This message is offered as a response to Bart Barber’s request that I offer my “…understanding of the narrative passages in Acts, to refute points that I have tried to make…” Barber made this statement in the comment stream under his post, “The Nature of the Biblical Gift of Tongues: Consideration of Relevant Narrative New Testament Passages“ This is also the message that I preached in Chapel at SWBTS in August 2006 that, in many ways, defined or redefined my relationship with Southern Baptists. I hope this message answers Bart’s questions about my view of the Acts narrative passages as they relate to I Corinthians 12-14. In the comment stream I will be glad to further elaborate if Bart’s question is not sufficiently answered. Succinctly stated I believe we are to learn history from Acts and Doctrine from Corinthians. I believe that Acts is descriptive and I Corinthians 12-14 is prescriptive. I believe Acts is primarily prophesy fulfilled and I Corinthians is pneumatology revealed and functioning in the life of the church. I believe speaking in tongues in Acts is the exception to the rule today—though it occasionally occurs under the sovereignty of God. I believe speaking in tongues in I Corinthians is the standard rule for today. The primary difference in the tongues speaking in Acts is that people spoke in tongues to men the wonderful works of God; in I Corinthians 14:2, 14, 16, 27, and 28, tongues speaking was directed to God. When the Bible speaks of the diversity of tongues in I Corinthians 12:10, this encompasses the tongues of Acts and I Corinthians. In the book of Acts we read about what God did. In I Corinthians we read about what God is doing.
I. WHAT IS THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT?
There are seven passages in the New Testament which speak specifically of the baptism with the Spirit. Five of these passages refer to the baptism with the Spirit as a future event; four were spoken by John the Baptist (Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:7, 8; Luke 3:16, and John 1:33) and one was spoken by Jesus after His resurrection (Acts 1:4, 5). In Acts 1:5 the expression, “you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” means that this action was to take place at one particular time. The King James Version tells us that this event was to take place, “Not many days hence.” John the Baptist and Jesus referred to the Baptism of the Holy Spirit as a future historical event. The sixth time we see the term “Baptized with the Holy Spirit” is in Acts 11:16 referring to the baptism in the Spirit as a fulfilled promise. In Acts 11:16 Peter uses the term in reference to Cornelius and his household who had also received the Holy Spirit. Peter viewed the Gentiles receiving the Holy Spirit comparable with the Jews receiving the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost thus fulfilling the promises spoken by John the Baptist and Jesus. The seventh and last time we see the term “baptized by one Spirit” specifically mentioned is in I Corinthians 12:13. This passage speaks about the wider experience of all believers.
We can conclude from these passages of Scripture that the baptism with the Holy Spirit was first of all a prophetic event fulfilled (Matthew 3:11; Acts 2:1-41), a promised gift received (Acts 1:4, 2:38; Ephesians 1:13) and a purposeful experience (I Corinthians 12:13). THE BAPTIST OF THE SPIRIT MAY BE PROPERLY DEFINED AS THAT ACTIVITY OF GOD WHEREBY THROUGH HIS SPIRIT HE BRINGS THE BELIEVER AT SALVATION INTO A RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST AND SIMULTANEOUSLY INTO A RELATIONSHIP WITH THE BODY OF CHRIST, THE CHURCH (I Corinthians 12:13).
II. DOES THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT OCCUR SIMULTANEOUS WITH SALVATION OR SUBSEQUENT TO SALVATION?
In the book of Acts we find four occasions, for sure, and possibly five where the baptism of the Holy Spirit occurred. No one occasion is identical to the other, although there were some commonalities.
(1) In Acts 2:1-4 the 120 believers experienced the Baptism and filling of the Holy Spirit simultaneously accompanied with tongues speaking at Pentecost. Also at Pentecost there were three thousand who received the gift of the Holy Spirit and salvation under the preaching of Peter, no mention is made of them speaking in tongues. The 120 were saved and received the baptism and filling of the Holy Spirit subsequent to salvation. The fact that the experience of the 120 was in two distinct stages was due simply to historical circumstances. They could not have received the Pentecostal gift before Pentecost.
(2) In Acts 8:12-17, we see where the Holy Spirit was received by the converts in Samaria after their water baptism. Phillip “preached the good news of the Kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized both men and women” (Acts 8:12). When Phillip preached in Samaria, it was the first time the gospel had been proclaimed outside Jerusalem, evidently because Samaritans and Jews had always been bitter enemies. Acts 8:16 explains although they were believers and had been baptized, “the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon them.” I believe in this instance God sovereignly withheld the Holy Spirit from them until Peter and John arrived so they might see for themselves that God received even despised Samaritans who believed in Christ. There could be no question of it. Also in Acts 8:26-40, we see the Holy Spirit directing Phillip to go to Gaza to witness to an Ethiopian man. This Ethiopian man like the 3000 on the day of Pentecost received the Word of God and was baptized, but there is no mention of tongues, a second baptism or the laying on of hands.
Acts 2 is often referred to as the Jewish Pentecost. Acts 8:12-17 is often referred to as the Samaritan Pentecost. If in Acts 8:26-40 this Ethiopian man received the “gift” or “baptism” of the Spirit, as I believe he did, in the same manner that the 3000 did on the day of Pentecost this could be referred to as the Ethiopian Pentecost.
(3) In Acts 10:44-48 while Peter was preaching to Cornelius the Italian (Gentiles) and his family and friends the baptism and gift of the Holy Spirit fell on the Gentile Pentecost. Unlike at Samaria when the Holy Spirit was given after water baptism, these Gentiles were baptized with the Holy Spirit while Peter was yet preaching.
(4) In Acts 19:1-7 we find an encounter of Paul with the disciples of John the Baptist in Ephesus. Paul asked them in verse 3, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” Behind the question is the assumption that this was when it usually happened. They pled ignorance of the Holy Spirit, stating they had been baptized into John’s baptism. Paul related John’s baptism to the ministry of Jesus, and they were baptized in water a second time and received the gift of baptism of the Holy Spirit.
To summarize, it is my belief that you cannot look to Acts for a fixed formula or definite pattern as to how one receives the gift of the Holy Spirit. No one has the Spirit of God in a box. It is my belief that Pentecost instituted the Church. Then all that remained was for Samaritans, Gentiles, Ethiopians and Jews who were unaware of the gospel to be brought into the Church representatively. This occurred in Acts 8 for Samaritans and Ethiopians, Acts 10 for Gentiles (according to Acts 11:15) and Acts 19 for belated believers from John’s baptism. Once this representative baptism with the Spirit had occurred, the normal pattern applied – baptism with the Spirit at the time each person (of whatever background) believed on Jesus Christ. Baptism with the Holy Spirit is the initial experience of every believer at conversion (John 3:5-6; Acts 2:38; Romans 8:9 and I Corinthians 12:13).
III. IS SPEAKING IN TONGUES THE EVIDENCE OF BEING BAPTIZED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT?
The answer is no. I speak in tongues as the Spirit of God gives utterance; so I have no prejudice or bias against tongues. However, I must stand on biblical truth and not popular opinion. I do believe that all the spiritual gifts listed in Scripture are operative today, and by the grace of God some Christians will experience the gift of tongues when filled with the Holy Spirit. Although the teaching that all Christians should experience speaking in tongues as evidence of being baptized in the Holy Ghost is unscriptural, the Scripture does not preclude speaking in tongues for some when they are filled with the Holy Spirit. As the Spirit rushes in the corners of their lives, awakening new desires for prayer and praise, speaking in tongues will naturally flow forward in some. Paul makes it clear in I Corinthians 12:13 that all believers are baptized by the Spirit, but all do not speak with tongues (I Corinthians 12:30). Since all Christians do not speak with tongues, it cannot be proof of the baptism with the Holy Spirit. There is only one baptism in the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:5). Being baptized is equated with being a child of God (Galatians 3:26-27). Believers are never commanded in Scripture to be baptized but to be filled with the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18-21). There is the ongoing “filling” ministry of the Spirit for power. There is only one baptism in the Holy Ghost, but many fillings. All born again believers are baptized in the Holy Ghost (I Corinthians 12:13; John 3:5; Romans 8:9, Ephesians1:3).
The purpose of the baptism of the Holy Ghost is to place believers in the body of Christ. Even carnal Christians are seen as having been baptized by the Spirit (I Corinthians 12:13, I Corinthians 3:1-3).
The filling of the Holy Spirit means the full control of the Spirit—the enthronement of Jesus as Lord. When a person receives salvation, baptism with the Spirit or the gift of the Spirit, the Holy Spirit is resident. When a person is filled with the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit becomes “president” in the believer’s life. The filling with the Holy Spirit makes one experience Jesus as complete Lord. It is God-intoxication: “…not drunk with wine…but…filled with the Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18). Paul wrote of bringing every thought captive of Jesus Christ to acknowledge His authority (II Corinthians 10:5). The fullness of the Spirit is for specific service. The promise in Acts 1:8 was power and the service was witnessing. The report in Acts 2:4 and 11 was that they “were filled” and unbelievers heard “them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” In Acts 4:31 believers were filled with the Holy Spirit and “spoke the word of God boldly.” Ephesians 5:18-21 states the result of being filled with the Holy Spirit. The fruit of the Spirit is the evidence of being filled with the Holy Spirit (Matthew 7:20; Galatians 5:22, 23). In conclusion, where does the Bible teach that all Christians are to speak in tongues as the evidence of the Baptism with the Holy Spirit? I also believe that non Pentecostal evangelicals must recognize that the gift of tongues is a legitimate spiritual gift that has been and always will be a part of the church until Jesus returns (I Corinthians 13:8). Some believers will experience the gift of tongues and some will not. Pentecostals need to recognize that tongues is not a sign of spiritual power, although it does edify the one who is speaking (I Corinthians 14:4). Baptists and other evangelicals need to recognize the Spirit-filled life and the fact that the Holy Spirit desires to have intimate fellowship with us daily for empowerment, fellowship, service, comfort and guidance (Acts 1; II Corinthians 13:14; John 14:26, 16:13; Romans 8:16). What most Pentecostals refer to as the “Baptism of the Holy Ghost,” I refer to as the filling of the Holy Spirit. However, regardless to what terminology we use, we both agree that we need the fullness of the Holy Spirit to render effective service for Christ, our families and even on our jobs (Ephesians 5:18-33, 6:1-9).
IV. HOW TO BE FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT.
1. Some things to remember when you seek to be filled with the Holy Spirit:
- The Holy Spirit lives in you now (Acts 2:38; John 1:12; Romans 8:9, 5:5; I Corinthians 6:19; Galatians 4:6-7).
- He will never leave you (John 14:16-18, 23; Ephesians 1:13-14; Hebrews 13:5). Get down on your knees before God and thank Him that He lives in your heart now. Rejoice in Him and in this fact.
- There is no complex formula given in the Bible or certain order as to what you do first, second, and third in order to be filled with the Holy Spirit. “Ask and ye shall receive” is God’s simple word to His children.
- There is nothing to fear in being filled with the Spirit. God blesses, not blasts; helps, not hurts. To be filled with the Spirit is good and will result in your good and God’s glory (Ephesians 5:18-20).
2. It is as simple as this: Ask the Spirit to fill you, believe in Him to do it, obey His counsel.
- To be filled with the Spirit:
- Request Him to fill you
- Repent of your sins as He directs
- Believe Him to fill you
- Receive His filling
- DO THIS DAILY
- Here are several ways Jesus instructs us to be filled with God and His Spirit:
- Hungry? Eat. Be filled. “Blessed are they that hunger and thirst….filled” (Matthew 5:6).
- Thirsty? Drink. Be satisfied (never thirst) (Matthew 5:6; John 7:37-38).
- Heavy laden? Come to me. Give you rest (Matthew 11:28-30).
Dwight, Thank you for this helpful article. I hope all in our current discussion will take the time to read and understand what you are saying here. Because much of the contemporary emphasis on speaking in tongues has been associated with the traditional Pentecostal teaching of the baptism of the Spirit, which, in turn, has led to much spiritual elitism and pride, it is easy to see why many would be suspicious of speaking in tongues. But indeed that is not what those of us who interpret Scripture as we do on this point are saying. Tongues is merely one… Read more »
David, Unfortunately, it is difficult to discuss this matter in Baptist Life without someone thinking that one who holds my view is arguing for classic Pentecostalism. I appreciate you recognizing the distinction(s). If everyone would recognize and accept the distinctions it would probably move us way down the road toward consensus and unity concerning these issues. One of the reasons that I hope & believe that those of us who expend the time & energy to engage in this discussion have in common is this: we truly would love to see the SBC family reach a place of common ground,… Read more »
Dwight,
Excellent post.
I like how you backed up each point with different passages of Scripture.
Parson Mike, Thanks for engaging in this dialogue. Although we represent two different viewpoints currently present in Baptist life…I believe it is vitally important that both viewpoints are allowed to be taught and represented in SBC seminaries and the IMB mission field. Voices is demonstrating that our Baptist Tent is large enough to accommodate both viewpoints. I also appreciate you recognizing the biblical basis for my conclusions, even though you and I have reached different conclusions. Roger Simpson commended the “civil” tone of these discussions. I must admit, the temptation is there for all of us to go ballistic in… Read more »
Dwight,
Sin is when temptation overcomes so that the mouth speaks or the pen writes or the fingers hit the send button.
So any forgiveness need is granted and that includes the future.
I write not about what the SBC should or shouldn’t do except that it should be true to the Scriptures, as we all should.
That is why this post is a good one, you have stayed true to the Word.
My personal hope is that Southern Baptists will put the majority of our seeking of understanding of Dwight’s article on the relationship between the Holy Spirit and the institution (act of instituting rather than the ongoing, visible organization) and how that impacts our effectiveness in “dwelling” or “inhabiting” the good works prepared in advance for us. If we perceive the Holy Spirit as only a “nice to have” feature of our relationship with Jesus Christ–a benefit or perquisite as it were–we might not adequately incorporate into our daily faith walk a true desire to be filled with the WHOLELY Spirit… Read more »
The issue of how to understand various passages regarding “speaking in tongues” or “spiritual gifts” is way over my head. The discussion that is going on here demonstrates that there are some differences in interpretation of text in Romans and Corinthians. The tone of this discussion illustrates that it is possible for people to have a civil discussion on various understandings of the topic. The problem with the IMB trustee board back in 2006 was that the board was so polarized over the private-prayer-language issue that is was becoming a driver for significant dissention and rancor. I attended the Jacksonville… Read more »
Roger, Thanks for your comment and for addressing a sub-current and catalyst to some degree for these discussions. I find your very last sentence here fascinating. I won’t repeat it in quotation marks here, but my response is simply this: How can people subordinate there views on secondary and tertiary issues “for the greater good” if those secondary & tertiary issues–of which I agree that they the gift of tongues is a secondary issue, even so argued by Paul–when the larger issue is the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer? If the Bible teaches tongues… Read more »
Brother Dwight,
Thank you for clarifying your view of the biblical passages. I have a few additional questions, but will have to send those later this afternoon. Great discussion to have…. IMHO. “Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. (1 Corinthians, ESV)
Blessings,
Chris
Dwight, you said:
“The filling of the Holy Spirit means the full control of the Spirit—the enthronement of Jesus as Lord. When a person receives salvation, baptism with the Spirit or the gift of the Spirit, the Holy Spirit is resident. When a person is filled with the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit becomes ‘president’ in the believer’s life. The filling with the Holy Spirit makes one experience Jesus as complete Lord.”
Are you saying that a non-Christian can become a Christian without receiving Jesus as complete Lord? I may be misunderstanding you here.
Mike,
I assume you are a Christian.
I assume you proclaim Jesus as Lord.
I assume you desire to submit wholly to His Lordship.
I assume you still sin.
I still do and that is why I need filled with the Holy Spirit.
So i follow the advice Dwight has procured from the Bible and ending on point 5:
“5. DO THIS DAILY”
or I should.
mike
Parsonmike, some people believe that a non-Christian can become a Christian without receiving Jesus as complete Lord. I am trying to determine what Dwight believes. It’s a point of clarification in regard to his post above.
Mike,
Romans 10: 9 makes it clear that one cannot become a Christian without confessing Jesus as Lord. What I was referring to was the on-going filling ministry of the Holy Spirit…whose goal is to glorify Jesus, and to bring each believer into complete subjection & obedience to Him. I hope that I clearly answered your question. If not, ask again and I’ll take another crack at it. Headed to a funeral now, so it may take awhile for me to respond.
Dwight, thanks for clarifying that point.
Dwight, Thank you for reprinting your sermon—one in which we could find and discuss many points of commonality between us. The focus of my series has been upon discovering the nature of “speaking in tongues” in the New Testament. Is the gift of speaking in tongues in the New Testament a gift generally designed for the hearing of men or for private use and self-edification? Is it a gift generally associated more with a function more like prayer or a function more like prophecy? Is it a gift generally associated with an outcome in human language or an outcome in… Read more »
Bart, I am headed to a funeral now. Tomorrow morning, I board a plane to Arkansas to preach my Uncle’s funeral, and to be by my brother’s bedside Monday as he undergoes kidney cancer surgery in Little Rock. I was hoping that you would let me off the easy way. I had hoped that this post sufficiently addressed your question. However, I realize now that it didn’t. It will be late next week before I will have the time to respond with the level of specificity & direct answers that I believe your question deserves, and what you are asking… Read more »
Dwight,
A man who took three months to publish the second installment of his series lives in a glass house, so far as it regards taking a little time to sort out your thoughts before replying. May the Lord reveal His comforting power to you and to your family during this difficult time.
Bart and Mike,
Thanks for your prayers and words of encouragement and comfort for my family. It reminded me at the end of these discussions, we are still brothers in Christ.
I’ve just returned from a funeral in Dallas today of the father of one of our part-time staff members.
Chris , I will periodically check for questions or comments less challenging than Bart’s question throughout the evening. I will be glad to respond to whatever further inquiries or clarifications that you indicated that you might raise later today.
Dwight,
My prayers for your family. May God bring blessings and peace to you and to them in this time of loss and of suffering.
Dwight: I am not a Bible scholar and I am not in any position to enunciate a position regarding PPL. For me personally, I have never spoken in tongues and I have never used any Private Prayer Language. If a person uses PPL it is fine with me. As it regards the IMB: I agree that prior to the anti-PPL manifesto issued by the IMB things were fine. There were no reported abuses of PPL on the mission field and the document was unnecessary. So I wouldn’t have any problem rescinding the document. However, if rescinding the document causes a… Read more »
Roger, Points well made & received, with one exception. I do not believe cessationism and inerrancy are compatible. I can see why you consider that conflating the two issues, but if praying/praising/and giving thanks in tongues as Paul taught in I Corinthians 12-14 is no longer valid then we have an error in the Bible. Dr. Ken Hemphill, former President at SWBTS has made a similar observation. You make another interesting observation about this discussion going over your head. I really don’t believe that it was ever intended by Jesus, Luke, and Paul, who all three commented on “tongues” for… Read more »
I would agree about the idea that a simple reading of the New Testament, with no additional information, would lead one to believe just what Dwight has said. From reading the Bible alone, one would absolutely conclude that each time the gospel went to a new people group it would be accompanied by miraculous signs and usually by people speaking in human languages that they had never studied. Dwight’s own analysis of Acts has demonstrated pretty clearly that with each new frontier that the gospel broke there were such accompanying miraculous signs. I do not know of any such boundary-crossing… Read more »
Bart, Jack Deere was a professor at DTS who had been a cessationist, prior to certain encounters with the Holy Spirit. He later wrote a book entitled “Surprised by the Power of the Holy Spirit”. It was in that book that he traces his journey from cessationism to continuationism, and where he also made the statement that I so agree with and cannot shake, which is, no one reading the Scripture devotionally would draw the conclusion that tongues is not for today. I read his book probably 12-15 years ago. But if memory serves me correctly, his reference to, belief… Read more »
“FTI” should have been FYI.
1. Whether tongues are valid for today or not is not what I am arguing. Rather, the central point that I have been addressing in my writing is whether biblical tongues were speaking in human languages. I have also touched upon whether those tongues were primarily employed in prayer or in proclamation. Those two topics are probably related at least to some degree, but they are not identical. 2. I also believe that the tongues in Acts and the tongues in Corinthians were analogous. I think that both are referring to the act of miraculously speaking in human languages that… Read more »
This may not be the relevant place to add it. Perhaps it ought to go into a post of its own, but I do think that there is, for each side of this discussion, a temptation to be avoided… 1. For myself and for others who see the issue as I do, there is the temptation to believe that people who hold the opinion of Dwight and David Rogers would accept as valid any personal experience that anyone would bring forward claiming it to be the work of the Holy Spirit gifting them to speak in angelic tongues. In other… Read more »
Bart, I do think this is an important observation, and I appreciate you voicing it. What you say here, in normal circumstances, would cause me to avoid this whole discussion as unprofitable and potentially divisive, as it involves nitpicking over matters that in the grand scheme of things are tertiary—though, I must admit, from a viewpoint of academic and hermeneutic curiosity, I find it fascinating and might be drawn into it for that reason alone, anyway. What really causes me to take the time to engage this conversation the way I do, though, is what I understand the IMB BoT… Read more »
For reasons I don’t completely understand, I’ve had a host of formatting issues on this post. Dwight, I’m trying to correct things as I see them, but I am sorry for the little technical snafus.
In general, though, I never understand technical issues.
Which begs the question – why on earth would anyone put me in charge of a blog?
I’ll offer two thoughts from Arthur C. Clarke (a well-known science fiction writer who is specifically known in popular culture for the story that Clockwork Orange director Stanley Kubrick and Clarke co-wrote–based on Clarke’s short story The Sentinel–turned into 2001 A Space Odyssey) “Clarke’s Third Law: Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” –Profiles of the Future (revised edition, 1973) and this wonderful snippet which actually speaks loudly to the value of blogging: “The Information Age offers much to mankind, and I would like to think that we will rise to the challenges it presents. But it is vital… Read more »
Brother Dwight,
This is an outstanding article brother. Tremendous scholarship and progression of thought. So many fail to properly identify what the baptism of the Holy Spirit is, but you hit the nail on the head.
John, Thanks. I was convicted when Dave called for accountability at the beginning of September. I’d actually gained weight. When I asked you ’bout whether or not you were going to join the fitness group, your response was “Better not to make a vow than to make one and don’t keep it. But I did make the vow. So I am on the 4th day of a restricted eating plan. I have lost 9 1/2 lbs. over the past 3 days. I envy you brother. You had more wisdom than I. Nevertheless, I need to do this for health purposes,… Read more »
I’m getting into hot water here but I would like to clarify why I think inerrancy and hermeneutics are separate. Inerrancy means that a person holds that the text — at least in the original manuscripts — is without error. This is the crux of the Chicago Statement of Biblical Inerrancy that profs in many of our SBC seminaries have to sign off on to have a job. Inerrancy does not require that a person either does or does not have a particular view regarding continualism vs. cessationism. A result of inerrancy, coupled with textual criticism, is that the Greek… Read more »