Born of the Spirit
A
new command I give you: Love one another as I have loved you, so you must love
one another.
.
It is absolutely
essential that we fulfil this commandment if we wish to be united to Christ and
to the Father. But how can we Love Christ in the same manner He loved
us? For man this is impossible. The only way it can be possible is
if the Holy Spirit dwells within us.
Likewise
the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should
pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with
groanings that words cannot express.
Romans 8:26. ...
the Love of GOD has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was
given to us.
Romans 5:5.
Not
only does the Spirit make intercession for us, it also gives us the ability to
Love as GOD Loves. So it is GOD within us who Loves the GOD of Heaven
outside of us, and our fellow man, on our behalf.
Those who do not possess the Holy Spirit will never be able to Love as Christ
Loves, neither GOD nor their fellow man, therefore we must ask the Father for the
Holy Spirit fervently! ...
how much more will your Heavenly Father give
the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!
Luke11:13.
Once again we see the great Love of GOD manifested, for GOD does not keep Love
all to Himself. Indeed this first and most fundamental attribute which GOD
is - Love - He gives to us. Since GOD is Love, when GOD gives us Love, He
is giving us Himself.
Baptism
of Water and Spirit
The
Bible speaks of two Baptisms. One of Water, One of the Spirit. Jesus
said: Most
assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of Water and the Spirit, he
cannot enter the Kingdom of GOD.
John 3:5.
What
is the difference between baptism of Water and baptism of the Spirit? Baptism
of Water cleanses us from Sin. Baptism of the Spirit rebirths us. Many
Christians believe if they receive the baptism of Water, they receive the
baptism of the Holy Spirit also. This is wrong. If we read the story of
John the Baptist, we will see that he baptised with water alone. I
baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is
mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize
you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Matthew 3:11. Note:
Water baptism is a baptism
of REPENTANCE. John
came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the
remission of sins. Then all the land of Judea, and those from Jerusalem,
went out to him and were all baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing
their sins.
Mark 1:4-5.
If Water baptism alone
was sufficient then baptism of the Holy Spirit would not be required. The
fact that it is required, indicates to us that Water baptism alone is
insufficient. It
happened that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having passed through the
upper country, came to Ephesus, and found certain disciples. He said to
them: Did
you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?
They said to him: No,
we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.
So Paul asked: Then
what baptism did you receive?
John's
baptism
they replied.
Paul said: John's
baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the
one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.
When they heard this, they were baptized into the name of the LORD Jesus.
When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke
in tongues and prophesied.
Acts 19:1-6. So
the baptism of Water and the baptism of the Spirit are two separate events.
Water baptism is done by man. Baptism of the Holy Spirit is done by GOD.
Jesus therefore said
to them: Peace
be to you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.
When He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them: Receive
the Holy Spirit.
John 20:21-22.
Note: the Holy Spirit was NOT received by
Water baptism. It was received by the breath of GOD, or the laying on of
hands.
Water baptism does NOT change the inner nature of
man. Spirit baptism does. Thus we are only born-again if we are
baptised of the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who rebirths us in the
image of Christ and empowers us to
live in GOD's will. Many
Christians today live ineffective Christian lives because, although they are
baptised of Water, they are not baptised of the Spirit.
Water baptism comes first
because GOD does not dwell in an unclean vessel. But
in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood
and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone
cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and
useful for the Master, prepared for every good.
2 Timothy 2:21.
Born-Again
of the Spirit to be sons
of GOD
And
because you are sons, GOD has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts,
crying out: Abba
Father!
Galatians 4:6.
The Holy Spirit in us is proof that we are the sons of GOD.
That makes us heirs with Christ. Note: we are NOT equal heirs with Christ,
we are joint-heirs. That means we share
in everything He
owns.
Christ stated that both baptisms of Water and Spirit are required in order that we
be able to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. The Kingdom of Heaven is sometimes
used as a metaphor for GOD. Now
when He was asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of GOD would come, He
answered them and said: The
Kingdom of GOD does not come with observation, nor will they say: See
here!
or See
there!
For he Kingdom of GOD is within you.
Luke 17:20-21. Here
Jesus was referring to the Holy Spirit. If
anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will
come to him and make Our home with him.
John 14:23.
Here Jesus refers to the Father and Himself - the Trinity dwelling within us is
the fullness of the Kingdom of Heaven.
We know we are born-again because the Holy Spirit dwells in us. What are
the external signs that the Holy Spirit dwells within us? A person born of
the Spirit bears the fruits of the Spirit.
The
9 Fruits of the Holy Spirit are:
1. Love
2. Peace
3. Joy
4. Patience
5. Kindness
6. Goodness
7. Faithfulness
8. Gentleness
9. Self-control
(Galatians
5:22-23).
These
fruits
of the Spirit are not to be confused with the gifts of the Spirit.
The
9 Gifts of the Holy Spirit are:
1. Wisdom
2. Knowledge
3. Faith
4. Healing
5. Miracles
6. Prophecy
7. Discernment of spirits
8. Speaking in Tongues
9. Interpretation of Tongues
(1 Corinthians 12:8-10).
For
a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.
Luke 6:43. Jesus
told us that His Disciples would be known by their fruits,
NOT
by their gifts. Why? Because Satan can duplicate the gifts of the
Spirit, but he cannot duplicate the fruits of the Spirit. In other words,
Satan can imitate the supernatural manifestations of the Spirit (the Gifts) but he
cannot imitate acts of kindness and love which are the fruits of the
Spirit.
Question: If a person displays miraculous signs, such as having the
Stigmata on their hands and feet, is it a miracle of GOD? No,
miracles by themselves don't prove Divine manifestation - not unless the person
manifests the fruits of the Spirit in their life also. For
every tree is known by it's own fruit. For men do not gather figs from
thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.
Luke
6:44.
