Holy Ghost Baptism: Lesson-3

by A.A. Allen

PREMINISTERIAL AND CHRISTIAN WORKERS’
BIBLE COLLEGE CORRESPON DENCE COURSES
PREPARED BY A. A. ALLEN
COURSE NO. 2. THE HOLY GHOST BAPTISM--AND THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT
LESSON 3
TONGUES, THE EVIDENCE OF THE BAPTISM

Probably nothing in the plan of salvation and in living out the Christian life has been more controversial than speaking with tongues. One of the causes of this is that man, with his strictly carnal mind (which the Bible teaches us in Rom. 8:7b is “not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be”), tries to figure out why one of the other gifts of the Spirit could not serve as evidence of the presence of the Spirit in baptismal proportions.

As a student you will save yourself a great deal of doubt, fear and effort if you will accept the fact that beginning at Pentecost every outpouring of the Spirit of God has been accompanied by speaking with tongues and magnifying God. Even to the present day the denominational churches are literally being invaded by what they term, glossolalia, or speaking with tongues, which is a miracle of speech. No doubt, this will increase and spread to all the earth as the prophecy of Joel says:

“Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength.

“Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.” Joel 2:21-23.

“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will POUR OUT MY SPIRIT UPON ALL FLESH; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:

“And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.” Joel 2:28, 29.

Remember that faith (on your part) has a part in the baptism of the Holy Ghost. Concerning the Holy Ghost, Jesus said, “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ASK Him?” Luke 11:13.

In asking, you MUST “ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For LET NOT THAT MAN THINK THAT HE SHALL RECEIVE ANYTHING OF THE LORD.” James 1:6,7.

There is but one way to ask in faith. This is found in Mark 11:24: “ . . .What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, BELIEVE THAT YE RECEIVE THEM, AND YE SHALL HAVE THEM.” The moment you believe, you receive. God will fill you.

If you find it hard to believe that God will FILL YOU NOW, it would be wise for you to search your heart for the reason. The Bible teaches that there are definite hindrances to real faith. Eliminate the hindrances to faith and the result will be FAITH THAT CANNOT BE DEFEATED OR DISCOURAGED OR FAIL! Sin, disobedience, and self-will destroy or murder faith (confidence).

“For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man THE MEASURE OF FAITH.” Rom. 12:3.

Man can only receive from God what man can believe Him for. It is impossible to please God without faith. After you receive the Holy Ghost and He has given you gifts they are operable by faith. We read:

“Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;” Rom. 12:6.

At this point read the entire 11th chapter of Hebrews which has been popularly titled “The Roll Call of the Saints.” It is the great FAITH chapter of the Bible that is a book of FAITH.

“Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.” I John 3:21.

“Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:” Isaiah 59:1.

“Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered. I Peter 3:7.

“The Holy Spirit is “given to them that obey him” (Acts 5:32), and is not even promised to the “children of disobedience” (Eph. 5:6). When you can present to God a pure heart and clean hands, then you can approach God scripturally, “lifting up holy hands,”(I Tim. 2:8), and praising God with a joy born of faith, knowing that the promise is for YOU!

If your faith has not yet mounted to this point, seek God earnestly, and search your heart. Do not condemn yourself and become discouraged, but wait in His presence, where the light of God’s word, applied by His Spirit, can reveal to you those things which as yet need to be corrected before you can have real FAITH.

Psalm 100:4a. Praise God for what He is, for what He has ALREADY DONE, and for His faithful promise to give to YOU the power which He has promised (Acts 1:8), just as soon as you are obedient (Acts 5:32), and ready. Wait patiently in His presence, in an attitude of worship, with praise, and holy hands uplifted. You will not be waiting long. God will fill you or show you the hindrance. If he shows you some disobedience, or some broken vow, do not think that you can buy the baptism of the Holy Ghost with words of praise, without repentance, and perhaps even restitution if it were possible. Words of praise will not buy it any more than Simon’s money. (Acts 8:20).

Ask God to fill you with the Spirit, so that you can have real power to serve Him. Purify your heart. Be obedient. Come boldly into His presence with praise. Then let Him fill you.

Don’t flee in fear from the moving of the Spirit, when the power of God begins to take hold of your body.

When praying for the Holy Spirit, you will feel a mighty moving of the Spirit upon you. It may cause you to shake (Jer. 23:9) or to tremble (Acts 9:6). Note that when Daniel prayed and sought God, he said, “I fell upon my face . . .I was in a deep sleep.” (Dan. 8:17, 18). Your lips may stammer (Isa. 28:11). The Holy Spirit’s coming maybe accompanied by a vision. (Acts 2:17). You may even stagger as one drunk (Acts 2:13-15). DO NOT BE AFRAID OF THESE MANIFESTATIONS.

Remember that they are scriptural and God-ordained. Others have had one or more of these manifestations when they came into the presence of God, and you may have them too.

Be obedient. Remember that the Holy Spirit is given to them that are obedient. “So is also the Holy Ghost, whom God HATH GIVEN to them that OBEY HIM.” (Acts 5:32b). Yield so completely to the Spirit’s power that nothing else matters but doing what God says, whether great or small, and be willing to follow God all the way no matter where or how He may lead.

Pride will keep you from being obedient. Get rid of PRIDE. “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” James 4:6b. “The proud he knoweth afar off.” Psalm 138:6b.

Do not resist. Remember that Satan knows that if you yield to the Spirit, you will be filled. It is Satan’s plan to tempt you to resist the Spirit. He will tell you, “This is not necessary, or you can receive the Holy Ghost without all this foolishness.” Be on your guard. Resist the devil and he will flee from you, but DO NOT RESIST THE HOLY SPIRIT! People who resist the Holy Ghost are called “STIFFNECKED.” “Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always RESIST THE HOLY GHOST: as your fathers did, so did ye.” Acts 7:51.

Yield your part! This is important. You have a part in the baptism of the Spirit. John likened the baptism of the Holy Ghost to water baptism, for he said, “I indeed baptize you with water . . . but . . . he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:” Matt. 3:11.

The word “baptize” means to dip or to put under. When being baptized in water, one must submit to the one doing the baptizing. Just so, one must be yielded if he expects to be baptized with the Spirit. The baptism of the Spirit is Christ submerging every part of our being -- soul, mind, spirit, hands, tongue, lips, voice and ALL!

Many yield to the Spirit until they are partially under His control. Their lips and tongue quiver under the control of the Spirit. The Holy Ghost is moving upon them, and ready to come in and speak out, but they WILL NOT YIELD their service, or part, in the baptism. They are praising God in their native tongue, but the Spirit is trying to speak in another language. They stubbornly insist upon saying what THEY WANT TO SAY, in the way they want to say it! If they find they cannot continue to praise God in their native language, they refuse to speak at all. It is the Spirit that gives the utterance, but you must furnish the SOUND, the LIPS, the TONGUE, and the effort to SPEAK OUT. The Spirit furnishes the dialect. The Spirit possesses you, and He from within speaks back to God above, using your speaking apparatus as a transmitter, as you yield to Him. This is why some speak right out in tongues immediately, while others hold back from fully yielding because of fear or doubts.

Do not be afraid of receiving something you have not asked for! “If a son ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: HOW MUCH MORE SHALL your heavenly father GIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT TO THEM THAT ASK HIM?” Luke 11:11-13. God said He would give the HOLY GHOST! Then don’t be afraid of getting something else. Just believe God. He cannot lie! Then, in Jesus’ name, RECEIVE YE THE HOLY GHOST!

Is it necessary, since the day of Pentecost, to “tarry” or “wait” for the Holy Ghost? Before Pentecost, the disciples tarried in the upper room at Jerusalem, waiting for the “Promise of the Father,” the Holy Ghost, which had not yet been given (John 7:3 9). From the time that the Holy Ghost was given, on the day of Pentecost, we have no record of anyone tarrying for the Holy Ghost. They simply RECEIVED!

The Samaritans did not tarry for the Holy Ghost. Peter and John prayed for them and laid hands on them and they received the Holy Ghost (Acts 8:15-17). In the tenth chapter of Acts, the Holy Ghost fell on all that heard the Word, even as it was being preached.

At Ephesus, there was no long waiting, nor tarrying, after they came to the knowledge of the truth. As soon as they had obeyed the Word, Paul laid his hands upon them, and they were filled IMMEDIATELY WITH THE HOLY GHOST.

It is not even necessary to wait for the laying on of hands before you can receive the Holy Ghost. At the house of Cornelius, in Caesarea, all who heard the word received the Holy Ghost WHILE PETER WAS YET SPEAKING! It is entirely scriptural to receive the Holy Ghost during the preaching. Start worshipping God as soon as you come into the service. Come quickly into His presence, with a thankful heart and praise on your lips, expecting God to meet your need. Yield to the Spirit when you feel Him coming upon you, and you can receive the Holy Ghost then and there, without long waiting.

We may liken this experience to a man who is given a vessel, and told to go out and hold his vessel up toward heaven until he has filled it with rainwater. If the rain has not started when the man goes out with his vessel, it is easy to see that he will have to “WAIT” until it starts raining before he can fill his vessel. However, if the rain is already pouring down, all he will have to do is to go out where the rain is falling, keep his vessel right side up, and STAY THERE WHILE IT GETS FULL!

In Zechariah and James, the outpouring of the Spirit is likened to the natural rain that falls from the sky.

“Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.” James 5:7.

The rain began to fall on the day of Pentecost. It is falling today. All you need to do now is to get where the (spiritual) rain is falling, and get your vessel full! WAITING IS NOT NECESSARY! WHY NOT BE FILLED NOW? WHY NOT THIS VERY MOMENT?

I do not want the student to think that I am discouraging prayer. I am not. Few today pray as much as they should. There is a “waiting” upon God that is profitable and I certainly encourage it. Isaiah said, “. . . they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” Isa. 40:31. Daniel prayed or “waited” upon God for three whole weeks. Jesus himself “continued all night in prayer.” Luke 6:12.

Certainly God’s people everywhere today need to get back on their knees and wait upon God in BELIEVING PRAYER! The waiting upon God in prayer will condition one’s heart for the Holy Ghost. However, after one is ready to receive this experience, the promise must then be claimed. What waiting or tarrying we should do today should be only to condition our hearts in preparation FOR the Holy Spirit. In other words, let us “wait” or tarry only as long as is necessary to get our vessel or “temple” cleansed for the Spirit’s abiding place. Remember that He will come to dwell only in CLEAN temples.

Waiting or tarrying in itself alone will never fill one with the Holy Ghost. If that were enough, then why have some people “tarried” or “waited” for thirty-five years and are still waiting and have received nothing? Furthermore, they may never receive unless they do MORE than wait. If “tarrying” alone were enough to receive this experience, then EVERYONE who tarried WOULD BE FILLED! Thousands declare that they have been “tarrying” for many years and with all their tarrying, they have not received as yet. This is evidence that one must DO MORE than tarry. One must consecrate, obey, yield, believe, and RECEIVE! Why not NOW?

“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

“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.” Acts 2:38, 39.

“For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.” Isa. 28:11.

“In the law it is written. With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord. “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.” I Cor. 14:21,22.

This prophecy was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost and astonished the people in Jerusalem on that day when the 120 obedient disciples of Jesus began speaking in other tongues and glorifying God. It was a sign to the unbelievers on that day as it has been ever since.

The Holy Spirit had always been present in the affairs of men. But from the time of the outpouring on the Day of Pentecost He was present in a new way.

Now believers were to be the “temple of the Holy Ghost.” The Spirit of Christ is now dwelling within His children. This indwelling is accompanied by an enduement of power. “Tarry . . . until ye be endued with power from on high.” Luke 24:49.

A new sign was given to accompany this new operation of the Spirit. It was “speaking in other tongues” -- that is, tongues unknown to the person speaking.

Speaking with tongues is peculiarly suited for use as evidence of this new experience.

If prophecy could be taken as evidence of the baptism of the Spirit, then all the Old Testament prophets from Enoch to Malachi were baptized with the Spirit, for these “holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” II Peter 1:21. These were not baptized with the Holy Ghost, for the Holy Ghost was not yet given. (John 7:39.) They were only “moved” by the Holy Ghost.

The gifts of healing and miracles could not serve as evidence of this new fullness of the Spirit, for Elijah and Elisha both healed the sick, raised the dead, and worked miracles. Yet they had not received the baptism of the Holy Ghost, for it had not been given!

Daniel, among others, was given wisdom (Dan. 2:14), knowledge (Dan. 2:28), interpretation (Dan. 5:26), and faith (Heb. 11:33). Yet he lived many years before the outpouring on the Day of Pentecost.

But before the Day of Pentecost NO ONE EVER SPOKE IN AN UNKNOWN TONGUE as he was moved by the Spirit, or “as the Spirit gave utterance.”

This is an inward experience (this Holy Ghost baptism), one which reaches into the depths of the human spirit. How then could it be better expressed than by the use of the tongue by the Holy Ghost wholly apart from the volition of the believer?

This tongue which no man can tame (James 3:8) is tamed and used by the only One Who can subdue it.

“And these signs shall follow them that believe;. . . they shall speak with new tongues;” Mark 16:17.

There are still believers and the sign is still “following,” praise the Lord! Peter emphasized this when he said, “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.” Acts 2:39.

When Peter was sent to preach the gospel to the household of the Gentile, Cornelius, he and his Jewish friends recognized that these people received the baptism of the Holy Ghost because “. . . they heard them speak with tongues.” Acts 10:46a.

In describing the incident to the apostles at Jerusalem later, Peter said, “the Holy Ghost fell on them. . . as on us at the beginning.” Acts 11:15. This was the accepted pattern; this was the way they could know.

Twenty-three years later Paul met some converts at Ephesus. He detected something lacking in their experience, so he asked: “Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?” Acts 19:2. They replied that they had not heard of such an experience, so:

“When Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.” Acts 19:6.

“ . . . I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.” I Cor. 14:15.

This fact was not mentioned in the account of his baptism with the Holy Ghost (Acts 9:17, 18) but in his letter to the Corinthians he says:

Church history records the continuance of this “sign” although its frequency diminished as the spirituality of the church dimmed.

The Encyclopedia Britannica, which is generally conceded to be a reliable set of reference books, points out that this “sign” (speaking with tongues) has continued through every revival of Christianity in modern history. However, the student has two kinds of “teachers” to be on the lookout for. First, the person who tells you that you can receive the Holy Ghost without speaking with tongues; and secondly, the one who says tongues passed away when that which is perfect came. The latter remark can be refuted by any intelligent 10-year-old. Man still has in himself the proof positive that that which is perfect has not come. (I Corinthians 13:10.)

“Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is PERFECT is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.”

Jesus Christ IS THAT WHICH IS PERFECT for he not only had the Spirit without measure but “ . . . in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” Col. 2:9.

When Jesus comes we will no longer need to have that which is “in part,” because we will then have the whole. We will live far above the experience we now have. We will be so much a part of the miracu1ous, that our experience now will be a kindergarten one.

Since that time has not come, tongues have not ceased. We will continue to need the gift as well as all the other gifts throughout this dispensation.

The third group to be on the alert for, not mentioned back with the other two, are those persons who say, “What is the good of speaking in tongues?”

The answer to every human need is in the Bible, therefore, the answer to this question is in there too.

Being filled with the Spirit, yielding to Him and speaking or singing in other tongues is building ourselves up, as well as magnifying the Lord. We can edify others by preaching, prophesying, and example, but we edify ourselves when we sing, pray, or praise in tongues.

“For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: . . . in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.” I Cor. 14:2.

Speaking in other tongues enables us to speak supernaturally to God. It enables man to magnify God beyond his own ability. It enables our spirit, as distinct from our understanding, to pray.

“For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful... I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.” I Cor. 14:14, 15.

Praying with the Spirit is prayer in an unknown tongue. You can pray in the Spirit with the understanding, but you cannot pray with the Spirit unless you speak with tongues.

To relax from weariness of mind and from nervous tension, and break forth into praise and prayer in tongues is wonderful spiritual rest and refreshment to the spirit.

The Holy Spirit looked down through the long corridor of the centuries and saw the attitude of 20th century Christians concerning “tongues”, and caused Paul to record this warning. “Forbid not to speak with tongues.” I Corinthians 14:39b.

The Christian world of our day is divided into two camps on this issue. The great majority does not believe in it. A few even regard it as “of the devil.”

Paul knew that this manifestation is sometimes troublesome, or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that troublesome people sometimes have this manifestation. Paul numbered this gift among the lesser ones, yet he used a good part of two chapters to instruct the church in regulating it. The fact that people make mistakes and speak in tongues when they might better remain silent does not make the gift any less precious.

Correct understanding of when and how to manifest this gift is the secret of full blessing in its use. Paul gives these instructions in I Cor. 12, 13, and 14. Read these chapters several times while working on this lesson.

Do not forbid to speak but do “seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church.” I Cor. 14:12b.

“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity (love), I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.” I Cor. 13:1.

This experience of speaking in tongues will do nothing for us or for others through us unless we exercise it with love. The love of Christ within us motivating our every word and action is necessary for our spiritual life.

This scripture is a warning not to rely on this gift as a sign that we are spiritually perfect. Our salvation rests on other considerations clearly taught in the Word. Speaking in other tongues is an added blessing, but not a saving grace.

What you need to understand is that these three gifts (tongues, prophecy, and the interpretation of tongues) are closely related to each other. Of course, tongues will never be completely understood nor properly evaluated in your life until you have the gift of interpretation of tongues, which is very similar to the gift of prophecy.

Interpretation of tongues is the supernatural revealing by the Spirit of the meaning of an utterance in tongues. Its purpose is to make the gift of tongues understandable to others, so that the Church, as well as the person speaking in tongues, can be edified.

“If any man speak in an unknown tongue . . . let one interpret.” I Cor. 14:27.

This is in connection, of course, with speaking in tongues in public. It is not necessary in our private worship for tongues to be interpreted. This interpretation is given by one who has not understood the language spoken. This is just as supernatural as “tongues.”

Some have been puzzled, and would like to know why a “message” in tongues is sometimes more lengthy than the interpretation, or vice versa. The interpretation is exactly that, an interpretation, NOT a translation.

For example, I might send a verbal message by you to a friend. It could take me ten minutes to give you the message. You might condense it into five minutes when you interpreted it to him. Or, you might elaborate on it, making it lengthier. In either case, the friend would receive the message.

Many times messages in tongues are interpreted exactly, as translations. This has been verified by someone present who understood the language used. This has often been the means of salvation for the hearer. God has used the Oriental languages and the tribal languages of the Indians to call just one person in a large congregation to repentance. They were overwhelmed when they found that the person speaking did not know the language, nor did they know to whom they were speaking, nor the purpose. Then, the person to whom the Lord spoke knew of a surety that God had called them.

Are you keeping up your file box of scriptures memorized? This is of greatest importance. David said:

“Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee.” Psalms 119:11.

Dozens of prophecies have been spoken that eventually the written Word of God would be taken from us, even in this “land of the free.” If this prophecy was of God and it comes to pass, the only BREAD we will then have to live upon, will be that which is hidden in our hearts. I am trying to have all I need for myself and some to share with my neighbors. Then we will be glad for the hours we have pored over the WORD; thus making it easy for the blessed Holy Ghost to bring the proper portion to mind when we no longer can pick up the Bible and read it for ourselves.