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Q. Why don't Pentecostal
Apostolics baptize using the titles Father, Son, & Holy Spirit, according to Mt. 28:19?
A. Mt. 28:19
was a part of the text which makes up the great commission. In this commission the disciples were commanded to baptize
in the NAME [ singular ] of the Father and the Son and The Holy Spirit. Father is not a name, Neither are
Son and Holy Ghost or Spirit. Acts 4:12 states "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none
other NAME under heaven given among men, whereby me must be saved.
Jesus is the saving
name. Jesus, in the Gospel according to St. Luke, commanded the disciples to preach repentance and remission of
sins in His Name, to all nations beginning at Jerusalem. Peter then with full knowledge of the appropriate
name that should be used and the commandment of God baptized everyone who desired it in the Name of Jesus Christ.
Without fail, everywhere in scripture where people desire salvation, and the salvation act is carried out, baptism is
always carried out either in the name of the Lord, or in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Consider this,
on the day of Pentecost; which is the birthday of the church, if Peter had done anything except what had been commanded
by God; either the other disciples or God himself would have stopped him. But instead Acts 2:41 records that 3,000 souls
were added to the church [ the 120 original souls ] on that day.
Q. What about the sinners prayer?
A.
We believe that where the Bible speaks we speak, what the Bible commands we will do. No-where in the Bible are
we commanded to save souls through a recited prayer. There is also no example of anyone ever being saved in
this manner. While it may sound nice and it simplifies the salvation process, we must always follow the commands
and examples of God's word.
Q. Does everyone who receives the gift of the Holy Spirit need to speak in tongues?
I thought tongues were either done away with or was a special gift that needed an interpreter.
A. There
are two issues here. Number one is the gift of the Holy Spirit with the initial sign of speaking in tongues,
the other is the gift of tongues which is either accompanied with the gift of interpretation or requires an interpreter. These
should not be confused. Both are by products of the same Spirit, but each has its own function. The Gift of
Tongues is for the edification of the church and must be accompanied by an interpretation. This is why the Apostole
Paul gave instruction in I Cor. 14:27; that "If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most
by three, and that by course; and let one interpretate."
The Gift of the Holy
Ghost [ Spirit ] accomanied by speaking in tongues is quite different in its function. Speaking in tongues
at the time of Spirit infilling is simply a sign to the individual receiving God's spirit and
to all who are present. This sign is to let you and all observing that you have truly been filled with the
gift of the Holy Spirit. This point is very clearly seen in Peter's handling of Cornelius and those who came
with Peter to minister to his family.
In the 10th chapter of the
book of Acts verses 44 to 46 the Bible says; "While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them
which hard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were
astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For
they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God..."
Lastly, Tongues have not been
done away with. I will offer for your consideraton one very interesting block of scripture. I Corinthians
13:8-10 Thus saith the Word of the Lord. "Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies,
they shall fail; whether there be tongues they shall cease; whether there be knowledge
, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect
is come, then that which is in part shall be done away..."
For tongues to be done away with, that
which is perfect [ Christ ] would have to have come. In addition, we cannot take only part of this scripture and consider
it done away with and not consider the other parts. For tongues to have ceased, both prophesies and knowledge also
would have to be done away with. However prophecies and knowledge still exist. God is still speaking
words to his people, and tongues still exist.
More To
Come
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