Day Five — The Spirit Baptized Church LEGALISM, WORKS, - TopicsExpress

Day Five — The Spirit Baptized Church LEGALISM, WORKS, GOODNESS — NO-NO-NO SALVATION IS A SPIRITUAL WALK It’s been staring me in the face for years but yet not discernible. I’m pretty sure that many readers will recognize this very same state. It’s much more than the warm fuzzy feeling that we get whenl around some brothers and sisters, or the glory cloud experience at an anointed service. Spirit-baptized means a permanently abiding presence that envelopes our lives. It can be described as the sweet savor of life unto life. (See II Corinthians 2:16) Some who profess Christianity have Spirit baptism and others don’t. For over twenty-six years I’ve been acutely aware of two (and only two) different responses to Jesus Christ. I’m not referring to denomination differences, doctrinal differences, or temperament-style differences. This assessment of individual responses to God is not affected by what man can do or invent; this is all from Heaven. Man’s only input is to allow full reception or restrict the intensity level. My purpose here today is to shine the light of Biblical truth upon the critical need in this current culture that all true Christians be “light bearers.” Ordinary, compromised religion may produce works associated with salvation; true salvation produces light into a darkened world. I’ve experienced a group of worshipers who we’ll call “Type A” believers. The distinguishing characteristic of Type A is that all members (and this fact is key) reflect active contact with Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost. They are unto God (and to this world) a sweet savor of Christ. (See II Corinthians 2: 15) What are these characteristics of that sweet savor? For these type A’s, there seems to be no reluctance to discuss what others might call the hard topics. Familiarity and comfort; that’s the distinguishing mark. My desire today is to help loosen our thinking and enter into the comfort zone. As a beginning, let’s just use the name Holy Ghost as opposed to Holy Spirit as a small test sample. Does the name "Holy Ghost" seem offensive? I use the name Holy Ghost because that’s the name John the Baptist, Jesus Christ, and Paul used. Matthew 3:11: "I indeed baptize with water unto repentance, but He that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and fire." Then Jesus stated in Acts 1:5, "For John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence." Acts 19: 2: "Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?" Okay, the name Holy Ghost has been established; what about that other term that was mentioned; “baptized in or with the Holy Ghost”? Shouldn’t we just assume, without more lengthy discussion and evidence, that these three scriptures were all talking about basic and even ordinary Spirit baptized Christians? Spirit baptism is just basic “real deal” Christianity. Spirit baptism is so much bigger and more vital to the true church than the shallow interpretation of those who speak in tongues. Hey, let me settle this matter; tongues (or prayer language) is something I’ve experienced and practice but “Spirit baptism” is so much more. It’s high time that we believers rescue this most basic of meanings from the ranks of the over zealous. Equally damaging are those who would water down Spirit-baptisms reality into dead religion. So let’s just become comfortable with these terms. We’ve allowed religion to distract us for too long. Type A Christians are the ones who say and do the things that the Bible says that Christians say and do. Okay, that’s Type A, what about Type B? The Bible is not a book written about the “heathen,” it is written about two peoples, the true believers who are God’s called and chosen, and those who follow God from a religious perspective. There are those witnessing one,s and then there are those who appear to be more reserved, more measured and measuring. A great lesson can be learned from Scripture about proper responsiveness at the presence of the Holy Ghost. But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice saying; “Ye men of Judea, and all that dwell in Jerusalem, be this known unto you and harken unto my words: For these men are not drunken as ye suppose, but this is that which was spoken unto you by the prophet Joel." (Acts 2: 14-16 paraphrase) “This is That”--what you see exhibited at the presence of the anointing is exactly what happens to individuals who receive the Holy Ghost. This is common response to the Holy Ghost within people. Sometimes this might look or sound foolish to outsiders.The Book of Acts never suggested snake handling or pew jumping; nor are these things legitimate today. I’ve seen, however, the Holy Ghost set the feet of Methodist volunteers dancing at Kairos Prison Ministry worship services in state prisons. The Holy Ghost energizes us and gets us moving. The most important point that I’ll make today and the one if missed will mean failure to this entire message is: The impact of God’s impartation within a life is that which saves us. It is God’s impartation. Did we get it? It has always been God, not us. This impartation results in noticeable change that is far more than merely going to church, doing good works, and being a nice person.