7.24 Baptism in the Spirit is a separate experience from salvation
It is important to know that the baptism in the Holy Spirit is a separate experience from salvation. When we received salvation, the Holy Spirit came to live in our hearts. We were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance. Jesus put His Spirit in us to mark us out as His.
(Ephesians 1:13-14)
In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, HAVING BELIEVED, you were SEALED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT OF PROMISE, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
But the baptism in the Holy Spirit is not just to have Him in us; it is to have us in Him. It is to have Him upon us, and overflowing from us. Salvation is like receiving a cup of water (the water of life). Baptism in the Spirit is like putting that cup of water into a swimming pool. It is to have more of Jesus.
When the believers in Samaria first received Jesus, they were baptized in water, but had yet to receive the baptism in the Spirit. According to Eph 1:13, they already had the Holy Spirit in them, but they did not have the Holy Spirit upon them. Subsequently, Peter and John went over and laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit upon them like the apostles did on the day of Pentecost.
(Acts 8:14-17)
Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He had FALLEN UPON NONE of them. They had only been BAPTIZED in the NAME of the Lord Jesus. THEN they LAID HANDS on them, and they RECEIVED the Holy Spirit.
When I was in my conservative Lutheran church in the 1990s, the Holy Spirit visited our church and brought forth revival. Many people who had been Christians for years received the baptism in the Holy Spirit just as the early disciples did in the book of Acts. It was an experience that transformed many lives and brought people into a closer walk with the Lord Jesus.
My wife Florence, who had been a Christian for 20 years, received the baptism. It proved to be the turning point of her Christian walk. Together, we had the privilege of ministering the baptism to many friends and church mates. It was a joy to see many lives yielded to Jesus, and transformed by Him.
(Ephesians 1:13-14)
In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, HAVING BELIEVED, you were SEALED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT OF PROMISE, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
But the baptism in the Holy Spirit is not just to have Him in us; it is to have us in Him. It is to have Him upon us, and overflowing from us. Salvation is like receiving a cup of water (the water of life). Baptism in the Spirit is like putting that cup of water into a swimming pool. It is to have more of Jesus.
When the believers in Samaria first received Jesus, they were baptized in water, but had yet to receive the baptism in the Spirit. According to Eph 1:13, they already had the Holy Spirit in them, but they did not have the Holy Spirit upon them. Subsequently, Peter and John went over and laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit upon them like the apostles did on the day of Pentecost.
(Acts 8:14-17)
Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He had FALLEN UPON NONE of them. They had only been BAPTIZED in the NAME of the Lord Jesus. THEN they LAID HANDS on them, and they RECEIVED the Holy Spirit.
When I was in my conservative Lutheran church in the 1990s, the Holy Spirit visited our church and brought forth revival. Many people who had been Christians for years received the baptism in the Holy Spirit just as the early disciples did in the book of Acts. It was an experience that transformed many lives and brought people into a closer walk with the Lord Jesus.
My wife Florence, who had been a Christian for 20 years, received the baptism. It proved to be the turning point of her Christian walk. Together, we had the privilege of ministering the baptism to many friends and church mates. It was a joy to see many lives yielded to Jesus, and transformed by Him.
posted by Joshua Lye @ 10:16 PM
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