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Holy Spirit Baptism
And The Gift Of Speaking In Tongues Explained
Commonly
asked questions concerning tongues are: Can I speak in tongues? How do you
speak in tongues? How come Christians do not speak in tongues in the church
of Christ? All of the above questions are good questions and for a person
to gain the proper understanding of tongues he/she must first gain an understanding
of the difference in baptism with the Holy Spirit and baptism for the remission
of sins (water baptism).
Many things
have been attributed to the Holy Spirit in the religious world but not all
are accurate. It must be clearly understood that The Holy Spirit is the Spirit
of God and is one of the three ways in which He has manifested Himself to
the world (1 Timothy 3:16; 1 John 5:7). The Holy Spirit is often discussed
in a fashion as if He is a church age or New Testament age phenomena. We have
biblical evidence of the Holy Spirit working in the world as early as Genesis
1:2. The Holy Spirit has always been around and working in the lives of the
people of God. In the Old Testament
book of Judges alone the Holy Spirit came upon Othniel, Gideon, Jephthah and
Samson (Judges 3:10, 6:34, 11:29, 14:6, 19) and also moved in Samson (Judges
13:25). The Holy Spirit of God is mentioned in a plurality of Old Testament
books and He did not make anyone jump around or do anything out of character.
The reception
of the Holy Spirit does not make people jump around and shout. We do not find
this kind of evidence in the Bible. It must also be understood that the way
Christ and the 12 apostles received the Holy Spirit were unique and unrepeated
experiences. The Bible tells us in Luke 3:22 that after Christ was baptized
by John "the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon
Him." God publicly acknowledging His Son before the world also followed
up the occurrence. Who can say that they have received the Holy Spirit in
this fashion today? The 12 disciples also heard and saw the Holy Spirit. They
heard “a rushing mighty wind” and saw “cloven tongues like as of fire and
it sat upon each of them” (Acts 2:1-4). Who can claim that this has happened
to them today? These were special occurrences for a special people and time.
In John 14:15-26
God promised the apostles that He would send them the Comforter (Holy Spirit)
after His ascension to the Father in Heaven. The Comforter (26) directed the
apostles in all that they preached because they did not have New Testament
scriptures to preach and teach from as preachers and teachers do today. The
promise of the baptism with the Holy Spirit was to the 12 apostles only. In
Matthew 3:11 John the Baptist said that Christ would baptize with the Holy
Ghost and with fire. Christ baptized His apostles with His Holy Spirit but
He commanded the apostles to baptize in the name of the Father, Son and Holy
Spirit, which was a baptism in water (Matthew 28:19).
In Acts 1:5 the Bible states that Christ told the 11 apostles to wait to receive the Holy Spirit. The twelfth apostle, Matthias, replaced the bishopric of Judas in Acts 1:26. In Acts 2:1-4 the 12 apostles actually received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and it resulted in them speaking in tongues, proclaiming the wonderful works of God (11). They were given this ability through the direct operation of the Holy Spirit. The apostles were set in the church through the baptism with the Holy Spirit and not through water baptism like every other Christian after them (1 Corinthians 12:28; Ephesians 4:11). Christ commanded that the apostles and members of the body of Christ baptize souls in water (Matthew 20:19; Mark 16:15-16) but Christ only baptized with His Holy Spirit on two occasions and possibly three if the conversion of Paul is considered (Acts 9:17-18).
John the Baptist
(Matthew 3:11) and Jesus Himself said He (Jesus) would Baptize with the Holy
Spirit and with fire. Let it be known that the baptism of fire means to be
cast into hell (Matthew 3:10-12 & 13:30). Nobody wants to receive the
baptism of fire. Although Christ said He would baptize with the Holy Spririt
we have no biblical record of Christ physically baptizing anyone while He
was on earth. John the Baptist and the apostles baptized many individuals
on earth in water but Christ never immersed anyone in water. To be baptized
by Christ was to be baptized with and by His Holy Spirit. On a spirtual level,
without water and hands, Christ personally baptized the apostles (which includes
Paul) and those in the house of Cornelius
Before or as
the apostles received the baptism with the Holy Spirit and the ability to
speak in tongues two visible and audible things occurred:
1.
A sound from
heaven as a rushing mighty wind that filled the house where they were sitting
(Acts 2:2).
2.
The appearing
of cloven tongues like as of fire (Acts 2:3).
No one can
truthfully claim today that what happened to the apostles has happened to
them. This was a phenomenon that all who were around the apostles were able
to hear and see. People actually witnessed the apostles physically receive
the Holy Spirit of God just as the case with Christ (Luke 3:22). It was not
a mystery or inner feeling.
The baptism
with the Holy Spirit was only given to the apostles and the house of Cornelius
(Acts 10). After Peter preached his sermon that spanned from Acts 2:14 to
Acts 2:36 the Jews were informed that they needed to repent and be baptized
for the remission of their sins (Acts 2:38). During the process of water baptism
they also received the gift of the Holy Spirit (Ghost). The gift of the Holy
Spirit that Christians are promised to receive during water baptism today
is qualitatively different than what the apostles and the house of Cornelius
received in Acts chapters 2 and 10. He is the same Holy Spirit in both circumstances
but He provided the apostles and some in the early church with abilities that
are no longer in use today. The house of Cornelius had the Holy Spirit poured
out upon them (Acts 10:45) which is totally different than obtaining the gift
of the Holy Spirit through water baptism.
In Acts 10
those in the house of Cornelius were baptized but they received the baptism
of the Holy Spirit before they were baptized in water (Acts 10:44). To be
baptized with the Holy Spirit is to be baptized by Christ. This only happened
two times in the Bible but those in the house of Cornelius were also baptized
in water. They received the gift of the Holy Spirit as well.
Those who were
baptized with the Holy Spirit in the house of Cornelius had the ability to
speak in tongues (Acts 10:46) as the apostles but for certain, aside from
the house of Cornelius, all Christians who had the ability to speak in tongues
had the gift imparted to them through the laying on of hands of the apostles.
The gentiles received this gift as a sign to the Jews that God does not show
partiality in the church (See the vision of Peter in Acts 10:10-16, 11:4-10).
Aside from
the apostles and the house of Cornelius the only way someone could receive
a spiritual gift (the ability to speak in tongues was a spiritual gift) was
through the laying on of hands of the apostles. There was no other way to
get spiritual gifts, aside from being baptized with the Holy Spirit, which
only happened twice. Therefore, when the apostles (The only ones with the
ability to impart a gift) and those they imparted gifts to died, spiritual
gifts in the church ceased.
Some people
still believe that spiritual gifts can be passed on today. Because of that
belief and the belief that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is still in operation
today many believe they can speak in tongues. This is false. In Acts 6:5-6
the apostles laid hands on seven men for a special work and one of them was
a man named Philip. After Philip was touched by the apostles he had the ability
to perform miracles (Acts 8: 6, 13). However, when he taught and baptized
the believers in Samaria they received the gift of the Holy Spirit through
water baptism because this was a promise to the entire world (Acts 2:39).
But although Philip had the ability to perform miracles he did not have the
ability to pass on spiritual gifts such as tongues. He had to wait for two
of the apostles to come (Peter & John) and lay hands on the believers
in Samaria to impart spiritual gifts. Even in this encounter it is not stated
that those in Samaria spoke in tongues after they received the Holy Ghost.
If a man such
as Philip, having the ability to perform miracles and heal people could not
pass on spiritual gifts, who truly believes they can do it today? Some have
stated that Philip could not do it because he did not have enough faith but
that is against scripture (Acts 6:3).
Paul stated
that all spiritual gifts would come to an end. In 1 Corinthians 13:8-11 Paul
provides the instruction that tongues and all other spiritual gifts would
come to an end during the church age and not at the end of the world. The
ceasing of tongues occurred when the New Testament scriptures were completed
and all the Christians with a spiritual gift(s) died. Keep in mind that they
could not pass them on to other people. In that sense alone they could not
last forever (spiritual gifts). Many state that “When that which is perfect
is come” in verse (10) refers to Christ but that is false. The Greek language
clearly points to it being the Bible and not a person.
The apostles
and certain Christians were given the ability to speak in tongues and other
gifts during the infancy of the church because many people needed a sign to
believe that God, the Christian and the church was real (1 Corinthians 1:22,
14:22). That was during the time when the church had not fully matured. Now
that Christians have the completed revelation of God (the Bible) the church
is mature because the world and the church can read about God and all the
signs, wonders and miracles He has performed and shown to indicate that He
and His church are real.
A scriptural
text that many falsely use to justify speaking in tongues today is Mark 16:17-18.
“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.”
The above passage
clearly points out that spiritual gifts are no longer with us more so than
it promotes spiritual gifts being in the world until the return of Christ.
A sign does not have to be repeated for it to remain a sign. Christ did not
say that these signs would be performed forever. Reading or hearing about
a sign can provide the same impact as physically witnessing it. No person
living today was present at the crucifixion of Christ but all can read about
it today. Does a person have to see Christ be tortured again to believe it?
Hopefully they do not!
The signs mentioned
in Mark 16:17-18 were done by the apostles over 1,800 years ago but they still
remain as signs for Bible readers and believers today. In Acts 5:12-16, 8:7,
16:18, 19:12 the apostles miraculously healed the sick and exercised demons.
On Malta Paul was bitten on his hand by a poisonous viper but he shook it
off and threw it into the fire. The people were waiting for Paul to swell,
faint and die in their presence but once they saw that no harm came to him
they believed he was a god (Acts 28:1-6). This occurrence acted as a sign
on Malta and is still a sign that can be read about in the Bible. The main
premise is that nobody today can cast out devils, speak in tongues, survive
the bite of a rattle snack without medical treatment, or heal the sick through
a touch. Whoever can do these things without hesitation should step forward
and heal the sick in the world, as did Jesus and His apostles. They should
show the world that they have the power of God. Christ did not hide or ration
out His ability to heal and He never failed. Although these things cannot
be done today the power of God is still evidenced through the fact that at
one point in the church they could be done. What a mighty sign!
Remember, God
can send people a strong delusion, causing them to believe a lie over the
truth (2 Thessalonians 2:10-12).
May
God continue to bless your life and walk in Christ.
Presented by Ammar Saheli