Bible Question: A lady that led one bible study that I was in told me that everyone has the ability to speak in tongues, and that if we can't, we should pray to God to give us that gift. She also said that if we could not speak in tongues, it was a sign that we weren't filled with the Holy Spirit. I don't believe that everyone has this gift, and I don't believe that you have to do it to show that you are filled with the Spirit. What are some thoughts on this? |
Bible Answer: The answer for this question is not in the book of Corinthians. It is in the book of Acts where we find the 'historical account' of people being filled with the Holy Ghost and what happened when they received the Spirit. When does a person receive the HS, what happens if anything and is there an outward 'sign'? John 3:8 says that we cannot see the wind but we 'hear the sound thereof - so is EVERYONE that is born of the Spirit'. Consider this verse and then look at the actual historical accounts of people receiving the HS in the book of Acts. Acts chapters 2, 8, 10, 19. Chapter 8 does not tell us exactly what happened, consider the story line. These people believed, were water baptised in the name of Jesus, but they had not yet received the Holy Ghost! This was a separate, distinct experience from belief. When Peter and John came down and prayed for them they received the Holy Ghost. The Simon(the former sorceror) offered them money that he could have that same power. Something supernatural happened that Simon observed. (Note that he never offered Phillip money after he saw healings, miracles, devils cast out.) So what happened? If we make this harmonize with the other examples we know that these also had an outward sign (speaking in tongues). Isn't it strange that most places where they teach that 'speaking in tongues' is a gift, but not for everyone - no one there has that gift. It could be a church of 1500 yet no one speaks in tongues. That's because "these signs shall follow them that 'believe' ... they shall speak with new tongues..." There is a difference between 'speaking in tongues' and the 'gift of tongues'. Which if you read I Cor 14 Paul discusses this(vs.2,4,14.) When a man is speaking in tongues his spirit is praying and he is edified. When a person operates in the gift of tongues it is accompanied by the gift of interpretation by someone as a message for the church. I hope this little bit helps. |