Spiritual Gifts: Tongues' Purpose

Paul now goes back to the root of the PROBLEM when he gives them three commands regarding their behavior in church: (1) Wake Up - they needed to recognize that they were thinking like children; (2) Back Up - they needed to stop speaking with wicked words; and
(3) Grow Up - they needed to start thinking like spiritually mature adults. Paul pointed out
the Biblical PRINCIPLE that the gift of tongues was given as a signal - a foreign language used to get the attention of Jewish unbelievers, but it became a rejected language. The sign was unnecessary for believers, while being unavoidable for unbelievers. The PRACTICE of the whole church was really wrong. Paul gave them two hypothetical options to make his point: #1 - if they could all speak in tongues, the ungifted or unbeliever would think they were crazy; #2 - if they could all prophesy, the ungifted or unbeliever would experience conviction, have his sins condemned, and his deepest secrets made conspicuous. That man would fall down before God in great reverence and submission, reporting that God was really in your midst.