Wednesday night Bible study Questions That Apostolic People are Asked series About 56 minutes

Questions That Apostolic People are Asked

Pastor Erickson continues a midweek series on questions apostolic people are asked, starting from Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 9:22 about finding common ground in order to win people. He answers questions about speaking in tongues, being saved when you believe, and whether baptism is only an outward sign, and calls the church to explain the Bible kindly so that others want to ask.

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The message in 6 points

  1. Finding common ground

    Paul became all things to all men that he might save some. Pastor Erickson says most people believe what their community believes, so when witnessing we should agree on as much as we can before showing them something new from the Bible.

    30:56
  2. Do you need an interpreter

    The first question is whether tongues need an interpreter. He answers yes for the gift of tongues, but explains there are three kinds of tongues, beginning with the evidence tongue seen in Mark 16, on the day of Pentecost, in Samaria and with the Gentiles in Acts 10.

    39:09
  3. The prayer tongue and the gift

    Praying in tongues builds up the one praying and needs no interpreter. The gift of tongues is one of nine gifts of the Spirit for the church, and he says the gifts must be kept and used in order, as Paul teaches in 1 Corinthians 14.

    51:37
  4. Saved the moment you believe

    The second question is whether a person is saved and filled when they believe. He calls salvation an elastic word: justified in the past, sanctified now, glorified in the future. Sanctification is a lifelong renovation, and Acts 19 shows believers still needing the Holy Ghost.

    1:03:50
  5. More than an outward sign

    The third question asks whether baptism is only an outward sign of an inward decision. He agrees it follows a decision, but shows from Galatians, 1 Peter 3 and Romans 6 that in baptism we put on Christ, are buried with him, and have our sins remitted.

    1:17:03
  6. Be the one people ask

    He urges the church to represent the apostolic faith well, to be the person people want to come to with questions, and to become disciple makers who pray for someone to reach with the plan of salvation.

    1:21:08

In his words

“If we were to quench these gifts, we no longer have power, we no longer have healing, there's no more wonders that take place in the church any longer.”

56:40

“I don't know why holiness is a bad word to some people. It ought to be the most beautiful word, because that's what the whole Christian walk is all about, is we want to be holy.”

1:08:55

“Please be the person that people want to come to when they have a question, and not a person that people want to avoid when they have a question.”

1:21:29

Taken word for word from the video, with punctuation added.

Scripture

He reads

1 Corinthians 9:22-23

22To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 23And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.

King James Version.

Mark 16:15-17

15And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. 16He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. 17And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;

King James Version.

Acts 2:1-2

1And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.

King James Version.

Acts 2:4

4And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

King James Version.

Acts 2:12-18

12And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this? 13Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine. 14But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: 15For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. 16But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; 17And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: 18And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:

King James Version.

Acts 2:36-41

36Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. 37Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 38Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 39For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the LORD our God shall call. 40And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. 41Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.

King James Version.

Acts 10:44-46

44While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. 45And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. 46For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,

King James Version.

1 Corinthians 14:1-4

1Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. 2For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. 3But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. 4He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church.

King James Version.

1 Corinthians 12:4-11

4Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. 7But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 8For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: 11But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.

King James Version.

1 Corinthians 14:27-28

27If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. 28But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.

King James Version.

Colossians 3:9-10

9Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 10And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

King James Version.

1 Corinthians 15:49-50

49And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. 50Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption.

King James Version.

2 Corinthians 3:17-18

17Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the LORD.

King James Version.

Philippians 2:12

12Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

King James Version.

Acts 19:1-6

1And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, 2He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. 3And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. 4Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. 5When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.

King James Version.

Galatians 3:27

27For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

King James Version.

John 20:23

23Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.

King James Version.

1 Peter 3:18-21

18For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: 19By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; 20Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. 21The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:

King James Version.

Romans 6:4

4Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

King James Version.

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