Holy Spirit Baptism - Number One by West End Church of Christ

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Holy Spirit Baptism - Number One How often have you heard someone claim they have received "Holy Ghost Baptism?" Very sincere people claim that over and over again -- but there is something very troubling about such claims. There are so many discrepancies between what one can read in the Bible and the variety of these personal testimonials that it is impossible to accept all the claims that are made. So, today we will look into this matter of receiving Holy Ghost baptism. Please stay with us. The West End church of Christ pays for this broadcast because we are deeply interested in your spiritual welfare. And in that connection we want you to come visit with us today. In less than an hour, at 9 this morning we begin Bible classes for all ages. Then at 10 we meet for worship to God in spirit and in Truth. Tonight we meet again at 6 p.m. for worship and on Wednesday nights at 7 p.m. We hope you will accept our invitation to be with us today. Our meeting house is at the corner of Parkside Drive and Old Morgantown Road, just across from Lampkin Park and Tapp’s Drive-in. We have a number of excellent tracts and booklets on various themes we will send you on your request. Also, if you have any particular Bible topic you are interested in we would be very happy to provide any kind of materials you may need in your studies. So, just let us know -- and be ready at the end of today's lesson to take down our address. The basis for claiming the reception of Holy Ghost baptism varies according to which religious makes the claim. Generally, those of the so-called "Pentecostal" persuasion claim that Holy Ghost baptism accompanies their conversion, in one way or another. While some of them affirm that it is essential to salvation, others deny it. Some Pentecostals today urge their converts to seek the baptism of the Spirit in their lives, and nearly all of them affirm that the evidence of Holy Spirit baptism is the ability to speak in what they call "tongues." One of the most conspicuous among modern day Pentecostals is Jimmy Swaggart. In his published work, "Is Speaking in Tongues Scriptural and Relevant to This Day and Age?", page 5, he wrote, "A person does receive the Holy Spirit when that person is saved. We are not talking, however, about the work of grace that is performed -- and the power of regeneration that is introduced -- into the life of a former sinner at the time he or she is saved. There is a vast difference between being born of the Spirit, and being baptized into the Spirit." Not all Pentecostals view Holy Ghost baptism this way. Some affirm that it is most certainly essential to salvation. They reason from Jesus' statement to Nicodemus, "Unless one is born of water and the spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God" (John 3:5) that the Spirit of the passage is the Holy Spirit baptism. While wrong, they are at least consistent, for if "spirit" in John 3:5 is Holy Spirit baptism, it is unquestionably essential to salvation. The fact is that "spirit" in this verse does not mean the Holy Spirit baptism, rather it is being born of the Spirit, following the teaching revealed by the Holy Spirit. So as to correctly represent Pentecostals, here is one more passage from Mr. Jimmy Swaggart. He wrote, "We believe there is a definite and separate experience subsequent to salvation. We do not believe this experience is comparable to, nor simultaneous with, salvation. It does not make a person 'more saved'; it does not better prepare them for heaven. But we do believe this gives them power for service. And this subsequent experience that we are discussing is the mighty baptism in the Holy Spirit." (Ibid.) I have just read to you the assumptions of a man who has no scripture at all to back up his assertions. Friends, no one today receives Holy Spirit baptism, for any purpose at all. No Bible principle can be produced to prove this unjustified claim. Notwithstanding the millions of claims that have been made, there is no biblical basis for claiming that the Holy Spirit works on us today like He did the apostles of Christ, and others in the first century. Now if there happens to be anyone listening who denies this, please produce some sort of biblical evidence to back up these preposterous claims. Consider the following Bible facts about this important issue. 1. Baptism in the Holy Spirit was a promise to a limited few -- not a command to all men of all time. "And being assembled together with them (the apostles), He (Jesus) 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). It is not right to take a promise made to a select few and apply it to all mankind in all ages. Jesus limited the promise to the apostles. Notice again, only the apostles were included in those who would receive it within that very short period of time. Today, so-called "Pentecostals" change the passage from "the promise of the Father which you have heard from Me" to the promise of the Father which all men in all ages have been given." 2. Baptism in the Holy Spirit is not a universal command. No passage in all the Bible even remotely indicates that God commands all men everywhere to receive Holy Spirit baptism. If so, where is the passage? When we recognize the difference in a command and a promise we will understand that no one was ever commanded to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. John 3:5 mentions both water and the spirit in connection with the new birth. The elements of the new birth are water and the spirit. Water obviously refers to water baptism. But the spirit in this passage cannot mean Holy Spirit baptism. Here's why: (a.) Those who were baptized in the Holy Spirit in Acts 2 were not cleansed by it. Jesus had already said to them, "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you" (John 15:3). (b.) They were already in Christ before they were baptized with the Holy Spirit, for the next verse reads, "Abide in Me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me." One is forced to conclude from these facts that Holy Spirit baptism on the day of Pentecost had nothing to do with cleansing from sin or conversion to Christ. (c.) Cornelius and his house received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, but Peter said that their hearts had been purified by faith (Acts 15:8). 3. Holy Spirit baptism empowered the apostles to preach and reveal the gospel for the first time in history. Jesus commissioned the apostles to, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." (Mark 16:15). To empower them, He also gave them the promise of the Holy Spirit (Read John 16:13). Just shortly before Pentecost He said to them, "Wait in Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high" (Luke 24:49). Then just a little later added, "You will receive power after the Holy Spirit is come upon you" (Acts 1:8). Then when the Spirit came upon them, notice what happened. "And they began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance" (Acts 2:4). 4. Holy Spirit baptism enabled the apostles to speak in languages not native to them – languages unknown to them. They were instantly able to speak in the various dialects and languages of the hearers in Jerusalem on that day. That is precisely what Luke detailed in his inspired account. He said, "Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven, and when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, 'Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each in our own language in which we were born? Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs -- we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God" (Acts 2:5-11). The apostles received Holy Spirit baptism to empower them to preach -- never as evidence to them or their anyone else that they had received salvation. It was the power they needed to proclaim the saving message of the gospel of Christ into the whole world. If you attend a meeting where so-called "Pentecostals" claim they speak in tongues, you hear only gibberish -- not a language or tongue. You see evidence that someone claims to be under the spell of the Spirit -- not in order to preach the gospel. This clearly proves that such claims as are made today are utterly false. 5. Holy Spirit baptism confirmed Gentiles as proper subjects of salvation. In Acts 10 we learn of a gentile named Cornelius. This man was the first gentile converted to Christ. As he prayed, an angel told him to send his servants to Joppa by the sea and fetch Simon Peter. The purpose of Peter's visit was to "speak to them" the words of the gospel. (verse 32). Peter later said, "Men and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe" (Acts 15:7). When Peter preached to Cornelius and his household, some of the Jews with Peter could not overcome their long standing prejudice against gentiles. While Peter was speaking, the Spirit fell upon Cornelius and his household (verse 44). Those with Peter recognized instantly that God now accepted the gentiles. Cornelius and his family were then commanded to be baptized in the name of the Lord (verse 48). In the first case the baptism of the Spirit was to empower the apostles to preach. In the second it was to convince Jews to accept the gentiles as fellow heirs and of the same body in Christ. The Spirit's work since Pentecost has always involved revealing and teaching. That's the way He guides and leads – through the teaching of the revealed will of God. The Holy Spirit never fell on anyone to make them appear to be having some sort of convulsion -- and never to save them from past sins. The baptism of the Holy Spirit enabled people to speak a real language, not some unintelligible jargon. One of the most provable and demonstrable propositions is: there is no biblical evidence that anyone in our age either receives the baptism of the Holy Spirit or speaks in tongues as the apostles of Christ did. Anyone disposed to challenge that is welcome. We stand ready to defend the truth and refute this erroneous view that misleads so many honest people. If you have any questions at all about this, we will be happy to try and respond to anyone at anytime from what the Bible teaches. So, as we leave you today, remember if you can write to the West End Church of Christ, 1609 Parkside Drive, Bowling Green, KY. 42101. Again, you have our gratitude for being with us today. Hope you will do it again in a week from now. Till then, may the Lord bless you and all of yours. Radio Sermon No. 9