4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.7 And they [the observing crowd] were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?12 And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this?13 Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
15 For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh:
This is That.
What is this?
"This" was referring to the marvelous phenomenon of a group of known unlearned Galileans speaking in other languages- languages that were understandable by other nationalities.
What is that?
"That" is the promise that was prophesied in the Old Testament of the outpouring of God's holy spirit on all man kind.
It's simple. The people were not asking what was the amazing feeling they felt around the disciples and the apostles. The crowd was not asking only about the fire, or the cloven tongues. The crowd was asking what does the phenomenon of this group of 120 people speaking in other languages mean?
Peter answered it simply and straight-forwardly. This ( what you hear) is that (the promised outpouring of God's holy Spirit).
This ( the speaking in tongues) is that ( the promised outpouring of God's Holy Spirit).
"Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear."- Acts 2:33
"Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear."- Acts 2:33
1. It is debated that [the sign of] speaking in tongues was so they could preach the gospel to all nations.
What does the Bible say?
16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh:- Acts 2:16-17a
"Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear."- Acts 2:33
A: According to the word speaking in tongues is directly correlated with receiving the poured out Spirit of God- The Holy Ghost.
2. It is debated that speaking in tongues is just a gift of the Spirit only for a select few.
What does the bible say?
16 But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
17 And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: - Acts 2:16-17a
17 And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;- Mark 16:17
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.-Acts 2:4
A: According to the word of God, the pouring out of the Holy spirit is for ALL believers- sons, daughters, old, young.
3. It is debated that speaking in tongues does not save you?
What does the bible say?
And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.-Acts 19:6
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.-Acts 2:4
8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.- Romans 8:8-9
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; -Titus 3:5
A: What is salvation, except, being saved from sin, and in right relationship with God? Being filled with the Holy Spirit empowers us to resist sin and please God according to Romans 8:8. Speaking in tongues is the sign of being filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:4. Acts 19:6 . If we do not experience receiving the Holy Spirit according to the scriptures in John 7:38-39, then we do not have the Spirit of God in us. According to Romans 8:9 we do not belong to Christ. The indwelling Holy Spirit is essential to salvation, for according to Titus 3:5 he saves us by the renewing of the Holy Ghost.
Why "this"?
Why this phenomenon of "speaking in tongues?"
What does the bible say?
Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.- Proverbs 18:21
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.- John 1:1
And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.- James 3:6,8
But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.- Matthew 15:18
No MAN can tame the tongue. It is set on fire of hell. So who can "tame the tongue"? Only God. God chose the influence over our tongue as evidence that we have completely surrendered to Him.
"Think- how many people have chosen to suffer torture at the refusal to speak? We do not like to be forced to say what we do not want to say. What we speak reveals our heart. If it's not in our heart, we refuse to speak it. We are stubborn by nature in this regard. What a miracle then, when we completely surrender to his influence, that God can use our tongues, and speak words that we are not controlling. This is the sign that a believer is filled with God's Holy Spirit. When God, who is WORD in John 1:1 comes from our mouth, it is a sign that God is in our heart according to Matthew 15:18.
"Think- how many people have chosen to suffer torture at the refusal to speak? We do not like to be forced to say what we do not want to say. What we speak reveals our heart. If it's not in our heart, we refuse to speak it. We are stubborn by nature in this regard. What a miracle then, when we completely surrender to his influence, that God can use our tongues, and speak words that we are not controlling. This is the sign that a believer is filled with God's Holy Spirit. When God, who is WORD in John 1:1 comes from our mouth, it is a sign that God is in our heart according to Matthew 15:18.
Have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed?
And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.See that?
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.7 And all the men were about twelve.- Acts 19:1-2, 5-7
These were disciples! These disciples were devoutly following God with what knowledge they had. Paul did not condemn them. Paul did not deny their experience with God. Paul simply "expounded unto them the way of God more perfectly". (Acts 18:26).
The promise of the Holy Ghost, according to the scriptures, is not exclusive. It is for you. Acts 2:39.
To learn more, or for a personal study you are invited to email me at onemessage.onefaith@gmail.com.
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