THE
BOOK OF GOD'S PROMISES
Baptism
of the Spirit
By
J. Steven Lang
CBN.com
-- Baptism is done with water, but the Bible talks about another baptism,
much more important that the water ritual. This is the baptism of the Spirit,
a teaching that was neglected for many years but has been given a renewed emphasis
in many churches. This renewed interest in the Spirit's work is something to rejoice
over. Christians of past times knew that without the Spirit there is only the
lifeless, mechanical performance of religious duties. "Then after I have
poured out my rains again, I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons
and daughters will prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams. Your young men will
see visions. In those days, I will pour out my Spirit even on servants, men and
women alike." Joel 2:28-29 Matthew 3:11 Jesus replied, "The truth is,
no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit."
John 3:5 Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some
are free. But we have all been baptized into Christ's body by one Spirit, and
we have all received the same Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:13 He washed away
our sins and gave us a new life through the Holy Spirit. Titus 3:5 You cannot
talk about the Spirit without speaking of spiritual gifts. While the Spirit himself
is the gift to Christians, the Bible also promises that each of us is given
a gift through the Spirit. God verified the message by signs and wonders and
various miracles and by giving gifts of the Holy Spirit whenever he chose to do
so. Hebrews 2:4 There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but it is
the same Holy Spirit who is the source of them all. There are different kinds
of service in the church, but it is the same Lord we are serving. There are different
ways God works in our lives, but it is the same God who does the work through
all of us. God manifests the Spirit through each person for the good of the entire
church. To one person the Spirit gives a word of special wisdom; to another
he gives the gift of special knowledge. The Spirit gives special faith to another,
and to someone else he gives the power to heal the sick. He gives one person the
power to perform miracles, and to another the ability to prophesy. He gives someone
else the ability to distinguish between spirits. Still another person is given
the ability to speak in different kinds of tongues, and another is given the ability
to interpret what is being said. It is the same and only Holy Spirit who distributes
these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have. The human
body has many parts, but the many parts make up only one body. So it is with the
body of Christ. Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles, some are slaves, and some
are free. But we have all been baptized into Christ's body by one Spirit, and
we have all received the same Spirit. Yes, the body has many different parts,
not just one part. If the foot says, "I am not a part of the body because I am
not a hand," that does not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear
says, "I am not part of the body because I am only an ear and not an eye," would
that make it any less a part of the body? Suppose the whole body were an eye --
then how would you hear? Or if your whole body were just one big ear, how could
you smell anything? But God made our bodies with many parts, and he has put
each part just where he wants it. What a strange thing a body would be if it had
only one part! Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. The eye can never
say to the hand, "I don't need you." The head can't say to the feet, "I don't
need you." In fact, some of the parts that seem weakest and least important
are really the most necessary. And the parts we regard as less honorable are those
we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect from the eyes of others
those parts that should not be seen, while other parts do not require this special
care. So God has put the body together in such a way that extra honor and care
are given to those parts that have less dignity. This makes for harmony among
the members, so that all the members care for each other equally. If one part
suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts
are glad. Now all of you together are Christ's body, and each one of you is
a separate and necessary part of it. Here is a list of some of the members that
God has placed in the body of Christ: first are apostles, second
are prophets, third are teachers, then those who do miracles, those who
have the gift of healing, those who can help others, those who can get others
to work together, those who speak in different kinds of tongues. Is everyone
an apostle? Of course not. Is everyone a prophet? No. Are all teachers? Does everyone
have the power to do miracles? Does everyone have the gift of healing? Of course
not. Does God give all of us the ability to speak in tongues? Can everyone interpret
tongues? No! And in any event, you should desire the most helpful gifts. 1
Corinthians 12:4-31 See also The Holy Spirit.
The Book of God's Promises -- Copyright, 1999 by J.
Stephen Lang. All rights reserved, used with permission.
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