Receiving the Holy Spirit - Speaking in Tongues

 

Receiving the Holy Spirit

 

In a conversation with a Christian friend, the topic of “speaking in tongues” came up. Many Christians have views on this sometimes-controversial subject, so I thought I’d add my “two cents” worth of opinion.

 Up front, I’d like to acknowledge that I personally engage in the practice of speaking in tongues as part of my prayers and communicating with our God. I believe that it is a gift from the Holy Spirit.  I also believe that not all Christians have received this gift, and many do not accept or believe it is a real practice.  For the sake of time, I am not going to delve in depth into that controversy. Further, others have already explored those issues and captured important concepts. For example, see: https://www.christianity.com/wiki/christian-life/the-gift-of-speaking-in-tongues-and-is-it-for-today.html . Even so, I’d like to share some of what I’ve learned on this subject through my Bible study.  First, a little background.

I recalled that some time ago one of my teachers advised that whenever you see a thought or concept repeated in the Bible scripture, it was done by the Holy Spirit for emphasis. Later, I came across a particular theme that was repeated in each of the four Gospels, and again in the writing of the Apostle Paul. That theme in the scripture is that “Jews require a sign.”(Matthew 12: 38, 16:1; Mark 8:11; Luke 11:16; John 2:18; and 1 Corinthians 1: 22) 

That concept of the people of Israel requiring a “sign” of some sort, was for them to receive evidence of the truth of a statement, or of an as-yet unproven assertion. Remember when Moses was reluctant to obey the LORD who told him to go to Pharaoh and tell him to “Let My people go!”.  Moses knew that in gaining credibility both with the people of Israel, and in facing Pharaoh, he would need something more than his own presence for him to accomplish God’s mission. They all would  “require a sign” that his words had gravity, and indeed that the LORD was with him. The various plagues brought on Egypt when Pharaoh refused were some of those signs. (https://www.gotquestions.org/ten-plagues-Egypt.html )  In another example, when our Lord Jesus came during His earthly ministry, a primary reason for His performing so many miracles was to give signs to prove to the people of the Nation of Israel that He was their long-awaited Messiah, the Son of God. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miracles_of_Jesus ; https://www.gotquestions.org/miracles-of-Jesus.html )

With that background, I want to discuss “speaking in tongues” as “the sign” that a Christian has received the indwelling Holy Spirit as evidence / proof that he / she has been accepted of God and received salvation.  

Most Bible students are aware of the first mention of speaking in tongues. It was on that special day during the Feast of Pentecost following the Ascension of our Lord Jesus.  The Book of Acts, Chapter Two, tells how the Disciples and others who had followed the Lord had gathered in one house as the Lord had instructed them.  The scripture further states: “…suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind…and there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them… and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” (Acts 2: 1-4)  The scripture goes on to describe the impact of those signs, adding: “…there were at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad , the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galileans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?” ( Acts 2: 5-8)

In looking at the significance of these signs / miracles, I’d like to review them both in the context of  our subject: “Receiving the Holy Spirit”, and some earlier events in the scripture. Remember that the link that ties speaking in tongues results from a Christian’s having received the indwelling Holy Spirit… and that gift of receiving the Holy Spirit was linked to having received Salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

One of my teachers guided my understanding that prior to the events related to our Lord’s First Advent, the Scripture did not mention the Holy Ghost (Spirit). It was John the Baptist who declared: “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but He that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost (Spirit), and with fire: (Matthew 3: 11). It was later near the end of His Earthly Ministry, on the evening of His Resurrection, that our Lord Jesus suddenly appeared to His Disciples. As they met, “He breathed on them, and saith unto them, ‘Receive ye the Holy Ghost’:…(John 20: 19-22)  This act of His imparting the Holy Spirit was done in the privacy / seclusion of only His followers, and it fulfilled the first part of John the Baptist’s prophecy.  As noted above, the later “baptism with fire” was accomplished on the Day of Pentecost. The results of that baptism were very widely / publicly aired to large numbers of people so that those who believed in the Lord and those who didn’t could see the “signs” He left with His followers.  At Pentecost, these were primarily Jews, and…”Jews required a sign.”

All that was accomplished by the Lord Jesus to further His message to the Nation of Israel regarding the Gospel of the Kingdom. He had previously announced that He had come to fulfill their prophetic goals and was the Messiah they were awaiting. He sought their repentance / change of mind towards believing Him. (Mark 1: 14-15) Even after His rejection by Israel that led to His Crucifixion…, and the “signs of speaking in tongues” given to His disciples…His Apostle Peter continued to urge Israel to believe in Him as their Messiah, but to no avail. Although many repented, the Nation as a whole did not follow. (Acts 2: 14-38, 39-47)

Some Christians are not aware that it was the Apostle Peter who the Ascended Lord sent first to a group of Gentiles to bring them Salvation.  Peter’s impact on the House of the Roman Centurion Cornelius was a surprising success in many ways, including Peter’s message related to the Gospel of the Kingdom. Perhaps most so was these Gentiles receiving the Holy Spirit as evidenced by their speaking in tongues, without first repenting of their sins and receiving water baptism as was the custom for the Jews begun by John the Baptist. (Acts Chapter 10) That was Peter’s only ministry to Gentiles. From then on, the Lord sent the Apostle Paul (formerly Saul of Tarsus) and later his colleagues to the Gentiles.

Many years later, the Scripture notes that individual Jews continued to receive salvation through the baptism of repentance in the name of the Lord Jesus…under the Gospel of the Kingdom. Interestingly enough, this was accomplished by the Apostle Paul as he visited synagogues during his early missionary trips. Although others may have preceded him in spreading the word about the Lord Jesus, it was Paul who brought the knowledge and gifts of the Holy Spirit, including speaking in tongues by the laying of his hands on them. (Acts 19: 1-8)

On the other hand, during this Age of Grace…under the Gospel of Grace given to the Apostle Paul by the Ascended Lord Jesus…whether Jew or Gentile, we don’t need a “sign” to convince us to receive our Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior.  We have received the indwelling Holy Spirit through faith in God’s love and grace. We Christians believe by faith that our Lord Jesus is the Son of God; that He took our sins away through His suffering and the shedding of His blood and death on Calvary’s Cross; that He was buried; and that He arose victorious over death on the third day. (1 Corinthians 15: 1-4; Romans 10: 9-13). With that knowledge, we have received the eternal salvation of our souls / spirits and many other blessings in this world. 

Importantly, the Scripture has informed us that our Lord Jesus has accepted all believers as members of His Body…the Body of Christ.  As such each of us have been given “gifts” from the indwelling Holy Spirit, as He influences our soul / spirit. Among these gifts given to various members are: “speaking in tongues” and “the interpretation of tongues”.  (1 Corinthians Chapter 12)  The gifts of the Holy Spirit are widely varied and are distributed to the members of the Body of Christ to meet the Lord’s priorities. (1 Corinthians 12: 18) We are not to covet the gifts given to others. We have been blessed to have been saved, and to be able to be of service to our Heavenly Father and our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus, in this world and the one to come.

Dr. W.A. (Bill) Robinson