February 15, 2011

Reading for February 14-18
Acts 18
Paul’s 3rd Missionary Journey
Tuesday

Am I a “Second Class” Christian if I Don’t Pray in Tongues?

“Then what baptism did you experience?” he asked. And they replied, “The baptism of John.” Paul said, “John’s baptism called for repentance from sin. But John himself told the people to believe in the one who would come later, meaning Jesus.” As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied. Acts 19:3-7 (NLT)

Pastor’s Reflection

Am I a “second class” Christian if I don’t pray in Tongues?

No.

That’s the short answer.
To be considered a Christian three basic elements must be present. 1. There must be repentance. 2. There must be faith in Jesus. 3. There must be a new spiritual “birth” and the presence of the Holy Spirit. It is these three elements that make a Christian a Christian.

If you have faith in Jesus, Jesus, the Holy Spirit is at work from within you, and this is true whether you feel it or not. Often the presence of the Holy Spirit in you can be sensed not by the presence of peace and power, but by the presence of inner turmoil if you’re not right with God. How could it be otherwise?

We see here the presence of the speaking in “tongues”, speaking and praying aloud in a language that one doesn’t know (usually one that does not otherwise exist) as a way to pray to God with “self” out of the way, so to speak. In the Bible speaking in tongues is one of many signs of the presence of the Holy Spirit. It’s a gift given to some, not all.

What then is the best “proof” that the Holy Spirit is at work in you (in addition to the inner turmoil mentioned above)? Check out Galatians 5:22-26.