Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?

Acts 19:1-5

Click for a description of the mark of the beast.
Click for a description of the image of the beast.

“And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus…” Acts 19:1a

Apollos was in Ephesus, preaching the baptism of John the Baptist, which is repentance by baptism into water. He was not aware of the baptism of the Holy Spirit who comes through Jesus Christ. Aquila and Priscilla instructed Apollos on Jesus Christ, about His death, the atonement He made for sin, His resurrection, and eternal life for all who believe in Him. And about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. After Apollos received a clearer understanding of the way of Jesus Christ, he left Ephesus and went to the region of Achaia to evangelize in the name of Jesus Christ. All of this is described in the post on Acts 18:24-28. When Apollos was in Achaia, Paul returned to Ephesus.

On the map below, Achaia [where Apollos was at] is seen to the far left of the image and about halfway up. After Apollos left Ephesus, to preach Jesus Christ in Achaia, Paul returned to Ephesus after passing through Galatia and Phrygia [Acts 18:22-23]. Ephesus is seen due east of Achaia, across the Aegean Sea.

“And finding some disciples he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?” So they said, “Into John’s baptism.” Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.” Acts 19:1b-4

Paul was in Ephesus where Apollos was preaching and teaching for everyone to be baptized according to the way of John the Baptist. They were repenting of their sin by being baptized in water. They were not familiar with the resurrection of Jesus Christ, through whom we go for repentance, forgiveness, and the infilling of the Holy Spirit. Paul’s question to them was, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They had not even heard whether there was a Holy Spirit. This made Paul question what the Ephesians were baptized into, clearly not the baptism of Jesus Christ. The Ephesians clearly stated that they had been baptized into John’s baptism, which Apollos was teaching before he learned the way of Jesus Christ more clearly. Paul quoted to them what John said, “I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” Luke 3:16 That “One” is Jesus Christ.

The question to every Believer is, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” We might answer in a way that suggests we are not even sure what the Holy Spirit is, like the Ephesians who said, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” If we have gone to Jesus Christ for repentance, then our sin is in remission and sin is replaced by the Holy Spirit. That is the sanctification process, the ugly attitudes and behaviors make an exit, and the Holy Spirit fills the spot to give us a life of Holiness. When we believe on Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit comes to us.

We have to realize that within the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, our Lord was forgiving sin and granting eternal Salvation even though those who were forgiven were unaware of the Holy Spirit to come. Jesus even forgave the thief on the Cross for simply believing in Him, and granted him eternal life, “Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.” But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” Luke 23:39-43

What are we repenting from? We repent from our unbelief towards God our Creator. We repent of rejecting our need for Jesus Christ. We repent of fighting against the Holy Spirit. When we believe God, we accept our need for Jesus Christ to forgive our sin, and by the remission of sin the Holy Spirit moves into our heart, mind, and soul.

“When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.” Acts 19:5

Being baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus is the only way to receive the Holy Spirit. Being baptized into the doctrine of humanism does not come with the Holy Spirit. Humanism is the fig leaf worn by those who serve the beast that corrupts the conscience and spirit [while oppressing the presence of the Holy Spirit]. They have a form of Godliness but deny the power of Jesus Christ and are not living in the presence of the Holy Spirit. Humanism is “…an outlook or system of thought attaching prime importance to human rather than divine or supernatural matters. Humanist beliefs stress the potential value and goodness of human beings, emphasize common human needs, and seek solely rational ways of solving human problems…”

In the next post on Acts 19:6-7, there are quotes from Paul about what speaking in tongues is and is not.

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:11