Replies

**The BAPTISM and the FILLING may both occur simultaneously. For example, in Acts chapter 2 the believers were BAPTIZED (Acts 1:5 and see Acts 11:15-17) and they were filled (Acts 2:4).**

They were NOT baptized in Acts 1:5. They were being prophesied to, just like John 20:22; for the Holy Ghost was not coming until Jesus Christ departed. They received the Spirit in Acts 2:4, and in Acts 11:15-17, Peter testified that it happened to those Gentiles JUST LIKE it happened him and the others “at the beginning”, when they were ‘filled’ (received the promise of the Father).

Baptized, filled, come upon.......all terms for being born of the Spirit. Staying filled is simply a term for walking in the Spirit, and not in the flesh.

Why does this teacher not bring up the Lord’s description of being born of the Spirit?.....

“The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou HEAREST the SOUND thereof, but canst NOT tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is EVERY ONE that is BORN of the SPIRIT”. John 3:8 (my caps).

“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with YOU FOREVER......ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be IN you.....AT THAT DAY ye shall know that I am IN my Father, and ye IN me, and I IN you.......But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost.....”. John 14:16,17,20,26

“”Nevertheless I tell you the TRUTH; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go NOT away, the Comforter WILL NOT come unto you; but if I DEPART, I will send him unto you.” John 16:7

“And, behold, I send the promise of the Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.” Luke 24:49

“And being assembled together with them, commanded them 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 baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.....But ye shall receive power, after the Holy Ghost is come upon you....’” Acts 1:4,5,8

**In order to be baptized in the Spirit the unsaved person must believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31 and see Galatians 3:26-27).**

Acts 16:31? how about the WHOLE story of HOW to ‘believe on the Lord Jesus Christ’?.....How do they believe on him......by a preacher sent from God......

The conversion of the keeper of the prison, in Philippi, is a story that is rarely told completely. Quote 16:31, and get out of Dodge.

The story continues with Paul speaking “unto him the word of the Lord, and to ALL that were IN HIS HOUSE. And he TOOK THEM that same hour of the night, and WASHED their stripes; and was BAPTIZED, he and all his straightway. And WHEN he had BROUGHT them INTO HIS HOUSE, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, BELIEVING in God with all his house.” Acts 16:32-34

1. We see that the keeper of the prison has brought Paul and Silas into his house, because they speak “the word of the Lord” to the man and all those “IN HIS HOUSE” (unless you think that they somehow got a message to hustle on down to the prison for church service).

2. “He TOOK THEM” (took them from his house to where, pray tell?). Well, he washed their stripes somewhere besides the house. Some place where there would be plenty of water for the messy job of washing their stripes.

3. While still AWAY from home, possibly at the same location, they were BAPTIZED, he and all his straightway.
(you can insist that that is talking about Spirit baptism only, but you can’t prove it. I believe it is water baptism, or both water and Spirit baptism).

4. He brought them back INTO his house,......he and all his “rejoiced, BELIEVING in God with all his house”.

Gal. 3:26,27 IS quite similar to 1Cor. 12:13, but they were already born again (1Cor. 1:2; Gal. 1:2,6), so no mention of water baptism is needed.

1Cor. 15:29 is obviously speaking of water baptism. For Paul is speaking of those being baptized into the body of Christ, which includes those in Christ that had died by then. He is saying it would be a total waste to baptize if Jesus Christ is not risen. Why do teachers prefer to avoid that verse? (Except for the Mormans, that have it completely misunderstood.)

**Historically, the BAPTISM of the Spirit took place as follows:
Acts 2 - The Jews became members of the body of Christ.
Acts 8 - The Samaritans became members of the body of Christ.
Acts 10- The Gentiles became members of the body of Christ.
Today every believer becomes a member of the body of Christ at the moment of saving faith (1 Corinthians 12:13).**

Today?? That’s sounds like something has changed from ‘the beginning’ that Peter testified of in Acts 11. Does the writer know that saving faith is a term that MUST mean being born again? Jesus Christ said one MUST be. Acts 2:38 is where his commissions are initiated. He hasn’t changed, and neither has his word.