Why tongues? The Pentecostal experience.

Let's explore some verses about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I use the kjv version in this study.

In the book of Acts there seems to be a definite sign accompanying those receiving the Holy Spirit, having been baptised with the Holy Spirit, given the Holy Spirit, etc different vocabulary used interchangeably to describe this supernatural experience - Matthew 3:11; Acts 1:5; 2:4; 8:15-17; 10:44-48; 11:15-18; 15:7-11; 19:1-6. (Some of these are the retelling of events by Peter of the gentiles' conversion).⁣

John 3:5, 8; drawing from that, there will be a sound of everyone born with the Spirit, and without being born of water and Spirit, we cannot enter the Kingdom of God. I believe He is speaking of the Kingdom of God in terms of experiencing it here & now.

Jesus said one of the signs that follow them that believe is new tongues in Mark 16:17 & that is the sign that followed in Acts 2:4 after He told them to wait in Acts 1 saying they will be baptised with the Holy Ghost, the same experience John spoke about in Matthew 3:11. ⁣

Peter confirms in verse 33 that what the people who gathered see and hear is the promise of the Father; the Holy Ghost. ⁣

He gives instructions to people asking what they should do in Acts 2:37-39 saying they should repent, get baptised in the name of Jesus Christ and they will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit and that it is a promise to all called by God.

In Acts 8:15-17, they knew the exact moment they received the Holy Ghost. ⁣⁣

In Acts 10:44-48, they knew Cornelius & his household received the Holy Ghost because they heard them speak with tongues. ⁣⁣

In Acts 19, Paul asks the disciples of John if they have received the Holy Ghost since they believed. After they got baptized in Jesus name, they spoke in tongues when Paul had laid his hands on them. ⁣⁣

Paul himself speaks in tongues as he says in 1 Corinthians 14:14-15, 18. ⁣

Praying in tongues or in the spirit edifies us - 1 Corinthians 14:2, 4. ⁣⁣

If the apostles believed that because they heard believers speak in tongues, that it means they were filled with the Holy Spirit/Ghost, then praying in the spirit can mean praying in tongues because it is only something we can do by the working of the Holy Spirit in a supernatural way that is not done according to our own understanding.

Other verses I believe coincide with 1 Corinthians 14: Romans 8:26-28; Ephesians 5:18-20; 6:18; Jude 20-21. ⁣

Here's what I believe; there is more than one kind of tongue. The words translated into tongues have different contexts depending on how it is used.

What manifested on the day of Pentecost after the disciples of Jesus got filled with the Holy Ghost and initially spoke in tongues, was diverse tongues (language known to people around us) mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:10; interpretation of tongues is yet another gift of the Spirit which is of the unknown tongue Paul speaks about in 1 Corinthians 14 that no man can understand.⁣

Reasons why I believe it would make sense that God would choose tongues. ⁣

Out of the abundance of the heart a man speaks - Matthew 12:34 ⁣⁣

Death & life is in the power of the tongue - Proverbs 18:21 ⁣⁣

In James 3, the tongue is described as a little member compared to the rudder of a ship, set on fire of hell, no man can tame it...so seems to me that by our tongue, if God controls it, could direct the course of our life. ⁣

For this reason, our heartfelt confession of faith in Jesus is an important step of salvation. See Romans 10:9-10. ⁣⁣

Tongues is also the only outward from inward sign personal to each believer that the Holy Spirit is present in a supernatural way, so that could be how they knew someone received the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts chapter 8, and why Paul could even ask if the disciples of John have received the Holy Spirit since they believed in Acts chapter 19. ⁣

Let's look at some verses:

Jesus describes the Holy Spirit as rivers of living water flowing from our belly (or innermost being) & how the Holy Ghost was not yet given because Jesus was not yet glorified. See John 7:37-38. ⁣

He also says in John 15:7, "Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you." ⁣

John 14:17 "Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you."

And John 14:26, "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." ⁣

These verses seem to be contradicting or confusing, unless Jesus is telling them that He is the Comforter that will come; He must physically go away first, & later will be in them spiritually.

Romans 8:9 also says "Spirit of Christ." & 2 Corinthians 3:17, "The Lord is that Spirit." & we know Jesus is called Lord of Lords from multiple verses. There can be a whole different study how Jesus Christ is in fact, God manifested in the flesh. We must remember that God is omnipresent.

So until Jesus ascended, and they tarried at Jerusalem as per His instructions in Acts 1, they could not yet receive the Holy Spirit - at least not in the way they did in the book of Acts chapter 2.⁣

Paul to the already established church, "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body...and have been all made to drink into one Spirit." See 1 Corinthians 12:13. ⁣

Could it be the Holy Spirit, like a well, flows from our spirit, filling us to the point that it pours out from our mouth? ⁣

Baptise means immerse. So if we are so immersed in God's presence in our whole being, the Holy Spirit pours out of us in tongues? A pure undefiled prayer language straight from the Spirit and our spirit?

Be it so that even our prayers should be completely controlled by God because His understanding surpasses our own? See Isaiah 55:8-9.

So God being all seeing, all knowing, all powerful, directing our very prayers too deep for us to comprehend, makes sense to me.⁣

In 1 Corinthians chapter 14:2, Paul writes, "For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries." ⁣⁣

"He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church. ⁣⁣

For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. ⁣

What is it then? 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." 1 Corinthians 14:4, 14-15.

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Note: just because Paul emphasizes the importance of edifying the church, which the Corinthians seemed to have lacked in, doesn't discount the need to edify oneself. (See 1 Cor. 14:39)

Praying in the spirit is in the unknown tongues from what I gather from those verses from Corinthians, & along with Jude 20-25; Ephesians 5:18-20; 6:18, it seems to conclude that praying in the Holy Ghost, in the Spirit, or singing spiritual songs can mean praying/singing in tongues to edify ourselves and build up our most holy faith. ⁣

Romans chapter 8:26-28 supports this, "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. ⁣⁣

And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. ⁣

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." ⁣

It takes a whole different level of trust & surrenderance to speak in tongues by the Holy Spirit not solely relying on our own human understanding easily tainted by carnality. ⁣⁣

We don't know all things, God does. So praying by His Holy Spirit allows us to pray in a deeper more powerful way than ever before because He Himself intercedes on our behalf according to His will unhindered by things like doubt, confusion etc.

So with all that, can it actually be that the early church recognized that someone received the Holy Spirit by the initial sign that they spoke in tongues or that this a supernatural experience specifically for empowerment for being a witness, evangelizing & interceding?

My conclusion is that being that the letters Paul wrote was to the church already established, & that leadership likely already filled with the Holy Spirit read them, so then, diverse tongues, interpretation of tongues which is equal to prophecy and all other gifts follow after the initial baptism of the Holy Spirit, & that everyone baptised with the Holy Spirit will be able to speak in tongues continually to build their most Holy faith and get into intercession.

When seeking for the baptism of the Holy Spirit, trust God will not give you anything other than His Holy Spirit - Luke 11:11-13. You are safe with Him. And if there is anything there that isn't from Him, He will remove it. Trust He wants you to have this.