Pictured to the left is a copy of a version of the Holy Bible, known as the ENGLISH STANDARD VERSION ( ESV ). Matthew 28:16-20 read as follows:
"16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.'"
Moreover, Acts 8:14-17 read as follows:
"14 Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, 15 who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit."
Acts 9:10-19 read as follows:
"10 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, 'Ananias.' And he said, 'Here I am, Lord.' 11 And the Lord said to him, 'Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, 12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.' 13 But Ananias answered, 'Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name.' 15 But the Lord said to him, 'Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.' 17 So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, 'Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.' 18 And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized; 19 and taking food, he was strengthened. For some days he was with the disciples at Damascus."
Acts 10:44-48 read as follows:
"44 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. 45 And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. 46 For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter declared, 47 'Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people, who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?' 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked him to remain for some days."
In the first verse fourteen ( above ), Peter and John traveled from Jerusalem to Samaria ( a distance of thirty-nine miles - [ See the voice, COMPASS: THE STUDY BIBLE FOR NAVIGATING YOUR LIFE, THOMAS NELSON, NASHVILLE, DALLAS, MEXICO CITY, RIO DE JANEIRO, Compass Bible Copyright 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc., The Voice translation Copyright 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society, p. 1152. ] ).
Additionally, the phrase "day's journey" ( as we find in Luke 2:44 ) is defined as follows:
"The customary though inexact measure of distance traveled in a day. The distance varied with the terrain and with the circumstances of the traveler. The typical day's journey of the Jews was between 20 and 30 miles, though groups generally traveled only 10 miles per day. (See Gen. 30:36; 31:23; Ex. 3:18; 8:27; Deut. 1:2; Luke 2:44)." [ See HOLMAN BIBLE DICTIONARY, BUTLER, TRENT C., PH.D., HOLMAN BIBLE PUBLISHERS, NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE, Copyright 1991 Holman Bible Publishers, p. 344. ]
If we assume the group mode of travel ( provided in the definition immediately above ) to determine a day's journey for Peter and John, the time required for them to travel from Jerusalem to Samaria was four days. This means that those in Samaria who were baptized only in the name of the Lord Jesus ( as we read in the second verse sixteen ) had to wait four days before they received the Holy Spirit ( as we read in the second verse seventeen ).
Furthermore, the phrase "they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus" ( again, as we read in the second verse sixteen ), implies that there was another baptism involved, which was associated with the receiving of the Holy Spirit. This would be the baptism in the name of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, in order for the process of being baptized "in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" ( as we read in the first verse nineteen ), with regard to those in Samaria who had received the word of God ( as we read in the first verse fourteen ), to be completed, there was a delay of four days.
Peter and John first prayed for these people "that they might receive the Holy Spirit" ( as we read in the first verse fifteen ), and then they laid their hands on them so that they would receive Him ( again, as we read in the second verse seventeen, and see also John 10:30; Romans 1:20 ( see Romans 1:20 ( KJV, for example; with center-column references, for example ) to get the equivalent translation for the word "Godhead" ); Colossians 2:8, 9 ( KJV, for example ); and 1 John 5:7 ( KJV, for example ), for example ). Clearly, this occasion of being baptized in the name of the Holy Spirit occurred after the baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus. As is indicated in the third verse seventeen, Ananias laid his hands on Saul, and he regained his sight and was filled with the Holy Spirit.
In this instance involving Ananias and Saul, the baptism in the name of the Holy Spirit occurred prior to the baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus ( see also Acts 22:12-16 ( especially verse 16, for example ) and 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 ( especially verse 11, for example ), for example ). In verse forty-four, the Holy Spirit "fell on all who heard the word." Afterwards ( as we read in verse forty-eight ), the baptism in the name of Jesus Christ ( see Matthew 1:16, for example ) occurred. There was no laying on of hands involved in this latter event.
A common theme, relating to all four of the above-given passages from the Holy Bible, is that the baptism in the name of the Holy Spirit occurs only in connection with the baptism in the name the Lord Jesus. Since the Holy Spirit proceeds from the heavenly Father ( see Matthew 3:13-17 ( especially verse 16, for example ); 5:9, 16; 6:9, 14, for example ), this is how the baptism in the name of the Father occurred. However, since the time that God's word was completely revealed to mankind in written form ( when the apostle John finished writing the book of Revelation ), miracles have not occurred ( cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 ( especially verses 16 and 17, for example ), for example ). Therefore, it is no longer necessary for the Holy Spirit to miraculously proceed from the heavenly Father, because He is the truth ( see 1 John 5:6, for example ), which is what the Holy Bible is in written form ( see Psalm 119:65-73, 142, and 151; John 17:1, 3, and 17; and 2 Timothy 2:15; 3:16, 17, for example ). God, the Father, God, the Son, and God, the Holy Spirit are all truth.
One important lesson, to be derived from these observations, is that since baptism in the name of the Holy Spirit is only associated with baptism, by immersion in water, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of one's past sins ( see Acts 2:38; 8:26-40 ( especially verses 36-39, for example; KJV, for example ); Romans 3:21-26 ( especially verse 25; KJV, for example ); 6:1-4 ( especially verses 3 and 4, for example ); and Galatians 3:26, 27, for example ), all denominational baptisms do not result in the receiving of the Holy Spirit: they are not valid. Thus, Baptists, Methodists, Episcopalians, and Catholics, for example, have not received the Holy Spirit and, thus, they are not Christians ( see Acts 11:26, for example ).
Concerning the receiving of the word of God in Samaria, since they had to wait four days to receive the Holy Spirit, this means that it took four days for them to complete the process of becoming Christians and, therefore, believers ( see also Acts 2: 41, 47 ( KJV, for example ); chapter 10 ( especially verses 23 and 45 ); Romans 12:1-8 ( especially verses 4 and 5, for example ); and Ephesians 1:15-23 ( especially verses 22 and 23, for example ), for example ). Since we have the Holy Bible now and, thus, the miraculous receiving of the Holy Spirit is not necessary, there is no longer the potential for a time delay in completing the process of being baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, for becoming a believer. Whatever the case may be, there is no such thing as a denominational believer.
Please read the Holy Bible ( which is God's word - see Luke 8:19-21 ( especially verse 21, for example ); 11:27, 28 ( especially verse 28, for example ); and Revelation 1:1-8 ( especially verse 3, for example ), 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>.
NOTE: Please read the Thursday, October 29, 2015 and Friday, October 30, 2015 entries to this weblog to find additional facts regarding this subject.
