In a wonderful little book written by a
There are two conditions God clearly established for us to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. These are: 1. Repentance (a turning away from sin and toward God). 2. Faith in Jesus Christ (receiving forgiveness by trusting Jesus completely as paying the whole debt for your sin).
Jesus first set forth these 2 requirements in Mark1:15. Jesus preached, “The time is fulfilled, and the
In Acts 19:2-6, Paul found some “disciples” who were professing to be believers, but Paul must have sensed something wrong, because he asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They replied, “We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.” “And he said to them, "Into what then were you baptized?” So they said, “Into John's baptism.” Then Paul said,” John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would 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 hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them…”
You see, they had repented (turned their hearts toward God the best they knew how), but had not placed faith in Christ to receive forgiveness of sin. When that was corrected, the Holy Spirit came immediately upon them. This example is again repeated in Acts chapter 10, where Cornelius was a Gentile who had a great heart toward God, fasted and prayed always, but hadn’t yet heard the gospel that Jesus paid the whole debt for his sin and that He could be forgiven and saved by faith in Christ alone. As soon as Peter told him about Jesus, the Holy Spirit came upon him (Acts chapter 10). He had met the second requirement.
So it is today. There are many who perhaps have a heart of repentance toward God but have not yet placed trust completely in Jesus and His death on the cross for them for their salvation. They perhaps trust partly in practice of religion or something else. Holy Spirit will not come upon them until they trust in Christ alone. They have only met 1 of the 2 requirements
And on the other side of the coin, there are many who have heard the gospel and believe in Jesus, but may have never known that God requires repentance (the surrender of our heart and life to Him, not just our belief in Him). Without repentance, the Holy Spirit will not come as only one of the two requirements is met. Repentance does not merely mean to say “I’m sorry” or to pay a penance with the intention of committing that same sin over and over again. It is a forsaking of it by the power of God at work in your life.
The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 13:5, “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you? — unless indeed you are disqualified.” To be disqualified means that one of the two requirements is missing.
Let each of us open the Bible and honestly examine our own hearts and ask ourselves the question, “Have I received the Holy Spirit since I believed?” If you find you have not, then simply turn to God and seek Him with all your heart (repentance), placing your sin upon Jesus, trusting in Him and Him alone for your salvation (believing). Then according to God’s promise, you will surely receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, bringing you eternal life, and the power to love and live for Him here and now.
Bob Holland
Faith in Action Ministries
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