If you believe what you like in the gospels, and reject what you don't like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself. -- Saint Augustine
(When you elevate the Word but do not believe ALL the Word).
Sacraments have no place in Christianity. Everything in Christianity is by faith in the Word and the power of the Holy Spirit ( Spirit And Truth).
Water Baptism is a sacramaent - a physical, symbolic act. Spirit Baptism is a supernatural, spiritual event that transforms the believer into a vessel which Christ can use to manifest Himself and do His works.
St. Augustine believed in the baptism of the Holy Spirit, but he specifically equated it with the sacrament of water baptism rather than a separate, subsequent experience. He taught that the Holy Spirit is conferred during the sacrament, which regenerates, forgives sins, and initiates the believer into the Church. -- AI
Jesus clearly said that we must ASK to be Spirit Baptized . Being dunked in water or sprinkled with water is at best a symbol. In and of itself there is no efficacy.
Because the Lord is seeking intimate, personal relationship with each of us, the asking for His presence and power in us is necessary to consummate that intimate, personal relationship. And it is a sign that we want to follow Him and be used by Him.
Implying a physical sacrament effects a personal, spiritual relationship is obviously error as it is the difference between signing a marriage certificate and giving your whole heart to your spouse.
The history of the church (mostly Catholic history) has been one of error. Not total error, just enough error to weaken the product.
The history of Protestantism has been one of error. Not total error, just enough error to weaken the product and divide the believers.
The gross error that Satan injected into the church, possibly as early as the second century, is two-fold:
➛ Doctrine of the Trinity
➛ Cessationism
Jesus told the woman at the well:
This verse is profound and should be the basis for how we understand who God is, what God is and how we fellowship with (worship) Him.
Since God is Spirit, He is the Holy Spirit.
Since the Word is God, Jesus is God.
The name (singular) of God who begets, is begotten and who fills is Jesus .
Jesus is the express image of God .
Hence, there is ONLY one God and He is Jesus the Spirit Soul And Body of God. So much for trinitarianism. It is error.
Since Jesus is the physical Body Of God, He can only be in 1 place at a time. At the moment, He is at the right hand of The Majesty in heaven.
In we understand that it is Heart Faith that brings us in to the saving Grace of Christ Jesus. But that is NOT Spirit Baptism, as all the disciples had Heart Faith in Jesus after they saw Him raised from the dead. They were already saved as they prayed in the upper room.
The Baptism Of The Holy Spirit was a separate experience for the disciples and it occurred on the Day Of Pentecost.
When Peter preached to Cornelius and his house, they were Spirit Baptized while Peter preached . Had they already been saved earlier (in the message) or were they saved and Baptized In The Holy Spirit at the same time? It matters not.
What is important here is that Cornelius was not only Gentile, but he was not Water Baptized and he spoke with tongues as the Holy Spirit gave him utterence just as had happened on the Day Of Pentecost.
So, Spirit Baptism was not just for the original apostles.
Since God is NOT a respecter of persons, the question is:
" Why would God Spirit Baptize people in the first century and not in the second, third, fourth,... centuries?"
Well, He wouldn't, He didn't and He hasn't.
So much for cessationism. It is error.
My point in this article is to diminish the men of God and elevate the Spirit And Truth of God as Jesus has ordained.
May we all humble ourselves beneath the mighty hand of God so that He can use us to reach the world with His Three Fold Truth .