Nevertheless I tell
you the truth.
It is to your
advantage that I go way,
for if I do not go
away, the Helper
will not come to you,
but if I depart,
I will send Him to
you. And when He has come
He will convict the
world of sin, and of righteousness,
and of judgment; of
in, because they do not believe in Me,
of righteousness,
because I go to My Father
and you see Me no
More; of judgment, because the ruler
of the world is
judged. I still have many things to say to you,
but you cannot bear
them now. However, when He,
the Spirit of truth,
has come, He will guide you into all truth;
for He will not speak
on His own authority, but whatever He hears
He will speak; and He
will tell you things to come.
He will glorify Me,
for He will take of what is Mine
and declare it to
you.
John 16:7–14
Let us look
at the references to the baptism of the Holy Spirit as this is the true source:
1. Matthew 3:11. "I
indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is
mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you
with the Holy Spirit and fire." John the Baptist, was promising that
when the Messiah came He would baptize them with the Holy Spirit. It was a
promise of the indwelling of the Spirit of God. This was confirmed by Peter in
Acts 11:16. (Read Peter and Acts 11:16; it is the Holy Bible in all its
chapters and versed that we find the truth for it is in context of the whole
and not just some proof verses as some choose to use to prove their
presuppositions and theology).
2. Mark 1:8, Luke
3:16. These are parallel references to Matthew 3:11.
3. John 1:33-34. "I did
not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, `Upon whom
you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with
the Holy Spirit.' And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of
God." This was John's confirmation, that the One who was the Messiah,
and who would baptize with the Holy Spirit was Jesus. John the Baptist's
evidence was that he saw the Spirit of God descend on Jesus, and then God told
him this was the Messiah.
4. Acts 1:5. "for John
truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not
many days from now." Jesus promised his disciples they would receive
the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. This is what happened on the Day of Pentecost.
The disciples of Christ received the Baptist of the Holy Spirit. In John
14:16-17. Jesus told His disciples about His sending of the Holy Spirit
(Comforter): "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another
Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom
the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye
know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you." (John 14:16-17) Note
that Christ said the Comforter would abide with them, that He would indwell
them, and be in them. This is the first mention of the Baptism of the Holy
Spirit. Jesus was explaining to His disciples that after He returned to Heaven,
the Spirit would continue to abide in and with them. In John 16:7-14 (quoted in
the opening Scriptures), Jesus later explained more of the ministry of the Holy
Spirit.
5. Acts 11:16. "Then I
remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, `John indeed baptized with water,
but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit." Acts 10, records that
there was a Roman centurion named Cornelius who was a devout man who feared
God. He was a Jewish proselyte to Judaism. God sent an angel to Cornelius and
instructed him to send for Peter who was in Joppa. The angel told him that
Peter would tell him what he should do? Evidently Cornelius was praying about
questions he had about God. Peter at the same time receives a vision from God
that prepared him for Cornelius's visit. Peter a devout Jew would not normally
even enter a Gentile's house. God told Peter, in the vision, to eat animals
that the Mosaic law declared to be unclean. When Peter refused, God told him
not to call common what God declared to be clean. (Acts 10:14) As the vision
ended the men Cornelius had sent to fetch Peter stood knocking on his door.
They related how the angel had appeared to their master Cornelius and beckoned
him to go with him. Peter went and preached Christ to Cornelius. (Acts
10:23-43) Verse 44 says they received the Holy Spirit and afterwards received
water baptism. What happened to Cornelius, and those in his home who believed,
was identical to what happened on the day of Pentecost to the Jewish disciples
in Jerusalem. Peter says that the receiving of the Holy Spirit was what John
the Baptist had prophesied. (Acts 11:15-16) Acts 11:18, records that this was a
sign to the Jews in Jerusalem that, "Then hath God also to the Gentiles
granted repentance unto life."
6. Acts 19:1-7, records that Paul
came to Ephesus and encountered twelve disciples of John the Baptist. He asked
them if they had received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. They replied that
they had no knowledge of anything about the Holy Spirit. Paul told them of
Christ and they also received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. This is the third
and final time that the Bible records anyone receiving the Holy Spirit, in the
manner it was received at Pentecost. It is important to note that verse 8 says
that Paul then went to the Jewish synagogue and preached Christ there for three
months. Many of the Jews in the synagogue rejected the Gospel message of Jesus
being the Messiah. Paul however, continued to preach in the school of Tyrannus
for two years so that all in Asia heard the Gospel (See Acts 19:9-10).
This
account says that these believers received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
These believers left the synagogue and began meeting together. It states that
because of these events, including miracles preformed by the Apostle Paul, that
many believed and the Word of God grew mightily and prevailed (Acts 11:20).
It
should be understood that in each of the three accounts of the Baptism of the
Holy Spirit coming upon believers in the Book of Acts the local church was in
view. In each case those who received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit were
believers. It must be noted that although they feared God, as Old Testament
saints did, they did not have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. They were not,
at that time, New Testament believers. They did not know that Jesus was the
Messiah; this had to be explained to them. After they heard that Jesus was the
Christ, they believed in Him and received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Understanding that the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit was a new
phenomenon given only to the bride of Christ (the church) sheds great light on
these events.[1]
This
should give you food for thought, meditation, and to look at the Bible to
examine for yourselves these Scriptures and determine if what is said is fact.
I will be gone on a short vacation, approximately five days and will not write
during that time. Until then; pray, read the Bible, study to show yourselves
approved workmen for God, and to be prepared to give a defense for your faith
to anyone who asks (1Peter 3:15).
For the eyes of the LORD are
On
the righteous, and
His ears are open to their prayers;
But
the face of the LORD
Is against those who do evil.
1Peter 3:12
Praise God For Your Faith
Richard L. Crumb
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