I love, can and do fellowship with all who love the Lord Jesus and focus on His Lordship, BUT I strongly disagree with those who teach that that one must have this "Pentecostal" experience with an evidence of speaking in tongues, because it is just NOT Biblical! I don't seek a fight, but I do seek honesty and openness about this matter. Great men of God differ about it and great men of God are on both sides of this isle. I simply wish to honestly and openly look at the TRUTH from an unbiased perspective, or at least that is the desire of my heart.
Now don't misunderstand me, please! I am in no way rejecting or loving less any brother or sister who may have any "spiritual gift" that is different from my own, which are the gifts of prophecy and teaching. We ALL need each other, but wherever this "Pentecostal" experience with an evidence of speaking in tongues is taught (except among Charismatics and Pentecostals), is brings disruption, confusion, and carnality, just as it did in Corinth. BUT before you turn me off, please read on.
When I fellowship with these brethren, they all believe me to have received this experience, but they do so because they sense that I am being filled with the Holy Spirit. I can pray with them preach in all kinds of churches, serve with, love, and not argue, BUT, here is what I find in the SCRIPTURE!
- No group of people has ever had an exact duplication (so far as I have been able to determine) of what happened as Pentecost - "Now when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like a violent wind blowing came from heaven and filled the entire house where they were sitting. And tongues spreading out like a fire appeared to them and came to rest on each one of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them." (Net Bible) So let's begin here -
- Although the word "baptized" in (with, by) the Spirit is not in the text, it can clearly be assumed to fit because of what Jesus had said in Acts 1:5, which was the "promise of the Father" (Jn 14:26; 16:13-15 which we must compare this to John the Baptist's message that Jesus would "baptize" with (in, by) the Holy Spirit and fire). So, there can be little of no doubt that THIS is the BAPTISM to which John the Baptist and Jesus both referred. I don't think any of us would disagree about that.
- The next thing we would consider is the term "baptize" itself, which, although not referred to in the text is apparently referred to. It means to "dip, dye, or submerge" or if you can image a simple box that is penetrated for something to be placed INTO the box, you will get the idea. It is the placing of something into something else.
- So, this "baptism" of (in, with) the Holy Spirit is actually the placing of something into something else. In the case of the "Pentecostal" experience Biblically, it was the placing of those JEWISH believers INTO the Body of Christ and is why Pentecost is considered to be the birth of the Church, which is the Body of which Christ is the HEAD.
- The other interesting things about this "Pentecostal" event were that
- It was on the Day of Pentecost which was a Jewish Holy Day!
- One of three major Jewish feasts also called the Feast of Weeks. The name “Pentecost” is derived from the Greek word meaning “fifty.” Pentecost occurs in the month of Sivan (May/June), 50 days after Passover, and celebrates the end of the grain harvest. The Pentecost that followed Jesus’ death and resurrection was the occasion on which the Holy Spirit was given to believers in Jerusalem.
- Believers were together celebrating Pentecost when suddenly unusual sights and sounds signaled an event that would have far-reaching implications. They heard the sound of “a violent rushing wind” (Acts 2:2 HCSB). They saw tongues of fire resting on believers, and each believer was able to communicate in languages they had never before spoken. They were able to speak with Jewish pilgrims of many languages from all over the Mediterranean world.
- These phenomena got the attention of the Jewish faithful gathered in Jerusalem. Many thought the disciples were intoxicated. But Simon Peter got up and pointed out that it was too early in the day for people to be drunk. Peter then took this unusual opportunity to proclaim that this event was the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy that God would pour out His Spirit on all people. Peter linked the gift of the Spirit with the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus.
- Peter’s message found its way into the hearts of over 3,000 who responded by repenting and being baptized in the name of Jesus and receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit. See Festivals; Spirit.
- THE ABOVE NOTES TAKEN FROM - Steve BondHolman Illustrated Bible Dictionary.
- There seemed to be some question that all who spoke in these languages were Galileans (Acts 2:7). This is a little questionable but that is what is recorded and inspired about what others who were present and hearing thought.
- So, we may imply (safely) that those who HEARD DID NOT SPEAK in other languages, but only certain ones. Before we draw any conclusion, consider:
- The crowd was of "devout Jews from every nation under heaven".
- Each one heard them (those who spoke) speaking in his own dialect.
- They were astonished who heard - "each one of us heard in our native tongue"
- There were also proselytes to Judaism among them.
- They hear them speak "OF THE GREAT DEEDS GOD HAS DONE". It is not recorded that these tongues were either prayers nor prophecies, but HISTORY! Great deeds God has done. Literally it is "God's mighty works".
BLESSINGS!
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