1 Corinthians 14:4

He that speaketh in. tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.

'edifieth himself' -Note: All tongue-speakers didn't necessarily understand what they had just said. (1 Corinthians 14:5)

Points to Note:

1. Some have. problem with the above. But no problem should exist concerning this concept. Those who insist that the tongues were heavenly languages or ecstatic utterances are faced with the same conclusion concerning what they believe the tongues to have been. Both views of the tongues run into the same wall.

Whatever the tongues were, all must come back to the same conclusion, i.e. that not all tongue-speakers understand what they had just said.

2. It would be. miracle to be able to speak fluently in. language you had never previously studied. But would it not be another miracle (or take another miracle) to be able then to understand what you had just said?

3. But people will say, 'how can you say something, without mentally comprehending what you said?' Someone could sarcastically respond 'people do it all the time'. But such does happen in the natural world, i.e. children say words before they understand what those particular words mean. And if that happens without. miracle, then certainly God can cause you to fluently speak in. foreign language, without the demand that you comprehend what you just said.

4. But then someone will say, 'But what benefit would it be to have the preacher preach. message to people that the preacher didn't understand himself.. mean, if the preacher didn't understand the content of his sermon, they how can he properly field any questions that his listeners might have?'

This problem. think is based on. misconception concerning the tongues. Apparently the tongues existed for the purpose to attract the attention of those listening. (Acts 2:4 '..they continued in amazement and great perplexity..') But we might be under the wrong impression if we think that the tongues were used to reveal whole sermons. In the First Century, the universal language was Greek, which was spoken almost anywhere. The tongues weren't necessarily needed to preach to people. Rather, they were used to attract the attention, to move people to enquire about the meaning of this event, i.e. here you are, an obvious foreigner, and yet you are speaking fluently in the local dialect. After the speaker had gained the attention of his audience, he would then preach to the people in. language that both of them understood.

'edifies himself' -Even the tongue-speaker who couldn't intrepet would be spiritually built up, just knowing that God was using him as an instrument in the effort to save unbelievers. (1 Corinthians 14:22)

'edifies the church' -and this is the question that love always asks, 'will it edify the church?' (1 Corinthians 10:23-24)