The Baptism of the Holy Spirit
Up to the birth of Christ there had been 400 silent years in Israel since the glory (the manifestation of His presence) of God left the temple. The Messiah had come preaching, teaching and healing to authenticate His message to the unbelieving Jews that He was indeed the Messiah. They rejected Him and slew Him on a cross and He rose again from the dead. Here speaking in tongues (other languages) was a sign to the unbelieving Jew. A sign which authenticated the Messiah’s message and warned of impending judgment.
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues (languages), as the Spirit gave them utterance (Acts 2:4).
The context here is the coming of the Comforter (the Holy Spirit) whom the Lord promised to the church (the body of believers). Keep in mind that the Holy Spirit’s ministry to the OT believer would change in His relationship to NT believers. In the OT He came upon believers to enable them for a specific task. In the NT He would indwell believers and seal them until the Day of Redemption. The change in the Holy Spirit’s ministry was a special event (Pentecost), accompanied by a sign to unbelieving Jews.
Initially the coming of the Comforter was manifested by sound (of a mighty rushing wind), sight (cloven tongues like as of fire), and sign (speaking in tongues). Remember that the definition of tongues is defined in this same passage (Acts 2) as the ability to speak another language without ever having learned it.
Later in Acts, when the first Gentiles were converted to Christ, their receiving of the Holy Spirit was manifested by speaking in tongues as well. This again, was a sign to unbelieving Jews in fulfillment of OT prophecy (Isaiah 11:10). After the initial conversion of Gentiles (Acts 10) and Paul’s instruction to disciples at Ephesus on the Holy Spirit (Acts 19:6), one will be hard pressed to find speaking in tongues in any NT book other than the first letter to the Corinthians who were abusing the gift.
We must remember that Acts is a book of history and transition. It is not an establishment of standard practice in the church.
Concerning the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians; For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have all been made to drink into one Spirit (I Cor. 12:13). The key word here is all. All believers have been baptized into the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit.
Having established that all believers are baptized into the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit, we must ask; do all believers receive the gift of speaking in tongues?
To answer that question we need to go to I Corinthians 12 where Paul is teaching on the spiritual gifts. In verses 4-11 he talks about the diversities of gifts given to believers by the same Spirit. To one is given the word of wisdom, to another the gifts of healing, to another the discerning of spirits, and to another divers kinds of tongues. The point here is that not everyone receives the same gift. Not everyone receives the gift of tongues. There are diversities of gifts.
Later in the same chapter Paul uses the word some. Some describes how many get certain gifts. Some receive diversities of tongues, but not all. In verses 29 & 30 of I Corinthians 12, Paul asks these rhetorical questions; Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? The answer is an understood No!
Since Scripture says that all believers are baptized by the Holy Spirit but not all believers speak in tongues, then speaking in tongues cannot be the manifestation of the baptism of the Holy Spirit in the church today. If speaking in tongues is the baptism of the Holy Spirit then all believers should speak in tongues (languages). The apostle Paul proves that is not the case.
You cannot be a Christian and not have the Holy Spirit. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his (Romans 8:9b). Therefore, all Christians are baptized into the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit upon believing.
To say that one can be a Christian but not have the Holy Spirit, until evidenced by speaking in tongues, is a contradiction of biblical instruction concerning the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and the distribution of spiritual gifts. This teaching is not sound bible doctrine.
…..let the word of Christ dwell in you richly….
Note: If you have not read Speaking in Tongues Part I, you should pull it up for review, because it lays a foundation for Part II. You may find it by going to the top of the left hand column and typing the title into the Search Box.
For a more complete study of this topic please read The Corinthian Catastrophe by George E. Gardner; copyright 1974 by Kregel Publications.
To be Continued…..See Part III