Believe only?

Over-emphasis on speaking in tongues?

Tongues to cease?

Christening

The "Sinners Prayer"

Firstly, we do say that you must believe on Jesus. But some have watered this down to, in effect, 'acknowledging the existence of Jesus'. The word "believe" in the Bible is much stronger than in everyday English. There are two Greek words used in the context of believing: "pisteuo" meaning 'to have faith in', 'to entrust', 'to commit'; and "peitho" meaning 'to be persuaded of, to place confidence in, to trust in, and to rely on'. Entrusting and committing ourselves to, and relying on, Jesus, logically leads us to do what He says. In other words, if we do not follow the way He showed us what kind of "believing" do we really have?

It is Jesus who said we should be baptised (Mark 16:16). It was Jesus who told all of His disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the "promise of the Father", the infilling of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1). Those who followed Jesus' words and waited in Jerusalem received the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1-4). To the large crowd that gathered on hearing people receive the Holy Spirit, Peter the Apostle preached that Jesus had come, been crucified and was now risen again. He said that Jesus had "shed forth" what they could now "see and hear" (people receiving the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues).

When they asked "what must we do?", Peter replied "Repent, and be baptised every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." "And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation." (Acts 2:38-40)

The miracle of the followers of Jesus receiving the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues gathered the crowd. The preaching by Peter of Jesus' death and resurrection led them to ask "What must we do?". So Peter told them. We also continue to preach this life-transforming message.

To those who preach less, we ask: Why?

Why all this emphasis on Speaking in Tongues?

Our emphasis is on the sacrifice that Jesus made on behalf of all mankind. The Bible tells us that Jesus told his disciples it was better that He go away (leave them in a natural physical sense) that the Comforter (the Holy Spirit) would come (John 16:7). The sign of the Holy Spirit (whose role is to reveal Jesus to us) coming into someone's life is that they will speak in tongues. (Acts 2:4, Acts 10:44-48, Acts 19:5-6)

It is not that we emphasise this, it is more that others have de-emphasised it; on the one hand saying that this experience is:
a) an optional extra - nice to have but not really necessary; or on the other hand:
b) a delusion (either satanic or psychological).

We merely point out that the Bible describes this experience and it was obviously normal in the church described in the Bible. There is no scriptural support for the idea that this manifestation passed away with the church of Bible days.

Hold on, doesn't the Bible say that tongues will cease?

Yes, in a passage about how God's love will endure for ever, Paul the Apostle contrasts this with other matters. He says that God's love will never cease "but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away." (1 Corinthians 13:8)

While God's love will endure for ever, there are other manifestations that serve a purpose for a particular time. We live in that time spoken of by Jesus as the time when it is better that He go away that the Holy Spirit come (John 16:7). Prophecies have not yet "failed" (ceased), there are many yet to be fulfilled. Complete knowledge is not yet with us: Paul the apostle said we still see through a glass darkly (an indistinct reflection of reality), but then (when Jesus returns), face to face. Neither has tongues yet ceased.

Between the time of Jesus coming the first time and the return of Jesus again to this earth to bring about a perfect situation, we are in the period that Paul went on to speak about in 1 Corinthians:

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.
1 Corinthians 13:9-10

Then tongues will cease. Until then, it is a clear evidence of having received the Holy Spirit, and an important means of being built up in our faith (Jude 20) as we wait for the return of Jesus Christ.

I was christened when I was a baby, doesn't that count as my baptism?

There is no mention of "christening" in the Bible. Some people use the word "christening" and the word "baptism" interchangeably, as if they meant the same thing.

However, there are important differences between christening and baptism:

Why don't you lead people to say the "sinner's prayer"?

It is not found in the Bible.

Repentance is called for in the Scriptures. The concept of acknowledging your need for a saviour is also a scriptural truth.

What we object to is the substitution of this practice for the plain commandment in scripture to not only repent, but also to be baptised and then be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Well-meaning and sincere people are told after praying this prayer: "now you are saved". The Bible teaches us that it is the work of the Holy Spirit to reveal Jesus to us. In the Bible, the receiving of the Holy Spirit was a clear and unmistakable occurrence.

Many are disapointed when the "sinner's prayer" does not give them the expected power to overcome their difficulties. A mental acknowledgment of our need for a saviour is an important first step, but the answer of a good conscience towards God is to take the next step and be baptised. Jesus will then "shed forth" the Holy Spirit in a tangible manner.