I have noticed a bit of traffic on our blog due to the correspondence I have had with the author of another blog regarding the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and the gift of tongues.
Let me start by saying that I do not despise anyone nor am I seeking to be contentious with him or anyone else for that matter in any way that would be displeasing to the Lord. I have prayed to the Lord and asked for forgiveness if any pride may have been in my heart in any of my words without me seeing it.
In the past I have read this person's blog off and on. I admire his God-given gifts and much of the fruit that it is in his heart. I believe he loves the Lord and I have even supported him financially in the past because I think his ministry warrants that support. I love his personal testimony and I have also provided links in some of my writings to certain posts he has written. I love the way his gift of interpretation dispenses grace into the Body and I will continue to read his Blog as I feel the Lord leading me to do so.
However, I believe some of his teaching lacks a measure of clarity on the Baptism of the Spirit. The doctrine of baptisms is a foundational issue (See Hebrews 6). That, along with the vitality of the flow of gifts in the Body to dispense grace (1 Peter 4:6) makes clear understanding very necessary on both issues if we are going to truly fulfill the purpose for which God has made each one of us (Ephesians 2:10).
I do not believe that the person I am referencing is a false teacher. I due however think that he is teaching falls short in a couple of areas. (See here for the difference) . I will seek to address the issues without personalizing things to much if at all possible. To me this is about equipping the saints for the work of the ministry that they might be overcomers (Ephesians 4, Revelation 2:7).
The Lord has had me and my family busy with resettling back in the U.S. and rooting into the work he has had for us over the past year. I put writing on hold because I have, like Ezekiel, been laid to the side for over a year witnessing the fallen state of not just the U.S. culture but much of the church as well. With that said, I am going to dust off the blog and do some clarifying teaching on the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and explain in a little more detail some of the points I made in the comments section of those two recent posts at his site.
I sent him a response on his first comment where he posed many questions towards me but he chose not to publish the answers that I sent him in the Comments section to clarify the position I was taking. Again, I do not perceive this individual as a false brother or teacher. I just believe some things can be understood more adequately that is what is being presented.
I am going to put out more than a few posts that answer some of his questions and challenges that he put before me personally in the comments section as well as touch on his points in his teachings while bringing up a few more of my own that I believe will help bring a greater definition of the understanding of the Lord with regards to the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with signs following.
Sincerely,
J.E.
jayblackshear@yahoo.com
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