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I am a retired pastor of
the Church of God (Tennessee). My name is Isaac Livingston. I am from Neyyoor India. |
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Email: Pastor True Gospel
The baptism with the Holy Ghost is somewhat a controversial topic among Christians. A few preachers say that it is of the devil, and they hate the gift of speaking in tongues. It is very sad. Matthew 3:16&17 say, God the Father and the Holy Ghost baptized Jesus when John baptized him in water. ["Matthew 3:16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: 17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."] According to Isaiah 61:1&2 the Holy Ghost guided Jesus to cast out devils, heal the sick, preach the gospel, and such. ["Isaiah 61:1 The spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; 2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;"] Jesus waited for the Holy Ghost to start his ministry. In Acts 1:4,5&8 Jesus Christ told his disciples to wait until they receive the baptism of the Holy Ghost and power to begin their ministry. "Acts 1:4 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. 5 For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. ... 8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth." God gives the Holy Ghost baptism to people as the license to do the work of God. This is the ordination that God gives to do his ministry. Now a days, churches and colleges teach doctrines of men, techniques to follow the traditions of Christianity, to fit in society and in politics. Then they ordain them and give them ministry to be pastors and preachers. But, if preachers do not have the holy Spirit stamped in them, and if they do not have the baptism of the Holy Ghost, then they are not ordained or have license from God to be a pastor or an elder in a church that belongs to God. If they do ministry, it will be a dead ministry to God, even if the minister has degrees and thousands of people are in their congregation, even they could be mega-churches, or grand Cathedrals. However, Holy Ghost baptism is not a requirement for eternal life, but be born with the holy spirit is required to go to heaven. But the baptism is required even to preach the gospel. Jesus told his disciples to preach the gospel after they have received the baptism with the Holy Ghost and the gifts and power from the Holy Ghost. Now a days, sinners preach the gospel, and they accept openly that they are sinning. Sinning people are not saved from sin. If they themselves are not saved; how will they lead other sinners to salvation. "Grace to you" is the ministry of John MacArthur. Even he, does not have grace! How can he give grace to others? When such sinning preachers preach Jesus Christ and the gospel, devils manifest and give it a show, and Christians think that it is the Holy Ghost. It is very sad.
Christians ask what is the evidence of the baptism of the Holy Ghost? Let me explain it rather than giving a one-word answer. In the baptism, Holy Ghost comes upon them, giving them power, joy, excitement, and such; then leaves them with gifts like speak in tongues, prophesy, or such. Acts 2:4, 10:46 and 19:6 say that they spoke in tongues at the Holy Ghost baptism, and in some cases they prophesied also. "Acts 2:4 And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 19:6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied." So, we may say that speaking in tongues is the evidence. But now a days people teach, learn, and practice speaking in tongues. In this situation speaking in tongues cannot be evidence since most probably they may be fake. Prophesy may be evidence if their prophesies are proved. But most prophesies are meaningless noises, and how that can be evidence. And now a days, all prophesies of famous preachers are utter lies, and they have no accountability, nor shame. Nobody holds them responsible; and altogether they are all in a pool of dirt. "1 Corinthians 14:39 Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues." However, if your tongue is genuine, follow the guidelines in the bible; and you may be speaking unto God in your closet.
The Holy Ghost led Jesus Christ to the wilderness to be tempted of the devil and brought him back with power to do the work of God as in Luke 4:1&14. ["Luke 4:1 And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, ... 14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about." Acts 1&2 say that the Holy Ghost baptized people on the day of Pentecost, filled them with power and gave them gifts and ministry. "Acts 2:47 says the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved."] The Holy Ghost has founded the Church and appointed ministers in Churches to serve believers so that they may receive eternal life as in 2 Corinthians 3:6, "Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." That is, if you study bible from theological schools by theologians, they will spiritually kill you, and you will go to hell. But the Holy Ghost made overseers in churches as in Acts 20:28. "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood." The Holy Ghost gives power and gifts severally dividing to believers as he will, as explained in 1 Corinthians 12:4-11. ["4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. 8 For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; 9 To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; 10 To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: 11 But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will."] He gives gifts even to the rebellious people so that God might dwell among his children as in Psalm 68:18. ["Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them."] The gifts are for spiritual growth to individuals as well as to the Church. With the gifts and ministry, the Holy Ghost makes them one body whether Jews or Gentiles or now we can say, Christians or non-Christians as in 1 Corinthians 12:13. "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit." The Holy Ghost guided Apostle Peter to Cornelius and showed that God is not a respecter of persons, and that Jews and Gentiles are equally considered for eternal life as in Acts 10:19&20. ["Acts 10:19 While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee. 20 Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I have sent them."] In "Acts 13:2 The Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them." He has prevented workers from doing the ministry if it is not God's will as in Acts 16:6. It says, "Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia," The Holy Ghost helps believers even in the basic things as what to pray and intercedes according to Romans 8:26&27. ["Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. 27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God."] He gives ministers to Churches as in Ephesians 4:11-13 for the perfecting of the saints as Jesus Christ is perfect. ["11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:"] He produces fruits in believers in all goodness, righteousness and truth; unto holiness, the end everlasting life according to Ephesians 5:9, and Romans 6:19&22. ["Ephesians 5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;) Romans 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness. ... 22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life."] Jesus says in "John 14:26 The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." So, the Holy Ghost does the work of Jesus Christ in his place in the world. "John 16:8 says when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: ... 13 when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: Titus 3:5 he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;" A sinner must be sanctified by the Holy Ghost to be saved according to Romans 15:16 & 2 Thessalonians 2:13. "Romans 15:16 says ... the Gentiles might be acceptable, being sanctified by the Holy Ghost." ... ["2 Thessalonians 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:"] This is the work of the Holy Ghost, without which we could not have been saved. Christians usually neglect the ministry of the Holy Ghost. But without the ministry of the Holy Ghost, we cannot be saved. Do not listen to theologians, "for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life."
Note: If any point needs explanation, OR, if you find
an error according to scripture,
Please write to me in the 'Mail Box' below. I will
reply promptly. Thanks.
God Bless You
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Matthew 28:20, & Mark 16:15. Jesus Christ preached his commandments to obey, as his
Gospel; it is the true Gospel to inherit Eternal life. Genesis 3:1-4 & 2 Corinth 11:2-4. But Preachers, who are Serpents of Satan, preach the life of man Jesus just to believe, but not to live as a chaste virgin, as the gospel; it is another gospel, which cannot and will not give Eternal life.The true gospel will convert evil people to do good and thereby they will inherit the kingdom in heaven
. John 3:19-21 say that people are two kinds, evil and true. Evil doers will not come to the Light, who is God; but people of truth come to God for their deeds to be made manifest. We have good and evil people by our standard of our society or culture. These evil people may be converted to be doers of truth by the power of God, and they may inherit the kingdom of God in heaven.
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Email: Pastor True Gospel
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