Reflection on the book “Why Tongues?”
Reason 8—Tongues for Giving Thanks
Discussion Day 7 by Seun Abimbola
I CORINTHIANS 14:15-17
15 What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
16 Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest?
17 For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.
The Christian life is one of gratitude. The Psalms, for example, is full of encouragement to do so (Psalm 106: 1, 107:1, 118: 29, 136:3, etc.). Giving thanks is the will of God for His children (1Thess 5:18). Tonight, we will look at the importance of praying in tongues to give thanks.
At first read, there is the potential misinterpretation of our chosen texts as suggesting that giving thanks in tongues is unhelpful or unnecessary. That is not so. In context, we realise that these verses were extension of Paul’s admonishment on the need for order in church service. The essence of spiritual gifts in public worship, he had emphasised, is to edify, exhort and comfort (1Cors 14:3). It is in the same spirit that he says here that when we give thanks in tongues where others are, how will they be blessed? How will they say Amen when they do not understand what we say? (Vs 16).
In the book, Kenneth Hagin explains that the word “unlearned” here refers to people who are unlearned in spiritual things. We know that love must be the motivation for all our actions as believers. At the centre of love is the need to be considerate to the needs, weaknesses and deficiencies of fellow brothers and sisters. In that case, the priority is to edify the unlearned by speaking a shared language of understanding that will be a blessing to such. The example the author gives is also noteworthy here. If you are invited to dinner and your host asked you to give thanks, if you give thanks in tongue, no one will be edified because no one will know or understand what you said. It is in times like this Paul asks that we give thanks in understanding instead. Pray in the Spirit. But Pray in understanding also. Sing in the Spirit. But sing in understanding also.
Is giving thanks in tongues profitable therefore? Absolutely.
Look at verse 17: “…For thou verily givest thanks well…” So, Paul invariably was telling us that praying and giving thanks in tongues provide the most perfect way to pray and give thanks. Away from the context of public worship where you lead. At a very personal level and space, if you give thanks in tongues, you are giving thanks well. I believe strongly that when we give thanks in tongues,
It is a way to "let the High Praises of God be in (your) mouth." (Ps.149:6).
It is ultimate praise and infinite worship. Gratitude is the language of the Spirit and no one understands better the language of the Spirit than the Holy Spirit. He will help us to thank God right and well (Roms 8:26-27; 1 Cors 2:10; Ephs 5:20; Col 2:7)
As you give thanks in tongues, either in prayers or songs (1Cor 14:15), be assured in your heart that you are giving thanks well. Amen.