Examining Acts 2:1-4 in Light of Scripture

So let us get started with our discussion why tongues are not for today. Not my opinion, just plain good old fashion Bible reading and common sense.

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.Acts 2:1-4 (KJV)

That has to be one of pentecostalism's favorite quote. However coma, remember the rule above?? Scripture is of no private interpretation.

Is that the complete paragraph?? Is that what the author of the Bible wanted you to read?? Please don't answer that question to me. To Thine Own Self Be True!! I do not feed you, cloth you, house you, or sign your paycheck. Matter of fact, i have absolute nothing to say about where you spend eternity. Direct the answer at yourself.

Now that you have been honest with yourself, let us look at what the Bible really said.

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? Acts 2:1-8 (KJV)

First I want you to be honest with yourself here, look at the very first verse. "they were all with one accord in one place. Please put eleven hundred and twenty five denominations and counting into "one accord". Again, not for me. To Thine Own Self Be True!!

Let me explain to you exactly what happen on pentecost.

Some browsers may have trouble with these following lines because they use non English characters.

Peter said to those present at pentecost: "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."

They heard .......

German: "Repent, und jedes ein von Ihnen im Namen von Jesus Christus für den remission der Sünden wird getauft, und ye wird das Geschenk Des Heiligen Geists empfangen."

Spainard: "Arrepiéntase, y sea bautizado cada uno de usted en el nombre de Jesucristo para la remisión de pecados, y el recibirá el obsequio del Fantasma Santo."

Frenchman: "Se repentir, et ętre a baptisé chaque celui de vous au nom de Jesus Christ pour la remise de péchés, et vous recevrez le don du Fantôme Saint."

Italian: "Pentirsi, ed essere ha battezzato ogni uno di lei nel nome di Jesus Christ per il remission di peccati, ed il ye riceverŕ il regalo del Santo Fantasma."

Now I realize those folks were not around at pentecost, rather that is an exact example of what happened at pentecost. No I did not say that, nor did John Calvin, nor John Wesley, Nor Kenneth Hagin, nor Pope Paul. In fact God said that.

Now once again I ask you to be honest with yourself. Are pentecostal tongues the same as the tongues of pentecost??

To Thine Own Self Be True.

In fact, I have never met a pentecostal or have I ever been in a pentecostal church that felt the tongues of pentecost and pentecostal tongues were the same thing. Every pentecostal church requires an interpretor be present before tongues are used in public worship. Why because the tongues of pentecost and the tongues of pentecostals are not one and the same thing!!

If you have to have an interpretor present to interpret tongues they are not the same tongues as spoken at pentecost. Why simple, God said "every man heard them speak in his own language."

Moving along .........

Next problem for you to consider.

Who was present at pentecost??

Do you recall?

In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord. Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.1 Cornithians 14:21,22

Tongues quiet plainly are a sign for the Jews. In particular, the unbelieving Jews.

Now back to my question, who was present at pentecost??

And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.Acts 2:5 (KJV)

For tongues to be a sign to the Jews, Jews have to be present every time tongues are spoken. Consider time No.2 ........

43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Acts 10:43-46 (KJV)

Some might in foolishness, try to point out that the Jews present were believers ......

Fast forward a bit:

And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.Acts 11:15 (KJV)

Study Acts 11.1-18 very carefully my friend. God used this outpouring of tongues to reach unbelieveing and skeptical Jews later in Judea.

Now let us look at the third time tongues are mentioned in scripture.

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 (KJV)

The all important question, were Jews present at Ephesus??

Not only were the disciples of Apollo's Jews but once again, try the fast forward button.......

And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God. But when divers were hardened, and believed not, but spake evil of that way before the multitude, he departed from them, and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus. And this continued by the space of two years; so that all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.Acts 19:8-10 (KJV)

Paul had a "ready made" sign for the Jews at Ephesus.

These three cases are the only times tongues are spoken in the Bible. Their abuse is discussed at Corinth but this gift is mentioned no where else. This seems incredible if tongues are so important.

The gift of tongues was a Jewish sign gift that was in effect while God was dealing with the Hebrew nation. It is listed twice in I Corinthians 12:8-11 & 28-30. In Paul's later lists in Ephesians 4:8-12 & Romans 12:4-8 tongues are not mentioned at all. Neither are they a "fruit of the Spirit" in Galatians 5:22,23. Paul tried to explain to the church at Corinth about the immediate future (at that time) of the gift of tongues.

Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.1 Cornithians 13:8 (KJV)

"Prophecies" refers to the prophets who received direct and specific revelation from God to tell to the people. There are none but false prophets today who claim direct revelation from God. The Bible says:

Revelation 19:10b
......for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

All Christians can prophecy today from the word of God. They can tell an individual about his eternal destiny or the future of the world from what the Bible says. God talks to people today through his word, and where a "prophet" disagrees with the Bible, he is a liar.

"Tongues...Shall cease" refers to "tongues as a sign gift" during God's dealing with the nation of Israel. If tongues are a gift today, why do missionaries spend years studying to the learn the language of their fields? God has temporarily put the nation of Israel aside and the gift of Tongues given to them has ceased!

"Knowledge...shall vanish away" refers to the partial knowledge that we have of God. In many places the Bible speaks of this knowledge, but it still can give us only very limited enlightenment.

Now today Biblical tongues have ceased, but they had not yet done so when Paul wrote to the Corinthians. Note some things about the church at Corinth.

1. they were babe's- 1 Cornithians 3:1

2. they were milk fed- 1 Cornithians 3:2

3. there were contentions- I Corinthians 1:11

4. there were divisions- I Corinthians 1:12

5. some were puffed up- I Corinthians 4:18-21

6. they ignored fornication in the church- I Corinthians 5:1-5

7. they went to law with each other- I Corinthians 6:1-8

8. there was promiscuity- I Corinthians 7

9. there was idolatry- I Corinthians 8

10. they doubted Paul's authority- I Corinthians 9

11. there were heresies- I Corinthians 11:19

In the first six verses of I Corinthians 14 Paul said that prophecy is more edifying than tongues. He said that you were speaking into the air if your words were not understood, and that you sounded like a barbarian. In verse 12 you are to seek to edify the church (NOT seek tongues). Prophesying edifies the church according to verse 4. Paul would have rather spoken five words that could be understood than ten thousand that were not.

Some Christians today say that tongues are for private or personal devotions and that it is a "heavenly" language that nobody understands. The Bible says:

1. ALL tongues spoken in Acts 2, 10, and 19 are a sign for some Jews who are listening - not private experiences.

2. The unknown tongues in I Corinthians 14 are in the church - not a private experience.

3. Tongues are ALWAYS a language that someone understands, and they can be interpreted and learned! Acts 2:4,6 & I Corinthians 14:13,16,23,27,27.

4. In the Bible "unknown" ALWAYS means "unknown by some yet known by others." Acts 17:23; II Corinthians 6:9; Galatians 1:22

5. The "tongues...of angels" (the language of heaven) is shown in the Bible to be Hebrew. Acts 26:14, Revelation 19:2,4. Alleluia is Hebrew. It means "praise ye Jehovah."

CONCLUSION

If tongues are so easily proven to be unscriptural why are so many Christians concerned with the subject? Since God has been ruled out there are three possible sources of the modern day tongues movement: Satan, psychological hype, and charlatans. All three make the movement what it is.

Tongues flourish where the Bible is not understood, or where people seek experiences and feelings rather than Bible truth.

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;1 Timothy 4:1 (KJV)

The Devil's realm is SPIRITUAL DECEPTION! And he uses signs!

Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,II Thessalonians 2:9 (KJV)

The Devil IMITATES the real thing to deceive people. His imitations are often so close that people can only tell the difference if they study God's word.

For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom ye have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.II Cornithians 11:4 (KJV)

The Devil has his own religion.

For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. 14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness. II Cornithians 11:13 - 15 (KJV)

Here you have counterfeit preachers with counterfeit signs! The Bible has a name for those who say they have the JEWISH APOSTOLIC gifts.

Thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars. Revelation 2:2 (KJV)

If you have been deceived by a non-Christian experience of speaking in tongues don't be discouraged. So have many others. You have to determine now whether you will follow your own feelings, or whether you will yield to God's word. The choice is yours.

If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant. I Cornithians 14:37,38 (KJV)

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