Praying in the Spirit: Some Marvelous Effects of Praying in the Spirit
Peter Wagner of Fuller Seminary concurs: “Tongues are good for a personal spiritual experience with the Lord privately. Paul says, ‘He who speaks in a tongue improves himself’ (14:4). If there is no interpreter in the church, let him ‘speak to himself and to God’ (14:28). The personal testimony of many who have the gift of tongues is that through it they have enjoyed a fellowship with God more intimate than they had ever known before” (p.102).
While encouraging other avenues of self‑edification, Bridge and Phypers write: “‘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. It does not replace nor is it a substitute for any of these other activities but is to be used alongside them” (pp.73‑74).
Hoekema, a persistent critic of Pentecostalism who has written two widely sold books against Pentecostal‑charismatic doctrine and practice, states:
Tongue‑speaking has value for personal edification. . . . Paul admits that a person giving thanks in tongues can give thanks well, though he adds that others are not edified by such a prayer unless it is interpreted. . . . The fact that Paul did not forbid speaking with tongues. . . and that he thanked God that he spoke with tongues more than they all . . . indicates that tongue‑speaking when used in this way must have had some spiritual value (Holy, p. 57).
Richard Gaffin’s equally adamant critique of Pentecostalism includes this begrudged concession concerning the personal use of tongues: “The passage does apparently contain indications which point to some kind of private exercise of the gift …” (p.82).
According to Donald Burdick, “Paul does not say, as some assume, that speaking in tongues in private is either useless or wrong. When he forbids the public use of tongues [without interpretation], Paul does not likewise forbid private use” (p.45).
Writing in the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Schweizer states that “Paul obviously plays down speaking with tongues,” adding, “He values it, however, for private edification” (VI: p.424).
Finally, non‑Pentecostal Michael Green writes that the manifestation of tongues
edifies the individual. … This is not surprising, if it releases the inhibitions which keep us from prayer and praise of God. To be sure, Paul in this chapter is concerned to contrast speaking in tongues, which only edifies the speaker, with prophecy, which also builds up the church. But it is illicit for that reason to deny that tongues‑speaking does edify the individual, as many commentators infer. No, it is one of the ways of growth in the Christian life (p.164).
Category: Spirit, Spring 1999
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