Posted on 03/01/2016 6:48:33 PM PST by truthfinder9
In Acts Chapter 10 when Peter went to the House of Cornelius to preach to them, TONGUES were how he knew they had received the Holy Ghost...
as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
The Spirit gives the gifts as HE wills, not as we will or demand.
The gifts are for the edification of the body, not as a sign to the individual believer that they’ve been filled with the Holy Spirit. There’s no Scripture at all that states what’s what tongues are for.
Besides, if someone needs a sign to tell them they have been filled with the Holy Spirit and they can’t tell otherwise that it happened, they weren’t filled with the Holy Spirit.
You can’t be filled, speaking in tongues or not, and NOT know it.
Tongues was for the sake of Peter and the Jews who marveled that the Gentiles received the Holy Spirit just as the Jews did.
It verified to them that the Gentiles were to be recipients of the gift of salvation by grace, just like the Jews. That it wasn't just for the Jews.
People can receive the Holy Spirit and be filled with the Holy Spirit and not speak in tongues.
However I will note that is only one of the thoughts in Gill's Exposition.
There are others expressed as well.
And a fog machine. Gotta have that.
Acknowledged. I only extracted the thought that was relevant to your question.
I am bookmarking this resource. It appears to be a thorough commentary.
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