The city in which hubby and I live is a cultural crossroads. Whenever we go shopping at Costco it is common to hear all kinds of different languages being spoken by everyone around us. People of all different nationalities shop at Costco alongside hubby and me.
At the pediatric clinic where my daughter works, probably 30% of patients who come in cannot speak English. They speak a variety of different languages from many different countries.
No problem. My daughter and her coworkers pull out the translation tablet. Via the translation service on the tablet, they are able to communicate about health issues and get appointments scheduled. The doctors can conduct medical examinations using the translation tablet to communicate as well. It’s really quite remarkable.
At hubby’s work, real-time translation of phone calls is totally common. It is possible to call someone on the other side of the world who speaks a completely different language and communicate with them via real-time translation. You simply say whatever you need to say in your language, and the other person on the other end of the phone call hears it in their own language. Then they respond in their language, and you hear it on your end in your own language. It’s incredible.
In our current times in which we live it is possible for just about anyone in just about any part of the world to access the Bible easily on their phone or a digital device.
If someone knows nothing about God or the Bible, they can just type a couple of words into a “Search” bar and Voila! … the search engine will return hundreds of results for them.
Language is no longer a barrier to communication today.
It seems like we today have an unfair advantage which the people back in the first century did not have when it comes to sharing the good news about Jesus Christ. There are Bible-reading apps … available globally. There are online sermons of just about every preaching style available. I can sit in my home, in the far-away corner of the Pacific Northwest, and enjoy listening to sermons from Dallas, Texas. In real time no less! It’s incredible.
There is text-to-translate for just about everything nowadays.
I wrote a few blog posts ago that God does not give his kids unfair advantages.
God is completely just.
God doesn’t give some of his kids an unfair advantage which others of his kids do not have.
We might have real-time translation today, but God gave the Christians in the first century something we don’t have today – the Gift of Tongues.
There is a lot of “woo-woo” about the Gift of Tongues. Many people believe the Gift of Tongues is the ability to speak in a heavenly angelic language which nobody else can understand. Many people desire to have this ability to speak in a heavenly angelic language which nobody else can understand. (it certainly seems like that would make someone spiritually “special” and “set apart”)
The Apostle Paul addresses this in his teaching to the Christians in the church of Corinth.
“If I speak in the tongues [languages] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.” – 1 Corinthians 13:1
“Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts … For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit. …
“He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be edified.” – 1 Corinthians 14:1-5
It is obvious Paul is acknowledging there is a heavenly language just like there are different earthly languages. And it is obvious Paul is acknowledging that God gives some people the ability to speak and understand the heavenly language.
However, Paul makes it clear in his teaching to the people of Corinth that the Gift of Tongues [languages] is meant to be used to strengthen and build up the church. The purpose of the Gift of Tongues [languages] is so that people would know who God is … and how to live holy lives which please him.
People cannot do this if the tongue [language] being spoken cannot be understood.
God gave the Gift of Tongues [languages] to the Christians in the first century as a means of real-time translation. God wanted people from all nations and all cultures to know who he is. God wanted people to know the good news of Jesus Christ – that Jesus Christ came to save people from their sin.
The city of Corinth was a cultural crossroads just like the city where hubby and I live.
The city of Corinth was the capital of the Roman province of Achaia. As a result, there were people passing through Corinth from all over the world. Military personnel, soldiers, government officials and administrators. Sailors, ship captains, and ship merchants brought their ships across the isthmus at Corinth. Travelers passed through on their way from the Peloponnese to mainland Greece … and likewise from mainland Greece to the Peloponnese. Many different languages were passing through the city of Corinth.
God wanted all these people to be able to hear and understand the good news that he loves them and he sent Jesus to be the Savior of the world. These people could only hear and understand if someone spoke their language.
Hence … the Gift of Tongues [languages].
The Gift of Tongues was like today’s real-time translation tablet used in medical facilities. The Gift of Tongues was like today’s downloadable Bible-reading apps with text-to-translate. The Gift of Tongues was meant to be practical. Not superfluous or showy.
But what about the ability to speak in a heavenly angelic language??
Paul addresses this:
“Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church.” – 1 Corinthians 14:12
“When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church. If anyone speaks in a tongue [language], two – or at the most three – should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to themself and God.” – 1 Corinthians 14:26-28
( Speaking of Bible apps – Here is a great one if you are interested: Pray: The World’s #1 App for Daily Prayer and Biblical Audio Content )
