A Brighter Day Begins with His Word.

Torrey, R. A. (Reuben Archer), 1856-1928 • SECTION 78

Part 78

← The Person and Work of The Holy Spirit

6. _The baptism with the Holy Spirit causes the one who receives it to be occupied with God and Christ and spiritual things._ In the record of the day of Pentecost, we read, “They were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not these which speak Galileans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues _the wonderful works of God_” (Acts ii. 4, 7, 8, 11). Then follows Peter’s sermon, a sermon that from start to finish is entirely taken up with Jesus Christ and His glory. On a later day we read, “And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they _spake the word of God_ with boldness. And with great power gave the Apostles _witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus_: and great grace was upon them all.... Then Peter, _filled with the Holy Ghost_, said unto them, Ye rulers of the people, and elders of Israel, if we this day be examined of the good deed done to the impotent man, by what means he is made whole; be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that _by the name of Jesus of Nazareth_, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by Him doth this man stand here before you whole” (Acts iv. 31, 33, 8-10). We read of Saul of Tarsus, that when he had been filled with the Holy Spirit, “Straightway in the synagogues _he proclaimed Jesus_” (Acts ix. 17, 20, R. V.). We read of the household of Cornelius, “While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on them who heard the Word. And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. For they heard them speak with tongues, and _magnify God_.” Here we see the whole household of Cornelius as soon as they were filled with the Holy Spirit magnifying God. In Eph. v. 18, 19, we are told that the result of being _filled with the Spirit_ is that those who are thus filled will speak to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in their hearts _to the Lord_. Men who are filled with the Holy Spirit will not be singing sentimental ballads, not comic ditties, nor operatic airs while the power of the Holy Ghost is upon them. If the Holy Ghost should come upon any one while listening to one of the most innocent of the world’s songs, he would not enjoy it, he would long to hear something about Christ. Men who are baptized with the Holy Spirit do not talk much about self but much about God, and especially much about Christ. This is necessarily so, as it is the Holy Spirit’s office to bear witness to the glorified Christ (John xv. 26; xvi. 14).

To sum up everything that has been said about the results of the baptism with the Holy Spirit; _the baptism with the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God coming upon the believer, filling his mind with a real apprehension of truths, especially of Christ, taking possession of his faculties, imparting to him gifts not otherwise his but which qualify him for the service to which God has called him._

Public domain in the USA; original historical text digitized by Project Gutenberg.

Project Gutenberg source record →