Matthew 3:11, “I baptise you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” Mark 1:8, “I baptise you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38, “Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’” The Pentecostals and Charismatic Christians believe that speaking in tongues is evidence that a person is filled with the Holy Spirit. They hold unto this posi- tion firmly based on the incidence of the Pentecost (Act 2). But a considerable number of Christians hold contrary views, in varying proportions bordering on a number of issues. BARBARA NEGBEJIE inquires
‘Speaking in tongues is one of the evidence that the Holy Spirit is in you’
Speaking in tongues is one of the evidence that the presence of the Holy Spirit is in you, even though there are still so many evidence of having the Holy Spirit. The problem is that most people have recently started propagating that when you speak in tongues it makes you a better Christian or that you are more closer to God.
‘It’s not necessary that anyone who speaks in tongues has the Holy spirit in him or her’
To me, it’s not necessary that anyone who speaks in tongues has the Holy Spirit in him or her. I remember when the Apostles met at the upper room when the Holy spirit came upon them like tongues of fire, they, each one of them began to speak in his own language, this was an indication that God wanted them to be strengthened and to communicate for other people to understand so that they will not leave other people who did not understand the language of the Apostles. We do see people that say they learnt to speak in tongues, this has made it look like a common thing to do. The spirit of God comes with a lot of special gifts that manifest in the lives of Christians, there are gifts of healing, discernment, prophesy, these also are the gifts of the Holy Spirit, but because a lot of Christians are cosmetics and like to show off, they believe speaking in tongues is the only gift that make people think you are filled with the Holy Spirit. No, it is just a gift from the Holy Spirit.
‘Speaking in tongues is not on own accord, but by the power of the Holy Spirit’
Yes, except if the person speaking in strange language is filled with the Holy Spirit, which means it is not on his or her own accord but by the power of the Holy Spirit. This scripture will equally help. Acts 2:4; Mark 16:17; 1st Cor 14:2 buttress these facts.
‘There are different tongues’
There are different tongues my sister, I look towards receiving of the fruit of the spirit, which is not only speaking in tongues which is the true evidence, but the most important is interpret- ing the tongues. Our prayers is that whatever gift God has depos- ited in us, let it be re-enkindled as we celebrate this Pentecost Day .
Some Churches learn speaking in tongues and members are forced to speak’
It is part of it but not the only sign. There are seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, one can receive the Holy Spirit and will not speak in tongues but the gift from the Holy Spirit can manifest in other ways. Remember that these days some Churches learn speaking in tongues and members are forced to speak. The speaking in tongues we read about in Acts of the Apostles is different from the one we speak these days. The Bible said that the Greeks were speaking in different languages and that Persians and other tribes were hearing and everybody present understood the different languages that manifested, this is unlike the tongue we speak now. It is one of the evidence, if it is genuine and people around understand the speech just as it happened on the day of Pentecost.
