Foundations of Faith
THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND SPEAKING IN TONGUES
There is a very broad range of teaching today concerning speaking in tongues. At one end there are those who teach that tongues and other “sign gifts” disappeared toward the end of the first century (see May99). At the other end there are those who teach that speaking in tongues is a necessary sign that a believer in Christ has been baptized by the Holy Spirit.
The Bible says that “tongues … shall cease” (1 Cor. 13:8), but we cannot prove conclusively when this happened (or will happen). On the other hand, if there is real Spirit-led speaking in tongues today, there is no biblical evidence that it is linked with the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and most likely it is limited to being a sign to unbelievers, as it was in Bible times (1 Cor. 14:22).
How did speaking in tongues (that is, foreign languages) serve as a sign to unbelievers? The following pattern is seen in Scripture:(1) God’s people refuse to listen to His message to them; (2) God causes tongues to be heard as a sign of judgment; (3) God causes the people to be scattered. This pattern is seen first at the Tower of Babel (Gen. 9:1,7; 11:1-9). Then the LORD through Moses warned the nation of Israel that if they failed to do what He told them to do (Deut. 28:15), He would send a nation against them whose language they would not understand (verse 49) and then would scatter them over the whole earth (verses 64,65). This prophetic warning is repeated by the prophets Isaiah (28:11-13) and Jeremiah (5:3,15,19).
Coming to the New Testament, the Jewish people would not listen to the Messiah (Matt. 23:37) and cast Him out (Matt. 26,27); for this reason Jesus pronounced God’s judgment upon the nation, including the destruction of the temple (Matt. 23:38; 24:2). This prophecy was confirmed, less than two months later, by a most remarkable event involving the speaking of foreign tongues in Jerusalem. People from many different nations, gathered for the feast of Pentecost, heard the disciples speaking in a variety of languages, including their own (Acts 2:1-11). This event had a two-fold purpose:(1) It served as a warning to the Jewish nation that judgment would soon come upon God’s chosen people and they would be scattered among the nations (which happened in 70 A.D.); (2) it signaled the birthday of a new people of God-the Church, the body of Christ, made up of all true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ from all the nations of the earth. This new people was indwelt by the Holy Spirit; God provided a miraculous sign for this special occasion to show that a new order of things had come in.
In Acts 10:44-47 we read of the Roman soldier Cornelius and others of his household believing the gospel and immediately receiving the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues. The reason for the speaking in tongues is clearly stated:it showed that the very same Holy Spirit who came upon the Jewish believers on the day of Pentecost had come upon the Gentile believers (verses 45,47). There were not to be two Churches-a Jewish one and a Gentile one-but one Church made up of all true believers in Christ.
The 120 disciples (Acts 1:15) had to wait for the baptism of the Holy Spirit because the Spirit would not come until after Christ had risen (Luke 24:49; John 7:39; Acts 1:4,5). Now that the Holy Spirit has come, there is no need for a new convert to pray and wait for the baptism of the Holy Spirit-and there is no instruction in the New Testament telling us to do so. The teaching in Paul’s Epistles is that all who are saved have been baptized by the Holy Spirit (that is, have the Spirit dwelling in them). (See Assignment 10)
There are three examples in the New Testament (Acts 2,10,19) in which speaking in tongues is linked with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. But these were special because they signaled a change of God’s chosen people from Israel to the Church. There are many other instances in the Book of Acts of people becoming saved and receiving the Holy Spirit without mention of speaking in tongues (2:41; 4:4; 8:17; 13:12; 16:14,15,32-34; etc.). The apostle Paul instructs us that speaking in tongues was a gift of the Holy Spirit given to certain individuals and not to everyone (1 Cor. 12:10,28,30).
What can be said about the teaching in the Charismatic Movement that tongues provide the Christian with a quick and easy path to spiritual maturity and holiness?
1. Some charismatics are beginning to see that it does not work this way; more important, there is no biblical support for this teaching. It is only by focusing on Christ and being changed into His image that we grow in holiness and become spiritually mature (2 Cor. 3:18; 1 John 2:13,14).
2. The apostle Paul warned the Corinthian believers against being too occupied with speaking in tongues (1 Cor. 14:1-25). He called it a sign of immaturity-not maturity (verse 20)!
3. People play the lottery in hopes of taking a shortcut to the “easy life.” Christians must be careful not to be seduced into looking for quick and easy ways to spiritual maturity. This can be attained only by diligent, day-by-day praying, studying the Word of God, growing in our knowledge of God and likeness to Christ, learning and doing God’s will, and allowing the Holy Spirit to control us and produce His fruit in our lives.
Running the Race
SERVING THE LORD (V)
As noted previously (Oct98, Jul99), the sisters are not free to speak in the assembly meetings. But God has given them plenty else to do, as seen in these examples from the Bible:
Helping and Encouraging. Rahab, Samson’s mother, the widow of Zaraphath, the woman of Shunem, Dorcas, Lydia, Phoebe, Mary, Tryphena, Tryphosa, Persis (Josh. 2; Judg. 13; 1 Ki. 17; 2 Ki. 4; Acts 9,16; Rom. 16).
Praying and Pleading. Abigail, Esther, Anna (1 Sam. 25; Esth. 5-7; Luke 2).
Prophesying and Teaching. Huldah, Mary Magdalene, Philip’s daughters, Priscilla, Lois, and Eunice (2 Chron. 34; John 20; Acts 18,21; 2 Tim. 1,3).
Giving. Hannah, the poor widow, Sapphira (1 Sam. 1; Mark 12; Acts 5).
Delivering from Enemies. Jael (Judg. 5).
Yielding Oneself to God. The virgin Mary (Luke 1).
Assignment 10: Write out verses in Romans 8, 1 Corinthians 12, and Ephesians 1 that support the last statement about the Holy Spirit dwelling in all who are saved.