1 have heard you say that every be liever is baptized with the Spirit. Will you please tell me your authority for such a statement? In his letter to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 12:12,13), Paul says, “ For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.” When the Apostle wrote, saying, “We are all baptized into one body” by the Spirit, he was writing to the Corinthians, the most carnal of all the apostolic churches. Paul made it very clear that “the baptism of the Spirit” is that operation of the Spirit, by which a believer is made a member of the body of Christ. The baptism of the Spirit is not an experience following conversion; it is a dispensational act, whereby God unites the born-again soul to the true Church, which is the body of Christ. There is no such thing as a Christian who is not a member of the body of Christ. A passage of Scripture in Luke H:26, has always puzzled me. Our God is a God of love, and we are told to “ love one another,” yet here we read, “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.” You will find a parallel passage in Matthew 10:37 which explains this statement. There Christ says, “He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter is not worthy of ime.” These words show that the Lord is not talking of an actual hatred, but rather of what would seem hatred by way of comparison with the God-given love, implanted in the heart of the born- again child of God, implanted there by the Holy Spirit alone. If I desire to fol low the Lord Jesus Christ, yet allow myself to be turned away from that object by my father, my mother, my wife, my children, then I am not worthy of the Lord Jesus, and can never be His disciple so long as this condition of heart remains. This text does not teach that natural relationships, as such, are to be repudi ated; but Christ must be first, and His claims set before all else, even one’s own life. What is sanctification, if it is not holi ness or sinless perfection? “ Sanctification” and “ saint” are kin dred words, and imply separation from the godless world. We are set apart for God; that is sanctification. Sanctification, however, is twofold: One aspect of the term has to do with
our standing before God; the other, with our'state. Sanctification as to our stand ing before God is brought about by the blood of Christ, and is eternal, complete, once for all. “ We are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Heb. 10:10). Sanctification as to our state and daily walk is another thing. This is brought about through the operation of the Word of God, as we read it and allow it to judge our walk and ways. Christ said in His prayer for His disciples, “ Sancti fy them through thy truth: thy word is truth” (John 17:17). And Paul wrote of the same thing in Ephesians .5:25,26: “ Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of wa ter by the word.”As we read the holy Scriptures, meditate upon them, love them, and seek to live by them, we are being separated from the things that would defile. This is sanctification in respect to our life and walk. We have become afraid of the term because those who teach sinless perfec tion in this life often have appropri ated it, and perverted its scriptural meaning. But that should not cause us to give up the word or its message to us. It is the Christian’s duty and priv ilege to be sanctified, though he can never claim sinless perfection this side of Heaven. Then,, “when he shall appear, we shall be like him” in glory — free from sin and its power. I am a rather new Christian and 1 cannot understand how “ Tribulation worketh patience,” and how can I glory in tribulation? Compare this statement in the fifth chapter of Romans, with James 1 :3 and you will be enlightened. Trials may embitter those who do not love God, but they burn up the dross in the Chris tian as he lets his all-wise Father mold and shape his life. With Job the tested one may say, “When he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold” (Job 23:10), and “ Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him” (Job 13:15). Sometimes God permits one of His saints to be an example to an ungodly world of the sufficiency of God’s grace. Such was Job — an example before Sa tan, angels, men and demons. His ex ample has encouraged thousands to trust God, even when they could not under stand why they were called to suffer. Job did not know of Satan’s accusation to God; yet his faith did not waver. I have heard some Christians say that the church really began with Abraham. What is your opinion? It seems they do not rightly divide
the “word of truth.” In the first place the church began on the Day of Pente cost as in Acts 2; and in the second place, “the disciples were called Chris tians first in Antioch” (Acts 11:26). Concerning the beginning of the church, much might be said, but the Old Testament saints did not even know that the church, the bride of Christ, was in the mind of God. He revealed this “mystery” to Paul, as all New Testament teaching proves. Christ said, following Peter’s confession that Jesus was the Son of the living God: “ Upon this rock I will build my church” (Matt. 16:18). Thus the church began at Pen tecost, and will continue on the earth until the last member of the body of Christ is won to Him. God alone knows when that time will be. Not in Money — Jay Gould, the American millionaire, had an enormous fortune. When dying, he said, “ I suppose I am the most miserable man on earth.” Not in Pleasure — Lord Byron lived a life of pleasure and ease. He wrote: “ The worm, the canker and the grief, Are mine alone.” Not in Military Glory — Alexander the Great conquered the known world in his day. Then he wept, “ There are no more worlds to conquer.” Not in Political Power — William Tweed became the brilliant boss of Tammany Hall and ruled New York City. He said: “ My life has been a failure in everything.” Not in Unbelief — Voltaire was an infidel of the most pronounced type. He wrote: “ I wish I had never been born.” Not in Position and Fame — Lord Beaconsfield enjoyed more than his share of both. He wrote: “Youth is a mistake; manhood a struggle; old age a regret.” Where is Happiness? The answer is simple: In Christ alone. He said: “ Your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.” “Whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he” (Prov. 16:20). —From a tract published by Faith, Prayer and Tract League, Grand Rapids, Michigan. W L r e J t appineââ : ?
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