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The baptism with the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, interpretation
of tongues, and prophecy |
The baptism with
the Holy Spirit
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One day
John the Baptist, the messenger sent from God to prepare the way of the Lord,
who baptized Jesus Christ in the Jordan river, said these words to the Jews:
“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” (Matthew 3:11) and after he had baptized
Jesus, he said: “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it
abode upon him. And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with
water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending,
and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And
I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God” (John |
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Therefore
there is a baptism called ‘the baptism with the Holy Spirit,’ which is
administered by the Lord Jesus Christ. |
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The promise of
the Father confirmed by the Son
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After His
resurrection, Jesus Christ appeared to His disciples over a period of forty
days. And a short time before He ascended into heaven to the right hand of
God, He commanded the apostles “that they should not depart from |
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Under the
Old Testament God had said that He would pour out the Holy Spirit upon the
house of Israel, for He said to Israel through the prophet Isaiah: “Yet now
hear, O Jacob my servant; and Israel, whom I have chosen: …. I will pour my
spirit upon thy seed… ” (Isaiah 44:1,3). God
confirmed that promise through the prophet Ezekiel (Ezekiel 39:28,29), and also through the prophet Zechariah (Zechariah |
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Jesus
confirmed and predicted the outpouring of the Spirit while He was in |
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Jesus confirmed and predicted the outpouring of the Spirit also on the
night He was betrayed, for on that night Jesus spoke about the coming of the
Holy Spirit. For instance, He said: “And I will pray the Father, and he shall
give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the
Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not,
neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be
in you” (John 14:16-17), and: “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send
unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which [who] proceedeth
from the Father, he shall testify of me: And ye also shall bear witness,
because ye have been with me from the beginning” (John 15:26-27), and again:
“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” (John 16:7-8). These last words
confirm what I said before, that is, it was necessary for Jesus to be
glorified so that the Holy Spirit might be given. And in fact the promise of
the Spirit was fulfilled a few days after He was taken up into heaven,
precisely on the day of Pentecost. |
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Someone may ask me: ‘If the Holy Spirit had not yet been given, and
the disciples received Him on the day of Pentecost, which followed His
ascension to heaven, why is it written that when Jesus appeared to His
disciples He said to them: “Receive ye the Holy Ghost”? The answer is this:
because when Jesus (the day on which He rose again) said to His disciples:
“Receive ye the Holy Ghost” (John 20:22), the disciples received a certain
measure of the Holy Spirit, but they did not receive the fullness of the
Spirit (that is to say, they were not filled with the Holy Spirit), because
one receives the fullness of the Spirit when he is baptized with the Holy
Spirit. Then you will say: ‘Why do you say that the disciples were not
baptized with the Holy Spirit on that occasion?’ Well, because forty days
after His resurrection, Jesus said to them: “Ye shall be baptized with the
Holy Ghost not many days hence” (Acts 1:5). I ask you: ‘How could we say that
they were baptized with the Spirit on the day Jesus appeared to them and
spoke to them those words, if forty days later Jesus Himself told them that
in a few days they would be baptized with the Spirit? Don’t you think that if
the disciples of Jesus had been baptized with the Spirit on the day Jesus rose
again, forty days later Jesus would not have told them that they would be
baptized with the Holy Spirit in a few days? Don’t you think that if on that
day the disciples of Jesus had been baptized with the Spirit, Jesus would
have contradicted Himself by saying to them just before His ascension that a
few days later they would be baptized with the Holy Spirit? |
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The fulfilment of the promise on the day of Pentecost
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So Jesus told His disciples that they would be baptized with the Holy
Spirit in a few days (I say it again, He said this forty days after His
resurrection). And His words were fulfilled a few days later, just as He had
said: for on the day of Pentecost, which according to the law is seven weeks
after the Passover, at nine o’ clock in the morning, while the disciples were
praying, they were baptized with the Holy Spirit. Here is the biblical record
of the fulfilment of the prediction concerning the baptism with the Holy
Spirit: “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one
accord in one place. 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” (Acts 2:1-4). So at nine o’ clock in the morning on the day of
Pentecost, the disciples received the Holy Spirit, and ‘rivers of holy
words,’ spoken in other tongues, began to flow out of their belly. Being
exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the
promised Holy Spirit, Jesus poured out the Holy Spirit (Acts |
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It must be said also that on that day those who received the Holy
Spirit were Jews by birth, there were not any Gentiles among them. However,
after some time the Gentiles also received the Spirit. The first Gentiles who
received the Spirit were Cornelius, a roman centurion, and his household. One
day, the apostle Peter was sent by God to the house of Cornelius to preach
the Gospel to him and all his household, and while
Peter was speaking to them the Spirit fell on them and they began to speak
with other tongues, as the apostles and the other disciples did on the day of
Pentecost. Here is what Luke says: “While Peter yet spake these words, the
Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the
circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter,
because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God” (Acts |
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The fact that the Holy Spirit was received first by the circumcised
believers and then by the uncircumcised believers, confirms also that just as
the Gospel of the grace of God had to be preached first to the Jews and then
to the Gentiles (Acts 13:46-47; Romans 15:8-12), so the promised Holy Spirit
had to be received by the Jews first and then by the Gentiles. Blessed be the
God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ for His great faithfulness. Amen. |
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The sign of tongues
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As we have seen, Luke says that when the disciples were filled with
the Holy Spirit “they began to speak with other tongues” (Acts 2:4). So let
us dwell upon this spiritual manifestation which occurred when the disciples
were filled with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. |
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Speaking with other tongues was a phenomenon that had never occurred
before that day. It is true that under the Old Testament when the Holy Spirit
came upon someone a particular thing happened. For instance, every time the
Holy Spirit came upon Samson, He gave him a superhuman strength (Judges
14:6,19; 15:14); when the Spirit came upon Saul he prophesied among the
prophets (1 Samuel 10:10); and when the Spirit came upon Zechariah the son of
Jehoiada, he prophesied against the people (2 Chronicles 24:20). However, no
one began to speak with other tongues when the Spirit came upon him, for it
was on the day of Pentecost that men started to speak in other tongues when
the Spirit came upon them. In other words, for speaking in other tongues
began to mark the coming of the Spirit upon men from the day of Pentecost on.
That is confirmed by the following facts written by Luke in his second book
to Theophilus. |
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Here is what happened to Cornelius and his household immediately after
they believed in Jesus: “While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost
fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which
believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the
Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them
speak with tongues, and magnify God” (Acts |
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Here is what happened in Ephesus to some disciples of the Lord: “And
it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed
through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, He
said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they
said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be
any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were
ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.
Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying
unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him,
that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the
name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy
Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. And all the
men were about twelve” (Acts 19:1-7). Those persons whom Paul met at |
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Some people say that these Bible verses (that is, Acts 2:4; 10:44-46;
19:6) are not enough to state that when we receive the Holy Spirit we begin
to speak in other tongues; on the contrary, we say that they are sufficient
for us to declare that if a believer has received the Holy Spirit he speaks
in other tongues, but also that if a believer does not speak in tongues by
the Spirit, he has not yet received the Holy Spirit (that is, the fullness of
the Spirit or the baptism with the Holy Spirit). |
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With regard to speaking in tongues I want to say one more thing, the
words spoken in other tongues (that is, in the Spirit) are directed toward
God, for Paul says to the Corinthians: “For he who speaks in a tongue does
not speak to men but to God ….” (1 Corinthians 14:2 - NKJV). I will come back
to this subject shortly. |
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The Holy Spirit is given when and how God wills
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The Holy Spirit is the gift of God, therefore
we can’t earn or merit it. The Bible verses which attest that the Holy Spirit
is the gift of God are these: “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be
baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of
sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38); “And they
of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with
Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy
Ghost” (Acts 10:45). |
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Therefore, since the Holy Spirit is the gift of God, it is lawful to
ask God for Him, as Jesus said to His disciples: “If ye then, being evil,
know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your
heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” (Luke 11:13).
Perhaps you will ask: ‘Does God give immediately the Holy Spirit to them that
ask Him?’ If by ‘immediately’ you mean ‘on the same day they ask God for the
Holy Spirit,’ my answer is this: ‘Sometimes yes, some other times no.’
However, we know that God has made everything beautiful in his time,
therefore whether He gives the Spirit immediately, or some days or months or
years later, we know that the Holy Spirit comes upon the believer at the time
set by God and not by men. |
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‘How do believers receive the Holy Spirit from God?’ Some receive Him
through the laying on of hands and others without the laying on of hands.
Just as in the days of the apostles; for the believers who were in Samaria,
the disciples whom Paul met at Ephesus, and Timothy and Saul of Tarsus
received the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands, as it is written:
[the believers who were in Samaria] “Then laid they [Peter and John] their
hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost” (Acts 8:17); [About twelve
disciples in Ephesus] “And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy
Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied” (Acts 19:6);
[Timothy] “Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you
through the laying on of my hands” (2 Timothy 1:6 - NKJV); [Saul of Tarsus]
“And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands
on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in
the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight,
and be filled with the Holy Ghost” (Acts 9:17). While the disciples on the
day of Pentecost and Cornelius and his household received the Holy Spirit
without the laying on of hands, as it is written: [The disciples who were in
Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost] “And when the day of Pentecost was fully
come, they were all with one accord in one place. 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” (Acts 2:1-4); [Cornelius and his
household] “While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all
them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were
astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was
poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with
tongues, and magnify God” (Acts |
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The baptism with the Holy Spirit and the new birth are not the same
experience
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Some believers think
that on the very moment they were born again they received the baptism with
the Holy Spirit. In other words, they think that the new birth is the baptism
with the Holy Spirit. They associate the baptism with the Spirit with the new
birth, saying that the baptism with the Spirit occurs at regeneration. To
them the baptism with the Spirit spoken of by John the Baptist and the new
birth of which Jesus spoke to Nicodemus are one and the same event occurring
at justification. However, that is wrong, for the baptism with the Holy
Spirit is received after the new birth, that is to say, after one has
believed in the Lord Jesus Christ; the example of the disciples on the day of
Pentecost and that of the disciples (about twelve) whom Paul met at Ephesus
show this very clearly. |
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In relation to the
first example, we read in the Gospel according to John that when Jesus
appeared to His disciples after His resurrection, He said to them: “Receive ye the Holy Ghost” (John |
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In relation to the
second example, we read that when Paul met those disciples he asked them:
“Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?” (Acts 19:2). Now it is
evident that if Paul believed that the baptism with the Holy Spirit occurs at
regeneration, or that a man is filled with the Holy Spirit when he believes,
he would not have put that question to those believers. Therefore Paul
believed that a man receives the baptism with the Holy Spirit after he has
believed in the Gospel. I know that some people say that Paul asked them a
different question, for both the NKJV and the NIV read: “Did you receive the
Holy Spirit when you believed?” (Acts 19:2), but this is a mistranslation,
for according to the original Greek this question must be translated as was
translated by the translators of the King James Version. Nevertheless, I
would like to point out to you that this mistranslation does not nullify the
doctrine of the baptism with Holy Spirit, because we know that those
disciples answered that they had not even heard that there was a Holy Spirit,
and that after Paul laid his hands upon them the Holy Spirit fell upon them
and they began to speak in other tongues; which means that Paul believed
anyway that when a believer receives the Holy Spirit he begins to speak in
other tongues. Therefore, even if we grant for the sake of argument that Paul
inquired if they had received the Spirit when they believed, the reception of
the Holy Spirit must be immediately followed by speaking in tongues. So I
would like to put this question to all those believers who reject speaking in
tongues as the outward sign (that is, the evidence) of the baptism with the
Holy Spirit: ‘If – as you say – Paul believed that the Holy Spirit is
received at regeneration, if Paul believed – as you think – that a man
receives the baptism with the Holy Spirit when he believes, why did you not
speak in tongues when you received the baptism with the Holy Spirit, as the
disciples in Ephesus did after Paul laid his hands upon them? I tell you the
answer, because when you believed in the Lord you did not receive the fullness
of the Spirit, that is to say, you were not baptized with the Holy Spirit.
You received another baptism when you believed, which is the baptism
administered by the Holy Spirit, as it is written: “For by one Spirit we were
all baptized into one body – whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free –
and have all been made to drink into one Spirit” (1 Corinthians |
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There is even a third
example I can mention to confirm this, it is the
example of the believers of |
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The utility of the baptism with the Holy Spirit
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I have shown you from the Scripture that the baptism with the Holy
Spirit is for all believers, for both Jews and Gentiles; that it is received
freely from God by faith; that it can be received through the laying on of
hands or without the laying on of hands; that when a believer receives it the
Spirit enables him to speak in other tongues, and I have explained that it is
an experience subsequent to the new birth. Now I am going to explain to you
why the baptism with the Holy Spirit is useful to the believer. |
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It is useful because it imparts power to those who receive it, for
Jesus said to His disciples: “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”
(Acts 1:8) and also: “And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you:
but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on
high” (Luke 24:49). Therefore whoever has been baptized with the Holy Spirit
has received power from on high, that is, he has been endued with power.
Nobody can say that he has received the baptism with the Holy Spirit but he
has not received power from on high. Power to do what? Power to bring the
Gospel to the lost (that is, power to witness for Jesus), for Jesus said to
His disciples that when the Spirit would come upon them they would be
witnesses to Him (Acts 1:8); power to be strengthened in the inner man, as it
is written: “That he [God] would grant you, according to the riches of his
glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man”
(Ephesians 3:16); power to fight more efficaciously against the devil and all
his schemes, for when a believer is baptized with the Spirit he begins to
pray in the Spirit (that is to say, he begins to pray in other tongues) and
the prayer in the Spirit is one of the spiritual weapons God has given to the
believer to fight against the devil, as it is written: “Praying always with
all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all
perseverance and supplication for all saints” (Ephesians 6:18). |
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Let us dwell upon the prayer in the Spirit. Paul says to the Romans
that “the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do
not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes
intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who
searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes
intercession for the saints according to the will of God” (Romans |
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So, in the light of what the Scripture teaches about the baptism with
the Spirit, no wonder that today some Christians say that the doctrine of the
baptism with the Holy Spirit is a false doctrine and thus it must not be
taught to the Church!! For we know that the devil hurls himself against every
true doctrine, because every true doctrine edifies the Church of the living
God, and the devil does not want the Church to be edified. And therefore he
has deceived these Christians into believing that this doctrine is false.
That’s why we are not surprised to see that those who receive the Holy Spirit
and begin to speak in other tongues, begin to be persecuted and reviled even
by some believers, who don’t know the Scriptures nor the power of God. Is it
not true that the devil tries to discourage the children of God from doing whatever
opposes efficaciously the principalities, the powers, the rulers of the
darkness of this age, and the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly
places? And the prayer in the Spirit is a powerful weapon the Church has
received from God to fight the good fight. Therefore, brothers in the Lord, don’t be surprised to see that Satan has deprived
some believers of this weapon by deceiving them into believing that tongues
are not of God, or that they are not useful, or that they have ceased. I want
you to know this: had the doctrine of the baptism with the Holy Spirit been a
false doctrine it would have proved to be a lie and thus it would not have
edified the Church of God and would not have helped to save many souls, and
besides this, God would not have confirmed this doctrine in such a powerful
and marvellous way. |
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The baptism with the Holy Spirit imparts power to the saints and
produces love in them, and it opens the door to the gifts of the Spirit;
that’s why our enemies make every effort to prevent believers from teaching
it and desiring it. But thanks be to God because the
baptism with the Holy Spirit, even though it meets with much opposition, is
taught diligently across the world; and not only taught, but also received by
many Christians and the effect it produces in them is the same effect that
produced in the early disciples. To the One who in His faithfulness baptizes
with the Holy Spirit, be the glory now and
forevermore. Amen. |
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Prophecy, divers
(different) kinds of tongues and the interpretation of tongues
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Here is a
brief exposition of what the Scripture teaches about these gifts of the
Spirit. The gift of prophecy is a gift through which the Spirit exhorts,
edifies, and comforts the Church, and sometimes He can speak through it even
to unbelievers. There is no prediction of future events in prophecy.
Believers must covet to prophesy. Prophecies must not be despised (1
Thessalonians |
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Now, after
this brief exposition, we are going to examine the gift of prophecy and the
gift of divers kinds of tongues and the gift of
interpretation of tongues in the light of what Paul says in the fourteenth
chapter of his first epistle to the Corinthians. |
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Paul says: ”Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but
rather that ye may prophesy” (1 Corinthians 14:1). Why does Paul urge the
saints to eagerly desire especially the gift of prophecy? Why this gift and
not the gift of divers kinds of tongues, for instance? The answer is given by
Paul immediately after, for he says: “For he that speaketh in an unknown
tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him;
howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. But he that prophesieth speaketh
unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. He that speaketh in an
unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.
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, except he
interpret, that the church may receive edifying” (1 Corinthians 14:2-5 –
Please note this: the word unknown,
which occurs six times in this chapter in the King James Version, is in italics, signifying that the original
Greek manuscripts did not contain this or any such word). This is therefore
the reason why prophecy is to be preferred to speaking in tongues (that is, to
the gift of divers kinds of tongues): because, while he who speaks in other
tongues speaks to God, for nobody understands him and he utters mysteries by
the Spirit, and in order that the Church may understand what he has said and
thus may be edified, it is necessary for someone (who has the gift of
interpretation) to interpret what he has spoken in other tongues; he who
prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men, and since
the words spoken through the gift of prophecy are spoken in the language that
everybody in the Church can understand, they do not need to be interpreted
and they edify the church. Now I am going to quote some prophecies uttered by
the prophet Isaiah, so that you may understand what Paul means when he states
that “he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation,
and comfort”. |
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Words of edification: “Give ye
ear, and hear my voice; hearken, and hear my speech. Doth the plowman plow
all day to sow? doth he open and break the clods of
his ground? When he hath made plain the face thereof, doth he not cast abroad
the fitches, and scatter the cummin, and cast in the principal wheat and the
appointed barley and rie in their place? For his God doth instruct him to
discretion, and doth teach him. For the fitches are not threshed with a
threshing instrument, neither is a cart wheel turned about upon the cummin;
but the fitches are beaten out with a staff, and the cummin with a rod. Bread
corn is bruised; because he will not ever be threshing it,
nor break it with the wheel of his cart, nor bruise it with his
horsemen. This also cometh forth from the LORD of hosts, which is wonderful
in counsel, and excellent in working” (Isaiah 28:23-29). |
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Words of exhortation:
“Remember this, and shew yourselves men: bring it again to mind, O ye
transgressors. … Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your
fear, and let him be your dread. …. Wash you, make you clean; put away the
evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do
well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for
the widow” (Isaiah 46:8; 8:13; 1:16-17). |
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Words of comfort: “I, even
I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of
a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass;…. Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the
people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be
ye afraid of their revilings. For the moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool: but my
righteousness shall be for ever, and my salvation from generation to
generation. ….. But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and
he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have
called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters,
I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee:
when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall
the flame kindle upon thee” (Isaiah 51:12; 7-8; 43:1-2). |
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Concerning
the gift of prophecy, two other important things must be said. The first
thing is that a prophecy is not the revelation of a future event (as some
think) because the revelation of a future event is given through the gift of
word of wisdom. If you read carefully the above mentioned words of Isaiah,
you will note that there is no revelation of specific future events in them.
That there is a difference between prophecy and revelation is confirmed by
the fact that Paul mentions them separately, for he says: “Now, brethren, if
I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I
profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by
knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine?” (1 Corinthians 14:6). The
second thing to be said is this. The gift of prophecy alone does not make
anyone a prophet, because in order to be recognized as a prophet a believer
must have also some revelation gifts (which are these: word of wisdom, word
of knowledge, and discerning of spirits). The examples of the prophets
Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and others show this clearly, for
besides the gift of prophecy, those prophets had revelation gifts. However,
let’s come back to tongues. |
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As we saw
before, Paul says that he would like everyone of us
to speak in tongues, but he would rather have us prophesy, because he who
prophesies is greater than he who speaks in tongues (for the reason he said
before). However, if he who speaks in tongues does interpret as well, then
this superiority vanishes, that is to say, he who prophesies is not greater
than he who speaks in tongues, for Paul says: “Except he interpret, that the
church may receive edifying” - the NIV reads: “Unless he interprets, so that
the church may be edified” – 1 Corinthians 14:5. Why does Paul say ‘except he
interpret”? Because if he who speaks in other
tongues does interpret what is spoken, the church will understand what the
Spirit has said in other tongues through him to God. Let me give you an
explicative example: let us suppose that while the Church is gathered a
brother prays to God in other tongues asking Him to deliver a certain brother
named John (who is in Ivory Coast and whom the Church does not know) from the
hands of some wicked men who are about to kill him because of his faith, and
that after he has prayed he interprets that prayer. What will happen in the
assembly? For sure, the believers who are gathered together will be able to
say ‘Amen’ to that prayer, because they have understood it. And obviously all
the believers who are gathered will be greatly edified since they will know
that the Spirit has interceded (through the mouth of a believer who is among
them) for a child of God unknown to all of them who lives in another nation.
If the words spoken in tongues are the words of a song, then the members of
the Church by hearing the interpretation will be edified for they will
understand that spiritual song. As far as this subject is concerned, I know
that many pastors affirm – on the basis of the above mentioned words of Paul
(1 Corinthians 14:5) - that tongues plus interpretation is equal to prophecy,
because the Church receives edification, thus according to them the
interpretation is a message directed toward the Church, or a ‘message in
tongues.’ But they are mistaken for lack of knowledge and because they don’t
divide the word of truth rightly. They are wrong because we are edified not
only by hearing a message of exhortation, of comfort, and of edification
addressed to men, but also by hearing a prayer or a song which is uttered in
an another tongue and then interpreted. There is no doubt about it. Please
answer this question of mine: ‘If we feel edified when we hear some brothers
praying or singing in Italian, because we feel that their prayer or their
song is prompted by the Spirit of God, why shouldn’t we feel edified when we
hear a prayer or a song uttered by the Holy Spirit in an another tongue
through them and then interpreted? Furthermore, if those words of Paul had
that meaning, Paul would have contradicted himself because at the beginning
of the fourteenth chapter he said that he who speaks in a tongue speaks to
God and not to men (1 Corinthians 14:1). Therefore, speaking in tongues is
always directed toward God, whether it is interpreted or not. It follows then
that according to the Scripture there are no messages in tongues, for he who
speaks in tongues does not speak to men but to God,
and since the speaking in tongues is addressed to God and not to men, also
the interpretation of it is addressed to God and not to men. |
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Now Paul,
after saying “unless he interprets, so that the church may be edified” (NIV),
says these words: “Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues,
what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or
by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine? And even things without life
giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the
sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped? For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself
to the battle? So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be
understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for
ye shall speak into the air. There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in
the world, and none of them is without signification. Therefore if I know not
the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and
he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me. Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are
zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the
church. Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may
interpret. For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my
understanding is unfruitful. What is it then? I will pray with the spirit,
and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and
I will sing with the understanding also” (1 Corinthians 14:6-15). As you can
see, according to these words of Paul, speaking in tongues in the assembly,
if it is not accompanied by the interpretation, will be useless to the
others. In other words, speaking in other tongues without interpretation is
like a trumpet which gives an uncertain sound, it is like someone who speaks
in a foreign language and we don’t understand what he says. Of course, he who
speaks in other tongues is edified (however, he is edified not because he
understands what he says in the Spirit, but because he speaks in the Spirit),
but the Church is not edified since it does not understand what he says.
That’s why Paul says: “Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue
pray that he may interpret” (1 Corinthians |
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And
immediately after, Paul says: “Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit,
how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned
say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou
sayest? For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified. I
thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all: Yet in the church I had
rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach
others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue” (1 Corinthians |
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At this
point, Paul quotes these words spoken by Isaiah: “With men of other tongues
and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they
not hear me, saith the Lord” (1 Corinthians 14:21), and says: “Wherefore
tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe
not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them
which believe. If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those
that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad? But if
all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he
is convinced of all, he is judged of all: And thus are the secrets of his
heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and
report that God is in you of a truth” (1 Corinthians 14:22-25). So, according
to what God said through Isaiah, tongues are a sign for unbelievers and not
for believers; while prophecy is a sign for believers. Now I want to say
this. According to some believers, these words of Isaiah confirm that
speaking in tongues is a message to men. But that is not true; otherwise Paul, when he says that he who speaks in a tongue speaks
not to men but to God, would contradict himself. Know this,
that those words of Isaiah are quoted by Paul in order to confirm that
tongues are a sign for the Jews who don’t believe. In other words, God said
through Isaiah that He would speak to |
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What then
shall we do? Here is the answer of Paul: “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. 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. But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the
church; and let him speak to himself, and to God. Let the prophets speak two
or three, and let the other judge. If any thing be revealed to another that
sitteth by, let the first hold his peace. For ye may all prophesy one by one,
that all may learn, and all may be comforted. And the spirits of the prophets
are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author of confusion, but of
peace, as in all churches of the saints” (1 Corinthians |
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The
conclusion of the speech of Paul is this: “If any man think himself to be a
prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto
you are the commandments of the Lord. But if any man be ignorant, let him be
ignorant. Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak
with tongues. Let all things be done decently and in order” (1 Corinthians |
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Have tongues ceased?
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Paul, in speaking to
the saints of |
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Is that the meaning of
the words of Paul? The answer is definitely NO, for Paul said that tongues
will cease when perfection comes, as it is written: “For we know in part, and
we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which
is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I
understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put
away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face
to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known”
(1 Corinthians 13:9-12), and as far as I know, perfection has not yet come
for it will come at the resurrection of our body. |
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I would like to
confirm what I have just said by saying a few other things. The first thing
is this: when Paul says that tongues shall cease, he says also that knowledge
will vanish away. Therefore I ask you: ‘Has knowledge vanished away?’ The
answer is ‘no,’ for as Paul says “we know in part.” These words were written
by a man rich in knowledge and wisdom who included himself in that “we”.
Therefore, just as knowledge has not yet vanished away, so tongues have not
yet ceased. Isn’t that logical? To us it is logical, very logical. The second
thing is this: tongues have not ceased because they are a sign for unbelievers.
Here is what Paul says to the saints of |
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Why in the Acts of the apostles is it not always written that when believers were filled with the
Holy Spirit they began to speak in other tongues?
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Those who reject the
baptism with the Holy Spirit with the sign of speaking in tongues, hold that
the baptism with the Holy Spirit must not be necessarily followed immediately
by speaking in tongues, for even in the days of the apostles the baptism with
the Holy Spirit was not always accompanied by speaking in tongues. And they cite
two biblical examples to support this: the believers of |
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As for the believers
of Samaria, I have already showed that even though it is not written expressly
that when they received the Holy Spirit through the laying of hands of the
apostles, they began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them
utterance, it is evident that they spoke in tongues for it is written: “And
when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost
was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me also this power, that on
whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. But Peter said unto
him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast
thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part
nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.
Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought
of thine heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art in the gall
of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity. Then answered Simon, and said,
Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken
come upon me” (Acts |
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As for Paul, it is
evident that when Ananias laid his hands upon him, he was filled with the
Holy Spirit and he began to speak in tongues as the Spirit gave him
utterance, for the apostle Paul stated that he spoke in tongues. He said to
the Corinthians: “I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all” (1 Corinthians
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What is therefore the
conclusion we have come to? This, that the fact that in the Acts of the
apostles it is not always written that when some believers were baptized with
the Holy Spirit they began to speak in tongues, doesn’t mean that speaking in
tongues did not occur. We can say a similar thing about water baptism, for in
the Acts of the apostles in certain cases it is not written that those who
believed were baptized in water. For example, it is not written that Sergius
Paulus, the believers of Antioch of Pisidia, as well as the believers of
Iconium, of Lystra, and also the believers of Thessalonica and |
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Therefore also in the
case of water baptism, the fact that not always it is written that those who
believed were baptized in water, doesn’t mean that those believers about whom
it is not written that they were baptized, were not baptized. What shall we
say then? We shall say that they also were baptized in water, but God did not
want Luke to write it. |
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Again, a similar thing
can be said about the way water baptism was ministered by the apostles, for
it is not written that they baptized believers by immersion. In the Acts of
the apostles, only in one case it is written that water baptism was
ministered by immersion, which is the case of the eunuch. In all the other
cases in which it is said that someone was baptized it is not stated that the
believer was immersed in water. What shall we say then? That at that time,
sometimes the apostles baptized by sprinkling? Certainly not! |
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Counterfeit manifestations
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Among the |
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As for the counterfeit
baptism with the Holy Spirit (and the relative speaking in tongues), it is
known by the fact that the one who claims to have been baptized with the
Spirit did not receive any power from on high. For the baptism with the Holy
Spirit imparts power to the believer, which obviously a counterfeit baptism
with the Holy Spirit cannot impart. But then there is another way to know the
counterfeit baptism with the Holy Spirit, which is this: since speaking in
tongues in this case is the outcome of craftiness or imagination, this
speaking in tongues is not a true speaking in an unknown language but is only
a heap of syllables and words put together confusedly in order to give to the
listeners the impression that it is a true foreign language. And consequently
the groanings which cannot be uttered, of which Paul speaks to the saints of |
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As for counterfeit
interpretations, they are known by the fact that they are not directed
Godward, but Churchward. For the Scripture says that he who speaks in tongues
does not speak to men but to God (1 Corinthians 14:2) and thus the
interpretation also must be directed Godward. Another way to know false
interpretations is to ask the person who has spoken these ‘messages directed
Churchward’ how he interprets tongues. I now that sometimes the answer is
this: ‘I see what is the problem existing in the Church and I give the
message according to the problem to resolve that specific problem!’ or this
one: ‘Even though I have not understood the things spoken in other tongues,
the most important thing is that I don’t say anything that is doctrinally
incorrect!’ From these answers we deduce that the person who ‘interprets’ does
not possess the gift of interpretation of tongues. Therefore, the so called
‘message in tongues’ is not the interpretation of tongues. Now, I would like
to say another thing. It is true that tongues are always directed Godward,
and thus interpretation must always be directed Godward, but it is also true that
sometimes among the so called ‘messages in tongues’ following the speaking in
tongues there are true prophecies. What I mean is this: that sometimes what
we commonly accept as interpretation of tongues is actually prophecy, and
tongues, rather than being truly interpreted, simply inspire faith for the
prophetic utterance. This is how we explain the fact that sometimes true
prophecies have been uttered after tongues. Of course the interpreter thinks
he is interpreting, but actually he is prophesying. |
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Counterfeit prophecies
are known by the fact that they comfort people who do not need any comfort
but rather a severe rebuke, and they rebuke those
who live in a manner worthy of the Gospel. For example, if a brother says
that since we must seek holiness it is a good thing to abstain from going to
the beach to put ourselves half naked, and from watching the garbage that is
broadcasted on television, and this brother is persecuted by the carnal
believers and he is ‘rebuked’ by some of them through prophecy, that is to
say, he is accused through prophecy of throwing the church into confusion and
of telling lies, that prophecy is a false prophecy. For the Holy Spirit bears
witness that the saints must abstain from these things and thus He cannot
rebuke those who warn believers against them. Counterfeit prophecies are
known also by this: they are inconsistent with the sound doctrine. Keep
always in mind that the Holy Spirit is truth (1 John 5:6), and cannot be
contrary to the Word of God which is truth (John |
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Therefore in these
cases prophecy is not spoken by the Holy Spirit but by some other spirits. Instead,
if the spirit that speaks through the believer when he prophesies is the same
spirit (that is, the Holy Spirit) that spoke through Jesus Christ, as well as
through the apostles and the prophets (and that moved some of those prophets
and of those apostles to write the books of the Bible), He will confirm what
they said and wrote. Therefore, one of the ways to distinguish true
prophecies from false prophecies is to examine prophecies through the
Scripture. |
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Therefore, brothers,
take heed to yourselves: do not love or practice falsehood and see to it that
you expose the lies which are being passed off as truth in the midst of God’s
people. |
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Some exhortations
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Brother in the Lord,
if you have already received the baptism with the Holy Spirit I urge you to continue
to believe that you have received the fulfilment of the Saviour’s promise and
that this baptism accompanied by speaking in tongues is scriptural, and keep
speaking in tongues. |
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Do not be deceived by
those believers who have set aside this part of the counsel of God by their
vain words saying that this baptism is no longer accompanied by speaking in
tongues and that it is received at the new birth and not after the new birth.
Know this, that you have not accepted a strange doctrine, you have not
invented anything, you were not the victim of a satanic deceit, you were not
deceived by evil spirits, but you have accepted by faith, in singleness of
heart, a biblical doctrine, and you have experienced the enduement of power
from on high about which the Lord Jesus spoke to His disciples before He was
received up into heaven. |
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Know this also, that those
who deny that the baptism with the Holy Spirit is an experience subsequent to
the new birth have been deceived by empty words. These people, not knowing
the Word of God nor the power of God, say foolish
things. They even say that the believer who speaks in tongues is a
demon-possessed person or a person influenced by demonic powers; they will be
held responsible for their unbelief and foolishness. |
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The Christianity that
these people (who are in certain cases even wise after the world and skilful
orators) claim to profess is devoid of power: they deny the power of God, for
they deny the baptism through which we are endued with power from on high. |
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These people are very
numerous and they are continually causing damages in the midst of God’s
people. But thanks be unto Jesus Christ for He still
baptizes believers with the Holy Spirit. He still shows that there is no
wisdom, nor understanding, nor counsel against Him. Nobody can stop Him and
nobody will stop Him. |
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Instead, if you have
not yet received the baptism with the Holy Spirit, I exhort you to ask God to
give you the gift of the Holy Spirit for God has promised to give it to those
who ask for it, as it is written: “If ye then, being evil, know how to give
good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give
the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” (Luke 11:13). If then you desire to
receive the gift of different kinds of tongues, or the gift of interpretation
of tongues, or the gift of prophecy, you must covet them with a pure heart.
Live in a manner worthy of the Gospel: pursue righteousness, be sincere,
faithful to God, and keep coveting all these gifts. Of course, the Holy
Spirit gives the gifts to each one according to the will of God, thus I
cannot assure you that you will receive exactly all the gifts you wish, but
for sure you will receive what is according to the will of God for you. |
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Now I address you, who
don’t accept these manifestations as manifestations proceeding from God with
a biblical foundation. I urge you to stop speaking against the baptism with
the Holy Spirit, tongues, interpretation of tongues and prophecies. It’s time
for you to stop teaching these false doctrines, which keep you as well as
others far from the power of God. Do you want God to show you personally that
the things I have told you are scriptural? Pray, even accompanying prayer with
fasting, asking God in the name of Christ Jesus to confirm to you if the
baptism with the Holy Spirit is accompanied by speaking in tongues, and you
will see that the Lord will confirm it to you, and He will also confirm to
you that the Holy Spirit still gives the gift of divers kinds of tongues, as
well as the gift of interpretation of tongues, and the gift of prophecy, and
thus you will be set free from the snare you are in. |
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Giacinto Butindaro |