Pictured to the left is a copy of a version of the Holy Bible, known as THE NEW ENGLISH BIBLE; being entitled: THE NEW ENGLISH BIBLE WITH THE APOCRYPHA. Acts 19:1-6 read as follows:
"While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul travelled through the inland regions till he came to Ephesus. There he found a number of converts, 2 to whom he said, 'Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?' 'No,' they replied, 'we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.' 3 He said, 'Then what baptism were you given?' 'John's baptism', they answered. 4 Paul then said, 'The baptism that John gave was a baptism in token of repentance, and he told the people to put their trust in one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus.' 5 On hearing this they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus ; 6 and when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them and they spoke in tongues of ecstasy and prophesied."
Moreover, Romans 8:1-12 read as follows:
"The conclusion of the matter is this : there is no condemnation for those who are united with Christ Jesus, 2 because in Christ Jesus the life-giving law of the Spirit has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 What the law could never do, because our lower nature robbed it of all potency, God has done : by sending his own Son in a form like that of our own sinful nature, and as a sacrifice for sin, he has passed judgement against sin within that very nature, 4 so that the commandment of the law may find fulfilment in us, whose conduct, no longer under the control of our lower nature, is directed by the Spirit. 5 Those who live on the level of our lower nature have their outlook formed by it, 6 and that spells death ; but those who live on the level of the spirit have the spiritual outlook, and that is life and peace. 7 For the outlook of the lower nature is enmity with God ; it is not subject to the law of God ; indeed it cannot be : 8 those who live on such a level cannot possibly please God. 9 But that is not how you live. You are on the spiritual level, if only God's Spirit dwells within you ; and if a man does not possess the Spirit of Christ, he is no Christian. 10 But if Christ is dwelling within you, then although the body is a dead thing because you sinned, yet the spirit is life itself because you have been justified. 11 Moreover, if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells within you, then the God who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give new life to your mortal bodies through his indwelling Spirit. 12 It follows, my friends, that our lower nature has no claim upon us ; we are not obliged to live on that level."
In the first verse two ( above ), Paul ( see the first verse one ) asked the converts if they received the Holy Spirit when they became believers. Implied in this question is the fact that one becomes a believer at the point at which he or she receives the Holy Spirit. His second question ( as we read in the first verse three ) focuses on the baptism they were given.
Considering these two questions together, we arrive at the conclusion that one receives the Holy Spirit at the point of baptism ( see also Acts 5:32, for example ): it is at this point that one becomes a believer. This means that the heavenly Father ( see Matthew 5:9, 16; 6:9, 14, for example ) considers a believer to be one who has committed his or her life to Christ ( see 2 Corinthians 5:11-17 ( especially verse 15, for example ), for example ) through the act of baptism. Thus, one who simply believes that the Holy Bible is God's word, for example, is not a believer in His eyes. It must also be noted that at the time the Holy Bible was completely revealed to mankind in written form ( when the apostle John finished writing the book of Revelation, "A.D. 95 or 96" [ See Holy Bible, THE NEW OPEN BIBLE STUDY EDITION, THOMAS NELSON PUBLISHERS, Nashville, Copyright 1990, 1985, 1983 by Thomas Nelson, Inc., p. 1514. ] ), there was no longer a need for the laying on of hands to receive the Holy Spirit: the need for miracles had ceased at that point ( see Mark 16:19, 20 ( especially verse 20, for example ), John 2:11 ( see John 2:11 ( KJV, for example; with center-column references, for example ) to get the equivalent translation for the word "miracles" ), 1 Corinthians 13:8-10, 2 Peter 1:19-21, and 1 John 5:6, for example ).
Additionally, from the converts' response ( again, in the first verse two ), we learn that the baptism of John did not involve the teaching of the Holy Spirit. Since the time that Jesus was crucified, buried, and raised again the third day ( see 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 ( especially verses 3 and 4, for example ), for example ), baptism for the remission of sins, in the name of a human being ( in this case, John the Baptist ( again, see the first verse three; 18:25, and Matthew 3:1-12 ( especially verses 6 and 11, for example ), for example )) became obsolete ( see Romans 6:1-4 ( especially verses 3 and 4, for example ), for example ). Since the head of a religious denomination is a human being and not Jesus Christ ( see Matthew 1:16 ( KJV, for example ); 16:17, 18, Romans 16:16 ( KJV, for example ), and Colossians 1:13-20 ( especially verse 18, for example ), for example ), all denominational baptisms are in the name of a human being ( see Acts 4:10-12 and 2 Corinthians 4:13, for example ) and are, thus, invalid.
All such denominational baptisms do not result in the participant receiving the Holy Spirit. Since, in this case, one has not received the Holy Spirit, that one has also not received His gift, eternal life ( see Romans 6:23, the second verse two, and 1 Corinthians 15:45, for example ). Therefore, since Scriptural baptism results in one being saved ( see Mark 16:15, 16, for example ), one's receipt of the Holy Spirit and His gift means that he or she has been saved. This also means that since all denominational baptisms do not result in the receiving of the Holy Spirit, they do not save anyone. We reach the conclusion, then, that no Baptist, Methodist, Episcopalian, nor Catholic, for example, has received the Holy Spirit and is, therefore, not a Christian ( see the first verse nine ).
Finally ( as can be determined from the first verses four and five ), trusting in Jesus means that one will be baptized in His name. Based on the two above-given passages from the Holy Bible, we can also rightly conclude that there is no such thing as a denominational believer. Please study the Holy Bible ( which is God's word - see Psalm 119:65-73, 142, and 151, John 17:1, 3, and 17, and 2 Timothy 2:15; 3:16, 17, for example ). If you have any questions about the Holy Bible, you can contact me by e-mail at:
<rewillis1_1@juno.com>
<Russell E. Willis>.
