Morning Moments

Only One Pentecost!

When I say "Only One Pentecost", I am not referring to the Jewish Holy Day celebrated fifty days after the sheaf offering at the beginning of Passover, which marks the completion of the barley harvest that begins with the sickle first being put to the grain and when the sheaf was waved "tomorrow after the sabbath" (Lev 23:11).  I am of course referring to that coming of the Holy Spirit on THAT one particular Pentecost as recorded in Acts 2.


Before we proceed today, let me say once again, that my only reason for pursuing this is to carefully examine the texts, compare the texts, consider the terms used and NOT to deny any sound Biblical experience.


My considerations may change no one's mind or serve little purpose for anyone who has a made up mind already, but there are some things that stand out that are just not consistent and I do not believe the Word of God to be inconsistent.


Let me now state some of those things and then we will get back to the texts:

1. There are those who demand that we must all have this Pentecostal Experience, when they have not had THE PENTECOSTAL EXPERIENCE themselves.

• There was no "mighty rushing wind".
• There was no "crowd that hear the language in their native tongue".
• There were no "tongues as of fire sitting upon the speakers".
• There were none who considered the "Galileans".
• There were no Jews and Proselytes.

     2.  The text says that they were "filled with the Holy Spirit", so can a distinction be made
between being "Baptized" in the Holy Spirit and being "Filled" with the Holy Spirit?

• The word of Baptized indicates that they were placed by the Holy Spirit INTO the Body of Christ, of which He is the Head.  So Christ comes into us by His Spirit, who simultaneously places us into Christ's Body.  Hence if any has not the Spirit of God, he is NONE OF HIS.  His Spirit testifies to our spirt that we are God's children; heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ.
• I also find it very interesting that when they were "Baptized" (not in water) but the Holy Spirit, for as Paul says to the Ephesians, "there is but ONE baptism" for no other baptism can place one in Christ, AT THAT TIME, they were also FILLED with the Holy Spirit, which explains to me why the folks that had gather thought they might have been intoxicated. 
• To answer my own question, YES, there is a difference between being "Baptized" and "Filled" and that difference is seen very simply as getting you in Christ and the Spirit in you and you can't have one without the other!
• You can't have assurance of salvation without the Holy Spirit assuring you that you are in Christ and Christ is in you AND you can't know the love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, and temperance without the Holy Spirit initiating the act of conform the NEW MAN He created in you at the NEW BIRTH (a new nature in righteousness and true holiness, after the image of God).  

That is enough for today!  We will continue tomorrow, God willing, but we are not nearly through.  LET ME STRESS AGAIN!  I am not doing this out of pride, but humbly seeking to aide some friends who are struggling in this area.  I have not death yet with the Gentiles Experience or tongues but we shall.  Be Patient with me and pray that even this old guy will always be open to GOD.  It is not HIM I challenge but those who insist on confusing other believers, even when the do it unintentionally.


BLESSINGS!