Pentecost or Peters?

“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” Acts 2:38-39

Pentecost or Peters? Justin Peters says that the LORD doesn’t intend for all of His disciples to speak with other tongues. Is this true or is this false? What does God’s Word teach us on this matter?

Firstly, this is not a salvation issue. Being filled with the Spirit is a privilege, a “gift,” for those who want all God has for them and are willing to forsake tradition (Acts 2:38-39). In 1 Corinthians 12:30 Paul is connecting tongues and interpretation of tongues. He’s not speaking of individuals being blessed to pray in tongues on their own privately at any time. Otherwise, he’s contradicting what he said in chapter 14:

“I would that ye all spake with tongues …” 1 Corinthians 14:5 

“I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all.” 1 Corinthians 14:18

“Forbid not to speak with tongues.” 1 Corinthians 14:39

If tongues is not God’s will for His people, why decades after Pentecost did the apostle Paul say “I would that ye ALL spake with tongues …” 1 Corinthians 14:5 ?

Individual Tongues?

If tongues aren’t for individual use, why did the LORD’s apostle Paul say “He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth HIMSELF (individually)”? (1 Corinthians 14:4) Note also that individual tongues are “unknown” unless God gives the interpretation. This makes it clear that New Testament tongues cannot be limited to speaking in a known language of the earth as happened on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2). “Unknown tongue” means just that – “unknown,” to mankind, not an earthly language.

Tongues are also for corporate use with interpretation (1 Corinthians 14).

Some have been told that they are not filled with the Spirit unless they speak with tongues.

To the extent of my limited knowledge and understanding, 1) I do not believe that individuals should say who has and who hasn’t been filled with the Spirit, and yet, 2) I will not deny that the biblical evidence of being baptized with the Spirit seems to show that tongues is the initial evidence. I caution you not to get too caught up with what men say and to simply seek God on this matter and for His fulness. Get into God’s Word yourself on this matter and turn off the voices of mere men (including this one if need be).

“He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.” 1 Corinthians 14:4

The above verse further delineates personally praying in tongues from the Spirit’s gifts in the corporate gatherings.

Lest some become too hung up on tongues, let’s assume from Scripture that the core issue is being filled with the Spirit. Tongues is simply a gift of that Holy Spirit which Jesus sent to baptize (immerse) His people (John 16:7; Acts 2:38-39; 10:44-48; 19:1-6, etc.). If as born again believers we ask to be baptized with His Spirit, He hears and grants this request.  Jesus specifically promised that the Father would do so (Luke 11:11-13). It is my opinion that we should all seek to be filled with His Spirit and seek Him to pray in the Spirit (Romans 8:26-27; 1 Corinthians 14:4-5, 18, 39; Jude 20). There are tremendous benefits to doing so and He told us to “Forget not all his benefits.” (Psalms 103:2)

Excuses, Excuses, Excuses

Some of those who don’t want to surrender fully in order to be baptized with the Holy Spirit attempt to find Scriptural justification for their stand against being full of the Spirit. Instead of trashing what they’ve been falsely taught,  some lamely make excuse for not being full of the Holy Spirit. Here’s what they use:

“Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?” 1 Corinthians 12:30

Here the apostle is speaking of corporate gatherings and the use of the gifts of the Spirit in those gatherings. Earlier in this chapter, Paul introduces the 9 gifts of the Holy Spirit, all of which are for their use in corporate gatherings.

“But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: 11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.” 1 Corinthians 12:7-11

You see there has to be “tongues” in a corporate setting in order for God to have instituted “the interpretation of tongues.” Right? To deny one is to deny both and to deny the LORD Himself. That is, unless one is selectively choosing what in the Bible he is going to believe. If one is going to doubt this plainly revealed truth, the whole Bible must be doubted. Right?

Here’s another cop-out some use:

“I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.” 1 Corinthians 14:5

The fact that Paul says here that prophesying is more important than tongues does not change the fact that he said “I would that ye all spake with tongues.” So once again, some insist upon lamely using dishonesty in order to hold to tradition instead of forsaking tradition for truth. Paul is simply saying that operating in God’s gifts that edify the body of Christ (others) is more Christ-like in that it serves others. THAT is no way negates the importance and privilege of praying in the Spirit individually when alone.

The truth has been covered over many centuries of the traditions of mere men. The enemy has dumbed down the gifts and power and experience of the Holy Ghost God intends for all His children. We must read Acts and see the true representation of original New Testament Christianity. God has not changed. We must go back to the New Testament Scriptures. The LORD’s program has not changed. Devil-inspired religious men have changed it.

Well, all who are born again have the Holy Spirit in them (Rom. 8:9). The Holy Spirit is testifying and working in the life of every person who has been born again and is abiding in Christ today (Rom. 8:12-16; 1 John 2:20, 27; 3:24, etc.). It’s also true that unless we are filled/baptized with the Spirit we cannot have the greatest measure of the power of God to do His work (Acts 1:8). His “power” comes from being filled with His blessed Holy Spirit. God bless you.

Beware of those who though they do some good discernment work, seek to remove things God intended for His beloved body. Learn God’s Word for yourselves and cease following any mere man’s line through Scripture. If you don’t thoroughly learn and know God’s Word, you will be misled. Here in this audio we discuss how Justin Peters, a man who has some good discernment teachings and exposés, goes too far and seeks to subtract from God’s kingdom Word. Are we not warned to never take away from His Word? (Revelation 22:18-19)

As a regenerated, new creature in Christ, you are Christ’s “ambassador” and please don’t lose site of such truth (2 Corinthians 5:17-20). Never be ashamed of Pentecost for self-righteous, hyper conservative Baptists or so-called “evangelicals.”  You are identified with the nail-scarred, risen Savior and LORD Jesus Christ, not an organization of mere men who feign to be representing Christ and Christianity. We have Bibles and so can know His will for ourselves and follow Him alone.  The word “conservative” appears no where in Scripture. We are bought with the very and precious blood of Christ and are His disciples. We follow Him and HE gave us His written Word. Be not ashamed beloved of any part of the whole counsel of God’s Word. Your whole identity is in the nail-scarred, risen, and only Savior.

Many of these so-called evangelical, hyper-conservatives (unwarranted) want to be in control. They don’t want the Holy Spirit fully in control because that would take the control out of their hands. This is one of the reasons the false leaders of Jesus’ day hated Him. They were jealous of Him because He was grabbing the attention of the masses whom they sought to keep under their own evil control.

Are Tongues Demonic? | Holy Ghost Baptist (study guide) | Full of the Holy Ghost (audio) | Power to Fulfill (audio) |

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Full of The Holy Ghost [podcast]

Beware of False Gifts