SAME SPIRIT, SAME WORD AND SAME BODY
Before His resurrection and ascension, the Lord Jesus Christ commanded for His apostles to assemble in Jerusalem and wait for the power from above.
God desired for the disciples to undergo spiritual baptism and preach the Word of truth as His witnesses to the end of the earth.
Acts 1:4, 8 4And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me; 8But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
The words of the Lord Jesus Christ were fulfilled on the day of Pentecost. Regardless of one’s race or status, every true believer will be baptised into one body and be made to drink into one Spirit.
1Cor. 12:13 For by one Spirit we were all baptised into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free--and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
The Holy Spirit bestows wisdom and diversities of gifts on believers so that they can fulfil their divine works. In addition, the Holy Spirit helps them to put to death the evil deeds of the body so that they can be sanctified.
1Cor. 12:4-11 4There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.
Rom. 8:13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
1Pet. 1:2 elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace be multiplied.
The Holy Spirit is very important as He bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and is the seal and guarantee of our heavenly inheritance.
Rom. 8:16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,
Eph. 1:14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
The Bible records,
Rom. 8:9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.
One of the most obvious signs of one having received the Holy Spirit is the ability to speak in tongues. This fact has remained unchanged from the olden days until today.
Acts 10:44-47 44While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, 47"Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptised who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?"
Acts 19:6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.
It is undeniable that many had witnessed the down pouring of the Holy Spirit in the latter rain period but had not benefitted them spiritually.
Secular churches do not place emphasis on the importance of praying humbly for the Holy Spirit. They mislead others by claiming to have the Holy Spirit and use empty deceits to console themselves and others before God.
Today, different factions of Christianity propagate for unity in Christ Jesus. Regrettably, this notion will never be materialised if all churches fail to receive the same Spirit.
Eph. 4:3-4 3endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling;
The apostle said “We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one” (1John 5:19).
The assertion in this Bible verse is bold but indisputable, for the church of God must not only have the presence of the Holy Spirit, she must also obey His commandments and His truth.
1John 3:24 Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him. And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.
The truth is always Yes, never Yes and No.
2Cor. 1:19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us--by me, Silvanus, and Timothy--was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes.
That is why the Book of Jude records that we have “… to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints”.
Jude 1:3-4 3Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. 4For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Paul also mentioned repeatedly:
Gal. 1:7-10 7which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. 10For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.
If two do not agree (i.e. do not share the same mindset), they cannot walk together. Therefore, we can determine if they have the same Spirit by observing if they walk in the same way.
There is one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism and one God.
Eph. 4:4-6 4There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
Those who are called by God will come to the unity of the faith through the guidance of the same Spirit. Hence, “Till we all come to the unity of the truth...” means until all of us be united as one in the same body (i.e. the church of the Lord Jesus Christ).
2Cor. 1:12-13 12For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you. 13For we are not writing any other things to you than what you read or understand. Now I trust you will understand, even to the end
Eph. 1:23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
Christ is not divided (1Cor. 1:13UP). As believers who love the Lord Jesus Christ, we must pray fervently for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and keep His Word in humility. We must also be united in Him so that we can be joined together perfectly, in the same mind and in the same judgment, proclaiming God’s gospel so that His calling can be heard by His chosen disciples of every nation.
May all glory be to the Lord Jesus Christ. Hallelujah! Amen.
(The Holy Spirit Times – 30.12.1964 - ACTS-2023-0304)