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Dave L
Guest
Did people receive the Holy Spirit and speak in tongues? Or did they speak in tongues and receive the Holy Spirit?
Both. The Apostles received the out-poured Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues. Those who heard and understood also received the Holy Spirit, through hearing. Paul said those who speak in tongues speak not to man but to God. So the devout Jews who heard the message in their own native tongues must have received the Holy Spirit as well and the gift of tongues interpretation.
The apostles passed the Holy Spirit on in ways similar to the outpouring, through their hands. First at Samaria where they laid hands on Philip’s superficial converts, (who believed not by faith, but because of the miracles they saw). And later at Ephesus on finding John the Baptists’ disciples who also received the Holy Spirit through their hands. Those people spoke in tongues and those who heard also received the Holy Spirit through their word.
And so it is today. We have the word through which we receive the Holy Spirit. And those who listen to us also receive the Holy Spirit through the gospel words we speak to them.
God always provided the Holy Spirit through his word. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17). And faith is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22). So the Holy Spirit comes to all believers through the spoken word (1 Peter 1:23). Jesus said his words are Spirit and they are life (John 6:63). So apart from the two outpourings. And through the apostles’ hands, it is through the word of God believers of all-time receive the Holy Spirit. When we speak Christ to others, we speak the Holy Spirit and his life into their hearts. And this develops through repentance.
How do we receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit? Through repentance. Peter said repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). But we must realize, only believers would consider repenting. And Jesus says whoever believes has eternal life. So the more believers repent, the more we experience the Holy Spirit. The less time we spend in the flesh, the more time we spend in the Spirit. Less sin = more Spirit. More bible, more Spirit....
Both. The Apostles received the out-poured Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues. Those who heard and understood also received the Holy Spirit, through hearing. Paul said those who speak in tongues speak not to man but to God. So the devout Jews who heard the message in their own native tongues must have received the Holy Spirit as well and the gift of tongues interpretation.
The apostles passed the Holy Spirit on in ways similar to the outpouring, through their hands. First at Samaria where they laid hands on Philip’s superficial converts, (who believed not by faith, but because of the miracles they saw). And later at Ephesus on finding John the Baptists’ disciples who also received the Holy Spirit through their hands. Those people spoke in tongues and those who heard also received the Holy Spirit through their word.
And so it is today. We have the word through which we receive the Holy Spirit. And those who listen to us also receive the Holy Spirit through the gospel words we speak to them.
God always provided the Holy Spirit through his word. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17). And faith is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22). So the Holy Spirit comes to all believers through the spoken word (1 Peter 1:23). Jesus said his words are Spirit and they are life (John 6:63). So apart from the two outpourings. And through the apostles’ hands, it is through the word of God believers of all-time receive the Holy Spirit. When we speak Christ to others, we speak the Holy Spirit and his life into their hearts. And this develops through repentance.
How do we receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit? Through repentance. Peter said repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38). But we must realize, only believers would consider repenting. And Jesus says whoever believes has eternal life. So the more believers repent, the more we experience the Holy Spirit. The less time we spend in the flesh, the more time we spend in the Spirit. Less sin = more Spirit. More bible, more Spirit....
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