Also Known As Tongues of Fire Series

So many questions, and so many different answers to each one. Since the rise of the Charismatic Movement everyone seems to have a question about the least of all spiritual gifts, the Gift of Tongues. The Charismatics, seeking ever new experiences, have started to shift into a new Tongues movement called the "Latter Rain" or "Laughing Revival" phenomenon. Oddly enough, these movements are not so much Scripturally based as they are experientially based. Many Christians today want the Church to be like a fast food restaurant: we want to be spiritual as fast as possible, as cheaply as possible. Very few Christians study their Bibles anymore, preferring to listen to the "prophets" of this age over what God has said. Experience has become our god: if it feels good, it must be right. These attitudes are spreading to our children. In a recent Church-wide survey, the nation's churched youth were asked the following questions:

• Are Christian youth accountable for their lifestyles?
• On surveying churched youth, it was discovered in a three month period:
• 66% lied to their parents or an older person
• 36% cheated on an exam
• 20% attempted to physically harm someone
• 12% drank enough alcohol to become drunk
• Of these youth:
• 86% said they were well respected among their peers
• 67% said they attended Sunday School and Church weekly
• 78% said they were religious
• 65% said they prayed daily
• Is it necessary to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ?
• The churched youth were given the following statement: "Muslims, Buddhists, Jews, and Christians, and all other people, pray to the same god, even though they use different names for their god."
• 21% agreed with the statement
• 52% disagreed with the statement
• 27% were unsure
• What about God, the Bible, Heaven, Hell, and Salvation?
• When told, "The Bible is totally accurate in all of it's teachings", of the churched youth:
• 71% agreed
• 10% disagreed
• 20% were not sure
• When told, "All good people, regardless of their relationship with Jesus Christ, will live in Heaven after they die", of the churched youth:
• 13% agreed
• 69% disagreed
• 18% were not sure

Our own uncertainty and laziness in studying what God has to say is slowly filtering down to our children. We seek out "feelings" and experiences above truth, and we will pay the price for it. Since the days of Simon the sorcerer (Acts 8.9-24) men have sought out easy and sensual ways to God. Simon sought to buy the power of God from the Apostles, whereas modern day apostates give an imaginary power away in the name of God. We must get back to the Bible!

This is the first in a series of lessons that deal with the Biblical Gift of Tongues. Tongues is a Divine Gift, pure and holy given from the Heavenly Father to the Church. However "prophets" walk our land who have taken what some consider to be the Gift, and have emphasized it in many instances above salvation in Christ. There are "teaching units" that show believers how to speak in Tongues. There are whole Church denominations that teach that, if you do not speak "The Tongue", you are not fully under God's Grace. Many Charismatics teach that Tongues are a prayer language that, when used, gives you special consideration from the Father. I will not mince words: Such teaching is divisive, contrary to God's Word, and cultic.

One of the biggest problems I've ever encountered in teaching the Spiritual Gifts is the experiential evidence that some of the tongues followers use. You may think, "I've seen it happen, it happened to me, so therefore it must be true". The fact that you've experienced something may be true. On the other hand, what is the proof that what you experienced is from God? Satan is the great deceiver. He can and will do anything to prevent the believer from studying the Bible, even to the point of providing false spiritual experiences. We as believers are also still in this body of sin, and our natural tendency is to move toward the sensual and away from the spiritual. With Satan, the influences of this world, and the influences of our Old Sin Natures, the only true test we can use to determine the spirituality of anything is what does the Bible say?

Which leads to another point that must be made: I believe the Bible to be absolutely inerrant (without error) in all that it affirms as true. The Bible is not a history book, a mathematics text, nor a scientific journal. But anything contained in Scripture that deals with history, math, science, humanities, and so on, is absolutely true if the Bible states it is true. Historic accounts in the Bible are recorded exactly as they occurred. What a person said (though his statement may have been wrong) was recorded exactly as it was said. The Scripture is absolutely without error in it's content.

One final introductory point: Throughout this series I follow a basic method of Scriptural interpretation. That is, When the plain sense of Scripture makes sense, seek no other sense. I accept the Scriptural text at face value in accordance with it's historical, exegetical, topical, and isogogical backgrounds. There are instances when a Scripture text must be taken figuratively rather than literally. In such cases I have always found that the context of the verse clearly indicates a figurative interpretation. In all other instances I try my best to avoid "reading into the context". Let God be God, let His Word be purely interpreted!

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit was not offered until after Christ's ascension into Heaven. Jesus told His disciples, ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. Jesus spoke of a new ministry from God for the Church age, a ministry never before offered, even to the Saints of the Old Testament. Again, I have to emphasize this was a new ministry. There was no precedent in human history for what was about to happen to these ragged fishermen. Anytime God sends a new ministry or a new messenger before the people he usually sends some type of miraculous sign. The sign serves to verify the ministry as being from God. A good example is Christ's ministry. Here was the Messiah, and we knew He was the Messiah because of all the miracles He performed via the Holy Spirit (Luke 11.20 compared with Matthew 12.18, 28). These miracles were not performed just for the miracle's sake, but to verify Christ as Messiah before the people. Just as Christ's coming was a new ministry to man, the Baptism of the Spirit was also a new Divine ministry to man. And the Father accompanied this new ministry with it's own set of miraculous signs.

Acts 2:2-4 "And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 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."

The Day of Pentecost was the first day that God confirmed through signs the Baptizing Ministry of the Holy Spirit. Charismatics often recognize this important day in the Church's history without actually examining the Bible text. Some even read their own interpretation into what happened on that Day. Charismatics emphasize that, since the Baptism was evidenced by "speaking in Tongues" on the day of Pentecost, then what was true at the beginning must certainly be true now. Well, if what happened on the Day of Pentecost during the Baptism must happen in our current age, then I must point out the following:

• Three, not one, signs were evident to the disciples when they received the Baptism of the Spirit at Pentecost:
• "a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind ": In all the time I spent among the Charismatics I never hear nor witnessed this miraculous sign. Why not? If the pattern of the Baptism was established at Pentecost, and this is a part of that pattern, then why has no one heard this sign?
• " appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them": Again, in the time I was in and around Charismatics (and yes, I was one at one time) I never witnessed cloven tongues of fire descending and sitting on the Christian receiving the Baptism. Why not? Again, this is a part of that pattern at the first Pentecostal Baptism.
• "began to speak with other tongues ": This is the only portion of that original pattern of Baptism that the Charismatic Movement recognizes. The other two elements are ignored, though this manifested sign is promoted as the "proof of the Baptism".

• The Church was a newly formed Divine institution.
• The Church was very small, and desperately needed to evangelize to grow.
• The Church was composed of, in most instances, poor and frightened people who were not disposed to witness.
• The Church was under threat of real danger. The Church's Leader (Jesus Christ) had been crucified as a threat to the Roman and Jewish ways of life. Those who remained were considered no less of a threat. It could be immediate death if these disciples were found witnessing and evangelizing.
• The Church, prior to Pentecost, had no spiritual equipment to enable it to evangelize. Up until now the disciples had relied solely on what Jesus said and did. Now Jesus was gone to be with the Father.
• On the Day of Pentecost the Church received it's spiritual equipment (the Holy Spirit) with signs and wonders to impress even on the slowest thinking believer that they were now empowered.
• Being made fully aware that they were empowered, these timid believers witnessed of the resurrected Christ boldly. This caused the Church to grow by 3000 people on it's first day.

The signs that announced the Baptism gradually diminished as the Church grew in it's faith. Following the Day of Pentecost The Baptism was evidenced only by the gift of Tongues. The other two signs, the mighty wind and the tongues of fire, were never witnessed again. All recorded history after the Book of Acts (found through the writings of the early Church Fathers) completely ignores the gift of tongues. The Charismatic Movement is quick to point out that the Church was in apostasy from around 150-1900 AD when Tongues was again displayed. This is preposterous! How can something remain dead for 1750 years, resurrect, and then only become the "True Church of Christ" again? Any movement that dies, even Christianity, for 1750 years will stay dead. Though the Church may have moved into apostasy since it's inception, there has always been a faithful remnant that carried the Gospel message to the world. Read Foxes Book of Martyrs, the writings of the Church Fathers, the works of John Calvin, Martin Luther, or Augustine, and tell me with a straight face that these were not Godly men. How about Jonathan Edwards, one of the great all time evangelists? God has been active in His Church ever since Christ said "receive ye the Holy Spirit". And in all that time there were no documented cases of "speaking in Tongues" from the closing of the Book of Acts up until 1900 when the Charismatic Movement came on the scene. This is significant.

John 16:7-8 "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:"

Acts 1:4-5,8 "And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."

Jesus frequently promised throughout His ministry that He would send the Holy Spirit back as a permanent helper for the Church. Though the Holy Spirit was active among mankind prior to Pentecost, His ministry was by no means permanent. Throughout the Old Testament the Spirit came on people when God had a specific mission for these people (i.e. to prophesy, act as King, perform miracles, etc.). When the mission was completed the Holy Spirit withdrew from the believer. The Holy Spirit also left the Old Testament believer when he sinned. This is what King David feared when he wrote:

Psalms 51:11 "Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me."

Jesus emphasized the temporal ministry of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament era when He said:

John 20:22 "And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:"

Even though the disciples were all believers (minus Judas), and had been since their calling by Christ, they had not yet received the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Since the Spirit wouldn't begin to permanently indwell believers until after the resurrection and ascension of Christ (some 50 days later on Pentecost) Christ blessed the disciples with a temporal indwelling of the Spirit. Jesus' gift at this time was certainly not permanent because, as we saw in Acts 1.8, Christ stated that the Spirit had yet to come:

"ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you.."

We could say that the Holy Spirit came to visit these Christians prior to Pentecost, but came to stay after Pentecost. This "coming to stay" or indwelling ministry was actually introduced by part one of the threefold sign we talked about earlier, "a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind ". Part one of the threefold sign impressed on these disciples that the Holy Spirit now had a permanent ministry within the fledgling Church of Christ.

Unlike the temporary Indwelling Ministry of the Spirit in the Old Testament, the Baptism of the Spirit was a brand new ministry never before offered to mankind. Too many Christians misunderstand this ministry of the Spirit, even moreso as the Charismatics twist the Scriptures. The Baptism is a ministry that puts the believer in spiritual union with Christ, and because of it we are recognized by God the Father as joint heirs and adopted children. No believer is ever carried off in ecstasy under the Baptism, but through this Baptism we become, in the eyes of the Father, marked as saved and purified children. This ministry was never offered in the Old Testament because Christ had not yet paid the penalty for sin. He who knew no sin had to first be crucified, resurrected, and ascend unto the Father before the Baptism could be offered. "Baptism" (the Greek baptizo) means "To immerse or dunk under". The newly offered Baptism of the Spirit was announced on the Day of Pentecost by part two of the threefold sign we talked about earlier, " appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them".

If the first two parts of the threefold sign gave evidence of the indwelling and baptism of the Spirit, then what did part three of the threefold sign signify? The Bible plainly tells us what ministry of the Spirit is introduced by the gift of tongues:

And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance...

The Filling Ministry of the Spirit was evidenced by Tongues, not the Baptism! Unlike the Baptism and Indwelling Ministries, the Filling was available in the Old Testament era. The Filling empowered the believer so that he or she would be able to exercise a required spiritual gift. Tongues were and are an evidence of the Filling Ministry, not the Baptism. Of course, these disciples on the Day of Pentecost were Baptized by the Spirit prior to the Filling of the Spirit. But the Baptism was introduced with the "tongues of fire", not with the other tongues of mankind.

The "tongues of fire" sign of the newly introduced Baptizing Ministry was prophesied by John the Baptist:

Matthew 3:11 "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, and with fire"...

Luke 3:16 "John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire"...

In the phrase, he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire, the English "and" is, in the original text of Scripture, the Greek conjunction KAI. Kai can be translated in several different ways depending on the Greek sentence construction that it's found in. When translated as a simple conjunction it is used to connect two items that are not necessarily related. In such a case, "and" is the best translation. When Kai is used in a transitional sense it connects two paragraphs, showing continuity of the context. In such a case it is translated "and furthermore", or "and in addition". As a conjunction of conclusion Kai can be translated, "in conclusion". But the Greek text of our passage above points to an ascensive use of Kai. The ascensive Kai links two nouns together so that the first noun is further described by the second noun, and in such a construction would be translated "that is to say", or "even". Using this construction the above text would be translated, "he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost EVEN with fire ". John prophesied that the Baptizing Ministry of the Spirit would be introduced with a fire like sign. The disciples, most of whom were disciples of John before they followed Jesus, would remember this prophecy on the Day of Pentecost and recognize the cloven tongues of fire as this long awaited sign. Later when others to whom they preached the Gospel were saved it was not necessary that this "cloven tongues" experience be reenacted. The tongues of fire, God's calling card for the Baptism, had served it's purpose. Future believers would automatically receive the Baptism at New Birth, and some even were Filled with the Spirit and spoke in other tongues as an evidence of that Filling. As the early Church became increasingly aware that the Holy Spirit was indwelling (and staying) in the bodies of the believers these early ecstasies and signs tapered off. We today walk by faith, not by sight, as Paul told the Corinthians:

2 Corinthians 5:1-8 "For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."

Once the early Church was established it no longer needed spectacular events to prove that the Spirit had come to stay. The real miracle at Pentecost was not the fact that a threefold sign came on the inhabitants of the upper room, but that three thousand souls were added to the Church that very day through effective evangelism. Let me be quick to point out that I believe all the Spiritual Gifts are still available to the Church today, just as they were available to the early Church. Let me also point out that any operation of these spiritual gifts is not a sign of the Baptism of the Spirit, but is a sign of the Filling of the Spirit.
 

1. You must understand what went on via the threefold sign on the Day of Pentecost in order to understand the ministries of the Holy Spirit.
2. On the Day of Pentecost the Bible text clearly states that the gift of Tongues was an evidence of the Filling Ministry of the Spirit. Tongues did not in any way stand as evidence of the Baptizing Ministry.
3. The only direct sign of the Baptizing Ministry was the "tongues of fire" that rested on each disciple in the upper room. These "tongues of fire" were a unique sign, never again witnessed in recorded Church history. As the tongues of fire were never repeated, yet we know that all believers have received the Baptism since the Church started, we can infer that the Baptism of the Spirit is normally non experiential, that is, no signs are attached to it's application to the believer. The "tongues of fire" convinced the Church leaders that the Baptism had begun. Once the leaders were convinced there was no need to continue with the sign.
4. There were three distinct ministries of the Holy Spirit displayed in the upper room, each with a distinct sign: The Indwelling of the Spirit (Rushing, mighty wind); The Baptism of the Spirit (Tongues of Fire); and the Filling of the Spirit (spoken other tongues). Neither of the first two ministries (Indwelling, Baptism) signs were ever duplicated throughout Church history.