Mark 1:7 And he preached, saying, "There comes One after me who is mightier than I, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and loose. 8 "I indeed baptized you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."
John’s ministry was baptizing people with water, Jesus would come and He would baptize people with the Holy Spirit. In another place the term "Holy Ghost and fire" is used.
So much emphasis is placed on the importance of water baptism when someone comes to know Jesus. People are willing to fight to the death over this issue. Ironically, water baptism was the ministry of John the Baptist. Water Baptism is still vital. But the ministry of Jesus was and still is the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
How could it be possible that this amazing gift was seen as altogether important and good, so much so that a man could not not even serve as a deacon without it, to being "bad" for believers today?
The Holy Spirit is the third person in the Godhead, and as such, just as God is good and incapable of evil, so also the Holy Spirit is good and incapable of evil. Why then are so many terrified of this glorious blessing?
What changed between the first church and now, that supposedly eliminates both our need for the Holy Spirit, and our need for His goodness? The goodness of God that enables our trust and vulnerability? What eliminates our need to offer ourselves in full surrender?
About The Author
- Tim Atchley
- Knoxville, Tennessee, United States
- I currently serve as Senior Pastor of Harvest Church in Knoxville, Tn. I was sent out from Trinity Chapel of Knoxville in 1993 accompanied by my wife Sheila our four children Sarah, Hannah, Josiah & Isaac and a handful of bold, brave and committed believers determined to plant our first church. Pioneering is hard work but well worth the journey. That is why we desire to make disciples of Christ who will, like us, also embrace the call to plant churches.
