Different Kinds of Tongues

The Journey: Session Two, Part One

Read 1 Corinthians 12, 13, 14

Tongues are a Foundation Upon Which the Spirit Builds

The gifts of the Spirit are given for “the profit of all.’’ They are intended for use, by God, for the building up of the community of believers and for evangelization. In St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, chapter 12, diverse tongues are listed as one of the key gifts of the Spirit given for the common good:

(1 Cor 12:7–11) “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: [8] for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, [9] to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, [10] to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. [11] But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.”

However, in one aspect the gift of tongues has a different focus than the other gifts. The Holy Spirit uses the gift of tongues to lay a foundation of spiritual understanding and submission that prepares an individual for use…