Understanding the Priesthood of Believers

UNDERSTANDING THE PRIESTHOOD OF BELIEVERS 

By Ezekiel Kimosop 

I recently engaged in a social media conversation with a writer who rejected the priesthood of church elders and pastors in a Christian congregation. He insisted that the priesthood of believers was exclusive to a Christian community and that pastoral priesthood was not contemplated in Scripture.

The writer was apparently conflating two issues - pastoral priesthood and leadership abuse in a Christian community context. The two issues are however not inextricably intertwined, in my view. They should be examined within their respective societal contexts.

There is no echelon or hierarchy of church leadership that is immune to abuse by unfaithful stewardship. It is instructive that Judas Iscariot, a man who worked closely with Jesus, abused his position as ministry treasurer during Jesus earthly ministry! John 12:6 says concerning Judas: "This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it." 

We require functional and effective mechanisms and structures for containing or addressing stewardship abuse in our churches. Church constitutions and pastoral/leadership ethical standards should be explicit in promoting accountability and transparency. 

THREE LEVELS OF PRIESTHOOD IN SCRIPTURE 

There are three levels of priesthood contemplated in Scripture for the New Testament Christian community. 

First, is the priesthood of Christ. Jesus is our High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-16, 10:19-23). He is the mediator between God and man. 1 Timothy 2:5 says "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus." (NKJV). 

Secondly, the priesthood of all believers is contemplated in 1 Peter 2:9. Believers can exercise this priesthood on an individual or corporate basis. Nothing in Scripture suggests or implies that this priesthood conflicts with or contradicts any other priesthood function in the church.

Thirdly, we have the priesthood of ordained church ministers and elders (James 5:13-15). Christian elders, pastors, or bishops occupy leadership and priestly positions among God's people. They are charged with building and equipping God's people in Christ (Ephesians 4:11-15). 

This is not to suggest or imply that the universal priesthood of believers is rendered irrelevant in this context. Since the two levels of priesthood are contemplated by Scripture, they should seamlessly compliment each other.

1 Peter 2:9 affirms the priesthood of all believers. It describes the Christian community as "...a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people..." (NKJV). 

This implies that believers can minister for Christ through their Christian witness, prayers, petitions, and the proclamation of the gospel in their communities of context (Matthew 28:19-20). They can access the presence of God in their individual capacities at any time and make petitions to Him through Christ Jesus (Hebrews 4:14-16). 

J.V. Fesco observes that under the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers, believers in Christ share in His priestly status; therefore, there is no special class of people who mediate the knowledge, presence, and forgiveness of Christ to the rest of believers, and all believers have the right and authority to read, interpret, and apply the teachings of Scripture. [1].

I concur with Fresco that no person can mediate the presence and forgiveness of Christ. This would border on a divine investiture claim not contemplated in Scripture. The Roman Catholic Church ascribes this authority to their priesthood. 

While I agree with Fresco that believers have the right and authority to read, interpret, and apply the teachings of Scripture, I am persuaded that God instituted the office of teacher in Ephesians 4:11 to compliment this function. 

Trained church ministers with theological skills have a special role in guiding believers in the interpretation of Scripture and in conveying the mind of God in a given theological context. This role is critical in building a Christian community in the knowledge of Christ through congregational instruction and admonition. This is contemplated in Ephesians 4:11-14. 

Apostle Paul was himself a trained theologian raised under Gamaliel, the revered first century Jewish scholar (Acts 22:3). Paul's theological skills and prudence is attested in his writings. 

This does not suggest or imply that a believer cannot read or understand the Scriptures. It underscores the complimentary role of the trained clergy in guiding the congregation of God's people in covenant obedience through the exhortation of Scripture.

Rex Edwards observes that the Protestant churches have neglected the doctrine of the priesthood of believers despite their spirited defense of the doctrine. [2]. He notes that both the clergy and laity have failed this theological scrutiny. Edwards argues that the priesthood of believers should be a compelling doctrine that consistently stands out in a Bible centred Christian community. I concur with him. 

Alvie E. Robbins asserts that the believer was chosen in Christ for privilege, obedience and service. [3]. This special status and calling should therefore propel the believer into commitment and consistency in Christian obedience and service. 

The believer's role as a priest is however complementary to the other roles in the Christian congregation including Christian instruction and training. It cannot override or muddle them.

While pening his first epistle, Peter counted himself among elders even though he was an apostle of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 5:1-4). His statement conveys an affirmation of the significance of the office of elder/bishop in the church. This office consolidates the pastoral duties exercised by elders, pastors, and bishops including the congregational instruction and training of believers. 

Timothy and Titus are two examples of ministers of the gospel raised and appointed by Paul to serve in their respective Gentile communities during the New Testament church period. It is instructive that Paul founded the school of Tyrannus in Ephesus with the objective of training and commissioning Christian missionaries in Asia Minor (Acts 19:9-10). Notice that Paul was compelled to seek an independent venue after he faced opposition from radical Jews in the Ephesus synagogue. 

The priesthood of church elders is affirmed in James 5:13-15. The Bible exhorts believers to reach out to the elders at the time of need. so that they may pray for them. 

The Scripture says "Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing psalms. 14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven." (NKJV). 

It is therefore inconceivable that this special priesthood can be theologically discounted by its critics.

The ordained church offices should be administered in accordance with the teaching and regulations of Scripture (1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9). Those who are appointed to these leadership positions should meet the biblical qualifications outlined in Scripture touching on their training, gifting, and moral standing (1 Timothy 3:1-7; 2 Timothy 2:2,15).

When we cast doubt on the priesthood of elders, pastors, or bishops, we open ourselves to a theological cul-de-sac of sorts and undermine the spiritual institutions and offices that God has instituted for the church. 

My considered view is that to deny any of the three levels of priesthood is to deny the revelation and authority of Scripture. Believers should therefore submit to the leading and admonition of godly elders and pastors in biblically centred Christian communities even as they exercise their universal priesthood in Christ. 

Shalom 

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2026

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REFERENCES

1. J.V. Fesko, "The Priesthood of All Believers", in The Gospel Coalition, https://share.google/KNMfdx5ykcmmG50qr Accessed on 2 May 2026. 

2. Rex Edwards, "Priesthood of Believers" in Biblical Research Institute https://share.google/Z74S1bH5t6VGB27by accessed 2 May 2026.

3. Alvie E Robbins, "The Universal Priesthood of All Believers_ A Study of Its Major Revivals with Implications for the Christian in Life and Ministry", in Western Evangelical Seminary Theses, George Fox University, https://share.google/eWpX0Mi2oG2LcVEtU accessed 2 May 2026. 

Will the Great Tribulation Period Spill Over into the Millennium Reign of Christ?

WILL THE GREAT TRIBULATION PERIOD SPILL OVER INTO THE MILLENNIUM REIGN OF CHRIST?

By Ezekiel Kimosop 

The chronological structure of the end-times period in Scripture reveals that the seven-year tribulation period will precede the millennium reign. It terminates upon Christ's coming. It cannot therefore spill into the millennium reign of Christ.

Here's why...

We learn from 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12 that the Antichrist will be revealed shortly before the church is caught away. There is a divided opinion among Bible scholars on the timing of Christ's coming. This largely depends on the eschatological leanings they subscribe to.

Pre-tribulationists argue that Christ will come before the tribulation period commences. They insist that God cannot subject His saints to persecution under the reign of the Antichrist (1 Thessalonians 5:9). 

This view points to the witness of the 144,000 tribulation saints as evidence that the church will have been caught away prior to the advent of the tribulation period. They also consider the statement of Revelation 4:1 as evidence that the church will be ushered to heaven before the tribulation commences under the reign of the Antichrist. They claim that the "absence" of the word "church" [Greek: ekklesia] between Revelation 4-19 suggests that the church had been caught away from the earth before the great tribulation period. 

Mid-tribulationists however disagree with this assertion on the basis that it lacks a firm theological footing in Scripture. They argue that Revelation 4:1 was a call to John by Christ and does not symbolically constitute the rapture of the church. They claim that there is no theological justification for shielding end-time believers from persecution yet Christian suffering has been witnessed through the church ages, including during the New Testament, Patristic, and Medieval periods.

Mid-tribulationists insist that Christ will come in the middle of the tribulation period and take His church to spare her from the intense persecution by the Antichrist and to allow the seven bowls of the wrath of God to be served on the Antichrist and his followers (Revelation 16). 

The Post-Tribulation scholars state that Christ will come at the close of the seven-year tribulation period. They insist that the church will endure the entire tribulation interlude before God comes to her rescue. Most Evangelical scholars reject this view on the basis that it is difficult to reconcile with several eschatological texts and passages of Scripture.

The Amillenialists [No Millenium] view holds that the millennium reign of Christ commenced right from Calvary and will be concluded at His coming. They deny the futuristic earthly reign of Christ from Jerusalem, arguing that Revelation 20:4-6 is merely a symbolic representation of His divine reign among men until the close of the church age. They insist that the tribulation period commenced right after Calvary and will continue until Christ's coming. They argue that Satan has been bound in the spiritual sense since he was defeated at Calvary. 

Most Evangelical scholars reject this view on the basis that it contradicts the express teachings of Scripture on the end times. 

The first three eschatological views are agreed on the millennium reign coming after the tribulation period. It is therefore not possible that the great tribulation period will spill over into the millennium reign of Christ. 

Besides, the 1000 years reign of Christ will usher in unprecedented peace on earth. Satan will have been bound and consigned into the bottomless pit (Revelation 20:1-3). The reign of the Antichrist will have been brought to a conclusive end prior to the onset of the millennium reign.

Shalom 

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2026

Q & A With a Believer on the Millenium Reign

Q & A WITH A BELIEVER ON THE MILLENNIUM REIGN 

Q. How is it possible for believers with spiritual bodies to mix with those with physical bodies during the millennium reign? 

MY TAKE 

I must admit that there are some residual mysteries in Christian eschatology. We cannot fully comprehend the splendour of God's glory during the millennium reign or even under the eternal state of the church described in Revelation 21-22. 

We cannot tell how the resurrected saints who will reign with Christ and those with mortal bodies would interface during the millennium reign. 

Some scholars consider Jesus' statement in Luke 20:36 as evidence that resurrected believers will possess angelic bodies and can therefore interact with humanity in the physical realm. 

Jesus proclaimed "...The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage. 35 But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage; 36 nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection" (Luke 20:34-36, NKJV).

Some have also supposed that since the risen Christ could interact with, was touched by, and even ate with His disciples, the resurrected saints could possess these attributes during the millennium period. Besides, the task of governing humanity requires travel and interactive engagements. 

Having said as much, I must also reckon that Scripture cannot contradict itself. If we consider the millennium reign as a literal futuristic event in God's divine calendar, we cannot deny or doubt the validity of its prophecies in Scripture. 

For instance, if we treat the millennium reign as symbolic, how shall we reckon with the battle of Gog and Magog? Is this a mystical battle or a literal event in God's eschatological calendar? 

What about the second resurrection and final judgement recorded in Revelation 20:11-15? Is this an allegorical or symbolic narrative or a description of a literal divine event awaiting humanity? 

How should we interpret the vision described in Revelation 21? Is it a symbolic pictorial image bereft of any truth? Is heaven real or symbolic?

My view is that the events described in Revelation 20 are not allegorical but real-time. Christ will indeed come to earth to fulfil the Old Testament prophecies relating to the end times. 

We may disagree on when the resurrection will take place - either before the great tribulation (pre tribulation), or during the tribulation [mid-tribulation] or even at the end of the tribulation [post tribulation]. 

Here are inalienable truths conveyed in Scripture...

Christ will physically return with the resurrected saints and will literally reign in present day Jerusalem for 1000 years under His Messianic rule (Zechariah 14; Revelation 20:4-6). Satan will be bound to the bottomless pit during Christ's millennium reign (Revelation 20:7-10). He will be briefly released from the pit at the end of this period. The battle of Gog and Magog which is championed by Satan will take place at God's appointed time at the close of the millennium reign and Satan and his forces will be defeated. Satan and his angels will be cast into the lake of fire. The resurrection of the dead will take place and the final judgement will be convened. The wicked will join Satan in the lake of fire and the saints will be ushered into the new heaven and so the end shall come (Revelation 20:11-15). 

If you are a professing Christian, you cannot afford to ignore these eschatological landmarks taught in Scripture. 

I rest my case. 

© Ezekiel Kimosop 

Will Sin Be Present During The Millennium Reign of Christ?

WILL SIN BE PRESENT DURING THE MILLENNIUM REIGN OF CHRIST? 

By Ezekiel Kimosop 

During the millennium reign, Christ will return to the earth with believers who constituted the first resurrection group contemplated in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18. According to premillennialism theory, the millennium reign will take place after the celebration of the wedding feast recorded in Revelation 19:1-10. 

Believers who came to faith during the tribulation period will also be alive on earth. These faithful servants who survived the great tribulation period will bear children, in whom the sin nature will still reside, because the fallen human nature will not be eliminated until eternity begins at the end of the millennial kingdom.

Those who were martyred during the tribulation period will reign with Christ during the 1000 year reign in Jerusalem.  Revelation 20:4 says "Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a thousand years." (NKJV). 

This suggests that the tribulation saints were adorned with glorified bodies at this point in time. 

There will also be people who rejected the gospel of Jesus Christ and were left out of the rapture. These rebellious people will raise their children during the millennium reign and will most probably negatively influence them to reject Christ. 

The world will therefore experience sin because the eternal reign of Christ recorded in Revelation 21-22 is yet to take place at this point. 

Will there be an opportunity for sinners to turn to Christ during the millennium reign? 

Bible scholars believe that since Satan will be bound to the bottomless pit for 1000 years, there would be a final opportunity for people to turn to Christ. However, resistance to Christ's kingdom which started during the great tribulation period will still be present among those who rejected Him at that time. Some people will therefore reject Him again! 

After the 1000 year reign, Satan will be loosed from the bottomless pit and will deceive the nations for a period of time (Revelation 20:7-10). The release of Satan from divine confinement marks the final apocalypse in human history. 

The final battle against Christ and His saints in Jerusalem will unfold. These dark forces will surround Jerusalem, intending to destroy the kingdom of God in Christ. God will destroy these enemies of Christ in the battle of Gog and Magog recorded in Revelation 20:7-10. 

When will believers found alive during the millennial reign be joined to those who were caught away during the first resurrection?

Scripture is silent on this question. Some scholars have suggested that the millennium believers will adorn glorified bodies at the end of the millennium reign to allow them to join the eternal state described in Revelation 21-22. Others say the transformation of these saints will coincide with the second resurrection and judgement recorded in Revelation 20:11-15. 

The dead will be raised to life and those whose names shall not be found in the Lamb's book of life will be consigned to eternal damnation in the lake of fire🔥. 

Those who were martyred for their faith during the great tribulation will adorn spiritual bodies and join the "first cohort" saints and together they will dwell in the presence of Christ and of God forever. 

This marks the eternal state of the church recorded in Revelation 21.  The former things shall pass away forever and God will make all things new. 

Shalom 

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2026

Q & A WITH A READER ON THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

 

Q & A WITH A READER ON THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 

_____________________________

1.      If the gift of tongues ceased, how do you interpret 1 Corinthians 14, where Apostle Paul gives detailed instructions for regulating its use in the church rather than indicating its imminent cessation?

MY TAKE

My view is that 1 Corinthians 14 addressed the New Testament church context. The gift of tongues was actively in operation at the time. Under Evangelical theology, we hold that this gift ceased immediately thereafter. The Early Church writers never mentioned or reported on its presence. There is no evidence throughout the ages of church history that this gift was actively available in the church. Pentecostal scholars have not offered convincing explanations for this historical phenomenon from their theological standpoint.

 

2.      On what basis do we conclude that the events in Acts are descriptive but not normative, especially when similar manifestations of the Spirit appear in multiple chapters (Acts 2, 10, 19)?

MY TAKE

I believe this question has been addressed under Q.1 above. The events described in the Acts of the Apostles and 1 Corinthians exclusively relate to the New Testament church period. This the reason that Paul wrote extensively on the regulation of this gift in the context of the New Testament Gentile Christian communities.

 

3.      Is there any explicit New Testament passage that clearly states that the gift of tongues would cease at the close of the apostolic age?

MY TAKE

Evangelical scholars observe that there is a hint in 1 Corinthians 13 which has been identified as a telltale sign in support of the cessation view. Paul writes thus:

“Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. ⁹ For we know in part and we prophesy in part. ¹⁰ But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. (1 Corinthians 13:8-10, NKJV, emphasis mine).

 Here are some of the arguments in support of the cessation view.

i)                   In 1 Corinthians 13:8-10, Paul states that prophecies will cease, tongues will be stilled, and knowledge will pass away, noting that partial gifts will disappear when the "perfect" comes. Some Evangelical scholars have related this perfection to the sealing of the cannon of Scripture under the Council of Carthage in AD 397. The church thereafter departed from oral tradition and spoke from the authority of the written Scriptures rather than the prophetic foretelling.

ii)                 In 1 Corinthians 14:21-22, Paul cites Isaiah 28:11-12 to explain that tongues were a "sign to unbelieving Israel". With the establishment of the church and the gospel effort extending to the Gentiles, the need for this specific sign is believed to have ceased. This is consistent with the view that the gift of tongues was meant to serve a specific purpose during the New Testament church period.

iii)               Scholars consider 2 Corinthians 12:12 and Hebrews 2:3-4 as conveying an affirmation that miraculous gifts, including tongues, were "signs of an apostle" designed to validate apostolic authority and new revelation. Once the apostolic age concluded, so did the need for their unique validation.

iv)               The gift of tongues is not mentioned in later Pauline Epistles including Romans and Ephesians. It is also missing from the New Testament Pastoral and General Epistles, suggesting that the gift was not functioning in the wider church after the period coinciding with 1 Corinthians.

v)                  Bible scholars have also observed that there is a notable decline in the mention of miracles in Paul’s latter epistles. It is instructive that Paul was unable to heal two of his close coworkers, Epaphroditus and Trophimus, on two separate occasions, indicating that the apostolic gift of miracles had possibly declined at the close of his ministry (Philippians 2:25-30; 2 Timothy 4:20). In one of his final letters, Paul writes, "I left Trophimus sick at Miletus" (2 Timothy 4:20). Scholars often point to this statement as evidence that Paul's ability to heal "on demand" had changed, as he previously would have healed a fellow worker to keep them in active ministry. In a separate incident, Paul describes Trophimus, one of his companions as being "ill and almost died," but notes that "God had mercy on him" rather than attributing the recovery to an apostolic act of healing (Philippians 2:25-30). Paul's deep sorrow over the illness suggests he did not have the immediate power to remove it.

Conclusion

Pentecostal and Charismatic scholars disagree with the observations advanced by Evangelical scholars on cessation of tongues. They insist that the gift of tongues continues throughout all church ages. They are however unable to explain why the gift of tongues was not mentioned in early church writings right from the Patristic period through the Medieval, Reformation, and Enlightenment periods, only for it to purportedly reemerge in the 19^th Century during the Asuza Street revival of 1905. Does this incident imply that the previous generations of believers were not deserving of this gift? Did they fail to embrace the gift for nearly 2000 years? Did God withdraw the gift during these periods, and if so, why? How come Pentecostals today are unable to interpret the gift of tongues or specify which ethnic language it falls into whenever a believer is purportedly speaking in tongues?

 

4.      If tongues were solely for authenticating the gospel to unbelievers, how do we understand Apostle Paul's statement that one who speaks in tongues edifies himself (1 Corinthians 14:4)?

MY TAKE.

This question is closely related to No.3 above.

1 Corinthians 14:1-5 says “Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. ² For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. ³ But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. ⁴ He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. ⁵ I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification.”

(NKJV).

Paul was addressing some confusion among the Corinthian believers where some liberally spoke in tongues in congregational gatherings without the benefit of an interpreter. This is the reason he adjudged such believers as edifying themselves in v.4. This suggests that where tongues could not be interpreted, it served no useful purposes in the Body of Christ. Paul supplies a hint in his statement in v.5, suggesting that not all believers spoke in tongues. This strongly suggests that the gift of tongues was not a universal endowment on all New Testament church believers.  

 

5.      If some spiritual gifts (like tongues) ceased after the apostolic era, what biblical principle helps us determine which gifts continue and which do not?

MY TAKE

1 Corinthians 12:4-10 says “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. ⁵ There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. ⁶ And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. ⁷ But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: ⁸ for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, ⁹ to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, ¹⁰ to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. ¹¹ But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.” (NKJV, Emphasis mine)

 

There are nine gifts listed in the above passage.

As stated earlier, Evangelical theology holds that the gift of tongues ceased after the New Testament church age. The gift of interpreting tongues therefore also ceased. Some scholars believe the gifts of miracles and healings have been extensively modified by God from their New Testament period contexts to conform to the post New Testament realities. Accordingly therefore, we do not have miracle workers or faith healers in the church today. Scripture reveals that God responds to the prayers of His people in accordance with His divine will. James 5:14-15 says “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. ¹⁵ And the prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.” (NKJV).

Notice that James does not make reference to a miracle worker or a faith healer in his exhortation. Instead, he recommends corporate prayers by church elders!

The gift of prophecy was also modified to align with the sealed cannon of Scripture which became available following its compilation under the Council of Carthage in 397 AD. Prophecy is now theologically understood as the act of forth-telling or proclaiming the mind of God for a particular context based on the revelation and authority of Scripture. Evangelical tradition affirms that the future of the church has been sealed in the writings of Scripture and no prophet can speak the mind of God outside the revelation of Scripture. This implies that the office of prophet is no longer available to the church! Jesus is our final prophet through whom God speaks to the church (Hebrews 1:1-2). His voice is indelibly inscribed in the written Scriptures. He is our Saviour, our Prophet, our Healer, our High Priest, and our Teacher.

The gifts of wisdom and knowledge are however available to the church and so are the gifts of faith and discernment. God reveals His mind to His servants when they proclaim Christ in truth and in accordance with the authority of Scripture. Christ is our source of eternal wisdom which He has conveyed to us through His eternal word. 

 

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2026

Is Speaking in Tongues Evidence that a Believer Has the Holy Spirit?

IS SPEAKING IN TONGUES EVIDENCE THAT THE BELIEVER HAS THE HOLY SPIRIT?

My view is that speaking in tongues today is not evidence that a person is infilled or controlled by the Holy Spirit. I am persuaded from my study of Scripture that the coming of the Holy Spirit in Acts 2 was intended to authenticate the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ during the New Testament church period. The incident recorded in Acts 2:1-13 was therefore a peculiar event that God permitted in the Jerusalem church to facilitate the spreading of the gospel among Gentile people. 

It is instructive that this incident coincided with the Jewish festival of Pentecost, also known as Shavuot. This was the Feast of Weeks, a pilgrimage festival celebrated 50 days after the Passover. It marked the end of the grain harvest and a thanksgiving for the wheat harvest and the first fruits. 

God used the Day of Pentecost to reach out to the Gentile people who attended the feast so that the participants heard the gospel in their own ethnic languages. This incident had been predicted by Jesus when He commanded the disciples not to leave Jerusalem until they received the gift of the Holy Spirit which Jesus describes as "the Promise of the Father" (Acts 1:4). 

There are a few other occasions in the Book of Acts where some Gentile believers spoke in tongues (Acts 10:44-47). Besides the Book of Acts, there is no record in the New Testament Scriptures of an incident or occasion when believers spoke in tongues other than perhaps Paul's mention of the gift in 1 Corinthians (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:10, 28-30, 14:1-28). 

Paul rebuked the Corinthians for their spiritual immaturity in handling the gift of tongues and prescribed for them some practical etiquette and decorum (1 Corinthians 14:6-18).

Yes, speaking in tongues under the New Testament church context was evidence that the believer was filled with the Holy Spirit. However, there is considerable debate as to whether this gift continued to be available to the church after the New Testament church period. 

Pentecostal and charismatic groups insist that the gift of tongues has been available to believers in all church ages. They consider the Azusa Street revival of 1905 as evidence of its continuity. They assert that a believer is incomplete in Christ until they experience the infilling of the Holy Spirit and speak in strange tongues. 

Conservative Evangelical traditions believe that the gift of tongues ceased after it served God's divine purposes for the church in the New Testament era. They teach that every born again Christian is under the control and the leading of the Holy Spirit from the moment they turn to Christ and does not require to speak in tongues to authenticate his faith (John 14:15-31). They insist that every believer is firmly indwelt by the Holy Spirit who guides them and reveals the truths of God's word to them (John 14:15-31). 

Evangelicals observe that the sealed cannon of Scripture conveys the mind of God under the exhortation of believers and the preaching of the gospel. They affirm that Scripture is sufficient, authoritative, and final on all matters touching on the Christian faith and practice. 

My concluding view is that every true follower of Jesus Christ is a child of God whose name is written in the Lamb's book of life (Revelation 20:11-15). They are complete in Christ. The believer daily feeds on the exhortation of the Holy Scriptures and is indwelt and guided by the Holy Spirit in his journey of faith. The believer's body is the temple of the Holy Spirit Holy (1 Corinthians 6:19). He walks in true fellowship with the heavenly Father and is a witness of God's saving grace in Christ Jesus. 

I am further persuaded that the gift of tongues ceased after the New Testament church period. It served God's purposes for the New Testament church as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles and in 1 Corinthians. Believers do not require the gift of tongues to live for Christ and proclaim Christ crucified. Instead, they require the holy Scriptures and the illumination of the Holy Spirit who dwells in them. He is the divine superintendent who preserves and illuminates the truths of God that Christ has revealed to us in the Scriptures (2 Timothy 1:14). 

The burden of proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ today does not depend on whether a believer speaks in strange tongues. It is anchored on their passion for the Macedonian call - the mission for rescuing souls from the sinful world and bringing them to Christ (Matthew 28:19-20). Besides, believers should contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 1:3).

Shalom 

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2026

Q & A with A Reader on Christian Giving

Q & A WITH A READER ON CHRISTIAN GIVING 

Q1 - Does the Tithing Command in Malachi 3 apply to New Testament Believers? 

MY ATTEMPT 

The Malachi context was a totally different scenario from the New Testament context. The Jews were legally obligated to tithe under Levitical laws (Leviticus 27:30-32). These laws are however not binding on New Testament believers. The church only borrows the moral on principle of tithing for godly giving since we believe this practise preceded the law. New Testament believers do not share in the curses contemplated in Malachi 3!

Q2. It has been argued that Abraham and Jacob were the first set of patriarchs to tithe. Is there evidence in Scripture that the two men consistently tithed? 

MY ATTEMPT 

The mention of tithing relating to Abraham and Jacob has been generally understood as a theological justification for the view that tithing preceded the law (Genesis 14:20, 28:20-22)

We believe the two patriarchs and several others not mentioned in Scripture faithfully and consistently gave to God a tithe of their increase. Scripture does not have to capture every detail to authenticate the validity of tithing as a godly practise. In any case, we are not given the details of all givers in the Torah texts. 

Secondly, the New Testament believers are not legally compelled to tithe or to give offerings. We give God freely out of our personal convictions in honour of Christ and to support His mission on earth. Tithing is one of the means for achieving that purpose. There is nothing ungodly in teaching about tithes provided that we teach the full counsel of God on Christian giving and Christian liberty. 

I am aware that some Evangelical and Pentecostal traditions will disagree with this statement because they do not permit Christian liberty in giving. Besides, some charismatic teachers manipulate their followers into giving beyond what is contemplated in Scripture.   

Thirdly, a believer is at liberty to give as he pleases. Some give 20% or more. Others prefer the traditional 10% tithing. Others give less. Some traditions insist that offerings are sufficient for Christian giving. If Christian giving is done in good faith and to the glory of God, well and good. 

Q. 3 - Some preachers have argued that the best way to teach a New Testament believer to give is by teaching about the love of God through Christ Jesus. If a Christian understood the magnitude of God's love and grace, they would withhold nothing from Him. Do you agree with this view?

MY ATTEMPT 

I concur with you on the significance of teaching about the love of God. However we also need to teach believers about Christian giving within the New Testament context. Believers should be taught the truths of God's word on a regular basis in order to build their convictions on the authority of God's word in guiding our practical Christian living. 

Q. 4 - Should Christians Tithe their Time to God? 

MY ATTEMPT: 

I have not come across any teaching of Scripture that compels believers to tithe their time to God. I believe sacrificing time to serve God is a godly practise for believers. However, we may not specifically align ministry time sacrifice to tithing. Believers are gifted differently with diverse skills talents and abilities and God expects us to apply these skills in a manner that advances His Kingdom. 

Some ministry commitments such as missionary work may require full time service from believers. Others ministry skills and talents are applied during the corporate gathering of the church in worship. Some skills are occasionally required. All these ministry skills are valuable to the kingdom of God. 

Each line of ministry calling and gifting should therefore be understood within its context. What is significant is that our Christian witness is a 24/7 calling. We should be prepared to contend earnestly for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 1:3). We are ambassadors of Christ wherever God has placed us in this world (2 Corinthians 5:20). We should therefore put on Christ and glorify God in our walk of faith.

Q. 5. Is the First fruits giving binding on New Testament Believers? 

MY ATTEMPT 

The Levitical priesthood first fruit giving is not binding on New Testament believers. To my knowledge, no text or passage of New Testament Scriptures  teaches or implies that believers should submit to the demands of the Levitical priesthood ritual offerings. We can however give a thanksgiving offering to God from our increase or blessings that God extended to us . 

Some Christian traditions have retained some of the Levitical priesthood ritual regulations without any theological justification from the New Testament Scriptures. This does not imply that believers should blindly follow such teachings. 

Q. 6 - Should Believers Surrender their First Salary to God? 

There is no command from Scripture that compels New Testament believers to sacrifice their first salary or entire earnings to God. The illustration of the parable of the poor widow in Mark 12:41-44 does not suggest that believers should give everything at their disposal. The widow sacrificed more than the rich men who gave out their abundance. 

The argument in favour of giving the entire pay to God as a special offering has been misapplied by some Bible teachers to cash in on unsuspecting Christians. My view is that the teaching on the giving of the first salary to God is a false teaching meant to defraud believers. 

How will this believer pay his rent and meet his family upkeep after surrendering his entire salary to the so called MOG? If the believer tithes out of that salary or gives an offering or thanksgiving from it, that should suffice. 

Q. 7 - Will a Believer miss Heaven if they don't give to God?

MY ATTEMPT 

Our relationship with God is founded on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary. Believers have received redemption from sinful condemnation. There is nothing to add to what Christ has accomplished for us in His atoning death. He purchased our souls through His shed blood and we received the guarantee of eternal life. 

Having said as much, I am persuaded that a mature believer would lovingly serve God with their resources, talents, and abilities including giving tithes and offerings. They will cheerfully give to God on a free will basis rather than by coercion or compulsion. 

Whereas no believer will be denied entry to heaven merely because they did not offer a tithe or offering to God, a true follower of Jesus Christ cannot withhold his resources from the gospel effort. It would therefore be unusual to find a believer in heaven who had no passion for God's kingdom. 

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2026.