Listen to this articleAll gifts are given for the edification of the church; Our edification. But each gift has a specific function. The purpose of tongues is given plainly in scripture, they serve as a sign. A sign to unbelievers.
Mark 16:17 (WEB)
These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new languages;
1 Corinthians 14:22 (WEB)
Therefore other languages are for a sign, not to those who believe, but to the unbelieving;
It is a sign to all unbelievers, so as long as there are unbelievers in the world, the believers will carry this sign. What was the sign? The sign was that The Holy Spirit is here.
At Pentecost, tongues served as a sign that The Holy Spirit had been received by the church. In the House of Cornelius it was a sign that the gentiles had received the Holy Spirit.
Acts 10:45-46 (WEB)
45 They of the circumcision who believed were amazed, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was also poured out on the Gentiles.
46 For they heard them speaking in other languages and magnifying God.
To Paul it was a sign that The Desciples of John had finally received the Holy Spirit.
Acts 19:2, 6 (WEB)
2 He said to them, Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? They said to him, No, we havent even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.
6 When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them and they spoke with other languages and prophesied.
Speaking in tongues is a sign that accompanies believers. To show unbelievers that there is something “foreign” something “supernatural” something “out of this world” now living in the believers. There are two operations of tongues that I want to teach on. But in order to understand these operations first we make clear a distinction between Your Spirit, and The Holy Spirit.
Every born again believer has two Spirits in him. HIS SPIRIT which is a human spirit. And The Holy Spirit which is God’s spirit.
These two Spirits work hand in hand.
Romans 8:16 (KJV)
The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
The Holy Spirit can speak in tongues, and your spirit can also speak in tongues. This means we have prophetic tongues and praying tongues. When the Holy Spirit is giving you utterance, It is a message from God and when interpreted it becomes prophecy.
Acts 2:4 (KJV)
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
This the Holy Spirit speaking, giving utterance in tongues. However Paul also talks of a different type of tongue, when YOUR SPIRIT is praying in a tongue. This is when your spirit is speaking to God, and these tongues do not lead to prophecy. Because it is you talking to God, and not God talking to you.
1 Corinthians 14:14 (NET)
If I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unproductive.
1 Corinthians 14:2 (ESV)
For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit.
Now when a person who has the gift of tongues is speaking, both operations can take place in the same prayer. Your spirit will speak tongues to God, and then there is a switch and The Holy Spirit will reply in tongues.
A person who is listening and does not have the gift of interpretation will not know the difference.
