A Comment on a Comment

I received a brave comment from a Mr. (or Miss) Anonymous. I thought it may represent the thought of others too so I will address it here. Here is the unedited message:

Anonymous has left a comment on your post "Cutting to the Chase": “http://home.bluemarble.net/~heartcom/capturedbytongues.html The man who wrote this article is a Seventh Day Adventist which most traditional Southern Baptists believe to be a cult. Why don't you list some reliable resources for your research instead of this cult. Southern Baptists are traditional cessasionists - the sign gifts were available at the time of the Apostles, but ceased with their death and the close of the canon. You completely misterpreted 1 Corinthians 14 - the supernatual gift of tongues (speaking in a language unknown to the speaker) was available at the time Paul was writing to the Corinthians but by the time Hebrews was written we see evidence that the "sign gifts" were rare or completely gone. You really should look at what reliable Southern Baptists have to say on this matter since you claim to be affiliated with a Southern Baptist Church. Jerry Vines, two time president of the SBC, wrote several books on this subject.”

First – I do not know if bluemarble.net is SDA or not but if a SDA says Jesus is God in the Flesh, I am going to agree with them. I do not choose to agree or disagree with someone based upon their denomination, I look at whether or not they agree with Scripture. On this topic of Tongues, this person is worthy of quoting.

Second – I do not agree with any SBC just because they are SBC. I have in my False Doctrines collection material printed by the SBC which say ecstatic utterance is a scriptural form of tongues. I like Jerry Vines and I am sure he is very knowledgeable. Jerry Vines, and Jerry Falwell for that matter, would agree with the concept of the Priesthood of the Believer. I am responsible to God, directly. Jerry Vines will not be standing up for me in judgment. I, and you, are responsible to be obedient to the command:

2Timothy 2:15-16
Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

We are not to rely on the scholarship of others. We can read them, study them, and evaluate them, but the ultimate responsibility for showing ourselves approved to God is us. Just because Jerry Vines, or any one else has said this or that does not make it equal to Scripture. If what I am saying lines up with Scripture, and I try to make sure it does, wonderful, but you are ultimately responsible for testing and trying it against the Scriptures.

Acts 17:10-11
And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.

Since ecstatic utterance was not a part of either Acts or Corinthians, then they could not have been included in Corinthians 13 to cease. Ecstatic Utterance is Pentecostal, it is Charismatic, but it is not Scriptural.

Until next time, Keep Studying the Scriptures.