The Way of God More Perfectly

1 The beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2 As it is written in the prophets,

4 John came baptizing or, immersing in the wilderness and preaching the baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins. 5 All the country of Judea and all those of Jerusalem went out to him. They were baptized by him in the Jordan river, confessing their sins. 6 John was clothed with camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey. 7 He preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and loosen. 8 I baptized you in water, but he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.” 

There are numerous references in the Writings of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Acts of John's baptism. In the immediate context there are two Baptisms. To us it would seem as if baptism appeared when John appeared but baptism was not a foreign concept to the biblical scene. In the Torah the people of God had ritual washing all the time. It is called a Ablution. Ablution is the biblical concept of ritual washing to regain purity, some performed such acts in a Mikveh. In the article called "Ablution" from the Jewish Encyclopedia written in 1906, it gives all the different reasons for washing. The article states: "A Gentile wishing to become a proselyte must also immerse his whole body." (Near the end of the 4th Paragraph.) (Click here for Proselyte definition)

The ablution article gives all the Torah references for the reasons to purify yourselves by washing with water and offering a blood sacrifice, sometimes combined. This is the foreshadowing of the Baptism of John and later the birth of the water found in John 3:5. In the Torah the purification washing were continual, like the sacrifices. The washing for purification ritual never stopped. In the New Covenant there is one washing of water. The reason for this is simple. The blood of the spotless lamb washes away our sin.

1  What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?  2  May it never be! We who died to sin, how could we live in it any longer?  3  Or don’t you know that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?  4  We were buried therefore with him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life.

This is why it is imperative we are baptized in the Name of Yeshua Messiah(Jesus Christ)! There is salvation in no other name (Acts 4:12). The Titles Father, Son, and Holy Spirit at baptism are not a biblical concept. No where in the pages of the book of Acts did they baptize in the titles. The New Covenant baptism is in the Name of Yeshua Messiah(Jesus Christ) for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38) and therefore the death of the Lamb washes clean completely! If someone baptizes in any other name or titles then it simply is not an accepted biblical method. If, that is, we only go by the Bible ways.

Our focus is not water baptism but Spirit baptism. John the baptist came preaching prepare the way for the one who will baptize you with the Holy Spirit!

Most of Christendom focuses only on the water baptism but let's see the Way of God More Perfectly.

Let's acknowledge some misconceptions about the Spirit's baptism.

1. Misconception: Once they believe in Jesus and accept him into their heart then they are born of the Spirit.
2. Misconception: Once they are baptized in water they are baptized in the Spirit.
3. Misconception: Some say the sinners prayer and believe they are born of the Spirit.

All of the above are great for repentance and confession. But it does not match the biblical pattern of the Spirit Baptism. John the baptist distinguished the Holy Spirit's baptism from the water baptism he came to do. You will find in the Book of Acts that the Apostles distinguished the Holy Spirit baptism from water baptism as well.

Acts 10

44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those who heard the word.

Acts 10 is about the Gentile God-fearer, Cornelius. Peter was sent to this God-fearing family to preach to them the Messiah. While Peter was preaching the Holy Spirit fell on all of them! This caused amazement!

45 They of the circumcision who believed were amazed, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was also poured out on the Gentiles.

The gift of the Holy Spirit was "poured" out on the Gentiles? Interesting. "Poured" sounds like an immersive experience doesn't it? How did anyone know that the Holy Spirit was "poured" out? Goose bumps? Did Peter just speculate that it happened? No.

46 For they heard them speaking in other languages and magnifying God.

So, the Spirit being poured out was noticed how? For they heard them speaking in other tongues, languages. This prompted Peter to say something unique.

Then Peter answered,  47 “Can anyone forbid these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just like us.”

They were not baptized yet. But the Word of God said they had been filled with the Holy Spirit. How did Peter know this? Because they spoke in languages(by the Spirit) and it matched Peter's experience! Peter used speaking in tongues as a sign to Him that:

1. The Spirit's baptism just took place.
2. God had accepted them.
3. They can now be baptized, in water, in the name of Jesus Christ.

48 He commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to stay some days.

They were then baptized in the name of Jesus Christ! Yeshua Messiah! Not the titles of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This is not the only pattern in the book of Acts.

1. They believed.
2. The Spirit Baptized them.
3. Then they were baptized in water in the name of Jesus Christ.

To wrap up this example.

Peter compared their experience with his own experience from Acts 2. They have received the Holy Spirit like us! Let me bold this for emphasis!

They have received the Holy Spirit just like us.

All three misconceptions of the Spirit's baptism are refuted in this one example. Yet, this is not the only example, we will dig further into this and show The Way of God More Perfectly!

Acts 19

1 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having passed through the upper country, came to Ephesus and found certain disciples. 2 He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”

They said to him, “No, we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

Paul asked a question that most preachers do not ask.

They had apparently not been very good disciples because John the baptist came preaching that the Messiah would baptize them with the Holy Spirit!

Paul asked a strange question.

3 He said, “Into what then were you baptized?”

They said, “Into John’s baptism.”

Ah, they must be the disciples of John! Paul is trying to diagnose their spiritual condition! He discovers that they were washed in John's baptism! Paul reiterates John's message.

4 Paul said, “John indeed baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe in the one who would come after him, that is, in Jesus.”

He is trying to get them to recall what John said. Believe on the one who would come after him, Yeshua!

Believe what Yeshua came to do! Die for our sins to wash them away and to baptize us with His Holy Spirit!

5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

There is that baptism in the name of Jesus again... he is the one who died for us. Why not just be baptized into His death, bury that old man, but don't stop there...

6 When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them and they spoke with other languages and prophesied. 

How did Paul know the Holy Spirit came on them? They spoke in other languages when the Spirit came on them!

Did Paul ask them if they received the Holy Spirit after that? No. The pattern matches.

In this context we see:

1. They believed in Jesus.
2. They were baptized unto repentance by John
3. They were rebaptized into Jesus Christ in His Name!
4. They received the Spirit, how do we know? They spoke in tongues!

The Birth of the Spirit

Jesus, Yeshua, told Nicodemas that you must be born of the water and of the Spirit or you cannot enter the kingdom. One thing is for certain we do not have the ability to join someone to the kingdom, they must be born into it.

Nicodemus was born right the first time. He was of Abraham, the natural people of God. That is why he was so confused and marveled about this whole process. He suspected that he was born of a woman, wrongly. Yeshua was telling Nicodemus to be converted and be washed in Water and be baptized in the Spirit!

John 3

7 Don’t marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’ 8 The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but don’t know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Three things to note:

1. Wind means spirit.
2. Sound means voice.
3. Everyone who is born of the Spirit will give the voice of the Spirit, a sound!

You will make a sound when the Spirit baptizes you. Jesus is the one who will perform this baptism. Who wouldn't want it?

The Originals

Acts 1

3 To these he also showed himself alive after he suffered, by many proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days, and speaking about God’s Kingdom. 4 Being assembled together with them, he commanded them, “Don’t depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which you heard from me. 5  For John indeed baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

In Acts 1, Yeshua tells them:

1. Don't leave Jerusalem (The Feast of Weeks Leviticus 23, is about to be complete - Pentecost)
2. Wait for the Promise of the Father
3. John baptized with water but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days from now!

Then...

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth.”

Then they watched him ascend into the sky. Do you think for one second they wouldn't be in Jerusalem? He said they would receive POWER, when the Holy Spirit came upon them.

What kind of Power? Holy Spirit Power! How do you measure it? How do you quantify this kind of power? If it does not move the human soul, is it even power at all?

Thank God for repentance, thank God for baptism of water, but there is a baptism that no man can do!

Acts 2

1 Now when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 Suddenly there came from the sky a sound like the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 Tongues like fire appeared and were distributed to them, and one sat on each of them. 4 They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak.

Three things:

1. Sound from heaven links this to John 3:8 it filled ALL.
2. Tongues like fire on each of them.
3. ALL Filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke in tongues as the Spirit gave the ability.

... we hear them speaking in our languages the mighty works of God!” 12 They were all amazed, and were perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 Others, mocking, said, “They are filled with new wine.”

People like to say that in Acts 2 the reason for tongues was because the devout men of every nation needed the Gospel. That is not specifically stated in the text. They needed the Gospel, certainly, but in this audience there were two kinds of hearers.

One group asked the question "What does this mean?"

Others mocked and said these people "are filled with new wine".

Peter stood up to address these two groups. To the group that was mocking he offered this, " For these aren’t drunken, as you suppose, seeing it is only the third hour of the day (9AM)."

To the group asking what does this mean Peter offered, "But this is what has been spoken through the prophet Joel:"

Which group are you in?

17 ‘It will be in the last days, says God, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh.

Peter pointed to what just happened as the last days outpouring that Joel prophesied about!

Last days outpouring! Dear reader, realize that you are walking in the pages of Prophecy!

Peter continued preaching until the hearers were pricked in their hearts...

37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

38 Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all who are far off, even as many as the Lord our God will call to himself.” 40 With many other words he testified, and exhorted them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation!”

As Peter was explaining what this outpouring means he preached what made it possible, the blood of the Lamb that they crucified.

Peter told them to do two things:

1. Repent
2. Be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins.

He said one thing would happen.

1. You will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise!

Remember, John the baptizer preached repentance and baptism. John pointed to the baptism of the Holy Spirit as something that only Yeshua the Messiah could perform.

We must preach the same thing!

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is the Promise of the Father. It is the Power from on high!

Peter was making a public announcement, advertising, the gift of the Holy Spirit! Was he committing a fraudulent action? Did Peter falsely advertise?

1. Jesus said in Acts 1:5 that you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days from now.
2. Acts 2:4, "They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak."

What does this mean? It means that Joel prophesied God would pour out His Spirit in the last days and Acts 2 was the start!

When Peter said in Acts 2:38-39 they would be filled with the gift of the Holy Spirit, what would the hearer in that chapter use as a reference to such an event?

In Acts 10 Peter compared Cornelius's experience with his own. Peter did NOT falsely advertise. He expected fully that a new convert would experience the same baptism of the Holy Spirit that he experienced.

The book of Acts pattern is all we can follow. We should set people's expectation on the baptism of the Holy Spirit and allow the Holy Spirit to manifest. We know that when someone is baptized in the Holy Spirit they will make a sound, as John 3:8 states and the book of Acts demonstrates. Anything that deviates from the pattern of the book of Acts can't be trusted!

The Way of God More Perfectly

Acts 18:22-26

Apollos was a man who was mighty in the Scriptures. He knew who Yeshua was, the Messiah. He preached it fervently. Yet, he knew only the baptism of John. Priscilla and Aquila heard him preaching and took Apollos aside and explained the way of God more accurately. Some say that we do not know what Priscilla and Aquila told Apollos and without Acts 19:1-6 they would be correct. Paul found others who only knew the baptism of John. It is possible dear reader to be someone who is mighty in the Word but only knowing the baptism of water, you need the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

May this stir your heart.

Shalom,

Pastor C. Sullivan