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Subject 8 : The Holy Spirit
[8-4] Those Who Have the Same Faith as the Disciples of Jesus (Acts 3:19)
(Acts 3:19)
“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.”
What kind of faith did the disciples of Jesus have? |
They believed in the baptism Jesus received and the blood he shed on the cross as the truth of salvation. |
We can see that there is a great difference in the boldness of faith between the time when the disciples of Jesus had not yet received the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the time after they had received Him.
Their flesh did not change, but once they received the Holy Spirit, their entire lives were revealed in the light.
The region where I live is blessed with stunning mountains and waters. Observing these natural wonders fills me with a sense of abundant satisfaction and leads me to offer gratitude and worship to the Lord who created them.
The clear water of the lake subtly changes according to the flow of light, and especially the brilliance of the river that receives the light is as if sprinkled with golden dust, conveying that brilliance to my heart and its surroundings.
However, not all places are like this.
Although the heavenly light shines upon all the waters of the lake, only a few streams reflect its brilliance, while the rest appear as murky hues, disconnected from the radiant light.
As I look at such a lake, I am reminded of the remission of sins through the beautiful gospel given by the Lord and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within me, and I give thanks to the Lord.
Just as a river cannot shine by itself, we too, apart from the light of the Lord, would be lost and shaken in the mire of sin.
But because the Spirit of God dwells in me, I am revealed as a child of light, and that brilliant light is conveyed to all the people of the world.
In this way, by receiving the light of the Lord, all things in this world and we ourselves have been revealed in the light.
Likewise, the disciples of Jesus also became children of light and apostles of light after receiving the indwelling of the Holy Spirit—the gift of God—after Jesus was baptized, shed His blood, died, and rose again.
Because this light of the Holy Spirit is such a tremendous blessing for all people, many are seeking to receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
The Faith of the Apostle Paul
What kind of faith did the Apostle Paul have?
When the Apostle Paul gave his testimony, he said that he had been taught strictly according to the law of his ancestors under Gamaliel.
However, he confessed that by keeping the law, he could not be saved from all his sins, and instead, he had been a persecutor of Jesus, the Savior of mankind.
But he said that he met Jesus on the road to Damascus and became a preacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Paul’s faith was this: he believed that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was born on this earth, received baptism from John and washed away all the sins of the world, and shed His blood on the Cross to bear judgment for all the sins of the world.
By believing this, Paul had the faith of one who had received the remission of his sins in his heart.
The disciples of Jesus believed that the baptism Jesus received from John and the blood on the Cross were for the removal of their sins.
Likewise, Paul was one who had the same faith as the disciples and was saved from all sin.
In Galatians 3:27, Paul made a confession of faith that believed in the baptism Jesus received as his own salvation: “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”
And Peter also testified to the beautiful gospel of salvation in 1 Peter 3:21, saying, “There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism.”
The disciples of Jesus had this faith—that the baptism Jesus received from John washed away all the sins of the world.
Because they believed in this true gospel and had their sins removed, they no longer needed to live under the law.
The disciples of Jesus had a faith that combined belief in Jesus’ baptism and His blood on the Cross.
This belief is evident even in choosing Jesus’ disciples. In Acts 1:21-22 it says,
“Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”
As this passage shows, in order to become a disciple of Jesus, faith in the baptism Jesus received from John was the starting point.
The truth that is absolutely necessary for us to receive the remission of sins from the sins of the world is that we must know the baptism Jesus received from John and believe in the blood of the Cross.
“For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Galatians 3:27).
The faith of the Apostle Paul was also a faith that believed in the baptism Jesus received from John and in the blood He shed on the Cross.
Let us look at Titus 3:5,
“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.”
Here, the phrase “washing of regeneration” refers to how all the sins of the people of this world were washed away when Jesus Christ received baptism from John.
In this way, for you to receive the washing of all your sins, you also need the faith that believes in the beautiful gospel—that your sins were passed on to Jesus through baptism by John.
The reason Jesus was crucified and shed His blood was because He had already taken upon Himself all the sins of the world through His baptism from John.
Therefore, by believing in this beautiful gospel fulfilled by Jesus, we become qualified to fully receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
The Apostle Paul also confessed that his faith was a faith that believed in the baptism Jesus received from John and in the blood He shed on the Cross.
Hebrews 10:21-22 says:
“Having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”
The phrase “washed with pure water” here refers to the baptism Jesus received from John, through which He took on and washed away the sins of the world.
The “water” in the baptism Jesus received from John speaks of the beautiful gospel that washes away all the filth from a person’s heart.
Thus, the core message of both the Old and New Testaments is centered on faith established through Jesus’ baptism by John and His blood shed on the cross. Therefore, you must also have faith like that of Paul.
Today, many people who believe in Jesus do so without knowing that the sins of the world were washed away through the baptism Jesus received from John.
Some theologians say that they must be baptized themselves in order to have their sins washed away.
This is spoken out of ignorance of the beautiful gospel of water and the Spirit recorded in the Bible.
It is not by being baptized in the name of Jesus that a person’s sins are washed away, but it is the baptism Jesus received from John and His blood that washes away all the sins of the world.
Only those who believe in this beautiful gospel can be cleansed from all the sins of the world, and by believing in the blood of Jesus, they have received judgment for all their sins.
Only those who have this faith can receive the Holy Spirit.
“Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:22).
The writer of Hebrews urges us to draw near to God with a true heart and full assurance of faith. You also must come to God by believing in this perfect and beautiful gospel.
Today, many believers in Jesus earnestly desire the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. However, the Holy Spirit dwells only in those whose sins have been removed through faith, leaving their hearts free from sin.
However, many do not know this, and thus, without having the faith in the beautiful gospel of Jesus’ baptism and blood, they try to receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
Even if a person believes in Jesus, if he does not hold in his heart the faith that believes in the baptism Jesus received and the blood He shed on the Cross, he cannot receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
The reason is that his heart is not clean and still has sin.
The Apostle Paul received the indwelling of the Holy Spirit by believing in the baptism Jesus received from John and His blood on the Cross, and he preached this gospel.
For this, he was persecuted and called a ringleader of heresy.
However, because the Holy Spirit dwelled in his heart, he was able to proclaim the gospel of the water and the Spirit to the end.
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).
He carried out his ministry through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, lived by the help of the Holy Spirit, and went to the arms of the Lord.
Only those who have the same faith as Paul can receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
Let us look at Paul’s faith.
In Colossians 2:12 it says, “Buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.”
Here, the faith of the Apostle Paul was a faith that believed in the beautiful gospel—being cleansed of sins through faith in Jesus who was baptized by John.
How Has Christianity Changed Today?
Now, let us listen to the testimony of a sister who, in Christ Jesus, received the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and became a disciple.
【I used to attend many prayer gatherings, hoping to receive an answer from God in prayer because I was unable to have children for a long time. Even when I was alone at home, I would pray for an hour or two each day, and this religious routine became part of my daily life.
During this period, I met an elderly woman who lived alone.
She told me that if I wanted to ask God for a child, I should receive the laying on of hands. Since I had heard that she was someone who delivered messages from God, I allowed her to lay hands on me.
At that moment, I experienced strange phenomena that I had never encountered before.
My tongue began to roll, and I started speaking in tongues. A hot, unknown force lifted me up.
I took these experiences as evidence that the Holy Spirit had come upon me, and I believed it was proof that God had answered my prayers.
The woman who laid hands on me claimed to have the gifts of prophecy, interpretation, spiritual vision, and healing.
Though she had never learned the Word of God, she was leading many pastors and intellectuals to receive the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands, relying solely on this power of the Holy Spirit.
From then on, I became even more fervent and began to seek out these kinds of meetings more actively. One of the meetings I attended was called the ‘Holy Spirit Renewal Movement’.
While praying in that gathering, I began to feel vibrations and tremors in my body.
My heart grew warm, and I began to feel overwhelming love for God and my neighbors.
Not only I, but many others at the gathering began to fall backward, and speaking in tongues erupted among them.
Among the attendees were people possessed by demons, and the leader of the gathering cast out demons in front of us.
This Charismatic Renewal Movement was a gathering where such phenomena as trembling, prophecy, exorcism, and speaking in tongues occurred and were imparted to others.
However, despite all these manifestations of power, there was still sin in my heart. Because of that sin, my heart remained fearful and empty.
So whenever I prayed, I tried hard to resolve the issue of my sin through prayer, but sin was always in my heart.
I could only confess, ‘God, I am a sinner.’
Nevertheless, people would say I was like an angel and even gave me the nickname ‘Angel Girl.’
Because of that, I thought all these experiences were works of God.
But absolutely not. Because of these supernatural experiences, I almost failed to receive the Holy Spirit.
Afterward, I met those who preach the beautiful gospel of water and the Spirit, and through faith in God’s Word, all my sins were removed from my heart.
Now, I am incredibly happy. I have become someone who believes in the beautiful gospel of water and the Spirit and has received the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. I thank God.
I hope that all Christians around the world will come to know and believe in this beautiful gospel and receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Thank you, Lord.】
Through this sister’s testimony, we have come to understand that the gospel of water and the Spirit is essential for a person to receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
To have all their sins removed, one must absolutely believe in the baptism Jesus received from John.
Let us look at Ephesians 4:5, “One Lord, one faith, one baptism.”
Here, it says there is one Lord and one baptism that we believe in. We must all believe that Jesus’ baptism by John and His blood are the truth that enables us to receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
Without this belief, it is impossible to receive the Holy Spirit.
In the past, there were those who taught and believed that they could receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit through holiness movements.
But can a person truly receive the Holy Spirit through holiness movements? Has the indwelling of the Holy Spirit come into your heart through such movements?
If holiness movements could genuinely lead to receiving the Holy Spirit, then it would be reasonable to have such faith.
However, if this method were effective, Jesus would not have needed to come to this earth to take away sinners’ sins by being baptized by John or shed His blood on the cross.
The faith required to receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is based on knowing, understanding, and believing in Jesus’ baptism and His blood as the gospel that removes sin from our hearts.
The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is a gift from God given to those whose hearts are free from sin through faith in Jesus’ baptism and His blood.
Nowadays, among those involved in Holy Spirit movements, there are people who firmly believe that thorough repentance prayers alone can lead to receiving the Holy Spirit.
They claim that even if someone has sin in their heart, they can still receive the Holy Spirit simply by offering thorough repentance prayers.
This faith is also the faith of those who follow the Holy Spirit Movement.
The Holy Spirit movement, which has spread worldwide today, began in the 1800s in the United States during a time when ethics and morality were collapsing under the wave of the Industrial Revolution, and people’s hearts began to feel impoverished due to economic depression.
From that time, faith centered on the Word began to wane, and a new faith movement emerged.
This movement of the “Holy Spirit” aimed to experience the Spirit of God physically in the flesh—to see God’s works with one’s eyes and feel the power of all the words in the Bible through the body and the mind.
However, the error of this movement lies in its gradual departure from God’s Word, evolving into a faith that desires physical blessings.
As a result, everyone who followed this kind of belief ultimately became believers whose faith was no different from shamanism.
Even now, those caught up in the Holy Spirit movement believe in a religion where faith in Jesus brings wealth, healing from sickness, success in all things, receiving the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues, and performing miraculous healings.
This fanatical charismatic movement has spread across the world.
Consequently, this movement has committed the error of hindering and obstructing people from believing in the beautiful gospel and receiving the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
Modern Christianity has existed for about 500 years since the time of Luther and Calvin.
However, even to this day, there has been no biblically established doctrine within Christianity regarding the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
The reason for this is that people have believed in Jesus without knowing that He was baptized by John—the High Priest of humanity—and that He shed His blood on the cross.
As a result, Christianity has continued to emphasize its flawed doctrines and experiences rather than true faith in Jesus.
Now, all Christians must believe in the beautiful gospel—that Jesus was baptized by John, took on the sins of the world, and was nailed to the Cross to blot out all sins—and receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
The reason Christianity has become desolate today is that it has neglected the truth contained in ‘the baptism Jesus received from John’ and His blood shed on the cross.
Jesus said, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32).
Believing in both Jesus’ baptism by John and His blood on the cross as our truth for salvation is what it means to believe in the gospel of water and the Spirit.
If you want to receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, you must believe that when John baptized Jesus, all your sins were passed onto Him, and that through the Lord’s precious blood, He received judgment in your place.
Only by believing this and receiving the removal of your sins can you receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
However, many Christians still believe only in Jesus’ blood as the gospel of salvation for the remission of sins.
But can you remove the sins of your conscience by believing only in Jesus’ blood?
Are you perhaps vaguely aware of Jesus’ baptism by John but neglecting its significance?
If so, the sins of the world will remain in your heart.
You must believe in both Jesus’ baptism and His blood on the cross as one to be saved, to have no sin in your heart, and to receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
Therefore, we must understand that the baptism Jesus received from John and His blood on the Cross were the wisdom of God given to remove your sins.
The reason why sin remains in the hearts of those who believe in Jesus is their lack of knowledge about Him—they do not know or believe in the beautiful gospel that came through Jesus’ baptism by John and His blood on the cross.
When people know and believe this gospel, their hearts are cleansed of sin, and simultaneously, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit comes upon them.
The moment people realize that their sins have been removed from their hearts through faith in Jesus’ baptism and His blood on the cross, waves of peace begin to flow gently in their hearts.
From the time the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within them, rivers of peace govern their hearts.
Now that we believe this truth, we have met the Lord and, following the guidance of the Holy Spirit, share with others the gospel of salvation that brings them the Holy Spirit.
Never before have our hearts been so serene.
Since believing in the gospel of sin removal through water and the Spirit, our entire lives have been filled with ripples of peace, and perfect joy has arisen in our hearts.
We cannot forget this beautiful gospel.
The Holy Spirit always dwells within us, enabling us to proclaim this gospel of truth and helping those who believe to receive the Holy Spirit.
Because we believed in this beautiful gospel accomplished through Jesus’ baptism by John and His blood on the cross, we were able to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Now you too must believe in Jesus’ baptism and His blood on the cross to receive the Holy Spirit—if you truly desire to receive Him.
All people around the world will receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit by believing in God’s written Word: that Jesus took on all sins through His baptism by John, bore them to the cross, was nailed there, and received judgment for all sins.
This sermon is also available in ebook format. Click on the book cover below.
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