Philip Davies

to Edify means to build someone up. You can only do that through their mind and you have to talk in a way that they can understand you and follow what you are saying. We learn though using our minds and we take in huge amounts of information that way. All teaching is done by communicating something to another person so that they benefit from what they hear.

however if someone speaks to you in a language you do no understand then you cannot be edified because all you hear is meaningless to you. 

Paul wants people to be edified and built up in the faith, so he would rather that you heard five meaningful words rather than a whole speech that you could not understand. That is his point. Tongues are just a foreign language if you don't understand what is being said. So they are useless for edifying and improving and teaching people.
Regards
Phil

September 22 2017 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Catherine wilkin Homemaker, medical receptionist and administrator

I have been gifted by the Holy Spirit the gift of speaking in tongues for over 30 years and have been edified by it and drawn closer to the Lord through speaking in tongues. 1 Corinthians 14.4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself. 1 Corinthians 12:27-31. It is one of the spiritual gifts for the body of Christ. It was valued by Paul 1 Corinthians 14:18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. It is a step in faith and trust in the Lord to receive the gift of tongues. It is hard for some people to accept, but it is biblical and I think people who criticize the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of other Christians run the risk of being steeped in Biblical knowledge but denying its power.

September 25 2017 • 3 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report