How To Establish Religious Authority #18

A. This lesson is the second part of our last study helping us understand an important process in Biblical interpretation called “necessary inference.” We learned that “necessary inference” is an ordinary, everyday process of human reasoning that enables us to logically and accurately gather the necessary information and data to arrive at an accurate, exclusive or necessary conclusion about a subject you study. Scientists, physicians, philosophers, mathematicians, teachers, industry and people in every walk of life use “necessary inference” to make logical and accurate decisions. And it can be used to study any Biblical subject that is relevant to your salvation. It is an acceptable and valued tool in the work of “Biblical interpretation.”
1. And we saw the difference between a “reasonable inference” and a “necessary inference.” “Necessary inference” is an established and accurate way to gather, facts, truths and bits of information and from them draw an accurate, truthful conclusion on a subject and thus establish Biblical authority.
a. We gave an Old Testament illustration of how it worked. Now we want to illustrate how this
process applies to interpreting the New Testament. There are many “necessary inferences” in
the New Testament and from them we learn some absolute truths that are vital and necessary for
us to understand Bible doctrine. Understanding Bible truth will keep us from being led into
believing false doctrines that are perpetuated by many denominations today.
(A) There is a popular denomination who rejects the doctrine of baptism being for the purpose of
washing away of sins. They say you are saved at the moment of your faith, the moment
you believe and pray the sinners prayer. As proof of this, They cite the conversion of a
Roman soldier named Cornelius in Acts 10:1-48. Vs. 44?47. Now that may be a
“reasonable inference” on which to base their conclusion, but it is certainly not a
“necessary inference.” Why? It is a conclusion that is not based on all of the evidence
and all of the facts presented in the New Testament.
(1) There are other scriptures that give more evidence, shed more light on what took
place here. There are other facts and other scriptures that contradict what these
people today consider to be a “reasonable inference.”
(a) Ask question? What was the primary purpose for the gift of tongues? It had a
two-fold purpose. #1, It enabled you to teach the Gospel in a language you
had never studied or learned. #2, it was a proof, a sign to the unbelieving
person to whom you spoke, that you were, in fact, speaking for God. The gift
of tongues was for the purpose of spreading the Gospel. The message about
Jesus Christ.
(b) Acts 2:1-12. What did the gift do on Pentecost? It caused the people who heard it to believe what was preached. And that was the reason the gift was given. How do I know that was the reason the gift was given? That is the stated purpose given by the apostle Paul in 1 Cor. 14:22-25. The gift of tongues was given to convince the unbeliever of the truth being taught. Some in Corinth were misusing, abusing the gift by using it to show off so he could say, “look how great I am.”

(2) That’s the same reason people today falsely claim they can speak in tongues. They claim to have the gift of tongues and speak a gibberish to prove they have the Holy Spirit when they really do not. But their gibberish does not teach the gospel. It does not teach anything. It is nothing more than carnal, deceitful, showman-ship used to perpetuate false doctrine. Therefore, it becomes nothing more than a tool of the Devil. When the apostles spoke in tongues on the day of Pentecost they did not speak in a made-up gibberish. They spoke, and as they spoke, they were speaking the Messianic message of salvation. They were telling people how to be saved. As they spoke that truth, people from 15 different nations, who spoke in 15 different languages, understood the teaching of the Gospel in their own language. That tells you the purpose of tongues.
(B) Tongues were given for the purpose of preaching the Gospel to those who had never heard the message of salvation. They were unbelievers. 1 Cor. 14:22. “You don’t speak in tongues to believers.” That’s an abuse of the gift. The people in the Corinthian congregation spoke Greek. It was their native language. In Corinth you did not try to teach God’s Word in the Amharic language. They would have no idea what you were saying. If you had the gift of speaking Amharic you would be expected by God to go teach His word in Ethiopia where they speak Amharic.
(1) When the Holy Spirit came on Cornelius and his family it was not the Holy Spirit Himself who was given. It was a gift from the Holy Spirit. What’s the difference? Acts 2:38, states that the Holy Spirit Himself, is personally, given by God to believers when they are been baptized (immersed in water) to have their sins washed away. Cornelius and family have not yet been immersed to have their sins washed away. That is what Peter reveals to us in Acts 10:46?48. What’s the reason for baptizing them? The same reason as Acts 2:38.
(a) This is something different. Why is it different? Because you can not interpret scripture in a way that contradicts other scripture. Well what is this?
It is the gift of tongues, and it is given in the context of the purpose of
tongues. It was given as a “sign to unbelievers.” Luke, the writer, uses a
figure of speech called metonymy. It states the cause for the effect and visa
versa. Example: “The White House said.” “The Pot’s boiling.” He states
the Spirit for the gift. He says, “They have the Spirit with reference to the gift
FROM the Spirit.” What they really have is a gift from the Spirit.
(b) You can have a gift from the Spirit without having the Spirit Himself. The apostles performed miracles before they were indwelt by the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. Jno. 14:16-18. “Is with you but will be in you.” They were empowered to do miracles without being indwelt by the Spirit. Cornelius and family receive the gift of tongues not the gift of the Holy Spirit Himself. What gift did the apostles receive at the beginning? They spoke in 15 different languages. The gift of tongues.
(2) Who were the unbelievers to whom this was a sign? Peter and the Jews with him. The Jews didn’t really believe the Messianic Kingdom was for the Gentiles. God had to prepare Peter for this before he went. Acts 10:9-23. God is about to bring the first Gentiles into the Kingdom. Peter and the Jews with him are skeptical. They are unbelievers when it came to believing that Gentiles could be saved on an equal basis as a Jew.
(a) Cornelius and his family were given the gift of tongues as a sign to the unbelieving Jews that the Gospel was for both Jew and Gentiles. The vision in Vs. 9-23, was to tell Peter the Gentiles were not unclean. Not beyond saving. The gospel would make them as acceptable, and as saved as any believing, baptized Jew. God will make them holy and that means they are not unclean.
(b) That is the truth stated by Paul in Gal. 3:27-28. In Jesus the Gentiles are as much the seed of Abraham as are the Jews. In Jesus there is no distinction. Now the question to you is no different. Have you believed in Jesus, repented of your sin, been immersed in the waters of baptism to have your sins forgiven, so you can become a child of God and be indwelt and sealed by His Holy Spirit?

Spur - 06/15/03 am