The following is part five of a six part guest series from Alicia Sounier Dwivedi, a former United Pentecostal Church member. See Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 & Part 4.
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I read through the whole book of Acts, and if I didn’t miss anything then there are only three cases where speaking in tongues (once again known languages) were present.
Acts is an amazing book which introduces us to the power of the Spirit of God. Jesus came into the world quietly, but the Spirit would come with an unimaginable entrance!
1. Acts 2 – this is the inauguration of the Spirit infilling the Jews.
a. The disciples and some others were all in one place, and when the Spirit came, they spoke in other languages that were understood by those around them. What was being shared through tongues? “The wonders of God!” vs 11. Take notice that the Bible never says when the Spirit came that salvation came.
b. Vs 18 – God will pour out his Spirit, and people will prophecy. What? Wait a minute – when God pours out his Spirit aren’t people supposed to talk in tongues to show proof they’ve received it? Let’s continue…
c. Vs 21 – Everyone who CALLS on the name of the Lord will be saved. Hmm…doesn’t say everyone who speaks in tongues will be saved.
d. Vs 37 – The people who heard Paul’s message were cut to the heart, and asked what they should do.
e. Vs 38 – Repent & be baptized every one of you, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. This promise is for you, your children, and to all who are afar off.
f. Vs 41 – THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE VERSES! “Those who ACCEPTED his message were baptized, and about 3,000 were added to their number that day. The Bible NEVER says the 3,000 spoke in tongues. Those in the upper room spoke in tongues declaring the wonders of God. The 3,000 accepted the message they heard!!! AGH!!! How many times has it been preached the 3,000 spoke in tongues?! Praise God, I am so happy!
2. Acts 10 – this is the inauguration of the Spirit infilling the Gentiles. This is you and me, folks. YAY!
a. Vs 43 – All the prophets testify about him that everyone who BELIEVES in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.
b. Vs 46 – The Spirit is poured out on Cornelius and his household. They heard them speaking in tongues (known languages – not babble), and they were praising God.
c. Vs 11:15 – Another interesting thing to note about this situation is Paul states the Holy Ghost fell on the Gentiles just as it had them at the “BEGINNING.” Beginning of what? Beginning of Acts 2. If the Holy Ghost fell on every first-time believer the same way, with evidence of speaking in tongues, then why did Peter reference the beginning? Why did he not reference tongues as it happened yesterday, the day before, last week, or to every believer every time? Because it didn’t happen this way every time…
3. Acts 19 Paul found disciples, prayed with them, and they were filled with the Holy Spirit with tongues and prophesied. The Gifts of the Spirit are clearly working here. Originally this group of disciples hadn’t even heard of any Spirit coming as they were still believing unto John’s teaching and baptism, which was to believe in the one coming after John, that is, in Jesus. This instance was more about proving the working of the Spirit, and not salvation.
a. “It was critical for Paul to understand these new disciples faith in Christ was genuine. Tongues here served as evidence of that. Had Paul not recognized that the Ephesian disciples were speaking in real, human languages unknown to them, there would be no way for Paul to know that their conversion was genuine. In other words, had they only been speaking unintelligibly, Paul would have been unable to confirm that their conversion was real. One must conclude that the Ephesian disciples also spoke in foreign, but intelligible human languages as well, in which case interpretation would also be unnecessary.” Quote from Jason Young.
Should it be said if one doesn’t experience the infilling of the Holy Ghost EXACTLY like they did in these three instances then we really haven’t been filled or filled ‘properly’? Because if this is the case then I think most of us haven’t experienced the infilling EXACTLY as described in these cases, and maybe each of us should start questioning our salvation UNTIL EACH OF THESE THINGS HAPPEN. Sounds pitiful and fruitless, doesn’t it? Here’s what we’d be missing – a sound as of a rushing mighty wind, cloven tongues like as of fire that sat on each of them, prophecy and a shaken place (Acts 4:31). How many have experienced all of these things exactly like this?
*Here are the rest of the locations in Acts where people were saved with no mention of tongues; Acts 4:4, 4:31, 5:14, 8:17, 8:39, 9:18, 11:15, 16:14, 16:25-34, 17:2-4, 17:33, 18:8.
*All BELIEVERS (not tongue-talkers) are baptized with one Spirit – I Cor 12:13, but not all speak in tongues – I Cor 12:30.
*What about Isaiah 28:11 – For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. It’s actually a judgement and not a good thing happening in this passage of scripture. The people were stubborn and wouldn’t listen to God. Learn more in this video.
SALVATION IS BELIEF IN THE GOSPEL – life, death, burial and resurrection of our Lord.
I have come to believe salvation is so profoundly simple, and it’s a relief to my soul that there is not one thing I can contribute or need to contribute to earn my salvation. Jesus did it all for me and for you!
Think about it…God has a free gift (salvation) for every person who asks for it. However, if you cannot speak in tongues as taught by the Pentecostal Church than you cannot receive salvation. If you are some of the ‘lucky’ ones who do speak in tongues, then you have to keep performing this act to retain your salvation. There are countless people who walk into Pentecostal church services that cannot speak in tongues, who are taught the problem lies with them, but I’ve come to say it’s not the people who are the problem – it’s the United Pentecostal Church’s teaching on what tongues is actually for that is the problem.
Once again these scriptures are not all encompassing, but I am pointing out just a few.
*John 1:12 Yet, to all who did received him, to those who BELIEVED in his name, he gave the right to become the children of God.
*John 3:15 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever BELIEVES in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
*John 5:24 Whoever hears my word and BELIEVES him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.
*John 6:47 I tell you, the one who BELIEVES has eternal life.
*Romans 10:8-11 The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,’ that is, the message concerning faith that we proclaim: If you declare with your mouth, Jesus is Lord,” and BELIEVE in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you BELIEVE and are justified, and it with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As the Scripture says, “Anyone who BELIEVES in him will never be put to shame.”
*Ephesians 1:13-14 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you BELIEVED, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession – to the praise of his glory.
*Ephesians 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through FAITH – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not of works, so that no one can boast.
PLEASE TAKE NOTICE – IT IS NOT SOMETHING WE HAVE TO DO IN AND OF OURSELVES. We don’t have to perform for anybody.
So how do we know if someone has truly repented and believed unto salvation? Easy…Fruit of the Spirit begins to develop. It’s a heart change. Ez 36:26
“The apostle Paul used Abraham as an example of believing loyalty. Rom 4:1-12. Abraham BELIEVED and was accepted by God BEFORE he obeyed any rules. The rules were about showing he believed. They did not replace belief. Belief and loyalty are two distinct things. Related but not interchangeable. The same is true of salvation and discipleship.” (Michael Heiser’s book – What Does God Want?)
“David was a moral mess, but he never showed disloyalty or lack of love for God. He broke a number of God’s moral laws, but he repented and never worshiped another God.” (Michael Heiser’s book What Does God Want?) If we think that God doesn’t approve of someone because of a hemline, sleeve-length, men growing beards, or anything else along these lines, then there is a lot more Bible reading and soul-searching to be done. God forgive us for being so short-sighted. David was said to be a man after God’s own heart, but in our day and age I think very few of us would say this of a man who was a murderer, adulterer and liar.
There are three divine rebellions in the Bible (I know – we’re taught about only 1). Portions of Michael Heiser’s book, What Does God Want, is highly quoted with random thoughts of my own thrown in. I suggest watching his documentary listed below, and then read or listen to another of his books called The Unseen Realm.
“The 3rd rebellion begins at the Tower of Babel when God confuses the languages due to the people building a tower to their own glory. Gen 11:1-9. The Most High gave to the nations their inheritance when he divided mankind…he fixed the borders of the people according to the number of the Sons of God (divine beings). But the Lord’s portion is his allotted heritage. Deut 32:8-9. Even worse God divorced himself from humanity. Up until this point God had been dealing with mankind as a collective whole, but this changed at Babel. Now human beings would be segregated by language and geography.”
“We aren’t told how long it took, but eventually the Sons of God (divine beings) assigned over humanity became so corrupt God had to judge them too. He will one day take away their immortality and take back the nations. Psa 82:6-8. God’s portion was Israel beginning with Abraham. God’s design has always been to preserve people unto himself, and he gave his people laws to show they wanted to be in his family – loyalty to him alone – not some other god. God wants a human family even when he’s unwanted. His love defies logic.”
“Jesus was the promised offspring who would eventually release people in the divorced nations from other gods so they could rejoin God’s family. Gal 3:16-18, 26-29. The Spirit’s arrival wasn’t just for us, but it launched an infiltration campaign against the sons of God to whom God assigned to the nations he divorced (Deut 32:8) – the supernatural beings who defected from serving God and became corrupt, abusing the people under their domination (Psa 82).”
“When the Holy Spirit came he enabled the followers of Jesus to speak in all sorts of languages, and they told his story (the Gospel) to Jews from all over the world. They were PREACHED TO IN THEIR OWN LANGUAGES. Three thousand people called upon the name of the Lord for forgiveness of sins and were saved. Then they went home to spread the Gospel.” (Not sit on pews for years of their lives unable to miss a church service for fear of being tempted by the Evil One. Alicia’s words – not Michael Heiser’s.) “These 3,000 became personal evangelists to their friends and family who lived in hostile territory held by other gods.”
Speaking in tongues bridged the gap between peoples. The languages were confused at Babel, and now the Spirit would bridge that gap to bring all the peoples of the nations back to God! Tongues isn’t for us to somehow be more powerful, but it’s given to spread the Gospel. If everyone in a service can all speak the same language than why would tongues be needed? If there’s no one to interpret – keep silent in the church. Very simple!
“Paul knew the forsaken nations would one day worship the true God (Psa 117:1). Spiritual warfare was launched when the Spirit came. Not a moment goes by that God stops pursuing the children he loves and wants. His unseen hand is everywhere, in every circumstance, influencing and empowering his children to grow his family. Likewise the powers of darkness have been dethroned, but they haven’t surrendered. They resist, fighting a losing battle. This our ultimate destiny – becoming a permanent, legitimate member of God’s family. It’s what God has wanted from the very beginning.”
“Those who overcome, enduring in their faith in Jesus, will received authority over the nations (Rev 2:26), and will one day judge angels (I Cor 6:3). Who rule the nations now? The fallen sons of God allotted to nations at the Tower of Babel.”
There’s so much more happening than we’ve been taught, and God is bigger than denominational disputes (which God never wanted his family to be split like this).
To me I now see denominations like this; imagine a huge cruise ship coasting along in the ocean with all of its little life-boats securely attached to the sides. In the lifeboats are the individual denominations yelling and waving their oars at each other saying they only have full truth and revelation. All the while God is carrying everybody who has obeyed the Gospel on his huge cruise ship including the individual lifeboats with the feuding denominations. Watching his children fight and get caught up in Pharisaical issues must grieve him terribly. Instead of being a whole body of Christ, there are divisions. Instead of encouraging each other, saints are trying to convert saints. Instead of making the way to Jesus plain, confusion is sewn instead, which causes many to fall by the wayside. I could have been one of these, but God…
I remember hearing a real story of my previous pastor’s mom speaking out in tongues one service. Unbeknownst to her there was a man of Palestinian descent sitting in the pew who understood every word she was saying IN HIS OWN LANGUAGE. He confronted her and thought she knew his language and was trying to convict him personally. This amazes me! To my knowledge that man did not believe on Jesus that day, but the beautiful thing is a seed was planted. He could be walking around saved today, and spreading the Gospel because of the message he heard in his own language.
The church service I was in where God spoke to me personally about being with him for eternity was amazing! You know what would have made it not amazing? If there had been no one there to interpret the tongues spoken. The lady who had spoken in tongues would have been speaking mysteries because no one could understand her except God. It would have done no one in the church any good whatsoever – a noisy gong and a clanging cymbal.
Deanna Jo of Responsible Faith interviews Alicia:
See Part 6.
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