THE NEW BIRTH AND THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

  THE NEW BIRTH AND THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 2

 There is perhaps some confusion regarding these two doctrines, and hopefully the following study will help clarify these foundational truths. What I must state, to which most believers can testify, that these are not merely intellectual assertions, but actual living experiences!


INDEX:- THE NEW BIRTH - BEING BORN AGAIN
- THE NEW BIRTH AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD
- THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
- THE FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT, AND THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT
- THE LAYING ON OF HANDS
- THE GIFT OF TONGUES
- CONCLUSION
 

“Jesus answered and said unto him, ‘Verily, verily (truly, truly) I say unto you, except a man be BORN AGAIN, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.’”
John 3:3

“Being BORN AGAIN, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God, which lives and abides forever.” 1 Peter 1:23

“And when He (Jesus) had said this, He breathed on the disciples and said, ‘Receive the Holy Ghost/Spirit.’” John 20:22

“For John truly Baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence…But you shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you…” Acts 1:5,8

“And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place and suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Acts 2:1-4, 10:44-48, 19:1-6,

“Have all the gifts of healing, do all speak with tongues, do all interpret?” 1 Corinthians 12:30

 

 As we examine the Scriptures, we can observe two distinctly separate, but fully related experiences, both of which were purchased for us by the Lord Jesus at the cross and are the workings of His Holy Spirit. Not only are they gifts, as with all that we receive from God, but they are for His divine purpose and glory, as well as for our benefit.

 THE NEW BIRTH – BEING BORN AGAIN

“that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” John 3:6

 When a person is born again, what happens is that once he has believed, repented, and confessed the Lord Jesus, his heart is cleansed, his sins are atoned for, and the sins that have separated him from his Maker are washed away. With no longer the barrier of sin between us (Isaiah 59:2) the Lord sends the Spirit of His Son into our heart/spirit, and we are BORN AGAIN. "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of Spirit, is spirit..." John 3:6

“…he that is joined to the Lord is one spirit.” 1Corinthians 6:17 “But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying, ‘ABBA, FATHER!’” Galatians 4:5-6

THE NEW BIRTH AND THE KINGDOM OF GOD

 Jesus said that unless a man is ‘Born Again’ that he cannot even SEE the Kingdom of God, and that unless he is born of the water and the Spirit, that he cannot ENTER the Kingdom of God (vs 5). The plan of God for us in Christ Jesus goes beyond the forgiveness of our sins. In no way do we minimize the sacrifice for our sins.  It cost the Life, suffering, and death, of Jesus to purchase our forgiveness, and unless we are cleansed and forgiven, we are lost 1 Corinthians 15:18, nothing else of His promises are available to us but our pending judgment. He However, He did not stop at forgiveness. He moved on to adoption where we become His Children, heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ Jesus, His Only Begotten Son. How wonderful is that?!! Romans 8:17  But look, what that means is that we are no longer merely people on this earth, but citizens of Heaven, citizens of the Kingdom of God, Who is now our Father! Philippian 3:20-21. In a word, in the New Birth, God places His Holy Spirit within our spirit, we are thereby adopted as HIS CHILDREN and subsequently we becomes citizens of the KINGDOM OF GOD !  “…Christ in you, the Hope of Glory.” Colossians 1:13,27  This is why Jesus said of John the Baptist, that there is not a greater prophet than he of those born of women, but the least in the Kingdom of God is greater than he. Luke 7:28 How could that be, he was filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother’s womb (Luke 1:15) was he not? Indeed he was, but his spirit was still unconverted, and he himself was not born again. Jesus had not yet made the atonement. John was not a citizen of Heaven, nor adopted as a son of God. He too was waiting for the redemption. All this is a mystery and the working of the grace of God through Jesus Christ. Now through this example that Jesus gave, we have a glimpse of the difference between being ‘born again’ and being ‘baptized/filled’ with the Holy Spirit.

 Not only does being ‘BORN AGAIN’ indicate so many amazing factors and promises as declared in the Scripture (many of which we may not even be aware of – Ephesians 1:18, 2 Peter 1:4), but it is also an actual experience, as previously mentioned. Prior, we did not know Him, and now we know Him. “And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord.’ For they shall all know Me, from the least to the greatest.” Jeremiah 31:34, Hebrews 8:11, “Therefore, if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature. Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

 Everyone’s experience is different, and suited to them in specific, but produces the same result. Many of us can recall the change, and it was in an instant within us, because it is nothing of us and fully the work of His Holy Spirit by God’s unfathomable grace (not to be confused with the workings of sanctification which is a lifelong process). Those who have accepted Jesus when they were children may have no memory of any dramatic change simply because they did not have the life of sin and deep corruption when they believed and turned from darkness to light. Still, the mere fact that they have been able to continue to love, serve, and confess the Lord Jesus, testifies of their own conversion and fruit of faith.

NOTE: Every professed experience must conform to the truth of the Scriptures of the Bible and bear the appropriate fruit.

SIDE NOTE – Often we can struggle with the realization that sin, temptation, selfishness, and bad attitudes, are still chomping at the door daily. We must understand that as long as we are in this flesh, its indulgences and tendencies will be there. But its' power has been broken in us, and as we keep our eyes on Jesus and cleave to Him, we will be able to distinguish the new man within us who is born of the Spirit and is completely contrary to these characteristics of the flesh. Consequentially the new you is continually at war with it (the flesh) - Galatians 5:17,  and that is as it should be.

  Further good news is that, through the Holy Spirit we can put to death the deeds of the flesh. Romans 8:13

 WARNING! – Although we have begun in the Spirit, if we veer off into the flesh, either by the pursuit of sensual and worldly pleasures, or indulgences (pride, bitterness, unforgiveness…), or by turning to ‘legalism’, we can lose our spiritual consciousness and awareness, and default to carnal/worldly perspectives, and even unbelief. “For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So they that are of the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His…For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” Romans 8:5-9, 14

 We have the advantage, so let us stay on track and continue to walk in the Spirit by faith. (Notice who Jesus’ most fierce opponents were)

THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out MY SPIRIT.” (No longer gender, class, or nationality specific) Joel 2:28-29, Acts 2:16-18

 In John 20:22, Jesus breaths on His disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” So if they had already received the Holy Spirit, which is how we are Born Again, why would He then tell that they needed to tarry until they were Baptized with the Holy Spirit. There is an obvious difference, and no doubt a necessary addition from the Lord. We must realize that Jesus Christ Himself, our Example, though He, in His Spirit, is actually  God, yet in in the flesh He was a man. He therefore needed to be Baptized in the Holy Spirit before He began His ministry. Matthew 3:16,

The key here is “…I will pour out My Spirit on all FLESH.” Initially this means all believers, but it is also indicating that the Holy Spirit Who comes into our hearts at New Birth, will also come upon our physical bodies with power and anointing for service and demonstration of the Kingdom of God. Again, when we look at the ministry of Jesus, the power of God demonstrated through Him in miracles was after He was filled with the HOLY SPIRIT.

 (BEING EVER SO CAREFUL BEFORE MY LORD, the man Christ Jesus was fully God, and fully man,  “…God was in the man Christ Jesus reconciling the world to Himself.” 2 Corinthians 5:19. Although He was our example as a man, was baptized in water, and filled with the Holy Ghost, but being 'born again' is something allotted specifically to us as mere humans because our spirit is just a created spirit)

THE FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT, AND THE GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT

The fruits of the Spirit are what God is looking for in our lives, His nature being lived out through us: love, joy, peace, longsuffering/patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance/self-control Galatians 5:22-23. These being expressed in our everyday lives is the demonstration of Christ in us. It requires a crucified life of faith and love, a demonstration that we are no longer living for ourselves but for Him Who love us and gave Himself for us.

 The gifts of the Spirit, on the other hand are demonstrations of His power working sovereignly through us in spite of ourselves. What is concerning, is that they can work in a believer who may not be walking in integrity with the Lord in his personal life. “Many will say unto Me (Jesus) in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name? And in Your name have cast out devils? And in Your name done many wonderful works?’ And then will profess to them, ‘ I never knew you. Depart from Me you that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:22-23  “For the gifts and callings of God are without repentance.” Romans 11:29

 Nevertheless, these gifts are for the Church for ministering and edifying, as well as bringing glory to God through Jesus Christ the Lord. There are nine main gifts of divine power demonstrated in various ways; the word of wisdom (supernatural wisdom), the word of knowledge (knowing something that the person could not possibly know of themselves), faith (the ability to believe God for the extraordinary), gifts of healing, working of miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, diverse kinds of tongues, the interpretation of tongues. 1 Corinthians 12:7-11

 Although God is not bound at all to a system of rules and regulations, (in fact these gifts do not operate in the realm of rules and regulations Galatians 3:5, but only by faith and the leading of the Holy Spirit), yet the pattern He has designed for us to operate in these gifts is through the Baptism of the Holy Spirit following the New Birth. Once a person has been Filled with the Holy Spirit, he or she is able to flow in any of these gifts at any particular time, as directed by the Lord, in the same way most any person can sing or play and instrument. However, there are those who have a particular gifting to flow in certain specific gifts. As the Apostle Paul says, “For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom, to another he word of knowledge by the same Spirit, to another…” 1 Corinthians 12:8-11

 The Lord here is not putting restrictions, but being deliberate for His own purposes and designs. As with trades in the natural realm, some are gifted technicians, craftsmen, doctors, engineers, farmers… Not all of us are gifted in these areas, but many of us can function at some level in them. But those that are specifically thus gifted provide a particular service for the healthy functioning of society. Every society needs these abilities. It is the same in the Kingdom of God. We are the body of Christ and we all have our particular function regardless of how large, or insignificant, it may SEEM. It is not us anyways, but Jesus in us, because as He said, “Without Me, you can do NOTHING.” John 15:5 By the way, the most satisfied, contented, free, we can be in our walk with Christ is by simply being and doing what God has created us to be and do, and then live our life filled with His faith and love. We will bear the fruit He as designed us for, He gets all the glory, and we get to live an amazing life with Him full of His presence, peace, and joy, regardless of how simple and insignificant it may appear to be, and in the end, get to go home and be with Him forever!!!

 With regards to the gifts of the Holy Spirit, as with the fruit of the Holy Spirit they are not gender, age, status, or nationality specific.  The Gospel of The Lord Jesus Christ transcends all borders and boundaries, “to whosoever will,” and through this Gospel the gifts are distributed to whosoever God chooses. So a little child can lay hands on a dying person and see him healed. A crippled old lady can command a storm to silence. A janitor can prophesy of the next disaster, a mother of 9 can cast out devils…. and on and on. How amazing and glorious is that! So it is not about us, but about Him and for His will, purpose, and design, and it ministers to the needs of those whom He touches.

 NOTE - The Scriptures do not indicate clearly what everyone should experience when one is filled  with the Holy Spirit, but in the outcome there should be a release of the Supernatural power of God in the recipient at some point. With the Apostle Paul nothing was mentioned about his infilling when he was converted, but the demonstration for the Holy Spirit's power was clearly shown throughout his life. Remember when the Lord told Solomon that He would give him wisdom. Yet it did not become apparent until it was called for during the debate of the two women over their babies.

 

THE LAYING ON OF HANDS - The Bible shows the two common venues of the infilling, or Baptism of the Holy Spirit; by the sovereign work of God with no human interaction as in Acts 2:2-4, 10:44-46, and the second is by the Laying on of Hands by the Apostles, or those who have already been filled with the Holy Spirit.  Acts 8:14-18, 19:6

BY THE WAY - THE NEW BIRTH CANNOT BE PASSED ON!!!  - The Lord Himself comes into the cleansed heart of a believer and unites Himself with him. THERE IS NO THIRD PARTY! Revelation 3:20

 

 THE GIFT OF TONGUES

  The issue of the Gift of Tongues has been a topic of controversy and division, but let us look at it as objectively as possible. We can see in the book of Acts the second chapter at the initial outpouring, the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. In Acts 10 & 19 we see more examples. Now something to mention about the gift of tongues, as discussed in 1 Corinthians 13:1 tongues of men and angels are differentiated, and in chapter 14, the Apostle Paul describes tongues as speaking mysteries, and in chapter 12, he says, “…do all speak with tongues?”

  So we can conclude that some tongues are either a specific, known, language, or an angelic language, or at least an unknown language. It also indicates that the person speaking in tongues has likely no idea not only what language he/she is speaking, nor knows what he is saying “…but my understanding is unfruitful.”14:14. Therefore tongues are a gift more specifically for the one who speaks in tongues for their personal edification in Christ, unless they can interpret and share with others, then if serves as a sign for unbelievers (vs 22).

 We have already stated that not all speak with tongues, but God obviously saw it is needed for the Church, and for individuals in specific. With regards to the oddity of tongues, He has also provided instruction for wise application (1 Corinthians 14), but made it an initial evidence of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. We have already stated that not all persons that are filled with the Holy Spirit can speak in tongues, but there must be evidence of the power of the Holy Spirit in some form, because, “the Kingdom of God is not in word, but in Power.” 1 Corinthians 4:20

 Now I am speaking hypothetically. The demonstrations of the power used through the prophets of the Old Testament were similar to some of the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament, but the one distinct difference is tongues. Now languages and speech are the outward expressions of communication originating from our spirit. Because we have a new spirit, so to speak, through the New Birth, a new language is not unreasonable. Still this is not a doctrine. Remember, not all speak in tongues that are Born Again 1 Corinthians 12:30.

CONCLUSION – The New Birth and the Baptism of the Holy Spirit are  Christian experiences, and necessary for entrance into the Kingdom of God and the Advancement of the Gospel according to the design and ordinance of God Almighty. We are to welcome the Baptism of the Holy Spirit for service, and in fact we should be filled before we begin to preach the Gospel as Jesus instructed His disciples in Acts 1