From: Mike Adams (mikadams@ix.netcom.com)
Date: Mon Oct 09 1995 - 10:55:25 EDT
>
>Dr. Kenneth Johnson writes on 95-10-07,
>
><<<<I have been studying 1 Corinthians 14:14 and was wondering when
Paul says
>"I shall pray with the spirit and I shall pray with the mind also; I
shall
>sing with the spirit and I shall sing with the mind also."
>
>Is there any rule in Greek that would help you determine if he is
saying
>"pray in the spirit and in English at the same time" (thus proving
that the
>term praying in the spirit does not always mean praying in tongues) or
does
>he have to be meaning "pray in the spirit at onetime and latter with
his
>mind," so he can be understood?>>>>>
>
I'm quite sure that if Paul were praying in English, it would have been
unfruitful to his mind.
Clearly at Pentecost the disciples were glorifying God in languages
whose utterance were given supernaturally that they might be understood
by the diverse peoples gathered in Jerusalem.
Now here's an interesting paradox. It seems in Corinthians Paul was
advising against blurting out tongues loudly in a public gathering,
unless, of course, there were interpretation. Clearly, at Pentecos
they were speaking the languages of the multitudes gathered there, so
there was interpretation. But how did they know that? They just blurted
out whatever if whas they blurted out. Personally, I can't think of a
more unlikely circumstance (I speak concerning the flesh) to be so
blatantly vocal, especially when you don't even know what you're
saying, than in front of a huge crowd of strangers from all corners of
the earth. Yet God chose this very spectacle as his means to kick off
his campaign to save the world. Go figure.
Anyhow. It seems from context that the Corinthians like to flaunt this
phenomenon. In a public setting, what was more appropriate was that the
church (in their understanding) be edified, and that the lost receive a
clear and comprehendable message.
Even in prayer and worship, it is important that we pray with
understanding. How can we intercede in faith if we don't know what
we're praying about?
However, if for any reason, in private or public any of us should find
ourselves speaking and praying in a language unknown to us, and if we
actually consider ourselves spiritually edified by such an occurance...
well that's between us and God, isn't it? We need not inform the others
on this list.
Ellen
(Tongue planted firmly in cheek...
in English, of course.)
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