Making Room for the Holy Spirit

By Ross Gilbert

In the context of Christian community, I have the opportunity to get to know Christ through people. It’s within the context of community that I have the best chance to get to know Jesus. When we gather on Sundays and other times throughout the week with other believers, we are coming together in the hope of experiencing Christ more.

But do we limit the ways and opportunities in which Jesus might want to speak to us? 

Have we become so regimented and controlled by our Sunday morning schedule that we don’t leave any time for the Holy Spirit? Especially when Scripture makes it clear that there are other ways that He wants to reveal Himself to the world and to us?

In 1 Corinthians, Paul teaches on how the Holy Spirit may manifest Himself through us, and through gifts to us, when His people gather. 

“Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.” 1 Corinthians 12:4-11 (NASB) 

From these verses, we are going to look at a gift that Paul found to be misunderstood and misused in the Church, even at that time as it is today - speaking in tongues.

Speaking in tongues is the prompting and gifting of the Holy Spirit to speak another language that is not your native tongue.

It is uttering foreign words, empowered by the Holy Spirit in the moment. It is not a sign of salvation or a greater infilling of the Holy Spirit. 

The first occurrence is in Acts 2:1-4 (NASB), “When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.”

This was significant because they began to speak boldly in public where people from all over the world were gathered, and each recognized their own native language. The surrounding crowds were asking, “How is it possible that I can hear these men speak my own language?” This sign got the crowd’s attention, and having their attention, Peter then preached the very first gospel message and 3,000 people were saved that day. And with it, the Church was born.

Then in Acts 10:44-45 (NASB), “While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. All the circumcised believers who came with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.” This was incredible for the apostles and disciples to see because it meant that Gentile Christians were like the Jewish ones. In having the Gentiles speak in tongues, it made a statement that one is not better or less than the other. That all are one. All are equal in Christ.

When it comes to the public display of speaking in tongues, it will be a known, human language. In 1 Corinthians, Paul is specifically talking about “various kinds” of tongues. The “various kinds” refers to nationalities. It is the word “genos” where we get the word genealogy from and can be translated as “kin” or “kindred.” So, in the context of public speaking in tongues, it would be another language like Russian or Serbian.

But if the language spoken is not understood it is useless, because the point is to speak words that are for the common benefit of all.

If there is a public manifestation of the Spirit in the form of speaking in tongues, then there also needs to be an interpretation of what was said so that the public might benefit. 

In 1 Corinthians 14:22a (NASB), Paul tells us, “So then tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers.” For example, an unbeliever may attend a church by invitation, and then someone gets up, begins to speak in a foreign language (that maybe that unbeliever knows) and then someone else gets up and translates it perfectly. That would be an incredible sign that God is amongst us! The sign of speaking in tongues is meant to grab the attention of an unbeliever with something that they cannot explain away as being just normal. 

A congregation that understands the purpose for speaking in tongues and the interpretation of tongues properly, and handles the gift with order and reverence, will experience God in new and exciting ways - in ways that bless the Church but also blesses those who do not know Him.