Tongues
The call to prayer had the Lord touching many of you. I wish that I was
better at it, I don't think that I do the best I can, but I try. Please
keep praying for this group. As we all get closer to the Lord, the more
the enemy will try to come against us. There is much sifting going on in
the body today and satan will try to get the advantage. Like Jesus did
when satan tried to sift Peter, we need to pray that the faith of our
brothers and sisters do not fail. I am getting more and more e-mail
concerning Intercession every day. If any one in this group feels called
to help out as an intercessor in any way, let me know. Two of you
already have and others have commented on it. What we need is someone
willing to put something together.
As to the issue of the resurrections, there were a few responses. A
couple of the group thinks that there is only one resurrection and this
is what most people are taught. Others feel that the Bible teaches
several. I am shelving this one for now and will do more study.
The laying out a fleece was mentioned and with one response. Personally,
it is a non-issue but I do believe that it is valid but don't feel the
need to do it. Those that do are not testing God as some would say but
are just believing God to be true to His word and have the faith to ask.
Finding the answer may take more faith than a person has and may lead to
discouragment and unbelief. The one response was "The fleeces thing is a
"sticky wicket.' It was never intended to be the "cure all' or a
substitute for the leading of the Spirit. Only a "last ditch" thing. Be
Blessed, Bro Paul"
Now on to the next item of discussion. This one should send sparks
flying but is very important that we agree on this, since it has been so
divisive. First of all, since the issue of "the perfect," we have seen
this group agreed that spiritual gifts are valid today and that includes
speaking in tongues. Although we agree on this, speaking in tongues has
caused a very large division in the church. I do not believe that it is
the issue of tongues as much that has divided as it is the issue of the
gift being out of order and exalted beyond what is right. There is an
error that satan has used to divide the church over this and it relates
to the relationship of tongues and the baptism of the Holy Ghost. The
error and cause for division has been this: There are those in the
church today that say if you do not speak in tongues then you have not
been baptized in the Holy Ghost. The error usually goes like this: You
need to be baptized with the Holy Ghost with the evidence of speaking in
tongues. Now I believe that speaking on tongues is certainly evidence of
the Holy Ghost but the error runs that tongues is the ONLY evidence of
the Holy Ghost and this is where satan gets the advantage to produce a
church that is out of order. They that teach this do not say that
prophecy or other gifts or even love is evidence of the baptism of the
Holy Ghost but only the one gift of speaking in tongues.
Remember, there is no reply all on this one, so go ahead and lay it on
me. I know that there are conflicting viewpoints on this already because
I have noticed who says what in the group and I have been to many of
your web sites. You already know my opinion, that it is an error to
teach that speaking in tongues is the only evidence of the baptism of
the Holy Ghost. To say it or teach it is a lie every single time, you
cannot say it in the prophetic spirit and those that do have been
unwitting tools of division, speaking in the flesh according to the
pride of their gift, to cause schism and split the church. Please
forgive me for taking such a strong stance on it. I mean no offence and
those that have caused this error in the past have been well meaning
Christians who are just protecting their own particular gift from God
from those that speak against spiritual gifts. But the error and schism
must not be allowed to continue for the spiritual gifts to be put in
order. We cannot think both ways on it, this is a very important
discussion if we are to come to one accord.
Jay.
January 19, 2000
Latter Rain Discussion Archives
The Lord has given us the grace to reconcile the children to their Fathers
As One Body
Issue Oriented Discussion Newsletter
Index | Search This Site | Aristide.Org | The Latter Rain | Babylon the Great | The Kingdom | The Nicolaitans | Jezebel
The Baptism With the Holy Ghost | The Grand Delusion | World Trade Org | Liberation Theology | Jay Atkinson | Alphabetical Index