The holy Ghost Baptism

“And John was clothed with camel’s hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey; And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost” (John’s testimony about Jesus - Mk. 1:6-8). “And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not: but HE THAT SENT ME to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost” (John’s record of God’s testimony about Jesus). “And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence” (Jesus’ testimony - Acts 1:4,5). Isn’t it amazing how that John the Baptist, the only man sent by God to prepare the way for Jesus, and God himself, as well as Jesus; all had the exact same testimony about what Jesus came to accomplish? Namely to baptize those who believe on him WITH THE HOLY GHOST (Jn. 7:37-39; Jn. 4:14). Not so he could send men to baptize with water, but so that HE could baptize with the holy Ghost! (I Cor. 1:17) That is what the scriptures plainly tell us.

It was after Jesus ascended to heaven that the body of Christ was born on the day of Pentecost when those first 120 souls were indeed baptized with the holy Ghost, with the accompanying sign of speaking with other tongues (Acts 2:1-4). And according to the scriptures it is that same holy Ghost baptism that puts anyone who truly believes into that same body of Christ (I Cor. 12:13; Eph. 4:4,5). No wonder John, Jesus, and God himself were so plain, simplistic, and to the point about why Jesus came. The baptism of the holy Ghost with it’s accompanying sign of speaking in tongues is the only new birth experience that has ever existed, meaning that it is the only way to be born of God’s Spirit into the kingdom of God, and the only way to become a “new creature in Christ” (Jn. 3:5; Rom. 14:17; II Cor. 5:17). So it is evident why the scripture would also say, “Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his” (Rom. 8:9). Simply stated, Jesus suffered, died, and rose again so that he could baptize you and I with the power, holiness, and love of his Spirit (Acts 1:8; Rom. 5:5). And yes, that cuts out all of the modern Christian traditions of ‘getting saved,’ and ‘accepting the Lord as your personal savior,’ etc. Those things are NOT in the Bible my friend. The things written in this post are plainly what IS in the Bible, and they are absolute. I don’t know about you, but my faith is based on what THE BIBLE sets forth as truth, not what men say is truth. Amen.