http://www.goingtojesus.com/tongues-at-spirit-baptism.html
Pastor John,
I am seeing more and more comments from people saying, “I have had the Holy Ghost baptism for years now, but I would like to order your book because I am seeking the experience of speaking in tongues.”
People have separated the two things!
When someone says they have the ‘holy ghost’ baptism, this does not always mean that they speak in tongues. It might be clearer to ask them plainly “if they speak in tongues” because people seem to have redefined the Holy Ghost baptism. John, what do these people believe the Holy Ghost baptism is?
love you,
Kay
==========
They believe that the baptism is something that happened when they first believed the gospel, and they believe it because that is what Christian ministers tell them happened at that moment. And if they actually felt the spirit of God when they believed the gospel, they seem to take that as confirmation that the baptism took place.
Yes, some of us do ask our friends who write if they have spoken in tongues to make sure everybody is talking about the same thing. And you’d be surprised how many people answer that they do speak in tongues.
It is precisely because Christian ministers have separated God’s witness of the Spirit baptism (stammering tongues or speaking in tongues) from the Spirit itself that I needed to write that book Speaking in Tongues at Spirit Baptism. One of Satan’s chief means of ruining the fellowship of the saints is by re-defining elements of the gospel. The truth seems wrong to many believers only because so many things of God have been re-defined for them by the religion of Christianity. We are only trying to help them regain their long-lost love for one another and to know again the sweet fellowship that is in the light of Christ.
Thanks for writing.
We love you, too.
Pastor John
==========
And then you have all those who said that although Spirit baptism IS evidenced with speaking in tongues, that it is not conversion (sanctification). Right?
Which is more commonly taught now? Any idea?
Bekah
==========
Yeah. Same doctrine, just different words. The book deals with that issue from both this angle and the one Kay brought up.
Hard to say which is more prominent in fact. But according to the standard that Pentecostals have traditionally upheld and published in official documents, yours would be the more common among God’s people.
Of course, the vast majority of Xns would say that speaking in tongues has nothing to do with anything any longer. That’s why in my answer to you, I did not consider them.
jdc
==========
Pastor John,
You wrote to Rebekah,
“Of course, the vast majority of Xns would say that speaking in tongues has nothing to do with anything any longer.”
Pastor John, I will never forget that when I told one of my Xn biological sisters about receiving the holy Ghost, she said “Oh, no…that is something that happened way back in the old testament!” Oh my, some hearts cannot believe us and some are very hungry for the truth. I am just trying to be grateful, no matter what. 🙂
=========
Now Sister Ruth, that is a new one. I have never heard it taught that speaking in tongues was only part of the Old Testament. Well, at least she admits it happened to somebody at some point in history.
Let’s just be thankful, and move on.
Pastor John