Part 1: Putting the Puzzle Together
Since the time of the apostles, some people have developed a distorted understanding of the Holy Spirit, sometimes because they don’t want to admit they don’t yet have the anointing. Along with comments based on John 3:16 and the thief on the cross, both of which we have already addressed, many people like to quote 1 Corinthians 12 to support their belief that “the gifts” (supernatural abilities of the Holy Spirit) can be divided. They will say that not everyone who is filled with the Holy Spirit will speak in tongues. However, yet again, this is a misconception that has developed because of a failure to consider scripture in context.
1 Corinthians is a letter written by the apostle Paul to the church in Corinth, and the comments and instructions are based on what Paul believes should and shouldn’t be happening during their church gatherings. This is an important point to digest. Again, what Paul says is related to their group’s conduct.
Now, considering the fullness of Paul’s two letters to the Corinthian church, we can conclude that the members were wayward in some key areas. Overall, Paul is seeking to correct them and bring things back into line with the will of God. It’s obvious that one of the things the people had begun to do was abuse the use of the gifts during their gatherings. Paul’s intent in 1 Corinthians 12 is to explain that not everyone will have a chance to use all the gifts of the Holy Spirit each time they meet. He explains that all of the gifts come from the same source, yet it should be left to God to move upon each person as He wills (to bring about the various manifestations of the Holy Spirit).
1 Corinthians 12:4-11, “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 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: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.”
Paul further puts the gifts into proper perspective when he compares a) speaking in tongues privately to b) speaking in tongues within the church group. His intent is not to discredit speaking in tongues but rather to differentiate between the gifts that are more for personal edification (building and strengthening) versus those gifts that bring benefit to others. He also details how to keep things “decent and in order”:
1 Corinthians 14:18-19, “I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all: Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.”
1 Corinthians 14:22-40, “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. If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?…If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God. Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace. For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints…Let all things be done decently and in order.” Note: The words “and all speak with tongues” implies they all had the ability to speak in tongues!
If it were true that someone can have the Holy Spirit anointing without the ability to display all of the gifts, then pity the poor person who doesn’t get the gift of faith, for the Bible clearly tells us in Hebrews 11:6 that “without faith it’s impossible to please him” (referring to God). You simply can’t pull apart or divide the Holy Spirit. Remember, He is a whole spiritual entity. It would be like trying to divide Jesus into different sections. God forbid!
Another common yet completely incorrect belief is that people automatically receive the Holy Spirit upon baptism in water, yet one look at Acts 8 quickly debunks this convenient theory. Clearly, anyone can discern that baptism in water and being baptized with the Holy Spirit are entirely separate experiences:
Acts 8:5-17, “Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them… And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did…But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women…Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.”
Note that the above scripture does not repeat that the people received the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues. Remember, it was “a given” (a solid expectation) by this stage that speaking in tongues was the first manifesting sign of the Holy Spirit anointing, for the Holy Spirit communicates with the Father in spiritual languages (through disciples as anointed vessels in the Kingdom).
Consider that in people’s repeated accounts of common occurrences today, every single detail is not always included. For example, if we say we got caught in a storm and the rain saturated our clothes causing us to shiver, the next time we got caught in a storm and told the story of our experience to the same people, we would likely simply say that we got caught in the storm (and the getting saturated and shivering parts would be omitted). Besides, Acts 8 does record that “when Simon the sorcerer saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost” (Acts 8:18-19). This is proof that Simon witnessed something tangible when the people were filled with the Holy Spirit. It’s obvious he heard them speaking in tongues. Also remember that 1 Corinthians 14:22 states that “tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not…”
Some people will believe all kinds of things to get out of being fully obedient to God, to justify following after their “nice pastor” or their “happening church group,” to fit with the pull of their own emotions, etc. This is how the vague concepts of “say the sinner’s prayer,” “give your heart to Jesus,” or “just accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior” have developed.
Imagine if some of the followers had departed from the group before the Holy Spirit was given on the Day of Pentecost. The disciples had to wait for ten days after Jesus ascended into heaven to receive the Holy Spirit anointing, but what if some of them had left earlier? They had been gathering every day for prayer and worship and exhortation, so perhaps they felt “on fire” for Jesus even before day number ten. Anyone who had left (hypothetically, of course) prior to the outpouring of the Holy Spirit could indeed have come up with all kinds of convincing messages about salvation through Jesus Christ. This is no different from what often happens today.
It often boils down to the fact that many people don’t want to offend, and sometimes it boils down to the regard for money over truth. After all, if the leaders of every church group around the world were to confront those in their congregation that hadn’t actually been born again of water and of the Spirit… Well, we just can’t see that happening. Can you? Church members would leave in droves. The coffers would quickly run dry. Pastors would lose their jobs. That’s why the emphasis needs to be on the Body of Christ, the one true Church made up of individuals around the world who are sincerely following the “Way” of Jesus. Fellowship is beautiful and profitable, but it should never be pursued at the expense of Truth.
The Bible tells us, “For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10). Jesus even bluntly proclaimed, “Who is my mother, or my brethren?…whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother” (Mark 3:33-35). But, how many people (including church leaders) really take these scriptures seriously?
Consider also that the Holy Spirit’s purpose is to convict individuals of sin – so they can be set free from the bondage of sin and the consequence of continued sin, which is death. The Holy Spirit is a light that exposes darkness. Therefore, a very valid and critical question is this: Is someone resisting (whether consciously or subconsciously) the Holy Spirit because of some kind of sin(s) they are struggling to lay at the feet of Jesus? They would do well to meditate upon the scripture in Mathew 10:39, “He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.”
Even though reconciling with God is a straightforward (albeit profound) process, many people need a good dousing of scriptural reality before they can relax their minds toward the truth. They’ve been swamped by a plethora of religious messages (and perhaps even all kinds of spiritualists) that have, for centuries, either oversimplified or overcomplicated things. Tragically, mankind was very quick to start distorting the truth even soon after the Day of Pentecost. This can be discerned from some of the New Testament epistles. The Bible records warnings by the apostles to beware of false doctrines, so we can see that lies began to be promulgated soon after the Church was chosen to continue Jesus’ ministry on Earth.