I am sure that you are a well meaning and thoughtful Christian man. I can only say that I wish your opinions were founded more in the Scriptures than from your mind.
#1.
The Bible says that every single born again person is filled with the Holy Ghost at the moment he is saved.
1 Corth 12:13.......
"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".
Ephesians 1:13....
"In him you also,
when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit".
#2.
Mark 16:14-18 1.......
"Later Jesus appeared to the
Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked
them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. 15
He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. 16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well."
Were YOU standing there in front of Jesus?????
Are YOU one of the ELEVEN????
Are YOU an Apostle?????
My dear brother.....READ the word of Mark 16. THE APOSTLES were the ones given the sign gifts not YOU or me.
#3.
Incorrect. The letter to the Corinthian church was a letter of CORRECTION because then just has now they did not properly use those gifts that were given to the Apostles.
Undoubtedly people can be led astray from the truth if they allow their own thoughts and emotions and evil spiritual influences to dictate their beliefs, rather than God’s precious word. Though these modern “tongues-speakers” may be sincere, they are sincerely deceived.
#4.
NO!
THe tongues spoken today do not come from God. They are counterfeit.
From my experiences and observations.....
Often, the so-called “tongues experience” occurs at an intense, emotionally charged religious revival called a “tarry meeting,” where the “spirit” is said to be “called down” or “worked up.” Generally such “working up” consists of frenetic repeating of certain phrases like “Glory, hallelujah!” or “Sweet Jesus!” With jazzy hymn-singing and the rhythmic, ecstatic chant of these repetitious utterances, the congregation is gradually whipped into an emotional frenzy.
Suddenly one or two or more in the group are “overcome with the spirit” and begin shouting gibberish. Usually this includes waving of the arms, jumping around, shouting or even writhing on the floor. One or another of the congregation may rise to “interpret” what a speaker is saying, usually attributing to the person great praises for God and other spiritual insights.
The Bible, and the Bible alone, is the true litmus test. God’s word is the standard by which we should judge all things.
John 17:17.....
. “And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits, and unto wizards that peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God? for the living to the dead? To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them”.
Isaiah 8:19-20.....
. The “law” and “the testimony” are the Old and New Testaments—the Bible!
Those who search for deeper spiritual experiences by trying to “call down another Pentecost” or “work up the spirit” in their tarry meetings today are simply deceived by Satan.
Remember..........YOU ASKED!