Is Tongues Speaking For Today

Acts 2:39 (KJV)
“For the promise is unto you, and to your children and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.”

    In Acts 2:38 the apostle Peter is speaking to a group of Jewish listeners. According to scripture they were convicted in their hearts and said to Peter, “What shall we do?” Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptised.” What we would like to present to you is that baptism always follows conversion. If Peter is asking them to be baptised, then it was his sincere belief that these individuals had believed and repented and were therefore qualified to be baptised in water. He then goes on to say that they will receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. It is my firm belief that they had already received the indwelling of the Holy Spirit through their faith in Jesus Christ and His sacrifice at Calvary. They knew this because in verse 22, Peter tells them that Jesus of Nazareth was a man approved by God. Jesus did miracles, wonders, and signs among them. In verse 32, Peter says, “This Jesus has God raised up.” He is referring to the crucifixion and resurrection of our Lord. He goes on to say in verse 36 that God has made that same Jesus, who they had crucified, both Lord and Christ. At that point they asked what they needed to do. This event is very much like the Acts chapter 10 encounter that Peter had at Cornelius' house. The scripture says there in Acts 10:44 that while Peter yet spake these words the Holy Ghost fell on all of them which heard the word. According to verse 45 they were astonished and in verse 46 they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Verse 47 says, “Could anyone hinder them from being baptised?” My point is that the order in which things happen between water baptism and baptism of the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues is not always evident. As traditional Pentecostals we would see the order of believing in Jesus Christ, being indwelt by the Holy Spirit upon faith in Christ in obedience with the command of scripture, water baptised, and thirdly that we would receive the promise of the father and receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit (the upon relationship with speaking in tongues).

    In this case of Acts chapter 2, I sincerely believe that they followed this order. Verse 39 comes with the promise that is unto you, which are the immediate hearers and to their children which would indicate the inclusiveness of such an experience. God wants our whole family to know the power and the dynamics of this upon relationship of the Holy Spirit. The next description in verse 39 is all that are afar off, which could be geographical or even possibly time inclusion. If that is not clear enough, the remainder of the verse says even as many as the Lord our God shall call. My question is, “Have you been called of God to receive His son Jesus Christ as both Lord and Christ?” Then according to verse 39 this promise is yours.

    Worldwide estimates are 300 million Pentecostals. From a small beginning at the turn of the last century to a huge influence upon the whole Christian movement, we as Pentecostals are stunned by the impact and the delight for what God has done. Charisma News has just written an article that “After a decade long resistance, the Southern Baptised Convention will now admit missionary candidates who speak in tongues.” All over the world in emerging countries, the Pentecostal movement has made a huge impact. Unlike Western Europe and North America, this movement is flourishing in many parts of the world. To God be the glory.