Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Baptism in the Holy Spirit

I have been investigating this more. I went on our Christian and Missionary Alliance website archives and found a couple of articles from the past. One from 1986, and the other from 1947. In reading these two articles, I found striking similarities, which caused me to grasp a whole new facet of what this baptism is about.

In the past I simply had a picture in my mind of the Holy Spirit falling like at Pentecost on groups or individuals, and usually by the laying on of hands and a manifestation of Spiritual gifts. I believe the Lord is expanding my understanding.

We understand water baptism as symbolic of our death (old self) and resurrecti0n (new creation in Christ). John the Baptist said "I indeed baptize you with water; but there cometh he that is mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worhty to unloose: he shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire" Luke 3:16 R.V.

Jesus said: "I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled! But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is completed!" Luke 12:49,50 . This was after His water baptism by John the Baptist, so it is apparent that our Lord is referring to his death and resurrection when He speaks of His future baptism in this passage. Why does He call this experience a baptism?

Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. Romans 6:3-5 In this passage, Paul is equating baptism with death and resurrection.

For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body-whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free-and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Now the body is not made up of one part but of many....Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
1 Cor. 12:13, 14, 27.

And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everyting for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way. Eph 1:22,23.

For now, I will conclude with this quote:
"Water baptism signifies the Christian's union with Christ by a judicial death and resurrection. But baptism in the Spirit is a collective work, uniting believers corporately as members of Christ's "body." We call attention to the fact that the word "baptize" is never used in the Word of God in the sense of empowering or anointing; consequently such an experssion as "baptize with power" is unscriptural and actually contradicts the Bible use of this word. "Anoint" is the word to be used (see Luke 4:18)." Quote from: The Alliance Weekly/ Rev. L. Bowring Quick/ August 10, 1947.

To be continued...Welcoming any insight!















1 comment:

Aunt Angie said...

Kathy! Thank you for your kind comment on my LWG post! It thrilled me! I have enjoyed your devotion here today. I am THANKFUL for the promise and the infilling of the Holy Spirit in my life! There have been so many times when in prayer--that I could not pray a single word in English...my heart was so heavy ---burdened---broken even---especially when Wanda was in the hospital dying...I felt I could not "get my words" out there...but the Holy Spirit came in--as I was in prayer late one night---and interceded for me--as in Romans 8:26 "Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not
what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh
intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."
Your blog is such a blessing!

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