Did You Receive When You Believed?

The Evidence of Spiritual Baptism

How will we know that we have been baptized by Jesus with the Spirit? How do we know that we are living His life? These and related questions seem to be the source of much disagreement among Christians around the world. What should be a great source of unity and joy seems instead to bring conflict and division. How can we come past this and see a greater experience and testimony of God?

The scripture indicates there are two main evidences of the presence of the indwelling God: the gifts of the Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit. Both originate in God. Both are manifested in and through believers, and both require a relationship of faith to be experienced. Gifts are more quickly seen, while fruit takes more time to grow. I Cor. 12:1-11 speaks of the gifts of the Spirit and Galatians 5:22-23 speaks of the fruit of the Spirit. These should go together and reveal God in and through each member of the body of Christ.

There seems to be very little disagreement about the fruit of the Spirit, but a discussion of spiritual gifts seems to bring questions and controversy. Why should this be? Don't we need all that God has provided? Would God ever make a gift available to us that is not needed? Would God ever keep anything from us that is needful? God's provision is perfect in every way. Our place is not to reason about what we need or don't need, but to press into God to experience everything He has provided for His purpose and glory.

The controversy usually seems to center on "tongues," which is recorded in several accounts in Acts as an initial and supernatural evidence of the Holy Spirit's incoming. "Do I have to speak in tongues?" is a frequent question. No, you don't have to do anything, but don't you want everything God has provided? Paul says that "he who speaks in a tongue edifies himself." Don't we all need edification? We may not understand what we need in the beginning, but God does. Did Cornelius know what he needed? God did, and He moved to provide that need.

There is no scripture to support the common teaching that certain spiritual gifts have passed away or have been replaced by the Bible. To accept such an idea is to overlook the riches that God has provided. If you have been affected by this teaching, search the scripture for yourself and ask God to reveal the truth. The book of Acts is especially important, because there we see the gospel being proclaimed by the early church, with accounts of what happened to the first believers. I believe any lover of truth should be able to read these accounts and know from God whether they have received the Spirit or not. Be a lover of truth and enter into the fullness that God has made available to all!

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