Many years ago I visited a church while out of town. At the time I was unaware that it was a charismatic church. When the church services started, it was quite clear that they believed in the gift of tongues. I was urged to speak in tongues and to “give it up” to the Spirit. I needed to speak in tongues to be “baptized with the Holy Ghost.“ As I prayed over this and pondered whether I should try and speak in tongues, nothing happened. I even contemplated faking it. I felt somewhat ostracized because I actually never did speak in tongues. I was praying at the time that, “God, if you want me to speak in tongues, please enable me by the Spirit to do so.“ Nothing ever came out and I felt completely inadequate compared to the other believers who were speaking in tongues that I didn’t understand. There were several speaking at the same time as they were dancing and jumping up and down. To me, it was a little frightening and confusing.
The tongues I heard that night were completely unintelligible and it was an exercise in futility for me to try and understand what was being said. And no one was interpreting the tongues either which made it even worse. The whole assembly, minus me, was in a near frenzy and they were completely lost in their actions.
I can remember reading about tongues in Old Testament times where foreign tongues were not a good sign for Israel at all (Walvoord and Zuck 1984, 539). Foreign tongues were usually a warning to the nation. When I looked at the New Testament, what I found was that tongues are not a babbling of words, but that of a known language. This language was intelligible to those who spoke that language and understood by them.
Speaking in Tongues in the New Testament
The first place that speaking in tongues occur in the New Testament was in Acts 2:1-4: “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.” The word tongues has a literal translation in the Greek of “languages”. This means that the tongues that were being spoken were those of a known language. The tongues were words with specific meaning and not just babbling. This is clarified in Acts 2:7-11, “Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome, (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”
So those who heard these tongues or languages were languages that were known and that the believers may not have known how to speak. That was a miracle but the miracle was not for the believers benefit but were a sign for the unbelievers (I Cor. 14:22). These verses were a sign that God used to signify that the Gentiles were receiving salvation to those who did not believe (Walvoord and Zuck 1984, 382).
So clearly, speaking in tongues in the New Testament church were tongues of known languages and not unknown languages or unintelligible sounds. Since many in Judea were bilingual and some even trilingual, it’s not really that surprising that there were many languages being spoken (Walvoord and Zuck 1984, 357). They were praising God in different tongues or languages to give evidence for unbelievers that God was at work in more ethnic groups than just the Jews. This validated the fulfillment of Joel chapter two to the Jews as well (Walvoord and Zuck 1984, 408).
Speaking in Tongues and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit
Acts 10:44-46 also has a reference to tongues: “While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues (literally, languages) and praising God.” Notice that the Holy Spirit was poured out and they were not baptized into the Holy Spirit or received a baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Speaking in tongues is a sign for unbelievers and not what some charismatic churches claim as the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Nowhere in the New Testament is it written that they spoke in tongues and were baptized in the Holy Spirit. For believers, the receiving of the Holy Spirit is a one time event and it is not a sign of being filled up by the Spirit or being baptized into the Holy Spirit. It is precisely for the reason of validating God’s acceptance of the Gentiles to the Jews and this acceptance by God for all people was at a specific time in history (Walvoord and Zuck 1984, 408).
Tongues: A Sign for Unbelievers
Biblical scholars agree that in Acts 19:1-7 and elsewhere that these verses clearly indicate that tongues were intended “to overcome unbelief” (Walvoord and Zuck 1984, 409). They were specifically for unbelievers and to validate Paul’s message and to overcome the listener’s unbelief (Walvoord and Zuck 1984, 408, 409).
Even at the risk of offending some, this reminds me of snake handlers. Some churches take one text out of context and make it a pretext and sadly, the worship is more centered on the gift of tongues or the handling of snakes than it is with Christ being the center of worship. Jesus Christ should always be the center of all worship services and never any gift since Paul tells us not to exalt in any gifts of the Spirit since they come from God anyway.
Taking Text out of Context
Here is a personal note on the gift of tongues and the twisting of scriptures. Sadly, many denominations or churches do not take problematic scriptures and place them against all the scriptures relating to a particular subject to discover the proper context to see whether it is biblically sound or not. This is what is meant by “rightly dividing the Word of God” (II Tim 2:15) and “scripture is of no private interpretation” (II Pet. 1:2). A sound principle is that if there is a problematic scripture or verse; take all the other scriptures that relate to this subject and place them all against the one scripture or scriptures to bring clarity to the subject. If we still can not decide its meaning, then this might be God’s prerogative alone to know about and we have no business trying to inject or infer meaning when God is not clear on the subject. If God has not plainly revealed its meaning in scripture or it is not clarified by other scripture, then this is not revelation from God intended for us and should not be taken as such. Revelation from men is highly questionable and not like the inerrant Word which is infallible. If God had wanted us to fully understand it, He would have revealed it. Some things that are not clear must be for Him alone to know and we have no business trying to decode such enigmatic scriptures into a meaning that we were never intended to know in the first place.
It is apparent that there is sufficient evidence about tongues that they are clearly a sign for unbelievers, Jews or otherwise. They are also a sign that God is at work. The earliest church historians never mention that speaking in tongues continued to occur in the church after all the apostles were gone. Speaking in tongues is a rather recent movement in the 19th century. I speak Spanish and I feel that some people are gifted at learning other languages. My former pastor picked up several African languages at the time he was on mission trips. He had a gift for it. But it was a known language. I can speak in “other” tongues, like English, Spanish, and even some Greek but what sounds like gibberish to those who don’t know them, it is a known language. But these are known languages and I am not just “letting myself go”.
I have been told that I have never been “filled by the Holy Spirit” or been “truly baptized into the Holy Spirit” unless I have spoken in tongues. That is not biblical nor should someone feel less “spiritual” if they don’t speak in tongues. By the way, tongues are the last gift mentioned of all the gifts of the Spirit and love is over and above all other things. In my humble opinion, charismatic’s too often take it to the extreme and belittle those who do not speak in tongues and incorrectly associate their not being filled with the Spirit when this is actually a one-time event at the moment a believer receives the Holy Spirit at conversion. You can not have any more of the Holy Spirit, nor can you have any less of Him. You either have the Holy Spirit or you don’t.
Sources:
1. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, trans., The Bible Knowledge Commentary – New Testament. (Colorado Springs, CO.: David C Cook, Publisher, 1984).
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I feel this message is for someone whom I don’t know. I love you ALL, and this is from my heart…
Awesome stuff, guys. I am happy to hear that you believe the way you do. Unfortunately there are a lot of people – even a majority – who still doubt the gifts of the spirit. They doubt, even though the existence of these gifts align with scripture.
They doubt…because they don’t see. But I believe they don’t see…because they doubt.
As I once did, they refuse to believe in the baptism of the Holy Spirit. They refuse to believe in divine healings. They refuse to believe in divine prophecies. They refuse to believe the Holy Spirit is moving right here, right now.
They claim the end is near, yet effectively fail to acknowledge biblical scriptures such as:
“And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:” – Acts 2:17, King James Bible (prophecy/Joel)
and red-letter words of Jesus Christ, such as:
“And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”
…They are uncomfortable with these things because they are unnatural. But GOD is unnatural. His natural is our supernatural. He is not of this world, but we are. When we disconnect and are born again into His kingdom, at first it might not “feel” normal to our flesh. The flesh of our “hearts” might be “uncomfortable.” But I trust not my heart, only His word. Words cannot express my appreciation to Him for His truth. I am so glad I made that decision to open myself completely and to trust Him.
I finally left all doubt behind. I did this once I finally realized that doubting in the power of God is the same thing as believing the lies of the enemy!
There are entire movements of people dedictated to putting down those whose believe this way. They claim the gift of tongues as “works of the devil” when it occurs in people while they are giving glorius praise to Jesus Christ….
In my opinion this might constitute blasphemy; it contradicts the word of my God, and my bible:
“Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.” 1 Corinthians 12:3, King James Bible
They criticize movements of God like that in the Azusa Street Revival and others like it. They attack this “different” belief system as they “defend” their God and quote scriptures from Titus 1:10-16 and the like.
But as they do this, they come against us brothers and sisters who are worhiping the God of the Bible.
Yes, us brothers and sisters are worshipping the God of the Bible, without any other additional scriptures, materials, or undue influences.
We do NOT believe in “spirit babies” as do Mormons. We do NOT believe that Jesus is the archangel Michael as do Jehovah Witnesses. We do NOT pray to Mary. (Apply Titus 1:10-16 here).
We believe in the trinity of the One worthy, almighty and powerful God existing in three persons. We believe that the word became flesh when the divine Son of God, the Messiah Jesus Christ came and died for all the sins of all humanity, past and present. We believe He was resurrected then, just as we believe God resurrects those according to His purposes, even now.
Paul said:
“Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you, that God should raise the dead?” – Acts 26:8, King James Bible. They did not see, and so they did not believe.
We believe we are wretched sinners, and that NO good thing dwells within us. But we are NOT afraid to give Him praise. We are NOT afraid to give Him EVERYTHING, our whole vessel.
We seek God and His spiritual gifts:
1) To be further empowered by Him to lead a more righteous life, to walk in His will and His way instead of our will and our way. To realize “more of Him, and less of me,” and command our flesh into obedience. Paul said, “I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.” – 1 Corinthians 15:31, King James Bible
2) To be further empowered by Him to witness to those He draws upon, that they might become brothers and sisters and be added to His glorius kindom. Jesus said, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” – Matthew 28:19, King James Bible
3) To be further empowered by Him to have a more effective prayer life. Can we not all agree there is power in prayer? In one of his letters to the Corinthians, Paul openly stated, “I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all:” – 1 Corinthians 14:18, King James Bible. Is it not reasonable to conclude that praying in tongues is acceptable, even desirable, according to His word?
I do NOT pray for any of these gifts for my benefit; I pray for them so that I might be a effective servant for HIM.
Thus far i have not shouted, “ran the pews”, or become slain in the Spirit. However, my worship of the God of the Bible is genuine, and I believe Him when He says He will protect me from evils. If the need arises, I will complety trust in and obey my God.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, I plead with you…please free yourselves of the refuge of lies this world has placed within you. Completely open yourselves to the truths of the God of the Holy Bible.
“Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.” – Mark 7:13, King James Bible
Why kickest thou against the pricks?
Embrace the fullness our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Hi Domingo,
I actually did say that Jesus said “go and sin no more”. If you really listen to what I’m saying, you will realize that I’m actually confronting sin. It’s the sin of self-righteousness that says I need God’s help but I can still do it. We all fall short of the Holiness and righteousness of God and we are condemned under the Law. Paul said by the works of the law NO flesh should be justified in his sight. Below is a link to message by David Wilkerson (Pentecostal preacher) that is saying the same thing.
http://www.sermonindex.net/modules/mydownloads/singlefile.php?lid=3625&commentView=itemComments
Religion says you have to do such and such, but the Gospel says it is FINISHED! If anyone is in Christ he is a new creation. Christ has ascended and is seated at the right hand of the Father, meaning it is done, and forever lives to make intercession for us. We are now sons of God and are seated with Christ in heaven. Christ has made us accepted into the beloved. We have been made alive spiritually, our spirit has been changed by the power of God…you once were darkness, but now you are light. We were in Adam, condemned sinners under the sentence of death and the wrath of God, but now we are in Christ, accepted, adopted, join heirs with Chris. Oh what manner of Love that we should be called the sons of God!
To use you illustration of baseball, we do Not have to run around the bases when it comes to salvation. As manner of fact to think we can do so is a threat to the Majesty and sovereignty of God, in effect we are calling God a liar. Christ had to shed his blood! Christ took the FULL wrath of God and was cursed and all our sin was placed on him. Christ was our substitute and hit a homerun on the cross. Christ is victorious, therefore we are victorious. Christ died, was resurrection, and has ascended. Christ presented himself before the Father as invaluable perfect spotless lamb and has sat down. We have died and been raised in newness of life and we are seated with Christ in heavenly places! We now have a high Priest that ever lives to make intercession for us. God has sworn and will not repent; Christ is our High Priest after the order of Melchizedek, which means forever and ever! We cannot add anything to cross, to even think so it to show that we really do not fully understand the Gospel.
I’ve been a Christian for a long time. I believe in the Baptism of the Holy Spirit at salvation that places someone into the body of Christ as stated by the Apostle Paul. I also believe in the Baptism of the Holy Spirit as Luke describes it in the Book of Acts, where Christians are clothed with power to be witness…this is what Piper, Sproul, Moody, R A Torrey, Wesley, and many others have taught and teach, but they never spoken with tongues, but they were mighty used of God. Does this happen at the same time for every Christian, some say yes, others say no? Some Christian’s believe that Paul and Luke mean the same thing. Some believe you will speak in tongues. The debate goes on. Where Christians mainly different is with gifts and their personal experience. I had an Apostle Paul type of conversion, but does everyone experience that, it does appear to be that way. The Power of the Holy Spirit was also a power experience for me, do I have expect everyone to have the same experience? We must realize God does what he wants. Science to my knowledge has yet to see 2 snowflakes exactly alike.
I do not have a problem with someone speaking in tongues or having a vision or laying hands on the sick for healing. Bill Bright had a vision that started Campus Crusade for Christ and he was Presbyterian. David Wilkerson had a vision and started Teen/World Challenge and he was Pentecostal. But I do NOT think this is norm for every Christian. The same goes for spiritual gifts, all Christians DO NOT have the same gift or the same experiences. I know one Christian minister who had several real miracles occur in his ministry…he was saved, and anointed with the spirit, call to preach at the age of 5. He got to the point in his later years where he would pray before he preached, Lord don’t let anyone get distracted by the miracles…why, because we do!
I do not speak in tongues, but have seen people instantly healed. I have anointed people with oil in the name of Jesus and seen them instantly healed. God still does miracles, but its according to his sovereign will, not because of my faith or any gift I have. One example was my wife. At the time I was so tired, I didn’t even feel like do anything, but I had a constant impress to go pray for her, I kept saying no I don’t want to, finally I did. When I was done praying a short pray for Jesus to glorified, she was no longer in the bed, but standing right in front of me. I ask her, what you are doing, because she was very sick at the time. She said I’m totally healed. I said, what, no symptoms whatsoever? She said no, it was like a light switch. I was amazed. I was recently healed; a medical miracle confirmed by 2 doctors…they have actually photos. The real thing, no hands lay on, no words of faith, just the mercy of a sovereign God who reached down with his power.
Please stop exalted gifts and self-righteousness and attacking your brother in Christ. Jack is clearly filled with Spirit, it obvious he has a deep understanding of the Gospel and is a soul winner. Over the centuries Great men of God that changed the world for Christ never spoke in tongues, will you also say they were not filled or baptized with the Holy Spirit? Is Billy Graham not filled with the Spirit because he has not spoken in tongues? I had friends that say Billy Graham is not filled with the Spirit because he has not spoken in tongues. Maybe this is where you are coming from?
I personally believe we are missing the real power of the Spirit because we not understanding fully the message of cross. The message of the cross will bring death to self and our works, and to our religion. When we have a fuller vision of the Christ and the Cross and understand what it really means to be IN CHRIST, we will understand that the power and the glory belong to GOD alone, he alone is sovereign. We should pray this way, Our Father, who are in Heaven, hollowed be YOUR name, YOUR kingdom come, YOUR will be done. It’s not our faith or determination, but the precious promises of a merciful God, who sent his Son to paid the price that we might be saved. I believe that God is the author and the finisher of our faith, in order words, Grace precedes faith. God speaks and causes us to believe. God is totally sovereign, because he is that only truly self-existing sovereign LORD over all things and he will not share his Throne to another. ”I am THE LORD; I will not give my glory to another”. God the Holy Spirit has caught me several times trying to twist God’s arm or use faith to make something happen. Recently, God has shown me what he can do when I am powerless and broken and have only mercy…I had to repent.
“Once God has spoken; Twice I have heard this: That power belongs to God; Also unto you, O Lord, belongs mercy: for you render to every man according to his work.” Psalms 62:11-12. Try to understand the God desires mercy more than sacrifice and power belongs to God and whoever and how He wants to give. Personally this has been a long hard lesion for me to learn, but once I understood sovereignty of God, the cross has more meaning to me and God’s power has been stronger in my life. God says he will be merciful to ever he will be merciful. The only way approach God is with nothing of self and plead for his promise of mercy because of the blood of Christ. The Flesh and the Devil will always try to substitute something for the Blood of Jesus. This Great God who is rich in Mercy, sent down His Son to be a propitiation for sin, in his blood, now we stand forgiven, clothed in Christ, righteous, justified, sanctified, and in hopes of being glorified with Christ. I will cling to the old rugged cross and exchange it someday for a crown.
Notice in the text belong how many time the word you, or your, is used. Why? Thine is the Kingdom and the glory, forever and ever. It about Christ and what he has done, not about what we do.
“And the four living creatures had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come. And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created. I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a book written inside and on the back, sealed up with seven seals. And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?” And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the book or to look into it. Then I began to weep greatly because no one was found worthy to open the book or to look into it; and one of the elders said to me, “Stop weeping; behold, the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome so as to open the book and its seven seals.” And I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders a Lamb standing, as if slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth. And He came and took the book out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying, Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth. Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing. And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.”
Amen and amen my brother Mike. Almost 700,000 people die every day, nearly 30,000 die every hour, and approximately 500 die every minute. That number is increasing every day. Now understand the fact that only 33% of them are Christians (and in reality is likely less than 33%). So today, 462 thousand people will die and be separated from God forever. How many hear the gospel is up to those of us that make up the 33%.
There is a huge disconnect between the “Christ of Scripture” and Christianity. Today there are still more than one billion people who have never heard of Jesus. Mega-churches are doing miniscule giving and even less in proclaiming the gospel.
God has created us to go to all ends of the earth (Matthew 28:18-20/Acts 1:8) but we settle for sitting in the pews and maybe going to our own town but God is calling all people groups to Himself to be worshipped and not just those in the U.S. God’s will is to spread His glory to all ends of the earth and to all nations and people groups. The sad thing is that most have made the gospel “me-centered”: He choose me. He saved me. He forgave me. It is as if we are the objects of His faith instead of Him being the object of our faith. I have the gift of this….or of that…and I wish you could be filled with the Spirit….but we are not the end of the gospel but for His holy name’s sake, the beginning; to bring it to others. God is at the center of the universe and we and our gifts are not.
Why did Jesus create us? To simply save us? No, He created us to use us to bring the message of salvation to others so that He might be more glorified.
If you had a cure for cancer, would you just swallow the cure and say nothing to anyone!? I would hope not but this is exactly what most Christians are satisfied with doing; or not doing. How can you say you have a heart for God and want to be obedient will being willfully disobedient to the Great Commission. We need to tell others that they are separated from God by their breaking of His Holy Law, that reconciliation is not possible with Christ’s atoning work. Sadly, only 1 in 20 Christians will lead at least one other person to Christ in their entire lives! Despite the fact that 73% of people who don’t attend church have NEVER been asked. How tragic. Some doors I knocked on this past week said that its been 25 years since anyone has knocked on their doors (save JW & Mormons). We are asked to pray to the Lord of the Harvest that He might send forth more laborers because the harvest is great and few laborers are willing to go into the fields. It is not your responsibility whether they respond or not – it is their response to His ability but it is your responsibility to tell others.
Jesus pointed the young rich man to the Ten Commandments. He didn’t say, “Just let me come into your heart…or let me fill that God-shaped vacuum in your heart….or I love you or fill out this card, or say the sinners prayer” No, he pointed the man to the Ten Commandments. For the young rich man, his money was more important and thus, he was worshipping it above God. That’s breaking the First Commandment.
James says they must be, “Convinced of the law as a transgressor” (James 2:9). The law is “The power of God unto salvation” (Romans 1:16). The Law of God stops the mouth of the sinner. It stops their excuses like “They are a good person”., because, “Now we know that whatsoever things the law says, it says to them who are under the law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God.” (Romans 3:19)…“for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” (Rom. 3:20). It gives definition of the law: “Sin is transgression of the law” (1 John 3:4 ). Paul continues, “What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid! No, I had not known sin but by the law” (Rom 7:7). “Wherefore, the law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ that we might be justified by faith” (Galatians 3:24 ).
Lets focus, is my prayer, on reaching the lost, giving them the bad news (facing the wrath of God) before we can tell them the good news and not focus on “me-centered” gifts but on He-Glorified Jesus who has the greatest gift that there has ever been or will ever be…eternal life. Thank you Mike my fellow soldier in Christ and oh, how I wish you would go with me in street evangelism, thrift store, my nursing home ministry, mall evangelism…as my own church won’t even go! So I go alone, but not really but as I Cor 2:4-5 says, (yes, I DO have the Spirit with me) “And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”
Apologies for being so long but this is my passion.
A.B. Earl said, “I have found by long experience that the severest threatenings of the Law of God have a prominent place in leading men to Christ. They must see themselves lost before they will cry for mercy; they’ll not escape danger until they see it.”
Bro Jack there is some serious truth in your words. I appreciate you for your wisdom.
I don’t ever want you to think that I believe one has to be “baptized in the Holy Spirit” in order to be saved. I received the Holy Spirit, and I was born again, but I have not received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and I have never spoken in any new tongue.
When I accepted Jesus Christ there were many immediate changes in my life. Going to church was no longer a “sacrifice”! I began to praise and love God and to try to appreciate Him for what He is. I began to submit to Him and serve Him.
I am grateful for all He has given me. I am thankful for all the righteous change He has brought about in me. I give Him full credit.
Ohhhhhh, but I recognize there is so much more!!!…Yes, there is certainly a baptism of the Holy Spirit. Yes, there are certainly other spiritual gifts. These gifts I pursue not for me, but for Him.
Why am I so adamant about this?
I pursue ALL of Him, because I see a world full of people who believe in and love our Lord Jesus, but who do not truly put Him first, have a meaningful relationship with Him, and obey His commands.
Many will seriously say they are doing the best they can, and that He has already paid the price. The bible says believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved, and your house, right?
Yes, he paid the price (THANK YOU JESUS). But we must enforce the victory won by the power of His Holy blood.
So, in Romans 10:9 and Acts 16:31, what do “confess” and “believe,” as used there, actually mean? Do they mean the same as we use the words in our everyday conversation? Most will say yes (that is a convenient conclusion!) However, I do not “believe” this is true. Why?
I believe the truths in the bible must be taken as a whole. This is a requisite if we are to accept that it doesn’t contradict itself. I think we both agree it is the inerrant truth of our God and creator…?
Jesus said…
“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” – Matthew 7:21-23, KJV
He delivered power unto them to cast out the very demons of Satan! He delivered power unto them to prophesy in His own name! How could they NOT “believe” he was Lord? Of course they “believed”. But they did not BELIEVE.
I believe this scripture is direct evidence for the imperative that disobedience will be the cause of damnation for many “believing” Christians. My brother, I greatly disagree with your projections of 1/3 of humanity as being saved Christians.
I want ALL His empowerment, gifts, etc. to help me. I require ALL of Him, because without Him I am a wretched sinner whose righteousness is as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6).
Yes, I certainly believe in Him, but I don’t always obey Him…Can you say the same of yourself or other Christians that you know? He loves all of us, but He will not compromise in the execution of His Holy justice. I think Noah and seven others would agree. Lord Jesus, please help us!
And what about…
“If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.” – Luke 14:26 KJV
I believe this scripture is direct evidence for the imperative that not putting Him first will be the cause of damnation for many “believing” Christians.
How many Christians “believe” and love Jesus, but skip on revival or church to go and cheer their favorite football teams? How many Christians glorify the Washington Redskins and high-five complete strangers, but criticize their brothers and sisters for glorifying our almighty Lord and Savior?
How many Christians are truly called to repent and crucify their flesh daily? How many actually know that repent does not only mean to say “I’m sorry, Lord”? How many know that it also means to hate sinful behaviors and, most important, to turn from them!? Use ALL that you have to burden me, Lord!
How often do many Christians decide to watch their favorite TV shows, complete with Victoria Secret and Budweiser commercials, when they could be reading His truth, praying, and giving Him thanks, praise and glory? Use ALL that you have to strengthen me, Lord!
How many Christians resign themselves to the attitude…”I just can’t talk to people. I can’t find the right words to witness to others?” Well…What if they strengthened their faith, embraced the fulness of His spirit, and pleaded for Holy empowerment (i.e. spiritual gifts) to be more effective servants?
He said ALL power has been given to Him, and He said to go and make disciples (Matthew 28:18-19)…is He not capable of using His power through me, for His glory? Use ALL that you have to empower me, Lord!
The point is, how many of us truly put Him first? Yes, I certainly believe in Him, but I don’t always put Him first…Can you say the same of yourself or other Christians that you know? Lord Jesus, please help us!
For these reasons I seek His fulness!
I know, without a doubt, that his spiritual gifts are real and available. I know what they can do for me and my family, because I have seen direct, irrefutable and life-changing evidence of this in the lives of many of my brothers and sisters at our church and other churches like it.
I also know of many friends and family who do not embrace these spiritual gifts…and who do not receive them.
PRAISE GOD. I have moved from the latter group to the former group.
I once heard someone say, “If all you want is a tablespoon full of God, that’s probably all you’re going to get.” Well, I want ALL of Him.
I have no absolutely no shame in seeking the spiritual gifts in order to become a more faithful, obedient and effective servant of my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Bro Jack, in one of your other articles, I see you have written about Dinosaurs!
Have you seen Dr Kent Hovind’s creation seminars? Awesome stuff!…
http://www.creationtoday.org/category/type/video/creation-seminars/
Yes Joey, our church heard a series of these about 6 years ago and this inspired me to write a short 98 page book called “Blind Chance or Intelligent Design?, Empirical Methodologies and the Bible.” Thanks for the tip nonetheless my friend. I appreciate you.
When we say things like, “Why does God do this?” or “Why does God do that?” or “If God is a healer, why doesn’t He heal all the sick?” …then, we are attempting to reconcile God and His word to ourselves.
Instead, we must reconcile ourselves to God and His word.
He created all things, and all things are by, of and through Him (Romans 11:36, John 1:3). He loves us, and He does things for our good. But He does them according to His purposes, not ours (Romans 8:28).
All of us are put through trials and afflictions for pursposes (2 Corinthians 4:17, 1 Peter 1:6-7).
It is He who is greatness. We are not. It is He who has the complete understanding of our realities. We do not, and we cannot (1 Corinthians 13:12).
For these reasons we MUST have a complete trust in Him and stop “filtering” Him into our existence (Proverbs 3:5).
This is what Abraham, Job and others were able to do.
We must give him everything. And giving Him everything means just that…EVERYTHING!!!
“Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.” – 1 Corinthians 13:8, King James Bible
Perhaps the view of cessasionists is well-founded..?
I cannot personally account for what happened between the time of the Apostle Paul and my lifetime!
However, this new? emphasis on spiritual gifts apparently did not start until about 100 years ago, with the beginning of the Pentecostal church and others with similar beliefs.
I do know this: In my lifetime, I see undeniable evidence of the power of God. I see it not only in those with spiritual gifts, but in ALL those who know Him. Nevertheless, these spiritual gifts are real, and they are real TODAY…
“And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:” – Acts 2:17, King James Bible
The Bible says he will pour out His spirit. It tells of prophecies, etc… It never says “your sons and daughters shall propesy…[and I shall silence the multitudes of false prophets]…”
I also know this: In my lifetime I see brothers and sisters come to know and love the Lord (within Pentecostal, Baptist, etc…) and then inexplicably leave His side to return to a world of no hope…
“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;” – 1 Timothy 4:1, King James Bible
I know the bible contains much more details of the last days, and I recognize that many things still must come to pass. But friends, I really believe we are in the end times.
What if we are?
Hi Jack,
Your last message really got to me. I’m praying for you God to use you mightily and give you workers to go with you. God has called me to prayer. My heart was broken when you said no one would go. Jack, I would go with you. My prayers go now. Jesus spoke to me last night through your message, I heard the heart of God, I was in tears, I could hear Keith Green’s song in my mind “Do you see, do you see, all the people sinking down, Don’t you care, don’t you care, are you gonna let them drown”. Preach the Gospel! I’m asking everyone reading this to pray for Pastor Jack to be might used of God to reach souls for Christ. Go proclaim the glory of God, for the creation cries out and we cry out, soon all things will Praise our Great God and King who alone is worthy! Who will be able to stand on that day for our God is a refiner’s fire. If anyone glory, let him glory in the Lord Jesus Christ. One of my favor songs is “Don’t let me miss the Glory” song by Gordon Mote…the ironic thing is that Gordon was born blind and his he proclaiming the glory that can be seen in creation, but he can see it, by faith he does. “Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!” Psalm 107 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9scMv45bkQ
I have shared the Gospel ever since I’ve been saved, 32 years ago…I seen a few people saved…disciple a few, some are now are full time missionaries (one is a full-time Evangelist), worked as a youth pastor for a short time…taught Sunday school, preached some. Pray for me that God direct me, I want to Labor for him more. We met for a reason. I have not communicated much to folks on the internet before, mostly email. I don’t do Face Book or Twitter. We have Yammer at work, but I try to stay away even though I’m very familiar with technology and work in a highly technical job. I like being outside. The first time I saw 2 mature Eagles, I saw a picture of what it means that “those that wait on the Lord will mount up with wings as Eagles”. I don’t understand (other than sin & Satan) how someone can look at the stars and birds, but can’t see the glory of God, all creation is singing his praise. The knowledge of God is clearly seen and all are without excuse. God has joy for the greatest thing to have joy for and that is within himself and we get caught up in his joy , for in His presence this is fullness of joy. May we all lay down every weight and any momentary pleasure of sin, so we can fine all our joy in God. Every time we compromise we miss the joy, the glory. God bless.
Asleep In the Light
Do you see, do you see, all the people sinking down,
Don’t you care, don’t you care, are you gonna let them drown,
How can you be so numb, not to care if they come,
You close your eyes and pretend the job’s done.
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Oh Bless me Lord, bless me Lord, you know it’s all I ever hear,
No one aches, no one hurts, no one even sheds one tear,
But He cries, He weeps, He bleeds, and He cares for your needs,
And you just lay back and keep soaking it in, oh, can’t you see it’s such sin?
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Cause He brings people to your door,
And you turn them away, as you smile and say,
God bless you, be at peace, and all Heaven just weeps,
Cause Jesus came to your door, you’ve left Him out on the streets.
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Open up, open up, and give yourself away,
You’ve seen the need, you hear the cry, so how can you delay,
God’s calling and you’re the one, but like Jonah you run,
He’s told you to speak, but you keep holding it in,
Oh, can’t you see it’s such sin?
________________________________________
The world is sleeping in the dark,
That the church can’t fight, cause it’s asleep in the light,
How can you be so dead, when you’ve been so well fed,
Jesus rose from the grave, and you, you can’t even get out of bed,
Oh, Jesus rose from the dead, come on, get out of your bed.
________________________________________
How can you be so numb, not to care if they come,
You close your eyes and pretend the job’s done,
You close your eyes and pretend the job’s done,
Don’t close your eyes, don’t pretend the job’s done.
Come away, come away, come away with Me, My love,
Come away, from this mess, come away with Me, My love.
Amen my brother Mike. Loved the video too. Gordon Mote get’s it! There is nothing more important for us to do that to glorify Jesus Christ! That is the purpose of our being created and redeemed. No doubt about that. The Westminster Catechism is about the created purpose of human beings. It asks the question, “What is the chief end of man?” The “chief end” is Old English for the main reason. So what is the “chief end” or main purpose of mankind? The Westminster Catechism says that, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.” That is it! If you read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, it is clear that God seeks those individual whom He calls to glorify His name. We were created to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever and ever. God created us for this purpose, yet few people glorify God in their lives. More in this link about that.
Read more: http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/why-god-created-us-a-bible-study/#ixzz1tM4nBp00
The way to glorify Him is to share the gospel with others so that even more can worship Him in eternity forever. God’s greatest attribute is not the gifts that He sent us but that He is holy, holy, holy and I can not wait to tell others about Him. Mike, I thank God for you my brother in Christ and covet your prayers and so wish we had more men of such godly faith and wisdom like you. Thank you so much. Your prayers have encouraged me.
Hey jack
thank you for that wonderfull message about speaking in tongues.I personally agree with you 100% ,
my real question to you is wether i should i still continue to go to church were they speak in tongues or not? i m in namibia and here in my country let me say 98% of churches speak in tongues the rest of the 2% that do not speak in tongues are roman catholic,angelican and lutheran(i stopped attending them too because i dont agree with their doctrines,like baptizing babies and many more).currently i have stopped going to church because i really feel uncomfortable when i m in a church were they speak in tongues(i normally call them tongues of demons).what should i do?
Hello Nathanael. I agree with you. You should feel comfortable and not out of place in a church and I would recommend that since there are no churches that agree with your understanding of the Bible, then start a house church. I would also pray for God to lead you to a Bible-believing, Christ-glorifying, Cross-centered, Calvary-emphasizing church and if you can’t find one, go out to witness to lost people and invite them to your home and start your own “house church.” This is a Biblical model and you want to honor God by doing what you believe the Bible says. If you can’t find a church that teaches what you feel is in the Bible, then start your own. Perhaps God is using this to draw the lost to Christ and start your own church. God will honor your desire to be obedient I believe and can use anyone to share the gospel, including you, to build one. What do you think of this? Let me know. Praying for your my friend and may God richly bless your effort to obey Him in all things.
If I may jump in here…
Your decision should really be made with much prayer. I understand all too well the problem of disagreeing with certain aspects of various congregations. I have yet to find one that I agree with 100%, but I have found one where I can grow in the Lord in spite of the minor disagreements.
Consider this: God may call you to one of those various churches in order to demonstrate His truth to them compared to the false details to which they hold. For example, being a faithful worker for Christ without speaking in tongues could free someone from the trap of thinking they have to “fake” the babbling just because “everyone else does it.” I am *not* suggesting sowing disunity, or being hateful or confrontational about it, but be prepared to receive those reactions from others.
Jack may very well disagree with this next statement (and perhaps it would make for another good article with discussion here). Consider that choosing to stay home rather than attending a bad church may be the better solution, **IF** that’s how God leads you. I know of some who have been spiritually abused by churches for whom that seems to hold true, but I also know that it’s a trap and an excuse that can itself be abused.
In this I’d say pray and wait for God to direct you, even if it’s attending a church without officially becoming a member. That’s my opinion only, though.
Amen Joe. I think we are on the same page. Great points. This is why I said that we ought to pray about it. The one thing that is certain…that we must be sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ with the lost…regardless and that the Great Commission, given 5 times by Christ Himself, is an imperative command and should be done regardless of where we go to worship Christ. Thank you Joe. Prayer is absolutely vital though, you are correct my friend.
Bro. Jack, I loved reading this article and I agree 100%.
I have stated this (not nearly as eloquently as you did) many times to my fellow Christians. “charismatic’s (and other Christians) too often take it to the extreme and belittle those (and themselves) who do not speak in tongues and incorrectly associate their not being filled with the Spirit when this (being filled with the Spirit) is actually a one-time event at the moment a believer receives the Holy Spirit at conversion. You can not have any more of the Holy Spirit (even though we learn to pay more attention to Him as we grow in our Christian walk), nor can you have any less of Him. You either have the Holy Spirit or you don’t.”
Amen Charlotte. I believe that some of the greatest preachers and evangelists have never spoken in tongues like Jonathan Edwards, Billy Graham, Martin Luther, and hundreds more. I would rather speak in my tongue of English or Spanish (bi-lingual) to the lost about the gospel of Jesus Christ and evangelize than speak in an unknown tongue to myself. The gospel of Christ is the greatest gift ever given to us and we ought to be telling others and that is the most important thing ever! Not to belittle or bemoan that others don’t speak in tongues but to tell the greatest good news there is so that the lost can understand to receive the greatest gift ever….eternal life in Christ. Thank you so much for your edifying comment. I get few of these and get belittled more often than not on this subject.
Amen Charlotte, being reminded that I am in Christ, He is in me, A B Simpson once used an illustration that meant a lot to me….A bottle is in the ocean, you remove the cork and push the bottle under, the ocean fills the bottle, the bottle is in the ocean, the ocean is in the bottle. We are complete in Christ.
“The Closer with God I walk each day, the greater the pain when I Go Astray”. Sums it up. The easiest way to alleviate that kind of suffering is to see ‘it’ for whatever it truly is, a Separator, and make a conscious decision to indulge or not. Discernment comes in many forms as does Knowledge and Wisdom. I had turned my life over to Jesus 20 years ago, but it was in my head and not my heart (as much as I desired it to be). It was not until great suffering and near death, that I could truly understand Salvation from where I was at. Everything is now in retrospect, as is time. Time is retrospect, forget the future and do not look back at the past upon Salvation, for it is nothing short of Evil to give it merit. Hold on to the plough and do not put the cart before the horse, only knowing where I had been is enough and Trusting in Faith through Gods Forgiveness and Loving Grace in His Kindness can I realize the Kingdom of God. All my words of course, not a preaching. Like another person who has commented here, it seems an incredible transformation occurred, a Miracle. I believe Miracles are constant , it just depends on what or how one sees is a Miracle. Simple things are miralces, and the biggest is Life Itself..which means Jesus, Life Personified. I see very little about perceptions such as Time, and miracles related to Time. My initial way to put it in words is that time seems to occur in waves just as sound and light and water and air and what some might call brain waves, all pulses. Measured only, material terms, words. It seems several waves can overlap as they do in the ocean to create a Miracle Experience, some small which people refer to as coincidences. Could go on and on. As far as tongues goes, I have come to the same conclusions as this write up…and went through a similar experience with a famour TV person still out there, but never showed that side on TV. What good is it to speak in Glossolalia if no one is there to interpret it? Would that not be like showing off, and more so, it turns people off rather than attracts them to Christ who do not already believe. I never hear of one person who interprets them, only speaks them. Until one has a reason, whatever that is, to experience suffering in whatever form that is, which I can see would be the equivalent to the number of stripes he had bore, then why give up the life on earth as they know it in the ego and die to self TRULY other than in the head to get to heaven?…not the same thing.
This is so very good what you said Stephen, “Simple things are miralces, and the biggest is Life Itself..which means Jesus.” So true my friend. I believe the greatest miracle of all is that of human conversion for we were blind and now can see, we were dead by made alive by Christ. To me, the greatest thing any tongue can do is share the gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost and dying world. Please do come back again soon sir.
Jack, Read your article and mostly agree with you but am confused by this passage from the new Testament:
Mark 16:17-18: (NKJV) “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
Thank you Finley. My understanding and from the Study Bibles comments of which I agree with, do you remember Paul who was bitten by a poisonous snake and he shook it off into the fire unharmed. Also this is reference to the Day of Pentecost and the coming of the Holy Spirit. Paul, Peter, and the other apostles also were casting out demons, they did lay hands on the sick and they recovered. And the new tongues is clarified in Acts 2:7-11, “Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome, (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”
All of these things occurred in the Book of Acts, which is a history of the beginning of the church and the first part of the church’s history. Does this help my friend?
Also remember, regarding the “new tongues” part, that a “new tongue” to one person may be the native tongue of another.
The passage also does not negate the warning against putting God to the test. It does not *demand* that believers “take up serpents” or drink poison or lay hands on the sick. It does not say, either, that every demon will be cast out by a believer, or that anyone who is sick will recover. The book of Acts gives examples of people who *thought* they believed and tried to *force* these signs to come, only to have their pride handed to them on a platter.
Good stuff Joe my friend. Well stated and you are so spot on the mark my brother. I particularly loved your line, “he book of Acts gives examples of people who *thought* they believed and tried to *force* these signs to come, only to have their pride handed to them on a platter.” I remember the men who once who tried to exorcise some demons and instead got the thrashing of their lives, if that was what you were referring to sir. It reminds me of the Proverb, who can take fire to their bosom and not get burned (Prov 6:27)? Good stuff brother. Thanks Joe.
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