"I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh"
It appears that many people today seem to think that a person becomes a Christian by being "baptized in the Holy Spirit." The title I used is from the book of Joel. It is an Old Testament book of prophecy. Peter quoted from it on the Day of Pentecost in AD 33. Let us examine the scripture to see if this is the case.
Acts 2:16-21
16“But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. 18 And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy.
19 I will show wonders in heaven above And signs in the earth beneath: Blood and fire and vapor of smoke.20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. 21 And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved.’
I first want to draw your attention to verse 17. Near the end of it, Joel is quoting God. God says "I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh. He again says this in verse 18.Joel continues by saying that your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams and they shall prophesy. God says "I will show wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath. He is speaking of miracles occuring. Now let's look at what Peter says shortly after he quotes this lengthy passage from the book of Joel.
Acts 2:33
33“Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear
In verse 33, Peter explains that Christ received the promise of the Holy Spirit and that Christ "poured out this which you now see and hear." My point is that the pouring out of the Holy Spirit is NOT what people think of as the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The baptism of the Holy Spirit was a promise that was only bestowed on the apostles (including Paul). If you read Acts chapter 1 it is clear that Jesus was only speaking to the apostles and tells them to wait there in Jerusalem until they are baptized with the Holy Spirit.
Acts 1:4,5
4And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; 5“for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
Also, in chapter 2, the people hearing the apostles speaking in tongues say in verse 7 "Look, are not all these who speak, Galaleans?" All the apostles on the day of Pentecost were Galaleans.
In conclusion, the pouring out of the Spirit is what was seen and heard and not an expression of all people being baptized by the Holy Spirit. In verse 38, Peter tells them to repent and be baptized every one of them in the name of Jesus Christ FOR the remission of their sins and then they would receive the "gift" of the Holy Spirit...which is not the baptism of the Holy Spirit, but rather the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This is NOT a miraculous measure of the Spirit which makes it possible to perform miracles. No one today is able to do the things that were done in the first century.
Acts 2:16-21
16“But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel:
17 ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. 18 And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy.
19 I will show wonders in heaven above And signs in the earth beneath: Blood and fire and vapor of smoke.20 The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood,
Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord. 21 And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved.’
I first want to draw your attention to verse 17. Near the end of it, Joel is quoting God. God says "I will pour out My Spirit upon all flesh. He again says this in verse 18.Joel continues by saying that your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams and they shall prophesy. God says "I will show wonders in heaven above and signs in the earth beneath. He is speaking of miracles occuring. Now let's look at what Peter says shortly after he quotes this lengthy passage from the book of Joel.
Acts 2:33
33“Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear
In verse 33, Peter explains that Christ received the promise of the Holy Spirit and that Christ "poured out this which you now see and hear." My point is that the pouring out of the Holy Spirit is NOT what people think of as the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The baptism of the Holy Spirit was a promise that was only bestowed on the apostles (including Paul). If you read Acts chapter 1 it is clear that Jesus was only speaking to the apostles and tells them to wait there in Jerusalem until they are baptized with the Holy Spirit.
Acts 1:4,5
4And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, “which,” He said, “you have heard from Me; 5“for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
Also, in chapter 2, the people hearing the apostles speaking in tongues say in verse 7 "Look, are not all these who speak, Galaleans?" All the apostles on the day of Pentecost were Galaleans.
In conclusion, the pouring out of the Spirit is what was seen and heard and not an expression of all people being baptized by the Holy Spirit. In verse 38, Peter tells them to repent and be baptized every one of them in the name of Jesus Christ FOR the remission of their sins and then they would receive the "gift" of the Holy Spirit...which is not the baptism of the Holy Spirit, but rather the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. This is NOT a miraculous measure of the Spirit which makes it possible to perform miracles. No one today is able to do the things that were done in the first century.
posted by Unknown at 3:33 PM
9 Comments:
WRONG...GOD IS THE SAME YESTERDAY TODAY AND FOREVER... THE DEAD ARE BEING RAISED, PEOPLE ARE BEING HEALED OF CANCER, BLIND EYES ARE BEING OPENED, ETC TODAY AND NOW!!!
READ MARK 16:16-18- don't doubt the power of The Living God!
by the way...maybe you should see:
www.spiritlessons.com
for some true accounts
also, i have seen MIRACLES in my very own life so I know that this unbelieving opinion is UNTRUE.
I hope you can start believing my friend...Because we are commanded and sent out to the world not only to BELIEVE but to lay hands on the sick, cast out devils, etc... We ARE also commanded to operate in spiritual gifts...See:
www.sidroth.org
David,
I have proven you wrong with God's Word and nothing you call a miracle that you have seen compares at all to the miracles performed in the first century.
You fail to see the truth because you are blinded by false miracle workers. God is the same today, yesterday, and forever, but He has changed His requirements for man. There were guidelines for man in the garden of eden. There were new guidelines for man after sin entered the world. There were again new guidelines and requirements under the Old Covenant. Then came the New Covenant. No longer are we to offer God animal sacrifices. If the manner in which God deals with man never has changed, there would have only been ONE covenant.
I am more than familiar with Mark 16:16-18 as well as the entire Bible. I do not doubt the power of the Living God. I doubt the claims of modern day fake miracle workers.
I know of many who went to these false healers and they did everything they were told to do and are still not healed. The sad truth is that no words will convince you that you are wrong...not even God's Word. I showed the true meaning to you and you are blinded to it.
Joe,
You may be true about Old and New convenant but never ever forget that the same new convenant you spoke about is the one we are under now. It is the same Apostle paul and peter operated on and the same we are operating on now.
The fact that you have not seen Miracles with your own eyes does not mean there is no such happening. Infact your BELIEVING alone is an act of faith.
Dear friend, there are Miracles just believe it. I have not seen much of it either, but i tell you, there is something that bears witness in me that there are Miracles and not only will i experience it, i will be used by HIM for the lost too.
Jesus Christ is the same Yesterday, Today, and Forever.
He has sent the Holy Ghost to do greater works through us. Ponder on the scripture below and pray the good lord to come and show you more of Himself.
I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father" (John 14:12).
Yinka
Thank you Yinka for your comments, but I am convinced it is you who is incorrect. You partly quoted a verse in Hebrews about Jesus.
Heb.13:8-9
8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. 9 Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them.
In context, the point is that Jesus and His teachings will remain forever. We are admonished not to be led away by diverse and strange teachings.
This really does not apply to how the Holy Spirit works today.
We can clearly see what the purpose of miracles were in Bible times.
John 20:27-31
27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe." 28 Thomas answered him, "My Lord and my God!" 29 Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." 30 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
The miracles that are recorded in the New Testament were written so that we may believe that Jesus is the Christ. The miracles that others performed and are recorded in the New Testament were so that we would believe they were sent by God.
1 Cor.13:8-10
8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.
Paul clearly said that speaking in tongues, knowledge, and prophecies would all pass away when that which is perfeft comes. The question that must be answered is what is that which is perfect?
The answer is in verse 9. He said they know in part and phophesy in part. Clearly the "perfect" is the complete New Testament which provides us with all we need to guide us as Christians and the church of our Lord, Jesus Christ.
2 Tim.3:16,17
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
The ASV says; "that the man of God may be complete" which I believe is a better translation. Also, when you see the word "perfect" in I Corinthians, "complete" is a more accurate meaning of the original Greek word. Once the church was firmly established and the New Testament was complete, there was not a need for miracles anymore.
Also, consider the nation of Israel. They saw miracles regularly and STILL turned from God. I believe God wants us to believe and NOT see miracles. What is the definition of faith?
Heb.11:1
1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
We MUST believe in what we do not see!
Also consider this warning from Jesus Himself.
Matt.24:23,24
23 Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There he is!' do not believe it. 24 For false christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect.
I pray you will not be led astray by pretenders who perform FAKE miracles. Nothing they do compares even slightly to the miracles we read about in the New Testament.
In Christ, Joe Norman
Mark 16:15-18
"And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.
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."
The Bible cannot be more explicit than this. Beleive and you will perform miracles!!
Hi Nomvuyo,
I fully explained what the pouring out of the Spirit upon all flesh was about in my blog. I also showed that although God doesn't change, He DOES change the way in which He interacts with me.
No one that claims to perform miracles today can come close to those we read about in the New Testament and there is no purpose for miracles today. We have the complete word of God now. Blessed are they who do not see a miraculous sign and still believe.
John 20:29 Jesus saith unto him, Because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
Every indication in the New Testament is that miracles served a purpose to help establish the church, but it was temporary.
1 Cor.13:8-13
8 Love never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall be done away; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall be done away. 9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part; 10 but when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child: now that I am become a man, I have put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know fully even as also I was fully known. 13 But now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; and the greatest of these is love.
God's word is clear, but many like you twist it because you lack knowledge.
Hi Joe
I have seen loads of miracles and was supernaturally healed of a serious neurological condition myself, as confirmed in writing by my consultant neurologist.
I have seen a lady's arm grow by about four inches (about the length of her hand) when I prayed for her. She was wearing a sleeveless top and there was absolutely no mistaking it. I have seen other similar miracles and plenty that were less obvious/spectacular.
God bless
Andrew
Andrew, I cannot know beyond a doubt what you have seen or even personally experienced but I am still very confident that my understanding of this topic is accurate and no "miracle" today compares to those performed in the first century. We no longer need to rely on miracles in order to believe. We have the complete word of God now. Thank you and God bless you, Joe
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