STUDY ON FUNDAMENTAL DOCTRINES CONTINUED
Perth Fellowship
LESSON EIGHT
FUNDAMENTALS OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINES
Let us now see the third doctrine, the Baptisms (Hb.6.1-3)
As we have discussed in the last lesson, the meaning of the word ‘Baptism’ is originally not an English word but it is from Greek. The word Bapto in Greek means immersion. So anything which does not involve immersion is not a Baptism at all.
In Baptism three things are involved.
The one who gives Baptism
The one who receives the Baptism
The medium in which the Baptiser immerses the person to be baptised.
We can see in the fundamental doctrines in Hebrews, the word used is not ‘Baptism’ (singular) but ‘Baptisms’ (plural) (see all popular English translations).So we have the obligation to study the different Baptisms taught in the Bible.
Essentially we must know three Baptisms as revealed in Bible.
Baptism is known by the medium in which the individual is immersed. The primary Baptism viz. the Baptism by the Holy Spirit (the one Baptism of Ephesians4.5 the only life giving Baptism which the thief on the cross received) and the water Baptism, which is the shadow of the Baptism by the Holy Spirit, are described in the previous lessons. Now let us see the Baptism into the Holy Spirit which is by the Lord Jesus Christ
3. Baptism into the Holy Spirit by Lord Jesus
“I indeed baptise 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 baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
This is what John the Baptist proclaimed in the deserts of Judea. Here the Baptiser is Lord Jesus and the medium is the Holy Spirit. Here again the primary eligibility is same condition that one must be baptised by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ. ‘He who believes in Me’ is the condition (John7.38) .Then according to the thirst, the anointing of the Holy spirit received from the Lord will be different. (John7.37).
Since Holy Spirit is a person, we may be confused as to how there can be different quantities of the Holy Spirit. It is not the different quantities of the Holy Spirit but different enabling by the Holy Spirit or different degrees of anointing by the Holy Spirit. In order to understand any spiritual truth, we are to learn from the Scripture.
Let us see from both OT and NT.
Before being taken to heaven Elijah asked Elisha, “What may I do for you, before I am taken away from you? “Elisha said, “Please let a double portion of your Spirit be upon me”. (2Ki.2.9)
Elisha desired a double anointing of the the Holy Spirit in Elijah.
On another occasion Lord spoke to Moses.” I will take of the Spirit that is upon you and will put the same upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you may not bear it yourself alone” (Nb.11.17)
Here some of the anointing from Moses was taken and divided into seventy to give one part each to the seventy people.
Let us see some passages from the NT.
Before the resurrection of the Lord, He told His disciples. “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever - the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you”(John.14.16-17)
It can be seen that before the death and resurrection of the Lord the Apostles had the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
On another occasion after the resurrection of the Lord, He breathed on them, and said to them “Receive the Holy Spirit”. (John.20.22)
There is no reason for us to believe that they did not receive the Holy Spirit when Jesus breathed upon them
Before the ascension of the Lord, He told them to tarry in Jerusalem to receive the promise of the Father. (Luke.24.49)
Again in Acts we can see
“And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, “which” He said, “you have heard from Me; “for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” (Acts.1.4-5)
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On the day of Pentecost “They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance”. (Acts.2.4).
As a fulfilment of the promise of the Father they were all baptised in the Holy Spirit.
It must be noticed that, after few days of the day of Pentecost, when the Apostles were gathered together for prayer, they were all filled with the Holy Spirit again .(Acts.4.31)
In the famous chapter 47 of Ezekiel we can see different levels of water which symbolises different anointing of the Holy Spirit. (Ankle level, Knee level, Waist level, So deep so it is needed to swim Ezek.47.3-6 )
We can see they are receiving or getting filled with the Holy Spirit again and again. It clearly teaches that the anointing of the Holy Spirit can be different in different persons just as the grace is different in different persons (Rom.12.6, Eph.4.7)
Again we can see the salvation is mentioned in different ways. The cup of salvation
(Ps.116.13,), the wells of salvation (Is.12.3), the fountain or spring of salvation (John.4.14), the rivers of salvation (John 7.38).
Please read Acts.8.4-17
Here the Samaritans were undergone the first two Baptisms namely baptised by the Holy Spirit and were water baptised. But the apostles were sent from Jerusalem and they led them to the Baptism of the Holy Spirit which is by the Lord Jesus.
Please read Acts 19.1-6
Here Apostle Paul met some disciples of John the Baptist and supposing them as the disciples of the Lord, he asked them “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” .This question of Paul is always relevant in a correctly founded Christian life. As in the way you receive Jesus, you are to receive the Holy Spirit too. Since the question is asked to the believers (Paul presumed) it is very clear that a believer must receive the Holy Spirit as He is a person of the Trinity. This receiving is an act of the will, just like we receive Jesus and there is no question of not getting unlike what we hear in the present day Christianity. There may or may not be visible experiences.
The evidence of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is the receiving of the power to live as a Christian ( becoming witnesses of the Lord) as told by the Lord (Acts.1.8).On several occasions it was accompanied by prophesying and speaking in tongues(Acts.2.4,10.46,19.6) but not always. In the case of Paul and the Samaritan believers, no accompanied signs are recorded (Acts.8.14-18, 9.17) which means, there may or may not be visible signs. The real change is internal. Peter who had the indwelling Holy Spirit was fearful (John.14.16-17, 20.22, Luke.22.56-60). After the day of Pentecost, the day on which he was baptised with the Holy Spirit he became a powerful witness not fearing to die for the Lord (Acts.2.36, 5.41).The one who was fearful in front of a servant girl became bold enough to challenge the entire hostile assembly of the Jews. This is the real Pentecostal experience.
On the day of Pentecost mainly two things happened.1.Blowing of the wind, voice, shaking of the place of the meeting and the speaking of the tongues which was mocked by the outsiders (Acts.2.1-4, 13). 2. Powerful, logical preaching of the Word (Acts2.14-36) which pierced the mind and heart of the people leading to the salvation of many (Acts.2.14-41).In present day Christianity, people who have the former experience claims to have the Pentecostal experience forgetting the latter experience which is the real spiritual experience. Mostly those who claims to have the Pentecostal experience has the blowing of the wind and the voice, shaking the meeting place which would lead to the mockery of the way of the Lord. So let us strive hard to attain the real Pentecostal experience, the demonstration of the power of heaven which would liberate the souls.
This receiving of the Holy Spirit is another word used in the Scripture for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Peter and Paul used the term “Receive” referring to the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. (Acts.2.38, 19.2)
Paul on the way to Damascus was saved but after three days, before being baptised in water,was baptised in the Holy Spirit. (Acts.9.17)
In the house of Cornelius the hearers were baptised in the Holy Spirit before being baptised in the water. (Acts 10.44)
After the day of Pentecost we cannot find somebody waiting for the Holy Spirit. Some churches still teaches that you are to wait for the Holy Spirit. (Tarrying meetings). This is totally unscriptural and not according to the truth of the Bible. We can see, people are baptised in the Holy Spirit before water baptism and so you cannot say that water baptism is a pre-condition for baptism of the Holy Spirit. The only essential condition is that one must be born again (Baptised by the Holy Spirit) before being baptised in the Holy Spirit.
It must be noticed that, after few days of the day of Pentecost, when the Apostles were gathered together for prayer, they were all filled with the Holy Spirit again .(Acts.4.31)
This shows that the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is not a onetime Phenomena which is enough to continuously provide the power of the Holy Spirit for the rest of the life, rather we are to be continuously thirsty and be filled with the Holy Spirit. This is what Paul taught in Ephesians. “And do not be drunk with wine in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit”. (Eph.5.18).This is a present continuous tense. Here receiving power from the Spirit is compared to the power from drinking the wine. Drinking the wine for one time can give the power for a short time and likewise a person needs to be continuously filled with the Holy Spirit in order to lead a spirit filled life with the fruit of the Spirit. This is where many of the churches which teaches the Baptism of the Holy Spirit fails. One time experience cannot last for long and that is why those who are baptised in the Holy Spirit are lacking in the fruit of the Spirit. Lord gives the Spirit beyond measure. (John.3.34).The out pouring of the Spirit in the NT times is totally different from the days of OT. (John.7.38-39).Now Jesus is glorified and exalted to the right hand of the Father and received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit and now Jesus is pouring this promise upon the believer. (Acts.2.33).The need to be continuously filled with the Spirit is not taught and even those who experienced the power of the Sprit at one time are getting dried up after some time. So let us thirst for the power of the Spirit continuously and the Lord Jesus will keep you immersed in the Spirit always.
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