22. Yeshua is LordThose who are not
able to see baptize and baptism beyond a watery context immediately conclude
Paul often spoke of water, whether by required symbol, or required sacrament.
This is especially true for those who deny a unique and defined experience of
receiving the Holy Spirit. Those who have never had such an experience simply
have no way to comprehend that Paul could write so vividly about a spiritual
experience. But multitudes today from the entire spectrum of Christendom
testify of dramatic experiences of being filled with the Holy Spirit. Even
evangelical pastors testify of being first filled with the Spirit years after
they had been ordained. Today stories like this are not uncommon. On the other hand,
most have been told that if they have believed in Yeshua and then have been
properly baptized they “have” the Holy Spirit and there is nothing further.
But this was not Paul’s attitude, he specifically asked disciples if they had
received the Holy Spirit when they believed, Acts 19:2. He did not ask about faith,
if they had believed in Yeshua, nor inquire about a sinner’s prayer, if they
had asked the Lord into their heart. Rather, he asked specifically about an
experience with the Holy Spirit, something these disciples could answer yes
or no about without any hesitation. They knew they had not yet received the
Spirit. In that passage in
Acts 19 we read only of instructions about a greater baptism in which the
disciples receive the Spirit. When Paul laid his hands on them there was no
question they had a wonderful experience. They personally knew they had
received the Spirit. It was not a doctrine to memorize. The
implication is that there can be believers in Yeshua who have not received
the Holy Spirit. As distressing as this may seem, we must not sell short the
Good News. The verse in 1
Corinthians 12:3 is sometimes taken as a proof-text that anyone who can say
“Yeshua is Lord” already “has” the Holy Spirit. But the context of this verse
explicitly speaks of miraculous experiences through the supernatural giftings
of God’s Spirit, which include prophecy, tongues, supernatural wisdom,
supernatural knowledge, supernatural faith, supernatural healing, miracles,
and discerning of spirits. These spiritual gifts are the result of receiving
the Holy Spirit and letting Him work as He pleases, 1 Corinthians 12:11, and
tell of something even more glorious than a mental apprehension that Yeshua
is Lord. Paul corrected these disciples that he already knew were
believers and had received the Spirit and were zealous for spiritual things,
1 Corinthians 12:1. He was not writing a salvation tract to people he did not
know, but instructions for those already saved and who had already received
the Spirit with supernatural experience, 1 Corinthians 2:12. The issue he
addressed in 12:3 was whether those who exercised spiritual gifts, could in
the midst of their experience, ever say something blasphemous against the
Lord. Paul said no, though some immature Corinthians actually spoke of Yeshua
as cursed the Spirit of God does not say Yeshua is a curse but that Yeshua is
Lord. The Corinthians had been told that Messiah had sent Paul to evangelize
by the power of the Spirit, not in words of wisdom lest the cross of Messiah
be made void. Paul reminded them of the spiritual basis for their faith in
ch. 2 vv. 4-5, “And my speech
and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom but in demonstration
of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not stand on the wisdom of
men, but in the power of God.” What can
demonstration of the Spirit and power mean unless open, supernatural signs
and works, and from this the Corinthians were to base their faith. The
Corinthians obviously were aware of a powerful spiritual experience, 1
Corinthians 2:12-16. Even though some were immature, God’s supernatural power
was not rare but common. The foundation of salvation for the Corinthians was
the power of the Holy Spirit. This concurs with the process of salvation in
Romans where Paul also spoke of the spiritual experience of receiving the
Spirit. “that if you
confess with your mouth Yeshua as Lord, and believe in your heart that God
raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. For with the heart man believes
unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” “for the same
Lord is rich to all who call on Him. For ‘Whoever will call upon the name of
the Lord shall be saved.’ How then shall they call upon Him in whom they have
not believed?” Romans 10:9-10, 12-14. (rendered from the Greek) Paul reminds his
audience that the Lord is rich to those who believe in Him and call to Him.
While many have taken confessing Messiah as something like a baptismal
statement or declaration of faith, Paul defined it as, “How shall they ‘call
upon Him’ in whom they have not believed?” expecting new believers to call
upon the name of the Lord, calling to Him for His riches. Verses in
this passage are often isolated to teach various notions of salvation. For
example, if a person is able to say Yeshua is Lord and believe He is raised
from the dead they are saved and thus “have” the Spirit. But while such a
disciple is certainly on the road of salvation this verse promises more and
expects more. Confessing Messiah was not merely a statement of faith but was
an appeal to Him, calling upon Him for His riches of salvation. Paul’s quotation
of Joel In Paul’s mind
receiving the Spirit is the rich culmination of the process of salvation
through faith in Messiah, calling to Him for His richness. Anything short of
this needs correction. The foundation for salvation, the unifying baptism for
Messiah’s body, was a miraculous experience with the Spirit. Salvation is
more than doctrinal belief. There is confession, a calling to Messiah for His
rich salvation, and an indelible reception of the out-poured Spirit. Paul
wrote vividly about it because it is a well-defined, wonderful experience. |