Reference: Matthew 3:11 and Acts 1:4-5
The truth concerning the Baptism of theHoly Ghost is a very much disputed argument today in the realm of Christianity.One group will have their version about the subject while another group willhave their version or idea as to what the baptism is and how it isaccomplished. Actually there is only one true version to any one subjectrevealed in the gospel but yet we see many different view points on the subjectwith each one claiming to have the truth of the matter. Have you really takeninto consideration as to who is right in their teaching of the subject? Who doyou think has the authority to say that their way of teaching is the true revealedtruth of the subject? Maybe you take the negative side and go along with themajority or with the minority not willing to get involved in such a heatedargument of the matter. Friend unless you realize the fact that you must pressyour way into the kingdom of God then you will be one that will be left outsideand the door will have been shut and the bridegroom will take his bride withhim and you will be left to suffer the wrath of Almighty God. Somedenominational groups don't even have a teaching concerning the baptism of theHoly Ghost. Many fail to teach the subject because if they did this would causemany people to fail to take membership with them based on the fact that theydon't want to get involved with religious matters etc.
If you are among the few that is concernedabout this subject then you will read this article with interest because thissubject is the most important matter that the word of God speaks about. We aretold that without the Spirit of Christ then we are none of his. This simplymeans that if we do not possess the gift of the Holy Ghost in our life then wedo not have eternal life abiding in us. There is a certain teaching in theworld today that seems to get more popular everday on the subject of thebaptism of the Holy Ghost with the evidence of the speaking in other tongues asbeing the initial and physical proof that one has received the baptism of theHoly Spirit. This teaching is spreading like wildfire in all the denominationalchurches in the world today. The modern name for this outbreak of what iscalled speaking in other tongues is called Glossilalia. This outbreak of tonguespeaking as it is called is branded as being the baptism of the Holy Ghost byall those who claim to experience the phenomenon. Actually the truth of thematter is that the baptism of the Holy Ghost is a baptism into the body ofChrist and not a baptism that is supposedly thought of as being an emotionableexperience evidenced with what is called speaking in other tongues. In otherwords the Holy Ghost baptism is a baptism performed on the individual by theone Spirit that immerses the believer into Christ's body through and by theprocess of a teaching ministry. The baptism of the Holy Ghost is not thereceiving of the Holy Ghost but rather a baptism into the church which isChrist's body and is performed on the believer by his receiving the revealedtruth taught to them by the Spirit received at the beginning of their new wayof life. All true believers are baptized with the Spirit into Christ's body whichis a progressive work through the revelation of the word of truth. John theBaptist baptized the people with water meaning that he immersed them in waterteaching them to repent from their sin. John tells us that as he baptizedpeople with water, Christ would also be a baptizer, but he would not baptizewith water but rather he would baptize with the Holy Ghost. In other words itis the Spirit that baptizes you into Christ's body by the process of yourreceiving the revealed word of truth from the gospel. The receiving of the HolySpirit is not the baptism of the Holy Ghost as most people think, but ratherthe receiving of the Holy Spirit is only the receiving of the one that does thebaptizing into Christ's body which is the church. The baptism into Christ'sbody is a process brought about by your receiving the revealed truth taught toyou by the one Spirit. Most people today have been led to believe that thebaptism of the Holy Ghost is a great emotional experience with the evidence ofspeaking in other tongues accompanied along with the experience. This is notwhat the baptism of the Holy Ghost is. The baptism of the Holy Ghost is theteaching ministry of the Spirit given to the church to perfect the saintsbringing them into the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son ofGod, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness ofChrist. (read Ephesians 4:8-14) The perfection of the church that Christ issoon to come back to this earth for is what the baptism of the Holy Ghost is.This is the one baptism spoken of in Ephesians 4:5. This is a spiritual baptismperformed on the true believers through the revelation of the word of God as revealed in the gospelof Jesus Christ. Only those who receive and obey the revealed truth will bebaptized in the body of Christ that he is soon to return for. John the Baptistpreached his baptism of repentance and Jesus also preached his baptism.Christ's baptism is called the Baptism of the Holy Ghost. John said that Christwould baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire. Christ is the word of Godwhich simply means that the Spirit by the revealed word will baptize thebeliever into Christ's body. Christ was with the disciples teaching them thetruth while being in the form of flesh. Today since Pentecost, Christ comesinto our mortal bodies to teach us the truth. The only difference between usand the early disciples is the fact that Christ taught the disciples while hewas with them outwardly in the form of flesh whereas he indwells us now toteach us truth. Christ indwells the true believer in the form of the Spiritteaching and revealing truth to them from the written word of God. The Spiritof Christ reveals the truth from the gospel to those that truly receives himinto their heart. To receive the one Spirit that will teach and lead you intoall truth that will set you free is done by your obedience to the revealed wordof God. The gift of the Holy Ghost is promised to those that repent and arebaptized in water in the name of Jesus Christ as so stated in Acts 2:38. Your refusingthis simple truth will absolutely leave you standing outside the ark of safetywhen Christ returns to this earth for his prepared bride. Your obedience to thecommand of repentance and water baptism in Christ's name imparts the gift of theSpirit in your heart that will teach you the truth that will set you free fromthe power of sin in your life. Christ, my friend, is coming for a gloriouschurch, one without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should beholy and without blemish. You will not be in this church if you reject the loveof the simple word of truth of the gospel......