SEARCH

Prosperity doctrine: Changing views on money

The emphasis on 'prosperity' that began in the Pentecostal movement after its origin was not something new. Doctrine promising riches in the form of wealth from God were being formalised in the 1800s and earlier.

Alain de Botton, commenting in Status Anxiety on the shift from aristocracy to meritocracy that occurred towards the end of the eighteenth century and throughout the nineteenth century, observed that public perception on the relative virtues of the poor and the wealthy underwent somewhat of a reversal:

"An increasing faith in a reliable connection between merit and worldly position in turn endowed money with a new moral quality. When wealth had been handed down the generations according to bloodlines and connections, it was natural to dismiss the idea that money was an indicator of virtue besides that of having been born to the right parents. But in a meritocratic world, where prestigious and well-paid jobs could be secured only on the basis of one's own intelligence and ability, it now seemed that wealth might be a sound sign of character. The rich were not only wealthier; they might also be plain better." [1]
It's at this point that the relationship between Christianity - specifically, Protestantism - and the rise of meritocracy in America and the consequent explosion in prosperity become relevant. De Botton continues:

"Over the nineteenth century, many Christian thinkers, especially in the United States, changed their views of money accordingly. American Protestant denominations suggested that God required his followers to lead a life that was successful both temporally and spiritually; fortunes in this world were evidence that one deserved a good place in the next - an attitude reflected in the Reverend Thomas P. Hunt's bestseller of 1836, The Book of Wealth: In Which it is Proved from the Bible that it is the Duty of Every Man to Become Rich. Wealth came to be described as a reward from God for holiness. John D. Rockefeller was unabashed to state that it was the Lord who made made him rich, while William Lawrence, the Episcopal Bishop of Massachusetts, writing in 1892, argued: 'In the long run, it is only to the man of morality that wealth comes. We, like the Psalmist, occasionally see the wicked prosper, but only occasionally. Godliness is in league with riches.'" [1]
These were the signs of the newly emerging prosperity gospel in the middle of the nineteenth century. But the origin of modern-day prosperity doctrine heard in Pentecostal churches now all over the world are traced back further to the end of the eighteenth century and earlier. What is the origin of the prosperity movement, and how can we understand it? This will be the subject of discussion in articles coming up.

More on this topic

The origin of the prosperity doctrine - Part II

The origin of the prosperity doctrine - Part I

What Pentecostals believe about prosperity

- -

[1] De Botton, Alain. Status Anxiety, Camberwell, Vic. : Hamish Hamilton, 2004, p. 85.

talkingpentecostalism.blogspot.com | joe towns: christian discussion on pentecost, charisma, pentecostal and charismatic beliefs, the Bible and Jesus; including the origin and history of pentecostalism, baptism in the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, gifts and miracles, divine healing and word of faith, prosperity and wealth, praise and worship, guidance and hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit.

Holy Spirit Baptism: What it is & what it does

What is 'baptism in the Holy Spirit?' What does it do? Why is it given? Arguably the simplest teaching in the New Testament on the purpose of this experience is Titus 3:5-6. [1]

"...He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior..." (Titus 3:5-6, NIV).
In context Titus 3:3-8 is all about conversion. Firstly, Titus 3:3 describes Christians prior to their conversion as foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures, living in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. Titus 3:4 then describes salvation by the mercy of God: he saved us because of his kindness and love, not because of things we did.

Then in Titus 3:5-6 Paul describes God's method of saving people. Titus 3:5 is particularly helpful because it describes what God's outpouring of his Spirit achieves; it teaches what baptism in the Spirit does. And what this verse states is that salvation occurs by God pouring out his Spirit on us, giving us the washing of rebirth and renewal.

This language describing God's activity of 'pouring out' the Spirit is unambigous; it is without doubt a description of 'baptism with the Spirit.' Firstly, the language echos the events of Pentecost themselves and their repeat amongst the first Gentile Christians. In fact, the references in Acts 2 and Acts 10 to the Spirit being 'poured out' on the day of Pentecost and on Cornelius' household are the only other examples in the New Testament of this phrase being used in connection with the Spirit:
Acts 2:17-18, "'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy."
Acts 2:33, "Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear."
Acts 10:45, "The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles."
Acts 2:17-18, Acts 2:33 and Acts 10:45 are all cases where Pentecostals obviously maintain that baptism in the Spirit is what is in view. Titus 3:6 is no different. It likewise describes 'baptism in the Spirit.'

Secondly, the result of the outpouring of the Spirit in Titus 3:5 matches the language of baptism, for it says that God 'washes' us by this Spirit. 'Washing' by the Spirit is similar to washing with water in everyday baptism. Water-baptism, however, merely signifies the removal of uncleanliness to God. Spirit-baptism actually make people clean before God. And the rest of the sentence explains how.

By saying that the outpouring of the Holy Spirit gives the 'washing of rebirth and renewal', this verse teaches that baptism in the Spirit makes people clean from sin by the Spirit's activity of regeneration, whereby he brings to life a new spirit in a person previously dead in sin.

Titus 3:6 goes on to describe God's purpose in this work of salvation: it is "so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life." Here the Apostle Paul links justification by grace and baptism in the Holy Spirit, similarly to the Apostle Peter who linked forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit. For Peter said on the day of Pentecost to his audience of unconverted Jews, "Repent and be baptized... for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38, NIV) In other words, baptism with the Spirit is how Christ washes away sins.

Titus 3:5-6 unavoidably shows that Spirit-baptism is about salvation. This passage is not difficult to read and apply correctly, as can be passages in the gospels and Acts narratives. This is direct teaching in the form of clear instruction by the Apostle to Christians, and as such should be the place to start when building a doctrine of 'baptism in the Spirit.'

- -

[1] 1 Corinthians 12:13 also contains clear teaching on 'baptism in the Spirit' and describes its purpose.

[2] Romans 5:5 also describes God's outpouring of his love into our heats by his gift of the Holy Spirit: "God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." talkingpentecostalism.blogspot.com | joe towns: christian discussion on pentecost, charisma, pentecostal and charismatic beliefs, the Bible and Jesus; including the origin and history of pentecostalism, baptism in the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, gifts and miracles, divine healing and word of faith, prosperity and wealth, praise and worship, guidance and hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit.

The gift of tongues: What 1 Corinthians 14 describes

Pentecostal tongues: Unknowable utterances

Pentecostalism believes that 'speaking in tongues' is a God-enabled prayer language using unintelligable human utterances that have a spiritual effect. Though the Greek word for “tongues” (glossolalia) means “languages,” Pentecostals know that in most instances the tongues-speaking practiced in their movement is unknowable in its nature. Before the revival of 'tongues' at the turn of the nineteenth-century, Christians who later joined the Pentecostal movement were expecting the gift of languages to equip the Church for worldwide evangelism to the unreached millions in their mother-tongues. However after 1906 the movement recognised that the activity in their churches being called 'speaking in tongues' did not involve human languages and was not evangelistic.

Ideas about the nature of tongues developed in these early years. While still acknowledging that the tongues-speaking enabled by the Spirit in Acts 2:4 were known dialects of countries foreign to the speaker, Pentecostals began to view 1 Corinthians 14:2 as identifying another type of tongues. This was based upon the view that if “no one understands him” and his words “utter mysteries with his spirit,” then this tongues-speaking mustn't be actual languages but 'unknown utterances.' Since this passage describes 'praying' in a tongue, speaking to God not men, to praise God and give him thanks, Pentecostalism embraced the concept of tongues as a prayer language with God-empowered unintelligable human utterances that have an impact upon the spiritual realm (as opposed to preaching with foreign identifiable human languages as in Acts 2.)

Before examining the Pentecostal notion of two types of tongues, being the miraculous gift of languages and God-given utterances of unidentifiable meaning, it is important to realise that the practice of both types of phenomenon have been reported throughout history in the secular, religious and Christian world. (See The history of tongues).

Corinthian tongues: foreign languages

There are at least several reasons from the text why the type of tongues spoken by the Corinthians were identifiable human languages:

Different kinds

The passage in 1 Corinthians 12 first listing tongues as a manifestation of the Spirit describes the activity as “speaking in different kinds of tongues” (1 Corinthians 12:10, 28). The fact that there are different kinds of tongues suggests that languages are in view. 'Different' tongues are the 'other' tongues of the nations given on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:4), where after the crowd of foreign speaking Jews heard them praising God in each of their own native tongues. (Acts 2:11).

Speaking a tongue

Although the Spirit is described as generically giving different kinds of "tongues," (plural) or enabling people to speak in other "tongues" (plural), 1 Corinthians 14 does not describe individual persons speaking in "tongues." Every reference in 1 Corinthians 14 to an individual with this ability describes them as one who speaks in "a tongue" (singular). This activity is speaking a singular language with a specific identity.

None without meaning

The passage in 1 Corinthians 14 indicates that Paul thought of ‘a tongue’ as actually conveying meaning: In reference to tongues he says, “there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning.” (1 Corinthians 14:10) This is why they were capable of being interpreted.

Speaking words

When refering to tongues the Apostle implies that this activity involves communication. He describes it as “speaking” (1 Corinthians 14:13) and describes the utterances as actual “words,” (1 Corinthians 14:18) which by definition are units of language that communicate meaning. They are not merely sounds produced with the tongue. Paul describes the activity as 'speaking to God,' 'praying' to God, 'praising' God, 'thanking' God and speaking 'to oneself' (1 Corinthians 14:2, 14, 16-17, 28).

Saying “Amen”

Paul implies that someone who speaks in a tongue has an idea of the meaning of his words. He says, "If you are praising God with your spirit, how can one who finds himself among those who do not understand say "Amen" to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying? You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified.” (1 Corinthians 14:16-17) Paul implies that the speaker has the ability to say “Amen” to his prayer as opposed to those who cannot because they do not know what he is saying. If the speaker himself was also among those who do not understand then he also would not be able to say "Amen" to his thanksgiving and would therefore also not be edified. Although the speaker does not have complete understanding of what he is saying, the Apostle does not include the speaker among those who do not understand at all.

Speaking to oneself

Paul clearly says that a tongue edifies the speaker (1 Corinthians 14:4) and that the he speaks to himself as well as to God (1 Corinthians 14:28). He implies then that the speaker is himself encouraged by the meaning of his message. (1 Corinthians 14:16-17) He is praising and giving thanks to God, saying "Amen" to the prayer and being edified by it, but the other man is not edified because he does not understand its meaning.

Speaking a message

In 1 Corinthians 14:26, Paul lists “a tongue” together along side “a hymn”, “a word of instruction”, “a revelation”, and “an interpretation,” all of which are capable of strengthening the church. All of these activities involve word-based messages. The fact that Paul insists that a tongue given in a church must be interpretted does not suggest that the original utternance was without meaning. Quite the opposite, to 'interpret' is literally the activity of explaining the meaning of a message given.

Is it possible that Pentecostal tongues have the same nature as those practiced by the Corinthians, as described in 1 Corinthians 12-14? These were not unknowable utternances, for they were not without meaning; this activity was not merely making sounds with the tongue, but speaking words of thanks to God; these speakers were not all-together ignorant of what they were saying, for they were at least edified by their words. The only similarity between the ‘tongues’ practiced in Pentecostalism and those described in 1 Corinthians 12-14 is that in both cases the mind of the speaker can be described as being 'unfruitful’. This is not an adequate basis for concluding that their identities are common.

Corinthian tongues: unknowable utterances?

There are other reasons in the text of 1 Corinthians 14 that leave open the possibility that the nature of the tongues spoken by Corinthian Christians were not miraculous gifts of foreign languages (that can be compared to those in the Acts narratives).

The mind unfruitful

Paul says in regard to the one in Corinth who spoke in tongues, "no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit.” Paul is likely generalising the audience to say that no one present understands the speaker; He seems to be implying that his words are a mystery to his audience, though not necessarily to the speaker. However, Paul describes the mind as “unfruitful” when he prays in a tongue (1 Corinthians 14:14). He may mean that the speaker it not thinking through his words before he speaks; he is not deliberately choosing his words as a bilingual speaker would, but instead is being given in a foreign tongue words from the Spirit to speak and only retrospectively being aware of what he has said.

If however Paul means by 'unfruitful' that it is impossible to understand the meaning of a tongue by listening or speaking it (without God-given interpretation), his words may be a complete mystery to all except God alone. This would allow the possibility that the tongue-speaking is not referring to an actual language at all.

In the first-century Hellenistic world and earlier, ecstatic utterances in unknown or unintelligible speech were commonly practiced by pagan prophets, magicians and sorcerers. [1]. It is possible that the nature of the tongues spoken by Corinthians were actually this very human activity that the Corinthians brought into their Christian lives from this type of pagan past.

Stop thinking like children

Paul acknowledges that the Corinthian practice is from God, in the sense that everything is from God, whether good or bad, human or miraculous. (Romans 11:36) All things ultimately come from him and he uses all things to work for the Christian their good of conformity to Christ's image (Romans 8:28). Rather than simply instructing the Corinthians to stop using tongues, he sympathises with them and reframes their behaviour in the light of the gospel and God’s purposes for the church. Since this is Paul's approach, it should be ours also.

Paul's message to the Corinthians is nonetheless a rebuke for immaturity. They are like a two-year-olds who do not know how to do things for others. He portray tongues as an undesirable gift because it doesn’t achieve God’s goal for the church, which is mutual edification. Edification comes by prophesying to one another, by which God speaks his word through Christians to other Christians to encourage and comfort them. He instructs the Corinthians to cease speaking in tongues in the church unless they can interpret their messages. Without interpretation a tongue only encourages the speaker. Only with interpretation can a tongue work for the common good.

Since the Corinthian and Pentecostal tongues do not likely share the same identify, Pentecostalism should be more careful when applying verses such as 1 Corinthians 14:4 to their own practice: “he who speaks in a tongue edifies himself”. The great danger of the Pentecostal emphasis on tongues is that this activity does not bring edification as Paul explains it. The point of 1 Corinthians 14 is that Christian strengthening and Christian encouragment comes from mutually understanding God's word.

A sign for unbelievers

The tongues spoken of in 1 Corinthians 12-14 were a ‘sign’ for unbelievers: “Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is for believers, not for unbelievers.” (1 Corinthians 14:22) In its context 1 Corinthians 14:22 is preceded by a quotation from Isaiah 28:11-12 where unbelieving Israel are told they'd soon hear the foreign tongues of the Assyrians coming to destroy them. Here ‘tongues’ were given to unbelieving Israelites as a sign of their judgement. Paul uses this quote to warn the Corinthians that similarly if they speak with tongues that listeners do not understand it is a sign to them that they are under God’s judgement. People become Christians when they come to understand God’s word; a sign of being a Christian is understanding God’s word when it is heard. And so Paul says, “tongues are for unbelievers” who are under God’s judgement, for they are the ones to whom God’s word comes without meaning.

How do Pentecostal tongues function as a sign of judgment against unbelievers? The lack of explanation in Pentecostalism of 1 Corinthians 14:21-22 is telling. The tongues described in the Corinthian church were a sign to any listener not understanding their content that they were under God's judgment. Similarly, modern day tongues practiced by Pentecostals in churches, if they are indeed unknowable utternances, are a sign to any listener of God's judgment in the church on unbelievers. For these tongues divert attention from God's word and so deprive listeners of the only message that can save them.

Theological confidence

It is hard to believe how anybody could claim perfect confidence in her or his own reading of 1 Corinthians 14, for this passage contains so many difficulties. However, the meaning of the passage is clear enough. Much of what has been read into this passage and brought to it from personal experience can not justly be read out of it.

The Pentecostal practice refered to under the title of ‘tongues’ is given by God, as all things are. (Romans 11:36) Something that helps Christians maintain a focused adoration on God and brings no mutual or individual harm is a good thing. However, this is not reason enough for a theological position claiming that the present day exercise of Pentecostal tongues have the same identity as those described in 1 Corinthians 12 and 14 or the Acts narratives.

More on this topic

How Pentecostalism developed over time

Tongues and Spirit-baptism: What Pentecostals believe

The history of tongues

- -

[1] Grant. R. Osborne (Ph.D., University of Aberdeen), “Tongues, Speaking in,” Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, 2nd Ed., Paternoster Press, 2001, p. 1206. talkingpentecostalism.blogspot.com | joe towns: christian discussion on pentecost, charisma, pentecostal and charismatic beliefs, the Bible and Jesus; including the origin and history of pentecostalism, baptism in the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, gifts and miracles, divine healing and word of faith, prosperity and wealth, praise and worship, guidance and hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit.

The Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit: The Pentecostal basis

The Pentecostal emphasis on power can be dated back to the Keswick movement and earlier, when in Great Britain Dwight L. Moody began emphasising the need for the Spirit's empowerment for Christian service and the idea of Spirit baptism as a second blessing of the Spirit's power (1874). In America the Holiness movement began to developed. “Restoration theology” emerged, teaching that “Spirit baptism fully restored the spiritual relationship that Adam and Eve had with God in the Garden of Eden” [1] and that a sign of the end of the church age would be a restoration of the New Testament sign gifts to the church. (As early as 1830 Edward Irving had taught that the “extraordinary” gifts would be given again by the Spirit to the church in the period just prior to the Second Coming of Christ). Since Spirit baptism brought a restoration of the relationship intended by God in the Garden of Eden, “the higher life in Christ could also reverse the physical effects of the Fall, enabling believers to take authority over sickness.” [1] A. B. Simpson and A. J. Gordon were among those who began teaching healing in the atonement.

The basis for the Pentecostal position on miracles

Pentecostals argue the point that miraculous gifts such as healing, tongues, prophecy and exorcisim are promised to Christians. Pentecostalism relies heavily upon four passages for its position: Mark 16:9-20, in which Jesus is described as saying ‘signs will accompany those who believe;’ James 5:14-16 in which James states, 'Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church... And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well;' 1 Corinthians 14:1 that instructs Christians, 'eagerly desire spiritual gifts' within the context of the miraculous (1 Cor 12:8-10); and Isaiah 53:4-5 where it is taught that Christ on the cross became our “sickness-bearer” as well as our “sin-bearer.” However a careful reading of each of these passages disqualifies them as a basis for an expectation of the miraculous activity of God within the church.

Mark 16:9-20, A promise of the miraculous to Christians?

In Mark 16:17-18 Jesus is described as saying, "these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." Diligent readers of Scripture will see that the earliest and most reliable manuscripts do not contain this section of Mark's gospel. This is not of the least significance. The fact that the early manuscripts of Mark do not contain Mark 16:9-20 undeniably means that this section was added later by a different author to a copy of the gospel, probably to give the work a more 'natural' ending. It may be apparent to careful readers that the flow of Mark 16:9-20 does not fit Mark’s characteristic style. It should be clear to Pentecostals that these quotes were added at a later stage to manuscripts by someone other than Mark himself. The unavoidable conclusion of this logic is that Mark 16:9-20 is not apostolic and therefore is not a part of the cannon; these statements are not a part of Scripture. They should not therefore be used as a basis for any theology.

James 5:14-16, A promise of physical healing for Christians?

In support of an expectation of healing, Pentecostals quote James 5:14-15, in which James writes, "Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well...” This seemingly straightforward passage may seem to indicate that any sick Christian may be healed by the faith-filled prayer of church elders. However this passage cannot be read as an absolute promise of healing for sick Christians, for otherwise there would be no need for any Christian to ever be sick, as was the Apostle Paul, (Gal 4:14, 2 Cor 12:7-9) [2] Timothy, (1 Tim 5:23), Epaphroditus, (Php 2:26-27) and Trophimus. (2 Tim 4:20) The Pentecostal reading of this passage should also make it possible for someone to avoid death altogether. If all that were needed to stay well was the prayer of believing elders, why should anyone need to die at all, as did the Apostles themselves who initially demonstrated the use of these gifts. James 5:14-16 is not as straightforward as Pentecostalism makes out.

In the first place, the passage should be read in the entirety of it's context: “Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.” (James 5:14-20)

Firstly the context of this passage prohibits any comparison with the spiritual gifts of healings and miracles, for it neither promises nor describes anything immediate or direct or even miraculous. Secondly, the language of ‘healing’ as being ‘raised’ is quite ambiguous, and could refer to an experience in this life or to the perfect healing after this life.

Thirdly, the repeated emphasis of the passage is salvation from the consequences of sin. The topic is brought up four times. The first mentions forgiveness from sin, (v. 15) the second, healing, (v. 16) the third, 'salvation from death' and the fourth, 'covering' sins. (v. 20). The language of ‘raising’ and ‘saving’ may refer to physical healing from sickness that are a result of God’s judgement on Christians for certain sins. The context does relate the healing of the sickness to the forgiveness of specific sin (vs. 15-16). This view offers a likely explanation for why elders are involved.

Examples within Scripture of this sort of sickness can be found in 1 Corinthians 11:29-30 and Revelation 2:22-23. The prayer ‘offered in faith’ indicates reliance on God’s grace. To ‘have faith’ is not to have a power to bring about healing despite the will of God, but to place ones trust in God himself who alone is gracious to heal. In this case the 'prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well' because God’s revealed purpose for his judgement on Christians is not an act of final condemnation, but of Fatherly discipline (1 Cor 11:32). Clearly, James 5:14-16 cannot be used as a basis for an expectation of the miraculous healing as the usual and continuous activity of God within churches.

1 Corinthians 14:1, A command to desire the miraculous gifts?

Pentecostals maintain that since 1 Corinthians 14:1 teaches Christians to 'eagerly desire spiritual gifts' within the context of the miraculous, (1 Cor 12:8-10) therefore the sign gifts such as healing, prophecy and tongues should be ever present in healthy churches. But once again due consideration must be given to the wider context, for Pentecostalism uses 1 Corinthians 14:1 to teach the exact opposite of what Paul is actually saying.

In the first place, the Greek word ‘gifts’ does not appear in the original text in this passage, nor does it in 1 Corinthians 12:1! A Greek reading of this verse (and others like it in the section) would not suggest the topic of ‘gifts’ at all [3]. In the wider context of the book Paul is addressing what it means to be ‘spiritual’ in general. A more accurate way of understanding the intended meaning of this verse might be 'desire earnestly [to be] spiritual' or 'desire earnestly spiritual [things], but especially that you may prophecy'. Similarly, verse 12 might read something like: 'since you are zealous of spiritual [things], seek to abound for the edification of the church'.

The Corinthians thought they were spiritual because of their abounding manifestations of the Spirit. Instead, in his entire letter, Paul corrects them by explaining that a spiritual person is one who understands God’s wisdom in the gospel through the revelation of the Spirit (1 Cor 1-2); spirituality is to regard the Apostle’s message and ministry itself as supremely spiritual (1 Cor 3-4); it is to honour the Holy Spirit by being holy in ones physical body and in the church (1 Cor 5-7); it is to use ones freedom and knowledge in Christ to serve one another in love by building up one another with prophecy and it is conversely not to indulge in idolatry or the self-centred use of ones knowledge or the self-centred use of gifts like tongues to building up only oneself (1 Cor 8-14); being spiritual is to stand firm on the gospel of the resurrection (1 Cor 15-16).

No verse in the book of 1 Corinthians can be justly cited to form a basis for an emphasis on desiring and seeking spiritual gifts themselves. In fact, this is the very problem in thinking that Paul is seeking to correct: we should rather desire and seek to be spiritual people, which is not the same thing as having the manifestation of the Spirit in our midst. For the Corinthians had plenty of the Spirit's gifts and yet Paul rebukes them for being unspiritual and worldly.

Isaiah 53:4-5, Teaching on healing in the atonement?

In Isaiah's famous suffering servant song (Isaiah 53) he prophecies about the Christ, “Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.” (Isa 53:4-5). Then in Matthew 8:16-17, Matthew writes of Jesus, “many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: "He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases."”

Pentecostalism has long concluded from upon these texts that healing was achieved for Christians by Christ's work at the cross. They conclude that Isaiah 53:4-5 promises healing by Jesus for Christians as a result of his work of atonement. Kenneth Copeland and Kenneth Hagan are contemporary American teachers who advocate this line of thinking.

However the use of Isaiah 53:4-5 as a basis for the belief that healing is as readily available to Christians as is forgiveness of sins is a false logic. Firstly, Matthew 8:16-17 is not a reference to Christ's work of atonement but to his healing ministry which preceded it. The Apostle Matthew has unavoidably taught that Isaiah's prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus activity of healing “all the sick” before his death on the cross. Secondly, the Apostle Peter's quotation of Isaiah 53:4 in 1 Peter 2:24 shows that this prophecy applies to Christians as a reference to the forgiveness of sins. Isaiah's words themselves occur in the wider context of a passage all about justification from transgression (Isaiah 53:5-12). The Apostle Peter interprets, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.” [4]

Therefore, the commonly quoted texts used in support of the Pentecostal position on the miraculous gifts - Mark 16:17-18, James 5:14-16; 1 Corinthians 14:1; 1 Corinthians 12:8-10; Isaiah 53:4-5 - are not fit as basis for an expectation of the usual and continual activity of these signs gifts in the life of churches.

More on this topic

Gifts of the Spirit: What Pentecostals believe

The miraculous gifts: what the Scriptures promise

The gift of tongues: What the Scriptures describe

- -

[1] Gary B. McGee (Ph.D., Professor of Church History, Chair, Bible and Theology Department at Assemblies of God Theological Seminary), Systematic Theology, Chapter 1 “Historical Background”, Logion Press, 1995, p. 12.

[2] In 2 Corinthians 12:7-9, the Greek translated ‘weakness’ is the same word translated ‘sickness’ in James 5:14.

[3] The New American Standard Version indicates this by placing the word 'gifts' in italics.

[4] Stott, John. The Cross of Christ, IVP, 1986, p. 224-245. talkingpentecostalism.blogspot.com | joe towns: christian discussion on pentecost, charisma, pentecostal and charismatic beliefs, the Bible and Jesus; including the origin and history of pentecostalism, baptism in the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, gifts and miracles, divine healing and word of faith, prosperity and wealth, praise and worship, guidance and hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit.

The Miraculous Gifts of the Holy Spirit: what the Scriptures promise

What does the New Testament promise about spiritual gifts? A restoration of miracles, healings and tongues to the Church in the last days in preparation for the End? That is what Pentecostalism from its origin has believed. Pentecostalism began with a widespread desire for the gift of tongues (foreign languages) for world evangelisation and the desire for a restoration of the 'full gospel,' involving Spirit-baptism as a post-conversion experience of empowerment with the miraculous sign gifts such as healing.

The claim that God restored the miraculous gifts of the New Testament period to the church in the revivals of the early 1900s is questionable. Such a belief assumes that these gifts were in some way 'lost' in the first place. The Bible nowhere indicates that God would at some stage in early church history cease to give any of the spiritual gifts. Similarly, the Scriptures nowhere promise that God would continue to give them continuously throughout church history. And even more critically, the Scriptures nowhere promise an end-time restoration of the sign gifts such as prophecy, tongues, miracles and healing.

It is likely that God has continued to give all of his gifts to the church right throughout its history. It is certainly possible that God has enabled Christians to genuinely speak the tongues of the same identity as those of the New Testament period, for example. Similarly, God may well have used the prayers or involvement of many Christians to do genuine miracles or healing. He may also have allowed Christians to provide genuine prophecy of the same nature as that in the New Testament period.

But if the New Testament does not actually promise miraculous activity to Christians, what has God promised about spiritual gifts?

Warning: The promise of miracles

The New Testament does instruct Christians to expect miraculous activity in the last days. But remarkably, for Pentecostals at least, these instructions warn Christians to expect miraculous activity in the world! Christians are instructed to be very cautious about genuine miraculous activity from non-Christians and false-Christians and even from Satan himself. We are to test everything, holding onto only that which is good.

In order to understand this point it is vital to realise that none of the spiritual gifts themselves require a Christian context or content. Claims and evidence of miraculous activity have come from all sides of society and history. This includes spiritualists, agnostics, members of the occult and those leading immoral lives. Any claim to a miracle or healing does not necessitate the work of God for three reasons:

Firstly, mistakes are all too easy to make, especially in an overly keen state of mind. There are multiple factors that might account for so-called healings. These include wrong diagnosis and healing as a result of other causes. Other causes of healing include the natural bodily process of recovery and the use of bodily aids like therapy, medication and treatment.

The second and third reason why a miracle or healing does not necessitate the work of God are given by the New Testament itself when specifically warning Christians about what to expect in these last days.

Secondly, the Scriptures warn that false prophets will come who will be able to do miracles, signs and wonders that deceive and lead astray Christians (Mk 13:22, cf. Deut 13:1-5).

Thirdly, the Scriptures also warn that in the last days Satan himself will deceive people with powerful signs and wonders because of their refusal to love the truth (2 Th 2:9-10).

Therefore the presence of miraculous activity is not necessarily a sign of spirituality and the work of God. It is a warning sign. It should cause us to listen all the more carefully to the accompanying message being preached (or not preached), testing it against the Scriptures so that we are not lead astray from the gospel to something that is different and therefore false.

The Pentecostal case

Pentecostals argue the point that miraculous gifts such as healing, tongues, prophecy and exorcisim are promised to Christians. Pentecostalism relies heavily upon three passages for its position: Mark 16:9-20, in which Jesus is described as saying ‘signs will accompany those who believe;’ James 5:14-16 in which James states, 'Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church... And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well;' and 1 Corinthians 14:1 that instructs Christians, 'eagerly desire spiritual gifts' within the context of the miraculous (1 Cor 12:8-10). However a careful reading of each of these passages disqualifies them as a basis for an expectation of the miraculous activity of God within the church. But that's for the next article.

More on this topic

The miraculous gifts: The Pentecostal basis

Gifts of the Spirit: What Pentecostals believe

The gift of tongues: What the Scriptures describe

talkingpentecostalism.blogspot.com | joe towns: christian discussion on pentecost, charisma, pentecostal and charismatic beliefs, the Bible and Jesus; including the origin and history of pentecostalism, baptism in the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, gifts and miracles, divine healing and word of faith, prosperity and wealth, praise and worship, guidance and hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit.

Gifts of the Holy Spirit: What Pentecostals believe

Pentecostalism began with a belief that in its origin God was restoring New Testament Christianity by bringing a discovery and recovery of the ‘sign’ gifts to the Church, including tongues, interpretation, miracles, healing and prophecy.

In the nineteenth century, those in the Holiness movement assumed that speaking in tongues had ended with the close of the Early Church period but that the other gifts such as healing and miracles should still be available to Christians. However, by the turn of the nineteenth century, a widespread desire for the gift of tongues had also emerged. This was coupled with the already existent desire for a restoration of the ‘full gospel’ [1] involving Spirit-baptism as a post-conversion experience of empowerment that enabled the exercise of these sign gifts.

The Holiness movement revivals that occurred at the beginning of the twentieth century that gave birth to Pentecostalism involved miracles, healing, tongues-speaking, prophecy and discernment gifts. The expectancy of a restoration of the miraculous gifts to the Church as a mark of the end of the Church age lead early Pentecostals to interpret these events surrounding their origin as this end-time restoration of the ‘Apostolic faith’ in preparation for Christ's return.

Pentecostal churches today continue to place central importance on miraculous and prophetic gifts in the life of the church. All spiritual gifts of the New Testament period are expected to be in use within healthy churches as God’s provision for his body. Such spiritual gifts are seen as an essential part of God’s working within his Church. They are not only to be desired but actively sought.

More on this topic

Where did Pentecostalism come from? (The Holiness Movement)

Why did Pentecostalism begin?

How did early Pentecostals view themselves?

- -

[1] The ‘full gospel’ or ‘fourfold gospel’ is summarized as ‘Christ as Savior, Baptizer, Healer, and Coming King.’ (A. B. Simpson).

talkingpentecostalism.blogspot.com | joe towns: christian discussion on pentecost, charisma, pentecostal and charismatic beliefs, the Bible and Jesus; including the origin and history of pentecostalism, baptism in the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, gifts and miracles, divine healing and word of faith, prosperity and wealth, praise and worship, guidance and hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit.

The day of Pentecost: Part III - The meaning

The meaning of Pentecost

The signs of the times are all around us. The events of the gospel recorded in the pages of Scripture are similarly riddled with signs that indicate the changing time in which these saving events occurred. A pilgrim through Jerusalem in the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry may have heard testimony about the miracles he’d performed; they may have heard accounts of his resurrection from the dead; they may even have been present on the day of Pentecost and heard the sound like the blowing of a violent wind and seen the tongues of fire that came to rest on people who began declaring the great acts of God in any one of fifteen languages.

But the signs given by Jesus in this amazing time were not understood. On the day of Pentecost the crowd who saw and heard evidence of the Spirit’s outpouring asked one another, “What does this mean?” (Acts 2:12) And so the Apostle Peter addressed the crowd, “let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say.” (Acts 2:14) In light of the modern confusion over the events of Pentecost, we cannot do better than to give all of our attention to a careful reading of the apostolic explanation of the true meaning of Pentecost.

The miracles

Peter’s Pentecost explanation began with the last days, before which God had said, “I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below… before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord.” (Acts 2:17-21) To the surprise of his listeners Peter declared “Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him...” (Acts 2:22) God had already signaled the arrival of the day of the Lord with the miracles, wonders and signs performed by Jesus.

The resurrection

The miracles of Jesus were just the prelude. To the already amazed crowd Peter then dropped a bomb with his announcement of the Resurrection. The news would have come as a great shock: one whom they had crucified was the one whom God had raised from the dead (Acts 2:22-24), about which their hero King David had said in Psalm 16, “God will not let his Holy One see decay” (Acts 2:27). Peter’s point was clear: God’s Christ is this Jesus of Nazareth (Acts 2:30-32).

The outpouring of the Spirit

But the resurrection of Jesus was only the beginning: Peter claimed that what they had witnessed only moments earlier was evidence of Jesus’ activity from heaven: “Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.” (Acts 2:33) The tongues of fire they saw and the tongues-speaking they heard were not only evidence of the reception of God's Spirit but also a demonstration that Jesus is the Lord God himself. God had said through Joel, “I will pour out my Spirit.” (Acts 2:17) The fact that Jesus is he who gives God’s Spirit is therefore a demonstration of his divinity. David also spoke prophetically in Psalm 110 about the ascension of one of his descendents, whom he thus referred to as ‘Lord’ (Acts 2:34): “'The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand...” The Lord God had made a promise to place one of King David’s sons at his own right hand and bring all of his enemies under his judgment (Acts 2:35). The Spirit’s outpouring at the hands of Jesus is therefore a demonstration of his position as this son of David in heaven under whom God’s judgment will fall.

The time to repent

The crowd understood Peter’s point perfectly: Jesus’ resurrection showed him to the Christ and his giving of the Spirit showed him to the Lord God himself. (Acts 2:36) And this is the very one whom not many days ago they had hung upon a cross. “They were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"” (Acts 2:37) What possibly could those who had crucified the Lord Christ himself do?

The good news that began on the day of Pentecost is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: “...everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved' (Acts 2:21). Still, it took the Apostle Peter to reveal the true application of these words that had for so long been a mystery. Now, in these final days, everyone who calls on Jesus Christ as Lord will be saved. It is on his name that people must call; it is in his name that everyone may be saved. (Acts 2:38)

Peter’s statement in Acts 2:38-39 is complete: Salvation is forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Spirit and is promised for all whom Jesus the Lord God will call; that is, baptism in the Spirit is related to the forgiveness of sins: it is Christ’s new covenant work of washing with the Spirit all who turn to him as Lord. And this gift is promised for all of God’s people; just as Christ’s death was for our sins and his resurrection for our justification, his ascension was so that he might pour out God’s Spirit on all who seek forgiveness in his name.

The Apostle Paul’s words about the gift of the Holy Spirit similarly shows that salvation in the new covenant marries together cleansing from sin and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit: “He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior.” (Titus 3:5-6)

The only right response to the events of Pentecost is repentance for the forgiveness of sins in Jesus’ name because the revelation of Jesus as Lord and Christ is the true meaning of the day of Pentecost. Whatever one might think about the events of the day of Pentecost and the meaning of Joel’s famous prophecy, a true reading of Acts 2 falls into line behind the Apostle Peter’s own explanation in terms of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

More on this topic

Baptism in the Spirit: The Apostles' experience

Baptism in the Spirit: What the Scriptures say

Baptism in the Spirit: The examples in Acts - Part II

talkingpentecostalism.blogspot.com | joe towns: christian discussion on Pentecost Sunday, charisma, pentecostal and charismatic beliefs, the Bible and Jesus; including the origin and history of pentecostalism, baptism in the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, gifts and miracles, divine healing and word of faith, prosperity and wealth, praise and worship, guidance and hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit.

The day of Pentecost: Part II - The Promise

The Promise of Pentecost

They had come to Jerusalem from all over the world. And when the sound of a group of Jews speaking each of their native languages reached their ears they were perplexed and bewildered. To their amazement they heard a declaration of the great works of God; what they couldn’t understand was how this group of Hebrew speaking Jews spoke their foreign languages – Parthian, Egyptian, Italian, Arabian. It took them an Apostle of Jesus to explain it to them: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say.” (Acts 2:14, NIV) So began the Apostle Peter’s address to the crowd of utterly amazed on-listeners on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2).

What was spoken

To the confused crowd, Peter quoted the prophet Joel at length (Joel 2:28-32; Acts 2:17-21): “…this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel” (Acts 2:16). Joel had spoken of a time at the end of the world when the day of the Lord would come – the great and dreadful day of God’s judgment (Joel 2:11). After judgment, God would pour his Spirit onto all types of people (Joel 2:28-29; Acts 2:17-18). There would be wonders in heaven and signs on earth before the arrival of this day to signal its coming (Joel 2:30-31; Acts 2:19-20) and there would be salvation for anyone who called on the Lord by name (Joel 2:32; Acts 2:21). It was to the shock of Peter’s audience that, following this quotation, he reminded them that God had recently given signs on earth through the man Jesus of Nazareth (Acts 2:22). Even more, a shock would have been his case that Jesus was the one who had just now poured out God’s Spirit and given from heaven the signs that they had just witnessed (Acts 2:33). They were cut to the heart by his point: This Jesus, whom they had crucified, was the Lord, now raised up into heaven itself – Jesus is the name in whom salvation is now given (Acts 2:38).

Before talking in detail about Peter’s explanation of Joel’s prophecy (beginning in v. 22), notice what the prophet had promised about the Spirit:

“'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'” (Acts 2:17-21, NIV)
A new time

Peter announced that the time Joel described has now arrived: that is, the day of the Lord has arrived; in Peter’s words, these are “the last days.” This time is characterised by God’s pouring out of His Spirit on all; that is, the Spirit is no longer reserved for certain ones within God’s people who have special tasks, such as judges, kings and prophets. Now God's Spirit is given to all of God's people (the young and the old; women as well as men; slave and free).

A new revelation

Joel also indicated that the result of God’s outpouring of this Spirit would be the prophecy, visions and dreams of all (Acts 2:17-18). Twice Peter emphasized, “They will prophesy.” The reception of visions and dreams was the usual way God revealed Himself in the Old Testament: “When a prophet of the LORD is among you, I reveal myself to him in visions, I speak to him in dreams” (Numbers 12:6). However such revelation in the past had only come to certain ones, particularly prophets. In promising visions and dreams, Joel predicted a new stage in salvation history when there would be a new revelation from God. Peter’s explanation of Joel’s prediction (beginning in Acts 2:22) sees these words as applying to God’s new revelation of Jesus as both Lord and Christ.

A new prophecy

In promising prophecy, Joel also described the last days as a time when every one of God's people would declare this new revelation from God; sons and daughters, young men and old, even servants will be the prophets of this new revelation from God. Pentecostalism is not wrong in wanting to see evidence for the reception of the Spirit in God’s people. Here in this prediction of Joel quoted on the day of Pentecost by the Apostle Peter, the result of the reception of God’s Spirit is prophecy. The speech in the tongues of the various nations gathered in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost was the beginning of such prophecy: “we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” (Acts 2:11, ESV). The last days began with a simultaneous declaration of the gospel to representatives from ‘every nation under heaven.’

A new series of signs

Before the arrival of the day of the Lord, Joel predicted that God would show a new series of signs and wonders. The Exodus is an example of a new stage in salvation history when God displayed signs and wonders (the 10 plagues) before the arrival of his great acts of judgment on Pharaoh in Egypt and his salvation through Moses for Israel. Joel predicted God would in cosmic proportions signal the coming of the Lord’s great and dreadful day of judgment and salvation with wonders in heaven and signs on earth. This news must have left Peter’s audience anxious, to say the least: For if as Peter indicated Joel’s words about the Spirit’s outpouring described the events of the day of Pentecost, what and when were the signs and wonders that were to precede it and what of God’s impending judgment? Again, Peter’s explanation of Joel’s prediction (beginning in Acts 2:22) sees these words as applying to the signs and wonders that God did through Jesus.

A new name

The final point in Peter’s quotation of Joel is a pointy application concerning the means of salvation for those who seek to escape God’s judgment in the day of the Lord that is now upon us. Once again, Peter’s message comes as a shock: In these last days when God’s time of judging the whole world has begun, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved; that is, it will be possible for anyone who knows the Lord by name to be saved, but anyone who does not know the name of the Lord, or calls on the wrong name will not escape God’s judgment. Peter begins at this very point (Joel 2:32; Acts 2:21) to apply Joel’s words to the events of the gospel in order to reveal the new name under heaven by which people must be saved: The Lord Jesus Christ.

In part III of this article, we’ll talk in detail about Peter’s explanation of Joel’s prophecy and the events of the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:22-38).

More on this topic

The day of Pentecost: Part III - The meaning

Baptism in the Spirit: The Apostles' experience

Baptism in the Spirit: The examples in Acts – Part I

talkingpentecostalism.blogspot.com | joe towns: christian discussion on Pentecost Sunday, charisma, pentecostal and charismatic beliefs, the Bible and Jesus; including the origin and history of pentecostalism, baptism in the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, gifts and miracles, divine healing and word of faith, prosperity and wealth, praise and worship, guidance and hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit.

The Day of Pentecost: Part I - The Event

The Event of Pentecost

Jews from fifteen different nations came together in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost, each speaking with their own language. Then, when a group among them began declaring God’s mighty works in these fifteen languages, a crowd developed of amazed and confused listeners. What the group were saying the crowd could understand well enough; what they couldn’t understand was why they could understand them. (Acts 2:5-12)

Jesus promised to send God’s Spirit (Acts 1:4-5) before being taken up into heaven (Acts 1:11), commanding his followers to stay in Jerusalem until they had received him. When on the day of Pentecost the 120 followers were all filled with the Holy Spirit three signs were given from heaven to demonstrate beyond any doubt their reception of Jesus’ baptism with the Spirit (Acts 2:2-4): wind signifying the creative work of the Spirit, as it had done at the creation of the world; fire signifying the saving work of God, as it had done at Mount Sinai; and the Spirit enabled declaration of God’s wonders in the languages (tongues) of the nations of the world.

What did the sign of tongues show? What is the significance of the Spirit enabled utterances of the first Christians? This is the first part of an article in which we'll talk about the Pentecost Sermon, where the Apostle Peter answers this very question.

Confusion over Pentecost

With the proliferation of the worldwide Pentecostal movement in the last few decades, this chapter in the New Testament, Acts 2, has become the most misunderstood passage in the Bible within 21st century Christianity. It's not hard to understand why; the events described in Acts 2 were met with misunderstanding when they occurred. In fact, Acts 2 is a record of the Apostle Peter’s explanation of the events of that day because of the ignorance that surrounded him: “Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?"” (Acts 2:12) And so Peter stood to answer this very question: “let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say” (Acts 2:14).

Old Testament Prophecy: Promises of the Spirit

Peter began his explanation by quoting the Old Testament prophet Joel (Acts 2:17-21). His claim was that the events of the day were what Joel had prophesied about (v. 16). Naturally he follows his quotation with his own explanation of the events in terms of Joel’s prophecy. He doesn’t give Joel’s prophecy as the answer; he gives a gospel sermon that explains the Old Testament prophecy as the answer. His sermon in Acts 2:22-36 is a declaration of the meaning of what the crowd had just witnessed, for he says about Jesus in Acts 2:33, “he has poured out what you now see and hear.” His sermon was not an evangelistic add-on: His sermon is the apostolic interpretation of the events of Pentecost; it is God’s own version of events; it is the Spirit himself speaking about what his own activity signifies.

The only way to understand the Spirit

Even though this was a genuine work of the Spirit, it could not simply be understood by observing it, or even experiencing it. The only way to interpret it correctly was to listen to the apostolic explanation of the OT prophetic expectation. Peter’s sermon in Acts 2:22-36 demonstrates the fact that the events of Pentecost can only be understood with a New Testament comprehension of the promises of the Old Testament prophets, such as Joel. Much to their suprise, Peter explained that Pentecost was not primarily about the Spirit, but about Jesus of Nazareth, whom they crucified: "Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear." (Acts 2:33).

In Part 2 of this article we'll be talking about Peter's explanation of Joel's prophecy and the events of his day. (Acts 2:14-32)

More on this topic

The day of Pentecost: Part II - The Promise

Baptism in the Spirit: The Apostles' experience

The day of Pentecost: Part III - The meaning

talkingpentecostalism.blogspot.com | joe towns: christian discussion on Pentecost Sunday, charisma, pentecostal and charismatic beliefs, the Bible and Jesus; including the origin and history of pentecostalism, baptism in the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, gifts and miracles, divine healing and word of faith, prosperity and wealth, praise and worship, guidance and hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit.

The Purpose Driven Life - Part II: A Corrective

What is the centre of the Christian life? What gives us purpose and drive? What message do we have to share with the world around us? These are some of the questions that Rick Warren's incredibly popular The Purpose-Driven Life sets out to answer.

In Part I of this article I reviewed The Purpose-Driven Life and concluded that because Warren identifies our basic need as meaninglessness, his gospel offers at its core the knowledge of God's plans and purposes. The problem with this is that it does not go far enough. Our basic problem, according to God's word is rebellion against God and so our greatest need is forgiveness and transformation, not just information. The failure of The Purpose-Driven Life is that it doesn't recognise that the gospel of Jesus' work of salvation is at the centre of God's purposes for the world.

Part II of this article aims to provide a corrective. I want to convince you that the Christian life should be gospel-driven, because the gospel alone can and should control the Christian life. In order to do this I want to ask two important questions.

A QUESTION OF POWER

What is it that enables a Christian to live as a Christian? It's a question of power. By insisting that the Christian life must be 'purpose-driven', Rick Warren assumes that living according to a set of purposes (derived from Scripture) will give power to drive the Christian life. However simply knowing certain rules and living a certain way will not empower Christians. For God's power is not located within us, as if it depended upon ourselves.

From the very beginning God's purposes were accomplished by his powerful word. Throughout the Bible there is a strong relationship between the purposes of God and the word of God that accomplishes it. A classic example is found in Isaiah 55:11:

"...So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."
In the New Testament the same active power attributed to the word of God in the Old Testament is applied to the gospel itself. (Acts 20:32; Rom 1:16; 1Cor 1:18; Col 1:5-6; 1Thes 2:13; Heb 4:6,12; Jas 1:18; 1Pet 1:23). The gospel is living and active by judging the thoughts and attitudes of its hearers. It bears fruit and grows all over the world by powerfully saving unbelievers. And for Christians who are being saved it continues to be the power of God by working in them to building them up and give them an inheritance. So it is actually the word of God in the gospel that enables our participation in the purposes of God. It is the gospel that drives the Christian life, because it alone can.

If Christians try to just run 'purpose-driven' lives, in the sense Warren uses 'purpose', they will inevitably bind themselves up in a powerless straight-jacket and rob themselves of the enabling influence of the Spirit. Without depending solely on the power of God in the gospel, 'purposefulness' will ultimately degrade into 'sinfulness'. For the purpose of every human heart is only sinful all of the time. Only the gospel can drive the Christian life, because it alone is God's power over human sin.

A QUESTION OF CONTROL

There is a second question needing to be raised: What controls the Christian life? If the gospel contains the 'driving-power' behind the Christian life, what turns the 'driving-wheel' in the Christian life? According to Rick Warren there is nothing more fundamental that ought to control you than 'God's purposes for your life' (p. 30).

It is definitely right to teach that Christian activity should be guided, controlled, and directed. But should it be by a list of purposes? One immediate problem with conformity like this is that it tilts the focus towards thinking in terms of 'what' we do. But it's just as important to consider 'how' we do it - even more so is 'why' we do it. The question is what should be controlling how and why we do what we do as Christians.

When Warren uses the word 'purposes', he seems to use it in a very narrow sense. He appears to mean God's end-point goals for our individual lives. This definition is far too narrow. God's purposes for us include his purposes for all things. We cannot talk about his will for our lives individually without referring to his plans to glorify himself in Christ.

It's not 'God's purposes for us' that ought to control Christians. For this is little different to being driven by God's law - which was the expression of his desires for Israel. This is why The Purpose-Driven Life is inescapably emphasising a works-driven lifestyle. But it was God's mercy in saving Israel that was to motivate them to keep God's law (Ex 20:2). Similarly, the New Testament emphasises that the gospel itself should be the controlling agent in our lives. Christian are to:

* Walk worthily of the calling we've received in the gospel (Eph 4:1) * Walk in love just as Christ loved us in the gospel (5:1-2)
* Walk as children of the light because the gospel has taken us from darkness to light (Eph 5:8)
* Work out the salvation we have in the gospel (Php 2:12-13)
* Live up to what we've already obtained in the gospel (Php 3:16)
* Walk with Christ Jesus as Lord, just as we received him as Lord (Col 2:6-7)
We always fix our eyes on God's purposes for all things as we live our lives. We cannot simply focus on a narrow list of God's end-point goals for our lives individually. The gospel must drive our worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry and evangelism. If not, it will be all the more likely that someone modeling the purpose-driven life may not even be a Christian! They may be actively involved in 'worship services', attending the 'fellowship', participating in the 'discipleship program', using their gifts in a church 'ministry', and even enthusiastically 'evangelising' others with their story, and yet the gospel may never have taken root below their externals, bringing them to genuine repentance and faith from the heart. That's why only the gospel should drive the Christian life.

THE GOSPEL-DRIVEN LIFE

In answering the question, "What on earth am I hear for?", to a secular audience as well as Christian, The Purpose-Driven Life uses over 1,200 scriptural quotes and references. Yet it fails to even begin outlining the gospel revealed by these Scriptures. Jesus' words to the Jews comes to mind: "You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me..." (John 5:39). How is it that a 300-plus page book on the subject of 'God's purpose' forgets to explain God's "eternal purpose which he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Eph 3:11)? Could it be that the writting of this book was not gospel-driven?

This book certainly has some good things to teach us. Some of its challenge comes directly within its broader message. But the big lesson to be learnt from The Purpose-Driven Life is indirect. The moral of this story is that anything that displaces the primacy of the gospel in the Christian life is actually sub-Christian. This includes the notion of 'purpose' if it has been separated from its real meaning in the Christian life, which is the gospel of salvation from sin.

The book begins with a challenge to enter a covenant, committing to a 40-day spiritual journey of discovery. Compacts such as this are appealing to those looking for relatively quick and easy change, because they inadvertantly promise greater power: the power of new commitment; of new wisdom; of new experiences. But they fail to realise that the 'pact' of faith in Christ is the only covenant that promises any real life-transforming power. There is nothing new about it. The danger of any gimmick (and the modern Christian world is full of them) is that they take Christians away from the age old power of the gospel of Christ crucified.

CONCLUSION

It should always be clear that the gospel alone provides what is essential for sinful humanity: God's power for salvation. We should never fudge over this, because the whole Christian life is gospel-driven. Christians are still being saved by God and it's the gospel that is doing it. It alone enables us to live for God's glory. It directs us, controlling how and why we do live for God's glory, as well as the activities that this involves. So the Christian life really should be purpose-driven in the truest sense of that word, not at all meaning that we are driven by God's purposes for our own lives, but rather by God's purpose for himself as revealed in the gospel, in which we have been included.

More on this topic

The Purpose Driven Life - Part I: A Review

talkingpentecostalism.blogspot.com | joe towns: christian discussion on pentecost, charisma, pentecostal and charismatic beliefs, the Bible and Jesus; including the origin and history of pentecostalism, baptism in the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, gifts and miracles, divine healing and word of faith, prosperity and wealth, praise and worship, guidance and hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit.

The Purpose Driven Life - Part I: A Review

The Purpose-Driven Life (Rick Warren, 2002) has become a phenomenonally popular book in recent times. Heading the blurb is an endorsement by Billy and Franklin Graham: "Read this book!" - and plenty have. Over 20 million copies were sold in less than 3 years - that's more than the The Da Vinci Code. Pastors all over the globe are giving the book their unreserved recommendations. The book is even creating a movement of its own. A quick brouse of www.purposedrivenlife.com, and you may find yourself ordering The Purpose-Driven Life Video Curriculum, or any number of other resources to help you during your 40 Days of Purpose. And its appeal has gone beyond the Christian scene. It rose to become #1 New York Times Bestseller. What are we to make of The Purpose Driven Life?

A LIFE DRIVEN BY PURPOSE

In Rick Warren's own words, "This is more than a book; it is a guide to a 40-day spiritual journey that will enable you to discover...God's purpose for your life".The promise is to know the answer to life's most important question, "What on earth am I here for?" And knowing this will "reduce your stress, focus your energy, simplify your decisions, give meaning to your life, and most important, prepare you for eternity" (p. 9).

The central emphasis of the book is that the Christian life should be purpose-driven. By purpose Warren means God's purposes for your life, as he has defined them. By driven he means "guided, controlled and directed" (p. 30). In specifics, 'purpose-driven' life is one guided, controlled and directed by worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry and evangelism (p. 55-57).

The Purpose-Driven Life contains a lot of darn good calls. The clear way that Warren appeals to Christians to devote themselves wholeheartedly to the purpose of glorifying God is very challenging. In this regard the book is spot on. Purpose is the right place to start, and the purpose of glorifying God is the right point to arrive at. However, the book contains at least two significant problems.

THE PROBLEM OF PURPOSE

The first problem with The Purpose Driven Life is that its central message is not that of Scripture. This becomes clear when people are invited to become Christians at the end of the first section:

"First, believe. Believe God loves you and made you for his purposes. Believe you're not an accident. Believe you were made to last forever. Believe God has chosen you to have a relationship with Jesus, who died on the cross for you. Believe that no matter what you've done, God wants to forgive you." (p. 58)
These brief mentions are the first we've heard of Jesus' death. Sin has certainly not been explained adequately and judgement has certainly not been explained. And this is as close as the book takes us. Notice the repetition of the word 'you' in this formula. Notice also that Jesus' death is mentioned in passing only as a way of identifying who he is. Notice the use of the word 'believe' to mean giving assent to a list of facts about us and what God wants for us, rather than placing our trust in God and his mercy. Warren has not brought us to God's revelation of himself in the gospel, instead, he has brought us straight to ourselves and our lives. The purpose-driven gospel is not primarily concerned about God and what he has done for himself. Yet, as we'll see, it is only when we focus on God's goals for his own glory that we can really understand our own lives properly.

As a result, the book leaves us with a gospel that is trying to fix the problem of ignorance. This comes through in the book's essentials list for Christians. The central cry is that the absolute driving force in anyone's life should be the purposes of God for our lives, as it outlines them:

"Nothing matters more than knowing God's purposes for your life, and nothing can compensate for not knowing them...The greatest tragedy is not death, but life without purpose." (p. 30)
Since human ignorance is assumed to be the problem, it is not surprising that knowledge is puported as the solution. That's why, after outlining 'God's five purposes for your life', Warren thinks you're ready to be converted. But our problem is not a lack of purpose, but having the wrong purpose. It's what the Bible calls 'sin': willfully glorifying ourselves rather than God. Since the fall of mankind, the solution for humanity has never been mere information but salvation; people need rescue.

THE GOSPEL OF GOD'S PURPOSE

The second problem with The Purpose-Driven Life follows from the first: the central message of Scripture has been omitted. Jesus makes it explicit that the central message of the Bible it is the gospel about himself:

"'Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?' And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, [Jesus] explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself." (Luke 24:25-27)
Once again, the Apostle Paul, wanting to remind the Corinthians of the gospel he preached to them, summarised it this way:

"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared..." (1 Corinthians 15:3-5)
This shows that the gospel does involve a list - but it's not the five things God wants for your life. Rather it's the past events concerning Christ and what they mean. As well being history, the gospel is God's explanation of history. The gospel is a declaration that Christ's death was for our sins. It necessitates an explanation of sins and of Christ's death as substitution.

According to Rick Warren,

"Jesus modeled a purpose-driven life, and taught others how to live it, too. That was the 'work' that brought glory to God. Today God calls each of us to the same work." (p. 310)
That's what Jesus must be on about if you believe that "life without purpose" is the heart of the problem that Jesus fixed. But the heart of the gospel is not Jesus' 'life modeled to us', but his 'death offered for us'. It's sad that RickWarren can write with confidence, "Welcome to the family of God!" (p. 59), to a worldwide audience who have read nothing of Christ's death for their sins.

There is another aspect to Paul's gospel in 1 Corinthians 15:3-5 worth picking up on: Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures...he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. The gospel involves an explanation that the Scriptures are fulfilled in Jesus' death and resurrection. That is, they happened according to the eternal purpose of God.

Warren's view of the purposes of God is too narrow. For if by God's 'purposes' we mean, as Warren does, God's end-goal for our lives then we need to look behind good things such as worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry and evangelism. The reality is that God's glory shown in the gospel of salvation is the great overall purpose of God. And this is not different to his purposes for our lives. That is the remarkable thing: God's purposes for us are to be found within his gospel purpose for himself from all eternity.

In part 2 of this article, we will go on to explore how the gospel actually can and should drive, control and dictate our lives, for God's glory.

More on this topic

The Purpose Driven Life - Part II: A Corrective

talkingpentecostalism.blogspot.com | joe towns: christian discussion on pentecost, charisma, pentecostal and charismatic beliefs, the Bible and Jesus; including the origin and history of pentecostalism, baptism in the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, gifts and miracles, divine healing and word of faith, prosperity and wealth, praise and worship, guidance and hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit.

Filled with the Spirit: Experiencing the Spirit

What do Pentecostals believe about being ‘filled with the Spirit?’ What do the Scriptures say about it and what do they mean?

Pentecostal experiences

Pentecostalism teaches not only a singular initial experience of baptism in the Spirit for Christians after conversion, but also the need for multiple experiences of ‘filling’ after Spirit-baptism. Pentecostals emphasize the need for continual experiences of the Spirit based upon Ephesians 5:18 where the Apostle Paul gives the command: “be filled with the Spirit.”

Luke’s reference to Jesus’ statement that God is ready to “give the Holy Spirit” to those who ask him (Luke 11:13) is also used in support of this emphasis. The central message in Pentecostalism is the importance of personal experiences for Christians because of a continual need for the reception of ‘more’ of the Spirit.

What the Scriptures say

Although there are references in the narratives of Acts to individuals and groups of people who were “filled with the Spirit”, some of these refer to Spirit-baptism (such as Acts 2:4; 9:17) – that is, people receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit – and others refer to those who, after receiving the gift of the Spirit are described as being ‘filled’ or ‘full’ of the Spirit (Acts 4:8, 31; 6:5; 7:55). The term can clearly be used generically to describe baptism with the Spirit or the Spirit’s ongoing work in Christians.

Ephesians 5:18 is the only verse in the New Testament that gives direct instruction to Christians about being filled with the Spirit and it describes the Spirit’s ongoing work in Christians. It is in fact a command given by Paul to Christians in the church in Ephesus: “be filled with the Spirit.” What does it mean? Is this a solid basis for the Pentecostal emphasis on spiritual experiences and the need for Christians to have ‘more’ of the Holy Spirit?

Ephesians 5:18 in context

The passage of which Ephesians 5:18 is a part gives a clear picture of what it means to be 'filled with the Spirit':

Ephesians (ESV) 5:15: "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. 22 Wives, submit to your own husbands… 25 Husbands, love your wives… 6:1 Children, obey your parents…4 Fathers, do not provoke your children… 5 Slaves, obey your earthly masters… 10 Finally, be strong in the Lord…"


No full stop

There is no full stop at the end of Ephesians 5:18. Verse 18 is the beginning of one very long paragraph in the Greek describing what it means to be filled with the Spirit. Unlike drunkenness, which is foolishness and leads to debauchery, being 'filled' with the Spirit is understanding the Lord’s will and leads to addressing one another, singing to the Lord, giving thanks in everything and submitting to one another.

Not an experience, but a relationship

Ephesians 5:18 does not imply Christians need regular experiences in order to ‘top up’ or ‘refill’ with the Spirit. The context of this verse does not imply that spiritual experiences are in view at all. What Ephesians 5:18-6:9 does collectively indicate is that being “filled with the Spirit” – unlike drunkenness, which leads to sensual indulgence – leads to godliness: speaking to one another God’s word; singing praises to the Lord; heartfelt thanksgiving to him in trials; submitting to husbands; loving wives; obeying parents and legal authorities.

Clearly the language of 'filling' is used because of the contrast with alcohol. However 'experiences' are events, and what is described here is a continual process. And the agent is not an inanimate element such as liquid, but a person. What is in view here is the active involvement of the person of the Spirit; that is, if this is an 'experience', it is relational. Of course, we all experience one another in some sense when we relate. If somebody is particularly influencial in my life, then it is true that my behaviour changes because I experience that person's persuasion, or temptation, or whatever else causes me to do the things I am led to do when I am with them.

But Pentecostals emphasis ecstatic, momentary spiritual experiences as singular (though repeating) events. But a Christian 'under the influence' behaves like one 'full' of Spirit-likeness, precisely because the person of the Holy Spirit is a powerful influence upon their behaviour to lead them away from sin to live like Christ Jesus.


Walk by the Spirit; Be led by the Spirit

It is much like 'walking' ('living' in the NIV) and being 'led' by the Spirit. The passages in which these terms occur also show that spiritual experiences are not what is in view. This language also refers to the 'controlling' influence of the Spirit in the context of our conflict with the influence of sin.
Galatians 5:16-26: "live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature... the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control....Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires."
Romans 8:5-14: "For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God."
To be 'led' by the Spirit, like being 'filled' with the Spirit, is to (through faith) be influenced by God to live in the new way of the spiritual nature, not in the old way of the sinful nature.

Be filled with the Word

Ephesians 5:18-6:9 should also be read in comparison to Colossians 3:16-4:1. When writing to the Colossians at the same time as Ephesians, Paul preceded the same commands to both with similar but different exhortations: in his letter to the Ephesians he says, “be filled with the Spirit”; in his letter to the Colossians he says “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly”. He interchanges his command, “be filled with the Spirit” with an analogous command: “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.” For God’s word is God breathed – the Scripture is the word of his Spirit.

“The Holy Spirit to those who ask”

Similarly, Pentecostalism misunderstands the meaning of Luke 11:13; “how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him”. One cannot literally have more of the person of the Spirit, for he is One; yet this verse is used to gain support for the idea that God will give the Spirit to Christians who are in Christ already because they have been given his Holy Spirit.

Luke 11:13 does not contain the idea of Christians receiving ‘more’ of the Spirit. Christ is recorded here speaking before the day of Pentecost and his words look forward to his gift of the Holy Spirit (his ‘baptism with the Spirit’), first given in Acts 2. At this time no one yet had received his Spirit in this way (John 7:39); Jesus was teaching that God will be good in giving his Spirit after Jesus' resurrection to those who asked him. In other words, there is no one to whom God will give judgement when they ask the Father for the gift of his Spirit unto salvation. This understanding of Luke 11:13 is consistent with the vital truth that the Holy Spirit is a person. The Spirit is not a ‘power’ or a ‘force’; it is impossible to have more of him because he is the third undivided Person of the Godhead.

The true experience of the Spirit

Christians do experience the Spirit in their lives. While not the reception of ‘more of the Spirit,’ what Ephesians 5:18 shows is that being filled with the Spirit is (to use a cliché) the experience of the Spirit taking more control of Christians. Of course, Christians do need to have an ever increasing amount of the Spirit’s influence and active control in their lives. Those full of the Spirit are those full of wisdom, full of the word of Christ, full of an understanding of what the Lord's will is, who walk under the influence of the Spirit (not alcohol) so that they live holy and godly lives in all of their relationships.

More on this topic

The Day of Pentecost: Part I - The Event

The day of Pentecost: Part II - The Promise

The day of Pentecost: Part III - The meaning

talkingpentecostalism.blogspot.com | joe towns: christian discussion on pentecost, charisma, pentecostal and charismatic beliefs, the Bible and Jesus; including the origin and history of pentecostalism, baptism in the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, gifts and miracles, divine healing and word of faith, prosperity and wealth, praise and worship, guidance and hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit.

Speaking in tongues: Why tongues were given

Why were tongues given? Why did God's Spirit, in all his sovereignty, enable his first recipients to speak these strange languages? This is the right question to be asking because it's one that the Scriptures answer.

The Spirit's demonstration

"God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us." (Acts 15:8)

Luke, the author of Acts, explains the purpose of tongues within his narrative. In Acts 15:8, within the context of the conversion of Cornelius' Gentile relatives and friends (Acts 10-11), Peter addresses believers who belonged to the party of the Pharisees. They were insisting that "the Gentiles must be circumcised and required to obey the law of Moses" (Acts 15:5). They were shocked by Peter's acceptance of the Gentiles. In the Samaritan case (Acts 8), Phillip’s activity would similarly have caused tension.

Peter's explanation to the Jewish Christians who had criticized him was simple: "the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning...if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could oppose God?" (Acts 11:15-18). Sometime later, when the matter came up again in Jerusalem, he argues similarly: "God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us". (Acts 15:8)

Peter replies to this situation by explaining the function of 'tongues' in the spread of the gospel. He says that the Spirit showed (that is, 'demonstrated') his acceptance of Gentiles by providing the outward sign of speaking in tongues (Acts 10:44-46): the Holy Spirit came on them "as he had come on us"; he gave them the Holy Spirit, "just as he did to us." That is, God showed he had given his Spirit to these groups of half-Jews and Gentiles by giving them 'tongues' – the same sign given to the Jews.

It was not immediately clear to the Jewish Christians that God did accept Samaritans, much less Gentiles. But God gave the Gentiles the same sign he had given the first Jewish disciples in the beginning (Acts 2) to show them his acceptance of them. (It had to be the same sign, for otherwise, it would not have conclusively shown that God had accepted them in the same way (by giving his Spirit to them) and upon the same basis (through faith in Jesus alone) as the Jewish believers.)

Therefore, the reception of tongues was the Spirit's demonstration of his own reception of different cultural groups into the Christian community: Jews, Samaritans and Gentiles. In this way, God "showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them" (Acts 15:8).

The Apostles witness

It also seems that God wanted the reception of the Spirit (as evidenced by the sign of tongues) to be witnessed by the Apostles. We often forget how different this time in salvation history is from ours. At this time Christians would have automatically doubted the authenticity of the conversions and the reception of Samaritans into the Church. But to stop the segregation between Jews and Samaritans infiltrating the Church, God provided them with an unmistakable sign. And in this way, God was also fulfilling his plan in a special way of making the Apostles the first-hand eye-witnesses of the gospel's progress from Jerusalem (Acts 2-7), to Judea and Samaria (Acts 8-11:18) – as in this case – and to the ends of the world (Acts 11:19 – 28:31), as foretold by Jesus (Acts 1:8).

Their written accounts

Because of this progressive demonstration as the gospel penetrated across people groups, we now know that any people group, without distinction, who turns to the Lord in faith and repentance, will be be given God's Spirit as God's people. As witnesses, the Apostles recorded these events and their meaning in Scripture, so that by them the Spirit continues to teach this vital lesson to every generation of Christians. Today, new cultural groups who turn to Christ do not require the sign of tongues to prove their reception of God's Spirit, for the Holy Spirit makes clear their acceptance through these narratives in Acts.

The conclusion on Spirit-baptism

Baptism in the Spirit is not a special experience of the Spirit promised for Christians subsequent to their conversion. Tongues are not evidence of its reception. Spirit baptism is given by Christ when he includes individuals into God's people through faith and repentance. The Scriptures maintain that every Christian has received baptism in the Spirit; this is what it means to be Christian. The basis of Christian unity – that all of God's people have an equal status in his Church – relies on the truth that all are given one baptism in one Spirit. Tongues were given as a sign to prove this. When God first gave his Spirit to different people groups he gave them all the same sign of tongues to demonstrate his acceptance of them all in the same way and upon the same basis.

Coming up

We'll be talking more about speaking in tongues (especially the teaching of 1 Corinthians 12-14) in the context of gifts of the Spirit.

More on this topic

The gift of tongues: What the Scriptures describe

The day of Pentecost: Part III - The meaning

Speaking in tongues: The pattern in Acts

talkingpentecostalism.blogspot.com | joe towns: christian discussion on pentecost, charisma, pentecostal and charismatic beliefs, the Bible and Jesus; including the origin and history of pentecostalism, baptism in the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, gifts and miracles, divine healing and word of faith, prosperity and wealth, praise and worship, guidance and hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit.