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the Holy Spirit
• speaking
in tongues
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| We
Believe...
...we are baptised
into the Body of Christ (the Church) Joining the Church The church is not just some organisation or club. While anyone is invited to come to our meetings, that, in itself, is not joining the church. In the Bible, the Apostle Paul tells us that the church is the "body of Christ". The Revival Centres are merely a visible part of this (spiritual) reality. In 1 Corinthians 12:27, Paul puts it this way, speaking to the church at Corinth: "Now you are the body of Christ, and members in particular."
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Being "Baptised" into the "Body of Christ"
The Bible tells us we are "baptised" into the Church by the Holy Spirit. In the Bible we read: For by one Spirit are we all baptised into one
body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free;
and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. Receiving the Holy Spirit is essential to join the church. Without the Holy Spirit we are not yet in "the body".
There are several terms used in the Bible, all speaking of the same experience: • "filled with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:4) • "baptised with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 1:5) • "Holy Spirit comes on you" (Acts 1:8) • "receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:38) • Holy Spirit to fall on them (Acts 8:15-17)
The Holy Spirit Jesus prepared His disciples for the coming of the Holy Spirit. He first told them He would be going away, but then gave this encouragement: "... I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another
Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit
of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him
not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth
with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless:
I will come to you." Jesus here was speaking of the Holy Spirit. He makes this absolutely clear a few verses later: "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost,
whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things..."
The Holy Spirit had been with them, but a new phase was about to begin, the Holy Spirit would now be in them. This happened for the first time on the day of Pentecost. We can read about what happened in Acts chapter 2: And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all
with one accord in one place... And they were all filled with
the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the
Spirit gave them utterance.
Jesus also spoke of the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives: But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you
from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from
the Father, he shall testify of me. It is essential to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
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Automatic? Some preach that the receiving of the Holy Spirit is automatic upon believing and that therefore whether or not there is an accompanying sign is irrelevant. In Acts 8 we read of the happenings in Samaria: Then Simon himself believed also: and
when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered,
beholding the miracles and signs which were done. Now when the
apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received
the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when
they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive
the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only
they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid
they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. And
when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands
the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give
me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive
the Holy Ghost. But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with
thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased
with money. Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter:
for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore
of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of
thine heart may be forgiven thee. First, although they had believed and were baptised, they had not yet received the Holy Spirit. Philip, and also the apostles in Jerusalem, were obviously aware of this (because to date there had been no accompanying sign of speaking in tongues). Second, the receiving of the Holy Spirit was something that could be seen - and was dramatic enough for the con-man Simon to offer money for a similar 'power'. Again, we look at other events in Acts to see that the dramatic happening that Simon witnessed was the same 'crowd-puller' we saw on the day of Pentecost - they spoke with other tongues. Finally, we see that although Simon "believed" and was baptised, he did not receive the Holy Spirit as his heart was "not right in the sight of God". The receiving of the Holy Spirit should be the confident expectation of all who repent and are baptised. But if you do not speak in other tongues you do not yet have God's confirmation on your steps of faith. Do not settle for any less than the full Bible experience. The apostles thought it necessary to come down and pray to ensure that the Samarian believers received the Holy Spirit. We exhort you to seek the same confirmation they sought.
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