Lesson 1961

(Lesson 1961)(03-07-17) Acts 19:6-7

"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, 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. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism. 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. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. And all the men were about twelve."

Today's lesson is an overlap of yesterday's extending through verse seven of that text.

Yesterday's quote clarified the difference between "the baptism of John", (The "baptism of John" being the message John taught as well as the water immersion "baptism" he administered to prepare the Jews for the coming of Jesus Christ.); and the baptism of the Holy Ghost which comes with, and empowers unto eternal salvation, those believing that Jesus is the virgin born Son of God who sacrificed His perfect life and was raised from the dead to remit the sins of those who will trust in Him.

We know the above to be true because of the example given in Acts 10:43-44 concerning the coming of the Holy Ghost upon the house of Cornelius as they believed what Peter preached, "To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHALL RECEIVE REMISSION OF SINS. While Peter YET SPAKE these words, THE HOLY GHOST FELL ON ALL THEM WHICH HEARD THE WORD."

Verse seven of that text seems to that the Holy Ghost can be given by the laying on of hands, in that it says, "when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them". I won't pretend to know exactly what is meant by Paul's actions in that particular instance, but I know, as we have witnessed through many other passages of scripture, that the Holy Ghost comes upon the children of God as they believe in the only begotten Son of God.~