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< > CHAPTER IV THE BAPTISM IN THE SPIRIT The Baptism in the Spirit is a phrase used in Scripture to describe the experience wherein the Holy Spirit enters the Temple of God, i.e., the body of a Son of God. The Holy Spirit, who brought the sinner to repentance and begat him again into the family of God, desires a still closer union, whereby He that was "with us" now enters "into us." As an evidence that He has entered the believer's body, He begins to use the most unruly part of it, i.e., the tongue, to speak in a language of which the believer is ignorant; thus making it manifest that there are now two occupants of the one body. The Baptism of the Spirit is spoken of by John Baptist and Christ as a vital element in the work of Salvation He came to procure. (John 1:29-33, 7:37-39, 16:7-15, 14:17, 2:21, Lk. 24:49, Acts 1:4-8, 2:3-21, 10:44-48, 11:15-17, 19:1-6, Mk. 16:17, I Cor. 3:16, 6:19, II Cor. 6:16.) The actual Baptism in the Spirit is, however, only the initial experience of a fellowship which is to be eternal; and the initial evidence is meant to be followed by further manifestations of the Spirit's presence. The New Testament Church is a society of the Sons of God, in whose bodies dwells the same Holy Spirit of God, manifesting His Almighty presence by the various miraculous Gifts of the Spirit. (I Cor. 12:1-14:40.) The Church, the present earthly Body of Christ, who is its head, is therefore to be indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God, even as was Christ's own earthly body, so that the will of God may continue to be done by the Spirit of God in the Sons of God. (John 14:16-26, 15:26, II Cor. 3:17-18, Acts 4:31, 5:3, 32, 7:51, 52, 8:29, 39, 13:2. etc.) See Diagram 7—The Spirit-filled Christian N.B.1. In the Old Covenant it was the Holy Spirit who laid hold of the chosen Servants of God, even against their desire, that they might perform the task allotted to them. The instances of Moses, Amos, Jonah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel spring to the mind. — end of page 25 — In the New Covenant the privilege is opened to all the Sons of God at their own desire. (Ex. 3 & 4, Jer. 1:4-7, Ezek. 3:14, Jonah, Amos 7:10-15, John 7:39, Acts 2:38-39, 5:32, Gal. 4:6.) N.B.2. The Holy Spirit comes as Comforter, Guide, Teacher, Co-Worker and Lord. We are to please Him, therefore, and not to cause Him grief. The great essential for all who seek the Baptism in the Spirit is a determination to obey Him when He has entered. Failure to do so, and continuous stubbornness, will lead to the disaster which overtook Saul. (I Sam. 16:14, Josh. 5:13, Eph. 2:22, 4:30, Heb. 6:3-8, 10:26-31, I Tim. 1:19.) N.B.3. The Baptism in the Spirit is not a means whereby the believer is sanctified; it is the means whereby the already sanctified believer is enabled to do the miraculous works of God, by the power of the indwelling Spirit of God. (Acts 1:8, Lk. 24:49, I Cor. 12-14, John 5:19-30, Lk. 4:14, Mt. 12:28.) N.B.4. Sanctification is the effect of the Word of God on the obedient hearer. As the true state of affairs enters the believer's heart, he is more and more powerfully drawn not only to forsake sin, but also to throw himself heart and soul into his Master's business. For sanctification is not the cultivation of one's own soul, which leads to Pharisaism, but the whole-hearted interest in the souls of others. (Lk. 15:25-30, Is. 65:1-5, John 8:31-2, 15:3, 17:17, Eph. 5:26.) — end of page 26 — < >
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CHAPTER IV

THE BAPTISM IN THE SPIRIT

The Baptism in the Spirit is a phrase used in Scripture to describe the experience wherein the Holy Spirit enters the Temple of God, i.e., the body of a Son of God. The Holy Spirit, who brought the sinner to repentance and begat him again into the family of God, desires a still closer union, whereby He that was "with us" now enters "into us." As an evidence that He has entered the believer's body, He begins to use the most unruly part of it, i.e., the tongue, to speak in a language of which the believer is ignorant; thus making it manifest that there are now two occupants of the one body.

The Baptism of the Spirit is spoken of by John Baptist and Christ as a vital element in the work of Salvation He came to procure. (John 1:29-33, 7:37-39, 16:7-15, 14:17, 2:21, Lk. 24:49, Acts 1:4-8, 2:3-21, 10:44-48, 11:15-17, 19:1-6, Mk. 16:17, I Cor. 3:16, 6:19, II Cor. 6:16.)

The actual Baptism in the Spirit is, however, only the initial experience of a fellowship which is to be eternal; and the initial evidence is meant to be followed by further manifestations of the Spirit's presence. The New Testament Church is a society of the Sons of God, in whose bodies dwells the same Holy Spirit of God, manifesting His Almighty presence by the various miraculous Gifts of the Spirit. (I Cor. 12:1-14:40.)

The Church, the present earthly Body of Christ, who is its head, is therefore to be indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God, even as was Christ's own earthly body, so that the will of God may continue to be done by the Spirit of God in the Sons of God. (John 14:16-26, 15:26, II Cor. 3:17-18, Acts 4:31, 5:3, 32, 7:51, 52, 8:29, 39, 13:2. etc.)

See Diagram 7—The Spirit-filled Christian

N.B.1. In the Old Covenant it was the Holy Spirit who laid hold of the chosen Servants of God, even against their desire, that they might perform the task allotted to them. The instances of Moses, Amos, Jonah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel spring to the mind.

— end of page 25 —

In the New Covenant the privilege is opened to all the Sons of God at their own desire. (Ex. 3 & 4, Jer. 1:4-7, Ezek. 3:14, Jonah, Amos 7:10-15, John 7:39, Acts 2:38-39, 5:32, Gal. 4:6.)

N.B.2. The Holy Spirit comes as Comforter, Guide, Teacher, Co-Worker and Lord. We are to please Him, therefore, and not to cause Him grief. The great essential for all who seek the Baptism in the Spirit is a determination to obey Him when He has entered. Failure to do so, and continuous stubbornness, will lead to the disaster which overtook Saul. (I Sam. 16:14, Josh. 5:13, Eph. 2:22, 4:30, Heb. 6:3-8, 10:26-31, I Tim. 1:19.)

N.B.3. The Baptism in the Spirit is not a means whereby the believer is sanctified; it is the means whereby the already sanctified believer is enabled to do the miraculous works of God, by the power of the indwelling Spirit of God. (Acts 1:8, Lk. 24:49, I Cor. 12-14, John 5:19-30, Lk. 4:14, Mt. 12:28.)

N.B.4. Sanctification is the effect of the Word of God on the obedient hearer. As the true state of affairs enters the believer's heart, he is more and more powerfully drawn not only to forsake sin, but also to throw himself heart and soul into his Master's business. For sanctification is not the cultivation of one's own soul, which leads to Pharisaism, but the whole-hearted interest in the souls of others. (Lk. 15:25-30, Is. 65:1-5, John 8:31-2, 15:3, 17:17, Eph. 5:26.)

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