Quote:
Originally Posted by Jason Badejo
Sis Falla,
Thank you for your posts. There is no doubt that one reaps what they sow, which is why I cannot put the emphasis on getting my kids to speak in tongues, but rather on repentance, loving God, loving their neighbor, teaching them about the TRUE fruit of the Spirit,the principles taught in the Sermon on the Mount, and what God truly requires of us.
Please allow me to also add that in this thread as well as a similar one that was started about a month ago your stated position has much to do with experience, but is lacking in the Word of God.
Shall I speak of what I have seen pentecostal doctrine do to some? I have seen people so meesed up over standards it literally tore their families apart. So concerned with straining out gnats, while swallowing camels that their "converts" became discouraged by the rules required to serve God, and have now ended up in homosexuality (despite speaking in tongues quite often). I have see those who spoke in tongues, never missed church, and flaunted their "holiness" while telling others they didn't know how to "worship", and yet such people were comitting fornication AND adultery, pregnant out of wedlock, backbiters, gossips, and all sort of evil works. Many, MANY people I have known in our churches fall quite short of the spiritual fruit the Bible speaks of, while lining up to all of the requirements that a UPC minded church puts on them. No doubt you would at least know some of the pastors I speak of, if not the "saints" themselves, seeing as how I was in section 7 of the Texas district UPC, right there close by yourself. Even now I attend church in a [former] UPC in Arlington.
If the tongues truly is the ONE and ONLY evidence of the Holy Ghost, then why do so many who have spoken in tongues live such damnable lives, while so many "dead and dry" denominal Christians are faithful and serving to God all their lives?
Blessings
|
In the family alter, in our home growing up, the emphesis was on the Word
of God. Getting the Word inside. As we siblings grew older, the emphesis in-
cluded being born again. Receiving the Holy Ghost. Being born again of water
and Spirit.
Many denominal people read/know the Word and are (as my late paternal
grandmother), walking in all the truth they know. And if they continue on
to know the LORD, HE will bring them into contact with full truth. It may be
through contact with someone else who knows more truth. We are respon-
sible for what we know and have been given.
You may read and quote the Word, but if you have not received the Spirit
of the Living God, you are no different from a Bible reading denominal soul.
In fact, some of those on this forum, sound much like the denominal souls I
have witnessed to, through the years.
Without the illumination of the Holy Ghost, you cannot properly see or under-
stand the Word! I believe there are those who would obey more, if they were
told more.
What concerns me is those who have heard, yet speak out
against the very thing that those precious souls need.
I know for a fact that there are denominal ministers that have taught against
what we believe and teach. One even brought in a "watchman" to explain why
we were a "cult". Advertised about it! When my late father left this world, he
was the eldest minister in our city. Highly respected, but the message he
taught and preached, they never accepted.
There was an aged man who "was a member" of a local church, but did not
attend church. He asked my late father if he would preach his funeral. Dad
asked that he come and hear him preach while they were still alive. He never
did. Dad's son, who became pastor after his departure, did preach this busi-
ness man's funeral in the local funeral home. Many liked my late father, but
refused to hear the message he preached.
God never left Himself without witness. Never will. There will be witnesses,
no doubt, in every city, that the message of truth, was preached there.
Jerusalem and Samaria heard the Word. The Gospel has gone around the
world, yet many did not know, as Jerusalem, the day of visitation in their
city. There was a reason Jesus passed by. He's still passing by, in the Spirit,
perhaps IN the forms of humble men and women, bringing the message of
truth to that city. Perhaps just as Dad and Mom, with their eleven children,
over a half century ago, proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a lost and
dying city!
No, BIG Jerusalem did not accept Him. He didn't allow His Son to be born in
the big proud city that would reject Him. Tiny Bethlehem, just a few miles
away was where God brought the Gift of His only Begotten Son. Gift-wrapped
in swaddling clothes. Through Him, JOY was brought to a lost and dying world.
Light sprung up and dispeled the darkness! The LIGHT of the world had come!
GOD had VISITED HIS people! Those who heard His Voice, were HIS PEOPLE!
Though many may say, "Lord, Lord", but He said, "Why callest me LORD and
do not the things I say". We may say, "Lord, Lord", yet reject the thngs His
Word declares. But not everyone who saith Lord, Lord, is going to enter into
the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God is the Holy Ghost. It's not what we
see, or it's not meat and drink! It's righteousness, joy and peace, IN THE
HOLY GHOST!
Still we are having precious souls that have seen that they needed more
when they reached their "wits end". They have come and are continuing to
come and received the Holy Ghost, speaking with tongues, as the SPIRIT
gave the utterance. One classmate of my youngest sister, came with her
husband and two small sons many yrs ago. She told me when shse came
back in desperation a couple of yrs ago, that both sets of their parents
fought them over them attending the church my late father founded and
pastored in our city. She comes alone or with another of my youngest
sister's classmates, who also came out of desperation. Both of these class-
mates repented, were baptized in Jesus Name, and received the Holy Ghost,
speaking with tongues as the Spirit gave the utterance. One of their hus-
band's comes on Sun. mornings with her. God is continuing to pour out His
Spirit on many, in spite of those, who say it is not real or necessary. I
know some precious souls who would not agree.
One of the ladies (early 50's) told me after she received the Holy Ghost,
speaking with tongues, as the Spirit gave the utterance, "They just don't
know". They really don't"!
Kinda like the young girl who went to her denominal pastor after visiting
a Pentecostal revival. She was called in and he told her the Holy Spirit
wasn't for today. She replied, "Well, what do I do now that I have it"!
My late father "laid down the "law" in our training up yrs. He brought us
TO Christ. We had to receive Christ (the inheritance) for ourselves. No one
could do that for us. But the earlier teaching of the Word and learning to
obey our parents, learn right principles, helped us be ready to receive the
"born again" experience. I was 18 when I was heavily convicted of my sins.
I had tasted just enough of the world to know I would never be happy out
there. I received the Spirit and spoke in tongues as the Spirit gave the utter-
ance. My brother just younger than myself by 17 months, received it the
same night.
My late father and mother literally prayed and fasted us through to the born
again experience. How I thank God for those godly examples and influences
in our earlier yrs. Although godly examples were modeled before us, the Spirit
must lead and guide us into all truth.
Parents are the first teachers of their children, or should be. I know many
have left the responsibility to others. Our parents did not allow others to
"raise" their children. The UPC did not raise us. Today I depend on the Spirit
I received over 50 yrs ago to continue to lead and guide me. Time will tell
who led us. I want JESUS to lead me by HIS SPIRIT, all the way HOME,
in Jesus Name!
Falla39
Re: Speaking In Tongues Does Not Equal Salvation.
Linear Mode
