Wierd thing happened: One of the Christians at my congregation brought me to a home Bible study led by a Pentecostal preacher. Now usually I would never, as a 'preacher man,' attend uninvited a 'seekers' Bible study led by someone with whom I so sharply disagree. My reasoning is that I would certainly not welcome a Pentecostal preacher to one of my studies to debate me in front of seekers or new Christians, and so I shouldn't try to raid someone else's study. But the Christian sister somehow convinced me to come -I'm not sure how (I can't always clearly retrace the steps that brought me to things I've agreed to). Maybe it was because the Pentecostal guy had told her she wasn't a Christian unless she could speak in tongues, which unsettled her soul. Maybe I didn't want her to think I was chickening out and that this other preacher really knows what he's talking about. Anyway, I told her yes; so I went!
It seemed the preacher was genuinely pleased that I came. His openness surprised me, even though the sister who brought me along had already told me that he knew I was coming and that he was fine with this. As we all walked into the house belonging to our two hostesses -a middle aged woman and her mother- the preacher man and I greeted each other in what seemed like an awkward way (maybe only I was awkward). He was a well dressed man in his mid thirties, a bigger guy who came off to me immediately as a likeable chap; as he taught, I felt that he was sincere and genuinely well-meaning in his beliefs.
I determined that I wasn't going to highjack his lesson plan, as that might just be off-putting to everyone there and self-defeating for my message. So I shut my lips mightily for about a half an hour as the preacher expounded point by point, passage by passage the necessity of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and the universal ability to speak in tongues for all Christians (the saved kind of Christians, that is). When he asked about our questions or comments or disagreements, I then took a turn and began to point by point, passage by passage, argue against many of the things he said about tongues and the Holy Spirit. I tried to speak humbly and respectfully, and I tried to let scripture do most of the talking for me, although he wouldn't let me say much without interjecting. By the end of the study, some of the other guests whom I didn't know said that they felt confused. I guess confused is better than deceived.
Let me close out this post by taking a wack at two things important in the Pentecostal/Cessationist discussion:
1)The Pentecostals I've met say that a person is not saved unless he or she has received the baptism of the Holy Spirit evidenced by tongues speaking and prophecy, or alternately they consider a person to be a sort of half-Christian until recieving the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
I have a problem with that. If the baptism of the Spirit is so fundamental for life and godliness, then why is it never once presented as a general mandate for all believers at all times? There are other commands given to all people in all places for all times such as repentance and water baptism in Christ's name:
It seemed the preacher was genuinely pleased that I came. His openness surprised me, even though the sister who brought me along had already told me that he knew I was coming and that he was fine with this. As we all walked into the house belonging to our two hostesses -a middle aged woman and her mother- the preacher man and I greeted each other in what seemed like an awkward way (maybe only I was awkward). He was a well dressed man in his mid thirties, a bigger guy who came off to me immediately as a likeable chap; as he taught, I felt that he was sincere and genuinely well-meaning in his beliefs.
I determined that I wasn't going to highjack his lesson plan, as that might just be off-putting to everyone there and self-defeating for my message. So I shut my lips mightily for about a half an hour as the preacher expounded point by point, passage by passage the necessity of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and the universal ability to speak in tongues for all Christians (the saved kind of Christians, that is). When he asked about our questions or comments or disagreements, I then took a turn and began to point by point, passage by passage, argue against many of the things he said about tongues and the Holy Spirit. I tried to speak humbly and respectfully, and I tried to let scripture do most of the talking for me, although he wouldn't let me say much without interjecting. By the end of the study, some of the other guests whom I didn't know said that they felt confused. I guess confused is better than deceived.
Let me close out this post by taking a wack at two things important in the Pentecostal/Cessationist discussion:
1)The Pentecostals I've met say that a person is not saved unless he or she has received the baptism of the Holy Spirit evidenced by tongues speaking and prophecy, or alternately they consider a person to be a sort of half-Christian until recieving the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
I have a problem with that. If the baptism of the Spirit is so fundamental for life and godliness, then why is it never once presented as a general mandate for all believers at all times? There are other commands given to all people in all places for all times such as repentance and water baptism in Christ's name:
Acts 2:38-39 And Peter said to them, "repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself."
Those who obey these commands are promised the forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit. No laying on of hands is commanded, no intense period of praying and fasting is required... Repentance and water baptism in the name of Christ are normative and what is required for all people for all time to be forgiven and born of the Holy Spirit.
2) Pentecostals in particular teach that everyone who is saved/born again/a true Christian is able to speak in unknown tongues miraculously. The implication is that if one cannot speak in tongues, then that person must not be saved. To support this teaching they cite instances in Acts in which groups of people were baptized in/filled with the Holy Spirit and apparently (possibly) all spoke in tongues (Acts 2:4, 10:46, 19:6). Thus, they say that all Christians should be able to speak in tongues.
One passage should be enough to stop us from ever making tongues-speaking a test of salvation:
1 Corinthians 12:29 "Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? But earnestly desire the higher gifts."
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