Baptism "en" the Holy Ghost

[Red Baker]

This makes it really clear:

The baptism of the Holy Spirit may be defined as that work whereby the Spirit of God places the believer into union with Christ and into union with other believers in the body of Christ at the moment of salvation.

There is not one scripture to support what you are saying~or, what those you are quoting are saying.

Election of grace placed us in Christ from the foundation of the world~or, from eternity.

2nd Timothy 1:9​

“Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,”

Ephesians 1:4​

“According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:”

Every elect child of God was placed in Christ from all eternity, and will be throughout eternity.

into union with other believers in the body of Christ at the moment of salvation.

You are using the word salvation in a very limited sense~But, be as it may be, you truly have not one verse of scripture to support what you are attempting to say. While we agree that when a person is converted from the error of his ways, at that point, he begins to have fellowship with other believers, once they are convinced there's true conversion~almost 100% of the time, this takes place immediately. But, there is no so-called baptism of the Spirit, at least not in the sense in which the word of God uses the phrase~certainly not in the sense in which you are attempting to convey.

The baptism of the Holy Spirit was predicted by John the Baptist (Mark 1:8)

Redeemed, The baptism John spoke of is the baptism of fire, which will take place when God cast the wicked into the lake of fire~it is a baptism of judgment, not a baptism for power, or a baptism placing one into the body of Christ. Please consider carefully:

Matthew 3:7-11~"But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

Baptism with the Holy Ghost (here in Matthew) is a baptism of judgement with the end result to be cast into the lake of fire! This is a baptism that the wicked shall be baptized with.

“For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:5). This promise was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1–4);

This is another baptism, that took place in the Acts of the apostles during the times of reformation going from the OT into the worship of the NT under Jesus Christ.

for the first time, people were permanently indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and the church had begun.

I'll come back and say more about this~I am convinced you are wrong in saying this. I know you are not alone in believing this, but, I know the scriptures will say differently than what you are saying~no pun intended, just desire for all of us to be as close to the truth as we can be.

 

[john]

This makes it really clear:

The baptism of the Holy Spirit may be defined as that work whereby the Spirit of God places the believer into union with Christ and into union with other believers in the body of Christ at the moment of salvation.

There is not one scripture to support what you are saying~or, what those you are quoting are saying.

Election of grace placed us in Christ from the foundation of the world~or, from eternity.

1 CORINTHIANS 12:13


For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we are Jews or Gentiles, whether we are bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. this is the new birth .. your placing strong emphases on water baptism for salvation .. so do you hold to a work based salvation ? because water baptism is a work for us which follows after salvation NOT precedes.

just where do you place being redeemed by the Blood of the lamb? no amount of water ever saved one soul we are justified declared righteous not guilty just as if we had never sinned .justified by the Blood by Grace and by faith. note ### no water baptism. did Jesus need salvation? he was baptized in the water By John the Baptist . i dont need 5 paragraphs to prove my point

 

[Redeemed]

1 CORINTHIANS 12:13


For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we are Jews or Gentiles, whether we are bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. this is the new birth .. your placing strong emphases on water baptism for salvation .. so do you hold to a work based salvation ? because water baptism is a work for us which follows after salvation NOT precedes.

just where do you place being redeemed by the Blood of the lamb? no amount of water ever saved one soul we are justified declared righteous not guilty just as if we had never sinned .justified by the Blood by Grace and by faith. note ### no water baptism. did Jesus need salvation? he was baptized in the water By John the Baptist . i dont need 5 paragraphs to prove my point

I'm not talking about water baptism I'm talking about being baptized in the spirit.

 

[john]

I'm talking about being baptized in the spirit.

rabbit chase ... spiritual baptism is the new birth . For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we are Jews or Gentiles, whether we are bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

 

[Red Baker]

rabbit chase ... spiritual baptism is the new birth . For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we are Jews or Gentiles, whether we are bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

John you have Redeemed confused with Doug, or you are confused, which the latter is probably so.

The Holy Spirit does not baptized a born again believer into the body of Christ, that's not what 1st Corinthians 12:13 is teaching. Once more, 1st Corinthians 12:13 is speaking of.....................

The formation of a "local church" is the work of the Spirit putting all the members into one body.​

What forms various members into one spiritual body to be used by the Spirit (I Cor 12:12,14)? A spirit in man makes him a living soul and animates his bodily members (James 2:26). A church is more than an organization: it is a spiritual organism with life from the Spirit. All the members of a church are united together spiritually by the Holy Spirit of God.

God dwells in a local church by the Presence of the Holy Spirit (Eph 2:22; Ist Tim 3:15).

The Spirit takes spiritual children and makes them living stones in His spiritual temple (Ist Pet 2:5). In the spiritual union in a church there is no Jew, Greek, bond, or free (Galatians 3:28).

The body here is obviously the local church, for it is all that is mentioned before and after.

Those exalting a universal church as the only church that counts interpret this verse to be teaching infant baptism making church members and national citizens, simultaneously. Paul is writing the local church at Corinth, and he is dealing with gifts in a local church. He will tell them plainly in a few verses that he is talking specifically about them (I Cor 12:27).

Paul did not jump subjects to water baptism admission into some universal church.

The baptism here is not water baptism, for it is a baptism performed by the Holy Spirit.

Not every baptism is a baptism involving water and burial in it (Matthew 3:11; 20:22).

Since baptism is an immersion, the verse describes the Spirit immersing us into a church. Be it two or three, or two hundred or more.

We lay claim to this verse by asking for it to be done when we receive new members, which is the opposite action we take when excluding a member from our church body. The church has binding and loosing authority, which the Spirit applies (Matthew 18:18).

The Holy Spirit immerses, buries, plunges, dips, and otherwise sticks new members into the body until they are grafted onto it and participate in the same Spirit in the body.

The result is not salvation, membership, gifts, or anything else, but participation in the body. “To drink into one Spirit” is mutual participation in the lively energy of the Holy Spirit.

This is the true meaning of 1st Corinthians 12:13 by staying with the context which drives our understanding of the truth we are considering. Context is king indeed! It will lead us into the paths of the truth.

 

[Red Baker]

1 CORINTHIANS 12:13


For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we are Jews or Gentiles, whether we are bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. this is the new birth .. your placing strong emphases on water baptism for salvation .. so do you hold to a work based salvation ? because water baptism is a work for us which follows after salvation NOT precedes.

just where do you place being redeemed by the Blood of the lamb? no amount of water ever saved one soul we are justified declared righteous not guilty just as if we had never sinned .justified by the Blood by Grace and by faith. note ### no water baptism. did Jesus need salvation? he was baptized in the water By John the Baptist . i dont need 5 paragraphs to prove my point

John after reading this again, I see you need to go back and do this again, because you have some of my quote mixed with others, and what you said in response has nothing to do with what I said~and Redeemed certainly did not say anything you would disagree with, maybe you don't need five paragraphs to prove your point, but you do need to be a little wiser in posting and slow down to make sure you are posting to the right person.

 

[Red Baker]

rabbit chase ... spiritual baptism is the new birth . For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we are Jews or Gentiles, whether we are bond or free, and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

Pitiful. Redeemed is saying the same thing you are saying, yet you cannot figure this out~maybe debating is not your calling. .

 

[john]

Pitiful. Redeemed is saying the same thing you are saying, yet you cannot figure this out~maybe debating is not your calling. .

pitiful you say? could it be that you think your so right everyone else that opposes you is wrong. ? let me guess your spiritual baptism is speaking in tongues

The Holy Spirit does not baptized a born again believer into the body of Christ,

where do you get your theology from cracker jacks ? this quote is left field theology in fact its so far left i can hear the song put me in coach only you cant find home plate.... ive read lot's wild thoughts but yours just about gets the red ribbon of 1 st place .you took by one spirit are we baptized . took it so far out of context all the kings men can not put it back together. feel free take this to the bank ..but i must warn you it will bounce

The body here is obviously the local church, for it is all that is mentioned before and after.

Those exalting a universal church as the only church that counts interpret this verse to be teaching infant baptism making church members and national citizens, simultaneously. Paul is writing the local church at Corinth, and he is dealing with gifts in a local church. He will tell them plainly in a few verses that he is talking specifically about them (I Cor 12:27).

 

[john]

John you have Redeemed confused with Doug, or you are confused, which the latter is probably so.

The Holy Spirit does not baptized a born again believer into the body of Christ, that's not what 1st Corinthians 12:13 is teaching. Once more, 1st Corinthians 12:13 is speaking of.....................

The formation of a "local church" is the work of the Spirit putting all the members into one body.​

What forms various members into one spiritual body to be used by the Spirit (I Cor 12:12,14)? A spirit in man makes him a living soul and animates his bodily members (James 2:26). A church is more than an organization: it is a spiritual organism with life from the Spirit. All the members of a church are united together spiritually by the Holy Spirit of God.

God dwells in a local church by the Presence of the Holy Spirit (Eph 2:22; Ist Tim 3:15).

The Spirit takes spiritual children and makes them living stones in His spiritual temple (Ist Pet 2:5). In the spiritual union in a church there is no Jew, Greek, bond, or free (Galatians 3:28).

The body here is obviously the local church, for it is all that is mentioned before and after.

Those exalting a universal church as the only church that counts interpret this verse to be teaching infant baptism making church members and national citizens, simultaneously. Paul is writing the local church at Corinth, and he is dealing with gifts in a local church. He will tell them plainly in a few verses that he is talking specifically about them (I Cor 12:27).

Paul did not jump subjects to water baptism admission into some universal church.

The baptism here is not water baptism, for it is a baptism performed by the Holy Spirit.

Not every baptism is a baptism involving water and burial in it (Matthew 3:11; 20:22).

Since baptism is an immersion, the verse describes the Spirit immersing us into a church. Be it two or three, or two hundred or more.

We lay claim to this verse by asking for it to be done when we receive new members, which is the opposite action we take when excluding a member from our church body. The church has binding and loosing authority, which the Spirit applies (Matthew 18:18).

The Holy Spirit immerses, buries, plunges, dips, and otherwise sticks new members into the body until they are grafted onto it and participate in the same Spirit in the body.

The result is not salvation, membership, gifts, or anything else, but participation in the body. “To drink into one Spirit” is mutual participation in the lively energy of the Holy Spirit.

This is the true meaning of 1st Corinthians 12:13 by staying with the context which drives our understanding of the truth we are considering. Context is king indeed! It will lead us into the paths of the truth.

do tell where you get this junk from

 

[Red Baker]

do tell where you get this junk from

Ad Hominem Argument​

An ad hominem argument is one that is directed against the opposing person rather than the position they’re maintaining. It can be a clear direct attack against their character or more subtly cast doubt on their personal motives. An ad hominem argument is often used so that one can undermine their opposition’s case without having to directly confront and dispute it. Normally facts (scriptures) are ignored in favor of appealing to emotions and prejudices. It is all the opposing person has to offer.

 

[Red Baker]

do tell where you get this junk from

Ad Hominem Argument​

An ad hominem argument is one that is directed against the opposing person rather than the position they’re maintaining. It can be a clear direct attack against their character or more subtly cast doubt on their personal motives. An ad hominem argument is often used so that one can undermine their opposition’s case without having to directly confront and dispute it. Normally facts are ignored in favor of appealing to emotions and prejudices.

do tell where you get this junk from

From the context ~you should try it, it would save you from embarrassment.

Interpretations must agree with their context.​

Remember this law: A text used out of context is a pretext. We must not violate it; we should learn to spot it.

A text is a word, clause, verse, paragraph, chapter, or book we are seeking to interpret.
Context is the surrounding information, which shows the author’s meaning by the text.
Out of context is using words and their sound contrary to the surrounding information.
A pretext is a false and incorrect impression designed to hide or disguise the real intent.

Using a verse contrary to its context gives a misleading and deceitful sound of words to teach something the author did not intend and/or is not true.

We all have had our words used out of context before, and we hated the corruption of our intent and meaning.

We must make sure you never do it with the precious Word of God.

This rule applies to all writings and conversations of every sort, and so context is well understood by most people. Contracts, court records, novels, promises, and poetry are all understood in context, or surrounding information, to truly understand their meaning.

Even single words are meaningless without a context, which is why you asked your teacher to use them in a sentence before you would try to spell them in a spelling bee!

Even if we use a verse to teach a true point, we must make sure we still honor its context. For using the wrong verse to teach the right point is the first subtle step to heresy. Mark it!

 

[Redeemed]

“Have you received the baptism of the Holy Spirit?” A person in our day who becomes a Christian will sooner or later be asked this question. The question is frequently posed by charismatic Christians who are enthusiastic about their experiences with the Holy Spirit.

A doctrine that was once largely confined to Pentecostal and Assembly of God churches has now become of central importance to a vast number of believers. The Neo-Pentecostal movement has reached into nearly every Christian denomination. A sense of excitement and spiritual renewal usually accompanies this fresh discovery of the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit in the church.

Neo-Pentecostalism has sought to define a doctrine of the baptism of the Holy Spirit based on people’s experiences. The doctrine has been widely controversial.

Usually, but not always, the charismatic Christian considers the baptism of the Holy Spirit as a second work of grace, distinct from and subsequent to regeneration and conversion. It is a work of the Holy Spirit that is available to all Christians but not appropriated by all.

Charismatics are divided among themselves on the issue of whether speaking in tongues is a necessary sign or manifestation of the “baptism.”
Pentecostals point to the pattern in the book of Acts where believers (who obviously had the regenerating work of the Spirit prior to Pentecost) were filled by the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues. This biblical pattern, which includes a time gap between conversion and baptism of the Spirit, is then seen as normative for all ages.

Pentecostals are correct in seeing a distinction between regeneration by the Holy Spirit and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Regeneration refers to the Holy Spirit giving new life to the believer—making alive one who was dead in sin. The baptism of the Holy Spirit refers to God empowering His people for ministry.

While the distinction between regeneration and the baptism of the Holy Spirit is legitimate, making a time gap between the two normative for all subsequent ages is invalid. The normal pattern since the time of the apostles has been that Christians receive the empowering of the Holy Spirit along with regeneration. It is not necessary for believers to seek a specific second work of Spirit baptism following conversion. Every Christian is Spirit-filled to a greater or lesser degree, depending on the amount of yielding to the Spirit.

Another problem with the Pentecostal doctrine is that it has an inadequate view of Pentecost. Pentecost marks a watershed moment in New Testament history. In the Old Testament, only a select few believers were endowed by God with gifts for ministry (see Numbers 11). That pattern changed at Pentecost. At Pentecost all the believers present (all of whom were Jews) received the baptism. Likewise, in subsequent outpourings, the Samaritan converts (Acts 8), the believers at Cornelius’s household (Acts 10), and the Gentile disciples of John living in Ephesus (Acts 19) all received the baptism of the Spirit.

The first believers did not think that the Samaritans, the God-fearers, and the Gentile disciples of John could be Christians. So the baptism of the Holy Spirit served as confirmation of their membership in the church. Since each of these groups experienced the baptism of the Holy Spirit in the same way that the Jews had at Pentecost, their inclusion in the church could not be denied. Peter himself experienced this firsthand. When Peter saw the Holy Spirit come upon the God-fearing Gentiles at Cornelius’s house, he concluded that there was nothing to keep them from full membership in the church. Peter said, “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” (Acts 10:47).

The subsequent episodes of Holy Spirit baptism beyond the day of Pentecost should be understood as an extension of Pentecost by which the whole body of Christ was gifted for ministry. In the New Testament church not every believer spoke in tongues, but every Christian was gifted by the Holy Spirit. The prophecy of Joel was thus fulfilled (Acts 2:16-21).

Summary
1. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is a distinct work in which the Spirit endows believers with gifts for ministry.
2. In Acts, the Holy Spirit is poured out on four groups (Jews, Samaritans, God-fearers, and Gentiles), indicating they all are included in the New Covenant church.
3. Pentecost fulfills the Old Testament prophecy that the Spirit would be poured out on all believers and not restricted to a few.

Biblical passages for reflection:
Joel 2:28-29
John 7:37-39
Acts 2:1-11
1 Corinthians 12
1 Corinthians 14:26-33


R. C. Sproul, Essential Truths of the Christian Faith

 

[john]

Ad Hominem Argument

YOU CALL IT WHAT YOU WANT ..but facts are you have yet to prove your watered down theory . the scripture in question more than speaks for it self.. lets read it again 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. what is that Body ? in Ephesians paul explains it

Ephesians 4:4-6
4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;
5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

one Body the Body of Christ his spiritual body which we become part of the moment of the new Birth aka spiritual Birth also called regeneration . all this is made possible through the resurrection . which gives power you shall receive POWER

Acts 1:8
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

romans 8

6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
10 And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.

11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

scriptures show your error​

​

 

[john]

Ad Hominem Argument​

An ad hominem argument is one that is directed against the opposing person rather than the position they’re maintaining. It can be a clear direct attack against their character or more subtly cast doubt on their personal motives. An ad hominem argument is often used so that one can undermine their opposition’s case without having to directly confront and dispute it. Normally facts are ignored in favor of appealing to emotions and prejudices.


From the context ~you should try it, it would save you from embarrassment.

Interpretations must agree with their context.​

Remember this law: A text used out of context is a pretext. We must not violate it; we should learn to spot it.

A text is a word, clause, verse, paragraph, chapter, or book we are seeking to interpret.
Context is the surrounding information, which shows the author’s meaning by the text.
Out of context is using words and their sound contrary to the surrounding information.
A pretext is a false and incorrect impression designed to hide or disguise the real intent.

Using a verse contrary to its context gives a misleading and deceitful sound of words to teach something the author did not intend and/or is not true.

We all have had our words used out of context before, and we hated the corruption of our intent and meaning.

We must make sure you never do it with the precious Word of God.

This rule applies to all writings and conversations of every sort, and so context is well understood by most people. Contracts, court records, novels, promises, and poetry are all understood in context, or surrounding information, to truly understand their meaning.

Even single words are meaningless without a context, which is why you asked your teacher to use them in a sentence before you would try to spell them in a spelling bee!

Even if we use a verse to teach a true point, we must make sure we still honor its context. For using the wrong verse to teach the right point is the first subtle step to heresy. Mark it!

lol Nice try i dont post by your rules or definitions.. i hope you find home plate

nterpretations must agree with their context.

you mean your watered down context your interpretation is flesh

 

[Red Baker]

“Have you received the baptism of the Holy Spirit?” A person in our day who becomes a Christian will sooner or later be asked this question. The question is frequently posed by charismatic Christians who are enthusiastic about their experiences with the Holy Spirit.

A doctrine that was once largely confined to Pentecostal and Assembly of God churches has now become of central importance to a vast number of believers. The Neo-Pentecostal movement has reached into nearly every Christian denomination. A sense of excitement and spiritual renewal usually accompanies this fresh discovery of the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit in the church.

Neo-Pentecostalism has sought to define a doctrine of the baptism of the Holy Spirit based on people’s experiences. The doctrine has been widely controversial.

Usually, but not always, the charismatic Christian considers the baptism of the Holy Spirit as a second work of grace, distinct from and subsequent to regeneration and conversion. It is a work of the Holy Spirit that is available to all Christians but not appropriated by all.

Charismatics are divided among themselves on the issue of whether speaking in tongues is a necessary sign or manifestation of the “baptism.”
Pentecostals point to the pattern in the book of Acts where believers (who obviously had the regenerating work of the Spirit prior to Pentecost) were filled by the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues. This biblical pattern, which includes a time gap between conversion and baptism of the Spirit, is then seen as normative for all ages.

Pentecostals are correct in seeing a distinction between regeneration by the Holy Spirit and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Regeneration refers to the Holy Spirit giving new life to the believer—making alive one who was dead in sin. The baptism of the Holy Spirit refers to God empowering His people for ministry.

While the distinction between regeneration and the baptism of the Holy Spirit is legitimate, making a time gap between the two normative for all subsequent ages is invalid. The normal pattern since the time of the apostles has been that Christians receive the empowering of the Holy Spirit along with regeneration. It is not necessary for believers to seek a specific second work of Spirit baptism following conversion. Every Christian is Spirit-filled to a greater or lesser degree, depending on the amount of yielding to the Spirit.

Another problem with the Pentecostal doctrine is that it has an inadequate view of Pentecost. Pentecost marks a watershed moment in New Testament history. In the Old Testament, only a select few believers were endowed by God with gifts for ministry (see Numbers 11). That pattern changed at Pentecost. At Pentecost all the believers present (all of whom were Jews) received the baptism. Likewise, in subsequent outpourings, the Samaritan converts (Acts 8), the believers at Cornelius’s household (Acts 10), and the Gentile disciples of John living in Ephesus (Acts 19) all received the baptism of the Spirit.

The first believers did not think that the Samaritans, the God-fearers, and the Gentile disciples of John could be Christians. So the baptism of the Holy Spirit served as confirmation of their membership in the church. Since each of these groups experienced the baptism of the Holy Spirit in the same way that the Jews had at Pentecost, their inclusion in the church could not be denied. Peter himself experienced this firsthand. When Peter saw the Holy Spirit come upon the God-fearing Gentiles at Cornelius’s house, he concluded that there was nothing to keep them from full membership in the church. Peter said, “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” (Acts 10:47).

The subsequent episodes of Holy Spirit baptism beyond the day of Pentecost should be understood as an extension of Pentecost by which the whole body of Christ was gifted for ministry. In the New Testament church not every believer spoke in tongues, but every Christian was gifted by the Holy Spirit. The prophecy of Joel was thus fulfilled (Acts 2:16-21).

Summary
1. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is a distinct work in which the Spirit endows believers with gifts for ministry.
2. In Acts, the Holy Spirit is poured out on four groups (Jews, Samaritans, God-fearers, and Gentiles), indicating they all are included in the New Covenant church.
3. Pentecost fulfills the Old Testament prophecy that the Spirit would be poured out on all believers and not restricted to a few.

Biblical passages for reflection:
Joel 2:28-29
John 7:37-39
Acts 2:1-11
1 Corinthians 12
1 Corinthians 14:26-33


R. C. Sproul, Essential Truths of the Christian Faith

Redeemed~Thanks for posting ~ I want to read it again, before making comments. I'm very familiar with R. C. Sproul who recently died a few years back, maybe six, or seven years. He's of the Reformed community of believers.

 

[Red Baker]

Redeemed~Just read this article again carefully, and thought Mr. Sproul did a very good job overall. A couple of points of noteworthy:

1.

The normal pattern since the time of the apostles has been that Christians receive the empowering of the Holy Spirit along with regeneration. It is not necessary for believers to seek a specific second work of Spirit baptism following conversion. Every Christian is Spirit-filled to a greater or lesser degree, depending on the amount of yielding to the Spirit.

Excellent.

2.

The first believers did not think that the Samaritans, the God-fearers, and the Gentile disciples of John could be Christians. So the baptism of the Holy Spirit served as confirmation of their membership in the church. Since each of these groups experienced the baptism of the Holy Spirit in the same way that the Jews had at Pentecost, their inclusion in the church could not be denied. Peter himself experienced this firsthand. When Peter saw the Holy Spirit come upon the God-fearing Gentiles at Cornelius’s house, he concluded that there was nothing to keep them from full membership in the church. Peter said, “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” (Acts 10:47).

Very good point.

3.

The subsequent episodes of Holy Spirit baptism beyond the day of Pentecost should be understood as an extension of Pentecost by which the whole body of Christ was gifted for ministry. In the New Testament church not every believer spoke in tongues, but every Christian was gifted by the Holy Spirit. The prophecy of Joel was thus fulfilled (Acts 2:16-21).

Good point

4.

Pentecostals are correct in seeing a distinction between regeneration by the Holy Spirit and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Regeneration refers to the Holy Spirit giving new life to the believer—making alive one who was dead in sin. The baptism of the Holy Spirit refers to God empowering His people for ministry.

Summary
1. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is a distinct work in which the Spirit endows believers with gifts for ministry.

Mr. Sproul is leaving folks wondering should they seek the baptism of the Spirit for power in witnessing for Christ just as the Pentecostals teach.

What happened in Acts of the apostles concerning baptism of the Spirit when believers were immersed in the Spirit ~ was done as a sign, or confirmation, during the times of reformation going from the OT worship to the NT worship.

No where in the church epistles are we commanded or even encouraged to seek the Baptism of the Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues. We are commanded to be filled with the Spirit, but there are no shortcuts, as the Pentecostals have invented. It is a lifelong battle of denying self and submitting to the word of God, in thoughts, words and deeds.

 

[Biblelesson]

Redeemed~Thanks for posting ~ I want to read it again, before making comments. I'm very familiar with R. C. Sproul who recently died a few years back, maybe six, or seven years. He's of the Reformed community of believers.

RC is a great teacher. His teaching is still available with video and questions. You can even get a diploma. You can take as many courses as you like for $10 a month. You can't beat that. Plus you get to interact with other students much like the format available here.

Ligonier Connect

Interactive video courses for individual or group study on topics related to the Bible, theology, Christian living, church history, and more.

connect.ligonier.org

 

[john]

We are commanded to be filled with the Spirit,

i realize due to your rules iam not to comment on your post.. sigh*** here it goes filled with the spirit is growth and there is no one certain way other than yielding to the spirit

 

[Red Baker]

i realize due to your rules iam not to comment on your post.. sigh*** here it goes filled with the spirit is growth and there is no one certain way other than yielding to the spirit

Okay~I would agree overall with that.

 

[john]

Okay~I would agree overall with that.

shazam i made a break through