The Baptism of the Holy Spirit: Difference between revisions

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==What the Bible teaches==
==What the Bible teaches==


First, there is a subjective testimony of the Holy Spirit within our hearts bearing witness that we are God’s children:


But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
:''For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God...<ref>The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Ro 8:15–16.</ref>


The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Ga 5:22–23.
:''By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.<ref>The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), 1 Jn 4:13.</ref>
 
This would include being led by the Holy Spirit:
 
:'' For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.<ref>The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Ro 8:14.</ref>
 
In addition, if the Holy Spirit is genuinely at work in our lives, he will be producing the kind of character traits that Paul calls “the fruit of the Spirit”:
 
:''But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.<ref>The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), Ga 5:22–23.</ref>
 
Another evidence of work of the Holy Spirit is continuing to believe and accept the sound teaching of the church. Those who begin to deny major doctrines of the faith give serious negative indications concerning their salvation:
 
:'' No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. 24 Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father.<ref>The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), 1 Jn 2:23–24.</ref>
 
:''We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.<ref>The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), 1 Jn 4:6.</ref>
 
Finally, a major area of evidence that we are genuine believers is found in a life of obedience to God’s commands:
 
:''Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.<ref>The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), 1 Jn 2:4–6.</ref>
 
:''Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.<ref>The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton: Standard Bible Society, 2001), 1 Jn 3:24.</ref>


==Details of William Branham's teaching==
==Details of William Branham's teaching==