Lets go to the very beginning of how a person becomes a Christian, and the go through the Bible's orderly progression, so there will be no mistakes . I will also use both the KJV and the Bible in Basic English (BBE).
John
6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him:
and I will raise him up at the last day. KJV
John 6:44
No man is able to come to me if the Father who sent me does not give him
the desire to come: and I will take him up from the dead on the last day.
BBE
Here is made very clear for us, how the whole process of becoming a Christian begins. By tradition, we hear of two main terms - "coming under conviction" and "wooing of (by) the Holy Spirit." We can be sure then, that according to the Bible, it is Father (Abba) ((YHWH)) God who sends the Holy Spirit to do this work in a person. Depending on how a person listens to what is being whispered in his/her ear, so too, comes the time of choice. That is, what we call the time of repentance. And it is at this time, persons make peace with God, and ask forgiveness for their sins, in the name of Jesus. They can be alone, with one or more other people, or in a Church service. It is the spiritual part of a person that makes this commitment.
Matthew
9:13 But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice:
for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. KJV
Matthew
9:13 But go and take to heart the sense of these words, My desire is for mercy,
not offerings: for I have come not to get the upright, but sinners. BBE
At this moment something wonderful happens as the following scriptures show us.
2
Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature:
old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. {he is: or,
let him be} KJV
2 Corinthians
5:17 So if any man is in Christ, he is in a new world: the old things have
come to an end; they have truly become new. BBE
Having repented of all the sins that had been committed, and having accepted Jesus as "personal savior," the person becomes a new creature in Christ Jesus, and is "sealed" by the Holy Spirit. The person is now a "saved" person.
Ephesians
1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel
of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with
that holy Spirit of promise, KJV
Ephesians
1:13 In whom you, having been given the true word, the good news of your salvation,
and through your faith in him, were given the sign of the Holy Spirit of
hope, BBE
2
Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature:
old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. {he is: or,
let him be} KJV
2 Corinthians
5:17 So if any man is in Christ, he is in a new world: the old things have
come to an end; they have truly become new. BBE
The new creature/convert is now ready to begin a life of Christian service. That means leading a clean, holy life that other people can see very clearly. The things of God are more important to the person, than the things of the world. Drinking, sexual chasing, gambling and other things people think are so important in order to enjoy life, become secondary to the joy of the Lord and doing His work. The Holy Spirit is at work in the person at this point and the fruits of the spirit will show in the person's life.
James
3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle,
and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality,
and without hypocrisy. {partiality: or, wrangling} KJV
James 3:17
But the wisdom which is from heaven is first holy, then gentle, readily giving
way in argument, full of peace and mercy and good works, not doubting, not
seeming other than it is. BBE
Philippians
2:15 That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke,
in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights
in the world; {harmless: or, sincere} {ye shine: or, shine ye} KJV
Philippians
2:15 So that you may be holy and gentle, children of God without sin in a
twisted and foolish generation, among whom you are seen as lights in the
world, BBE
As the person continues to grow in faith and strength, and continues to see/want more of what God has to offer, another Baptism is possible, that is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Mark
1:8 I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the
Holy Ghost. KJV
Mark 1:8
I have given you baptism with water, but he will give you baptism with the
Holy Spirit. BBE
Here we see clearly that there are two distinctly different Baptisms. And the usual order is that one will follow the other. This is very important of course, since normally salvation comes first, then water Baptism, then the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Yes, there are exceptions at times, but we must always remember that God, not man, has set the order of these things. See these passages in Acts 19: Once again we are using both the KJV followed by the Bible in Basic English
¶
And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed
through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, KJV
1 ¶
And it came about that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having gone through
the higher country, came to Ephesus, where there were certain disciples:
BBE
2
He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And
they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy
Ghost. KJV
2 And he
said to them, Did you get the Holy Spirit when you had faith? And they said
to him, No, we have had no knowledge of the Holy Spirit. BBE
3
And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto
John's baptism. KJV
3 And he
said, What sort of baptism did you have? And they said, The baptism of John.
BBE
4
Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying
unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him,
that is, on Christ Jesus. KJV
4 And Paul
said, John gave a baptism which goes with a change of heart, saying to the
people that they were to have faith in him who was coming after him, that
is, in Jesus. BBE
5
When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. KJV
5 And hearing
this, they had baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus. BBE
6
And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and
they spake with tongues, and prophesied. KJV
6 And when
Paul had put his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they had
the power of talking in tongues, and acting like prophets. BBE
Here is illustrated that the person must be both a believer in Jesus, and have the knowledge and desire for receiving the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. A person must be earnest, and ready also, to face some great difficulties and even dangers.
Romans
5:3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation
worketh patience; KJV
Romans 5:3
And not only so, but let us have joy in our troubles: in the knowledge that
trouble gives us the power of waiting; BBE
Acts
14:22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue
in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom
of God. KJV
Acts 14:22
Making strong the souls of the disciples, saying to them that they were to
keep the faith, and that we have to go through troubles of all sorts to come
into the kingdom of God. BBE
This is why Jesus told the disciples to wait in Jerusalem, until the received Power from the Holy Spirit, before they went out as missionaries/evangelists, to establish the Church.
Acts
1:4 And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should
not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which,
saith he, ye have heard of me. {being…: or, eating together} KJV
Acts 1:4
And when they were all together, with him, he gave them orders not to go
away from Jerusalem, but to keep there, waiting till the word of the Father
was put into effect, of which, he said, I have given you knowledge: BBE
Acts
1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you:
and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and
in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. {power…: or, the power
of the Holy Ghost coming upon you} KJV
Acts 1:8
But you will have power, when the Holy Spirit has come on you; and you will
be my witnesses in Jerusalem and all Judaea and Samaria, and to the ends
of the earth. BBE
This then, is the order of how a person's life can become immersed in these two all important Baptisms. For anyone to say there is something different, or to challenge a person's Christian walk (salvation) because they do not exhibit the gifts of The Holy Spirit is wrong!!! As extra proof of this, here are some final verses to be considered: These are from 1 Corinthians 12. Chapters 13 and 14 go on to explain even more.
I Corintians Chapter 12:
4 Now there
are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. KLJV
4 Now there
are different qualities given to men, but the same Spirit. BBE
5
And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. {administrations:
or, ministries} KJV
5 And there
are different sorts of servants, but the same Lord. BBE
6
And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh
all in all.
6 And there
are different operations, but the same God, who is working all things in
all. BBE
7
But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.
KJV
7 But to
every man some form of the Spirit's working is given for the common good.
BBE
8
For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word
of knowledge by the same Spirit; KJV
8 For to
one are given words of wisdom through the Spirit; and to another words of
knowledge through the same Spirit: BBE
9
To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the
same Spirit; KJV
9 To another
faith in the same Spirit; and to another the power of taking away disease,
by the one Spirit; BBE
10
To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning
of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation
of tongues: KJV
10 And
to another the power of working wonders; and to another the prophet's word;
and to another the power of testing spirits; to another different sorts of
tongues; and to another the power of making clear the sense of the tongues:
BBE
11
But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every
man severally as he will. KJV
11 But
all these are the operations of the one and the same Spirit, giving to every
man separately as his pleasure is. BBE
12
¶ For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members
of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. KJV
12 ¶
For as the body is one, and has a number of parts, and all the parts make
one body, so is Christ. BBE
13
For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or
Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into
one Spirit. {Gentiles: Gr. Greeks} KJV
13 For
through the baptism of the one Spirit we were all formed into one body, Jews
or Greeks, servants or free men, and were all made full of the same Spirit.
BBE
14
For the body is not one member, but many. KJV
14 For
the body is not one part, but a number of parts. BBE
15
If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is
it therefore not of the body? KJV
15 If the
foot says, Because I am not the hand, I am not a part of the body; it is
no less a part of the body. BBE
16
And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body;
is it therefore not of the body? KJV
16 And
if the ear says, Because I am not the eye, I am not a part of the body; it
is a part of the body all the same. BBE
17
If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing,
where were the smelling? KJV
17 If all
the body was an eye, where would be the hearing? if all was hearing, where
would be the smelling? BBE
18
But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath
pleased him. KJV
18 But
now God has put every one of the parts in the body as it was pleasing to
him. BBE
19
And if they were all one member, where were the body? KJV
19 And
if they were all one part, where would the body be? BBE
20
But now are they many members, yet but one body. KJV
20 But
now they are all different parts, but one body. BBE
21
And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the
head to the feet, I have no need of you. KJV
21 And
the eye may not say to the hand, I have no need of you: or again the head
to the feet, I have no need of you. BBE
22
Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are
necessary: KJV
22 No,
those parts which seem to be feeble are the more necessary; BBE
23
And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon
these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant
comeliness. {bestow: or, put on} KJV
23 And
to those parts of the body which seem to have less honour we give all the
more honour; and to those parts of the body which are a cause of shame to
us we give the greater respect; BBE
24
For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together,
having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: KJV
24 But
those parts of the body which are beautiful have no need of such care: and
so the body has been joined together by God in such a way as to give more
honour to those parts which had need of it; BBE
25
That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have
the same care one for another. {schism: or, division} KJV
25 So that
there might be no division in the body; but all the parts might have the
same care for one another. BBE
So please, above all , remember that the days are already here that false doctrines and even false manifestations are at work in the world to confuse and divide people, so that the church will be corrupted and fail. This is why it is so important to heed the words of Paul to the young Pastor Timothy:
2
Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth
not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. KJV
2 Timothy
2:15 Let it be your care to get the approval of God, as a workman who has
no cause for shame, giving the true word in the right way. BBE
May God guide, bless and keep you safe in the sheepfold.