Legacy · Q&A
Did the Disciples Receive the New Birth in John 20?

Question:
Hello friend,
I happened to come across your website and was a little troubled by your explanation of what it means to be born again. If I understood it right you believe that a person is not born again until they are baptized in the Holy Spirit and speak with tongues. First I would like to say that I agree that the
baptism in the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues is important in order to have power for ministry. But I think the scripture is clear that we are saved by
grace through. faith in the finished work of Jesus' cruxifiction and ressurection. Eph 2:8 I agree that there is overwhelming proof that the initial evidence of being baptized in the Holy Spirit is speaking in tongues. But I think it is also equally clear that the disciples received the "new birth" in John 20:21 when Jesus breathed on them the Holy Spirit and gave them the ministry of reconciliation. I understand your zeal to see people walking in the fulness of God's Spirit but would caution you against trying to put your finger on faith. Paul said faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen. Jesus repeatedly spoke of the blessing on those believed without seeing. And we know that apart from faith it is impossible to please God.
God bless you in your studies,
Saleim
Answer:
Dear Saleim,
Thanks for your inquiry/response to our web site. Your perception is correct: The baptism of the holy Ghost is the new birth experience. To address your comments in as short of order as possible, let me begin by pointing out John 16:7, where Jesus plainly stated that no one could receive the Spirit until after He went away, which obviously is referring to Him leaving the earth by means of ascending back into Heaven. To add to that, in regard to faith in Christ, Jesus stated in John 7:37-39 that true faith in Him would result in the receiving the Spirit, which the same passage states could not be received until after He was "glorified," meaning when He went back into Heaven and received from the Father the glory that was His from before the foundation of the world - Immortality (Jn. 17:24). Though there are many passages, yet two very key and plainly stated scriptures show us that it is receiving the Spirit of God that takes
our sins away and makes us a member of His family (I Cor. 6:11; Rom. 8:9). Not only so, but one even more key sripture informs us that it is the baptism of the Spirit that puts anyone into the overall assembly of God's people, which is the body of Christ (I Cor. 12:13).
As far as the finished work of Christ, it was absolutely not finished until after He ascended back "into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: (Heb. 9:24). And why did He have to go back into the Heavenly tabernacle to appear for us? Because "when he had by himself purged our sins, (He) sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:" (Heb. 1:3). And this: "but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared (in Heaven, as stated above) to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself" (Heb. 9:26). You see, Jesus is the new testament High Priest, whose job it is to make atoning sacrifice for the sins of those who present themselves wholeheartedly in repentance and faith for the same. Hebrews 8:4 goes with all of the above by telling us that Jesus could not be a priest while He was yet on earth because the law was still in effect while He was
still on earth, which included the Levitical priesthood, which His priesthood was not of (Lev. 7:14). So the point is, Jesus could not make atoning sacrifice (offering) for the sins of those who initially believed on Him until after He went back into Heaven to do so, even as the Levitical high priest could only make the atonement once a year when he went into the holy of holies (Heb. 9:7). Jesus' suffering is what He was referring to when He said "It is finished."
These things are the reason why His final instructions to His followers before He ascended, were all about them waiting for the holy Ghost to come unto them (Acts 1:4,5). It was because He wanted to be certain that they did not miss the entire point for His coming, which point was also solely projected by John the Baptist, who was sent to introduce Jesus to Israel (Mk. 1:6-8; Jn. 1:33). John 20:21 that you mentioned, was a command to receive the holy Ghost, but as the above scriptures make perfectly clear, that reception could not be realized until after Jesus ascended back to Heaven. Acts 2:4 was the birth of the body of Christ, whereby those first believers received the new birth experience by the washing away of their sins. I could go on with much further detailed scriptural confirmation of this truth, but a lot of what I could say is contained in the pages of my website. I would encourage you, and any honest seeker of truth to study
further on the site, with honest and willing prayer to supplement it. The result of those two ingredients can only be a wonderful deliverance from the traditions and doctrines of men which make up all of Christianity; and a newfound understanding of the real truth of God, which cannot be found anywhere in Christianity. Amen. Thanks again for the letter Saleim. I'm always open and willing to engage honest, humble hearts, in the pursuit of the true fellowship of God's Spirit with His people.
Sincerely,
Lary Hale



