02/15/22 TRUE PENTECOSTAL EXPERIENCE IS A HEART THING, NOT A TONGUES THING

02/15/22 TRUE PENTECOSTAL EXPERIENCE IS A HEART THING, NOT A TONGUES THING

Biblically, the Pentecostal experience is not speaking in a heavenly, angelic, or God language. It is not raising the dead, healing the sick, casting out demons, "having visions," "dreaming dreams," giving prophecies, getting a word from the Lord, receiving new light or apostolic authority.

Yes, there was the sound of a rushing mighty wind that filled the room, and cloven tongues as of fire sat upon each of the 120 gathered and they did speak in other human languages, which were understood by visitors from other countries. It was a miraculous and defining moment in the birth of the Church. And yes, God does sometimes do miracles and mighty works through and for His people. But that is not an evidence, since pagans often have the same kinds of manifestations. God does miracles, but He is not a Miracle Monger or Miracle Merchant.

However, as amazing as these signs were, they were not the promised result of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Throughout the time of God's dealing with and revealing His will to mankind, His promise and His work of salvation were not about these three events. The lasting and continued evidence of His coming, His outpouring, His infilling, and His empowering was the purifying of the heart from all sin, which would conform His children to the image of Jesus and qualify them to be witnesses to the ends of the earth.

I have met folks who lauded their "Pentecostal" experience as the greatest event in their lives, NOT BECAUSE THEIR HEARTS WERE PURIFIED, but because they spoke in an unknown tongue, or because they have spoken in an unknown tongue for many years. 

The Bible does recognize a gift of tongues (not to be confused with the so-called glossolalia so popular today), but it was a human language given as a tool to share the gospel with foreigners. I have met people who divide themselves from other believers because they do not have the so-called evidence of "speaking in tongues." This is ironic for several reasons.

It is ironic because the tongues speakers use it to bring division, though the work of the Holy Spirit is to bring unity; or it brings pride, where the Holy Spirit would bring humility, it brings confusion where the Holy Spirit would bring understanding. It is also ironic because the New Testament clearly teaches that as a gift, speaking in tongues IS NOT FOR EVERY CHRISTIAN, and in fact is AT THE BOTTOM OF THE LIST OF GIFTS.

I have also been told that the great blessing was for that person to "speak in tongues" at the time of their "Baptism," though they have never spoken in that tongue since. HOW SAD for a person to get the fullness of the Holy Spirit but only experience the "evidence" one time. Of course, some folks claim to "speak in tongues" often in church services. Still, what a shame that is so limited in its usefulness, not to mention that they violate Biblical directive when they, "speak in tongues." And How sad that it is considered so important, yet God does not intend it for all of God's children. (Yes, I realize that some folks separate the gift of tongues in Acts 2 with that which is spoken of in 1 Corinthians 12 and 14. But then those people fall back into confusing the two at other points in their testimony.)

However, the purifying of the heart by the Baptism with the Holy Spirit cleanses from all sin, qualifies, enables, and empowers believers for holy living and for holy service.

The confusion concerning the true Pentecostal experience came when some very emotional, and easily misled people claimed that their own speaking in tongues was the Divine plan for all men. This is why I call it Bentecostalism. It is twisted theology that omits Biblical truth and admits human imagination.