Good Easter Sunday evening!
Rain has begun to fall again. I ran out after it started and put my skid steer and pickup truck under cover—kind of like closing the barn door after the cow gets out. I got a little wet in the process.
Blessings on your evening. He is risen indeed! Ray.
That line from The Passion Translation really grabbed my attention this morning. This, of course, is John the Baptist announcing to the crowds the coming Messiah—Jesus. Most typical is a translation that reads, “baptize you with the Holy Spirit” (NIV) or, “baptize you with the Holy Ghost” (KJV). But this one puts it as, “baptize you into the Spirit of Holiness.” Do you see what I see with this angle? It only makes sense that if the BAPTIZER is truly HOLY then the one BAPTIZED should display evidence in the form of HOLINESS—or a passionate desire to live to please Holy God. I’m thinking that the standard Jesus puts forth for discerning TRUE and FALSE fits in this consideration—“By their fruit you will recognize them” (Matthew 7:16, NIV). So when someone boasts that they have been baptized with the Holy Spirit, but display a lifestyle of non-holiness—a non-passionate desire to love and please God, you have reason to question the authenticity of their baptism.
My observation over the years is that believers preoccupied with special divine encounters and sensational spiritual experiences do not necessarily live more victoriously over sin, self, and Satan than those not making such claims. In fact, I wonder if those who prioritize such experiences are unwittingly made to be more vulnerable to failure than other believers. How so? I think it’s because of a subtle little prideful misconception that can sneak in and cause one to reason something like this: “Whereas God has selected me for this special supernatural experience, it must be because He really likes me and thinks I’m wonderful and adequately holy. It must be evidence of His placing a stamp of approval on my life.” Warning! I think I can promise that such presumption is a prelude to failure.
On this day of special Christian significance—Resurrection Sunday—I heard a profound statement on the radio while waiting in the car for the rest of the family to board before going to church. It was from James Martin and his regular Sunday program. I think his statement can apply here: “Christ’s work on the cross covers our past sins, but it does not cover our apathy.” Allow me to equate apathy with anything less than a HEART AFTER GOD—a passionate desire to love and please our Holy Maker—which I’m inclined to equate that with “the Spirit of Holiness.”