"And I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, 'He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the one who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.'" (John 1:33, NASB)
This is one of the readings for the third week of Advent, and it reveals that Water Baptism and Holy Spirit Baptism are not options. They're commands. John came to, "prepare the way of the Lord," and that preparation was marked by Water Baptism. All four Gospels record that Jesus came as, "the One Who baptizes in the Holy Spirit."
There are those in Christendom through the centuries who have chosen to include in their lives what they want from the Gospel and eliminate from their lives what they don't understand, what seems to make no sense, or they just are too dignified for. Such is Water Baptism and the Baptism in the Holy Spirit (I had a woman once who received Jesus, but did not want to be water baptized because she didn't want to mess up her hair). In the Book of Acts, both graces are fundamental to the question, "What must we do to be saved." What really upsets most people with the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is that it was accompanied by speaking in tongues, not languages, as many would like us to believe. A careful reading of Acts 2 reveals that on the day of Pentecost the Believers were not speaking in "known" languages, but were speaking in unknown tongues, unknown to any man, or any ethnic group. The miracle of Pentecost is that while the disciples were speaking in, "other (unknown) tongues," the Holy Spirit caused the hearers to, "hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God." This is "miracle." I wonder if the reason we don't see more miracles is that we have a built in "program" which says to the Lord Jesus, "We want miracles, but only the ones we can believe, and show the world just how powerful we are," you know, the kind of miracles which make at least a little sense.
The Baptism in the Holy Spirit is never offered as an option in the Bible. Neither is Water Baptism. The Advent liturgists were right to include our text as a part of the Advent Liturgy. It reveals a central, fundamental purpose of, "the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." Make our text central/fundamental to your life. If you have never been water baptized, find water now (during the communist era in Russia, Believers were baptized in the Volga River---- at night---- even in winter!) and find someone who will baptize you. If you have never been baptized in the Holy Spirit, "find" Him now-- "open your mouth wide and I will fill it" (Psalm 81:10).
Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You so much that You, "appeared," to baptize in the Holy Spirit. This "grace" has saved my life. Amen.
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See a "Bush Vindication" @: www.apf327.blogspot.com
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
"Looking Unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
"Looking Unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2
