In this paragraph, Paul
again underscores the value of prophecy over tongues. He exhorts the believers
to stop being like children in their thinking but be innocent as children in
their behavior.
In verse 21, Paul quoted Isaiah
28:11-12. To help us understand the quotation, we need to examine the context.
The two verses constitute a prediction of condemnation on the rulers of
Jerusalem. They had refused to listen to the words of God through the Prophet Isaiah.
Rather than trusting what the prophet had said, they jeered at him saying that he
was speaking a string of unintelligent speeches, much like baby-talk. They had
chosen not to trust God who had promised them security, and instead allied themselves
with a false security - the Egyptians. In so doing, they had relegated the prophet’s
words from God as some unintelligent gibberish and alien language. Quoting this
verses, Paul’s point is this: the sign of the unintelligent speech is a sign of
judgment. It is a sign that divine revelation is not accessible to unbelievers.
But to believers, prophecy is a sign because it shows that they have access to
divine revelation. That’s the reason why an uninitiated unbeliever who listens
to speeches in tongue would not be able to make any sense or significance out of
it.
So in a public gathering of
believers, as stunning as tongues may be, it would be ineffective in reaching
unbelievers and leading them to salvation. In fact when the whole church speaks
in tongues, those uninitiated unbelievers in attendance may conclude that we, the
believers are crazy. On the other hand, when prophecy is given in a language that
all can understand, it can bring conviction and lead unbelievers to evaluate
and see the secrets of their hearts. They would then turn their lives over to
God and worship Him, acknowledging with certainty that the presence of God is
indeed in the meeting.
Maturity in Christian life would enable us to care for others. It would also
help us to prioritize the exercise of our spiritual gifts. We must exercise restraint
when our gifts can cause unbelievers to be stumbled. We must also avoid causing
believers to miss out in building up their much needed faith in God.
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