Thursday, December 18, 2014

The Misunderstanding of Oneness




Greetings!

There are two audio teachings that I have prepared in respect to this article. 
They can be found at Part 1 and Part 2.






There are some that understand the oneness of God to mean that God is Jesus only. In other words, they think that Jesus is the Father, is the Son, and is the Holy Spirit. This doctrine goes on to conclude that salvation comes in stages and unless all stages are properly fulfilled one is not “fully” saved. The stages are:

1.      Repentance
2.      Baptism in the name of Jesus
3.      Becoming “filled” with the Spirit of God (which is Jesus Christ) with the evidence of speaking in other tongues.

They base this concept on the interpretation that the following verse describes the three step process to obtain "full" salvation.

“Then Peter said unto them, (1) Repent, and (2) be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and (3) ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 2:38)

The problem we immediately run into is why one would conclude that these three steps define "full salvation." The previous verse outlines the question that Peter was responding to. What one would expect to find is a question asking: "what must I do to be saved?" This is not the question that is asked. The question is asked: "What shall we do?" This is very different. Peter wasn't telling the bare essentials for salvation, he was explaining how to walk out into the fullness of the experience that the disciples in the upper room had at Pentecost. If he was explaining the bare essentials for salvation, his testimony would line up with scripture: "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise" (Ephesians 1:13). The question Peter responded to is as follows:

"Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?" (Acts 2:37)

Here is the case in point. On another occasion in the book of Acts, the actual question that is asked is phrased: "what must I do to be saved?" In response to this question, the apostle gives the answer which should also be in our mouths. He tells the man to "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved." Neither water baptism, nor the reception of the "gift" of the Holy Spirit is referenced, proving the point.

"Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." (Acts 16:29-31)

This is why the Bible is clear that we must believe to inherit eternal life.

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

"Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him." (1 John 1:5)

In the book of Romans, what it means to "believe" is clarified. It is brought out that the believing must be done with the heart, as opposed to the head. A mental assent does not grant salvation. In addition, verbal confession bearing witness to the heart (or subconscious level) belief in Christ is required.

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (Romans 10:9-10)

In any case, according to the belief of some, unless all three steps outlined in Acts 2:38 are true of an individual they cannot go to heaven. This means that every denomination or group of Christ followers that has ever lived without embracing the spiritual gifts (or at least the gift of tongues) is damned to hell. Moreover, anyone that is not baptized in water with the verbiage “In the name of Jesus Christ” is also damned to hell. However, at the center of this concept is the idea that there is no triune God, but that Jesus is the only God; the Father and the Holy Spirit are simply pseudonyms for Jesus. This is in contrast to the idea that Jesus, the Father, and the Holy Spirit are the three persons that form the Godhead, together being one God.

A major problem with the concept that Jesus is the Father and that Jesus is also the Holy Spirit is the biblical definition of being or becoming “one.” There is no doubt that Jesus says that He and His Father are one (John 10:30) and that if we have seen Him then we have seen the Father (John 14:19). The Bible says, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one (Deuteronomy 6:4)!” However, biblically speaking, being “one” does not mean or imply the complete fusion of one into another.

For instance when a husband and wife come together they become one flesh. The reading is literal.

“Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” (Genesis 2:24)

When a man and a woman consummate marriage the connection between them becomes both physical and spiritual. They are henceforth “one flesh.” However, to say that from this point forward the man is the woman and the woman is the man is absolutely ridiculous. They maintain their original personalities, and they continue to have their own “minds.” While they are one flesh, they remain unique in their individuality.

This point becomes increasingly clear when we look at the Hebrew word that is translated "one." Echad (Strong's 259) means united, one, first, alike, altogether, only, etc. It denotes a united oneness. This is in contrast to the Hebrew word Yachid, which denotes a solitary or numerical oneness. Interestingly enough, both Genesis 2:24 and Deuteronomy 6:4 employ the use of the word echad. This is no coincidence. The Old Testament clearly reveals to us the nature of God's oneness in the word use of the original language. Furthermore, in quoting both of these passages Jesus uses the Greek word hen which also means united oneness in contrast to the Greek word mono which denotes solitary oneness. The Greek language is just like Hebrew in that it employs different words to indicate what type of oneness is being acknowledged. Matthew 19:5 (a quote from Genesis 2:24) reads, "And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one [hen] flesh." Matthew 12:29 (a quote from Deuteronomy 6:4) reads, "And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one [hen] Lord." (More detail on this point can be found at http://www.bible.ca/trinity/trinity-oneness-unity-yachid-vs-echad.htm).

We find an additional problem with the idea that Jesus is the Father and that He is also the Holy Spirit in that the Bible is clear that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit all have their own minds. By definition: a person is defined as a self-conscious or rational being. In other words a person must have a mind that is unique unto themselves in order to be defined as a person. Even when a single human body houses more than one personality, the condition is called "multiple personality disorder" or more recently "dissociative identity disorder" because it has been found that the individual personalities sharing the body have distinct identities, names, memories and personalities. It could be said that each personality has its own mindmeaning the nature of the condition is best recognized as multiple persons sharing the same body. Only if the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit have the same mind could it be rightly argued that they are all the same person. However, when it is proven that the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit all have their own minds it becomes concrete evidence that they exist as unique persons. If all of them were Jesus, they would by definition have to have the same mind and not be individually self-conscious. From the clear reading of Scripture it is absolutely irrefutable that the mind of the Father contains information that is not present in the mind of Jesus Christ. This must mean that the Father has a mind that is unique from the mind of Christ.

The mind of the spirit

“Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.  Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” (Romans 8:26-27)

The mind of Christ

“For “who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:16)

The mind of the Father

“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Mark 13:32)

The Father, the Son, and the Spirit all have their own minds. Clearly, this means that they can’t all be defined as the same person. There are clear differences between the mind of the Father, the mind of Christ, and the mind of the Spirit. The most notable difference is that the Father knows the day and hour of the return of Jesus while Jesus does not even know this information.

Another problem with defining Jesus as the Father and Jesus as the Holy Spirit are additional scriptural comparisons used in relation to being “one.” Put simply, these scriptures cease to make sense when we assume that Jesus is actually the Father. The way Jesus compares the unity He shares with the Father to the unity that awaits the church is found in John 17. We can glean a lot of truth from this comparison, especially when we refer back to point number one and realize that the Greek word translated as "one" is hen.

“Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one [hen] as We are". (John 17:11)

Jesus prays that we would be “one” in the same way that He and the Father are one. In order to comprehend this beyond the clear meaning of the Greek word hen, we must begin by understanding that the body of Christ is not one member but many.

For in fact the body is not one member but many.” (1 Corinthians 12:14)

If Jesus is comparing the oneness that He shares with the Father to the oneness that He desires for the church then He is saying one of two things.

1.      He wants to make us into one giant mesh of flesh, bones, and blood; strip us of all individuality; give us a single brain (and mind);and make us one organism just like Him and the Father “are one” since He is actually the Father.
2.      He wants us to be united, being of one mind concerning the things of God and His plans and purposes for us (2 Corinthians 13:11), though being many members working together as one unit to the edification of the whole body (1 Corinthians 12:27). He wants us to come to the unity of the faith, to the knowledge of the son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. (Ephesians 4:13)

Obviously the correct understanding is number two. It is irrefutable that the reason for the comparison is to illustrate the extent to which we should be “working as one.” Therefore, why would we conclude that Jesus is the Father, and that He is also the Holy Spirit? There is no doubt that we serve “one God.” But to try to understand this fact as the concept that Jesus is the Father and that He is also the Holy Spirit does not align with a scriptural understanding of the concept of being “one.” This is why in Genesis chapter 1:26 God is recorded as saying, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” The words “us” and “our” are clearly plural.

Moreover, the conclusions that a flawed understanding of the oneness of God leads to such as “not being fully saved” or “all people that don’t speak in tongues will go to hell even if they are earnestly seeking after Jesus and have completely surrendered their lives to Him” is absolute nonsense (in my humble opinion). It is also a sword of division within the greater body of Christ that will have to be removed if the church is ever to attain to the mandate of Ephesians 4:13. Salvation comes by grace through faith and not of works lest any man should boast (Ephesians 2:8-9).  To turn salvation into a three step process is turning salvation into works. This is unscriptural, and leads to a cult mentality. Those that believe this way sever themselves from the greater work that God is doing in the earth and inevitably find themselves at odds with any Christian that does not believe exactly as they do.

More scriptural evidence dealing with the misunderstanding of oneness deals with the oneness that we share in the spirit with God. When we are saved we receive the Holy Spirit into our spirit. This is what the Bible says about this activity:

“But he that is joined unto the Lord is one [hen] spirit.” (1 Corinthians 6:17)

Does this mean that once we are joined to the Lord, the Spirit of God replaces our spirit? Could it be that the spirit that was born into my body ceases to exist for all eternity the moment I am saved? No. If this were true we would all be perfect upon salvation and all Christians would lose their individuality and uniqueness. Furthermore, the Bible would not go on to say that we need to cleanse our spirits of filthiness since our spirits would be entirely perfected upon salvation. The apostle would not say "let us" if he did not have a revelation that though he was saved his spirit still needed periodic cleansing.

“Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Corinthians 7:1)

What actually happens when we are saved is that the Holy Spirit begins to live in our spirit. He becomes the seal of God in us unto the day of redemption (Ephesians 4:30) and begins to guide us into all truth (John 16:13). Our spirit maintains a unique personhood and identity from the Spirit of God. When the Holy Spirit is in our spirit the Bible qualifies this as “one spirit”. In this we see the biblical definition of “oneness.”

Pictorial Evidence of the Nature of God

A picture that clearly speaks to the triune God is the baptism of Jesus (Matthew 3:13-17). Although there have been attempts to explain this away in favor of the idea that Jesus is really all three at once, it becomes exactly that—explaining it away.

“And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:16-17)

It is difficult to say that Jesus came out of the water, descended upon Himself like a dove, and then spoke to Himself out of an opening in heaven referring to Himself as His own Son. However, this is exactly what some choose to believe. The fact of the matter is that God is one, but defining Him as Jesus only is a flawed perspective. The reading is clear that the Spirit of God descended upon Him like a dove and the Father spoke from heaven saying “This is my Son in whom I am well pleased.”

Furthermore, when we have direct biblical revelations of heaven we find that two distinct persons are clearly described. Shortly before Stephen was stoned he gave his testimony of heaven.

"But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God" (Acts 7:55)

It is one thing to develop a philosophy about how one could stand at the right hand of themselves in a symbolic manner. However, when a clear spatial divide is described between two beings that are actively being observed we must conclude that we are looking at two distinct persons. There is no other logical option. This is why when referring to the Father and Himself Jesus used the word "we."

"Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him (John 14:26)."

This is also why in the book of Revelation we again find a spatial distinction being made between Jesus (represented by the Lamb) and the one who sits on the throne. After the Lamb proceeds forth from the midst of the throne to take a book out of the right hand of Him that sat upon the throne, the creatures bless both the one that is presently sitting upon the throne and also the Lamb that was slain.

"And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne... And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever." (Revelation 5:6-7, 13)

At this point we must answer a very relevant question. If we do not understand the Holy Spirit as Jesus, then what model are we to follow in regards to what it means to “receive the Holy Spirit”? What does it really mean to be saved?

The Answer

We must understand that it is one thing to be “born of the spirit” which means to receive salvation (John 3:5) or the new birth (becoming born again). It is a whole other step entirely to “receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38) which means to have the baptism of the Holy Spirit with evidence of speaking in other tongues (Acts 1:5). This becomes something that happens subsequent to the salvation experience (or new birth).

This can be clearly observed in Acts 8 when Philip is seen preaching the gospel.

            “Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them. And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles which he did. For unclean spirits, crying with loud voice, came out of many that were possessed with them: and many taken with palsies, and that were lame, were healed. And there was great joy in that city…But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done. Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John: Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 8:5-8, 12-17)

 In this passage Philip goes forth and preaches Christ. The people give heed and are all baptized in the name of Jesus. According to Mark 16:16, this means that they were saved.

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” (Mark 16:16)

Furthermore the Bible says that we are born again by the Word of God as an incorruptible seed which is sown into our spirit.

Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.” (1 Peter 1:23)

In the passage of Acts 8, the people received the Word of God through Philip’s ministry. This is when they were saved. They were not baptized in the Spirit until they were visited by Peter and John. In fact, the whole reason that Peter and John went to Samaria was because the apostles became aware that people in Samaria had already received the Word of God. The Samaritans were already saved.

 “Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God…” (Acts 8:14)

It is clear that salvation was granted prior to the ministry of Peter and John according to the straightforward reading of the Scripture. This leads into the three main types of baptism mentioned in the Bible. Before going through the three main types of baptism we must keep in mind that one of the doctrines of Christ is the "doctrine of baptisms". The word baptisms is also plural in the original Greek. The means that the Bible expects us to understand that there is more than one baptism and to be prepared to rightly divide the Word of God on this issue.

"Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment." (Hebrews 6:2)

1.      Baptism into the body of Christ

"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 been all made to drink into one Spirit." (1 Corinthians 12:13)

The first baptism a person will experience in their journey with Jesus is a baptism into the body of Christ. This is the same as being born of the spirit (John 3:5) and being translated from the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of the Son (Colossians 1:13). This is what the following verse is referring to.

One Lord, one faith, one baptism” (Ephesians 4:5)

Even if one were to believe that no one is saved until they speak in tongues, they have to answer the question: does Ephesians 4:5 refer to baptism in water or baptism of the Holy Spirit? In reality the answer is neither. It is the baptism into the body of Christ. Only one baptism grants us salvation, and it is the one that allows us entrance into God’s kingdom. It is the one that baptizes us into the body of Christ.

This is the inward work that is to be reflected by the outward show of baptism in water. This also helps us to understand the importance of baptizing in water with the verbiage "In Jesus name." Since we are spiritually baptized into Jesus, it is important to reflect that fact with the verbiage we use during the outward work.

2.      Baptism in water

“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” (Matthew 28:18)

Jesus commanded His disciples to teach and baptize all nations. It is true that every place in the Bible where baptism is conducted; it is being done with the verbiage “In the name of Jesus,” and not “In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost.” In this passage Jesus clearly commands it “in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost.” The name of the authority, character, and power of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost is the name of "Jesus." On this note, it is one thing to perform baptisms in the name of Jesus because that’s how it was done in the book of Acts. However, it is something else entirely to say that those that are baptized as disciples of Jesus Christ with the verbiage “in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost,” are unfortunately going to hell since they are not “fully saved”. The Bible says this:

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” (John 3:14-17)

Salvation (meaning obtaining eternal life) is based on believing in Jesus as the Son of God. The Scripture is very clear about this. It doesn’t say “whosoever believeth, gets baptized in Jesus’ name, and speaks in tongues shall not perish.” It says that whosoever “believes” in Him shall not perish but have ever lasting life. This leads to another question: Is baptism in water a requirement for eternal life? In other words, is baptismal regeneration a doctrine that is scripturally valid?

The following passage has been argued as evidence that baptism is necessary for salvation.

“Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (John 3:5-6)

It says that except a man is born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. According to the interpretation of some water is indicative of the baptism in Jesus name and the spirit is indicative of the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues. This passage is central to their understanding of the doctrine of "full salvation." Is “water” in this passage implying the baptism in Jesus’ name? If we read the context, Jesus tells us exactly what he means by water. He says, “That which is born of flesh is flesh.” Water is in reference to the natural birthing process of humans. Shortly before delivery, a woman’s “water” will break. Shortly thereafter, “flesh will give birth to flesh”. The spirit that lives in the body must later experience the “new birth” in order to inherit eternal life. Does being born of the Spirit imply the need to speak in other tongues as evidence of the baptism of the Holy Spirit? This will be dealt with in section 3.

Another passage has also been argued as evidence that baptism is necessary for salvation:

“He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.” (Mark 16:16)

Damnation is delivered to those that believe not. It does not say that those that believe and are baptized with the wrong verbiage shall be damned. It also does not say that those that believe and are unable to be baptized will be damned. It says that “those that believe not shall be damned”. If someone is on their death bed (which has happened) and their dying words are “I repent of my sins Jesus, I believe that you are the Son of God and that you died for my sins. I receive you today as my personal Lord and Savior,” there is little doubt that they will be saved by God even if they die before they can be hauled over to a baptismal pool and made to speak in other tongues. Our evidence is the thief on the cross who joined Jesus in paradise even though there is no way he could have been baptized before he died (Luke 23:39-43). This does not take away from the fact that the Bible says “those that believe and are baptized will be saved”. Baptism in water is a commandment that should not be ignored under any circumstances if at all possible.

Still another passage that has been pointed out as evidence for baptismal regeneration is as follows:

"By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 3:19-21)

The true understanding of this passage actually informs us that baptism is not required for salvation, but that it is a powerful step forward in our faith after we have been justified by the blood of Jesus (Romans 5:9). Noah found grace before God and was justified before God prior to the Lord sending the flood (Genesis 6:8-9). This is a blatantly obvious shadow of the believer receiving justification in Christ prior to water baptism. When the flood came it eliminated the external sin problem that took place all around Noah, but the flood itself was not the justifying factor in Noah's life. Of this baptism is the like figure, whereby it has the power to overcome (or save from) the sin problem in the new believer (more on this in Notes on Romans 6 section). However, just like after the flood the external sin problem returned to the earth, after baptism the new believer will have to choose to continue to work out their own salvation (Philippians 2:12). Evidence that the external sin problem returned was that Noah was alive during the time of Nimrod, the builder of the tower of Babel.

This is why the passage tells us: "(not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,)." This could be rephrased to say: "[the baptism which now saves us is] the answer of a good conscience toward God, not the putting away of the filth of the flesh." The baptism in water is not what actually solves the problem of sin spiritually, but it does help the new believer to overcome their sinful ways. Therefore baptism is actually the answer of a good conscience towards God: the answer of a conscience that desires to be obedient to Jesus and to live free of the weight of sin. Peter, the same one who spoke in Acts 2:38, is clear about what actually remits sin in Acts 10:43. He said, "To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins."

Believing in Jesus Christ (not as a mental assent but as a subconscious conviction) allows the blood that He shed to cleanse us of our sins and grant us redemption (Colossians 1:14).

3. Baptism of the Spirit

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is what occurs when we are “filled” with the Holy Spirit. This is evidenced when we begin to speak in other tongues. While (1) the baptism into the body of Christ is performed by the Holy Spirit, and (2) the baptism in water is performed by men, (3) this baptism is said to be performed by Jesus.

“John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh [Jesus], the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire” (Luke 3:16)

The first baptism of the Holy Spirit happened on the day of Pentecost. Prior to this Jesus told His disciples.

“For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence…ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (Acts 1:5, 8)

The disciples were to be baptized with the Holy Ghost and receive power once the Holy Spirit came upon them. The question is: did the upper room event also constitute their salvation?

By definition, salvation is what happens when an individual has the Spirit of God. If we have the Spirit, we are a son of God, and hence we have salvation.

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.” (Romans 8:14-15)

Therefore to define the salvation experience for the apostles, we have to define it with their initial reception of the Spirit of God. This happened prior to the day of Pentecost according to the following passage.

“Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost” (John 20:21-22)

This means that from this point forward the disciples had the Spirit of God “in” them. However, the Spirit of God had not yet come “upon” them. The Spirit of God must first be in us before He can come upon us. The gift of the Spirit is when the Holy Spirit comes upon us, which is what Peter is actually referring to in the following verse.

“Then Peter said unto them, (1) Repent, and (2) be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and (3) ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 2:38)

Practically speaking, when ministering the baptism of the Spirit (something that I minister on a periodic basis) the Holy Spirit rises from within the person’s belly area until He rises so high that they begin to speak in other tongues. This is confirmed by the following Scripture. The Holy Spirit is like water bubbling up from our belly, which is physiologically where our spirit seems to be located.
  
“He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water” (John 7:38)

The Holy Spirit cannot rise within a person if He is not already there. Furthermore, if the person is not ready to receive tongues, it will often happen that the Spirit will only rise to their chest or throat and stop. How does this make any sense if we pretend that the Holy Spirit is making His way into their life for the first time? It doesn’t. Our theology must be proven by practice. If I invent a theology that says demons no longer exist, it is only good until a demon manifests. At this point the theology must be discarded as false because it means that I have falsely interpreted the truth and turned it into a lie. The same is true here. It is impossible to get someone filled with the Holy Spirit if they are not saved first. The Spirit of God must first be within a person before He can come upon a person.

“And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high” (Luke 24:49)
“But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

A scripture that has been used to argue that those that are saved must speak in new tongues is found in Mark 16:17-18. It reads as follows: "And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." It has been argued that since this verse says that they shall speak with new tongues, speaking in tongues must be a defining characteristic of someone that has truly been saved. However, this is horrific exegesis. If this verse is used to be a mandate for the activity a true believer must manifest, then it would follow that no one is "fully" saved until they have also cast out demons, taken up serpents, drunken deadly things, and laid hands on the sick that they might recover. That's quite a list. Since most agree that voluntarily letting poisonous snakes bite us according to this verse is ridiculous, we can also toss with it the idea that this passage is evidence that one is not saved unless they speak in new tongues.

The conclusion of the matter is that while we understand that God is one, we are not to understand this to mean that God is Jesus only. Furthermore, while the gift of the Spirit and speaking in tongues is something God desires for every believer, it is not a prerequisite for salvation. Also, while baptism is best done “In Jesus name,” this should not lead us into a cult mentality thinking that salvation is a three step process and that if a person is not “properly” baptized in water they will be damned to hell. God is gracious and long suffering. He is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). Moreover, “if being evil we know how to give good gifts to our children, how much more shall the Father give the Holy Spirit to them that Ask (Luke 11:3)?”

Notes on Romans 6

Having said all of this I find it necessary to delve deeper into the topic of baptism in order to fully explain the implications of water baptism in light of the reality that it is not a prerequisite to salvation. Baptism is notably a difficult topic. Many have argued in an attempt to define what water baptism actually accomplishes. I believe part of the reason for this is because many passages that discuss what baptism means are layered in revelation. In other words, at the most basic level they are actually referring to what occurs during our spiritual baptism into the body of Christ. On the second level they have practical application because they reveal what can be activated by faith during water baptism. Passages like Romans 6 deal with both the baptism into the body of Christ and baptism in water.

"What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin." (Romans 6:1-6)

Paul speaks about being baptized into Christ Jesus. This is what happens when we believe and receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior. It is at this point in time that the Holy Spirit baptizes us into the body of Christ spiritually (1 Corinthians 12:13). What follows is the baptism in water. When we baptize in the name of Jesus we are actually activating all of the promises that deal with being "in Christ" to give the new believer a great leap forward in their walk with Christ. What promises are associate with being in Christ? A few are listed below:

"Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:24)

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." (Romans 8:1)

"Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:39)

"So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another." (Romans 12:5)

"For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:22)

"But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ." (2 Corinthians 3:14)

"But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ." (2 Corinthians 11:3)

"For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:26)

"For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." (Galatians 3:27)

"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus." (Galatians 3:28)

These are just a few of the many promises that are to be found in Christ Jesus. However, just because we have spiritual promises doesn't mean that we walk in them automatically. 1 Peter 2:24 says that by His stripes we were healed but that doesn't mean we can't get sick. What is true in the spirit must be brought into manifestation in our lives. When we baptize in "Jesus' name" we are applying our faith to the spiritual baptism that has literally placed us into Christ. By doing so the wonderful promises associate with being in Christ are being brought into greater manifestation our lives. This is why there is power in water baptism, but also why it is not regenerative.

When it comes to the "old man" of Romans 6:6 and the body of sin being destroyed, this speaks to the spiritual body of sin being put to death and raised with Christ in newness of life (Romans 6:4). What the person's spirit has experienced is brought into manifestation in their lives through water baptism. There are only two other locations in the Bible that mention the "old man"

"That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts." (Ephesians 4:22)

"Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds" (Colossians 3:9)

In all three cases that the "old man" is mentioned it is always in reference to a former nature that has been done away with. This means that whatever changed in us at salvation eliminated the old man. This forces us to accept that the old man refers to our spirit man, who after being baptized into the body of Christ, is raised up in newness of life (being born again). Bringing this reality into manifestation is a process that we must walk out for the rest of our lives. However, according to the practice of water baptism, we are able to activate the promises that are associated with being in Christ in the lives of new believers so that they can begin to walk in them immediately. In light of the power that baptism has to set people free in a new level of freedom in Christ, it is understandable why those in the early church described it as washing away sins. One case involves what Ananias told Paul.

"And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord." (Acts 22:16)

This is why baptism is compared to circumcision. Circumcision is the removal of undesirable flesh.

"In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead." (Colossians 2:11-12)

The circumcision of Christ is the operation that is performed during baptism. Spiritually this occurs when we believe in Jesus and the Spirit baptizes us into the body of Christ. On a practical level the sins of the flesh that are operating in our lives are removed during water baptism by activating all of the spiritual realities present in us by faith. This is why water baptism is extremely important in the Christian faith.

Notes on Isaiah 9:6

In closing out this study it is necessary to include notes on one final verse. It has been suggested that because Isaiah 9:6 says that the coming Messiah would be called the Eternal Father we should conclude that Jesus is actually the Father.

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6)

After the volume of evidence that has already been expounded upon one would not think it necessary to debunk the oneness claims for this single verse. Nonetheless, it is a deal closer regarding the discussion. The following is a quote from http://ezek27.truepath.com/oneness.html:

"Isaiah 9:6 is another verse that Oneness theology uses to substantiate its doctrine. Referring to Christ's title, "everlasting Father," the apostolic feels justified in drawing the conclusion that scripture has affirmed his position that the Father and the Son are one and the same.

 However, the word "Father" is merely the tool used to address Christ's deity, just as the word "Son" depicts His humanity. Moreover, the Hebrew word for Father 'ab' is used in accordance with a custom usual in Hebrew and in Arabic, where he who possesses a thing is called the father of it. Thus Abialbon (II Samuel 23:31), "father of strength," means "strong"; Abiasaph (Exodus 6:24), "father of gathering," means "gatherer"; Abigail (I Chronicles 2:16), "father of exultation," is a woman's name meaning "exulting"; and so forth." Therefore, in keeping with the Hebrew custom the title "everlasting Father" or as it has also been translated, "Father of eternity" would simply be stating that Christ is eternal. (Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament and Practical: Isaiah, Vol. I, Grand Rapids, MI.: Baker Book House, 1950 reprint, pg. 193, as quoted in Robert M. Bowman, Jr., "Oneness Pentecostalism and the Trinity", Forward, The News and Research Periodical of the Christian Research Institute, Vol. 8, Number 3, 1985, p. 23-24.)"