Baptism of the Holy Spirit

The church received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, collectively. Acts 2

Individuals receive the Holy Spirit, but baptism of the Spirit is upon the church, if individuals received baptism in this way, the theory of the universal, invisible church would be acceptable. Because the church is local, and visible, (spoken of as the bride of Christ), this body is the one receiving the Baptism of the Spirit, thus providing authority to carry out the commission. If not, the idea which is prevalent that "I" could start my own church and enjoy the same authority as any other would be true.

This should be a distinguishing feature of Baptist churches, if we are not protestant, we then stand with the potential of having the "candlestick moved out of its place" This candlestick is the working of the Holy Spirit within the church.

Baptism, the ordinance is only given to the church to administer to those making public profession of faith, to "show" their having died with Christ, and to receive them into the church, where the authority of the Holy Spirit works.

Many of our churches have seemed to lost this authority, because they have forgotten the baptism of the Holy Spirit is upon the church, and not upon the individual. If it were upon me, then I would not have to be "ordained" by my local church before I could perform the ordinances, there would be nothing hindering me from "starting" churches on every corner. When things didn't go the way I wanted them to, I would just pick up, cross the street with as many as I could get to follow me and start again, this is the protestant idea, Let's not forget, there is only one who was able to "start" the church.

God Bless you all in your walk and service to Him.
Bro. Dallas Eaton
Glasgow, KY

 

Then there is no foundation for the church sending me forth? What about Acts 13

vs. 1 lists certain prophets and teachers;

Barnabas, Simeon, and Saul.

vs. 2 "As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Seperate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them." The definite calling of the Holy Spirit, made known to the body, this calling is for service of the two individuals called.

vs. 3 And when they had fasted and prayed, and laid their hands on them, they sent them away.

They were sent away only after vs. 3

vs. 4 So they being sent forth by the Holy Ghost, departed unto Seleucia; and from thence they sailed to Cyprus.

They definitely are called to their work, and all ministrations for that work are through the Holy Spirit, even so, they were nevertheless not "sent away" without the church approval. Notice, the Spirit worked through the local church, not through Barnabas and Saul, individually.

Bro. Dallas

 

YOu do not have to be ordained to administer the ordinances or to start a church

Still we find Acts 13 records the "ordination" of Paul and Barnabas before being sent.

If this is scripture, then the authority of the church is scriptural, and so the idea that I am limited by the approval of the church to "go of myself, though the Spirit has seperated me for this work, and start "other churches."

This perhaps is landmarkism, but it is simply what I read in the scripture. Apart from the local body sending me forth, signifying the believe of that body of the work of Grace in my own heart, the calling of God to the work of the ministry, the work I would do would be unscriptural.

Bro. Dallas Eaton
Glasgow, KY

 

o.k. your point is taken, back to my subj.

If the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is not corporate, but individual, there is no need of a local church for any to serve in. The local church would be non-existent, as individuals would serve independently of the church.

Bro. Dallas

 

o.k.

Back to Acts 2:

vs. 1: And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

who is they, individuals? or the church. I would answer this is the church, the same group of disciples spoken of in Acts 1.3 who are told in vs. 4 & 5 "...that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly bapized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. and again at vs. 8: "But ye shall reveive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."

When we come to chapter two we find this body (the church) receiving this baptism.

As individuals we receive the Holy Spirit, but the baptism of the Holy Spirit is in the Church, this is one baptism, and needs not be repeated, as the Spirit, through the church is in the world, because we receive the Holy Spirit as believers we can witness to the truth, but the "promise of the Father, which,..., ye have heard of me." is the power received "after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:..." Thus the baptism of the Holy Spirit is upon the church,

I understand your statement about apples, they have nothing to do with roads, however, apart from the church, individuals in service cannot please God, the Holy Spirit works through that local body, which we as believers enter into, by public profession, and water baptism and it is this body which, becomes "...witnesses unto me [Christ]...unto the uttermost part of the earth."

In trying to explain my position, a chunk of blacktop is truly a chunk of black-top, but it is not a road, and cannot function as a road. An apple is truly an apple, but only a fruit of the tree, and cannot be the tree.

If this were not true, then we have no reason to continue in our churches.

Bro. Dallas

[ September 16, 2002, 09:38 AM: Message edited by: Frogman ]

 

Bro. Larry,

Please understand, I am not trying to be argumentative, I only want to voice my view. I appreciate your patience thus far and your open discussion of this issue, which I believe to be a valid issue. I believe you are right, as far as being a child of God, we are in this capacity able to please God, because ultimately that pleasure is found in Christ, and in no way ourselves. However, I still maintain the church was in existence prior to Pentecost, and this is what I am driving at, that body did exist, because it consisted of 1. believers; 2. receiving water baptism, which brings us into the church.

My thought is, the church is as important to Christ as the individual, (not implying your thoughts are different) because the church is important, it matters where I go to church, how I think about that body, and these things bear upon my attitude in other areas. I believe it is unnecessary to continue the ordinance of Baptism, if in fact the church is universal and invisible and all saved individuals are members of that church, because this idea is contrary to the purpose of water baptism. For this reason I believe water baptism is distinct from baptism of the Holy Spirit.

I believe the "one baptism" in Eph. 4.5 is an expression of this distinction, speaking of the one-time baptism of the church by the Holy Spirit.

God Bless
Bro. Dallas

 

Yes,
We are indwelled by the Holy Spirit as believers, but this is not the Baptism of the Spirit. The body of believers were all assembled on the day of Pentecost and at this time received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.

This body is the church prior to Pentecost.

Christ organized the body; prior to Calvary.

Remember John's Baptism looked forward to the Messiah; those receiving this baptism did so acknowledging their sins and looking to the one to come after John

The rock upon which Jesus built his church is Himself, and in context to the revelation from the Father, obviously through the Holy Spirit, to Peter concerning the true personage of Christ, is the foundation of the church,

Apart from experiencing this knowledge of Jesus as the "...the Christ, the Son of the Living God."
An individual cannot be received into the church,

Notice further the context from vs. 13 and vs. 15 compared. "Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?" and "But whom say ye that I am?" If this group of disciples were no different than any ordinary group of people, why does Christ make the distinction in this context?

I still maintain the church existed before Pentecost and the church received Baptism of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost; individuls receive the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation, but this is the power given to them to "become the sons of God." John 1.12.

Bro. Dallas

 

Is this unpopular because it is controversial, or is it controversial because it is unpopular?

I believe many do not address this issue because it seems to put salvation in the backseat.

I have a cousin who is a preacher in the "First Church of God" and my wife's uncle is a minister in the "Church of God" both go to Pentecost as the "time" for the foundation of the Church and not before.

Why can the body not be seen as the "body" which received that baptism of the Spirit at Pentecost? This body was assembled for a definite purpose, to "wait for the promise of the Father,..." "For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence." Acts. 1.4 & 5.

This is almost too obvious as the assembled body for the purpose to "...receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:..."

This view is perceived to deny the indwelling of the Holy Spirit (indwelling of believers)

But it does not deny this, it only says the authority belongs to the body, that is in the original case the local body found at Jerusalem and then by authority of Christ extending where ever they were pushed because of persecution etc. This is scriptural, and shows the denial of man of scripture, in support of self-made works, in an effort to justify as "gospel" works that which is really from man.

This is controversial, and for that reason many shy away from it. However, it is also biblical and should be stood upon from that perspective.

God bless all in your walk and service to Him.

Bro. Dallas Eaton

Glasgow, KY