If Paul baptized them, and there is every indication that he personally did, he would not have done so if they were not truly converted.ĭr. The text gives every indication that these men were then truly converted because they were subsequently baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. It was then that Paul said, “ John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” He discovered that they were not followers of Jesus but rather disciples of John the Baptist. He continued to ask spiritually diagnostic questions of them. Paul did not wish these men well, bid them good fortune in their travels, and assume that they were truly converted. What did the apostle do? He did not compromise biblical truth for the sake of good feelings between people. Paul concluded that these men were not true believers in Christ. If they had followed the Lord in believer’s baptism, at the very least they would have been baptized in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. They made no mention of the person and work of Jesus Christ neither did they know about the Spirit’s work on the Day of Pentecost. These 12 individuals had not heard or received the true Gospel.
Faith, or belief, without the Spirit is nothing more than nodding consent.” Simon Kistemaker writes, “A Christian without the Spirit is a contradiction of terms (Romans 8:9). In Ephesus, Paul met 12 men who professed to be followers of God but had no knowledge of the Holy Spirit. 6 And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.” (Acts 19:1–6) 2 And he said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3 And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” 4 And Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. “ And it happened that while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul passed through the inland country and came to Ephesus.
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