Receive ye the Holy Ghost

Saint John,

That is a good question. If you get a chance to pick up the book charismatic chaos by John F. MacArthur, Jr. He deals with this on page 175 here is what he says, "Page 175
A. A Closer look at Acts 2.
1. Charismatics point out that the apostles and other disciples who experienced the baptism and tongues in Acts 2:1-4 had already been saved.
Page 176
2. Most charismatics suggest that the disciples had also received the Holy Spirit before Pentecost in the upper room following the resurrection, John 20:21-22.
a. Is that the correct interpretation of John 20:21-22?
1) First of all, the passage does not say that the disciples actually received the Holy Spirit.
a) It simply says that Jesus said to them “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
b) What did Jesus mean?
c) The statement was a pledge or promise that would be fulfilled on the day of Pentecost.
d) Chrysostom (A.D. 345-407) and many others have held this view.
3. The strongest arguments, however, appear in the early verses of Acts 1.
a. Just before his ascension, Jesus gathered the disciples together and told them not to leave Jerusalem but to wait for the promise of the Father (Acts 1:4).
b. Jesus went on to say in the next verse, “John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
Page 177.
c. At this point the disciples were still waiting for the Holy Spirit.
4. If the Spirit had come upon them in John 20, the power would be there already and there would be nothing to wait for.
5. Two other passages demonstrate that the disciples did not receive the Holy Spirit until the day of Pentecost.
a. John 7:39 –
That passage explicitly states that the Spirit would not come until Jesus had been glorified, and He could not be glorified until He had ascended.
b. John 16:17 –
6. What of the charismatic notion that Spirit baptism is something to be eagerly sought?
Page 178
a. Acts 1:4 – There is no evidence of their asking for or seeking the Holy Spirit.
b. Nor is there any hint of anyone’s seeking or asking for the Holy Spirit or tongues anywhere in the book of Acts.
c. There is not once instance-even where these phenomena occurred-that indicates anyone I the early church was ever seeking such an experience.
d. When the Holy Spirit came at Pentecost a new order was established.
e. From then on the Holy Spirit came to every believer at the moment of faith and indwelt the believer in a permanent, abiding relationship.
7. The event recorded in Acts 2 was a unique wonder.
a. This was the first and last Pentecost for the church.
b. As Merrill Unger put it:
Pentecost is as unrepeatable as the creation of the world or of man; as once-for-all as the incarnation and the death, resurrection, and ascension of Christ… The event did not constitute the continuing and recurring features of the new order once it was introduced."

I hope this helps

 

Sherlock,
That was a very concise and exhuastive post. I do have a question though, as you quoted Unger, do you believe he is saying that the Baptism of the Holy Ghost was (basically) a one time event?

Thanks ------Bart

 

Good Post Sherlock

I agree, That is a great book by MacArthur

It covers the subject very well.