I was baptized at 19, but i have a question that i have struggled with since, as i was in the pool getting ready to be baptized the Pastor said to the people watching lets all pray that the Lord will give rich the gift of speaking in tongues, I was shocked to hear him say that and when i came up from the water i was quite embarrassed because i didn't get the gift. My question is was i still baptized or must i get it again. I am a Christian and the lord has answered many prayers since that day, but i have often wondered
Tongues are the initial evidence that one has received the gift of the HolyGhost. There are nine gifts of the Spirit outlined in I Corinthians 12. Paul wrote to the Corinthians to help things in order; for they were all out of order. The gift of tongues outlined in I Corinthians 12 is part of the nine gifts of the Spirit. Every believer who received the HolyGhost may not have the gift of tongues. While a person will speak in tongues when they receive the HolyGhost according to Acts 2:4 and Acts 2:38, he or she may not have the gift of tongues. I have never witnessed where one speaks in tongues in the congregation and there was no one who could interpret what was said. I understood what you documented from I Corinthians 14. I agree. Again, there are nine gifts: 1) word of wisdom; 2) word of knowledge; 3) gift of faith; 4)gifts of healing; 5)working of miracles; 6) gift of prophecy; 7) discerning of spirits; 8) divers kinds of tongues; and 9) interpretaion of tongues. These gifts are operating in the church today. I have witnessed all nine in operation in the body of Christ. They are in people. Some people may have one gift; while others have multiple gifts. God has set them in the church to edify the body of Christ and bring glory to Him. Tongues are not forbidden in the body of Christ; and all should seek to bring glory to God by edifying the church. Prophesy edifies the church; tongues edify an individual believer. We should all, if do not posess the interpretation( not a translation) of tongues, pray that we may interpret. Again, I have witnessed all nine gifts in operation. You can interpret if you desire that gift from God. Trust me, I know. But we should desire spiritual gifts to bring glory to God and to edify or encourage the fellow believer. Again, God is still fulfilling prophesy ( Joel 2:28). Christians need the leaders of the body of Christ to teach them what is proper and orderly.
Albert, further to what Bob has shared: I believe there is confusion on the meaning of the word 'tongue'. Sadly, it is often interpreted as some special uttering that may or may not be known to us. Hence, as some who have this 'gift' have said to me, that a 'tongue' could be an earthly language or a heavenly language. But is this what the Scripture, indeed all of Scripture on this subject implies?
In such situations, I wish I could altogether remove the word, 'tongue', & just insert 'unknown or unlearned language' as it clearly implies in Scripture, i.e. a language in existence on Earth, but which has not been learned by the utterer. When this gift came upon men showing the arrival & indwelling of the Holy Spirit in people, they always spoke in a language that they had not learned but it was a language that was known by someone else. Thus, the 'tongue' served absolutely no purpose unless it was for the benefit of another (e.g. as evidence to the unsaved & to hear God's message to them, or God's Word to believers, if only it came with interpretation).
And to those dear, well meaning believers so 'gifted', also suggested to me, a non-gifted 'tongue' believer, that if no 'tongue' came out of me, then I should just 'start babbling something to start the process going'! Of course, an extreme, perverted understanding of the Gift, but it showed to me, as a new Christian, the lengths they would go to give such importance to this least of all gifts. The only occasion of when this 'gift' is used other than what I've indicated here, is when there is none to interpret it, that it is used not publicly, but in his/her prayer to God & be edified through it ( 1 Cor 14:28).
The Bible speaks on tongues 1 Corinthians 12:28 - And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. (Tongues notice the last least gift.)
1 Corinthians 12:29 - Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
1 Cor 12:30 - Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
1 Cor 12:31 - But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.
1 Corinthians 14:5 I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues. for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues.
1 Corinthians Chapter 14: 26 How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue,
hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
27 If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.
28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.
....But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church....
not one Pentecostal church I have ever been to have ever followed this in scripture.
tongues is the least important gift. no interpreter = keep silent.
This same outpouring of the HolyGhost is for us day. We can be filled with HolyGhost by the evidence of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit gives utterance.
The way God communicates this day & time is by reading The Bible. Remember, the Bible wasn't available in Bible times ... God talked with man at that time many ways. Burning bush, raising the dead, etc ...
George, we do get glimpses of the early Church. Acts 2:46 says that "they continued daily with one accord in the Temple". The new believers still went to the Temple to worship God but through His Son. The Temple had specific times for prayer during the day, so Christians also joined the Jewish throng in worship daily. "and breaking bread from house to house": some commentators believe that this was actually done in one house, though the point was that whenever they met together, they probably had a meal & during that time, also took the bread & cup & remembered the Saviour's Sacrifice. Paul, in 1 Cor 11:20-22, chastises the Corinthian believers that they made mockery of the Lord's Supper, in that they gorged themselves with food & wine & not waiting for all to be served. He said that this was not the Lord's Supper which required seriousness & decorum as they the meal followed with the remembrance of the Lord. And this was observed on any occasion they met or as they wished.
Peter and others who were chosen,saw Christ before the day of Pentecost.Peter somehow has settled it in His heart that Christ has forgiven him for his denial,Christ giving Him authority to feed His sheep.Peter was certainly more than humbled by it all!The Jews are relentless towards him and his brothers in Christ. Claiming after they received the holy Ghost they were full of wine.Remember Peter has a temper.The first thing Peter does is convict them of their sin. He proclaims King Davids confession and its fulfillment!The very King David these Jews professed ,who's words have been fulfilled.Peter comes at them not with a sword,but with the word, they realize and confess their sin!The power in Peters words proved that indeed they had received the holy ghost.If your not convicted of sin and u don't have a need for confession, you are in the wrong church!The holy spirit moves and works in us through the word of God , moving us to confess ours sins one to another! Repent and be baptized!
Please read the first four verses of Acts 2. When I received the power of the Holy Ghost, it came with the evidence of speaking in tongues, just as the Bible says. When you receive it, you don't have to speak 24/7, but it should be sometimes because if the spirit dwells in you, it will be made known. Blessings!
we must do the will of God not tradition or feelings or opinion..
We have the Word now,,it is perfect and complete.no other gift is here or coming....Matt.7 clearly states not all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved...only those who do the will of the father..find the fluid grave,,let God do His work and wash the sin away (Acts22;16)..walk in the light as 1John 1 teaches..obey the gospel (2Thess1)...
for we walk by faith not by site. so faith without work is dead, and obedience is greater than sacrifice so our work is to work out our salvation with respect an reverence we have commandments an the word of god to obey trust the lord lean no to your own understanding.
this enitial gift is the prophetic from the boof of joel which had confirmed the infilling of the holyghost which is the enitial manifestation of the actual recieving the holyghost so the holyspirit give this for an open door for varous gift he gives to every one who believes like the bible says. so there is the gift of the holyspirit after which there are gifts that he may give as he sees fit for the the body of christ act 2 -1-4 acts 2 4-38.
Part 4) In the book of life, if a person rejects Christ, their name is removed from the book of life as if they've never been born. They're gone! No one is ever blotted out of the Lamb's book of life. I know it's not that God has books up there. But it's just a human example or an illustration that God knows everything, all the people that have been born, and all the people that belong to Christ.
He says I will not blot out his name out of the book of life. And I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. Jesus said that He would do that.
Part 3) In Exodus 32:32-33, the ones who God told Moses would be blotted out were those who were worshipping another god. Moses asked God to blot him out but God did not do it. Moses worshipped God. The others did not, and God tells us who He would blot out. It is my understanding that God will blot out those who refuse to surrender their life to Christ. But for those who receive and worship Him, He will not blot out. Studying all the references in both the OT and NT seem to indicate that there is more than one book. The Jews knew that. There's the book of life which has listed in it everyone that has received human life. And then there's the book of the Lamb, those who belong to Christ.
Part 2) All genuine born again believers are pictured in the scriptures as overcomers. It's impossible to not overcome. Why? It's because Christ has overcome, and He dwells in us. In 1 John 4:3-4 says the spirit of antichrist is in the world, but we have overcome them, Perfect Tense. It's already done because greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world.
So if Christ is always in me from the very second that I receive Christ, and He'll be there throughout eternity, then it will be impossible for me to not overcome, because He overcomes, and has overcome!
He that overcomes is a Present Participle. It literally reads to the one who is overcoming, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. Rev 21:7 says he that overcomes shall inherit all things. The term he that overcomes sounds like a challenge. It sounds like it would be a possibility, like "if" you do it. But in the Greek text, it is the one who (is) overcoming. In Chapters 2 and 3, the letters to the seven churches, at the end of each message, the same phrase is found, to the one who is overcoming, he will receive a reward. (Due to space, I will send more).
if one can not lost their salvation and the Holy Spirit can not leave...then why this?
Psalms 51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
Exodus 32:33 And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.
(one can have their name blotted out of the book of life and yes I know they are not saved yet)
Revelation 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
Thank you Stanjett for your response. I appreciate and believe I know now why it was perhaps a one-time event. My husband was a non-practicing Jehovah Witness at the time of the event, and commented that he would have never believed had he not witnessed for himself that I, without knowing any other language, spoke such a lovely language. Thank you for taking your time to respond. May the Lord richly bless you for all you do for Him.
Once the Holy Spirit comes into a person's spirit, He takes up residence permanently. You cannot lose the Holy Spirit. If you've received Christ, you have His Spirit dwelling in you. As far as tongues goes, I see nothing in scripture that says that a believer who has been born of God's Spirit will speak in tongues as a sign or proof that a person indeed has God's Spirit.
1 Corinthians 14:22 is the only place in scripture that specifically gives us the purpose for tongues. It was used by God as a sign to unbelievers, not believers.
speaking in tongues is only one gift from God, there are others. (read on and you will find them) Maybe you served your purpose as far as speaking in tongues. Maybe you brought someone or more to Christ. And they brought more and more and more. This is how the seed is multiplied. God bless and keep the faith.
I received the baptism of the Holy Spirit a number of years ago. Others around me told me later that I had spoken another language. I only remember three little words that had been running through my mind some time before. I fell away from the Lord later in life and didn't attend church of pray. Later In life, I asked forgiveness and have been a Christian for many years now. My question is: because I don't speak another language anymore, do I still have the Holy Spirit indwelling; or just perhaps will never have the gift of speaking tongues?
Revelation 3:7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;
Peter was given the same keys as you and I today, Faith in his name (JESUS) the doors are opened and shut. Like Daniel in the den of lions an angel shut the lions mouth.
Acts 3:16 And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
It matters how you are baptised, Jesus Christ commanded "baptizing in the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost". That name is the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus said that He came in His Father's (Jesus Christ) and that is the name to be baptized in. Also 10Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. 12Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
In such situations, I wish I could altogether remove the word, 'tongue', & just insert 'unknown or unlearned language' as it clearly implies in Scripture, i.e. a language in existence on Earth, but which has not been learned by the utterer. When this gift came upon men showing the arrival & indwelling of the Holy Spirit in people, they always spoke in a language that they had not learned but it was a language that was known by someone else. Thus, the 'tongue' served absolutely no purpose unless it was for the benefit of another (e.g. as evidence to the unsaved & to hear God's message to them, or God's Word to believers, if only it came with interpretation).
And to those dear, well meaning believers so 'gifted', also suggested to me, a non-gifted 'tongue' believer, that if no 'tongue' came out of me, then I should just 'start babbling something to start the process going'! Of course, an extreme, perverted understanding of the Gift, but it showed to me, as a new Christian, the lengths they would go to give such importance to this least of all gifts. The only occasion of when this 'gift' is used other than what I've indicated here, is when there is none to interpret it, that it is used not publicly, but in his/her prayer to God & be edified through it ( 1 Cor 14:28).
1 Corinthians 12:29 - Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
1 Cor 12:30 - Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?
1 Cor 12:31 - But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.
1 Corinthians 14:5 I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues. for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues.
1 Corinthians Chapter 14: 26 How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue,
hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.
27 If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.
28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.
....But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church....
not one Pentecostal church I have ever been to have ever followed this in scripture.
tongues is the least important gift. no interpreter = keep silent.
We have the Word now,,it is perfect and complete.no other gift is here or coming....Matt.7 clearly states not all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved...only those who do the will of the father..find the fluid grave,,let God do His work and wash the sin away (Acts22;16)..walk in the light as 1John 1 teaches..obey the gospel (2Thess1)...
How do pray with the bible?
He says I will not blot out his name out of the book of life. And I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. Jesus said that He would do that.
Again, my apologies for taking up so much space.
So if Christ is always in me from the very second that I receive Christ, and He'll be there throughout eternity, then it will be impossible for me to not overcome, because He overcomes, and has overcome!
Sorry but I am out of space, but will continue.
Psalms 51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
Exodus 32:33 And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.
(one can have their name blotted out of the book of life and yes I know they are not saved yet)
Revelation 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
1 Corinthians 14:22 is the only place in scripture that specifically gives us the purpose for tongues. It was used by God as a sign to unbelievers, not believers.
Hope this helps!
Peter was given the same keys as you and I today, Faith in his name (JESUS) the doors are opened and shut. Like Daniel in the den of lions an angel shut the lions mouth.
Acts 3:16 And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.