The Empty Gospel of Pentecostalism

1 Corinthians  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  25:17
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Our Scripture lesson this morning comes from Acts 1:1-8:
Acts 1:1–8 ESV
In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Classic Pentecostalism claims that it offers to the Church the “Full Gospel”. Born from the Azusa Street Revival of 1906, they claim that they had rediscovered the true doctrine of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit. The Pentecostal doctrine of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is based upon their interpretation of four passages in the book of Acts (Acts 2, Acts 8, Acts 10-11, Acts 19). Their doctrinal claims have two pillars:
The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is distinct from and subsequent to the experience of the new birth.
The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is witnessed by the initial physical sign of speaking with other tongues.
How can we test such claims? Many believers today believe that we can not and even if we could, we should not; but the Word of God says we must test all things. So how do we do this? Thankfully, our Westminster Confession of Faith provides the answer:
The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for His own glory, man’s salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down in Scripture, or by good and necessary consequence may be deduced from Scripture…(WCF 6)
The Westminster Divines give us two criteria by which to judge interpretations and doctrine:
Is it expressly set down in Scripture?
Can it be deduced from Scripture by good and necessary consequence?
The first criteria is not hard to understand. Thankfully, most passages are clear and easy to interpret. Apart from highhanded rebellion against God, there should be no debate.
The second states that there are some doctrines Scripture teaches that are not expressly stated, but can be deduced from Scripture by good and necessary consequence. The doctrine of the Trinity is a good example of this. The doctrine of the Trinity is “good” because it does not contradict Scripture and it is necessary, because it is the only way to make sense of the biblical witness concerning the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Most Pentecostals will readily admit that their doctrine of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is based upon deduction. There is no one verse that expressly states their doctrine; rather they deduce it from four passages I mentioned earlier:
Acts 2 (Pentecost)
Acts 8 (Samaria)
Acts 10 (Cornelius’ House)
Acts 19 (Disciples of John the Baptist).
Therefore, we must ask ourselves, is their doctrine a “good” and “necessary” consequence deduced from Scripture?
As we look at the very clear passages of Scripture and compare it to the Pentecostal doctrine of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, it becomes clear that their doctrine is not “good”.

The Pentecostal Interpretation of Acts is Not “Good”

Perhaps the clearest passage that contradicts the Pentecostal interpretation is 1 Corinthians 12:12-13:
1 Corinthians 12:12–13 ESV
For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.
This passage could not be clearer, if you are a member of Christ’s body, then you have been baptized in the Holy Spirit. Notice Paul’s use of the word “all”, there are no exceptions here. The Pentecostal claim that only those who speak in tongues have been baptized in the Holy Spirit contradicts this passage; therefore, it cannot be true. We could stop right here, whatever the correct doctrine of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is, we know that it is not the Pentecostal one! However, I want to look at one more passage because it is so import, it is Titus 3:5-7, the passage we used for our Assurance of Pardon.
Titus 3:5–7 ESV
he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
Do you see how Paul is linking the “pouring out of the Holy Spirit” and “justification”? The doctrinal errors of Pentecostalism are not secondary doctrines they are a Gospel issue. The Pentecostal usage of the term “Full Gospel” is revealing; if one side has a “Full Gospel”, the other side must by definition an “Empty Gospel”.
Earlier, we learned that Pentecostals claim that the new birth and the baptism in the Holy Spirit are distinct and separated by time. The passage before us clearly speaks of the new birth when is speaks of “the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit”, but it also speak of the baptism in the Spirit when it uses the languages “poured out”. This term “poured out” is the same Peter used on the Day of Pentecost when he spoke of the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:33 ESV
Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.
Do you see how serious this issue is? It is not about speaking in tongues, miracles or emotionalism; it is about what Jesus accomplished upon the cross. To separate the Baptism in the Holy Spirit from regeneration and justification is to empty the Gospel of its power!
Once again, I could stop right here, because the Pentecostal doctrine of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit contradicts the clear teaching of Scripture and undermines the Gospel it should be rejected. However, I want to show you how their interpretation of these four passages in Acts unnecessary.

The Pentecostal Interpretation of Acts is Not “Necessary”

Mature interpreters of Scripture understand that the first tasks of interpretation is to identify the type of literature and to read the passage in both the immediate and broad context of Scripture. If a person does not to this, they are merely “proof texting”. Proof texting is citing a passage out of context in support of your doctrine. This, we shall see, is exactly what Pentecostals are doing.
So what type of literature is the book of Acts? Acts is a historical-redemptive book. A historical-redemptive book is a selective history that reveals God’s plan of redemption. Luke does not give us a complete history of the early church, rather he gave us a selective history that shows us how Christ, through is Apostles, was establishing His Church. Luke uses the words of Jesus found in vs. 8 as the outline of his book:
Acts 1:8 ESV
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Now here is the important part: the four passages in question correspond to this outline!
The events recorded in Acts 2, signify the fulfillment of the Apostles bringing the Gospel to Jerusalem and Judea.
The events recorded in Acts 8, signify the fulfillment of the Apostles bringing the Gospel going to Samaria.
The events recorded in Acts 10, signify the fulfillment by the Apostles bringing the Gospel to the Gentiles who are scattered across “the ends of the earth”.
The events recorded in Acts 19, signify the fulfillment by the Apostles bringing the Gospel to the lost remnant of Israel who are scattered across “the ends of the earth”.
What does this tell us? It tells us that these four passages record exceptional, not normal events. There was a good reason why there was an outward physical sign of tongues in these four events. In each of these cases, a “dividing wall of hostility” was being broken down and the Gospel was advancing into a new frontier. What occurs in these four passages cannot be seen as normative. Far from being necessary deduction, it is in fact an unwarranted deduction!
In conclusion, the Pentecostal doctrine of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is a deduction that is both bad and unnecessary. However, this is not the conclusion I want to end this sermon on. I want to end my sermon where Peter ended His Pentecost sermon:
Acts 2:36–38 ESV
Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
In these final words of Peter, we find the true sign of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.

Faith in Christ is the True Sign of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit!

Peter does not say we must speak in tongues to receive the Holy Spirit, rather, he says we must place our faith in Jesus Christ! If you have placed your faith in Jesus Christ, I want to assure you that you have been baptized in the Holy Spirit and I want to assure you that you do not have to speak in tongues. Jesus by His death, burial, resurrection and ascension has secured for us the “Full Gospel”; we do not have to add anything to it, including speaking in tongues. This same Jesus gave us the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper as a sign and seal of this redemptive work. This is the only sign we need; we do not need the sign of speaking in tongues. As you partake of Communion this morning, rejoice that in Jesus you have the Full Gospel!
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