Have you received the Holy Spirit?

[FredD]

...But God gave special authority and miraculous powers to those who held the office, and the "apostles" and "prophets" that I have met, do not display those characteristics.

But surely you would agree that there were only 13 apostles (Paul replacing Judas)? There are NO new apostles after Paul. In fact, when the apostles got together and drew straws to create one, it didn't take. God closed the door on that "office."

[Scarletprayers]

...But God gave special authority and miraculous powers to those who held the office, and the "apostles" and "prophets" that I have met, do not display those characteristics.

But surely you would agree that there were only 13 apostles (Paul replacing Judas)? There are NO new apostles after Paul. In fact, when the apostles got together and drew straws to create one, it didn't take. God closed the door on that "office."

Paul did not replace Judas, I think you mean Matthias and he was chosen by lot.

[stevehut]

I think you mean Matthias and he was chosen by lot.

Lot? I thought he was the nephew of Old Abe...

Steve

[Scarletprayers]

I think you mean Matthias and he was chosen by lot.

Lot? I thought he was the nephew of Old Abe...

Steve

[stevehut]

That is a pretty lame response. You yourself said it took place twice, once in Acts 10, and there was no rushing mighty wind there either.

Look again. In Acts 11, Peter explained the events of Acts 10:

15"As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning."

Who is "them"? The Gentiles

Who is "us"? The Jews

What is "the beginning"? Pentecost.

How did the Spirit come down in the beginning? With tongues of fire and a rushing wind.

I find it interesting that when Peter describes the events, he does not say "just like it happened yesterday", or "just like it happens all the time". He refers back to Pentecost, which implies that this was not a routine event.

Steve

[PBob]

SOME THOUGHT SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THE CONCEPTS BELOW. IF IN FACT BAPTISM IN THE HS IS STILL AVIALABLE PERHAPS CHRISTIANS SHOULD SEEK IT - I OFTEN SAY TO PEOPLE THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT AND SPEAKING IN TONGUES (A LESSER GIFT) IS NOT NECESSARY FOR YOUR SALVATION BUT WHAT IF IT IS OFFERED - RATHER THAN TRY TO FIGURE IT ALL OUT WHY NOT SEEK THE LORD AND CHALLENGE HIM SAYING IF IT IS THERE I WANT IT. AS I HAVE SAID MANY TIMES - FAITH COMES BY HEARING AND HEARING BY THE WORD OF GOD NOT BY READING COMMENTARIES WHICH I LOOK AT AS MEN BASICALLY SAYING LET US TELL YOU WHAT GOD REALLY MEANT. WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BELIEVING THAT IT IS THE HS WHO IS TRUTH AND REVEALS TO US THE TRUTH. DON'T GET ME WRONG - COMMENTARIES, BOOKS, ETC HAVE THEIR PLACE AND ARE VALUABLE IN SEEKING UNDERSTANDING BUT THEY ARE NOT "THE WORD OF GOD". COMMENTARIES OR TEACHINGS OF WESLEY DO NOT AGREE TOTALLY WITH CALVIN - WHOSE RIGHT - NOW ASK WHY SO MANY DENOMINATIONS? - WHY IS THE BODY OF CHRIST SO DIVIDED? WHY CAN SOME APPROVE OF HOMOSEXUALITY AND OTHERS SAY IT IS A SIN -THEY CANNOT ALL BE RIGHT. I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO SEEK THE LORD - STUDY THE WORD AND SEEK TO HAVE ALL THAT GOD HAS FOR YOU. CONSIDER THE THOUGHTS BELOW AND THE SCRIPTURE QUOTED BELOW THAT...

The Baptism in the Holy Spirit

All believers are entitled to and should ardently expect and earnestly seek the promise of the Father, the baptism in the Holy Spirit and fire, according to the command of our Lord Jesus Christ. This was the normal experience of all in the early Christian Church. With it comes the enduement of power for life and service, the bestowment of the gifts and their uses in the work of the ministry.

* Luke 24:49 [KJV/NIV]

* Acts 1:4 [KJV/NIV]

* Acts 1:8 [KJV/NIV]

* 1 Corinthians 12:1-31 [KJV/NIV]

This experience is distinct from and subsequent to the experience of the new birth.

* Acts 8:12-17 [KJV/NIV]

* Acts 10:44-46 [KJV/NIV]

* Acts 11:14-16 [KJV/NIV]

* Acts 15:7-9 [KJV/NIV]

With the baptism in the Holy Spirit come such experiences as:

*

an overflowing fullness of the Spirit, John 7:37-39 [KJV/NIV], Acts 4:8 [KJV/NIV]

*

a deepened reverence for God, Acts 2:43 [KJV/NIV], Hebrews 12:28 [KJV/NIV]

*

an intensified consecration to God and dedication to His work, Acts 2:42 [KJV/NIV]

*

and a more active love for Christ, for His Word and for the lost, Mark 16:20 [KJV/NIV]

The Initial Physical Evidence of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit

The baptism of believers in the Holy Spirit is witnessed by the initial physical sign of speaking with other tongues as the Spirit of God gives them utterance.

* Acts 2:4 [KJV/NIV]

The speaking in tongues in this instance is the same in essence as the gift of tongues, but is different in purpose and use.

* 1 Corinthians 12:4-10 [KJV/NIV]

* 1 Corinthians 12:28 [KJV/NIV]

1Co 12:4 Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

1Co 12:5 And there are diversities of ministrations, and the same Lord.

1Co 12:6 And there are diversities of workings, but the same God, who worketh all things in all.

1Co 12:7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit to profit withal.

1Co 12:8 For to one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom; and to another the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit:

1Co 12:9 to another faith, in the same Spirit; and to another gifts of healings, in the one Spirit;

1Co 12:10 and to another workings of miracles; and to another prophecy; and to another discernings of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; and to another the interpretation of tongues:

1Co 12:11 but all these worketh the one and the same Spirit, dividing to each one severally even as he will.

1Co 12:12 For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ.

[Iryssa]

*puts her hands over her ears protectively* good post...but do you have to yell?

[eric]

I would have to questian your remarks here hr.jr

God most certainly did not close the office of Apostle. God appointed 5 ministry offices. Apostle, Prophet, Pastor, teacher, EVangelist. All were neccessary then, and all are neccessary now. The problem is so many have made the office of apostle into something it is not. An apostle is merely a person who plants churhces and then oversees their pastors. An apostle does not have to be "super annointed" or anything.

Okay, where does the authority come from for "apostles", in this day and age.

We have lots of people of questionable bible knowledge, planting so called churches. Rick Warren for one. He has built a mega-church. That is only one instance and he's leading people up the garden path and publishing his bilge all over the world, Is he overseeing his pastors? surely you are not suggesting that Rick Warren is vested with the same authority as Paul, Peter, John , James et all. What about some of the episcopilian and some anglican and methodist churches, who are ordaining homosexual pastors, of either sex. Have they the same distinction to plant and oversee pastors. The five offices that are referred in Eph. applied to the new early churches, that were under the same stewardship as Paul and the aposles chosen by Christ Himself, not a bunch of arguing denominations as we have today.

Sorry, brother, I don't know of any apostle that has planted a church recently that hasn't done it, except for his own benifit. Anyone today can hire a school gym or such, call himself a pastor and start an assembly and call it a church. We need to go back to the drawing board and start over before the warrens and mclarens start more social clubs.

Didn't mean to rave, but the jws and the mormons are busy planting churches of the wrong kind and they say they are doing the Lord's work.

cheers.

[Iryssa]

We need to go back to the drawing board and start over before the warrens and mclarens start more social clubs.

hehehe....touch

[PBob]

*puts her hands over her ears protectively* good post...but do you have to yell?

IF IT SEEMS LIKE I WAS YELLING -NO - I AM VERY NEARSITED, GETTING OLDER AND FIND IT MUCH EASIER TO USE CAPS WHEN SUBMITTING POSTS EXCEPT FOR ITEMS THAT MAY BE CUT AND PASTED. SO FORGIVE ME BUT ALTHOUGH I AM NOT YELLING I AM CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS. FORGIVE ME FOR AN UNINTENDED OFFENSE.

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