(Part 6 - Final - The following is part of our response to a series of emails from a man who disputed our Smith Wigglesworth_article, and who presented common arguments in support of Pentecostal experiences. He claims to have personal experience with baptism of fire, healing, deliverance and the practice of charismatic tongues, as promoted by Wigglesworth.)
1. I would welcome scriptural facts and sound reasoning from you, in response to the specific questions that I have been asking you (below) - most of which have been ignored so far.
2. For the sake of convenience, I have summarized a few of the most pertinent questions, as follows:
a. Why is it that millions of Pentecostals/Charismatics today claim to 'speak in tongues', practice it often, and preach it upon others (like Smith Wigglesworth, for example), but only a handful of them claim the equal proof of signs following them that believe (Mark 16:17-18) - that of laying hands on the sick and actually healing them?
b. Why is it that millions 'speak in tongues' but almost none practice picking up serpents nor preach that others should do likewise?
c. Isn't the gift of picking up serpents exactly equal (in the list of signs - Mark 16:17-18) with casting out devils and 'speaking in tongues'?
d. Why is it that so many pastors and evangelists (who DO pick up snakes) die from snake-bites during sermons that are intended to prove that Mark 16 still applies to them today?, and
e. Why do almost all similarly-minded believers themselves promote the sign of 'tongues' but don't promote or engage in the equally valid sign of snake-handling?
f. Why should we seek to emulate the Corinthians as our spiritual examples – the worst examples of 'Christians'; to whom Paul devoted 29 chapters to rebuke and correct?
g. Paul said that he would rather speak five words with his understanding than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue (I Cor 14:19). Why do 'tongues-speaking' people not emphasize this truth today?
h. Moses was given 'sign gifts' to validate his ministry in the eyes of Pharaoh and of the children of Israel (The staff/serpent and leprosy). Are these sign gifts still in operation today? If not, when do the scriptures record that they ceased to be valid signs?
i. You wrote that you were baptized "in water" on April 30, 1972 and again in January 1986. Given that there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism (Eph 4:5), which ONE is yours – the first or second water baptism, your baptism in the Holy Spirit/tongues, or another baptism?
j. For Christians in general, to what ONE baptism does Eph 4:5 refer?
k. IF the original purpose of tongues is still valid today (I Cor 14:22; I Cor 1:22) then:
1) How many unbelieving Jews are present in your services? (I Cor 14:22)
2) Are ALL of the 'tongues' spoken publicly interpreted so as to be understood by everyone else? (I Cor 14:13,14,16,19,27,28 etc)
3) Do only men speak the 'tongues' publicly in your services? (I Cor 14:27,34)
4) Are 'tongues' spoken publicly by only 3 at most in your services? (I Cor 14:27)
5) Are the 'tongues and interpretations' given for the believers present, or only for the unbelievers? (I Cor 14:22-23)
l. Scripture teaches that tongues were spoken publicly for a sign to unbelieving Jews, and interpretations were given for the edification of the church. Where in scripture are 'private prayer languages' taught, and what is the scriptural purpose for them?
m. If Paul is not using ridicule in the early verses of I Cor 14, in correction of the Corinthians, then what purpose is there for speaking mysteries to God when neither you nor anyone else is able to understand the 'tongues' anyway?
n. It appears that you believe Paul was not rebuking the Corinthians in his writings, but was instead actually teaching them to speak in private prayer languages ('tongues') to edify themselves. If so, and given that we are to compare scripture with scripture, where else in scripture is this practice taught?
o. Is there anything in scripture that would seem to teach against this self-edification that you believe Paul was teaching in I Cor 14:4?
p. What scriptural evidence can you provide that angels speak with tongues/languages other than those used by and known to man?
q. Is it true that those "speaking in tongues" today are speaking "as the Spirit gives them utterance"?
r. Is it true therefore that those "speaking in tongues" today are literally speaking for God, (God speaking through them) as in "thus saith the Lord"?
s. Can you provide any scriptural examples where a man speaking as a prophet of God, or speaking words on behalf of God, or speaking in tongues under the power and by the utterance of the Holy Spirit of God, said anything that was in error, or was a lie or that failed to come to pass?
t. Do you agree that biblical tongues were given as a sign for unbelievers?
u. What is the purpose of tongues today in respect of the phrase, "initial evidence", and for whom is that sign given – for believers or for unbelievers?
v. Do you agree that biblical tongues were known languages and that "unknown tongues" were to be interpreted?
w. Regarding the interpretation of 'tongues' that you received in 1993:
1) Why did God speak through you in detached third-person reference to himself?
2) Where in scripture does God use the terminology and structure of statements in your message, such as: "True holiness is the state and condition of God's love"?
3) Where in scripture does God speak of dead religion? He speaks of "pure religion" So, it is possible that he would speak of impure religion.
4) Do these words really sound like God's words, or do they sound like the enticing words of man's wisdom? (I Cor 1:17; 2:4; 2:13)
x. Of all the people who fell backwards in scripture, how many can you find that were godly believers - men and women of God?
3. Although there are many more questions that I could ask, I believe that the answers to any of these questions alone – and certainly to all of them as a whole – lead irrefutably to TRUE conclusions that are inconsistent with the FALSE beliefs and practices of charismatic/Pentecostal 'ministers' such as William Branham and Smith Wigglesworth.
4. I look forward to receiving your answers to these questions.
Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. (I Thess 5:21)
Mike.
