Miracles Part III

Mark 16:17
So far, when looking at miracles we have seen that they served the purpose of confirming the word being spoken (Mark 16:17-18) and that they were passed on through the laying on of apostles hands (Acts 8:18). Last week we noted that there is no way that there are still living apostles because there is no one alive who can fulfill the requirements (Acts 1:21-22). For the sake of intellectual honesty, I would like to look at the two occasions of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. In the case of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, it was not necessary for this to happen by the laying on of the apostles hands, but it did happen to confirm the words being spoken. The first instance of the baptism of the Holy Spirit can be found in Acts 2 on the day of Pentecost. It is obvious that the baptism of the Holy Spirit here was necessary, otherwise those there would not believe what they were hearing. Even with the baptism of the Holy Spirit many were skeptical (Acts 2:13) and even mocked the apostles. The baptism of the Holy Spirit was not people falling out and rolling around on the ground, but rather it was a means of teaching people in their native tongue or language (Acts 2:4;8-11). Today people make a mockery of this event by claiming they are being baptized by the Holy Spirit and scream nonsensical words (not languages like the apostles did here) and start dancing or even worse falling out. NONE of that happened here. The baptism of the Holy Spirit as recorded in Acts 2 was a means of teaching those present in their native tongue so that they might 1) understand what was being spoken and 2) believe what was being taught (Acts 2:11&41). Had it not been for the baptism of the Holy Spirit it is possible that no one would have believed what was being taught. This was a joyous day that the Lord started and added three thousand souls to the church (Acts 2:41) but there were many there. There were untold tens of thousands, because this was a required feast day for all male Jews over the age of 20 (Lev. 23). Was the baptism of the Holy Spirit required for those attending to be saved? Absolutely not! (Acts 2:38) Simply for them to repent of their sins and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ unto the remission of sins and AFTER that they would received the indwelling of Holy Spirit (Acts 5:32). Next week we will look at the only other instance of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I love you all!
In His service,
Steven Hugley