Praying in the Spirit: Some Marvelous Effects of Praying in the Spirit
Furthermore, it is the anti‑Pentecostal interpretation of this verse that makes tongues appear divisive and elitist in that it—not Pentecostal teaching—creates haves and have‑nots. Pentecostals and charismatics believe that God will not deprive any Christian of this blessing for service that comes with the filling of the Holy Spirit. Jesus told His disciples, “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:13). Every child of God can ask his heavenly Father for the Holy Spirit and His gifts.
The second criticism against the personal use of tongues is that such use appears to be egocentric and selfish. According to these critics, Paul discourages private tongues‑speaking because self‑edification is not a Christian virtue.
But if this were the case, we would also have to question prayer because it also builds up or edifies the believer. In fact, Jude (verse 20) commands us to build up ourselves with prayer. There is nothing wrong with seeking inner or spiritual strength. Private Bible study, prayer, and meditation, deeds of love all edify the individual; they are self‑edifying without being selfish. Even as self‑edifying prayer in the native tongue may prepare one to minister to others, self‑edifying glossolalia may also prepare one for such ministry.
Paul is not criticizing self‑edification through tongues in 1 Corinthians 14:4, he is making a distinction. There is a time and place for the personal use of tongues, and correctly used, tongues can and do build up the believer. Thus, self‑edification is not really the issue, but the use of tongues in relation to it.
It is true that there are charismatics who seem so caught up in the spiritual “highs” they enjoy that they make little contribution to the rest of the Body of Christ and certainly less to unbelievers. If a Christian is blind to the opportunity to minister to a human need because he is wrapped up in the experience of tongues‑speaking, obviously he is misusing the gift and is being selfish. But this is not the kind of self‑edification that charismatics believe Paul refers to. In fact, even some non‑charismatics see a legitimate scriptural view of self‑edification through tongues.
“‘He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself’ (14:4), and herein lies the main value of tongues to the individual believer. Along with prayer in his native language, along with Bible study, along with corporate worship and participation in the Lord’s Supper, along with the joy of witnessing to others, speaking in tongues builds him up.”
Category: Spirit, Spring 1999
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