I watched a preacher trying to prove to his audience that speaking in other tongues makes no sense because the speaker couldn't interpret it. He called out a lady to speak in tongues into the microphone and thereafter asked her to interpret it. It was a mockery of this spiritual phenomenon.
Some believers are opposed to praying in tongues because of what Paul said in 1Corinthians 14. They insist that no believer should pray in tongues except he can interpret it because that is what Paul says but they failed to consider the context of Paul's insistence on interpretation. Let's look at scriptures.
1 Corinthians 14:26 (NLT) says, "Well, my brothers and sisters, let’s summarize. WHEN YOU MEET TOGETHER, one will sing, another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given, one will speak in tongues, and another will interpret what is said. But everything that is done must strengthen all of you".
The context under which Paul insisted tongues must be interpreted is when believers meet together, that is church meetings not in the place of private devotion. He was teaching about bringing orderliness to worship but he wasn't against praying in tongues in private as some opine.
When you get baptized in the Holy Ghost, the tongues given to you at baptism is your private prayer language that you can pray with anytime. It is for your personal edification. Paul is not against this neither did he demand that you interpret it like he did when he was talking about public use of tongues in the church.
1 Corinthians 14:2, 4 (KJV) says, "For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. [4] He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself;..." Emphasis is on personal benefit of praying in tongues in private to the believer.
The public use of tongues in ministering to God's people is known as the gift of diverse kinds of tongues and this comes with interpretation for the edification of God's people. This is what Paul was trying to straighten out in the Corinthian church, proper order for ministering in diverse kinds of tongues.
1 Corinthians 14:27-28 (NLT) says, "No more than two or three should speak in tongues. They must speak one at a time, and someone must interpret what they say. [28] But if no one is present who can interpret, they must be silent in your church meeting and SPEAK IN TONGUES TO GOD PRIVATELY".
Did you observe that Paul did not speak against private use of tongues? His focus in that chapter was public use of tongues in the church and the necessity of interpretation it in worship gatherings.
The gift of diverse kinds of tongues should not be confused with the prayer language received at the baptism of the Spirit. The former is for public ministration and it comes with interpretation while the latter is a personal prayer language for our edification and private use.
