JUST THINKING: The Believer's Spiritual Relationship
I was just thinking about how, in the modern era of Christianity, more and more people want a relationship with God that focuses on the physical rather than the spiritual. Much of that is attributed to Pentecostalism, which did not begin until January 1901, and the Charismatic Movement, which began in April 1960. Emphasis is placed on believers gaining “the baptism of the Holy Ghost,” speaking in tongues, being “slain in the spirit,” possessing a prayer language, receiving holy laughter and even healing the sick. Each of those aspects focuses on the physical actions of followers.
What Does the Bible Say?
The work of the Holy Spirit is to place believers in Christ. The Spirit convicts unbelievers of their sin, then convinces them of the need for salvation from the condemnation of sin. As a result, there is a spiritual change in each believer. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation” (II Cor. 5:17-18 NIV). Being placed in Christ at salvation is the immersing, the baptism, of a believer in Christ.
A spiritual relationship is the purpose of that work. The saved individual is brought into a personal relationship with God; from there, that relationship grows and the believer grows spiritually.
What About Tongues?
On the Day of Pentecost, the believers began to preach the gospel to the people who had come to Jerusalem for the feast. That day, the Spirit enabled the apostles to preach in the various languages and dialects of the hearers. Each person heard in their own language. It was not a bunch of gibberish — they understood what was being said.
The apostle Paul, a well-educated Jew, spoke many languages. In attempting to set the church at Corinth right on the subject of tongues, he said, “I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue” (I Cor. 14:18-19). He further said, “Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is not for unbelievers but for believers. So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues (foreign languages), and inquirers or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind?” (I Cor. 14:22-23). While many today think they are duplicating Pentecost, they are far from it. None of this builds up the church.
What About a Prayer Language?
Many seek to have or say they have a prayer language. Why? Prayer is an expression to God of petition, intercession and praise. It requires understanding. Again, Paul wrote, emphasizing understanding, “For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful” (I Cor. 14:14).
When the Spirit Intercedes for Us
Sometimes we want to speak to God but don’t adequately know what to say. Paul addressed that to the Roman church as well. “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.” (Rom. 8:26). The phrase “words cannot express” literally means “cannot fall from the lips.” Our hearts cry out, and the Spirit takes our burdens to the Lord.
The purpose of this is to enhance our relationship with God the Father. A proper spiritual relationship with God is introduced by the Holy Spirit, strengthened by the Spirit and guided by the Spirit. Child of God, take time today, with understanding, to thank God for the gift of the Holy Spirit.
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Dr. Tom Mitchell
Dr. Tom Mitchell pens a column titled, Just Thinking, in which he addresses many topics relative to the Baptist Missionary Association. His Trailblazers series provides biographies of many BMA trailblazers from the past.
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