BibleVersity

 "And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance."  ( Acts 2:4, NASB)     There are three baptisms mentioned in the New Testament writings. Each is unique, and each has it's own meaning and significance. This post is the final  of four that looks at what Scripture says about each, although they will be covered in a different order than they chronologically appear in the NT.    There have been a number of arguments against Holy Spirit baptism, but they will not be addressed here. The New Testament revealed this experience to be the norm for all believers, whether Jew or Gentile. In addition, the NT gives no command, precept, or prophecy that this was to cease until Jesus returns (1 Cor. 13:10).      The baptism in the Holy Spirit is an empowering to witness and live.  (Acts 1:5-8) It is true that the day of Pentecost mentioned in Acts 2...

"Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, ' Which,'  He said, ' you heard of from Me;   for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.'"  ( Acts 1:4-5, NASB)  There are three baptisms mentioned in the New Testament writings. Each is unique, and each has it's own meaning and significance. This post is number three  of four that will look at what Scripture says about each, although they will be covered in a different order than they chronologically appear in the NT.    All four gospel writers in the New Testament record an interesting statement concerning Jesus before His public ministry fully began:    - "...He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. (Matt. 3:11, NASB)    - " I baptized you with water; but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." (Mk 1:8, NASB)    ...

  " Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit,  (Matt. 28:19, NASB)         There are three baptisms mentioned in the New Testament writings. Each is unique, and each has it's own meaning and significance. This post is number two of four that will look at what Scripture says about each, although they will be covered in a different order than they chronologically appear in the NT.    The second baptism mentioned in the New Testament is water baptism. Water baptism is simply a public proclamation of what has happened in your life. It is symbolic of dying to sin and self, and of the "new birth" that comes as a result of faith in Jesus. Water baptism does not save a person, nor does the water cleanse a person. Jesus is the one who does both the saving and the cleansing as a result of His blood that He shed on the cross. (Heb. 9:13-14)  Paul tells us...

For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free--and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:13, NKJV)      There are three baptisms mentioned in the New Testament writings. Each is unique, and each has it's own meaning and significance. This post, and the following three, will look at what Scripture says about each, although they will be covered in a different order than they chronologically appear in the NT.    The first baptism that the NT reveals to us is the baptism into Christ. The wording may seem odd, but Paul addressed it as such in the verse mentioned above: "By one Spirit we were all baptized into one body..." This baptism is the spiritual process in which the Holy Spirit makes us a part of the body of Christ. There is another term that we are more accustomed to using that speaks of the same spiritual act: salvation. When a person receives salvation by placing t...

A Brief excerpt from yesterday's message.    The term "baptism" is familiar to most people, regardless of the particular church they may be involved in. However, as we read the Scriptures, we soon learn that baptism does not refer to one but three separate events. The first baptism is into the body of Christ, a.k.a. salvation, the new birth, or being born again. They all refer to the same. This is the process by which the Holy Spirit, through the regenerative work of Jesus, brings us from spiritual death to spiritual life, thus making us part of the "body" of Christ. Paul writes, "For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and were all made to drink of one Spirit.” (1 Cor. 12:12, NASB) I refer to this baptism as a baptism of position, because we have moved from an existence apart from God due to sin into a position with God due to the right-standing that is ours due to Jesus Christ's death a...