Holy Spirit Baptism - Number One
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
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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
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