We are now living in the dispensation of the Holy Spirit. There have been three major dispensations: The dispensation of the Father, the dispensation of the Son, and the dispensation of the Holy Spirit.
The dispensation of the Father has been distinguished as that of law, which reached its climax on Mount Sinai.
The dispensation of the Son has been distinguished as that of reconciling grace, which reached its climax on Mount Calvary.
And, the dispensation of the Holy Spirit which is identified by His sanctifying power which reached its climax on Mount Zion or Jerusalem.
The dispensation of the Father lasted 4,000 years; that of the Son lasted throughout the time He was on the earth; and the Holy Spirit, started on the day of Pentecost and will end at the Lord’s return.
These three great epochs of world history include Sinai, Calvary and Jerusalem. Sinai demands, Calvary provides, and Jerusalem executes.
Each person of the Trinity made an important contribution toward man’s salvation.
God conceived it; Jesus Constructed it; and the Holy Spirit has consummated it.
My text speaks of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which must be distinguished from the birth of the Spirit. It differs in four ways:
1) The character of those who are eligible to receive them. There is only one person who is eligible for the birth of the Spirit, and that is the sinner, for he is dead in trespasses and sins. The only class eligible for the baptism of the Spirit is the believer or the one who has already been born again.
2) They differ in their nature. The birth is based upon one thing and the baptism upon another. The birth is based upon life. The baptism is based� upon death. The birth is a bringing to life process, the baptism is a killing process.
3) They differ in their operation. The Holy Spirit comes into the heart of the born again Christian in the fullness of� personality, but not in the fullness of His operation. The birth does one thing, the baptism does another. The birth gives one vision, the baptism clarifies that vision. The birth gives peace with God, the baptism gives the peace of God. The birth of the Spirit starts a civil war in the heart; the baptism puts an end to that war.
4) They differ in their measure. The birth gives you the Spirit, the baptism gives you the fullness of the Spirit. Holiness is both negative and positive. Before one can be filled he must be emptied. The negative is the cleansing, the positive is the filling. Many sing, “fill me now,” when they ought to be singing, “kill me now.” Before there can be an in-filling there must be a sin-killing.
One stated that Jesus came to give His life FOR us as an ATONEMENT for our sins. He gives His life TO us as an ANSWER to our emptiness and He seeks to live His life IN us as an ASSURANCE of daily victory. This all comes about through the office work of the Holy Spirit.
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