Another case which is sometimes brought forward is that of Saul of Tarsus – later the apostle Paul.
“And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’ Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptised.” (Acts 9:17-18)
Surely if there was ever a case where the early Church might justifiably have applied the test of fruit, it was in the case of Saul of Tarsus. Up to that time he had been, on his own admission, the bitterest opponent of the gospel and persecutor of the Church. Yet here we find him receiving the Holy Spirit in a single experience, through the laying on of the hands of Ananias, and thereafter there is not the faintest suggestion that any further test of fruit in his life might have to be applied.
Once again, there are those who object that the Scripture does not state that Saul (later Paul) spoke with tongues when Ananias laid hands on him. It is true the Scripture gives no details of what happened to Paul. However, side by side with this account in Acts 9, we must set Paul’s own testimony, as recorded in 1 Corinthians.
“I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all.” (1 Cor. 14:18)
When we combine this testimony of Paul’s with the other examples given in the book of Acts, it is reasonable to conclude that Paul first began to speak with tongues when Ananias laid his hands upon him for the infilling of the Spirit. This conclusion is strengthened by what happened when Paul in turn laid hands on new believers at Ephesus.
“And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.” (Acts 19:6)
It would be unnatural to suppose that Paul laid his hands upon these converts to transmit to them an experience he himself had never received.
Lord, I realize how grateful I am that all those centuries You have watched over Your wonderful, living Word so that it would be preserved for all generations to come, even today! Thank You also for continuing to watch over Your Word to carry it out, also in my life. Amen.
