it seems to me ridiculous and quite against both scripture and reason to suggest that someone who has had the Spirit work on and in them for salvation and acknowledgement of his lordship may not have the same Spirit lead them on with him, take them to new depths of submission and appreciation that are profound enough to be indicated by terms of receiving and being baptised in the Spirit. Nor that he cannot give them higher thoughts, greater insight into scripture, truer obedience, more holy affections. None of these latter are saving works, but I sincerely hope that the Holy Spirit will continue working them in me until I die.
Read moreDivergence and Unity; Acts 18:18-28
Stupid division over who likes whom often indicates a church fast on the way to spiritual impotency.
Read moreThe Macedonian Vision; Acts 16:9-12
I don't think there is any certainty in ANY exegesis unless we are living out the gospel. God has a habit of revealing himself to those who don't just think about Him and talk about Him but who do what He says. Sitting in the study trying to answer the question in a purely theoretical, abstract way is probably never what God intended us to do with the Macedonian vision. I suspect we are meant to hear about it, and long for Joel-type visions and dreams as God stirs in us a passion desire to do the work of the gospel in fresh fields.
Read moreThe Transforming Power of Jesus
we tell them. “I don’t act this way because I am a good person. I act this way because Jesus is my King and my righteousness.” And you will be laughed at and you will get despised and scorned but you will be doing Acts 3. And some, gloriously, will see the miraculous work God has done in us and will hear the explanation and they will repent and turn to him just as we have done.
Read moreMore on Being Filled with the Spirit
Dave G-J posted a very thoughtful comment on the post below on being filled with the Spirit and whether it is uniquely at conversion.
For a very thoughtful consideration of the question it is well worth a read of John Piper's sermon You will be baptized with the Holy Spirit here:
Here is an excerpt, but I recommend you read the whole thing. I agree with it.
I think that being baptized with the Holy Spirit (the way Luke means it) is not the same as being born again or being united to Christ by the work of the Holy Spirit. In other words I don't think that what Paul is talking about in 1 Corinthians 12:13 is the same as what is happening here in Acts.
Paul says, "For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free." The context shows that he is referring to a work of the sovereign Spirit who unites all believers to Christ. This is virtually the same as the work of conversion. When you are born again and put your faith in Christ, the Spirit of God unites you to Christ so that you are part of his body and a fellow-heir with him of eternal life.
I used to just assume that Paul and Luke were talking about the same thing when they used the word "baptism" and connected it to the Holy Spirit—in other words, that the baptism by the Spirit in 1 Corinthians 12:13 and the baptism with the Holy Spirit inActs 2 were the same. Many very able scholars and teachers still make that connection. The view I am about to give you is not the only orthodox one, nor is it one you have to agree with in order to be a part of this fellowship. But it is one that I am increasingly persuaded is correct and desperately needed in the church.
Receiving Extraordinary Power for Ministry
We are trying to answer the question: What is the heart or essence of being baptized with the Holy Spirit? I have said that I do NOT think the essence is new birth or conversion or being united to the body of Christ. What then is it? And why do I not think it is the same as what Paul speaks of in 1 Corinthians 12:13?
I think the essence of being baptized with the Holy Spirit is when a person, who is already a believer, receives extraordinary spiritual power for Christ-exalting ministry.