Grace Bible Church
Pastor-Teacher
Robert R. McLaughlin
Wednesday,
February 13, 2019

John 15 =  the Vine and the Branches and the uniqueness of one of the most important doctrines our Lord began to teach -- the Baptism of the Spirit.

 

There were many phrases our Lord and His apostles use through-out the New Testament that points to the believers' close relationship with our Lord as well as with one another.

 

Some of those phrases which are used to identify the uniqueness of the Church-age and the Baptism of the Spirit are taught by phrases like: "in Christ" or "in Him" or "Christ in you" or "in Us."

 

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is that doctrine which enters the believer into union with Christ, making the Church-age believer a part of the royal family of God forever.

 

All believers can be baptized by the Holy Spirit and that all they have to do is ask God for it and He will give the believer the Baptism of the Spirit if the believer wants it.

The Bible teachers that the Baptism of the Spirit is something that happens for every individual the moment that they believe in our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

It doesn't matter if the believer is Jew or Gentile, bond or free, male or female, we are all equal because of what our Lord provided for us when He was on the Cross; Gal 3:26-28.

 

Not through water baptism;
Not through faith plus anything.
Not through faith plus commitment;

 

Not through making Christ Lord of all;
Not through asking Jesus into your heart;
Not through asking Jesus into your life;

 

Not through giving money to your church;
Not through repentance from sin;
Not by renouncing your sin;

 

Not through joining a church;
Not through psychological gimmicks like raising your hand;
Not through walking an aisle;

 

These things and even more cannot save you because they are things you are doing!

 

Prin:  When you add anything to faith in Christ for salvation, that is salvation by works which is not salvation at all.

 

It is always the same in every generation or every dispensation it is = "FAITH ALONE IN CHRIST ALONE."

 

Gal 3:27   For all of you who were baptized [identified] with our Lord Jesus Christ on the day of your salvation  as the apostle Paul goes on to say that "all of this was through faith in Christ Jesus."

 

1Co 12:13  "For by means of one Spirit, we were all baptized into one body; whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves of free, all were made to drink into one Spirit."

 

All believers have been baptized by the Spirit but all believers do not speak in tongues and therefore the baptism of the Spirit is for all believers and yet all believers do not speak in tongues.

 

It  (the baptism of the Spirit) is for all, but all do not speak in tongues, therefore, the Baptism of the Spirit has nothing to do with the gift of tongues.

 

Eph 4:5  "One Lord, one faith, one baptism."

 

Rom 6:3  "Do you not know that all of us have been baptized into Jesus Christ?"

 

Rom 6:4  "Therefore, we have been buried with Him through baptism into His death, in order that as Christ was raised again from the dead to the glory of the Father, we also might walk in newness of life."

The newness of life refers to our being a new spiritual species or a new creature in the Royal Family of God.

 

Rom 6:5 "For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death [and we have], and not only this, we shall also be united in the likeness of His resurrection."


In Rom 6:3-5, the apostle Paul teaches identification with Christ in His death, burial, and resurrection.

 

The many references to the baptism of the Holy Spirit are often found in the preposition phrase "EN + the locative of CHRISTOS," translated "in Christ."

 

Almost everywhere this phrase is found, it is a technical reference to the baptism of the Holy Spirit and resultant positional truth.

 

1Co 15:22, "In Adam all die; so also in Christ shall all be made alive."

 

Rom 8:1  "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."

 

This ministry of the Holy Spirit is NOT found in the Old Testament, and there are no eschatological references to it beyond the Church Age.

 

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is not the function of any spiritual gift, as alleged by the Holy Roller heresy, which equates the baptism of the Holy Spirit with speaking in tongues.

 

No one has legitimately spoken in tongues since A.D. 70 because tongues were not for believers but really for unbelievers.

 

This is something that those who think that speaking in tongues was some great gift to have, when in reality they have no idea why the gift of tongues was originally given; Isa 28:9-13; 1CO 14:22.

 

ISA 28:11   Indeed, He will speak to this people Through stammering lips and a foreign tongue,

 

1CO 14:22  So then tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe, but to unbelievers; but prophecy is for a sign, not to unbelievers, but to those who believe.

 

Union with Christ is a permanent identification which distinguishes Christianity from religion.

 

In Christianity, the believer through union with Christ has a permanent relationship with God.

 

In religion, man by man's efforts seeks to gain the approbation of God, a Satanic function.

 

In Christianity, the believer through union with Christ has a permanent relationship with God.

 

  1. It is not an experience.
    2. It is not an emotional activity or ecstatics.
    3.  It is not speaking in tongues.
    4.  It is not related to human feeling.
    5.  It is not progressive.

It cannot be improved in either time or eternity.

 

Our union with Christ is perfect from the day of our salvation.

 

 It is not related to any human merit or ability.  There is nothing you can do to have the baptism of the Spirit.

 

The baptism of the Holy Spirit was never mentioned in the Old Testament because it is a part of the mystery doctrine for the Church Age.

 

The baptism of the Holy Spirit produces a new person by placing you in union with Christ.

  1. You share His life which is eternal life; 1Jo 5:11-12.
  2. You share Christ's righteousness so we have a double perfect righteousness: that of the Father's from imputation at salvation, and that of the Son's through union with Him; 2Co 5:21.

2Co 5:21  "He who knew no sin was made sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him."

 

  1. We share the election of Christ, an escrow election, Eph 1:3‑4.
  2. We share the destiny of Christ that we refer to as predestination, Eph 1:5‑6.
  3. We share the sonship of Christ, Gal 3:26. He is the Son of God; "we are sons of God by faith in Christ Jesus."  Joh 1:12.
  4. We are the heirs of God and joint-heirs with the Son of God, Rom 8:16‑17.
  5. We are a royal priesthood, sharing the priesthood of Christ, 1Pe 2:5,9.
  6. We have eternal security; we can never get out of union with Christ whether we are winners or losers.

  7. We are adopted into the royal family of God, Eph 1:5.
  8. We are a royal family of kings.

So we share everything Christ is and has, for the head and the body are united into one spiritual entity.

 

Two new species created in human history.
a.  Israel was created as a new racial species.
b.  The Church is a new spiritual species.

 

Our Lord began to reveal some of the most interesting doctrinal principles used to describe or to prepare His disciples for one of the greatest relationships that ever existed between God and man.

 

Here comes one of the main reasons and some of the new doctrines that our Lord is about to mention to His disciples concerning these new doctrinal principles = Mystery Doctrines of the Church-age.

 

It is important that we realize our place in the vine and the branches and the intimacy and the mysteries that exists because of our union with our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

The mystery of Christian marriage which is totally different in the NT than it was in the OT as it relates to two believers, one male and one female, whose marriage is tested by the Lord.

 

Christian marriage is a doctrine that winner believers in the Church-age can attain as a part of the Third Witness in the angelic conflict.

 

  1. The Lord Jesus Christ who is called the faithful witness; Rev 1:5.
    2. The witness of the winner believer; Act 1:8.
    3. The witness of Christian marriage; Eph 5:32.

Eph 5:32  This mystery [Christian marriage]  is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.

 

Christian marriage was called a part of the mystery doctrine when the apostle Paul said in Eph 5:32 that  This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.

 

"How can you call something a mystery when it has been around ever since the beginning?"

 

Christian Marriage was designed as a divine institution that can also be a third witness in the Supreme Court of heaven in the midst of the angelic conflict.

 

Because of the Baptism of the Spirit and our union with the Lord Jesus Christ, we have the following doctrinal principles that reveal how close we are with the Vine and the Branches.

 

1JO 4:4  You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.

 

PHI 4:13  I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

 

  1. The last Adam and the new creation.

These synonyms are found in 1Co 15:45-47; 2Co 5:17;  Gal 6:15.

 

  1. We have the head and the body; the head focuses in on the authority of our Lord as the King of kings and Lord of lords over the church.

This synonym is used in Eph 1:22-23;  Eph 2:16; Eph 4:4-5; Eph 5:23.

  1. A third synonym is the Shepherd and the Sheep used in the gospels prophetically. This is found in Heb 13:20; 1Pe 2:25; 2Pe 5:4.
  2. A fourth synonym is the vine and the branches, Joh 15.
  3. A fifth synonym is Christ as the Chief Cornerstone and we are the stones of the building, Eph 2:20; 1Pe 2:4-8.
  4. A 6th synonym is the High Priest and the Royal Priesthood. This emphasizes our privacy and freedom, Heb 7:25; Heb 10:10-14; 1Pe 2:5,9.
  5. A 7th synonym is the Groom and the Bride analogy which points to the future of the Church as Royal Family; 2Co 11:2; Eph 5:25-27; Rev 19:6-8.
  6. The eighth analogy is the King of kings and the Royal Family of God, 1Pe 2:5; 2:9; Rev 1:6.
  7. The baptism of the Spirit results in the creation of a new spiritual species and the royal family of God.
  8. The predesigned plan of God as it is today is unique for the royal family of God only.
  9. There is also a phenomenal portfolio of invisible assets which belongs to each one of us as royal family of God.
  10. For the first time in history, every believer, regardless of his background, attainments or lack of attainments, handicaps, success, or any other distinguishing human factor, has equality given by God Himself.
  11. We have our unique royal commissions: royal priesthood and royal ambassadorship.
  12. We have the unique mystery doctrines of the Church Age.
  13. Every member of the Trinity indwells every believer.
  14. We have the unique availability of divine power. Never before in history has divine omnipotence been available for use to every believer.
  15. This is the first time in history when there are no prophecies to be fulfilled during the Church Age.
  16. This is the dispensation of invisible heroes.
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