THE
BOOK OF GOD'S PROMISES
Baptism
of the Spirit
By
J. Stephen 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
Learn how you can have a relationship with God.
The Book of God's Promises -- Copyright, 1999 by J.
Stephen Lang. All rights reserved, used with permission.
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