Acts 19:2 Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?

This is Paul speaking to a small group of believers in Ephesus. . .

Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? (Acts 19:2)

This is not a question of doctrine. This is not a theoretical question meant for only the apostolic fathers. This is a question Paul had for a small group of believers that Paul ran into taking the road cross country in modern day Turkey some 620 miles from Jerusalem as the crow flies. A world away the way Paul traveled. . .

Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed? (Acts 19:2)

This is a question not for the movers and shakers of the religious epicenter of the universe. This is a question Paul asked those well away the Holy Land. Paul is evangelizing. This is about the beginnings of Christianity. . . This is not about the ministry of Jesus. This is about Jesus great commandment, to all of us, to spread the Gospel into all the world. . .

If you did not receive the Holy Ghost when you believed? Then just what is your belief?

They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." (Acts 19:2)

They did not know. They had not heard. . . How many today are like these believers?

They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." (Acts 19:2)

These are believers. These are not unbelievers. These are believers who do not know that there is a Holy Spirit. . . .

They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." (Acts 19:2)

Did Paul just shrug his shoulders and walk away? Did Paul just say that it was only for those apostolic fathers in Jerusalem? Did Paul think it unimportant?

Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?" (Acts 19:3)

Paul did not ask, 'if they were baptized.' They are believers, therefore Paul knows that they are baptized. Is there more than one baptism? If Paul is asking 'what baptism?' this must mean there is more than one baptism.

Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?" (Acts 19:3)

What are you talking about Paul? What do you mean? What are the choices?

John the baptist speaking:
I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit. (John 1:33)

Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit. . . John baptizes with water. . . Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit. . .

Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?" "John's baptism," they replied. (Acts 19:3)

Do you want the baptism of Jesus? These believers were baptized with water. That is the baptism of John. Jesus did not baptize with water. Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit. . . Did Paul walk away, saying it was only for the believers in Jerusalem in the upper room. Did he say that it was not for every one? Did he say that it was not really necessary?

Paul said, "John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus." On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve men in all. (Acts 19:4-7)

Christianity is spreading. This is not the telling of an historical event merely important in that it is about the apostolic fathers. . . Paul is spreading the Gospel unto all the world. . .The believers out in the areas well away from Jerusalem, across the Mediterranean Sea, the new believers (not the apostles) were re-baptized in water, in Jesus name and then the baptism of the spirit fell upon them. As evidence of this they spoke in tongues and prophesied. . .

What did Jesus say about all this?

you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you (Acts 1:8)

You do not have this power before. . .

you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you (Acts 1:8)

Do you want this power? Do you need this power?

What did Jesus say?

I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. (John 3:5)

These are the words of Jesus. What does being born of the water and of the Spirit mean? What did Jesus mean by that? I have heard lots of ways of trying to explain this verse. . . We can jump through all kinds of hoops trying to avoid the obvious. . . What is the easiest most straight forward explaination for being born of the water and of the Spirit? What New Testament action do we have that involves being reborn and water? What mention do we have of being born of a water baptism, and a baptism in the Spirit?

Read. . . study. . .pray. . . meditate. . .These are not my words. These are the words of Paul, John, and Jesus. . .

What does it matter the traditions of men. . .Those were the arguments of the Jews. . .Jesus showed them how their traditions were flawed. Jesus violated their sense of the way things had always been. He upset their traditions. . . He made them uncomfortable. Listen to His words. . . Look past the traditions. . .

If any man have ears to hear, let him hear. . . .

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