Dear David,

 

I really enjoyed your article and agree whole heartedly with you, you've brought good understanding. I also recently wrote an essay on what salvation is and what it means to be "born again" and "born of the spirit". My children go to an Apostolic school, which is a good school, but one of the kids argued with my girls in saying you are not saved unless you speak in tongues (my girls actually do speak with another tongue, but their spirit totally disagreed with this doctrine of the Apostolic denomination.) I definitely believe in the gifts of the spirit but I did not agree with that! So my children were challenged to write an essay and I did one too to give to their teacher.  I've never gotten into church doctrines and such, I'm a follower of Jesus Christ and His Word is my doctrine. I think it's a dangerous thing to rely on man to interpret the Word for you instead of the Holy Spirit and unfortunately this what so many believers do. I think denominations cause separation, I've never understood why there are so many.

 

Any way, I wanted to share the essay, for when writing it the Holy Spirit gave me new revelation as well (please forgive the length). . .

 

 

Dear _____,

I wanted to write and thank you for challenging my daughters to write this essay on salvation. It has caused them to dig deeper into the word of God to get a full understanding of their salvation and just exactly what it is to be saved. I told them this was a challenge that was placed upon them and not me. I also told them to seek the Lord diligently so there would be true understanding without any question. They did and I was very pleased with the essays they wrote based on what they believe the Holy Spirit showed them.

 

With all due respect, I wanted to offer some of my own thoughts on this subject. . .

I think there was a difference in belief as far as the gift of speaking in tongues and it’s connection with salvation. I know that the word speaks of this “gift” as evidence of being baptized with the Holy Spirit and indeed it is. But it is one spiritual gift among many that the Spirit of God gives to whom He deems it most effective.

However it is not the evidence of being “born of the Spirit of God” or “being born again” which is a requirement to enter into the Kingdom of God Jesus spoke to Nicodemus. For there will be many left behind when Christ comes back that will have had some of these gifts.  Mathew 7: 16-24 16 “Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?  17Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.  18A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.  19Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.  20Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.  21Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.  22Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.  24Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:”

So who can enter into the Kingdom of Heaven? Jesus clearly states, he that does the will of Jesus’ Father who is in heaven. So what is the will of the Father? Jesus’ sermon on the mount pretty much summed that up along with bearing the good fruit that Jesus spoke of.

Therefore, the true test of someone having been born again and born of the Spirit is the “fruit of the spirit of God” which enables you to do the “will of the Father in heaven” which is what Jesus preached in the sermon on the mount. Mathew chaps. 5-7

Gal. 5: 22-23 “ But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” 1 Peter 1 22-23 “22Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:  23Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.”

We are born again by the Word of God. Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

 

By the Word of God, the Holy Spirit and through the justifying blood of Jesus the process of sanctification perfects these fruits in us, we simply surrender to God’s will and make the choice to obey by faith. This the true test of knowing Him, “obedience by faith”. It is the Holy Spirit and the cleansing blood of Jesus and His Word that does the work of perfecting us. I thank God every day for this for I certainly cannot do it, neither can anyone else. Through this faith, this is what frees us from the curse of the law Gal. 5: 1 “ Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ has made us free, and be not entangled again with yoke of bondage.”  One day we will be in the company of just men made perfect. God makes us perfect through His Word, Holy Spirit and cleansing justifying blood of our Lord Jesus.

Though we look through a glass darkly one day we will see Him face to face. Jesus is indeed the author and finisher of our faith and we are daily being conformed into the image of the Son as Paul so eloquently taught us. God is indeed the Potter and we are the clay.  I Corinthians 13: 9-12 9For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.  10But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 11When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.  12For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

When Jesus comes back and changes our mortal bodies into immortal we will be perfected in Him.

 

Now concerning spiritual gifts. . .

 

1 Corinthians 12

 1Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant.

 2Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led.

 3Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost.

 4Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

 5And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord.

 6And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

 7But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.

 8For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit;

 9To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit;

 10To 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:

(my own words)

Paul is clearly teaching that God gives many gifts and not everyone receives the gift of speaking in tongues. So how can this be a requirement for salvation?

 11But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

 12For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

 13For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

 14For the body is not one member, but many.

 15If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

 16And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body?

 17If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?

 18But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.

 19And if they were all one member, where were the body?

 20But now are they many members, yet but one body.

 21And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.

 22Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary:

 23And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness.

 24For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked.

 25That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.

 26And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

 27Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.

 28And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

 29Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?

 30Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?

Paul clearly implies that not all speak in tongues, it is a gift given to whom God deems it most effective.

 31But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet (but still) shew I unto you a more excellent way.

That more excellent way is Love (charity), a fruit of the Spirit that encompasses all the fruits (the real test of being born of the Spirit)

1 Corinthians 13

 1Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

 2And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

 3And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

 4Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

 5Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

 6Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

 7Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

 8Charity 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.

 9For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

 10But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

 11When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

 12For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

 13And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. LOVE

 

The only one that would know that someone is genuinely speaking in tongues is God or someone that knows the language that the person is speaking. There may be someone there to interpret but then again only God would know if it’s a true interpretation. After all this was a gift given to the early church so that they could evangelize the world (the same today), it was tool to spread the Good News to the world. Tongues of Angels was meant for edification of the believer or edification of the church as long as there was someone to interpret. Otherwise the believer is to pray alone in this way, praying in the Spirit the perfect will of God. This is what Paul taught us. He also made it clear to the Corinthians that the gift of tongues what not the greatest gift, he also admonished them not to argue about such things for it caused division and strife.

 

 

Cindy Busch