College student thinks speaking in tongues is vital to Christian living, part 5 (final)

I respect your standing and come to you in humility. In all humility please give me a BIBLICAL reference where it suggest tongues is not for everyone or that there is no second baptism. I want to learn too. I will read and look at everything you send. I think too many times when there is something the church doesn’t understand they go off their opinions of it. Which is fine until opinions replace the word of God. When debating this subject I need scripture and not the writings of any other man. I don’t want opions but rather what the word says. So please give me your point of view on it so I can better understand where you are coming from.

Rather than seeking to proof text someone to death about this (maybe I already have), it is better to focus on what God has given his people to do. Love is better than tongues—love for God and love for others. God has nowhere commanded us to speak in languages we have never learned. He has given us all we need for life and godliness (and Peter was talking about the Scriptures), so why go searching for experiences to give you more than what God has already said is enough?

College student thinks speaking in tongues is vital to Christian living, part 4

John 14:12-14 This passage says we will greater things then what Jesus was even doing. It also says ask anything in His name and we will receive it. He didn’t say some things. He said ANYTHING as long as it brings glory to the father. If we are in his will that means ANYTHING!

I agree. The position of Christ as intercessor makes the prayers of saints powerful.

We minimize and say,” Well, no that’s only for then, or that’s only available to some people.” No! I have the power in me to heal the sick, and raise the dead. If the Holy Spirit is a gift then why would the father withhold some of His attributes from certain people? He says if you on earth know how to give good gifts to your children then how much more is the father willing to give the Holy Spirit to those who ask. But we have to ask. If we received it all at repentance why would we have to ask? God doesn’t just give us some of the Holy Spirit he wants to give us all but too many times we are unwilling to ask.

Luke 11:13 is also talking about prayer. The Spirit is “given” when God answers prayer, but this has nothing to do with tongues.

College student thinks speaking in tongues is vital to Christian living, part 3

Acts 19:1-6 Paul goes and finds disciples. That means they are already followers of Christ. He says, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? So they are already believers. If you are filled with the Holy Spirit when you first believe then why would he ask if they had received it? They said, "We have not even heard there is a Holy Spirit"! So he asks them, “then what baptism did you receive?” If there is only one baptism why would he ask them which one did they receive? They replied, "John’s." Paul said John’s was one of repentance. We have already received the one of repentance. When Paul heard this he baptized them a second time into the name of the Lord Jesus. When he did this it says the Holy Spirit came upon them and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. If they already had the Holy Spirit how is it that he came on them a second time?

These men were not disciples of Jesus, but they were—like Apollos in chapter 18—proclaiming an accurate pre-cross message. They were like old Simeon, knowing Messiah would soon be revealed but not possessing the full story. The Jews were used to ceremonial washings. John's Jordan River mikveh testified that people wished to prepare for the coming Messiah by repenting. They became identified as disciples of John. Paul baptized them again so they could be identified with Jesus. The tongues testified to the unity of Christian disciples. These disciples shared in the same gift as those in Acts 2.

There is more that comes after repentance. If there wasn’t why then do we see all the BELIEVERS getting filled with the Holy Spirit after they believed? It’s not required but why shouldn’t we get all there is to get. If it’s available to everyone (and it is) then why wouldn’t we want it? Part of the Holy Spirit's job is to comfort and teach, but Acts says He does more. If there is more that He does, wouldn’t we want all of it?

Every genuine believer ought to seek the filling of the Holy Spirit. It is a command (Ephesians 5:18- no tongues there). But do Spirit-filled people somehow have more of God in them? The teaching that the “inside experience” is something to seek sounds like first century Gnosticism—not the Bible. Is not the filling ministry a submission to the word of Christ (see Colossians 3:15-17 and its parallels to Ephesians 5), an equipping for service that always results in boldness and creativity and a few times resulted in people speaking in languages they had never learned? The filling of the Holy Spirit usually did not result in speaking other languages (Acts 4:8, 31; 6:3-8; 7:55; 9:17; 11:24; 13:9, 52, not to mention all the O.T. references). If the “more” of tongues was so important, why do you have a first century apostle putting restrictions on its use? Was Paul quenching the Spirit or was he pointing out that established churches need the work of the Spirit manifested by the exposition of the word of God (prophecy)?

College student thinks speaking in tongues is vital to Christian living, part 1

Steve's note: The following entries are based on a discussion about the biblical gift of tongues and those who believe tongues (as seen in many Christian gatherings today) are a vital part of the Christian life. My comments are addressed to a young believer trying to respond to a friend who is a persistent tongues advocate. The arguments in block quotes are edited from that advocate's arguments. This is biblical counseling. It does not address any life-dominating sin but it does point a believer to a God-glorifying, commandment-driven lifestyle rather than a man-centered, feelings-driven lifestyle. Examine the arguments presented by Pedro's friend in coming posts. Even a useful gift or place of service can become a substitute treasure--an idol of the heart.

Pedro:

The issue: "Should we be speaking in tongues today?" is one I have wrestled with. Your friend is very persistent [see parts two through five]. While I have dear friends who disagree with me on this, most of the arguments I hear come from emotion rather than good biblical exposition. If the common teaching that "Spirit indwelling = tongues" is followed through to its logical conclusion, no one can claim to be saved if they do not speak in tongues (because they do not have the Holy Spirit and, hence, do not belong to God, Romans 8:9). This can easily become a cross diminishing, performance-based righteousness if you are not really accepted in the group unless you make the cut. To some Pentecostals, speaking in tongues is what circumcision was to the Judaizers in Galatia.

Spiritual gifts are for building others up. Instead what we hear is “I need to build myself up.” Why place so much emphasis on a gift that is placed at the bottom of the biblical lists of endowments? I would welcome a tongues speaker in our church (here I make fundamentalists uneasy) if I saw the “gift” being used to edify the church under the guidelines of 1 Corinthians 14:

• one at a time
• no more than three in a service
• always with an interpreter and—Paul argued...
• men only (here I make female Charismatics and Pentecostals uneasy).

We should never interpret the Bible based on what we have or have not experienced.

I will comment on the specific arguments your friend raises.