It’s easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of today’s charismatic movements and Pentecostal fervor, especially since these doctrines make a lot of noise about “experiencing God” through tongues, prophecy, and dramatic signs. But here’s the rub: as a grace believer who rightly divides the Word, I find it essential to pause and ask—why are these Pentecostal doctrines not the path we walk today? Why don’t we practice these things the same way Paul or the early church did after Acts 28? There’s a depth here that many never scratch the surface of.
The Gift of Tongues Was a Temporary Sign
Almost impossible to ignore in Pentecostal circles is speaking in tongues, often seen as the ultimate proof of the Holy Spirit’s dwelling. But if you read 1 Corinthians carefully—and I mean really carefully with your Bible opened—the gift of tongues served a specific purpose in the early church. It was a sign for unbelievers, a miraculous authentication of the gospel’s divine backing.
Think about it: Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 13 that these gifts will cease. The word Paul uses there, “cessation,” isn’t some obscure theological footnote; it’s pretty clear. Tongues, prophecy, and miracles were signs that passed after the completion of Scripture and the full revelation of God’s plan through Christ. When the canon was closed, these gifts lost their foundational purpose.
Why keep wearing training wheels when you’ve learned to ride? That’s essentially what clinging to Pentecost today feels like. The gifts were a means to an end—God’s revelation in Christ—not the ongoing norm for every follower centuries later.
Rightly Dividing the Word Changes the Game
Here’s where many stutter: rightly dividing the Word means interpreting Scripture according to the specific dispensation or divine economy God has established. Paul says it plainly—“Give diligence to present yourself approved unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).
Pentecost doctrine tends to lump everything together, insisting that the spiritual gifts from the early church era apply universally to every believer throughout all times. But Paul’s epistles from prison and later letters reveal a whole different stewardship. He’s talking about grace, about being seated with Christ in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6), and about the mystery of the Body of Christ, where the Holy Spirit is given as a sealing, marking believers as God’s own.
If you don’t see this distinction, it’s easy to fall into a pattern of “work for God through signs” rather than resting in the completed work Christ accomplished on the cross. Pentecostals often push the show of power, but grace believers know that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ (Romans 10:17). The Word, not signs, is the foundation of our faith.
God’s Grace Isn’t About Manifestations
Grace is often misunderstood precisely because of flashy manifestations. People confuse spiritual showmanship with genuine life change. The Pentecostal model sometimes feels like a spiritual talent contest—who’s got the loudest shout, the longest prophecy, or the most intense “holy” experience. It’s exhausting and honestly, a bit distracting.
True grace walks quietly but powerfully. It doesn’t beg for attention through ecstatic spells or emotional high points. It undergirds the believer’s life with a steady, unshakable peace and assurance. Do we need manifestations? The simple answer is no. Grace flows through the Spirit dwelling within, teaching, comforting, and transforming without all the theatrical smoke and mirrors.
Isn’t it more comforting to know that God’s love doesn’t depend on our ability to shout in a foreign tongue, but on His unchanging character and promises recorded in His Word? If the Spirit was poured out for signs and wonders that had a window of earthly relevance, why would God require us to jump through the same hoops forever?
The Danger of Misreading Acts as the Norm
Acts is often the scriptural goldmine for Pentecostal teachings. It’s full of miracles, tongues, healings, and other spiritual fireworks. Yet, looking at Acts without context is like reading the first chapter of a novel and thinking you understand the whole story. The first chapters were about launching the gospel to the Jews and Gentiles, firmly establishing God’s kingdom, and confirming the messengers.
After Acts 28, when Paul arrives in Rome under house arrest, the focus shifts. Paul spends his remaining years not performing signs but faithfully preaching the mystery of the gospel. The apostles’ miraculous gifts were foundational, not functional; temporary, not perpetual. That’s where Pentecost doctrine frequently stumbles—placing Acts 2 or 10 doctrines as the unchangeable pattern rather than the springboard for God’s unfolding plan.
Isn’t It Liberating to Know You’re Saved by Grace?
There’s freedom in understanding that your relationship with God doesn’t depend on some spiritual “checklist” of signs. Some of the most Spirit-filled Christians I know don’t speak in tongues or prophesy. They walk by faith and not by sight, resting in the finished work of Christ.
Paul’s letters in the prison epistles—Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians—highlight a different reality. The Spirit given is a seal, a down payment on eternal inheritance (Ephesians 1:13-14), not just a fleeting power to wow people. Our daily walk in grace isn’t about proving we are “more spiritual” with spectacular gifts; it’s about living transformed lives shaped by knowledge, love, and eternity.
Maybe we should ask ourselves: if God has moved on from those signs, are we willing to move with Him? Or are we clinging to the past and missing out on the fullness of grace He intended?
If your soul needs a little encouragement or a fresh perspective, I’ve found visiting a place like Verse for the Day really uplifts. They have a treasure trove of scriptures that help keep our minds and hearts anchored in the right gospel.
When the Fire Burns Out, the Word Remains
There’s a certain beauty in knowing that the true test of spiritual vitality isn’t the volume of tongues or a prophetic shout, but faithfulness to God’s revealed Word. Pentecost was a powerful season, designed to ignite the church’s mission. But the mission morphed, and thankfully so.
So many today confuse experiential Christianity with biblical Christianity. Not that experiences never happen, but that’s not the baseline. The baseline is grace, the cross, the crucified and risen Christ.
Walking in grace means leaning into the truth that empowers us, even when the dramatic moments fade. It means living under the umbrella of God’s promises, not striving to manufacture spiritual “experiences” to validate your walk.
Faith that is rooted in grace is unshakeable. No tongues needed.
Faith always has—and always will—rest on the unmovable Word.
And that’s why Pentecost doctrine is history, not destiny.
That’s where the real power is.