A. Speaking in Tongues:
1. The Spirit miraculously empowers the speaker.
2. To speak a real language that the speaker does not know.
3. May be human or angelic (I Corinthians 13:1).
B. Speaking in Tongues Foretold (Isaiah 28:11-12; Mark 16:17)
C. Five Accounts of Receiving the Holy Spirit:
1. Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4).
a. Sound—sign of the Spirit’s coming and availability.
b. Fire—sign that the Spirit was for each individual.
c. Tongues—sign that the Spirit filled each person.
2. Cornelius (Acts 10:44-47).
a. Tongues was the evidence that convinced skeptical Jews.
b. Tongues alone was enough to identify this as the Pentecostal experience (Acts 11:15-17).
3. Ephesus (Acts 19:5-6).
a. Precedent value: The Spirit baptism with tongues did not come just once to each national group; it is for every believer.
b. Prophecy came after the tongues or perhaps the tongues-speaking was prophetic.
4. Samaria (Acts 8): There was a supernatural sign.
a. They knew they had not received the Spirit yet, despite miracles, joy, belief, and water baptism.
b. They knew exactly when they received the Spirit.
c. Simon the Magician wanted to buy the power to perform this definite miracle, which was apparently more immediate and impressive than what he had already seen.
5. Paul (Acts 9:17).
Acts 9 gives no description, but later we find he spoke in tongues often (I Corinthians 14:18).
6. Are tongues necessary?
a. Tongues do not save.
b. On the biblical evidence, tongues always accompany the Spirit baptism.
c. As an analogy, works do not save, but works always accompany saving faith.
d. The emphasis should be on seeking the Spirit, not on seeking tongues or “learning” tongues.
D. Reasons for Tongues
1. Since the tongue is the unruly member (James 3:2-8), speaking in tongues signifies complete surrender of mind and body to God. God establishes complete control.
2. A reversal of Babel—a symbol of the unity of the church and citizenship in God’s kingdom.
3. Universal applicability.
4. Provides certainty about one’s initial experience.
a. God often chooses signs of a covenant. Examples: rainbow, circumcision.
b. A spiritual event is often evidenced by an outward event. Examples: baptism, prayer, ordination, holiness of life, the Second Coming.
c. Many church members struggle with lack of assurance of salvation.
E. Tongues AFTER the Spirit Baptism
1. Tongues are not a sign of the Spirit’s abiding presence.
a. The true test is obedience, love, and spiritual fruit.
b. One can have faith and yield to the Spirit in one area but not in another.
c. God’s gifts are irrevocable (Romans 11:29).
2. God desires for us to use tongues for private edification.
3. We can receive and exercise tongues for private devotion by faith, surrender to God, and persistent prayer.
4. Three uses of tongues.
a. Evidence of the initial Spirit baptism. (See C above)
b. Edification of the individual in private devotion (I Corinthians 14:4-5, 15, 18).
c. Edification of the church in a public message to be interpreted (I Corinthians 14:13, 27-28).
From Speaking in Tongues - Bernard
1. The Spirit miraculously empowers the speaker.
2. To speak a real language that the speaker does not know.
3. May be human or angelic (I Corinthians 13:1).
B. Speaking in Tongues Foretold (Isaiah 28:11-12; Mark 16:17)
C. Five Accounts of Receiving the Holy Spirit:
1. Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4).
a. Sound—sign of the Spirit’s coming and availability.
b. Fire—sign that the Spirit was for each individual.
c. Tongues—sign that the Spirit filled each person.
2. Cornelius (Acts 10:44-47).
a. Tongues was the evidence that convinced skeptical Jews.
b. Tongues alone was enough to identify this as the Pentecostal experience (Acts 11:15-17).
3. Ephesus (Acts 19:5-6).
a. Precedent value: The Spirit baptism with tongues did not come just once to each national group; it is for every believer.
b. Prophecy came after the tongues or perhaps the tongues-speaking was prophetic.
4. Samaria (Acts 8): There was a supernatural sign.
a. They knew they had not received the Spirit yet, despite miracles, joy, belief, and water baptism.
b. They knew exactly when they received the Spirit.
c. Simon the Magician wanted to buy the power to perform this definite miracle, which was apparently more immediate and impressive than what he had already seen.
5. Paul (Acts 9:17).
Acts 9 gives no description, but later we find he spoke in tongues often (I Corinthians 14:18).
6. Are tongues necessary?
a. Tongues do not save.
b. On the biblical evidence, tongues always accompany the Spirit baptism.
c. As an analogy, works do not save, but works always accompany saving faith.
d. The emphasis should be on seeking the Spirit, not on seeking tongues or “learning” tongues.
D. Reasons for Tongues
1. Since the tongue is the unruly member (James 3:2-8), speaking in tongues signifies complete surrender of mind and body to God. God establishes complete control.
2. A reversal of Babel—a symbol of the unity of the church and citizenship in God’s kingdom.
3. Universal applicability.
4. Provides certainty about one’s initial experience.
a. God often chooses signs of a covenant. Examples: rainbow, circumcision.
b. A spiritual event is often evidenced by an outward event. Examples: baptism, prayer, ordination, holiness of life, the Second Coming.
c. Many church members struggle with lack of assurance of salvation.
E. Tongues AFTER the Spirit Baptism
1. Tongues are not a sign of the Spirit’s abiding presence.
a. The true test is obedience, love, and spiritual fruit.
b. One can have faith and yield to the Spirit in one area but not in another.
c. God’s gifts are irrevocable (Romans 11:29).
2. God desires for us to use tongues for private edification.
3. We can receive and exercise tongues for private devotion by faith, surrender to God, and persistent prayer.
4. Three uses of tongues.
a. Evidence of the initial Spirit baptism. (See C above)
b. Edification of the individual in private devotion (I Corinthians 14:4-5, 15, 18).
c. Edification of the church in a public message to be interpreted (I Corinthians 14:13, 27-28).
From Speaking in Tongues - Bernard
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