First of all let’s start our examination of scripture with the directive from Jesus to the Apostles to go to Jerusalem where they would be given the promised gift of the Holy Ghost. We will spend a little time looking at that directive and the concept of remission of sin before getting into the burden of proof. We will then proceed to examine Acts one and two. We will progress through the rest of the accounts of the Holy Spirit being poured out and see whether the doctrine of tongues as evidence of the Holy Ghost baptism is supported in scripture.
What you will see is that this was in fact the norm in the early church and over time the Church was infiltrated by wolves in sheep’s clothing with the express purpose of robbing people of a relationship with God and his son Jesus Christ.
Speaking of the remission of sin, we read in Hebrews:
Heb 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
Heb 9:15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.
Heb 9:16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.
Heb 9:17 For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. (Note: The legalistic terms of reference)
Heb 9:18 Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.
Heb 9:19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,
Heb 9:20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.
Heb 9:21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.
Heb 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
The Blood of Jesus is what gives us “remission” The question is this:
“Is it heresy to say that remission is contingent on more than just acknowledging that Jesus died for our sins”?
Let’s examine the evidence.
Luke 24:45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the Scriptures,
Important: Understanding can only come as a gift of God. You can’t learn your way to heaven.
Luke 24:46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
Luke 24:47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Luke 24:48 And ye are witnesses of these things.
Luke 24:49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.
Note: Here Jesus was saying that “Remission of Sins” was to “Begin at Jerusalem” and this was to happen in the coming days. This is extremely important because many of these religious leaders point to any and every instance of someone receiving or being “filled with the Holy Ghost” whether Old or New Testament to substantiate their claim to disregard speaking in tongues as a legitimate evidence of salvation.
The TRUE GOSPEL is the gospel of Jesus Death, Burial and Resurrection in victory over death. Integral in the Gospel is the sanctifying Blood of Christ to purge the sinner of their sin so that they can stand before God pure and clean. The first instance of any man or woman being free from sin did not happen until the day of Pentecost. Jesus spoke of “Remission of Sins” several times but we did not receive “remission” until the confirmatory infilling of the Holy Ghost. That is why it is SO IMPORTANT.
Mat 26:26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
Mat 26:27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
Mat 26:28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
The fact that Jesus died and shed his blood so that we could be sanctified is accepted by all Christianity.
The fact that the New Covenant, agreement or testament was not ratified until the recipient of the grace of God received the Holy Ghost is not accepted.
We know from the Gospels that the Holy Spirit had not been given before Jesus had risen from the dead and had been glorified. This of course was the whole reason Jesus came. He was and is after all Jesus the Christ or Jesus the Anointer.
We also know that John the Baptist preached baptism for the “Remission of Sins” saying that they (the people) should believe on he who was coming, that is on the Jesus the Christ. Mark 1:8 I indeed have baptized you with water: but he (Christ Jesus) shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.
The important word is “believe”. The question is; what is belief? Is it just acknowledging the existence of God, Is it verbalising belief in Christ? What does the Bible say? Lets see!
