Speaking in Tongues #3

by Dr. Kluane Spake www.kluane.org

There is still much debate about what is called The Baptism of the Holy Spirit. First, let's agree that Salvation is an ongoing experience. I was saved. I am being saved. I will be saved! It is progressive. We learn more and more about God and move closer and closer to Him.

Some people say that the Baptism of the Spirit is an experience different than initial salvation - but it really is a continuation. There's no hierarchy here. It's a moving into greater spiritual power and boldness.

This experience is not to be regarded as the ULTIMATE experience. It is a spiritual kindergarten and a doorway to receiving the other Gifts of the Spirit. Actually, the Scriptures never use the term "baptism of the Holy Spirit."

John the Baptist told how his cousin Jesus would come and "baptize with the Spirit and with fire" (Mat. 3:11; Mk. 1:8; Lk. 3:16; Jn. 1:33)., Jesus reminded His followers of John's words (in Acts 1:5), and told them how they would be baptized with the Holy Spirit in the near future.

The day of Pentecost happened ten days later (Acts 2), and believers came into "one accord." Cloven fire came upon their head and they spoke in tongues - this became the apparent accomplishment of John's words.

On the Day of Pentecost, we see Spirit-filled believers (including Mary, the mother of Jesus) having this experience. They were exclaiming about the glory of God in languages they had never learned. The onlookers didn't understand this supernatural event and asked, "What does this mean?"1 (Acts 2:12).

Today, many still ask this question. There has been an explosion of church growth around the world in groups that practice speaking in tongues as the initial physical evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit. Again, in Acts (11:16), Cornelius, the first Gentile convert, experienced speaking in tongues in an experience which was very similar to Pentecost. Scripturally speaking, being filled with the Spirit is accompanied by speaking in tongues (Glossolalia).

The Apostle Paul uses it as the it as one of his main arguments to prove that we are all united in Christ! We see here a strong progression of movement.

Obtaining the Gifts is not obtained Cafeteria style; I want this one but not that one. We more we speak in tongues, the more we move into prophesy. Speaking in tongues (the baptism in the Spirit), is not an end in itself, but it certainly is a means to an end! As believers, we are to be (ongoingly and continually) filled with the Spirit (Eph. 5:18).

We don't seek "tongues." We seek the Giver of the Spirit!

The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is a special and unambiguous event that ushers the individual believer into a progressive process of living a Spirit-activated LIFE. Although speaking in tongues is the outward sign of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, tongues are much more than just "evidence." Speaking in tongues brings edification to our soul when used in private prayer (1 Cor. 14:4) and also brings edification to the local assembly when a message in tongues is accompanied by the interpretation (1 Cor. 14:6:25).