If one does not have one of the spiritual gifts of speaking in tongues, does that mean they are not saved or that they don't have the Holy Spirit?
The gift of tongues (glossolalia) and the Holy Spirit, are distinct. While all who are saved by Jesus receive the Holy Spirit as part of their salvation, the gift of tongues is a specific spiritual gift, both chosen and given by the Holy Spirit as he sees fit, not a universal experience. It is not a litmus test for whether someone is saved. A person's inability to speak in tongues does not mean they are not filled with the Spirit or not saved.
Receiving the Holy Spirit
When someone comes to faith in Jesus Christ, they receive the Holy Spirit as part of their salvation. This Spirit indwells them, sealing their salvation and empowering them to live a new life in Christ.
The phrase "you are sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise when you were saved" comes from Ephesians 1:13-14. It emphasizes that believing in Jesus Christ brings a spiritual blessing, a "seal" of the Holy Spirit, which cannot be broken and guarantees our salvation and inheritance with God. It represents a finished transaction and security of the believer. God does not give it and then take it away, because we are not the one that earned it. It was given by grace through faith! Grace is unearned favor from God.
Sealed with the Holy Spirit
The concept of a "seal" in this context refers to a mark of ownership and assurance. Just as ancient kings would seal letters or documents with their ring to signify their authority, the Holy Spirit is used by God to "seal" those who believe in Jesus, as his own.
Holy Spirit of Promise
The Holy Spirit is described as the "Spirit of promise" because He is a gift from God that fulfills the promises made through Jesus Christ by his death and sacrifice on the cross to atone for our sins.
When You Were Saved
The verse highlights that this sealing happens at the moment of salvation, when a person trusts in Christ and believes his promises to save us from the condemnation that sin placed on us. God does not break his promises.
Guarantee of Inheritance
The Holy Spirit is also described as a "guarantee of our inheritance". This signifies that believers are assured of their future reward in heaven because the Holy Spirit is their assurance of God's promises.
The "Seal" and its purpose:
The seal signifies that believers belong to the Lord and is a testament to their salvation and a guarantee of their future inheritance in heaven.
The Gift of Tongues
The gift of tongues is one of several spiritual gifts the Holy Spirit gives to believers. It's not a requirement for salvation, and not all believers receive this particular gift.
No Universal Requirement
Scripture indicates that not all believers will speak in tongues. The focus should be more on the fruits of the Spirit, such as love, joy, peace, etc., rather than just one specific manifestation.
Emphasis on the Spirit's Work
The primary goal and most important one, is to follow Jesus, cultivate a close relationship with God, and let the Holy Spirit guide and empower one's life. While the gift of tongues can be a valuable tool for some, it's not the defining characteristic of a believer's spiritual state.
I have also been sealed by the Holy Spirit, December 8th 2001 as I sacrificed myself upon Jehovah's alter as a living sacrifice!! I wrote God a letter after responding to A preacher saying if you want to become a true Christian what you need to do is to sacrifice yourself upon Jehovah's alter... So I did, upon my bed..In my letter I said to God that I wanted to make my past right, and that I wanted to become a better wife and mother, and earlier that week I told some friends that I felt like I was living a lie!! Then I lay myself upon my bed as I gave myself up.. In that moment I was sealed from head to my toes with the power of the Holy Spirit covered like a blanket like static electricity without the shock... Then the Christian DJ on the Radio said if you want to become a true Christian stop living a lie!! You don't need to do anything!!! What you need to do is to live in love and by faith!! And I can't remember if she said to be good or not?? But I think she did...
I think that I had the true meaning of the gift of tongues, and it didn't sound like the clucking of chickens, nor did I pretend to speak in another language that was foreign to me... Let me explain... 1 Corinthians 13 New International Version 13 If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.
So it's a long story but one night I cried out to Jesus like I was standing up crying upon His shoulder a DJ on the radio said I don't know how I know this but Knock Knock who's there boo who why are you crying, and it was because they were trying to take Jesus away from me, and because my husband was on drugs! Then a real person a 7 foot tall aboriginal man came to my door and knocked and said I am a Christian and I am hungry so I let him in and we ate together... Kindof like Jesus seperating the sheep from the goats story in the bible, and also the story about how Jesus Knocks at the door of our hearts and we let him in and he eats with us in the book of Revelations!!!
Anyways then on the Christian radio there were these Youths calling into a Calling show...The first one said that there is a young lady who just wishes that someone would just touch her and view her as a gift!! This spoke my language, because somebody an invisible hand was touching me and I didn't know that it was actually the hand of the Lord until then and that God is viewing me as a gift because He inspires movies about my life... And no I don't believe that I am Gods gift to man!! I want God to view me as a gift!! Then the next youth called in and said inner beauty comes from a calm and gentle spirit!! When I was about to speak these words that really spoke to me, to my husband the words came out super powerful I almost couldn't contain myself, and the words came out super soft like breathing, as I grabbed my throat like I was speaking in tongues of a calm and gentle spirit, the Holy Spirit or in Tongues of Angels!!!! Then the next youth said He who is without sin cast the first stone!!! Many people have casted stones at me when they see the movies!! But only Jesus Himself is without sin so I look to Him ALONE! Then the last youth called in and said Those who call upon the Lord He will show them great and mighty things that of which you did not know!!!
The bible also says that Speaking in tongues is speaking up to God Himself, and that Prophecy is to edify the church... So I believe that I spoke in tongues of Angels and of that of man in it's truest meaning, like they spoke my language, meaning it was the truest thing I had ever heard, rather than some foreign language if I may, Dedicating it, and myself to God Himself...I saw light, Jesus gave some of His people the gift of being His visionary's to make movies about my life, and I want God to view me as a gift! And once I realized that those movies were what the bible describes as the worlds... You are the light of the world a city built on a hill cannot be hidden!! If the world loves you it would love you as it's own.. As it is you do not belong to the world but are called up out of the world... If the world hates you keep in mind that it's Hated Me first!!! The thing is if the world loves you... For example another womans husband being my crush... Ah yeah NOOOOO! No wonder why you do not belong to the world but are called up out of it! God takes the weak things of the world to shame the strong, No matter how hard you fight your urges God see's your weakness... God takes the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, God takes the despised things and the things that are not to nullify the things that are so that no man may boast before the Lord! My husband was also saved from doing drugs that night!
We are to go out into the world and preach the Gospel!! God plants the wheat of the world and the enemy plants the weeds and both are harvested at the end and the Angels are the reapers...I have been reaped by the Angels for I faced my worlds and my demons and endured till the end and now I can hear Heavenly Angels...
Also false prophets will go out into the world and mislead everyone and the love of many will grow cold if that were possible...Psychics who drag my name through the mud, making me look bad... Satan is the accuser, and liar! Yet I can't seem to save everybody....This is my life! This is my reality!!! It's my great adventure!!! All of it! I love Jesus Christ! There's so much more but I love that I can fathom mysteries! And share them with people!
