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If You've Never Experienced It, You Wouldn't Understand It

 

Jeff L. McKinley

 

I was recently talking to a person who proclaimed that he possessed the gift of "speaking in tongues." I began asking him questions about the nature of his gift. Was it a language of ecstatic utterances? He affirmed that it was not a human language, but rather a prayer language to God. I tried to impress upon him that "tongues" in the Bible were actual human dialects or languages.

 

Acts 2:4-8, "4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. 6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. 7 And they were all amazed and marveled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? 8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born?"

 

I Corinthians 14:21, "In the law it is written, With [men of] other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord."

 

Then I pointed out that our prayers are no where described as being in a language that is not understandable since our prayers are not only to be with the spirit, but also "with the understanding."

 

I Corinthians 14:15, "What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also."

 

I noticed that he began to look as if he regretted bringing up the subject. Next I asked him how he received the ability to "speak in tongues," since it could only be passed down by the laying on of hands by an apostle.

 

Acts 8:14-17, "14 Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: 15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: 16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) 17 Then laid they [their] hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost."

 

At that point he informed me that he did not wish to discuss the subject further with me. When I asked why he told me that since I never experienced it, I wouldn't understand it! I have always understood that "Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." Romans 10:17.

John wrote concerning the miracles recorded in Scripture:

 

John 20:31, "But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name."

I have never personally experienced the Lord miraculously curing me of an illness, but yet when I read of Him cleansing the leper or healing the blind, I am convinced that He can also cleanse my sins.

 

Matthew 11:5, "The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them."

 

I wasn't at the tomb on the day of our Lord's resurrection, but that doesn't mean that I haven't been begotten again to a living hope.

 

I Peter 1:3, "Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."

 

Our faith is based upon tangible evidence, not our personal experience!

 

What kind of religion does a person have if they can't explain it to some one who has never experienced it? If that is the nature of Christianity, then only those who have experienced salvation can understand it. Don't bother preaching to the lost! This mentality renders the Great Commission useless! Also, one who cannot explain his or her religion cannot obey the command given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

 

 I Peter 3:15, "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and [be] ready always to [give] an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear."

 

Notice that Peter wrote that we are to "give a defense to everyone!" Does this mean "everyone" who has experienced the same hope we have? If such is the case, why would someone who has this same hope, "ask you a reason for the hope that is in you?" Another point to consider is, how can one who can't explain his or her religion "test the spirits" to see "whether they are of God?"

 

I John 4:1, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world."

 

If this kind of thinking was carried into other areas, I would not be able to teach or preach against many things. For example, I've never been drunk. Even though the Bible condemns drunkenness, I cannot preach against it because I never experienced it, therefore I could not understand it.

 

Ephesians 5:18, "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit."

 

Since I've never had an extra-marital affair, does that mean that I cannot proclaim that it is sinful because I wouldn't understand it since I've never experienced it? There are several sins which I've never committed. Romans 1:18-32. Should I never preach an expository sermon on that text because I don't understand them? This kind of thinking is absurd! Will anyone contend that I must know and experience "the depths of Satan" before I can warn young people of the dangers of devil worship?

If I have to "speak in tongues" in order to understand it enough to refute it, what about other false doctrines and religions? Must I be a polygamist before I can refute the doctrines of Mormonism? Should I make a pilgrimage to Mecca and worship at the Black Stone before ever trying to denounce Allah as a false god and Muhammad as a false prophet? The answer to these questions is obvious!

God "has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him."

 

II Peter 1:3, "According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that [pertain] unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue."

 

II Timothy 3:16-17, "16 All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."

Any doctrine that is weighed in the balance of God's Word and found wanting, should be cut out of Christianity by the "sword of the Spirit."

 

Ephesians 6:17, "And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

Study and application of God's Word is the best experience a Christian can have.

 

Psalms 119:104, "Through thy precepts I get under-standing: therefore I hate every false way."

 

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