Of second importance no where in Scripture do we see any Apostolic authority establishing that the provocation of any of the above movements of the Holy Spirit would cease after an established period of time (although we know that they will not last forever, 1 Corinthians 13:8) or be isolated to any particular geographic location (Jerusalem, Ephesus, Corinth, etc.) this biblical fact does not lend itself to support a secession of the gifts (including and not limited to speaking in tongues) at the conclusion of the Apostolic age nor does a simple absence of biblical proof against their continuation prove that these gifts are still being expressed through the faithful today.

The Bottom line is that we should never read the Scripture based on any preconceived notions lest we impose on the text and therefore dishonor it. What is of true importance when trying to understand the gift of speaking in tongues or any Spiritual gift is that every gift is dispensed by God’s grace (1 Corinthians 12:27-31) and not by man’s will (Hebrews 2:4), that they are dispensed by God for the personal and communal edification of believers, and that any gift bestowed upon a believer needs to be handled with propriety and practiced biblically under the instruction of the Scriptures.

For a detailed understanding of the use and practice of speaking in tongues please read 1 Corinthians 14:5-29.

The premise of “The bible teaches that you have to believe in Jesus to go to heaven” is completely accurate.

Acts 4:12 states: “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men which we must be saved” That’s very clear.  The context for “in any other” includes Verse 10 which references “Jesus of Nazareth”.  Verse 11 references Psalms 118:22 which scholarship views as a prophecy about Messiah.  So the verse and context are clear.  Deliverance spiritually comes through “Jesus of Nazareth”.  The “no other” part is ‘oute’ in the Greek, which means neither, not.

Romans 10:4 states: “For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes”.  The search for personal qualification, righteousness, and acceptance by God is through Messiah.  Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ (Romans 1:1-6). So the message is clear, John 14:6:  “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me“.

“But what about the people in third world countries? What happens to them?”

We Must Understand Our History

To understand mankind’s condition spiritually,  we must understand our history.  We generally view mankind in the past as basically primitive, and that they are ascending in spiritual awareness.  But that is not what God’s message to us teaches.

“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are with out excuse, because although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.  Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man–and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things.  Therefore God also gave them up…”  Romans 1:20-24

So we can see, that mankind had a great start, a sufficient awareness of who God is.  According to scripture there is no excuse to not understand that God exists. Mankind is not primitive in this respect, but degenerative.  Mankind in general has lost the spiritual understanding and awareness that was once possessed.

Why Christians Are On Mission

But not everyone has heard the name of Jesus, and that is why the church has been given the mandate of the ‘Great Commission” (Acts 1:8).  We have been given the responsibility to retrieve global humanity, and bring them back into an accurate awareness of the true God and His design of salvation which is through “repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ” Acts 20:21.

Verse 20 communicates that if we are willing to do this, we will be able to say as the Apostle Paul did, “how I kept back nothing that was helpful”.  Nothing that is helpful in assisting people to connect with God!

God Used Many Women To Further His Kingdom

We also know that God worked through and used many great women in the Bible (i.e. Ruth, Naomi, Hannah, Esther, Sarah, Deborah, Hagar, Mary, Martha, Lydia). These women were all very esteemed and valued and are just a few of the many that God elevates in His Word.

This gives us a broader perspective and enable us to realize that Paul would not go against the rest of the Bible, seeing as though  the same God that inspired the Words of the other authors of the Bible is the same God that inspired Paul’s words would lead us to believe that Paul was not trying to be mean, to devalue, or to diminish the woman’s place within the church. In fact, it is the awesome woman Lydia, the seller of fine clothes, who was Paul’s first evangelistic contact and convert in Philippi, who ended up opening up her home to hold the worship gatherings in. Paul understood how important women were and that sometimes when men were no where to be found, as was the case in Philippi, it was a sweet business woman whom God used to help start the church.

The passages in question are probably 1 Timothy 2:11-12 “Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence.” and 1 Cor. 14:34-35 “Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive…”

To get a grasp on what Paul is saying, we must understand the context. When he says “let a woman learn” that was a foreign concept in that day and age.” Women, for the most part, were not permitted to be “learned” or educated. This alone shows the sensitivity by Paul to go as far as to counteract ancient society and culture. When he says “in silence and submission” he is referring to roles. The word submission in the Greek language implies arranging oneself in a military formation (simply, finding one’s place). Within the church, a woman’s role is not to be the teacher.

Equal, But Different

This is backed up in 1 Timothy 3, Titus 1 where pastors (elders, shepherds, bishops – all of these words are interchangeable) who are called to teach, are supposed to be (rendered in the Greek language) “the male of one female.” It is referring to males. Just as men, according to Scripture are called to be the heads of their wives, they are likewise also called to be heads of the church, submitting of course to the Chief Head (or Shepherd) Christ as we see in 1 peter 5.

In other words, everyone is supposed to find their role. For women in a church setting, it is not to teach (actually to teach just men as is stated in 1 Timothy; it says nothing about teaching other women). But that doesn’t diminish their importance or cancel out the idea that they can have a position of prominence. Because as we know, women were used greatly in the NT church, as we have seen already with Lydia, as well as with Chloe in Romans 16, who was commended by Paul for her incredible service within the church. And there are others.