Holy Spirit Baptism
By The Scriptures
By reading the Bible we get an image of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Many today fall on the floor, shake like they have been possessed, howl like animals, laugh and fall all over each other like they are drunk and more... We do not see anywhere in the Word of God any of His prophets, or the disciples nor Jesus Himself ever acting like that by the Spirit that is in them! Many today worship a false image!
Is today's speaking in tongue's the same as in the Bible? No! Is there more than one sign of baptism in the Holy Spirit? Yes! How does one receive the Holy Spirit? The answers are in these scriptures from the Word of God...
ACTS, 10:34-47, "Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him. The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (He is Lord of all:)
That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree: Him God raised up the third day, and showed him openly; Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.
And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.
While Peter yet spoke these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with other tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?”
You can see: The only thing that they did was... They heard the truth, they believed, they accepted the living truth into their hearts.
WHAT WAS SPEAKING IN A TONGUE IN THE BIBLE...
So, one might suppose that the only sign of baptism by the Holy Spirit is to speak in a tongue that nobody understands. However; a tongue that nobody understands is not what fell on the apostles at Pentecost! At the above scripture; how do you suppose that them of the circumcision (Jew’s) knew that these Gentiles were magnifying God? For the answer; please read the following scripture...
ACTS, 2:4-8, “And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marveled, saying one to another Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born.”
The meaning of the word “tongue” in this scripture: discourse, dialect, language, tongue. (scripture concordance number 1258: Greek) So; we are writing this to people that speak in the English tongue. At Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit fell upon the apostles; everyone heard them in there own tongue (language) Now that would be a sign that something mighty was happening. It was not babble! Some teach that what happened at the day of Pentecost is not the same as baptism in the Holy Spirit: The reason they say that is because they cannot do what happened at Pentecost (the real thing cannot be faked) Read this from the Word of God and do not be deceived...
This is also what happened at the house of Cornelius (ACTS, 10:44-47) I could see how they of the circumcision received a sign from God that He had opened salvation, and the gift unto the Gentiles. Peter then gave this testimony to them of the circumcision upon returning to Jerusalem...
ACTS, 11:15, “And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.”
Do we suppose then, that unless one speaks the tongue that was received at Pentecost; that they do not have the Holy Ghost? God forbid! Having by Christ spoken the tongue of Pentecost, and being filled with His Holy Spirit even to this day; I say unto you beloved, that it is unprofitable to God, and dangerous, to judge another as not having the Holy Spirit because they do not speak in an tongue that edifies not the church. When the Holy Spirit fell upon our Lord, He did not speak in tongues. We have a more sure test of the Spirit; this test is written clearly in the Word of God...
There are false spirits also!
FIRST JOHN, 4:1-2, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know we the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:”
THERE IS MORE: THIS CANNOT BE FAKED!
FIRST JOHN, 4:12-13, “No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in Him, and He in us, Because He hath given us of His Spirit.”
JOHN, 13:34-35, “A new commandment I give unto you, That you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one to another.”
MATTHEW, 7:18-20, “A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits you shall know them.”
GALATIANS, 5:22-23, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”
FIRST JOHN, 3:6-7, “Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, neither known Him. Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous even as He is righteous.”
Beloved, can one be filled with the Spirit of God and yet continue in that which is an abomination to God? How can one being dead to sin, continue therein? It appears rather glaring to us, that every homosexual church that we have found; speak in a tongue that nobody understands: claiming that our Lord has accepted this awful practice!
We are persuaded that this version of the gift can be faked. While that which happened at Pentecost cannot be faked. For this is the very thing that the apostle Paul is writing to the church at Corinth; for correction...
FIRST CORINTHIANS, 14:8-9, “For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle?” So likewise you, except you utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for you shall speak into the air."
We have found that in most houses that practice what is called speaking in an unknown language today, do so in a manner that is not consistent with Paul's correction, And that is cause for concern. The interpretation of unknown language for the last 70 years or so... is an error. How so? 1Co 14:10 There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification.
So then, If you take any number of people that practice this today and it is not a language that any understand, they simply say that it is the language of angels, so naturally no one understands: The language of the angels is a language (the angels understand each other) Here is the simple truth of the matter: Take a number of people that practice this today and any one can see they are not speaking the same language (the language of angels) and indeed are not speaking any language at all. Unknown language meant: A language spoken that was not naturally learned; the Spirit gives the ability to do it. Hence... Acts Chapter Two. How can millions of people be wrong? why change? Welcome to the last days.
FIRST CORINTHIANS, 14:27-28, “If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.”
When are we going to start obeying God? Brethren, this is so straight a command; that we cannot tell ourselves that when we speak in an tongue, it is not the unknown tongue that Paul was addressing: Therefore allowing us to void the command from Paul. This would then also void the point Paul is making as to why we should follow...
FIRST CORINTHIANS, 14:23, “If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that you are mad?”
Jesus said, John 6:53-57 Then Jesus said unto them, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me."
How well then the prophet Isaiah spoke of this generation...
Isa 49:26 "And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I the LORD am thy Savior and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob."
You see... The many are getting off on themselves!
Peace In Christ;
Michael Cook
By The Scriptures
A Gathering Of Christians
agatheringofchristians.org
