The necessity of the Holy Spirit in our salvation
- Without being born of water and the Holy Spirit, we cannot see the Kingdom of Heaven, nor can we enter it. This can be found in the study I prepared last Shabbat. I will now only briefly refer to the conversation between Nicodemus and Adonai Yeshua, from which the aforementioned necessity for salvation was revealed. Verses John 3:3-8
What is the sign of the gift of the Holy Spirit?
- At the beginning of the 20th century, this question occupied the minds of many Christians thirsting for the power of the Holy Spirit in the USA, India and other parts of the world. They saw in the teachings of the Bible a promise that Elohim must pour out His Holy Spirit in the last days on all flesh, that is, on all mankind.
- I use the English KJV (King James version) and the CJB (Complete Jewish Bible) as sources for thinking about the Sabbath text. (Read Joel 3:1-5 and Acts 2:17) According to the last mentioned verse, we are still living in the "last days" according to the Bible's timeline, so that promise is still valid. In order to receive salvation, it is absolutely essential to partake of the gift of the Holy Spirit!
- That's why they (in USA, India etc.) also started to study the Bible more than before, to see if there is any clear sign of receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit? They made a surprising discovery that had been missing for almost 1900 years! I believe that Adonai Yeshua helped them to find it because they were sincere and devoted Christians who sought the Truth through prayers and fasting.
The promise of the gift of the Holy Spirit
- When we read in the Acts of the Apostles all the cases in which the gift of the Holy Spirit was given, we notice the following order of progression:
a) The necessity of repentance was announced to people, i.e. they had to repent of their sinful life and confess their sins. Please, read Acts 2:36-39.
>>38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Yeshua HaMashiach for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Adonai, our Elohim shall call.<<
- It's no wonder that worldwide so many have been led astray from the original Salvation message to the sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church, including infant baptism 'in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit'. As you can see from the previous verses and three other passages from the Acts of the Apostles, according to that teaching, no one was baptized 'in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit'!
- You will also notice from verse 38 that repentance is a condition for believers' baptism by immersion in water. Therefore infant baptism is a heresy, because how could it be established that such a little one has really repented? Repentance is always a personal thing that no one can do for you. Likewise, water baptism is personal and chosen by the baptized person himself.
What was the sign of the Holy Spirit?
>>2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.<<
- Side note: The reader may wonder why in the verses Acts 2:38-39 and the following verses do not mention the gift of speaking in a foreign language? It is because foreign tongues are a sign only to those who do not believe, but in that case and in the verses Acts 2:2-4 was about those who believed and knew the Holy Scriptures well. Read verse 1 Cor. 14:22.
>>44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all them which heard the word. 45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit, 46 for they heard them speak with the new tongues, and magnify Elohim. Then answered Peter, 47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Spirit as well as we? 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Yeshua HaMashiach. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days. <<
>>He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.<<
- Even if Elohim sometimes decides to deviate from the normal order of time, it cannot be made a normal and general practice based on that!
>>1 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, 2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Spirit since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Spirit. 3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.
4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on HaMashiach Yeshua. 5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of Adonai Yeshua. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.<<
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- I noticed while working at the Jesus House in Helsinki's Vartiokylä that everyone there spoke with the new tongues when they were filled with the Holy Spirit for the first time, but that gift did not remain permanent for everyone. So it was a sign of receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit. It still remained a lasting gift for almost everyone, as for me too. The reason for that was that the person who speaks the new tongues builds himself up. We believers of Yeshua and Christians must first ourselves be built up internally in order to build up others! It is essential for preaching the Good News in streets!
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Briefly about the gifts of the Holy Spirit
>>22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to Elohim, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of Elohim is eternal life through Yeshua HaMashiach our Adonai. <<
Finally, three songs suitable for the topic
The Comforter Has Come
- I use the English KJV (King James version) and the CJB (Complete Jewish Bible) as sources for thinking about the Sabbath text. (Read Joel 3:1-5 and Acts 2:17) According to the last mentioned verse, we are still living in the "last days" according to the Bible's timeline, so that promise is still valid. In order to receive salvation, it is absolutely essential to partake of the gift of the Holy Spirit!
The promise of the gift of the Holy Spirit
- When we read in the Acts of the Apostles all the cases in which the gift of the Holy Spirit was given, we notice the following order of progression:
a) The necessity of repentance was announced to people, i.e. they had to repent of their sinful life and confess their sins. Please, read Acts 2:36-39.
- You will notice from verses 36 and 37 that it is about what the sinner himself must do in order to be acceptable for baptism by immersion in water and to be saved.
- You can find the answer to that in verses 38-39, but unfortunately, almost all English Bible translations use Greek-derived names for our Savior, as if he was Greek! That's why I copy the verses in question below and correct those proper names to the original ones, because Peter spoke to the Israelites in the verses and used Hebrew as his colloquial language.
>>38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Yeshua HaMashiach for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Adonai, our Elohim shall call.<<
- It's no wonder that worldwide so many have been led astray from the original Salvation message to the sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church, including infant baptism 'in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit'. As you can see from the previous verses and three other passages from the Acts of the Apostles, according to that teaching, no one was baptized 'in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit'!
- You will also notice from verse 38 that repentance is a condition for believers' baptism by immersion in water. Therefore infant baptism is a heresy, because how could it be established that such a little one has really repented? Repentance is always a personal thing that no one can do for you. Likewise, water baptism is personal and chosen by the baptized person himself.
- Is a newborn baby a sinner? Yes, because original sin dwells in him, because he was begotten in sin and was born into a fallen human race. After all, Tanakh and NT say: "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of Elohim."
- The Tanakh expresses it this way: Ps. 51:5
>>Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.<< - This was the case with King David and the same is the case with all of Adam's descendants, except for Adonai Yeshua, who was begotten by the Holy Spirit without the fallen man begetting him.
- The NT expresses it this way: Rom. 3:23
>>For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of Elohim;<<- The point also appears from verse 38 that when one is baptized specifically in the name of Yeshua HaMashiach, the promise of the Holy Spirit is given as a result. That promise has not been made about proceeding in another way! For this reason, many who have received 'Spirit Baptism' and 'the fullness of the Spirit' in other ways are in error and the spirit of the Devil masquerading as an 'angel of light' can influence them. Devil knows how to act gentle and lovable.
- Furthermore, from the verse Acts 2:41 makes it clear that only those people who received the Salvation message were baptized by immersion in water. It therefore required an understanding of the content of the proclaimed message, and that's also why the new born babies couldn't come into question!
What was the sign of the Holy Spirit?
- It was the gift of speaking with new tongues and I will justify it in the following.
- Now we read the passages in chronological order, which mention what happened when the recipient of the Salvation Message was filled with the Holy Spirit for the first time, i.e. when he received the gift of the Holy Spirit:
a) First concerning the apostles Shavu'ot, those who had each already repented and had already undergone the baptism of believers by immersion in water. Acts 2:2-4
>>2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.<<
- We notice from the following verses that the apostles spoke to those present, who had come from Europe at that time, in their own mother tongue. It is clear that the apostles themselves did not understand the content of the message *), which the Holy Spirit proclaimed through their mouths, because most of the apostles were ordinary Israelites who had not attended a language school.
*) As an exception, those who received the gift of the interpretation of tongues at the same time.
- More precisely said, this was about prophesying in a foreign language, because the spiritual gift of speaking new tongues requires someone to explain its content as well. This is evident from the following verses in 1 Cor. 14:2
>>For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto Elohim: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the Spirit he speaketh mysteries.<<
See also points d) and e) below.
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- Side note: The reader may wonder why in the verses Acts 2:38-39 and the following verses do not mention the gift of speaking in a foreign language? It is because foreign tongues are a sign only to those who do not believe, but in that case and in the verses Acts 2:2-4 was about those who believed and knew the Holy Scriptures well. Read verse 1 Cor. 14:22.
>>Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.<<
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b) From verses Acts 8:14-21 shows that the witch Simon saw that those who had already been baptized in water by immersion in the name of Yeshua HaMashiach were given the Holy Spirit only when the apostles laid their hands on them. The question arises, how did Simon see that it happened? Most charismatic Bible students have come to the conclusion that they began to speak with the new tongues and prophesy. This is also confirmed by points d) and e) below.
c) In verses Acts 8:26-40 we meet Philip, who was proclaiming the message of salvation to the mighty eunuch of the Ethiopian queen Candace. As a condition for immersion baptism, it is mentioned that the eunuch had to first believe in his heart that Yeshua HaMashiach is the Son of Elohim. He also confessed his faith orally and was baptized. In this context, it is only mentioned that the courtier continued his journey rejoicing. Yet it is consistent that he also spoke with the new tongues. It is also referred to in points d) and e) below.
d) Verses Acts 10:44-48. As Peter announced the salvation message to the centurion Cornelius, the Holy Spirit came upon all who were listening. We read those verses.
>>44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all them which heard the word. 45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit, 46 for they heard them speak with the new tongues, and magnify Elohim. Then answered Peter, 47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Spirit as well as we? 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Yeshua HaMashiach. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days. <<
- Here is the first point and a clear description of what happened when the pagan Romans were filled with the Holy Spirit for the first time. They spoke with the new tongues and praised Elohim.
- It is very interesting that in verse 47 Peter also says that the Israelites received the Holy Spirit in the same way as these Gentiles! So it was a sign of the gift of the Holy Spirit for the Israelites and the Gentiles that they spoke with the new tongues and praised Elohim!
- That incident was therefore a bit disobedient, because first the outpouring of the Holy Spirit took place and only after that those who received that gift were immediately baptized by immersion in water in the name of Yeshua HaMashiach. The reason was that Peter did not believe until then that the gift of the Holy Spirit was also meant for the Gentiles chosen for salvation! The correct order can be found in the teaching of our Savior Adonai Yeshua: Mark 16:16
>>He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.<<
e) In verses Acts 19:1-6 we find Paul in Ephesus proclaiming the message of salvation to the disciples. The connection does not reveal whether they were of Gentile or Israeli origin. I assume they were Israelites because according to verse 3 they had previously been baptized with John's baptism, i.e. the baptism of repentance by immersion in water. We read those verses.
>>1 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, 2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Spirit since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Spirit. 3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.
4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on HaMashiach Yeshua. 5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of Adonai Yeshua. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.<<
- If you have not yet received the gift of the Holy Spirit in this way, that new tongues or prophesying a foreign language and praising Elohim has followed the event immediately, then it is obvious that you have not yet received the gift of the Holy Spirit at all! You have only experienced some wonderful touches of the Holy Spirit within you, but He has not yet personally come into you!
- Everyone who has truly received the gift of the Holy Spirit knows that they have received Him. He doesn't have to ask anyone if he has experienced it, because when the Holy Spirit enters a person's heart, it happens just like a bright light turns on in a dark room of the heart and it feels as if the supernatural love of Yehowah takes him into its embrace and he becomes intoxicated and experiences ecstasy, because of the love of Yehowah Elohim!
Note If you want to talk with me more about this topic or ask something related to it, feel free to contact me:
- My contact information by email is here: leifp@meiliboxi.fi
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- In the opinion of those who despise speaking a foreign language, the only hallmark of believers in Yeshua and Christians is that they love each other. It is certainly most important sign, but it usually follows only at a later stage, when the Yeshua believer and Christian are allowed to grow in grace and in knowing his Savior.
- In my thesis, I focused on what kind of signs appeared in the exact context and at the moment when it is mentioned in the NT that one who first came believer and then received the Holy Spirit.
- I myself received the gift of speaking a foreign language on the evening of August 31, 1972 at 9 pm, when I was filled with the Holy Spirit for the first time. Before that I had been able to experience great and wonderful touches of the Holy Spirit and supernatural guidance. I had also made a real repentance and after that had been baptized by immersion in water. I also received two other grace gifts at the same time and later a fourth one. All those gifts of grace are spiritual tools for spreading the message of salvation and for the spiritual building of believers.
- I noticed while working at the Jesus House in Helsinki's Vartiokylä that everyone there spoke with the new tongues when they were filled with the Holy Spirit for the first time, but that gift did not remain permanent for everyone. So it was a sign of receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit. It still remained a lasting gift for almost everyone, as for me too. The reason for that was that the person who speaks the new tongues builds himself up. We believers of Yeshua and Christians must first ourselves be built up internally in order to build up others! It is essential for preaching the Good News in streets!
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- I was greatly impressed by the book "They speak Other Tongues" written together by John and Elisabeth Sherrill around 1970-80.
- It's about an Episcopalian priest who went to the baptism of believers and received the gift of speaking a new tongues. He guided his parishioners in the same way and brought about the fact that many received that gift in the same way! The church leadership didn't like it, and moved the man to a smaller place in the USA.
- The fire of the Holy Spirit was also lit there! The church leadership moved the priest again and again to other locations. As a result, the fire of the Holy Spirit spread over the course of about 20 years to finally dozens of different churches, where that "throwaway bag" priest was allowed to serve his beloved Savior. He kept the anointing of the Holy Spirit by using the gift of speaking with the new tongues, diligently praying daily for long periods of time.
- Here are the instructions for applying for the book:
https://www.amazon.com/They-Speak-Other-Tongues-Sherrill/dp/0800793595
- That's why the gift of speaking a foreign language is very decisive for the birth and spread of genuine revival! Paul was a perfect example of this. He said he spoke with the new tongues more than anyone else!
- That's why the gift of speaking a foreign language is very decisive for the birth and spread of genuine revival! Paul was a perfect example of this. He said he spoke with the new tongues more than anyone else!
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Briefly about the gifts of the Holy Spirit
We can find more about the Holy Spirit's gifts of grace in e.g. chapters 1 Cor. 12-14. Speaking a foreign language is one of the 9 gifts of the Holy Spirit, 9 of which are listed in 1 Cor. 12:8-10. Various graces are also mentioned in the NT, such as helping, controlling and bearing the fruit of the Spirit.
- Those 9 gifts of grace are characterized by the fact that they work soberly and constructively if the person who uses them is overwhelmed by the love of Yehowah, filled with the Holy Spirit and works obediently under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, when the timing and the target are right.
- Other gifts of grace are the eternal inheritance of the saints in the city of heaven, i.e. the New Jerusalem, but we will only be allowed to move there in the future.
- It is a very great gift of grace that we receive a glorified body after passing from time to eternity. It is clothed with the white linen of the righteous, shining with light. It is eternal and immortal, with perfect senses of spirit without limitation. Then we will see our beloved Heavenly Father Yehowah Elohim and our Savior Yeshua and the Holy Spirit face to face! What a wonderful day!
- Of the gifts of grace given by HaMashiach Yeshua and the Holy Spirit together with Yehowah Elohim, the greatest is eternal life in Yeshua HaMashiach, Adonai! Without this gift of grace, no other gift of grace would have any eternal value for us. We read Rom. 6:22-23
>>22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to Elohim, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. 23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of Elohim is eternal life through Yeshua HaMashiach our Adonai. <<
Finally, three songs suitable for the topic
The Comforter Has Come
Holy Spirit
Spirit Lead Me
