The Holy Spirit and Baptism
So… baptism.
In the ancient church, when you became a Christian, you got baptized. This was an outward sign to you and the people that you were committed to a new life under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, and it was a covenant between you and God which God ratified (that is, he made it real) by sending his Holy Spirit. John said, “I baptized you with water, but he who comes after me will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
And he did. At Pentecost. 2nd chapter of Acts. Tongues of Fire. Speaking in Tongues. “We’re not drunk as you suppose.” Peter preaches. 3,000 get saved. Yea! And it happened over and over again. It was so regular and predictable that Simon the sorcerer offered Peter money so he could lay hands on people for them to receive the Holy Spirit.
But you know, not everybody gets their own personal fireworks display when they get saved. For most of us, it’s a pretty quiet experience even if we charged down the aisle during a Billy Graham Crusade. To be a Christian, you have to receive the Holy Spirit, but how do you know you have him? This got really weird when early Christians started having babies. Parents dutifully baptized their babies into the church, but how do you know they really believe?
So, when kids hit a certain age – an age of responsibility – the elders would quiz them on what they believed. Then they would lay hands on them and confirm that they really were in fact Christians. They called this whole ritual “confirmation,” and they believed that was when you actually received the Holy Spirit.
So, two questions -
- How do you know you’ve received the Holy Spirit? and
- What difference does it make?
Obscure for those outside the nerd world:
I say hyphenation is cheating
Kyle, this is incredible! I am blown away. Very profound and thought provoking. I wish you the best and I know you will serve our country well. God bless you and your family.
All I can say is what the Lord once said to me — I know that’s very subjective.
But I once spent a great deal of time repenting of my feelings. I considered my feelings the TRUE expression of me. Once in the midst of such a repentence, The Lord broke in and said. That’s not who you are — it’s just how you feel
Similiar thing happened when we first moved to Tulsa. I was simply contemplating my last few months working with children in Lawton; ruminating on the adage that you can’t fool a child. Thinking, yes, you can. I fooled them every week. I didn’t love them but they thought I did. Again, I was interrupted when the Lord said, that was love. Love isn’t a warm fuzzy feeling — it’s what you do and you LOVED those children for me.
One of the most powerful teachings I have hung onto through the years came from a converted Jewish woman whose name I have forgotten. She was the speaker at a retreat I went to when we first moved to Lawton. The series of messages was Obedience: Squeals, Squawks and the deluxe combo. Squealing obedience was when what we’re given to do is exactly what we want to do and we squeal with joy. Squawking obedience is the opposite. And the dexlue combo are those situations that begin either squeaking or squawking and then the experiences reverses itself. The point she made over and over again was that if we obeyed regardless of our feelings [squawking] The Lord would write in His book _________obeyed me, one more time.
I think feelings matter but I don’t find evidence God is judging us by them. He is moved by the feelings of our infirmities.
Side bar — but we all have ways we used to “fix” ourselves when our feelings begin to overwhelm us – my pesonal favorite is worship. Which anyone can do driving down the road. Lenghty devotions are not the only solution. Kerry uses worship and also has a wonderful testimony of using just giving thanks.
How in the world are you having time to listen to so many messages and post reviews in the afternoon? Are you leading a double life? I am jealous, I never have that kind of time with my work…
I think the poem is spot-on, having lived on an anvil of late. Thanks for transcribing it! Hope I get a semi-noble part.
I don’t have time to read any more. But I have plenty of time to listen. In due deference though, I didn’t transcribe it. The lovely folks at Dave Harvey’s church sent me a copy when they wrote back to me.
I did put in the proper line breaks, tho’.
It seems there were only the two entrants. So who won?
Hope everything’s ok. Our prayers are with you guys.
When is his appointment with a neuro?
Dang! What would a person do with nearly 9 gallons of mince meat?!
I do happen to like mince meat pie, though my tastes are probably off since I’m used to the store bought stuff. Still, 9 gallons…
Blegh. I remember what happened the last time mincemeat was consumed in our family.
MMM, that does sound good. Next time you cook up a batch send me a couple of cans
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