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Posted by SH
on 6/28/2009, 11:15 am, in reply to "Re: Can you be spirit fulled and not speak in tongues?"
174.21.101.247
Bob, you have stated:
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"After reading the above comments:
No you can not be "spirit filled" and not speak in tongues.
Practical down to earth everyday observances.
We pray for people they get the BHS, they speak in tongues. There is an actual event and feeling and spiritual experience involved here.
If you are spirit filled you can speak in tongues."
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Perhaps the question should be re-worded.
Does God force a believer to speak in tongues when He initially pours out His Spirit upon them?
This "re-wording" goes to the whole "sign" theology of the BHS. Does the absence of a sign prove the negative?
Yes, Paul said that tongues were for a sign when he was addressing issues occurring within the Corinthian assembly. He specifically stated that Tongues were a sign - but then went on to qualify his statement "not for believers, but for unbelievers".
I believe.
I believe that you are correct when you say, "If you are spirit filled you can speak in tongues."
I believe that the statement, "I know some Gentiles have been filled with the Spirit of God (just like the 120 where in the beginning) because I have heard them speak in tongues," is also true and it comprises a sound scriptural truth.
To go any further and declare that God has not baptized a specific person because although they can but haven't yet spoken in tongues is an example of wrong thinking that can lead us to elitism. (Not saying, that you are an elitist though 
)
This is exactly what happened to a close friend of mine. He was filled with the Holy Spirit, I witnessed the Baptism. I watched as his life changed by a "deeper walk with Christ". I heard him Praise and Magnify God in thanks! It wasn't until two weeks later (in a much more quiet setting, while in private prayer) that he began to speak in tongues.
What happened there? Your interpretation demands that I should think that he was immersed in the Holy Spirit and received the BHS only later and not when the Spirit manifested in power?
We need to abandon our wrong conclusions and prove the truth of every doctrine according to the Word of Truth and not the teachings of man.