PT-5 "The Evidence of the Spirit's Coming" (Acts 2:1-4)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 7/14/2017 8:27 AM

My Worship Time                                          Focus:  PT-5 "The Evidence of the Spirit’s Coming"

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Acts 2:1-4

            Message of the verses:  “1 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.”

            In our last SD I stated that I was going to quote the last five paragraphs from John MacArthur’s commentary on the subject of tongues.

            “That the true biblical gift of languages no longer exists is clear from the following lines of evidence.  First, it was a miraculous gift, and the age of miracles ended with the passing of the apostles (Heb. 2:3-4).  It is significant that outside of Acts the miraculous gifts of the Spirit are mentioned only in the early epistle of 1 Corinthians.  Later epistles, such as Ephesians, Romans, and 1 Peter, discuss spiritual gifts but make no mention of miraculous ones.

            “Contrary to much teaching today, the purpose of the gift of languages was not the edification of believers.  As noted above, they were a sign of judgment to unbelieving Israel (1 Cor. 1421-22), showing that the church would encompass people from all nations and languages.  The gift of languages was therefore a sign of the transition between the Old and New Covenants—a transition completed nearly two thousand years ago.

            “Having thus fulfilled its purpose, the gift of languages passed from the scene, just as 1 Corinthians 13:8 said it would.  That fact is confirmed by church history.  Speaking in tongues was unknown from the close of the apostolic era until the beginning of this century, (1900’s) except in heretical groups.

            “Those spoke the languages at Pentecost did not have to be taught how to do so by reading a book, attending a seminar, or being coached by other people.  Nor did they have to develop the gift through repeated practice on their own.  Rather, they spoke ‘as the Spirit was giving them utterance.’  He was in total control of the situation.  They simply received what He gave.

            “The evidence of the Spirit’s coming was unmistakable.  He manifested His presence to the ears, eyes, and mouths of the believers.  But it didn’t stop there. His coming had a profound effect on the people of Jerusalem as well.”  We will begin to look at that subject in our next SD.

Answer to yesterday’s question:  “Mephibosheth” (2 Samuel 4:4).

Today’s Bible question:  “What did Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi have in common?”

Answer in our next SD

7/14/2017 8:44 AM