kingdavid said:
FightingAtheism said:
i don't think anyone said you couldn't receive the holy spirit b4 you are water baptized. however, if you haven't received the holy spirit b4 hand then when you are baptized correctly in the NAME of the Lord Jesus Christ then you will receive the Holy Spirit immediately afterward.
now the scriptures state that all who received the holy spirit b4 hand were commanded to be baptized acts 11:47-48 and paul who received the holy ghost b4 hand was led quickly to be baptized acts 9:18
We don't immediately receive the Holy Spirit after we are baptized. We are supposed to ask for the Holy Spirit, and if we believe, we will receive the Holy Spirit. The passages in Acts clearly prove that, that we don't immediately receive the Holy Spirit after we are baptized. Take a look at Paul and more other passages in the book of Acts.
there is only one place in the book of acts that they didn't receive the holy ghost immediately after being baptized. it was in acts ch. 8 when philip baptized some people and it states that they waited for peter and john to lay hands on them to receive the holy spirit. I am not sure why this is. i only know that philip was a deacon and not a pastor so i can only speculate that this may be the reason.
You're incorrect.
1.) Paul
17 And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, [even] Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
18 And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.
(Ac.9:17,18)
Received the Holy Spirit before he was baptized.
2.)House of Cornelius received the Holy Spirit:
44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.
45 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.
46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?
(Ac.10:44-47)
Received the Holy Ghost before they were baptized.
1 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples,
2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.
3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism.
4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
5 When they heard [this], they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
6 And when Paul had laid [his] hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied.
(Ac.19:1-6)
Immediately? You don't know the time period.. "And when Paul had laid his hands upon them", this would not be "immediately", we can see that there was a time period.
From the passages I have provided we can see that we don't immediately receive the Holy Ghost upon believing in Jesus Christ, and we don't receive the Holy Ghost immediately after baptism. So this is why the Bible tells us to ask for the Holy Ghost:
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall [your] heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? (Lk.11:13)
Ask for the Holy Spirit, and if you believe, it shall be given to you. :yes
7 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
8 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
10 Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
(Mt.7:7-11)
6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord.
(Jas.1:6,7)
22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
(Mt.21:22)
:amen :yes