FOR THE
CHILDREN:
B. False Notions of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit.
Before one can rightly know about the baptism in the Holy Spirit’ he must get rid of any false notions he has concerning it; therefore, let us consider a few that are prevalent among them.
1. The Second Blessing
Some folk have a notion that the baptism in the Holy Spirit is a baptism by the Holy Spirit in which the Holy Spirit does something to them that eradicates sin entirely from them.
Some call this a second blessing, while others call it entire sanctification. By whatever name it is called, those who hold this view say it is impossible for that person to ever sin again. These teach that the carnal nature is slain in this one to never show itself again, and that the fullness of life in the Spirit is then realized.
The Scriptures do teach that the saved should strive for holiness and live Godly lives, but it does not teach that the saved reach that state in this world. In fact, it teaches the very opposite in:
I John 1:8-10 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.
Neither did the Apostle Paul believe the carnal nature had been eradicated from his life. In the 7th chapter of Romans he clearly stated that there was a warfare going on in his life between the spiritual and the carnal natures that were within his being.
Paul said in his early ministry that he was the least of the apostles; later, he said he was the least of all saints; and not long before he died, he said that he was the chief of sinners. The closer he got to God, the more he could see his sinfulness.
Why do we need a high priest to intercede for us if we do not sin? God’s children are in a bad way when they do not see the sins in their lives so they can confess them to their Heavenly Father.
Now, these Scriptures and others also, plainly teach (No matter how loud men shout contrary to them) that men do not live in this mortal body a perfectly sinless life. Therefore, we can with assurance say that the baptism in the Holy Spirit is not the second blessing.
2. The Gifts of the Spirit
A movement being revived with great fervor is a teaching that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is the giving of gifts to men as in the days of the Apostles.
These folks are trying to make Christianity today as it was in the early days of the church when men did have extraordinary gifts given to them. They believe they obtain the same miraculous powers the Christians of the first century enjoyed and that it comes by such baptism. The early church did have extraordinary gifts given them. Let us notice these:
Christ, while here on earth, gave His disciples power to perform miracles. On the day of Pentecost and at the house of Cornelius, when the baptism in the Holy Spirit did take place, these extraordinary gifts were given directly from, God. All other instances when gifts were given, they were given by the laying on of hands by the apostles. No other person could do this. Read the book of Acts carefully and you will observe this; especially, the 8th chapter that shows Philip able to perform miracles, but not able to give the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Peter and John came and did give gifts of the Spirit to those there at Samaria.
The Scriptures teach that these extraordinary gifts would cease (I Corinthians 13:8-10) when that which was perfect came. The Scriptures have been completed of which Paul had reference, and; therefore, we do not need those extraordinary gifts today. Those gifts were given to verify the testifiers of Truth during the first century of the new and living way.
It is also evident from the things we see in those who claim these extraordinary gifts. They do not teach the truth about salvation. They teach that salvation is either by the efforts of men or that men must keep themselves; whereas; the Scriptures are very plain upon this subject: We are saved by grace and not of works. The Bible also says that if anyone brings another gospel >let him be accursed (Galatians 1:9).
If there is such a thing as speaking in tongues as these claim, why does not God give this gift to missionaries who go to foreign fields? Even their missionaries who claim such gifts must learn a foreign language. Answer me that!
3. The Placing of Believers in the Church.
There is a very wide spread teaching that in regeneration (when a person is saved) the Holy Spirit baptizes the believing sinner into the mystical body of Christ (the church) and in this act the regenerated sinners become a part of the true church.
Notice: The Holy Spirit does not do the baptizing. It is Christ that baptizes in the Holy Spirit. The only instances recorded in the Bible of the baptism in the Holy Spirit was on the day of Pentecost and the house of Cornelius, but the work of regeneration continues even until now, yea, and shall continue.
A.C. Gabelin, (Baptism of the Spirit, Central Quarterly, Central Baptist Theological Seminary, Minneapolis, Minn., 1932, page 38) states this view:
The baptism with the Spirit brings the one who is thus baptized into the organic union of the body and under the imputed blessings and power of Christ who is the Head. It establishes an identity between the believer and his Lord which is as a member of a body to the head, or a branch to the vine. There are upwards of 130 passages which declare that the Christian is in Christ ... By the most explicit terms it is declared that the Spirit is the Baptizer and the body of Christ is that into which He baptizes. There was a time when the individual was not in Christ, which is the present state of all who are unsaved. There follows a time when the individual, being saved is in Christ, This great change is wrought by the Spirit and results in eternal transformation for the saved one.
There are several things to be considered about this statement. We do not get into Christ by any kind of baptism. We do not get into Him by water baptism (as some would say) nor by a so-called Spirit baptism. We get into Him by faith and we get Him into us by faith. The Spirit does do a work in our hearts as we receive Christ, but it is a stretch of the imagination to call that a baptism. It is an internal work of the Spirit; whereas, baptism is an immersion.
Another thing that is not found in the Bible that this teaching advocates is the so-called invisible universal church.
Those who teach an invisible universal church theory composed of all believers (whether of believers since the day of Pentecost or of all believers from the time of Adam) have confused the family of God with the church of God and the Kingdom of God.
The family of God consists of all the saved. The kingdom of God deals with the several aspects of His rule, but the church of our Lord is a local assembly of baptized believers organized to carry out His will on earth.
There is only one kind of church. It is a local visible body of believers, who have been scripturally baptized and formed into a body to carry out the wishes of Christ. The word translated church is translated from a Greek word (ecclesia) that means assembly or congregation. This is the only usage the Bible has of this word. Some men have made it mean something else, but the idea of a local visible body of baptized believers organized to carry out the work of God could be used in every instance that word occurs in the New Testament with perfectly good sense.
There are several things that are not in harmony with the Scriptures when trying to make the work of the Spirit in regeneration and the baptism in the Holy Spirit the same thing.
Notice the following things:
The subject (the one being baptized) of the baptism in the Holy Spirit was an assembly of believers (both in Acts 2 Jewish and in Acts 10 Gentiles); whereas, the subject in regeneration is a sinner.
The baptism in the Holy Spirit was visible, audible, and external; whereas, the new birth is invisible and internal.
The purpose of regeneration is to save a sinner; whereas, the purpose of the baptism in the Holy Spirit was to empower or to show God’s pleasure upon the church that Jesus had built. It was to prove this new and living way was of the Lord.
Even the elements of the baptisms were different. Jesus baptized in the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit uses the word of God to save sinners.
Again, let me emphasize: The Holy Spirit does not do the baptizing, Jesus did the baptizing in the Holy Spirit!
4. Indwelling Believers
There is another common teaching: that the baptism in the Spirit was for the purpose of the Spirit indwelling the believer. Those who hold this notion teach that the Holy Spirit did not continually dwell in the saved before the day of Pentecost, but on this day He began His work of continually abiding within the believer.
.Evidently this idea comes from the many places in the Old Testament that speak of the Holy Spirit’s leaving men whom He previously had worked in and through. King Saul is given as one instance and Samson as another person the Holy Spirit left after having used them and being upon them. These say the Holy Spirit came and went as He pleased upon believers before the day of Pentecost, but since that time when He comes upon a believer He does not leave that believer.
This is also true in the writings of the New Testament. He comes upon men now to empower them for certain services as He did men in the Old Testament. The instances in both the Old Testament and the New Testament where this existed were for the purpose of service rather than salvation. We should seek His power now also.
With a little thought it should be evident that the Holy Spirit dealt with the Old Testament saints in very much the same way He deals with men today. Men have always been saved by the Spirit of God. He is the One of the Godhead that gives life. He is the One that saves. He is the One that keeps us saved; therefore, He must continuously dwell in the believer if they are to be kept saved.
That eminent Puritan, John Owen said: On whomever the Spirit of God is bestowed for the renovation of the image of God in him, He abides with him forever.
A.W. Pink says regarding this:
It is a great mistake to say, as many have done, that the Holy Spirit was never in any believer before Pentecost. Numbers 27:18; Nehemiah 9:30; I Peter 1:11 clearly prove otherwise ... That the Holy Spirit indwelt saints under the legal economy is clear from any consideration: How otherwise could they have been regenerated, had faith, been enabled to perform works acceptable to God? The Spirit prompted true prayer, inspired spiritual worship, produced His fruits in the lives of believers then (see Zechariah, 4:6) as much as He does now. We have the same Spirit of faith (II Corinthians 4:13) as they had. All the spiritual good which has ever been wrought in and through men must ascribed to the Holy Spirit. The Spirit was given to the Old Testament saints prospectively, as pardon of sin was given in view of the satisfaction which Christ was to render unto God.
Paul tells us we are sealed by the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption. Is there any place in the Old Testament that tells us differently?
The Spirit’s coming on the day of Pentecost was not for the purpose of indwelling the believer; but the indwelling of the Lord’s church.