in Tongues Come From?
Today we’ll take a deeper look at the theological foundation of speaking in tongues. The answer may surprise you!
Why do some Christians speak in tongues while others don’t? In today’s reflection, Andy continues through 1 Corinthians 14 by exploring Paul’s discussion of tongues and prophecy. Along the way, he explains the Wesleyan roots that connect Methodists and many Pentecostal and charismatic traditions, while reflecting on what spiritual maturity ultimately looks like. Whether expressed through extraordinary gifts or ordinary faithfulness, the goal of the Christian life is the same: to grow in the love of God until our lives reflect the love of Christ.
Join us for our daily reflections. In 10 short minutes, we’ll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help us better understand God’s Word.
You can read today’s passage here.
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Good morning! It’s good to be with you on this Monday morning. I hope you had a wonderful weekend.
Here in Starkville, we’re beginning to see more and more Mississippi State students arriving as another school year approaches. It’s always an exciting time of year. Our town begins to come alive again, and as a church we look forward to welcoming students—both those returning and those who are here for the very first time.
Today we continue our journey through 1 Corinthians, picking up in chapter 14.
On Friday, we spent our time in chapter 13, where Paul reminded us that love is the greatest of all the spiritual gifts. Now Paul turns to one of the most debated subjects in the church: tongues and prophecy.
Let’s read 1 Corinthians 14:1–25.
This passage can make some Christians a little nervous because it deals with a topic that different churches understand in different ways.
I’ll be honest about where I’m coming from.
I’m not part of a charismatic tradition. Speaking in tongues has never been a central part of my own spiritual experience.
But I also want to be careful not to dismiss something simply because it hasn’t been my experience.
Over the years I’ve been present when people have prayed over me in tongues.
I’ve witnessed moments that I sincerely believe were genuine movements of the Holy Spirit.
The people involved were faithful Christians whom I deeply respect, and I have no reason to question the sincerity of their faith or the reality of what God was doing in their lives.
So while speaking in tongues isn’t part of my own regular experience, I certainly don’t dismiss it.
Paul, however, is making an important distinction here between tongues and prophecy.
When we hear the word prophecy, we often think of predicting the future.
That’s certainly part of the biblical story at times.
But much more often, prophecy simply means speaking the word God has given for that particular moment.
The Old Testament prophets frequently addressed the people standing right in front of them. They called God’s people to repentance, challenged injustice, offered hope, and proclaimed God’s truth into their present circumstances.
That’s the kind of prophecy Paul has in mind.
His concern is practical.
If someone speaks in a language no one understands, how does that build up the church?
Paul says,
“I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.”
Notice what keeps appearing throughout these chapters.
The purpose is always the same.
Build up the church.
Strengthen the body of Christ.
Help people encounter Jesus.
That’s Paul’s measuring stick.
One thing I think is fascinating is that many of our Pentecostal and charismatic brothers and sisters actually have deep roots in the Wesleyan tradition.
John Wesley taught that the Christian life doesn’t end at conversion.
God continues transforming us.
We continue growing in holiness.
We continue becoming more like Christ.
Wesley called that process sanctification.
Many Pentecostal and charismatic traditions emphasize that as believers grow in the Spirit, spiritual gifts—including speaking in tongues—may become visible expressions of God’s work in their lives. That emphasis grew out of a broader Wesleyan conviction that God’s grace continues to transform us throughout the Christian life.
That’s an important connection to understand.
We’re family, even when we express our faith in different ways.
Where I personally land is here.
When I ask, “What is the greatest evidence that someone is becoming more like Jesus?” my answer keeps bringing me back to chapter 13.
Love.
That’s the fruit I’m looking for.
Paul has already told us,
“If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.”
For me, that’s the lens through which I read chapter 14.
God certainly gives different gifts to different people.
Some have gifts of teaching.
Some have gifts of encouragement.
Some have gifts of leadership.
Some may even have the gift of tongues.
But whatever gifts God gives us, the ultimate evidence of spiritual maturity is that we increasingly love like Jesus.
Wesley often described Christian maturity as being made perfect in love.
Not perfect in knowledge.
Not perfect in performance.
Perfect in love.
To love God with all our heart.
To love our neighbor as ourselves.
To allow the Holy Spirit to shape our lives until love becomes our most recognizable characteristic.
That’s the kind of sanctification I long for.
If the Spirit’s work in my life isn’t making me more patient...
More kind...
More forgiving...
More compassionate...
Then something is missing.
Because no matter what gifts we possess, the goal is never the gifts themselves.
The goal is becoming more like Christ.
And when we become more like Christ...
We become people of love.
Thanks for being with me today. Tomorrow we’ll continue in 1 Corinthians 14 as Paul turns his attention to worship itself and why order matters whenever God’s people gather together.
I hope you have a wonderful day, and I’ll see you again tomorrow morning.