E. Believing that the
receiving of the Holy Spirit is the prerequisite for entering heaven; and that
speaking in tongues is
the evidence of having received the Holy Spirit.
1.
Receiving
of the Holy Spirit is the prerequisite for entering heaven.
a.
To enter the kingdom
of God one must be reborn through
the Holy Spirit (Jn
3:5; Tit 3:5).
b.
The Holy Spirit will give us eternal life (; Jn ).
c.
The Holy Spirit testifies that we are the
sons of God (Rom ; Gal 4:6, 7).
d.
The Holy Spirit is the guarantee of our
inheritance of the heavenly kingdom (Eph 1:13, 14: 2 Cor 1:20-22).
2.
Speaking in spiritual tongues is the evidence of
receiving the Holy Spirit.
a.
It
is not true that a person receives the Holy Spirit the moment he believes in
Christ (Acts 19:1-7).
b.
It
is not true that a person automatically receives the Holy Spirit when he is
baptized (Acts , 16).
c.
It is also not true that a person with
good deeds has received the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:2, 22, 44).
d.
It
is wrong to think that every person who serves the Lord fervently has received
the Holy Spirit. (Mt 19:27; Acts 1:4, 5).
e.
The apostles reckoned speaking in
spiritual tongues as the evidence of receiving the Holy Spirit.
(a)
The personal experience of the apostles on the day
of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4).
(b)
The experience of Cornelius and others (Acts -46,
-18).
(c)
The experience of the believers in Ephesus
(Acts 19:1-7).
·
When one is speaking in tongues, he is speaking to God, normally it is not understood
by men (1 Cor 14:2,
14, 16).
·
The tongues have their meanings. Whenever it is necessary God,
will move a person to interpret them (1 Cor ;
-28; Acts 2:5-11).
