theology-ecclesiology

Pentecost Today? Not So Fast.

/ Richard Bargas / Leave a comment

“For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.”

(1 Corinthians 12:8–10, ESV)

“When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.””

(Acts 2:1–13, ESV)

One of the more divisive issues within the evangelical Christian church today is the issue of speaking in tongues. The growth of Pentecostal denominations and charismatic churches over the last 100 years has been phenomenal. For some, this is enough evidence that the modern gift of tongues is biblical. Add to this the experiential element and those who are convinced of the legitimacy of modern charismatic practices would be hard-pressed to deny their existence. Although the continuationist view is the newer position on the use of the miraculous gifts today, it has become the majority view within evangelicalism.

In this post I’d like to look at three characteristics on the Day of Pentecost to consider the question of what is the gift of tongues? After I answer them, I’d like to compare that special day and see if Pentecost is still happening today.

The account in Acts 2 follows Jesus’ ascension after he told the disciples to stay in Jerusalem until the promised Holy Spirit came. This small band of believers gathered together in an upper room and prayed together. The following is an examination of what happened in that room when the Spirit came:

  1. Sound (vv. 2, 6)
    • This was a sign to both the believers gathered as well as the unbelievers that were drawn to the loud commotion.
    • This sound is described as being like “a mighty rushing wind.” The Greek word for “wind” is pneuma and it is also the word used for Spirit. The wind was described as sounding like rushing or violent wind. This sound was meant to communicate the power of the Holy Spirit.
    • This surprising sound was not wind but was “like” wind in its mighty power–reminding the disciples of the promise given by Jesus in Acts 1:8 that he would give them power to accomplish his commission.
  2. Sight (v. 3)
    • The “tongues of fire” appeared to those in the upper room and thus were a sign to the believers gathered.
    • The tongues were distributed among them all, and everyone in the room received this sign as it rested upon each of them. This was followed by speaking in tongues. In 1Cor 12:11, Paul tells us that the Holy Spirit gives his spiritual gifts to those whom he wills.
    • Why a sign of fire? Throughout the Bible fire represents two major ideas-judgment and purity. In this setting and context, it is appropriate to understand the symbol as a reference to the purifying work of the Spirit (Isaiah 6; Rev. 1:14, 15).
  3. Speech (vv. 4-11)
    • The speech was a sign to the unbelievers (vv. 6-12). Those gathered Jews in the city of Jerusalem did not hear God speaking in Hebrew, as he had done in the Old Testament through his prophets. He spoke to them through the foreign languages of the nations. In 1 Corinthians 14, Paul said, “In the Law it is written, “By people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.” Thus tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is a sign not for unbelievers but for believers.” (1 Corinthians 14:21–22, ESV)
    • What did these Christians say when they spoke in tongues? What was the content of their speech? We don’t have to wonder. Verse 11 says they were speaking of the mighty deeds of God. It is important to also note that their words were understandable to the people–not Christians, but unbelieving Jews.
    • Additionally, it is important to point out that the miracle was in speech, not hearing. Verses 9-11 tells us that the people gathered heard the praise of these Christians in their own tongues. That was because the languages were genuine human languages from the places these Jewish pilgrims had come from.
  4. Conclusion: What happened after this event? What were the conclusions the crowd came to?
    • Confusion (v. 12). They didn’t have a clue about what was happening.
    • Contempt (v. 13). They mocked and said the people were drunk.
    • Conversions (2:41). Three thousand souls were saved.

Some Parallels to Today’s Tongues Movement?

Before I get to my questions, I need to ask, is Acts 2 descriptive or prescriptive? In other words, is Acts supposed to be a handbook for how we should conduct the Church today or is it a history of how the early church functioned at one time and in many ways is unique?

Some within the Pentecostal and Charismatic movement call the church to a new Pentecost. They lament that the church is powerless today because we need that same power, and so we need the same Pentecostal experience. If Acts 2 is prescriptive and gives instructions for the Church to follow today:

  1. Where is the rushing wind sound today?
  2. Where are the fiery tongues today?
  3. Why are tongues not identifiable languages today?
  4. Why are tongues not used to testify to the unbelievers today?
  5. Why are there not mass conversions on the scale of those in Acts 2 today?
  6. Why is it that all those who are believers are not given this gift today? Even the 3,000 that were saved that day are never said to have been given the gift of tongues. Why not if it is supposed to be normal for every Christian?

It is my conviction that the gift of tongues and its accompanying gift of interpretation ceased after the completion of the Bible and is no longer necessary for the church to function. This is not just my opinion, but is in fact the confirmed historical stand of the Church from the end of the Apostolic age all the way up until the early 19th Century.

We do not need to practice tongues to become close to our Savior, God, and King. If you do not read God’s Word, tongues will not help you know Him better. If you do not pray, muttering in a supposed “angelic language” will not edify anyone. If you do not practice love, you can have no part with the Father. Such a large portion of so many churches are taken up with this practice that whole churches are known for their concentration on the Holy Spirit. Let us not forget what Jesus said concerning the Holy Spirit in John 16:13-14, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.” (John 16:13–14, ESV). The Spirit never points to himself, but to Jesus. May we do the same.

A Word of Advice for Young Leaders

/ Richard Bargas / Leave a comment

Sometimes the church is so desperate and eager for leaders that it puts people in place that haven’t been tested and tried to make sure that they are prepared to biblically lead. Sometimes, we equate a Bible education with maturity and discernment. But there is much to be said about the wisdom that is attained through the application of biblical wisdom in the trials of life that cannot be derived from books. I don’t want to diminish my young brothers and sisters, I was once there. But if the bane of the elderly is that they want to move too slow and be too safe, the trial of young leaders is being unwilling to listen to the wiser voices of experience.

First Kings 12 tells the interesting account of young king Rehoboam and his inexperience as a newly appointed ruler. Rehoboam is quickly confronted with a dilemma and the need for wise counsel. As seems to be the case with many, Rehoboam had no shortage of people who wanted to give him advice. Who doesn’t like playing the game, “If I were the king?” Two groups vyed for the young king’s attention- those elderly men who had counseled Rehoboam’s father Solomon, and Rehoboam’s younger friends whom he had grown up with. After listening to both sets of counsel, Rehoboam agreed with the harsher, immature counsel of his friends, disregarding the ‘old school’ thinking of his father’s counselors.

Proverbs 13:10 wisely states, “By insolence comes nothing but strife, but with those who take advice is wisdom.” Rehoboam followed his friends’ counsel because it so closely matched his own desires. He refused to take the advice that he didn’t like, no matter how wise it may have been. The result of Rehoboam’s foolish decision was that the nation of Israel was thrust into a civil war and was split into two kingdoms.

Friends, over and over again in Scriptures we are admonished to seek heavenly wisdom and counsel from God and his Word. Personally, I can fail to seek wise counsel at times, or worse, like Rehoboam, I seek it from those most like me who will tell me what I want to hear.

Mediation on Scriptures along with conversations with the elders of the faith (both living and dead) will yield a rich bounty. Why travel down a sorrowful path when we can avoid doing so by seeking out the truth from wiser and more experienced leaders? Brothers and sisters, let us not repeat the foolishness of Rehoboam! 

Why We Must Preach the Bible (part 3)

/ Richard Bargas / Leave a comment

This is the third installment of a three-part article. Part One can be read here: Why We Must Preach the Bible (part 1), and Part Two can be read here: Why We Must Preach the Bible (part 2)

We have been considering the need for the Church of Jesus Christ to preach the Bible faithfully, in full dependence upon God and the power vested in His Word. In the first article, I wrote that we must preach the Bible because it is our only authority. Without that divine Book, no man standing up on a Sunday morning has any authority. Secondly, we must preach the Bible because the Bible alone demonstrates divine power. Manipulation, oratorical skill, and emotionalism will only get you so far. Today I want to look at one last reason why we must preach the Bible.

3. It Demands Divine Duty

The hard soil of men’s hearts is not something unique to the 21st century. It is as old as humanity itself. This fact needs to sink into the heart of the pastor who is looking for low-hanging fruit when he seeks a ministry. God has not called most of us to a large pulpit ministry, nor world-wide fame. But He has called every one of His ministers to faithfully proclaim the Word wherever we are sent. Hard hearts, gang violence, poor attendance, meager offerings, inadequate facilities, nonexistent leadership, are all realities that can make ministry challenging, but none are reasons to walk away from a church or a community. As a matter of fact, all of these are reasons that a faithful Bible preaching, gospel-saturated church is needed in that place. The marks of this divine duty require us to preach faithfully, preach plainly, and preach patiently.

Preach Faithfully (Ezek. 2-3; 2 Tim. 4:1-5)

Facing the rebellious nation of Israel, the Lord clearly told Ezekiel what he must do, “And you shall speak my words to them, whether they hear or refuse to hear, for they are a rebellious house.” (Ezek. 2:7, ESV). Over and over again, Ezekiel was told that Israel was a rebellious house, impudent, stubborn, and hard-headed. And yet, his instructions were clear, speak God’s words to them. Though they would not listen, and though they were so hard in heart, it did not change the directive—be a watchman (3:17) and speak the words of impending judgment (v. 19) no matter what. Faithfulness is what God requires (3:19, 21).

As the Apostle Paul faced his own death, he exhorted Timothy to continue to persevere in the ministry of the Word in season and out of season. For Timothy, Paul’s imprisonment and coming death was a very real illustration of the threat to the gospel ministry. Paul didn’t instruct Timothy to move to a safer territory nor did he instruct him to avoid suffering, but instead encouraged him to keep preaching even when people will no longer endure it and that this might include the need to endure suffering for the sake of Christ. Paul was faithful to preach the whole counsel of God and he would receive his reward in due time (2 Tim. 4:7-8).

Preach Plainly (1Cor. 2:1-5)

Plain preaching is not the same as bland preaching, nor does it mean to preach simplistically. Paul’s desire to give Jesus Christ all the glory required him to make sure that his own preaching did not put the spotlight on his considerable education, gifts, and talents. Although the so-called super-apostles had a low view of Paul’s presence and preaching ability (2 Cor. 10:10), he placed his full dependence upon the power of God’s Spirit working through the Word of God. In doing this, Paul put the cross of Christ on full display. Plain preaching is not flashy, gimmicky, or self-seeking. Simply put, plain preaching is Spirit-empowered, not man-centered. The Puritan Richard Baxter wrote, “It is no easy matter to speak so plain that the ignorant may understand us, so seriously that the deadest heart may feel us, and so convincingly that contradictory cavaliers may be silenced.” (Joel R. Beeke and Mark Jones, A Puritan Theology: Doctrine for Life, (Reformation Heritage Books, Grand Rapids, 2012), 695).

Preach Patiently (2 Tim. 4:2)

Our duty to preach the Word must be done with the reminder that we do not preach ourselves nor do we preach our words. Pastors are under-shepherds that are to lead without being domineering. We are to be loving examples to the flock that has been placed in our charge (1 Pet. 5:2-4). This means that we must teach the Word of God with the patience of our Master (2 Tim. 4:2), and that is easier said than done, particularly when we are facing the growing challenges of ministry today. Nevertheless, we must teach and preach with great patience, waiting upon the Word and Spirit to do their mighty work.

Although the reasons that we preach the Word could be multiplied, these three should stand out for us—it is our authority, our power and our duty. And as we faithfully proclaim the Word, we can expect that it will do its mighty work of reviving the soul and enlightening the eyes (Ps. 19:7, 8). The benefits of doing so will manifest themselves in due time, showing us that as we sow the seeds of the Word into the hearts of our congregations that all our efforts are profitable (2 Tim. 3:16-17), and will accomplish the will of God in the end (Isa. 55:11).

As William Gurnall wrote a long time ago, “The Word of God is too sacred a thing and preaching to solemn a work, to be toyed and played with” (Ibid., 685). May we pick up our Swords and faithfully execute the ministry that the Lord has called each of us to do, for His greater glory and for the good of the Church. 

Watch Your Life and Doctrine Closely (weekend repost)

/ Richard Bargas / Leave a comment

Whether it was Zacharias, James McDonald, Mark Driscoll, Jack Schapp, Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, Jimmy Swaggart, or any of the seemingly endless list of failures, there is a commonness to their ability to go so far in their sin before they crashed and burned. You don’t need to look far and you will see that each of these people were able to get so far in their sin because they built a structure around them of yes-men that they knew would not stand up to them and hold them accountable to biblical standards of holiness.

“Watch Your Life and Doctrine Closely”

This post was the most popular this past week. In case you missed it: Watch Your Life and Doctrine Closely

Watch Your Life and Doctrine Closely

/ Richard Bargas / 1 Comment

With the most recent discovery of the moral failure of Ravi Zacharias, many have wondered how it is that such a thing could happen again. But there is a common denominator among many of these men that we must address because although our own fall may not be publicized to the same extent, there is no doubt that it will have similar destructive results.

Whether it was Zacharias, James McDonald, Mark Driscoll, Jack Schapp, Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker, Jimmy Swaggart, or any of the seemingly endless list of failures, there is a commonness to their ability to go so far in their sin before they crashed and burned. You don’t need to look far and you will see that each of these people were able to get so far in their sin because they built a structure around them of yes-men that they knew would not stand up to them and hold them accountable to biblical standards of holiness.

Whether it is gold, girls, glory, or a combination of these, each failure achieved such great heights because they had constructed a system that assured them that their lusts could grow unchecked. In essence they set a trap for themselves, as the Proverbs say:

“For in vain is a net spread in the sight of any bird, but these men lie in wait for their own blood; they set an ambush for their own lives. Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain; it takes away the life of its possessors.” (Proverbs 1:17–19, ESV)

The threat is not only for the A-list celebrity Christian though. We may not be able to attain to the great heights from which they fall, but we shall fall nonetheless. The Apostle Paul warned Timothy of words that must be ever-present in our lives: “Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.” (1 Timothy 4:16, ESV)

How can we avoid the same end?

  1. Make sure you are in the Word and in prayer daily. This doesn’t point to a legalistic requirement, but a need for the Spirit to continuously work in our hearts through the Sword of the Spirit.
  2. Make sure you have submitted yourself to a pastor or elder(s) to hold you accountable. This means that if you are a pastor, you are allowing another godly elder or elders to confront you and ask you the hard questions when necessary.
  3. Be aware of your own propensities and weaknesses, but do not put too much trust in your own judgment. Allow those closest to you to point out your blind spots and then you must listen to their wise counsel and correction.
  4. Allow trusted men of God access to you. Don’t cut yourself off from those who will be most honest with you because they love you.
  5. Be careful not to shut out those who disagree with you. “Yes men” might make your plans go smoother, but you need those who will look at things differently from you and might point out those things you (and your yes-men) might fail to see.
  6. When you are wrong, confess it, repent, and ask forgiveness. Don’t cover your sin or make excuses for it. We all mess up, but there is no excuse for prideful avoidance of guilt.
  7. Be willing to listen to criticism with a humble heart. Try to find truth and helpful counsel, even in those complaints that might be unfair and even mean-spirited.
  8. Be an open book to several trusted people in your life. You should be unafraid to open up any area of your life to a trusted friend who asks, especially in the areas where there may be a potential risk of failure.
  9. Don’t develop a form of church government that cordons you off from any form of biblical scrutiny. Special committees that don’t answer to or communicate with anyone but the pastor have great potential to be a hiding place for sin.

Satan loves to work in shadows and whispers. The more light that we allow to shine on our ministry, the less there is a possibility that sin can grow or remain hidden for long.