Let us look at Acts, the second chapter. There are some similarities between the "Pentecostalists'" experiences and those given in scripture but the God-fearing soul is not satisfied with "some similarities" in the things of God. He wants identities. And, indeed, these modern imitators have only a seeming similarity to the Heaven sent blessings recorded in the early days of the church. I refer to the physical miracles. For instance, today we are told to "tarry like they did at Jerusalem" when the fact is that "they," and only they, were told to "tarry in Jerusalem until you be endued with power from on high." - Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4-8. The most humble and yielded believers in Christ back there before that Pentecost were forced to wait until God's time for keeping His promise to His Son--the promise that every believer in the Lord Jesus Christ would be given the Holy Spirit. - John 7:37-39; 14:16, 17, 26; Acts 1:5; 2:32-33. There is no hint in the Bible that a Gentile believer in the Lord Jesus ever had to tarry a second after regeneration in order to receive the Holy Spirit and be baptized with the Holy Spirit into the body (the church which is Christ's body). - Acts 10:43-46; 1 Cor. 12:12-13.
They tell us that the one hundred and twenty conducted a ten days' tarrying meeting in the upper room at Jerusalem, pleading with God to give them the Holy Ghost. The fact is that only the disciples went to an upper room (doubtless for their living quarters) but spent their days in the temple, "continually in the temple, praising and blessing God." - Luke 24:53. They would have been rank infidels if they had prayed and moaned and groaned and howled and begged the Lord to do what He had positively declared He would do "not many days hence." - Acts 1:4-8; Luke 24, 48, 49; John 16:7. Now note this carefully, there is not one instance in the entire "New Testament" where an individual believer in Christ ever prayed that he or she might be baptized with or might receive the Holy Spirit. Acting in the very stead of Christ, with their apostolic power and authority, the apostles did thus pray for and lay hands upon Jewish and Samaritan believers but never upon Gentile believers.
"Pentecostalists" tell us that their long, kneeling "tarrying meetings" are according to the book of Acts. The fact is that "when the day of Pentecost was fully come (not when some of the folks had "gotten through") they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven (not from the people) as of a rushing mighty wind (not like a herd of hungry cattle), and it filled all the house where they were sitting (not lying down in hypnotic, paralyzed or demon possessed condition). And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire (There was no fire. Instead of appearing as a dove as He had done when coming upon the Lord Jesus, here the Holy Spirit appears in the form of "cloven tongues like as of fire.") The baptism with fire that John the Baptist spoke of is to take place when Christ returns "in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God and obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." - 2 Thes. 1:7-10. In other words, no believer in Christ has, or ever will be "baptized with the Holy Ghost and fire." The fire is only for the Christ-rejecter.
"And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance." - Acts 2:4. Please note very carefully that the miraculous sign here was that the unbelieving, Christ-rejecting Jews could understand every word without an interpreter. But with Christians it was always necessary to have someone present who had "the gift of interpretation of tongues" because tongues were not intended as signs except to unsaved Israel. - 1 Cor. 14:18-24. It should also be noted that the messages given in tongues were concerning "the wonderful works of God." - Acts 2:11.
Before giving a brief and quite condensed Bible outline of the subject in question, I should like to state that I verily believe many dear children of God have had spiritual joys and times of rejoicing the were "joy unspeakable and full of glory." And doubtless many have had experiences that seemed to be miraculous overflows of spiritual emotion and power. God grant that we all may be thus frequently lost to ourselves and overpowered with a consciousness of the presence of God, "filled with all the fullness of God." There is no value, however, in seeking to identify these good and beautiful experiences with speaking with tongues referred to in God's Word.
But Paul said: "I thank God I speak with tongues more than you all!"
Yes, and Paul told us exactly where and why he spoke with tongues at that time. It was in fulfillment of the Jewish prophecy concerning how God was going to deal with unbelieving Israel, "this people." - Isa 28:9-12; 1 Cor. 14:18-22.
Speaking in tongues was a sign to unbelieving Jews and is never found after God breaks off the last of "the natural olive branches (Israel)." "The Jews require a sign," God promised to give the sign of tongues, and Paul said, speaking with tongues was not for the church but was a sign for unbelievers in fulfillment of God's promise in "the law," - Isa. 28:9-12; 1 Cor. 1:22; 14:18-22.
Every Bible instance of "speaking in tongues" is in connection with doubting or unbelieving Jews. - Acts 2:4-7; 10:44-46; 19:3-8.
"Whether there be tongues, they shall cease . . . When that which is perfect is come." - 1 Cor. 13:8-10. As soon as Paul was inspired to give Christians the revelation of their completeness in Christ (Col. 2:10-12) and the fact that God had temporarily ceased to deal with the Jewish nation, all believers were told that they were perfect in Christ and were neither "Jews nor Gentiles" but citizens of heaven. Thus, "that which is perfect" had come and tongues ceased. So also did all the "signs and wonders following." - 1 Cor. 2:6-6 (3:1-4); Phil. 3:3, 15; Rom. 11:25; Acts 28:28; 2 Cor. 5:16, 17.
Paul's letter to the over-grown "babies" at Corinth (1 Cor. 1:11-12; 3:1-4) is the last, and only, epistle where speaking in tongues is found. And, indeed, "tongues and stammering lips" was religious "baby talk" that God used dealing with unbelieving Jews before the destruction of Jerusalem. - Isa. 28:9-13; 1 Cor. 14:18-22; 13:8-11; 9:19-22.
Note the clear change from Acts 2:4 to Eph. 5:17-19. In the light of 2 Tim. 3:16-17 what use has the church now for "tongues"?
by M.M.J.