Have you ever been a witness to some event? Have you seen an accident you had to describe to a police officer? Maybe you witnessed a marriage certificate, or some legal document.
For most legal documents we use a notary public, which is a bonded legal witness. A notary has standing in a court of law. Why does a notary have standing? Because the notary must meet certain bonding qualifications and carry insurance which insures the witness of the notary is true.
God also has witnesses. We know that Christians are witnesses about God's work of redemption through Jesus Christ, but God also provides other witnesses.
The Bible tells us that the Father, the Word, (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Ghost bear witness in heaven of Christ's redemption, and they are one. The Bible also tells us that there are three witnesses on earth that bear witness of Christ and his redemptive work, and they agree. (I John 5:7-11 testifies of these facts.)
The three witnesses on earth, spirit, water, and blood, are embodied in the three baptisms given to the believer by Jesus Christ himself:
The baptism in the Holy Ghost,
The baptism in water,
The baptism in fire.
Baptism in the Holy Ghost - The First Witness - A Transformation
One of the most exciting yet overlooked passages of scripture appears after Jesus's resurrection.
John 20:21-23, "...And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost..."
What makes this passage of scripture so special to the believer? Only this, just as God created man through Jesus Christ and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul, (Genesis 2:7), so also God has again chosen through Jesus Christ to give the breath of life, the Holy Ghost, to all who receive him.
This giving of the Holy Ghost by Jesus Christ is the baptism referred by John the Baptist.
Matthew 3:11, "...he shall baptize you with Holy Ghost and with fire."
This giving of the Holy Ghost is also what Jesus refers to as being "Born Again." When Nicodemus asks Jesus about being born again he asks "Can a man enter a second time into his mother's womb?"
John 3:3-6, "...Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of the water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God..."
Jesus explains to Nicodemus that every person must be physically born and spiritually born to enter the kingdom of heaven.
Every believer must understand that Jesus causes a transformation to occur in the believer when he repents and calls upon the name of the Lord Jesus. Although this transformation is unseen with the human eye, it is real nonetheless.
First, God through Jesus Christ takes out the evil heart of unbelief, worldly heart, and puts a new pure sinless heart into the new believer. Then he places his Holy Spirit in the sinless heart of the new believer. How do we know this? From the Holy Scriptures, the Bible.
Three scriptures that confirm this transformation are Titus 3:4-6, Psalms 51:10, and Ezekiel 18:31.
Does God have to create a clean heart in a person before placing the Holy Spirit in him. Absolutely! God is very clear throughout scripture that light and darkness cannot occupy the same place. An unregenerate or unbelieving heart cannot receive God's Holy Spirit. Light and Darkness cannot occupy the same place.
Baptism in the Holy Ghost - What does it Mean?
First, this action by the Lord of Glory, the Creator of all things, Jesus Christ, forever connects a person to God Almighty through his Holy Spirit.
It means that not only does God love him, but the God of all glory, Jesus Christ, dwells in him through his Holy Spirit. It means that he shall never leave him or forsake him. It means he is forever secure and that the Spirit of God seals him until the day of redemption.
Ephesians 1:13-14, "...after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise..."
Second, the baptism in the Holy Ghost transforms a believer from a sinful being into a child of God! The very reason God created us was to be children of God Almighty. This is one of the most wonderful facts of being a Christian; God has honored us and adopted us into his family.
The most downtrodden person can become a child of the living God. God does not care who we are; he will accept us as his children if we accept his great salvation! This is one reason Christians can have joy even in tribulation.
Romans 8:14-16, "...but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself bearing witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God."
Third, the Baptism in the Holy Ghost also means that God through Jesus Christ has empowered his people to witness for Jesus.
Acts 1:8, "...ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me..."
Not only does Jesus save us to the uttermost and cause us to become the children of God, but he gives us a purpose in our new life. And that purpose is the ministry of reconciliation. That we might be partakers with Christ in sharing the glorious gospel of Christ and proclaiming his great love and mercy toward mankind.
Fourth, the Baptism in the Holy Ghost means that Jesus Christ himself will teach us his ways according to the covenant that he has made with us. When a believer seriously seeks the Lord's face he will reveal himself to the believer in many wonderful ways. (Hebrews 10:15-17 testifies to that fact.)
Finally, the baptism in the Holy Ghost means that God has drawn every true believer to himself. That every one who receives Jesus Christ has a personal relationship with God Almighty. A relationship that can never be broken! Praise God!
For most legal documents we use a notary public, which is a bonded legal witness. A notary has standing in a court of law. Why does a notary have standing? Because the notary must meet certain bonding qualifications and carry insurance which insures the witness of the notary is true.
God also has witnesses. We know that Christians are witnesses about God's work of redemption through Jesus Christ, but God also provides other witnesses.
The Bible tells us that the Father, the Word, (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Ghost bear witness in heaven of Christ's redemption, and they are one. The Bible also tells us that there are three witnesses on earth that bear witness of Christ and his redemptive work, and they agree. (I John 5:7-11 testifies of these facts.)
The three witnesses on earth, spirit, water, and blood, are embodied in the three baptisms given to the believer by Jesus Christ himself:
The baptism in the Holy Ghost,
The baptism in water,
The baptism in fire.
Baptism in the Holy Ghost - The First Witness - A Transformation
One of the most exciting yet overlooked passages of scripture appears after Jesus's resurrection.
John 20:21-23, "...And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost..."
What makes this passage of scripture so special to the believer? Only this, just as God created man through Jesus Christ and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul, (Genesis 2:7), so also God has again chosen through Jesus Christ to give the breath of life, the Holy Ghost, to all who receive him.
This giving of the Holy Ghost by Jesus Christ is the baptism referred by John the Baptist.
Matthew 3:11, "...he shall baptize you with Holy Ghost and with fire."
This giving of the Holy Ghost is also what Jesus refers to as being "Born Again." When Nicodemus asks Jesus about being born again he asks "Can a man enter a second time into his mother's womb?"
John 3:3-6, "...Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of the water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God..."
Jesus explains to Nicodemus that every person must be physically born and spiritually born to enter the kingdom of heaven.
Every believer must understand that Jesus causes a transformation to occur in the believer when he repents and calls upon the name of the Lord Jesus. Although this transformation is unseen with the human eye, it is real nonetheless.
First, God through Jesus Christ takes out the evil heart of unbelief, worldly heart, and puts a new pure sinless heart into the new believer. Then he places his Holy Spirit in the sinless heart of the new believer. How do we know this? From the Holy Scriptures, the Bible.
Three scriptures that confirm this transformation are Titus 3:4-6, Psalms 51:10, and Ezekiel 18:31.
Does God have to create a clean heart in a person before placing the Holy Spirit in him. Absolutely! God is very clear throughout scripture that light and darkness cannot occupy the same place. An unregenerate or unbelieving heart cannot receive God's Holy Spirit. Light and Darkness cannot occupy the same place.
Baptism in the Holy Ghost - What does it Mean?
First, this action by the Lord of Glory, the Creator of all things, Jesus Christ, forever connects a person to God Almighty through his Holy Spirit.
It means that not only does God love him, but the God of all glory, Jesus Christ, dwells in him through his Holy Spirit. It means that he shall never leave him or forsake him. It means he is forever secure and that the Spirit of God seals him until the day of redemption.
Ephesians 1:13-14, "...after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise..."
Second, the baptism in the Holy Ghost transforms a believer from a sinful being into a child of God! The very reason God created us was to be children of God Almighty. This is one of the most wonderful facts of being a Christian; God has honored us and adopted us into his family.
The most downtrodden person can become a child of the living God. God does not care who we are; he will accept us as his children if we accept his great salvation! This is one reason Christians can have joy even in tribulation.
Romans 8:14-16, "...but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself bearing witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God."
Third, the Baptism in the Holy Ghost also means that God through Jesus Christ has empowered his people to witness for Jesus.
Acts 1:8, "...ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me..."
Not only does Jesus save us to the uttermost and cause us to become the children of God, but he gives us a purpose in our new life. And that purpose is the ministry of reconciliation. That we might be partakers with Christ in sharing the glorious gospel of Christ and proclaiming his great love and mercy toward mankind.
Fourth, the Baptism in the Holy Ghost means that Jesus Christ himself will teach us his ways according to the covenant that he has made with us. When a believer seriously seeks the Lord's face he will reveal himself to the believer in many wonderful ways. (Hebrews 10:15-17 testifies to that fact.)
Finally, the baptism in the Holy Ghost means that God has drawn every true believer to himself. That every one who receives Jesus Christ has a personal relationship with God Almighty. A relationship that can never be broken! Praise God!
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