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we have temporally suspended our ‘Free Print Book service’.
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Pray that this pandemic will end soon and the resumption of the postal service.
Pray that this pandemic will end soon and the resumption of the postal service.
Subject 8 : The Holy Spirit
[8-20] Those Who Have Experienced the Indwelling Of the Holy Spirit Guide Others to Also Receive The Holy Spirit (John 20:21-23)
(John 20:21-23)
“So Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace to you! As the Father has sent me, I also send you.’ And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.’”
What authority did the Lord give to the righteous?
He gave them the authority to forgive the sins of any through the gospel of the water and the Spirit.
He gave them the authority to forgive the sins of any through the gospel of the water and the Spirit.
John Chapter 20 contains a record of Jesus’ resurrection. Our Lord rose again from the dead and told His disciples, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” The disciples of Jesus received the indwelling of the Holy Spirit as a gift from Him. Jesus gave the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and eternal life to those who believed that His baptism and blood washed away all their sins. The Bible says the baptism of Jesus is the antitype of salvation, which means that His baptism saved all mankind from their sins (1 Peter 3:21).
Why was Jesus baptized?
Why was Jesus baptized by John? The answer to this question can be clearly seen from what Jesus said in Matthew 3:15, “Thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Here, “thus” means that Jesus took away all the sins of the world when He was baptized. His baptism was carried out in the same way that the laying on of hands was conducted in Old Testament times. The purpose of His baptism was to pass on the sins of the world to Jesus.
What is the meaning of “all righteousness”? What does the word “fitting” imply? “All righteousness” means that it was fitting for Jesus to take away the sins of the world through His baptism. And “fitting” implies that all this was the most appropriate and just way in the eyes of God.
Jesus took away all the sins of mankind through His baptism and purged them for all those who believed in Him. Jesus was baptized and crucified in judgment for their sins. This is the gospel of the remission of sin. The righteousness of God is the remission of sin that blotted out all the sins of sinners.
If people perceive the mystery of Jesus’ baptism as it is written in Matthew 3:13-17, they will be able to receive the remission of sins and also the Holy Spirit. What Jesus did in His public ministry — His baptism, crucifixion and resurrection — was to provide us with the righteous way toward salvation, as predestined by God. In this way, Jesus became the true Savior of all sinners. The gospel of His baptism and blood is that of salvation, which washed away all our sins.
People can receive the Holy Spirit only when they know and believe in the gospel of Jesus’ baptism and blood. Because the baptism of Jesus took away all the sins of the world, our sins were passed on to Him. His death on the Cross on behalf of mankind was my own death, and His resurrection my own resurrection. As such, Jesus’ baptism and blood on the Cross is the gospel of the remission of sin and of receiving the Holy Spirit.
I hope you learn the reason for Jesus’ baptism and have faith in the gospel. Then, your sins will be blotted out and you will receive the Holy Spirit. Why was Jesus baptized? It was to take away all the sins of the world. “Thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15). Amen, Hallelujah!
Today, some believe that speaking in tongues is evidence of receiving the Holy Spirit. However, the true evidence of it is the precious faith in the beautiful gospel engraved in the hearts of those who have truly received the Holy Spirit.
The Lord gave the authority to forgive sin to all righteous people
The Lord gave His disciples the authority to forgive sin, saying, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained” (John 20:23). This implies that when the disciples preached the gospel of the water and the Spirit, the sins of all who listened and believed were forgiven. However, this does not mean they could forgive the sins of anyone, regardless of their belief in the gospel of the water and the Spirit.
The disciples of Jesus have the authority to forgive the sins of any through the gospel of the water and the Spirit. Therefore, if they teach what is written, we must believe in it. You must believe that Jesus Christ gave you the gospel of the water and the Spirit in order to purge all your sins. Only then can you obtain the remission of sin and receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Jesus also gave us the power to save all people from their sins by preaching the gospel of the water and the Spirit.
The power of the rulers of the world
In the past, where I used to live, we had to take the bus over an unpaved road. People had to get off the bus at one point and push it up a hill. Once, the president of Korea came to the opening ceremony for a thermal power plant on that road. People welcomed the president by sweeping the road and placing trees along its side when they heard the news. When the day arrived, motorcycles guided the way and behind them came the president’s car. Crowds of people came out to greet him with national flags in their hands. It was said that the president remarked, “This road is too bumpy, it needs to be paved.” A few days later, the road was paved with asphalt.
What happened here? One passing remark from the president was enough to cause this drastic change in the road’s condition. A president’s command has such a great power. However, we are well aware that the gospel of the water and the Spirit granted to us by Christ is far more powerful. We must believe that this gospel has the power to free us from all our sins throughout our lives.
The true authority to forgive sins
“If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” The disciples of Jesus preached the gospel that all their sins were forgiven. They told the people, “Jesus blotted out all the sins of the world with His baptism and blood. There is nothing to worry about. Although you are destined to sin in the future, Jesus already took away all your daily sins and bled for you on the Cross after being baptized by John. Jesus saved you! You must believe it!”
Sinners were given redemption by hearing and believing the gospel of the water and the Spirit through Jesus’ disciples. Jesus granted His disciples the authority to forgive sin through the gospel of the water and the Spirit. Because Jesus’ disciples preached the gospel of the water and the Spirit to all the people of the world, believers could receive the remission of sin. Jesus granted them this gift along with the authority to forgive sin.
Many people have read the books I have previously published, and they have been saved from their sins after reading them. Some admitted their realization that the reason Jesus died on the Cross was the result of His baptism to take away all the sins of the world, quoting, “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities” (Isaiah 53:5).
After His resurrection, Jesus said to His disciples, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained” (John 20:22-23). Jesus granted them the authority to forgive people’s sins.
We were bound by confusion, emptiness and sin before we believed in this truth. However, now that we have faith in Jesus’ baptism and blood, and are free from sin, we are the ones to preach this gospel to others. Furthermore, our Lord gave His disciples peace. Our Lord also gave us peace and the blessing of the Holy Spirit, too. In order to receive peace and the Holy Spirit from God, we must receive the remission of sins by believing in Jesus’ baptism and blood on the Cross.
What frees us from sin is faith in the gospel of the water and the Spirit. This is the spiritual faith that brings us heavenly blessings. But arbitrary faith based on man’s own thoughts leads him to destruction. We must obtain redemption by believing in the gospel of the water and the Spirit and thus receive the Holy Spirit. In order to have such faith, we must forsake our earthly thoughts and turn our faith to the gospel of the water and the Spirit.
In order to have the faith needed to receive the Holy Spirit, one should accept the gospel that Jesus was baptized and crucified for us. The Lord provided us with the remission of sin, peace and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit because we believe in the gospel of the water and the Spirit. He gave His disciples the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the authority to forgive the sins of anyone who believed in the gospel of the water and the Spirit.
We also received the Holy Spirit by believing in this gospel. The gospel of the water and the Spirit has helped many others do the same. When we preach the gospel to our neighbors and to the world, those who take it to heart are granted the Holy Spirit. If the gospel that we preach cannot enable people to receive the Holy Spirit, it is not the true gospel. On the other hand, if the gospel we preach can lead them to receive the Holy Spirit, that gospel is genuine.
How blessed and thankful we should be to have such a gospel. The gospel that has been preached by you and me is such a perfect and elevated one. But unfortunately, it is hard to find a person who truly knows and believes in this gospel today. Therefore, we must preach the gospel all over the world. We must help people receive the Holy Spirit.
Those who are deluded by Satan into denying the gospel of the water and the Spirit
We are helping even those who already believe in Jesus. Many of them still haven’t received the Holy Spirit even though they believe in Jesus. So we help them by preaching the gospel and thus helping them receive the Holy Spirit.
If a man hasn’t received the Holy Spirit even though he believes in Jesus, there might be some problems in his belief. Only those who have received the Holy Spirit through their belief in Jesus can be regarded as people who possess the true faith. Therefore, we must all keep the faith that leads us to receive the Holy Spirit. We must know the gospel of the water and the Spirit, because only the truth of this gospel is what enables us to receive the Holy Spirit.
We preach the gospel of the water and the Spirit so that others can receive the Holy Spirit. However, those who preach the gospel are bound to encounter many difficulties. Some Christians think they can receive the Holy Spirit by making efforts over an extended period of time. They have many confusing experiences that are irrelevant to receiving the Holy Spirit. A lot of time and sacrifice is thus needed to enlighten them with the gospel of the water and the Spirit.
Who would not believe in the gospel of the water and the Spirit if everyone thought that one could receive the Holy Spirit through faith in this gospel? Satan deceived people with a different gospel before the true gospel came. Such people wonder what more there is to believe in when they already consider themselves to believe in the gospel of Jesus. Therefore, they come to deny and refuse the gospel of the water and the Spirit.
A lot of people in this day and age do not fully accept the true gospel of the water and the Spirit, for Satan has already blinded them. As a result, they think believing in Jesus is a simple task. However, coming to fully understand the truth of the gospel is not at all easy. The true gospel of the water and the Spirit is veiled by a false gospel.
People think that anyone can enter the Kingdom of Heaven if they attend church and profess that they believe in Jesus. Many believe that the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is granted through their own efforts, such as praying and fasting. However, such beliefs are far from the truth of receiving the Holy Spirit. They think that speaking in tongues and other miracles are signs of receiving the Holy Spirit.
Thus, they scarcely understand that in order to receive the Holy Spirit, it is necessary to believe in the true gospel of the water and the Spirit. However, the Bible says that one can receive the Holy Spirit only by believing in the word of God. God concealed the mystery of receiving the Holy Spirit in His words.
Those who want the indwelling of the Holy Spirit
I once went to Taiwan with some of our workers. People there asked us for books on the Holy Spirit. The same thing happened in Japan and Russia. The reason so many people want books on the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is that the people of today so eagerly want to receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Many people believe in Jesus and are at times unsure whether they have truly received the Holy Spirit, because they don’t have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
There are plenty of people who believe in Jesus and claim that they have received the Holy Spirit. However, people who have received the Holy Spirit permanently and for eternity are scarce. Many people are unable to do so despite their faith in Jesus, and that is why they yearn to do it now.
Among Christians of the world, there are many people who think they have experienced the Holy Spirit. Some say they have encountered Jesus in their dreams, and some claim they have the Holy Spirit within them because they have experienced the casting out of demons. As such, there are many people whose faith is based on personal experience. However, seldom have people like this truly received the indwelling of the Holy Spirit through faith in the gospel of the water and the Spirit.
I once thought it strange that there weren’t books in this world on achieving the indwelling of the Holy Spirit through faith in the pure gospel of the water and the Spirit. Many people talk about their experiences with the Holy Spirit, but why aren’t there books on the indwelling of the Holy Spirit? Such books are hard to find, even if you look far and wide throughout the world.
Those who incorrectly insist that they have received the Holy Spirit claim that they have even met Jesus in person and have visited the Kingdom of Heaven and hell. They insist that Jesus said, “You have come ahead of time. You have much left to accomplish in your world, so hurry back to where you belong.” Such an experience is not impossible. However, could the Jesus that they encountered be the real Jesus? Would Jesus have met them when they still had sin in their hearts? Does Jesus abide within a sinner?
It’s true that most Christians today don’t have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit even though they maintain a degree of faith in Jesus. Therefore we, the ones who have the Holy Spirit within us, must spread the gospel that will lead others to receive this gift. Everyone needs to receive the Holy Spirit, and in order to do so, faith in the gospel of the water and the Spirit is essential. For only by believing in the gospel can one receive the Holy Spirit. Through the gospel of the truth that we all know, we can receive the gift of the Holy Spirit from God.
We must all thank and praise the Lord for giving us the gospel of the water and the Spirit. I have experienced the joy of the Holy Spirit while He prevailed on me to write this book. When this book is published, many people will receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit through their faith in the gospel of the water and the Spirit. “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” (Acts 19:2) said Paul to the would-be disciples in Ephesus.
We all must receive the Holy Spirit. Christians worldwide are especially interested in receiving the Holy Spirit at this turbulent time in world history. I am preaching the biblical way to receive the Holy Spirit, just as the Holy Spirit guides me to do. To live a satisfactory life, you must believe in the truth of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. For it is your last chance to receive the Holy Spirit deep in your heart.
I feel compelled to spread the gospel that helps everyone receive the Holy Spirit because Jesus Christ gave me the gospel of the water and the Spirit and bequeathed me with the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The Gentiles must also have faith in the gospel of the water and the Spirit
The Bible relates how Jesus’ disciples let others receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Even the Gentiles had to keep the same faith as the disciples in order to receive the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, the Gentiles in particular needed to have faith in the gospel of the water and the Spirit, which the disciples had, in order to enter the world of God. Therefore we, who are Gentiles, must also believe in the true gospel in order to receive the Holy Spirit. God sent Peter to Cornelius, who was a Gentile, in order that he would be enlightened with the gospel of the water and the Spirit, which is necessary for receiving the Holy Spirit.
The Jewish believers were astonished to hear that the gift of the Holy Spirit also had been poured out on the Gentiles. When Peter returned to the church of Jerusalem after preaching the gospel of the water and the Spirit, those who were circumcised criticized him. “You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!” (Acts 11:3) But Peter explained everything to them from the beginning.
His explanation is well contained in Acts 11:5-17. “I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, an object descending like a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came to me. When I observed it intently and considered, I saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ But I said, ‘Not so, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth.’ But the voice answered me again from heaven, ‘What God has cleansed you must not call common.’ Now this was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven. At that very moment, three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent to me from Caesarea. Then the Spirit told me to go with them, doubting nothing. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house, who said to him, ‘Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon whose surname is Peter, who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved.’ And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning. Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?”
Peter said that he did not only go in to uncircumcised men and eat with them, he also told them the gospel thanks to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. When they heard these things they became silent, and they glorified God, who granted repentance and life to all of them - Cornelius, his relatives and his close friends.
The apostolic gospel for receiving the Holy Spirit
What is the grave mission of apostles?
Preaching the gospel of the water and the Spirit in order for them to receive the Holy Spirit.
Preaching the gospel of the water and the Spirit in order for them to receive the Holy Spirit.
Did the Apostles really preach the gospel of the water and the Spirit? We must first confirm whether the apostle Peter believed in the gospel of the water and the Spirit. In the Bible, Peter said, “There is also an antitype which now saves us – baptism” (1 Peter 3:21). The apostle Peter truly believed that Jesus saved all sinners from their sins when He was baptized and died on the Cross. He also believed that when Jesus was baptized (Matthew 3:15), all sins were passed on to Him, that He was crucified and later resurrected to save us all.
These days there are people who have the same faith as Peter. Those who preach the gospel of the water and the Spirit are the ones who preach the same gospel as Peter did. This truth suffices to allow listeners to receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
Just as many people received the Holy Spirit when Peter preached the gospel of the water and the Spirit, we also see people believe in the gospel and receive the Holy Spirit when we preach the same truth. A person does not receive the Holy Spirit by vaguely believing that one will go to heaven if he only believes in Jesus as his Lord, but rather by believing in the gospel of the water and the Spirit.
Peter once considered the Gentiles as little more than bugs that creep on the ground. According to the law, they were like unclean animals before Jesus was baptized, died on the Cross and was resurrected. However, even the Gentiles could be blessed with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit by believing in the gospel of the water and the Spirit. So a voice spoke to Peter, saying, “What God has cleansed you must not call common” (Acts 10:15).
We, as Gentiles, were never able to receive the Holy Spirit but we can have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit by having faith in the gospel of the water and the Spirit. When we preach the gospel patiently to people full of their own thoughts, often we see them come to believe in the gospel and finally receive the Holy Spirit in the end. We may also see them confess that they have no sin in their hearts after coming to believe in Jesus’ baptism and blood. Only then does the Holy Spirit dwell within them.
Our purpose in preaching this gospel is not merely to make others understand it, but to lead them to receive the Holy Spirit. The fact that those who believe in the gospel that we preach are forgiven for all their sins is very significant. And the fact that they receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit at the same time is even more important. We not only preach the gospel to the people of the world, but also take it a step further and lead them to receive the Holy Spirit at the same time.
We must preach the gospel of the water and the Spirit in this context to those who are in need of it. If we were to cease after merely preaching the gospel, the whole meaning of our labors would be lost. We must be aware that this gospel leads people to have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. When we preach the gospel bearing this in mind, the flames of the Holy Spirit will spread like wildfire over the whole world.
When an evangelist believes that this gospel can guide the people of the world to receive the Holy Spirit, he comes to feel keenly aware that his ministry is not simply about persuading people to believe in Jesus Christ, but is about helping them receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, it is very important for us to preach the gospel of the water and the Spirit at this time.
One needs only listen with his ears and believe with his heart in the gospel that we preach in order to receive the Holy Spirit. Clearly, the gospel that we are preaching has a great influence over people’s lives. The power of the gospel is the authority and blessing given by God.
Peter was an evangelist of the Jews, while Paul was that of the Gentiles. While Peter was praying on a housetop, he saw Heaven open and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners descended on him. In it were all kinds of unclean animals that the Bible said were forbidden to eat.
Peter had never eaten anything common or unclean. However, God ordered him to kill and eat them. Peter refused, saying, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean!” And a voice spoke to him, “What God have cleansed you must not call common.” What does this suggest? God is saying that Jesus washed away all the sins of the world, even of Gentiles, when He was baptized and died on the Cross.
The spiritual meaning of God’s order for him to kill and eat unclean animals was to teach Peter that even the Gentiles can become children of God by believing that Jesus was sent into this world, baptized to take away all our sins and crucified to be judged for them.
Peter was still following the regulations of the law instead of seeing them with the spiritual eyes of faith, even after receiving the Spirit. But Peter repented and believed that God had already washed away even the sins of the Gentiles. Peter came to realize the riches of the beautiful gospel more deeply. He saw the Holy Spirit fall on his listeners when he preached God’s words.
How could we discern whether the evangelists of today have received the Holy Spirit or not? It depends on whether they accept the gospel of the water and the Spirit. The person who believes in the beautiful gospel as it is when an evangelist preaches the words of God has received the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit that dwells in the heart of the evangelist also comes to dwell in him. The evangelist and the listener will come to have fellowship with one another like childhood friends. They will see the love of God abide in each other. The evangelist will see the listener become one of God’s people by accepting the gospel of the water and the Spirit.
When we preach the gospel, we can see the Holy Spirit descend on believers as soon as they believe in the gospel of the water and the Spirit. It is not a separate experience from salvation. That is the primary reason why we must preach the gospel of the water and the Spirit. The gospel that we preach is one that leads others to receive the Holy Spirit.
Those who have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit are children of God. The gospel of the water and the Spirit is not a theoretical doctrine of a denomination, and therefore when we preach this to others, they come to have faith, receive the Holy Spirit and become children of God. How great a blessing this is! What an amazing gospel! And how marvelous His work is! Those who preach the gospel of the water and the Spirit help build the Kingdom of God. We merely preach the gospel, but they receive the Holy Spirit.
Some people think believing in Jesus is one thing and receiving the Holy Spirit is another. Therefore, Christians still pray for the Holy Spirit. However, the Bible says that the Holy Spirit comes upon those when they listen and believe in the gospel preached by His servants. People all around the world are craving the Holy Spirit. The gospel that we preach leads them to satisfy their desire. That is why we have the responsibility to spread the gospel all over the world. We are children of the Father and His heirs, who are faithful to His Great Commission.
We must preach the gospel with faith while keeping in mind that our mission is to allow people to receive the Holy Spirit. The gospel of the water and the Spirit is something evangelists must truly believe in before preaching it to others. Then their listeners will receive the Holy Spirit through their faith in the gospel. In this way, we can breathe the eternal life into all those who believe in the gospel. Our goal is to have them delivered from the power of darkness and conveyed into the Kingdom of God. Evangelists transfer sinners destined to die under the power of darkness into the Kingdom of the Son of God. It is a very important work to transform sinners into children of God.
Many people do not know the key to receiving the Holy Spirit and try to receive Him with their own effort. However, this will prove to be in vain. Only the faith in the gospel is needed, for the faith frees one from all sins.
How did you receive the Holy Spirit? Through prayer? Or perhaps through the laying on of hands? No, that is not the way. We receive the Holy Spirit only when we believe in the gospel of the water and the Spirit. We must pray and preach the gospel so that all the people of the world can receive the Holy Spirit.
The word “apostle” means “one who is sent by God.” What do apostles do? They preach the gospel of the water and the Spirit so that people can receive the Holy Spirit. Wouldn’t you like to take up this job as well along with us? We all must have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and preach it to all people. Hallelujah! Praise the absolute truth of the gospel that the Lord gave us to receive the Holy Spirit!
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Copyright © 2021 by The New Life Mission