Amen.
It depends on your understanding of the word "baptize". If you view it as a one time dunk or laying on of hands then I would agree that a baptism like that after salvation is probably not correct. It, at least, doesn't seem to follow the way God worked in the Hebrews when He Saved them out of Egypt...
But, if you look at baptize as immersion, such as being immersed in the word of God, or being immersed in the Holiness of God, I think you can see that we are drawn deeper and deeper into all the things of God after our realization of Salvation. And so the Holy Spirit absolutely does continue to baptize the saved believer all throughout their walk with the Lord.
And there absolutely is that one BIG TIME (at least one) that God shows His Power to the believer after Salvation so that the believer ABSOLUTELY knows it is God who Sanctifies him/her.
You were probably just talking about the Pentecostal/Charismatic laying on of hands as the second Baptism of the Holy Spirit. This point is a little tricky. It takes faith in the Lord to ask Him for His Gifts. If the laying on of hands contributed to that faith that caused the believer to ask the Lord for His continued Blessing then it is not really for us to take away from this instrument that God uses.
Just like water baptism. Maybe it doesn't do anything but get a person wet. But maybe, for some, it gives them that extra bit of faith that causes them to come to the Lord and receive Rest.
And on the other hand some people might think they are saved by what these men have done. Baptising in water and laying on of hands. Maybe they go about doing whatever they want because they think they are saved because that is what they are told. And they never come to the Lord Jesus to receive Rest and Blessing.
That's the part that I think you are fighting against. But its like the servants who wanted to pull up the tares. They were told not to because it would destroy the wheat along with it. The Lord will take care of who are His.
It depends on your understanding of the word "baptize". If you view it as a one time dunk or laying on of hands then I would agree that a baptism like that after salvation is probably not correct. It, at least, doesn't seem to follow the way God worked in the Hebrews when He Saved them out of Egypt...
But, if you look at baptize as immersion, such as being immersed in the word of God, or being immersed in the Holiness of God, I think you can see that we are drawn deeper and deeper into all the things of God after our realization of Salvation. And so the Holy Spirit absolutely does continue to baptize the saved believer all throughout their walk with the Lord.
And there absolutely is that one BIG TIME (at least one) that God shows His Power to the believer after Salvation so that the believer ABSOLUTELY knows it is God who Sanctifies him/her.
You were probably just talking about the Pentecostal/Charismatic laying on of hands as the second Baptism of the Holy Spirit. This point is a little tricky. It takes faith in the Lord to ask Him for His Gifts. If the laying on of hands contributed to that faith that caused the believer to ask the Lord for His continued Blessing then it is not really for us to take away from this instrument that God uses.
Just like water baptism. Maybe it doesn't do anything but get a person wet. But maybe, for some, it gives them that extra bit of faith that causes them to come to the Lord and receive Rest.
And on the other hand some people might think they are saved by what these men have done. Baptising in water and laying on of hands. Maybe they go about doing whatever they want because they think they are saved because that is what they are told. And they never come to the Lord Jesus to receive Rest and Blessing.
That's the part that I think you are fighting against. But its like the servants who wanted to pull up the tares. They were told not to because it would destroy the wheat along with it. The Lord will take care of who are His.
The second word refers to dipping and not submerging like a sunken ship. This word is commonly associated with water baptism. When believers refer to Holy Spirit baptism they ought to know that it is a one time immersion without ever returning to the prior state. That being the fact there can only be one true baptism of the Holy Spirit. The other word where many confuse baptism is really filling in the original manuscripts. I attribute this to simple lazy exegesis of the word of God.
Filling and baptism are not the same. There is one baptism and many fillings if we allow the Lord to use us to minister in His name. Our one baptism is unto eternal life. The many fillings are for service and sanctification.
My fear is that there are many more tares than wheat in what is supposed to be the church. My hope is that they are the seed that fell in among the thorns and simply are not able to grow to maturity.
For the cause of Christ
Roger
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