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Click here to watch this sermon. We’re coming to the end of our series Jesus Saves where we’ve been looking at the various conversion accounts recorded in the Book of Acts. We began in Acts 2 after the ascension of Christ when the apostles began carrying out the great commission that Jesus left with them: to go, beginning there in Jerusalem, then, ultimately, into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. We have followed the apostles and other preachers from the first century Church as the gospel has spread from Jerusalem throughout the Roman Empire and into all the world. Over the past few weeks, we’ve watched the message of Christ spread from Philippi and Athens, to Thessalonica and Berea, then to Corinth on Paul’s second missionary journey. Today, we go with Paul on his third missionary journey to the ancient city of Ephesus, where we find a somewhat unusual case: a group of people who had already been baptized but were told by the apostle Paul that they needed to be baptized again. The method of their first baptism was not wrong, so why did Paul instruct them to be baptized a second time? Acts 19:1-7 “And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?” So they said, “Into John’s baptism.” Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. “When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. Now the men were about twelve in all.” The question posed to these disciples is an important question that we should ask of ourselves today as well. Into what were you baptized? Does is make any difference when, how, or why a person is immersed? This case proves that it does, and we’ll explain why in our study today. Paul had left his friends, Aquila and Priscilla, in Ephesus when he passed through on his second missionary journey. They eventually moved on to Rome. When Paul returns to Ephesus, he finds this group of twelve people whom the Bible calls disciples. That doesn’t mean that these people were yet Christians, for while all Christians are disciples, not all disciples are Christians. The word disciple is a more generic word that simply means learner, implying that these men were learners or followers of some kind of teaching. When Paul meets them, he wants to know who had taught them and what did they know. He is about to find out by asking them this question. Acts 19:2-3 “he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” So they said to him, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said to them, “Into what then were you baptized?” So they said, “Into John’s baptism.”” This gives us some idea about the background of these people. They were disciples of someone, and here we learn that they had been baptized with the baptism of John. This tells us they had heard something about the coming of the Messiah, but they were not aware that the Holy Spirit had come. When they said, We don’t know if there is a Holy Spirit, that doesn’t mean they had never heard of the Holy Spirit or didn’t know that the Holy Spirit existed. If they were familiar at all with any kind of Bible teaching, they would’ve been familiar with the existence of the Holy Spirit. Rather, the marginal reading has them saying, we have not even heard whether the Holy Spirit is given, and I think that better captures the idea here. You see, when the Holy Spirit came on the Day of Pentecost, He took up His abode with the New Testament church and began working with the Church to reveal and confirm the truth of Christ. The coming of the Holy Spirit is synonymous with the coming of the kingdom of Christ and the commencement of Christ’s reign. We’ve pointed that out already in our series of studies. So, what these people were revealing to Paul was that someone had come along and preached the baptism of John to them, and they had been immersed with John’s baptism (not John personally, but someone who was teaching John’s baptism). But in obeying that baptism, they were not aware that Christ had already come, that His reign had since commenced, and His Church had been established. It wasn’t that they were not taught anything about the Messiah. It wasn’t that they didn’t believe in the Messiah. It was that they were still waiting for Him, not realizing that He had come and that all of these things had already been fulfilled. The fact that they did not know about the coming of the Holy Spirit and His work proved to Paul that they were behind the times, you might say. Their knowledge was incomplete and inadequate. He begins to explain to them. Acts 19:4-5 “Then Paul said, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.” When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.” What was the problem with their baptism? Why did they need to be baptized again? Let’s take a moment to consider what John’s baptism was all about. Paul says that it was a baptism of repentance and that John told those whom he baptized that they should believe on the Christ who would come after him. That sums up the mission of John the baptist. John was an unusual, fiery preacher who started preaching in the Judean wilderness before the ministry of Christ began. He went through the country along the Jordan announcing that the long-awaited Christ and His kingdom were at hand and about to come. The problem was that the people were not prepared to receive Christ. Their hearts were in no condition to recognize or follow Christ when He would start His ministry, unfolding and developing His work. It’s like the field where you are going to plant the seed. Before you plant, you need to get out and prepare the soil or you won’t have much of a crop. You get out and hoe up the garden or plow up the field before planting the seed. You get it ready. Another illustration would be building a road. You go out first and prepare the path, maybe cut down trees, perhaps carve out part of a hillside, fill in the low places and smooth out the high places. Then, when the way is prepared, you can proceed in building the road. That’s what John’s mission was really all about. Isaiah prophesied 600 years before Christ was born that one would come before the Christ and make things ready for Him. Luke 3:3-6 “And he (Luke) went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight. Every valley shall be filled And every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight And the rough ways smooth; And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'” Luke is the one Isaiah was talking about. Notice that John would come to call the people to repentance because the Christ was about to appear. He told the people to turn from their sins and believe on the One who would come after him, Christ Jesus. He then baptized those people in the Jordan River for the remission or forgiveness of their sins. There was nothing wrong with John’s baptism. It was commissioned by God. He was baptizing by God’s authority. He baptized people with God’s approval and with the approval of Jesus Himself. Though He had no sin Himself, Jesus even submitted to John’s baptism in order to set an example of obedience and fulfill all righteousness. Jesus and His disciples even went about the country preaching and administering John’s baptism for a time (John 3:22). There wasn’t anything wrong with John’s baptism or with how John baptized. The word baptize is a transliteration of the word baptizo, which means to dip, submerge, or to plunge. In other words, it was an immersion in water. John didn’t sprinkle people with water; he immersed them in water. That’s what the Bible teaches that baptism is—not sprinkling or pouring. That’s why he was preaching near the Jordan River. He didn’t need a cup of water to pour on people. He needed a pool of water to immerse people in, and that’s what he was doing. Not only was John’s baptism correct in how it was being done. It was also correct in that it was predicated on faith and repentance. He told the people to believe on Him who would come after him. He told them to repent, just like the baptism that Jesus later commanded when He gave the great commission. The baptism of John was even for the same purpose, in that it was for the remission or forgiveness of sins. Luke 3:3 “And he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins,” Acts 2:38 “Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” The same phrase is used when speaking of John’s baptism and the baptism that Jesus commanded, for the forgiveness of sins. The difference is that when John’s baptism was being preached and scripturally performed, Christ had not yet died for the remission of sins. So, the people who were being baptized by John were being forgiven, but on the basis of Christ’s death which had not yet taken place. You might say they were being forgiven prospectively, much like the forgiveness that people received upon the sacrifice of animals under the old law. That forgiveness was predicated on the death of Jesus which would later take place. It looked forward to the cross. John’s commission was limited to the short period of time immediately before the coming of the Christ and into the beginning of the ministry of Jesus. He came before Christ preaching a message of baptism that pointed forward to the Christ. But remember what John himself said as Jesus came on the scene. John 3:30 “He must increase, but I must decrease.” In other words, as Jesus began His ministry, John’s ministry was winding down. It fulfilled its purpose and Christ took over and began preaching His own message and kingdom after God anointed Him at His baptism as the Christ the Messiah. When Jesus died on the cross and established His long-awaited kingdom on the Day of Pentecost, there was certainly no remaining purpose for John’s baptism. It had fulfilled its purpose. It was good for its time, but its purpose was now fulfilled and through. When Jesus died and then was resurrected, before going back to Glory, He told His disciples this: Mark 16:15-16 “And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”” Not that Jesus was coming, but that He HAD come. Not that there was the forgiveness of sins that was about to be made available, but that the forgiveness of sins IS NOW a finished reality. Jesus was no longer commanding people to be baptized with the baptism of John, which pointed forward to the Christ. He was now commanding His own baptism—same in form, same in purpose, but which looks back to the Christ, who had already come. So, what’s going on here in Acts 19? Remember how we met Aquila and Priscilla in our study last week, that wonderful Christian couple who went together teaching people the truth. Acts 18 ends by telling us this: Acts 18:24-25 “Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John.” It wasn’t that he was branching out and teaching some foreign doctrine that he originated that was contrary to what the scriptures said and what the truth was. The problem was that his knowledge was inadequate. This man was behind. He was going about several years after Christ had come, died on the cross, resurrected, gave the great commission, went back to Heaven, and took up His kingdom reign. This man was–still in ignorance–going about preaching John’s baptism, which had expired several years before. Again, it wasn’t that the baptism was wrong in and of itself. Get this now: it was motivated by the desire to obey God, it was preceded by a belief in the Messiah and repentance, it was for the forgiveness of sins. But the passing of time had made that baptism no longer relevant to people. By this time, people should be learning that Christ had already come, had died for the sins of the world, had raised, now reigns, and His Church/His kingdom now exists. Upon that knowledge, Apollos should’ve been urging people to obey the baptism that Christ commanded when He gave the great commission before returning to Heaven. That baptism is still in effect, and it is commanded of all people who would place their faith in Christ and repent of their sins and who wish to enter into His now existing kingdom. So, if Apollos was going about preaching this in error, perhaps others were, too. Somewhere along the way, these twelve men at Ephesus had learned from somebody that they needed to be baptized by John’s baptism. That simply wasn’t right at the time they were given that instruction. I don’t know of anybody going about the country preaching the baptism of John today, but I do know of many people who don’t understand what the new covenant teaches about baptism. Most preachers and most churches today, frankly, have abandoned the views held and practiced by the first-century church concerning baptism, which was that baptism is the point at which one is saved and enters the kingdom. Men today have long since redefined it as instead being a symbolic gesture, a church ordinance that new Christians should obey in order to outwardly demonstrate an inward grace already received. But that’s not what the New Testament writers teach about baptism. Maybe some denominational creeds teach that, but not the New Testament. Peter taught that baptism is for the remission of sins. Acts 2:38 “Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Ananias taught that it is the point at which our sins are washed away, and it is how we call upon the name of the Lord. Acts 22:16 “’And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’” Paul taught that baptism is the step where we enter into Christ and the point of obedience where we die to sin and arise from that watery grave to walk in newness of life. Galatians 3:27 “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Romans 6:3-5 “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,” It is the point where, by the power of Christ, we are made free from sin. Romans 6:17-18 “But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.” It is the dividing line of salvation, the point of deliverance from the perishing world. It is the way we appeal to God for a clean conscience through the resurrection of Christ. 1 Peter 3:20-21 “who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. There is also an antitype which now saves us–baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,” Baptism adds us to the Church, the body of Christ. Acts 2:41 “Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.” 1 Corinthians 12:13 “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body–whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free–and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.” You see, that’s not what most churches today are teaching about baptism. If someone said that you were saved before being baptized or without being baptized, the simple fact is they are teaching the creeds of men and not the truth taught by Christ and the apostles. Have you asked yourself, into what then was I baptized? Was your baptism for the purpose outlined in the New Testament or was it a baptism conceived and taught by men? Many have also changed the very design of baptism. Instead of baptizing people as Christ commanded, which means to submerge or plunge, in the likeness of Christ’s death and resurrection, they instead sprinkle or pour water over one’s head. The Bible never indicates that such was practiced for baptism; rather, it was a burial or immersion. Were you sprinkled? Was your baptism scriptural? That’s an important question that you shouldn’t shrug off or take for granted, friend. Then, some have changed the scope of baptism. The Bible shows that baptism is always preceded by belief and repentance. Babies and small children can’t do that. They don’t yet have the mental capacity to understand anything about that. Yet many religious organizations sprinkle infants. They pour water over babies and claim to be baptizing them. Jesus said, “He who believes and is baptized shall be saved…” He said that one is to be taught about Christ before being baptized (Matthew 28:19). Were you sprinkled as a baby or a young child? That’s not Bible baptism, but a doctrine of man. So, we ask today, with the apostle Paul, into what were you baptized? Because it makes a difference how, when, and why. Finally, the record tells us that after these twelve were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, Paul laid hands on them. Acts 19:5-6 “When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.” This takes us back to something we learned several weeks ago in our study of Acts 8 and the conversion of Simon and the other people of Samaria. Remember, the apostles had to come to Samaria after their conversion to impart miraculous gifts of the Spirit to those new believers to equip and ground them in the absence of the completed revelation of the New Testament, like we now have. Here, we see that happen again. Paul was an apostle—just like Peter and John were—and these people in Acts 19 received these miraculous powers, these gifts of the Spirit, by the laying on of Paul the apostles’ hands. That’s why miraculous gifts do not exist in the Church today: the apostles are no longer with us and those gifts have fulfilled their divine purpose with the passing of the apostolic era. This brings us to the conclusion of our series of the conversion in the Book of Acts. I hope you’ve seen the pattern that is repeated over and over again, which is this: regardless of the individual circumstances leading up to people hearing the gospel, there were some things that always took place. Those things must take place today for people to be saved by Christ and added to His Church. In every case, every person heard the gospel preached. They believed the gospel when they heard it. They repented of their sins; that is, they turned away from their sins and turned to Christ for salvation. They were immediately baptized or immersed in water for the forgiveness of their sins. That’s the Bible pattern. That’s how Christ saves today. Regardless of where you may be on the road of life, I want you to know that Jesus saves. He is interested in your soul and He wants you to be saved. He has moved Heaven and earth, working in cooperative concert with all of Heaven in order to make it possible for you to be saved. We want you to be saved. We offer to you today the same gospel message that was preached all throughout the Book of Acts. Now, it’s up to you. If you’ve never obeyed these steps, you need to. You need to set about to do it today, and we’re praying that you will. ©2021 BibleWay Media. All rights reserved. BibleWay Media grants permission to copy this material for personal use. Permission is also granted to distribute this transcript as long as it is reproduced in its entirety, used solely for its original purpose of spreading the gospel, and attribution is given to the author and Let the Bible Speak.
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आत्माको बप्तिस्मा पाठ ६-आत्माको बप्तिस्मा आत्माको बप्तिस्मा सम्बन्धी चाबी पद १ कोरिन्थी १२:१३ हो—“किनकि चाहे हामी यहूदी हौं चाहे ग्रीक, चाहे हामी कमारा हौं चाहे स्वतन्त्र, हामी सबै एउटै __________ एउटै शरीरभित्र ____________ (डुबाइएनु, राखिनु) भयौं; र सबैलाई एउटै आत्माभित्र पिउन दिइयो।” यस पदमा बताइएको “एउटै शरीर” भनेको मण्डली हो। “र सबै कुराहरू उहाँका पाउहरूमनि पारिदिनुभयो, र उहाँलाई सबै कुराहरूमाथि ________ हुनाका निम्ति __________लाई दिनुभयो, जोचाहिँ उहाँको __________ हो अर्थात् उहाँको परिपूर्णता, जसले सबै कुरामा सबै कुराहरू भरिदिनुहुन्छ” (एफेसी १:२२-२३)। “अनि उहाँ _________ अर्थात् ____________ _________ हुनुहुन्छ” (कलस्सी १:१८)। मण्डलीलाई ख्रीष्टको शरीर भनिएको छ, र ख्रीष्ट उक्त शरीरको शिर हुनुहुन्छ। आत्माको बप्तिस्मालाई १ कोरिन्थी १२:१३ मा परमेश्वरको कार्य भनिएको छ जुन कार्यद्वारा विश्वासीहरू ख्रीष्टको शरीर, अर्थात् मण्डली भित्र बप्तिस्मा (डुबाइनु, राखिनु) गराइन्छन्। त्यसोभए कसरी एउटा विश्वासी ख्रीष्टको शरीरको अङ्ग बन्दछ? आत्माको बप्तिस्माद्वारा। यस खण्डले मण्डली कहिले सुरु भयो भन्ने महत्त्वपूर्ण प्रश्नको जवाफ खुलस्त पार्ने चाबी दिँदछ। हामीले सर्वप्रथम आत्माको बप्तिस्मालाई बुझ्यौं भने, मण्डली कहिले सुरु भयो भनी हामीले निर्धारण गर्न सक्नेछौं। परमेश्वरले सर्वप्रथम विश्वासीहरूलाई आफ्नो शरीरमा कहिले बप्तिस्मा दिनुभयो? विश्वासीहरू सर्वप्रथम कहिले ख्रीष्टको शरीरमा राखिए? यसको जवाफ दिनु भनेको मण्डली कुन दिनमा सुरु भयो भनी निर्धारण गर्नु हो। आत्माको बप्तिस्माको बारेमा बप्तिस्मा दिने यूहन्नाले सर्वप्रथम मत्ती ३:११ मा भविष्यवाणी गरेका थिए (साथै मर्कूस १:८; लूका ३:१६; यूहन्ना १:३३)। “साँच्चै, पश्चात्तापका निम्ति म तिमीहरूलाई __________ बप्तिस्मा दिन्छु, तर जो मपछि आउनुहुन्छ, उहाँ मभन्दा शक्तिशाली हुनुहुन्छ, जसका जुत्ता बोक्ने लायकको म छैनँ; उहाँले तिमीहरूलाई __________ _________ र आगोले बप्तिस्मा दिनुहुनेछ” (मत्ती ३:११; तुलना गर्नुहोस्, मर्कूस १:८; लूका ३:१६; यूहन्ना १:३३)। यूहन्नाको बप्तिस्मा पानीको बप्तिस्मा थियो (“म तिमीहरूलाई पानीमा बप्तिस्मा दिन्छु”); ख्रीष्टको बप्तिस्मा आत्मिक बप्तिस्मा हुनेथियो (उहाँले तिमीहरूलाई पवित्र आत्मा र आगोले बप्तिस्मा दिनुहुनेछ)। “आगोको बप्तिस्मा” मुक्ति नपाएकाहरूको निम्ति हो र त्यसमा इन्साफ सम्मिलित हुन्छ। यो “आगोको बप्तिस्मा” भविष्यको कुरा हो (मत्ती ३:१२)। यस वाक्यांशलाई ध्यान दिनुहोस्, “उहाँले तिमीहरूलाई पवित्र आत्मा…ले बप्तिस्मा दिनुहुनेछ”। “बप्तिस्मा दिनुहुनेछ” मा प्रयोग भएको क्रियापद भविष्यत् कालमा छ। यसको अर्थ बप्तिस्मा दिने यूहन्नाले यी शब्दहरू बोल्दाहुँदि आत्माको बप्तिस्मा सुरु भइसकेको थिएन। यो कुरा भविष्यमा हुनेछ भनी यूहन्नाले प्रचार गरिरहेका थिए, तर यो ठीक कुन समयमा हुनेछ भनी उनले पूर्वसूचना गरेनन्। यो पनि ध्यान दिनुहोस्, बप्तिस्मा दिनेवाला ख्रीष्ट हुनुहुन्छ। विश्वासीहरूलाई ख्रीष्टको शरीरमा स्थानान्तर गराउनुहुने उहाँ नै हुनुहुन्छ। मण्डली बनाउनुहुने उहाँ नै हुनुहुन्छ (मत्ती १६:१८)। हामी केही क्षणमा अध्ययन गर्नेछौं, १ कोरिन्थी १२:१३ मा बप्तिस्मा दिनुहुने पनि ख्रीष्ट नै हुनुहुन्छ। मत्ती १६:१८ मा प्रभु येशूले भन्नुभयो, “म आफ्नो मण्डली ___________”। यस कृयापदको भविष्यत् कालले मण्डलीको निर्माण कार्य येशूले यी शब्दहरू बोल्नुहुँदा भइसकेको थिएन भनी सङ्केत गर्दछ। उहाँले यसो भन्नुभएन, “मैले आफ्नो मण्डली बनाएको छु।” उहाँले यसो पनि भन्नुभएन, “म आफ्नो मण्डली बनाउँदैछु।” होइन, निर्माण परियोजना सुरु भइसकेको थिएन र मण्डली अझै भविष्यमै थियो। येशूले मत्ती १६:१८ का शब्दहरू बोल्नुहुँदा मण्डली सुरु भइसकेको थिएन। आज ख्रीष्टले आफ्नो मण्डली बनाउँदै हुनुहुन्छ। दिनुहुँ उहाँले _________ पाउनेहरूलाई ____________ थप्दैहुनुहुन्छ (प्रेरित २:४७ हेर्नुहोस्)। तर प्रश्न आउँछ, निर्माण परियोजना कहिले सुरु भयो? प्रेरित १:५ मा प्रभु येशूले आत्माको बप्तिस्मा अझै भविष्यमा नै रहेको कुरा बताउनुभयो: “किनभने यूहन्नाले साँच्चै पानीमा बप्तिस्मा दियौ; तर अब केही __________ तिमीहरू पवित्र आत्माले बप्तिस्मा गरिनेछौ” (प्रेरित १:५)। हाम्रो प्रभुको अगमवाणी अनुसार, आत्माको बप्तिस्मा त्यस घडी सम्म भइसकेको थिएन, तर यो छिट्टै हुनेवाला थियो। एकै जना पनि ख्रीष्टको शरीरमा डुबाइएको थिएन। त्यसैले, प्रेरित १:५ अगाडि मण्डली सुरु भइसकेको हुन सक्दैन। येशूले प्रेरित १:५ का शब्दहरू बोल्नुहुँदा, उहाँको मृत्यु र उहाँको बौरिउठाइ भइसकेको थियो, तरैपनि त्यस समयसम्म आत्माको बप्तिस्मा भइसकेको थिएन, पवित्र आत्मा आइसक्नुभएको थिएन, र मण्डली बनिसकेको थिएन। तरैपनि प्रेरित १:५ को अगमवाणी निकै उल्लेखनीय थियो किनभने येशूले आत्माको बप्तिस्मा “केही दिनपछि” (त्यस समयदेखि धेरै दिन पर्खनुपर्दैन) हुनेछ भनी भन्नुभयो। यसको अर्थ त्यो घटना छिट्टै हुनेछ, केही दिनमै। साँच्चै, हामीले सिक्नेछौं, उक्त घटना केवल १० दिनपछि पेन्टेकोस्टको दिनमा घट्यो। पेन्टेकोस्टको दिन र उक्त दिनमा घटेका अनौठा घटनाहरूलाई प्रेरित २ अध्यायमा वर्णन गरिएको छ। यस अध्यायमा आत्माको बप्तिस्मालाई तोकिएरै बताइएको छैन। पेन्टेकोस्टको दिनमा आत्माको बप्तिस्मा भएको थियो भनी हामीलाई एकैचोटी प्रेरित ११ मा मात्र तोकिएरै बताइएको छ, “अनि जब म बोल्न थालें, तब पवित्र आत्मा, जसरी _________ (पेन्टेकोस्टको दिनमा) हामीहरूमाथि ओर्लनुभएको थियो, उसरी नै उनीहरूमाथि ओर्लनुभयो। तब प्रभुले यसो भन्नुभऐको वचन मलाई सम्झना भयो, ‘यूहन्नाले साँच्चै पानीमा बप्तिस्मा दिए, तर तिमीहरू पवित्र आत्माले ___________ गरिनेछौ’” (प्रेरित ११:१५-१६)। यस खण्डको स्पष्ट भनाइको आधारमा, पवित्र आत्माको बप्तिस्मा सर्वप्रथम पेन्टेकोस्टको दिनमा भएको थियो भनी हामी जान्दछौं। विश्वासीहरू सर्वप्रथम त्यही दिनमा ख्रीष्टको शरीरमा संलग्न गराइएका थिए। मण्डली त्यही दिनमा सुरु भएको थियो। तर कोही-कोहीले आपत्ति जनाउलान् र यसो भन्लान्, “मत्ती ३:११ र प्रेरित १:५ मा उल्लेख गरिएको आत्माको बप्तिस्मा १ कोरिन्थी १२:१३ मा उल्लेख गरिएको आत्माको बप्तिस्माभन्दा बेग्लै कुरा हो। मत्ती ३:११ र प्रेरित १:५ मा बप्तिस्मा दिनुहुने व्यक्ति ख्रीष्ट हुनुहुन्छ, तर १ कोरिन्थी १२:१३ मा मा बप्तिस्मा दिनुहुने व्यक्ति ख्रीष्ट हुनुहुन्छ।” झट्ट पढ्दा यस्तो लागे तापनि मत्ती ३:११ र प्रेरित १:५ का ग्रीक शब्दावलीहरू व्यावहारिक रूपमा १ कोरिन्थी १२:१३ सँग समान छन्। तलको चार्टले यो स्पष्ट पार्दछ। यी सबै पदहरूले उही बप्तिस्माको कुरा गरिरहेको छ, र यी चारओटै पदहरूका ग्रीक संरचना एकदम मिल्दोजुल्दो छन्। निम्न चार्टमा गरिएको अक्षरश: उद्दरणले स्पष्ट पार्दछ। ग्रीकको “en” अव्यय (नामयोगी) लाई हाम्रो नेपाली बाइबलमा “एउटै आत्माद्वारा” भनी अनुवाद गरिएको छ (१ कोरिन्थी १२:१३) जसको कारण बप्तिस्मा दिनुहुने पवित्र आत्मा नै हुनुहुन्छ भन्ने गलत निश्कर्षमा कोही-कोही पुगेका छन्। तर यस पदलाई यसरी बुझिनुपर्छ, “एउटै आत्मासित एउटै शरीरमा (ख्रीष्टक शरीर, अर्थात् उहाँको मण्डली) बप्तिस्मा भयौं (ख्रीष्टद्वारा)”। ख्रीष्टले हामीलाई आफ्नो शरीरमा बसाल्नु मात्र हुँदैन, तर उहाँले हामीलाई पवित्र आत्मा भित्र डुबाउनु पनि हुन्छ। “किनकि चाहे हामी यहूदी हौं चाहे ग्रीक, चाहे हामी कमारा हौं चाहे स्वतन्त्र, हामी सबै एउटै आत्माद्वारा एउटै शरीरभित्र बप्तिस्मा भयौं; र सबैलाई एउटै आत्माभित्र पिउन दिइयो।” (१ कोरिन्थी १२:१३)। हामीले पवित्र आत्मालाई प्राप्त गर्दा सबै आशिषहरूको भरपूरीमा सहभागी भएका छौं: “तब हामी आफैले गरेका धर्मका कामहरूद्वारा होइन, तर उहाँकै कृपाअनुसार उहाँले हाम्रो उद्धार गर्नुभयो — नयाँ जन्मको स्नान र पवित्र आत्माबाटको नवीकरणद्वारा; जसलाई (“जसलाई” शब्दले पवित्र आत्मालाई सङ्केत गर्दछ) उहाँले येशू ख्रीष्ट हाम्रा मुक्तिदाताद्वारा हामीमाथि प्रशस्त गरी खन्याउनुभयो” (तीतस ३:५-६)। “…पिताबाट पवित्र आत्माको प्रतिज्ञालाई प्राप्त गरेर” (प्रेरित २:३३)। “जसले ममाथि विश्वास गर्छ, पवित्रशास्त्रले भनेअनुसार, उसको हृदयबाट (एकदम भित्रबाट) जिउँदो पानीका नदीहरू बहनेछन्। तर यो कुरा उहाँले आत्माको विषयमा भन्नुभयो, जसलाई उहाँमाथि विश्वास गर्नेहरूले पाउन लागेका थिए; किनकि पवित्र आत्मा अझैसम्म दिइनुभएको थिएन; किनभने येशू अझै महिमित हुनुभएको थिएन।” (यूहन्ना ७:३८-३९)। परमेश्वरको प्रशंसा गर्नुहोस्, शान्तिदाता आउनुभएको छ! पिताको प्रतिज्ञा दिइएको छ! आत्माको बप्तिस्मा पेन्टेकोस्टको दिनमा सुरु भयो र मानिसहरूले ख्रीष्टमा विश्वास गर्दा यस वर्तमान समयमा पनि निरन्तर भइरहेको छ। यदि तपाईंले प्रभु येशूलाई आफ्नो मुक्तिदाताको रूपमा ग्रहण गर्नुभएको छ भने (यूहन्ना १:१२), के तपाईं ख्रीष्टको शरीरको अङ्ग हुनुभएकोमा धन्यवादी हुनुहुन्छ (१ कोरिन्थी १२:२७)? मानिसहरूले “मण्डली जाने” कुरा गर्छन् तर के तपाईंले तपाईं आफैं नै मण्डली हुनुहुन्छ भनी महसुस गर्नुभएको छ? तपाईंले आफैंलाई ख्रीष्टको शरीरको अङ्गको रूपमा देख्नाले तपाईंको ख्रीष्टिय जीवनमा ठूलो भिन्नता ल्याउँदछ। परमेश्वरले अति महत्त्वपूर्ण तरिकाले तपाईंलाई तपाईंको शिर, प्रभु येशू ख्रीष्टसँग जोड्नुभएको छ (एफेसी ५:३०-३२), र परमेश्वरले तपाईंलाई अति महत्त्वपूर्ण तरिकाले यस शरीरमा भएका अन्य सबै विश्वासीसँग जोड्नुभएको छ। मण्डली कुनै संस्था होइन; यो एउटा जीवित संरचना हो, जोचाहिँ परमेश्वरकै जीवनद्वारा स्पन्दित भइरहेको छ (कलस्सी १:२७; गलाती २:२०)। महत्त्वपूर्ण व्याकरणगत विचार १ कोरिन्थी १२:१३ को व्याकरणगत संरचना सुसमाचारका पुस्तकहरू र प्रेरितको पुस्तकमा भएको आत्माको बप्तिस्मा सम्बन्धी पदहरूसँग एकसमान छ भनेर हामीले हेरिसक्यौं। यी हरेक पदहरूमा बप्तिस्मा दिनुहुनेचाहिँ ख्रीष्ट हुनुहुन्छ र उहाँले पवित्र आत्माभित्र (ग्रीक: en) (पवित्र आत्मासित वा पवित्र आत्माको माध्यमद्वारा) बप्तिस्मा दिनुहुन्छ। बप्तिस्मा दिने कार्यमा ख्रीष्ट र पवित्र आत्मा दुवैजनाको भूमिका हुनु सम्भव छ। ख्रीष्टले पवित्र आत्मालाई नै सो कार्य गर्न दिनुभएर विश्वासीहरूलाई शरीरमा बप्तिस्मा दिनुभएको हुनसक्छ। यो कुरालाई यूहन्ना ४:१-२ मा चित्रण गरिएको छ। यूहन्ना ४:१ मा येशूले बप्तिस्मा दिने यूहन्नाले भन्दा पनि बेसी चेलाहरूलाई बप्तिस्मा दिनुभयो भनी बताइएको छ। यूहन्ना ४:२ मा येशू आफैंले कसैलाई बप्तिस्मा दिनुभएन भनी खुलाइएको छ! कसरी उहाँले धेरैलाई बप्तिस्मा दिनुभएर एकैजनालाई पनि बप्तिस्मा नदिन सक्नुहुन्छ? जवाफ यो हो, येशूले धेरै चेलाहरूलाई बप्तिस्मा दिनुभयो तर उहाँले यो कार्य आफ्ना चेलाहरूद्वारा गर्नुभयो जोहरूले वास्तवमा बप्तिस्मा दिने कार्य गर्दथे। १ कोरिन्थी १२:१३ मा यस्तै हुनु सम्भव छ। बप्तिस्मा दिनुहुने येशू ख्रीष्ट हुनुहुन्छ (मत्ती ३:११; प्रेरित १:५ इत्यादिको प्रकाशमा) तर बप्तिस्मा दिने काम वास्तवमा पवित्र आत्माले गरिरहनुभएको छ। ख्रीष्टले आफ्नो बप्तिस्माको कार्यलाई कार्यान्वयन गर्ने माध्यमचाहिँ पवित्र आत्मा हुनुहुन्छ। नयाँ नियमका पत्रहरूमा यो अवधारणा नौलो छैन। येशूले मुक्ति दिनुहुन्छ भन्ने कुरामा हामी सबै सहमत छौं र तरपनि मुक्तिको वास्तविक कार्य परमेश्वरका आत्माद्वारा कार्यान्वयन गरिन्छ (१ कोरिन्थी ६:११ हेर्नुहोस्)। ख्रीष्टले आफ्ना विश्वासीहरूलाई ख्रीष्टको शरीरमा डुबाउनु हुन्छ भन्नु निश्चय पनि उचित कुरा हो, र त्यसैले उहाँसँग बप्तिस्मा दिनुहुने नामक पदवीको दाबी गर्ने उचित अधिकार छ। मत्ती १६:१८ मा आफ्नो मण्डली बनाउनुहुने ख्रीष्ट नै हुनुहुन्छ भनी हामी सिक्दछौं। प्रेरित २:४७ मा मुक्ति पाएकाहरूलाई दिनहुँ मण्डलीमा थप्नुहुने प्रभु (येशू ख्रीष्) हुनुहुन्छ भनी सिक्दछौं। प्रेरित २:३३ लाई बिचार गर्नुहोस्, त्यहाँ आत्मालाई खन्याउनुहुने प्रभु येशू नै हुनुहुन्छ। प्रभु येशूले पवित्र आत्माको आशिषपूर्ण व्यक्तित्वसँग सहकार्य गर्नुभइ, उहाँको अनुग्रहको महिमाको प्रशंसाको निम्ति यो महान् कार्य सम्पन्न गर्नुहुन्छ। ख्रीष्ट येशूमा बप्तिस्मा गरिएको विश्वासीहरूको महिमित ओहोदा छ। उनीहरू ख्रीष्टमा छन्। उनीहरू परमेश्वरका प्रिय पुत्रमा छन्: “यसैकारण कोही __________ छ भने ऊ एउटा नयाँ सृष्टि हो, पुराना कुराहरू बितिगएका छन्; हेर, सबै कुराहरू नयाँ भएका छन्” (२ कोरिन्थी ५:१७)। “यसकारण अब ख्रीष्ट येशू___ हुनेहरूलाई कुनै दण्डको आज्ञा छैन” (रोमी ८:१)। विश्वासीहरू कसरी यो ओहोदामा प्रवेश गर्छन्? कसरी मुक्ति पाएको व्यक्ति परमेश्वरको पुत्रमा राखिन्छ? यो आत्मिक बप्तिस्माको माध्यमबाट गरिन्छ (पानीको बप्तिस्माको माध्यमबाट होइन)। एउटा व्यक्तिले मुक्ति पाएकै घडी यो कार्य सम्पन्न हुन्छ। परमेश्वरले विश्वासीलाई आफ्नो पुत्रमा राख्नुहुने समय यही हो: गलाती ३ अध्याय: किकि ख्रीष्ट येशूमाथि राखिएको ____________द्वारा तिमीहरू सबै परमेश्वरका सन्तान हौ। किनकि तिमीहरू जतिले ख्रीष्टभित्र _______________ (डुबाउनु, राखिनु) लिएका छौ, तिमीहरूले ख्रीष्टलाई पहिरेका छौ। अब त्यहाँ न यहूदी रह्यो न ग्रीक, न कमारा न स्वतन्त्र, न पुरुष न स्त्री; किनकि ख्रीष्ट येशू____ तिमीहरू सबै एक हौ” (गलाती ३:२६-२८)। रोमी ६ अध्याय: वा हामीहरूमध्ये जतिजनाले _________ __________ ____________ (डुबाउनु, राखिनु) लियौं, हामीले उहाँकै मृत्युभित्र बप्तिस्मा लिएका थियौं भन्ने कुरा के तिमीहरूलाई थाह छैन? यसकारण हामी उहाँसँगै बप्तिस्माद्वारा मृत्युभित्र गाडियौं; र जसरी पिताको महिमाद्वारा ख्रीष्ट मरेकाहरूबाट बौराइनुभयो, त्यसरी नै हामी पनि जीवनको नयाँपनामा हिँड्नुपर्दछ। किनकि यदि हामी उहाँको मृत्युको समानतामा एकैसाथ जोरिएका छौं भने उहाँको बौरिउठाइको समानतामा पनि जोरिएका हुनेछौं (रोमी ६:३-५)। विश्वास गरेको घडी साँचो बप्तिस्मामा के हुन्छ भनी देखाउन पानीको बप्तिस्माचाहिँ एउटा चित्रणयुक्त बप्तिस्मा हो। मुक्ति पाएको समयमा, एउटा मानिस येशू ख्रीष्टभित्र बप्तिस्मा गराइन्छ वा राखिन्छ, फलस्वरूप ऊ “ख्रीष्टभित्र” हुन्छ। यो साँचो बप्तिस्मालाई तल चित्राङ्कन गरिएको छ: विश्वासी येशू ख्रीष्टभित्र बप्तिस्मा गराइएको छ (गलाती ३:२७; रोमी ६:३), यसको अर्थ यो पनि हो कि ऊ, - उहाँको मृत्युभित्र बप्तिस्मा गराइएको छ (रोमी ६:३)। - उहाँको गडाइभित्र बप्तिस्मा गराइएको छ (रोमी ६:४)। - उहाँको बौरिउठाइभित्र बप्तिस्मा गराइएको छ (रोमी ६:४-५)। - उहाँको शरीर, अर्थात् मण्डलीभित्र बप्तिस्मा गराइएको छ (१ कोरिन्थी १२:१३)। अर्को शब्दमा, विश्वासीलाई पूर्ण रूपमा ख्रीष्टसित यतिसम्म सम्मिलित गराइएको छ कि प्रभु येशूले टार्ससका शाउललाई यसरी भन्न सक्नुभयो, “तिमी ________ किन सताउँछौ?” (प्रेरित ९:४)। शाउलले विश्वासीहरूलाई सताएका थिए भनी हामी जान्दछौं (१ कोरिन्थी १५:९)। त्यसोभए येशूले किन यसो भन्नुभयो, “तिमी मलाई किन सताउँछौ?” शरीरले दु:ख भोग्यो भने, शिरले महसुस गर्दछ! तसर्थ, पानीको बप्तिस्मा विश्वासीको ख्रीष्टमा भएको यस महिमित सम्बन्ध र ओहोदाको चित्रण हुनुपर्छ। त्यसैले मैले (विश्वासीको रूपमा) यसो भन्न सक्छु: आत्माको बप्तिस्माको व्यवहारिक महत्त्व - म उहाँको शरीरमा राखिएको छु। म अतिमहत्त्वपूर्वक मेरो शिर, प्रभु येशू ख्रीष्टसित जोडिएको छु (कलस्सी ३:३-४)। म अतिमहत्त्वपूर्वक ख्रीष्टमा मेरा दाजुभाइहरू र दिदि बहिनीहरूसित जोडिएको छु। म परमेश्वरकै जीवनद्वारा स्पन्दित भइरहेको एउटा जिउँदो संरचनाको हिस्सा भएको छु। - म ख्रीष्टमा सदाको निम्ति अनन्तसम्मै सुरक्षित छु। मेरो मुक्ति गुम्नको निम्ति, कसैले मलाई ख्रीष्ट शरीरबाट विस्थापित गर्नुपर्ने हुन्छ (मलाई शरीरबाट छुट्टाउनुपर्ने हुन्छ!)। यो कहिल्यै पनि हुन सक्दैन। - मैले आत्माको बप्तिस्मा पाएको छु भन्ने तथ्यले ख्रीष्टिय एकतालाई प्रोत्साहन दिनुपर्छ। त्यहाँ “एउटै शरीर”, “एउटै आत्मा” र “एउटै बप्तिस्मा” (एफेसी ४:४-६) छ। रगतद्वारा किनिएको हरेक विश्वासी ख्रीष्टको शरीरमा राखिएका छन्, र हामी एउटै मण्डलीको साझा अङ्ग हौं। हामीहरू एउटै शिरसँग जोडिएका छौं। हामीहरू एउटै रगतले किनिएका छौं। हामी एउटै आत्माद्वारा अन्तर्वास गरिएका छौं। हामीहरू एउटै स्वर्गीय पिताका सन्तानहरू हौं। हामी एउटै पुस्तकको (“एउटै विश्वास”) विद्यार्थीहरू हौं। हामीहरू एउटै जीवनका हकवालाहरू हौं। हामी एउटै धन्य आशाको बाटो हेरिरहेका छौं। आशिषपूर्ण एकता र अमूल्य अभिन्नता! - आत्माको बप्तिस्माले मलाई एउटा नयाँ र महिमित ओहोदामा प्रवेश गराउँछ। - आत्माको बप्तिस्माले मलाई ख्रीष्टसित उहाँको मृत्यु, गडाइ र बौरिउठाइमा सम्मिलित गराउँछ। ख्रीष्टले पूर्ण गर्नुभएको कार्य मेरो निम्ति अति व्यक्तिगत बन्दछ। उहाँको मृत्यु मेरो हुँदछ। उहाँक जीवन मेरो हुन्छ। म उहाँसित मरेँ र म उहाँसित जिउँछु र उहाँ मभित्र जिउनुहुन्छ (गलाती २:२०)