(Excepted
from the manuscript, A Journey Unto Revelation’s End: A
Search for the Apostle Paul’s Lost Revelation)
Sealed
for Redemption - The Token Gift of Inheritance from the Holy Spirit – the
Praise Language of Entrance into the New Age
For then I will turn to the people a pure language…Zeph.
3:9
November
By Steve Santini
The leaves have
descended, wafting against radiant blue as golden brown flocks to fold. The
trees are bare and barken. Flowers
have faded. Delicate pedals of azure and indigo and amethyst and crimson and
pink and cadmium and cream in their arrayed tints and tones, shades and hues,
have shriveled and fallen. The birds have found their safe havens and no longer
sing in joyful anticipation at the morning’s light. The deer quietly forage in
apprehension for the last of the green fodder, then bound away from the rustle
of skittering leaves within a chilling puff of evening’s hastened dusk. The
phantom breath of ice has slowly come and filled the heaven’s night and killed
the blade and laid it earthen brown. The bears are in their dens and the seeds
are in the ground. She settles for
repose to be covered by billowed down in the stillness of winter’s stunning
white. Then in a moment, by time’s great cycling clock, as assured, she gently
stirs to awaken life anew in the warmth of lengthened light.
When we live and
think in the realm of the Holy Spirit, we are in harmony with this force of
natural life.
Frequencies resonate
between the tiny particles of the atom. (This knowledge and its misuse allowed
scientists to produce the destructive uranium bomb.) When atoms combine to form
molecules, the various frequencies blend to produce distinctive harmonies.
Then, when molecules are combined through the unique genetic coding of each
organism there are singularly intricate harmonies produced by each plant and
animal. When the breath of life is taken away the organism disintegrates and
discontinues producing its distinctive harmony.
Originally, man’s
language was harmonious. Today, some language families still retain many of
their harmonics, yet most languages, as a result of altered symbols and altered
patterns of intoned phonetics, have now become dissonant. The harmonies of the
original language once had a coordinating and invigorating effect on the
natural realm. By Paul’s day, as he said, the whole creation discordantly
groaned. Because of the rising levels of dissonance permeating this day’s
atmosphere, I would say that the natural realm is not just groaning, but now
crying for relief.
When one now
believes in Jesus Christ the token gift from the Holy Spirit is given. The
outward evidence of the gift from the Holy Spirit is speaking in tongues.
Speaking in tongues is speaking in a language never before known to that individual
who believes in Jesus Christ. To those who hunger, this gift now comes forth in
child like faith. Paul said that speaking in tongues is the language of either
men or angels. Since these languages are from the Holy Spirit, they resonate
with the harmonies intended for the sustenance of the natural realm. (Ephesians
5:19) In the Holy Spirit, humans become re-tuned to the original divine force
of this world and the force that gives them life now and in the future
resurrection. Speaking in tongues, the present manifestation of the gift from
the Holy Spirit, is the language each will speak in entrance to the coming
paradise here upon the earth.
This baptism in the
Holy Spirit now plants us in the “likeness” of His resurrection. Then, by the
merciful instruction of the Holy Spirit, the understanding of the Father’s
grace comes and moves us on towards the heights of the spiritual life in Jesus
Christ’s ascension. This realm at the Father’s right hand encompasses all other
present realms and the realm of this earth’s coming paradise. There will be
resurrections into this paradise so that none will be just in the “likeness” of
His resurrection or unfinished in perdition’s formative work. In this coming
paradise, the languages given to us by the Holy Spirit will be the
life giving force that ministers unto a new life in Christ Jesus for all. And
then in the final day, as we are all gathered to meet the Lord Jesus Christ in
the air, this world’s matter will be dissolved, so that we will all live in the
fullness of His ascension. Until these times, those, who believe, live with
patience and temperance, as they groan, awaiting the unfolding of the Father’s
progressive plan of salvation.
Thus, we, together,
are forever bound in this, His infinite embrace of salvation.
Speaking in tongues
in this present age is not a requirement for salvation. It is a benefit
resulting from belief in the Lord Jesus Christ. Some who have believed in the Lord
Jesus Christ and correspondingly have been baptized in the Holy Spirit have
been dissuaded from bringing forth the subjective reality of this gift through
speaking in tongues. It is understandably so, but unfortunate because speaking
in tongues brings a person into intimate conversational communion with the
divine. Some who speak in tongues have
queered the experience for others by consistent outrageous emotionalism beyond
the bounds of faith or by retaining a belief in judgmental legalism.
Some others who do
not speak in tongues have tried to say that speaking in tongues ceased after
the first century. Others say that speaking in tongues ceases in an
individual’s life when he matures in Christ, by using first Corinthians chapter
thirteen verse eight where it says that tongues shall cease. If we look at the
very next phrase it says that at the same time that tongues shall cease that
knowledge vanishes away also. This world’s knowledge has not yet vanished and
will not vanish away until the new heaven and earth beyond this earth’s coming
paradise. This point beyond the coming thousand years of paradise is also when
tongues shall cease. Paul writes in Hebrews that those, who have tasted the heavenly gift and have been
made partakers of the Holy Spirit, have tasted the good logos of God and the
powers of the age to come. This last age and forthcoming age is the
paradise of this earth restored. (Hebrews 6:4, 5) It is this gift through faith
in Christ Jesus that gives the token power for the “out resurrection” or
“better resurrection” into this new age of paradise written of by Paul and Peter. (Philippians 3:11, Hebrews 11:35,
Ephesians 1:13, 14, Romans 8:11, II Peter 3:8,9)
I do agree that there is a message for the immature Christian and that when he matures there are certain elements of this early message that he must leave behind to arrive at maturity. Paul, who had received the revelation of the mystery shortly after his conversion, said to the Corinthians fourteen years later that he still spoke in tongues more often than all of them.(I Corin. 14:18) In Hebrews chapter six, verse one Paul begins to list those things to be left behind for the immature Christian to come on to perfection. Speaking in tongues is not one of those things listed to be left behind to come to maturity. Matter of fact, it is in the further context that Paul says that the current partakes of the Holy Spirit have tasted the good logos of God and the power of the age to come.
In Ephesians, one of
the last epistles and the most developed epistle that Paul wrote, the Holy
Spirit of promise is called the earnest, or token, of future inheritance. Jesus
defined the promise of the Father as that which the apostles would receive in
Jerusalem when they were baptized in the Holy Spirit. On that day that they
spoke in tongues, Peter reiterated that this gift of the Holy Spirit was that
promise of the Father. Jesus, Peter and even Paul in Ephesians refer to the
earnest or token gift from the Holy Spirit as the promise.
In the epistle to
the Ephesians, Paul encourages the church to sing in spiritual songs. These are
not hymns or psalms because he just mentioned these before he mentioned
spiritual songs. Hymns and psalms are different than spiritual songs because
the Greek conjunction kai is used. Kai annexes one thing to another thing.
Hymns and psalms are songs or poems in one’s know language. Spiritual songs are
songs sung in tongues.
Speaking
in tongues is so very simple. It is not necessary to wait for a sign or a
feeling. Bringing out the subjective reality of the gift is a matter of faith
and corresponding action. We simply acknowledge our belief in Jesus as the Son
of God. Next we thank God that He has given us the ability by the gift from the
Holy Spirit. Then we speak or sing the words and syllables given to us - not
our language but the language given to us by the Holy Spirit. You have to use
your own voice. God will not force you to speak. If you speak or sing one syllable or word, go on to a phrase and
then a sentence and then sentences. It will begin to flow from you without much
forethought. You are now participating in what millions have done since the day
of Pentecost two thousand years ago and what millions will do in entrance to
this earth’s coming paradise.
Benefits of Speaking in
Tongues
Speaking
spiritual prayers and divine mysteries unto God, I Corinthians 14:2,14-15
Helps
our infirmity of the flesh and makes intercession to God, Romans 8:26-27
Speaking
the wonderful works of God, Acts 2:11
Magnifies
God, Acts 10:46
Gives
thanks well, I Corinthians 14:17
A
sign to unbelievers to help them believe, Mark 16:1, I Corinthians 14:22
I Corinthians 12-14
Acts 8
Acts 9
Acts 10
Acts 19
Basham,
D., a Handbook on Holy Spirit Baptism,
Whitaker House, Springdale, 1969
John G. Lake, His Life, His
Faith, His Boldness of Faith, KCP Publications, Fort Worth, 1994
Sherrill,
J. L., They Speak With Other Tongues,
Chosen Books, Div. of Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, 1985
Wierwille,
V. P., Receiving the Holy Spirit Today,
American Christian Press, New
Knoxville,
1967
Some Reader
Comments and About the Author
Copyright, Steve Santini, 2001