The Seventh Article of Faith

We believe in the gift of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and so forth. 

I was actually just reading in 1 Corinthians, where chapters 12 and 14 have a lot on spiritual gifts, including the gift of tongues.

I always feel a little bad reading there. It calls the gift of tongues the least of the gifts, and that is one that I have.

Except, that's not how I have it.

I am really good with language, learning and picking up on it and also using it for communication. That has been noted by me and by others, from as far back as high school.

When they reference "the gift of tongues" here, it is speaking in another language, but it is quickly added that it is not really edifying without interpretation.

I have heard of people -- mainly Pentecostal but some Catholics too -- who do have these experiences where they speak things that they don't know and don't understand, but they feel very good during it.

I don't have a problem with that. Maybe they are touching upon a concept that they are not quite ready to fully understand yet, but that experience gets them a bit closer and will make sense to them later.

We all have a lot of growing to do.

I also get Paul's point that it should generally be paired with interpretation so people do know what's going on.

I mean, on the day of the Pentecost, everyone heard the preaching in their own language. (Acts 2:6)

At least some of the speakers were not speaking in their own language. Were some speaking in tongues, but in the right language so that some already understood them, and there was a speaker representing the language of every listener? There were at least fifteen languages indicated. Or was there also some interpretation going on?

There wasn't absolute clarity for those around. Some of the onlookers thought it was drunkenness. Maybe a Parthian heard his own language and thought that was great, but also heard some Cappadocian and Arabian, didn't recognize them, and thought those speakers were drunk.

It doesn't even matter. The point is that those who were willing to learn had the opportunity to learn. 

What we also don't know is whether there was an other outpouring like that. We know Peter preached many times, but maybe after that it was always in Aramaic, and maybe Hebrew and Greek, but maybe only those and if someone else needed to understand they just used a person who knew the right languages.

I don't know, but I know that there are lots of ways in which we can help each other if we will be open to truth and to love for each other.

Miracles can happen if we let them.