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Paul, And Jesus' Baptism

  • Writer: Linda Rock
    Linda Rock
  • May 23, 2024
  • 3 min read

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We return straight back to the question pending from yesterday, that which came directly as a result of what the Scripture stated. This is what the Scripture reports. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. So has Jesus’ baptism been carried out through Paul, or by Paul? We have also seen and do agree that Pentecost has taken place in Ephesus. We said that we knew the Holy Spirit was present, because Paul was present, as He lived in Paul. We also believed that Jesus was present because, although Paul lived, it is Christ who lived and moved and had His being in His servant Paul.


So we look at the manner or works of Paul. I say works, because these are human actions which we are seeing. Remember, these are all being done after Paul has spoken to them and removed their initial ignorance. Yes, Paul is still speaking with them, but he now makes reality or flesh of all that he has told them. Paul does not wait on some divine appearance of Jesus to come and baptize these disciples. He does not tell them, receive the Holy Spirit, and they all leave receiving in thought and word, hoping manifestations will come at a later date. Absolutely not! Nothing of the sort. Then and there, they receive Jesus’ Baptism and know that they have received this baptism through flesh evidence.


We are shown three actions in this Pentecostal baptism, the Baptism of Jesus.

Paul’s human actions

When Paul placed his hands on them - Paul places his hands on every single one of those believing disciples. Paul’s hands are ordinary hands, like yours and mine. They are not any magic hands, as we read about in Greek mythology for example. They were not hands like those of Midas, whose touch turned everything, good and bad, human and non-human to gold. No! Paul’s hands were like yours, mine and every Spirit-filled believer.  You see, Paul had no hands but Jesus’ hands, so they were used by Jesus to do Jesus’ work.


Holy Spirit’s non-human actions

The Holy Spirit came on them - Interesting, isn’t it! Can you see the servant and the Master working in perfect tandem? Paul does his part and the Holy Spirit takes over. The Holy Spirit, does not just place a hand on these disciples, but He came on them. Whatever the phrase, came on them, means to you, you would agree that it was more like a total covering or filling. Doesn’t it remind you of the complete filling which took place in Jerusalem, on that first Pentecost? We have been reliably informed by Scripture that it was not just the house, which was filled, when the Holy Spirit came, but every believer was also filled. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit. Acts 2: 4a. The Spirit is working and confirming the actions of His abiding servant.


People’s Spirit-filled actions

And they spoke in tongues and prophesied - In life, we speak about cause and effect, stimulus and response and actions and consequences. We speak like this for simple and complicated experiences. It can be as simple and straightforward as this. Stand uncovered in the pouring rain, and you will be drenched. When you are filled with the Holy Spirit you do supernatural things, nothing natural to the flesh. These disciples, who have been filled, are doing what they have never before done, or would have ever been able to do. They spoke in tongues and prophesied. The consequences, responses, evidence and witness of Spirit-filled believers, are never hidden and most visibly seen, by human eyes and heard by human ears.

Let it be stated plainly and most emphatically too. The stimulating, enabling power of the Holy Spirit in a believer is always evident by people around. It is no different from you seeing a person all drenched and knowing that he or she has been under an open sprinkler, or in rain.


Now I am very aware that the evidence of a spirit-baptised person has always been, and continues to be a matter of contention among believers. 


We will discourse this tomorrow, as the Spirit enables.

 
 
 

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