Those Who Have Experienced the Indwelling Of the Holy Spirit Guide Others to Also Receive The Holy Spirit (John 20:21-23)
(John 20:21-23)
“So
Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace to you! As the Father has sent me, I
also send you.’ And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said
to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they
are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.’”
What authority did the Lord give to the righteous?
He gave them the authority to forgive the sins of any through the gospel of the water and the Spirit.
He gave them the authority to forgive the sins of any through the gospel of the water and the Spirit.
John
Chapter 20 contains a record of Jesus’ resurrection. Our Lord rose
again from the dead and told His disciples, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
The disciples of Jesus received the indwelling of the Holy Spirit as a
gift from Him. Jesus gave the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and eternal
life to those who believed that His baptism and blood washed away all
their sins. The Bible says the baptism of Jesus is the antitype of
salvation, which means that His baptism saved all mankind from their
sins (1 Peter 3:21).
Why was Jesus baptized?
Why
was Jesus baptized by John? The answer to this question can be clearly
seen from what Jesus said in Matthew 3:15, “Thus it is fitting for us to
fulfill all righteousness.” Here, “thus” means that Jesus took away all
the sins of the world when He was baptized. His baptism was carried out
in the same way that the laying on of hands was conducted in Old
Testament times. The purpose of His baptism was to pass on the sins of
the world to Jesus.
What
is the meaning of “all righteousness”? What does the word “fitting”
imply? “All righteousness” means that it was fitting for Jesus to take
away the sins of the world through His baptism. And “fitting” implies
that all this was the most appropriate and just way in the eyes of God.
Jesus
took away all the sins of mankind through His baptism and purged them
for all those who believed in Him. Jesus was baptized and crucified in
judgment for their sins. This is the gospel of the remission of sin. The
righteousness of God is the remission of sin that blotted out all the
sins of sinners.
If
people perceive the mystery of Jesus’ baptism as it is written in
Matthew 3:13-17, they will be able to receive the remission of sins and
also the Holy Spirit. What Jesus did in His public ministry ¾ His
baptism, crucifixion and resurrection ¾ was to provide us with the
righteous way toward salvation, as predestined by God. In this way,
Jesus became the true Savior of all sinners. The gospel of His baptism
and blood is that of salvation, which washed away all our sins.
People
can receive the Holy Spirit only when they know and believe in the
gospel of Jesus’ baptism and blood. Because the baptism of Jesus took
away all the sins of the world, our sins were passed on to Him. His
death on the Cross on behalf of mankind was my own death, and His
resurrection my own resurrection. As such, Jesus’ baptism and blood on
the Cross is the gospel of the remission of sin and of receiving the
Holy Spirit.
I
hope you learn the reason for Jesus’ baptism and have faith in the
gospel. Then, your sins will be blotted out and you will receive the
Holy Spirit. Why was Jesus baptized? It was to take away all the sins of
the world. “Thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness”
(Matthew 3:15). Amen, Hallelujah!
Today,
some believe that speaking in tongues is evidence of receiving the Holy
Spirit. However, the true evidence of it is the precious faith in the
beautiful gospel engraved in the hearts of those who have truly received
the Holy Spirit.
The Lord gave the authority to forgive sin to all righteous people
The
Lord gave His disciples the authority to forgive sin, saying, “If you
forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins
of any, they are retained” (John 20:23). This implies that when the
disciples preached the gospel of the water and the Spirit, the sins of
all who listened and believed were forgiven. However, this does not mean
they could forgive the sins of anyone, regardless of their belief in
gospel of the water and the Spirit.
The
disciples of Jesus have the authority to forgive the sins of any
through the gospel of the water and the Spirit. Therefore, if they teach
what is written, we must believe in it. You must believe that Jesus
Christ gave you the gospel of the water and the Spirit in order to purge
all your sins. Only then can you obtain the remission of sin and
receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Jesus also gave us the power
to save all people from their sins by preaching the gospel of the water
and the Spirit.
The power of the ruler of the world
In
the past, where I used to live, we had to take the bus over an unpaved
road. People had to get off the bus at one point and push it up a hill.
Once, the president of Korea came to the opening ceremony for a thermal
power plant on that road. People welcomed the president by sweeping the
road and placing trees along its side when they heard the news. When the
day arrived, motorcycles guided the way and behind them came the
president’s car. Crowds of people came out to greet him with national
flags in their hands. It was said that the president remarked, “This
road is too bumpy, it needs to be paved.” A few days later, the road was
paved with asphalt.
What
happened here? One passing remark from the president was enough to
cause this drastic change in the road’s condition. A president’s command
has such a great power. However, we are well aware that the gospel of
the water and the Spirit granted to us by Christ is far more powerful.
We must believe that this gospel has the power to free us from all our
sins throughout our lives.
The true authority to forgive sins
“If
you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the
sins of any, they are retained.” The disciples of Jesus preached the
gospel that all their sins were forgiven. They told the people, “Jesus
blotted out all the sins of the world with His baptism and blood. There
is nothing to worry about. Although you are destined to sin in the
future, Jesus already took away all your daily sins and bled for you on
the Cross after being baptized by John. Jesus saved you! You must
believe it!”
Sinners
were given redemption by hearing and believing the gospel of the water
and the Spirit through Jesus’ disciples. Jesus granted His disciples the
authority to forgive sin through the gospel of the water and the
Spirit. Because Jesus’ disciples preached the gospel of the water and
the Spirit to all the people of the world, believers could receive the
remission of sin. Jesus granted them this gift along with the authority
to forgive sin.
Many
people have read the books I have previously published, and they have
been saved from their sins after reading them. Some admitted their
realization that the reason Jesus died on the Cross was the result of
His baptism to take away all the sins of the world, quoting, “He was
wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities”
(Isaiah 53:5).
After
His resurrection, Jesus said to His disciples, “Receive the Holy
Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you
retain the sins of any, they are retained” (John 20:22-23). Jesus
granted them the authority to forgive people’s sins.
We
were bound by confusion, emptiness and sin before we believed in this
truth. However, now that we have faith in Jesus’ baptism and blood, and
are free from sin, we are the ones to preach this gospel to others.
Furthermore, our Lord gave His disciples peace. Our Lord also gave us
peace and the blessing of Holy Spirit, too. In order to receive peace
and the Holy Spirit from God, we must receive the remission of sins by
believing in Jesus’ baptism and blood on the Cross.
What
frees us from sin is faith in the gospel of the water and the Spirit.
This is the spiritual faith that brings us heavenly blessings. But
arbitrary faith based on man’s own thoughts leads him to destruction. We
must obtain redemption by believing in the gospel of the water and the
Spirit and thus receive the Holy Spirit. In order to have such faith, we
must forsake our earthly thoughts and turn our faith to the gospel of
the water and the Spirit.
In
order to have the faith needed to receive the Holy Spirit, one should
accept the gospel that Jesus was baptized and crucified for us. The Lord
provided us with the remission of sin, peace and the indwelling of the
Holy Spirit because we believe in the gospel of the water and the
Spirit. He gave His disciples the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the
authority to forgive the sins of anyone who believed in the gospel of
the water and the Spirit.
We
also received the Holy Spirit by believing in this gospel. The gospel
of the water and the Spirit has helped many others do the same. When we
preach the gospel to our neighbors and to the world, those who take it
to heart are granted the Holy Spirit. If the gospel that we preach
cannot enable people to receive the Holy Spirit, it is not the true
gospel. On the other hand, if the gospel we preach can lead them to
receive the Holy Spirit, that gospel is genuine.
How
blessed and thankful we should be to have such a gospel. The gospel
that has been preached by you and me is such a perfect and elevated one.
But unfortunately, it is hard to find a person who truly knows and
believes in this gospel today. Therefore, we must preach the gospel all
over the world. We must help people receive the Holy Spirit.
Those who are deluded by Satan into denying the gospel of the water and the Spirit
We
are helping even those who already believe in Jesus. Many of them still
haven’t received the Holy Spirit even though they believe in Jesus. So
we help them by preaching the gospel and thus helping them receive the
Holy Spirit.
If
a man hasn’t received the Holy Spirit even though he believes in Jesus,
there might be some problems in his belief. Only those who have
received the Holy Spirit through their belief in Jesus can be regarded
as people who possess the true faith. Therefore, we must all keep the
faith that leads us to receive the Holy Spirit. We must know the gospel
of the water and the Spirit, because only the truth of this gospel is
what enables us to receive the Holy Spirit.
We
preach the gospel of the water and the Spirit so that others can
receive the Holy Spirit. However, those who preach the gospel are bound
to encounter many difficulties. Some Christians think they can receive
the Holy Spirit by making efforts over an extended period of time. They
have many confusing experiences that are irrelevant to receiving the
Holy Spirit. A lot of time and sacrifice is thus needed to enlighten
them with the gospel of the water and the Spirit.
Who
would not believe in the gospel of the water and the Spirit if everyone
thought that one could receive the Holy Spirit through faith in this
gospel? Satan deceived people with a different gospel before the true
gospel came. Such people wonder what more there is to believe in when
they already consider themselves to believe in the gospel of Jesus.
Therefore, they come to deny and refuse the gospel of the water and the
Spirit.
A
lot of people in this day and age do not fully accept the true gospel
of the water and the Spirit, for Satan has already blinded them. As a
result, they think believing in Jesus is a simple task. However, coming
to fully understand the truth of the gospel is not at all easy. The true
gospel of the water and the Spirit is veiled by a false gospel.
People
think that anyone can enter the Kingdom of Heaven if they attend church
and profess that they believe in Jesus. Many believe that the
indwelling of the Holy Spirit is granted through their own efforts, such
as praying and fasting. However, such beliefs are far from the truth of
receiving the Holy Spirit. They think that speaking in tongues and
other miracles are signs of receiving the Holy Spirit.
Thus,
they scarcely understand that in order to receive the Holy Spirit, it
is necessary to believe in the true gospel of the water and the Spirit.
However, the Bible says that one can receive the Holy Spirit only by
believing in the word of God. God concealed the mystery of receiving the
Holy Spirit in His words.
Those who want the indwelling of the Holy Spirit
I
once went to Taiwan with some of our workers. People there asked us for
books on the Holy Spirit. The same thing happened in Japan and Russia.
The reason so many people want books on the indwelling of the Holy
Spirit is that the people of today so eagerly want to receive the
indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Many people believe in Jesus and are at
times unsure whether they have truly received the Holy Spirit, because
they don’t have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
There
are plenty of people who believe in Jesus and claim that they have
received the Holy Spirit. However, people who have received the Holy
Spirit permanently and for eternity are scarce. Many people are unable
to do so despite their faith in Jesus, and that is why they yearn to do
it now.
Among
Christians of the world, there are many people who think they have
experienced the Holy Spirit. Some say they have encountered Jesus in
their dreams, and some claim they have the Holy Spirit within them
because they have experienced the casting out of demons. As such, there
are many people whose faith is based on personal experience. However,
seldom have people like this truly received the indwelling of the Holy
Spirit through faith in the gospel of the water and the Spirit.
I
once thought it strange that there weren’t books in this world on
achieving the indwelling of the Holy Spirit through faith in the pure
gospel of the water and the Spirit. Many people talk about their
experiences with the Holy Spirit, but why aren’t there books on the
indwelling of the Holy Spirit? Such books are hard to find, even if you
look far and wide throughout the world.
Those
who incorrectly insist that they have received the Holy Spirit claim
that they have even met Jesus in person and have visited the Kingdom of
Heaven and hell. They insist that Jesus said, “You have come ahead of
time. You have much left to accomplish in your world, so hurry back to
where you belong.” Such an experience is not impossible. However, could
the Jesus that they encountered be the real Jesus? Would Jesus have met
them when they still had sin in their hearts? Does Jesus abide within a
sinner?
It’s
true that most Christians today don’t have the indwelling of the Holy
Spirit even though they maintain a degree of faith in Jesus. Therefore
we, the ones who have the Holy Spirit within us, must spread the gospel
that will lead others to receive this gift. Everyone needs to receive
the Holy Spirit, and in order to do so, faith in the gospel of the water
and the Spirit is essential. For only by believing in the gospel can
one receive the Holy Spirit. Through the gospel of the truth that we all
know, we can receive the gift of the Holy Spirit from God.
We
must all thank and praise the Lord for giving us the gospel of the
water and the Spirit. I have experienced the joy of the Holy Spirit
while He prevailed on me to write this book. When this book is
published, many people will receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit
through their faith in the gospel of the water and the Spirit. “Did you
receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” (Acts 19:2) said Paul to the
would-be disciples in Ephesus.
We
all must receive the Holy Spirit. Christians worldwide are especially
interested in receiving the Holy Spirit at this turbulent time in world
history. I am preaching the biblical way to receive the Holy Spirit,
just as the Holy Spirit guides me to do. To live a satisfactory life,
you must believe in the truth of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. For
it is your last chance to receive the Holy Spirit deep in your heart.
I
feel compelled to spread the gospel that helps everyone receive the
Holy Spirit because Jesus Christ gave me the gospel of the water and the
Spirit and bequeathed me with the gift of the Holy Spirit.
The Gentiles must also have faith in the gospel of the water and the Spirit
The
Bible relates how Jesus’ disciples let others receive the indwelling of
the Holy Spirit. Even the Gentiles had to keep the same faith as the
disciples in order to receive the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, the Gentiles
in particular needed to have faith in the gospel of the water and the
Spirit, which the disciples had, in order to enter the world of God.
Therefore we, who are Gentiles, must also believe in the true gospel in
order to receive the Holy Spirit. God sent Peter to Cornelius, who was a
Gentile, in order that he would be enlightened with the gospel of the
water and the Spirit, which is necessary for receiving the Holy Spirit.
The
Jewish believers were astonished to hear that the gift of the Holy
Spirit also had been poured out on the Gentiles. When Peter returned to
the church of Jerusalem after preaching the gospel of the water and the
Spirit, those who were circumcised criticized him. “You went in to
uncircumcised men and ate with them!” (Acts 11:3) But Peter explained
everything to them from the beginning.
His
explanation is well contained in Acts 11:5-17. “I was in the city of
Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, an object descending like
a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came to me.
When I observed it intently and considered, I saw four-footed animals
of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. And I
heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ But I said,
‘Not so, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my
mouth.’ But the voice answered me again from heaven, ‘What God has
cleansed you must not call common.’ Now this was done three times, and
all were drawn up again into heaven. At that very moment, three men
stood before the house where I was, having been sent to me from
Caesarea. Then the Spirit told me to go with them, doubting nothing.
Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered the man’s
house. And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house,
who said to him, ‘Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon whose surname is
Peter, who will tell you words by which you and all your household will
be saved.’ And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as
upon us at the beginning. Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He
said, ‘John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with
the Holy Spirit.’ If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us
when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could
withstand God?”
Peter
said that he did not only go in to uncircumcised men and eat with them,
he also told them the gospel thanks to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
When they heard these things they became silent, and they glorified
God, who granted repentance and life to all of them - Cornelius, his
relatives and his close friends.
The apostolic gospel for receiving the Holy Spirit
What is the grave mission of apostles?
Preaching the gospel of the water and the Spirit in order for them to receive the Holy Spirit.
Preaching the gospel of the water and the Spirit in order for them to receive the Holy Spirit.
Did
the Apostles really preach the gospel of the water and the Spirit? We
must first confirm whether the apostle Peter believed in the gospel of
the water and the Spirit. In the Bible, Peter said, “There is also an
antitype which now saves us – baptism” (1 Peter 3:21). The apostle Peter
truly believed that Jesus saved all sinners from their sins when He was
baptized and died on the Cross. He also believed that when Jesus was
baptized (Matthew 3:15), all sins were passed on to Him, that He was
crucified and later resurrected to save us all.
These
days there are people who have the same faith as Peter. Those who
preach the gospel of the water and the Spirit are the ones who preach
the same gospel as Peter did. This truth suffices to allow listeners to
receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
Just
as many people received the Holy Spirit when Peter preached the gospel
of the water and the Spirit, we also see people believe in the gospel
and receive the Holy Spirit when we preach the same truth. A person does
not receive the Holy Spirit by vaguely believing that one will go to
heaven if he only believes in Jesus as his Lord, but rather by believing
in the gospel of the water and the Spirit.
Peter
once considered the Gentiles as little more than bugs that creep on the
ground. According to the law, they were like unclean animals before
Jesus was baptized, died on the Cross and was resurrected. However, even
the Gentiles could be blessed with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit by
believing in the gospel of the water and the Spirit. So a voice spoke
to Peter, saying, “What God has cleansed you must not call common” (Acts
10:15).
We,
as Gentiles, were never able to receive the Holy Spirit but we can have
the indwelling of the Holy Spirit by having faith in the gospel of the
water and the Spirit. When we preach the gospel patiently to people full
of their own thoughts, often we see them come to believe in the gospel
and finally receive the Holy Spirit in the end. We may also see them
confess that they have no sin in their hearts after coming to believe in
Jesus’ baptism and blood. Only then does the Holy Spirit dwell within
them.
Our
purpose in preaching this gospel is not merely to make others
understand it, but to lead them to receive the Holy Spirit. The fact
that those who believe in the gospel that we preach are forgiven for all
their sins is very significant. And the fact that they receive the
indwelling of the Holy Spirit at the same time is even more important.
We not only preach the gospel to the people of the world, but also take
it a step further and lead them to receive the Holy Spirit at the same
time.
We
must preach the gospel of the water and the Spirit in this context to
those who are in need of it. If we were to cease after merely preaching
the gospel, the whole meaning of our labors would be lost. We must be
aware that this gospel leads people to have the indwelling of the Holy
Spirit. When we preach the gospel bearing this in mind, the flames of
the Holy Spirit will spread like wildfire over the whole world.
When
an evangelist believes that this gospel can guide the people of the
world to receive the Holy Spirit, he comes to feel keenly aware that his
ministry is not simply about persuading people to believe in Jesus
Christ, but is about helping them receive the indwelling of the Holy
Spirit. Therefore, it is very important for us to preach the gospel of
the water and the Spirit at this time.
One
needs only listen with his ears and believe with his heart in the
gospel that we preach in order to receive the Holy Spirit. Clearly, the
gospel that we are preaching has a great influence over people’s lives.
The power of the gospel is the authority and blessing given by God.
Peter
was an evangelist of the Jews, while Paul was that of the Gentiles.
While Peter was praying on a housetop, he saw Heaven open and an object
like a great sheet bound at the four corners descended on him. In it
were all kinds of unclean animals that the Bible said were forbidden to
eat.
Peter
had never eaten anything common or unclean. However, God ordered him to
kill and eat them. Peter refused, saying, “Not so, Lord! For I have
never eaten anything common or unclean!” And a voice spoke to him, “What
God have cleansed you must not call common.” What does this suggest?
God is saying that Jesus washed away all the sins of the world, even of
Gentiles, when He was baptized and died on the Cross.
The
spiritual meaning of God’s order for him to kill and eat unclean
animals was to teach Peter that even the Gentiles can become children of
God by believing that Jesus was sent into this world, baptized to take
away all our sins and crucified to be judged for them.
Peter
was still following the regulations of the law instead of seeing them
with the spiritual eyes of faith, even after receiving the Spirit. But
Peter repented and believed that God had already washed away even the
sins of the Gentiles. Peter came to realize the riches of the beautiful
gospel more deeply. He saw the Holy Spirit fall on his listeners when he
preached God’s words.
How
could we discern whether the evangelists of today have received the
Holy Spirit or not? It depends on whether they accept the gospel of the
water and the Spirit. The person who believes in the beautiful gospel as
it is when an evangelist preaches the words of God has received the
indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit that dwells in the heart
of the evangelist also comes to dwell in him. The evangelist and the
listener will come to have fellowship with one another like childhood
friends. They will see the love of God abide in each other. The
evangelist will see the listener become one of God’s people by accepting
the gospel of the water and the Spirit.
When
we preach the gospel, we can see the Holy Spirit descend on believers
as soon as they believe in the gospel of the water and the Spirit. It is
not a separate experience from salvation. That is the primary reason
why we must preach the gospel of the water and the Spirit. The gospel
that we preach is one that leads others to receive the Holy Spirit.
Those
who have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit are children of God. The
gospel of the water and the Spirit is not a theoretical doctrine of a
denomination, and therefore when we preach this to others, they come to
have faith, receive the Holy Spirit and become children of God. How
great a blessing this is! What an amazing gospel! And how marvelous His
work is! Those who preach the gospel of the water and the Spirit help
build the Kingdom of God. We merely preach the gospel, but they receive
the Holy Spirit.
Some
people think believing in Jesus is one thing and receiving the Holy
Spirit is another. Therefore, Christians still pray for the Holy Spirit.
However, the Bible says that the Holy Spirit comes upon those when they
listen and believe in the gospel preached by His servants. People all
around the world are craving the Holy Spirit. The gospel that we preach
leads them to satisfy their desire. That is why we have the
responsibility to spread the gospel all over the world. We are children
of the Father and His heirs, who are faithful to His Great Commission.
We
must preach the gospel with faith while keeping in mind that our
mission is to allow people to receive the Holy Spirit. The gospel of the
water and the Spirit is something evangelists must truly believe in
before preaching it to others. Then their listeners will receive the
Holy Spirit through their faith in the gospel. In this way, we can
breathe the eternal life into all those who believe in the gospel. Our
goal is to have them delivered from the power of darkness and conveyed
into the Kingdom of God. Evangelists transfer sinners destined to die
under the power of darkness into the Kingdom of the Son of God. It is a
very important work to transform sinners into children of God.
Many
people do not know the key to receiving the Holy Spirit and try to
receive Him with their own effort. However, this will prove to be in
vain. Only the faith in the gospel is needed, for the faith frees one
from all sins.
How
did you receive the Holy Spirit? Through prayer? Or perhaps through the
laying on of hands? No, that is not the way. We receive the Holy Spirit
only when we believe in the gospel of the water and the Spirit. We must
pray and preach the gospel so that all the people of the world can
receive the Holy Spirit.
The
word “apostle” means “one who is sent by God.” What do apostles do?
They preach the gospel of the water and the Spirit so that people can
receive the Holy Spirit. Wouldn’t you like to take up this job as well
along with us? We all must have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and
preach it to all people. Hallelujah! Praise the absolute truth of the
gospel that the Lord gave us to receive the Holy Spirit!
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