Be Ever Ready

Who remembers those Eveready cells and batteries which the union Carbide company sold? They had a cartoon cat jumping through the hole in the number nine printed on every one of their products. The implication of that was that the cells and batteries had nine lives and would always be ready for use.

We too are called to be ready for Christ's service. As Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 4:2 (Bible in Basic English), "Be preaching the word at all times, in every place; make protests, say sharp words, give comfort, with long waiting and teaching;"

Likewise Isaiah 50:4 (BBE) says, "The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are experienced, so that I may be able to give the word a special sense for the feeble: every morning my ear is open to his teaching, like those who are experienced:

As Christians, we want to do the works of God. What is that work? Jesus told fickle followers in John 6:28 and 29 (BBE) how to do that. "Then they said to him, 'How may we do the works of God?' Jesus, answering, said to them, 'This is to do the work of God: to have faith in him whom God has sent.'"

Since we have our trust in Christ, we are confident of his gospel. We don't have the power to speak in each language of those who hear us but we do have the command to share the gospel to all. Acts 2:7-11 (BBE) shows how God wanted all people to hear the good news. "And they were full of wonder and said, 'Are not all these men Galilaeans? And how is it that every one of us is hearing their words in the language which was ours from our birth? Men of Parthia, Media, and Elam, and those living in Mesopotamia, in Judaea and Cappadocia, in Pontus and Asia, In Phrygia and Pamphylia, in Egypt and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and those who have come from Rome, Jews by birth and others who have become Jews, Men of Crete and Arabia, to all of us they are talking in our different languages, of the great works of God.'"

Furthermore, we show our belief in Christ through our obedience to his will. As 1 Peter 3:15 and 16 (BBE) says, "But give honour to Christ in your hearts as your Lord; and be ready at any time when you are questioned about the hope which is in you, to give an answer in the fear of the Lord and without pride; Being conscious that you have done no wrong; so that those who say evil things about your good way of life as Christians may be put to shame."

If Christ hasn't returned by Thursday, I hope to post about the fact that sin always has a cost.

Must Believers Speak in Tongues after baptism?

Pentecostal and charismatic denominations are inordinately fixated on the gift of speaking in tongues. Those immature believers  have become so exercised by the tongues of fire on the apostles' heads and their speaking in different languages that they miss the much greater miracle of three-thousand people coming to faith in the Messiah.

So, must newly-baptized people always "manifest" the gift of speaking in tongues? I find only one mention in Scripture which says they did. Acts 19:6 (KJV), after some believers were baptized, relates, "And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied."

But Acts 10:42 shows that some spoke in tongues before they were baptized. That incident certainly contradicts the Pentecostal notion of tongues always "manifesting" in the baptismal tank.

The word "tongues" actually means languages. Acts 2:7-11 (BBE) shows that these were actual languages which the apostles spoke. "And they were full of wonder and said, 'Are not all these men Galilaeans? And how is it that every one of us is hearing their words in the language which was ours from our birth? Men of Parthia, Media, and Elam, and those living in Mesopotamia, in Judaea and Cappadocia, in Pontus and Asia, In Phrygia and Pamphylia, in Egypt and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and those who have come from Rome, Jews by birth and others who have become Jews, Men of Crete and Arabia, to all of us they are talking in our different languages, of the great works of God.'"

Since it's painfully obvious that nobody today speaks in human languages which they had never learned, Pentecostals claim that the jabbering they do is an angelic language. They get this notion from 1 Corinthians 13:1 (KJV) which says, "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal."

Paul was using hyperbole to show that deeds without godly love are worthless. And why would angels need different tongues, a.k.a. languages, in the first place? We have our own variety due to the tower of Babel but they never had that happen in heaven.

I could write so much more on this subject but I'll save that for my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? Performing signs and wonders doesn't prove one's salvation. Most folks just can't understand that we are only saved by grace through faith in Jesus alone.