Pam Padgett ... teacher
Acts 2:1 And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all
with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from
heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where
they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as
of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
5 And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every
nation under heaven. 6 Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude
came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them
speak in his own language. 7 And they were all amazed and marvelled,
saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?
8 And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? 9
Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and
in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, 10 Phrygia, and
Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and
strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.
Language was no barrier to hearing what the Holy Spirit was
speaking of the wonderful works of God, for each heard in their own
language as the Holy Spirit gave the apostles utterance. Although those who heard spoke different languages, they heard the same message spoken by the Spirit of God through the apostles.
I was reminded of how it came about that there are many languages among people. When there was one language among the people of
the earth, they set about to make a name for themselves and build a city and tower to reach into heaven. God caused them to have
various languages and not be able to understand one another's speech,
and scattered them on the earth. ...
Genesis 11:1 And the whole earth was of one language, and of one
speech. 2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that
they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. 3 And
they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them
throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. 4
And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top
may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered
abroad upon the face of the whole earth. 5 And the Lord came down to
see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. 6 And
the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one
language; and this they begin to do:and now nothing will be restrained
from them, which they have imagined to do. 7 Go to, let us go down, and
there confound their language, that they may not understand one
another's speech. 8 So the Lord scattered them abroad from thence upon
the face of all the earth:and they left off to build the city. 9
Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the Lord did there
confound the language of all the earth:and from thence did the Lord
scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.
As man corrupted themselves together in Babel, God brought division by causing them to have different languages and live in various places.
But God brings together those He has called, regardless of
language or location, not by the flesh but by the Spirit. Each person born of the
Spirit of God worships the one and true God, has the Spirit of God
living in them leading and teaching them, and is set in the body of
Christ, all fit together as God pleases with Jesus the head of body.
Paul taught the following ...
1 Corinthians 12:4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the
same Spirit. 5 And there are differences of administrations, but the
same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same
God which worketh all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is
given to every man to profit withal. 8 For to one is given by the Spirit
the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same
Spirit; 9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of
healing by the same Spirit; 10 To another the working of miracles; to
another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers
kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:11 But all
these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man
severally as he will. 12 For as the body is one, and hath
many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one
body:so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into
one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free;
and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For the body is not
one member, but many.
18 But now hath God set the
members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. 19 And if
they were all one member, where were the body? 20 But now
are they many members, yet but one body. 21 And the eye cannot say unto
the hand, I have no need of thee:nor again the head to the feet, I have
no need of you. 22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem
to be more feeble, are necessary:23 And those members of the body,
which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant
honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. 24 For
our comely parts have no need:but God hath tempered the body together,
having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked:25 That
there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have
the same care one for another. 26 And whether one member suffer, all the
members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members
rejoice with it.
God brings together those HE has chosen, setting
each in the body of Christ, by His Spirit. Regardless of what language
we speak or where we live, we are of the same Spirit in the body of Christ. And God is exalted (not man) as each member functions according to the will of God.