Bible Question:
A friend of mine from a pentecostal church has suggested to me that believers evidence the gift of tongues upon every single occurence of receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts. Are their occasions in the book of Acts where believers receive the gift of the Holy Spirit without the evidence of tongues? Or is the the evidence of tongues present in the book of Acts during every single occurence of receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit? The intimation is that a believer has not received the gift of the Holy Spirit if there has been no evidence of tongues. |
Bible Answer: Greetings Vnct Blzn! Acts 2:4 mentions the Holy Spirit and tongues occurring at the same time. Acts 4:3 mentions the entire group being filled with the Holy Spirit, but there is no mention of tongues. In Acts 4:31, Paul is filled with the Holy Spirit, but there is no mention of tongues. In Acts 8:14-17, the Holy Spirit is given through the laying on of Peter and John's hands, but there is no mention of tongues. In Acts 10:44-46, the Holy Spirit and tongues are both mentioned. In Acts 19:6, tongues and the Holy Spirit are both mentioned. So, the evidence is fairly evenly split in Acts. However, remember that Acts is a narrative account. One should never base doctrine on a narrative account. There is not a single verse in Scripture that 'teaches' that everyone who receives the Holy Spirit will speak in tongues. Rather, the opposite is true. In a series of questions, requiring a 'no' response, 1 Cor. 12:30 indicates that not everyone will speak in tongues. I hope this helps! Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |