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NASB | Acts 2:38 Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Acts 2:38 And Peter said to them, "Repent [change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways, accept and follow Jesus as the Messiah] and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ because of the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. |
Subject: Tongues mean Holy Spirit? |
Bible Note: Dear WTB, I sense the frustration and perhaps even the feeling of not quite being a full member of the christian community in the tone of your question. I felt like that once, and still do sometimes when fellow believers are unkind or insensitive. I believe that you received the holy spirit when you first asked the Lord into your life. At that time you were fully adopted into his household as a dear brother of Christ. I further believe that after that initial experience (which may be dramatic/sudden or a gradual awakening) then the Lord wants to take us into a deeper experience of himself. Some refer to this as the "baptism of the holy spirit",which is best thought of as a deeper immersion (baptism means to dip or immerse) into the Lord Jesus. I was given the gift of tongues 30 years ago. I do not know whether that means that I have been baptised in the Holy Spirit but what it did do and continues to do is to quieten down my busy thoughts and feelings and definitely helps me to be more focussed on Jesus. It is completely under my control and I can speak in tongues or not whenever I choose and for however long I choose. I especially appreciate being able to express the deep groanings of my spirit to the Lord without having to think of the right words. It is a very precious and useful gift and I would strongly encourage you to seek it, but whether you do or don't it won't change one bit the Lords commitment to you and affection for you. The word encourages us "to make our election and calling more sure". This has nothing to do with the Lord changing in his commitment to us, but rather is us growing in our day-to-day experience of him and love of him. That is really what tongues is all about. Please feel free to ask some more. Much blessing to you dear brother, Chris Moyler |