Hello,
This is a review of the New Revised Edition of the book entitled
"How Can We Receive The Holy Spirit As A Gift?" By Rev. Paul C. Jong
This book provides us with accurate Biblical teachings that lead us to receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit through faith in the Gospel of the Water and the Spirit.
Chapter 1 is titled "The True Holy Spirit Works Together with the Word of God’s Promise." By focusing on Chapter 1 of the book of Acts, the author discusses the topic of whether or not the Holy Spirit can be received by human efforts or whether it is a gift solely given to those whose hearts have been cleansed of all sin through faith in the righteousness of God.
Although Christians do try to receive the Holy Spirit through prayers, works, and fanatical worship, this chapter makes it clear that all such practices are futile attempts for receiving the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
Many people want to receive the Holy Spirit in the same way that disciples received Him on the day of Pentecost. As a result, false teachers capitalise on their desire and deceive their followers into thinking that the performing of miracles, the casting out of demons, and speaking in tongues are the evidences of the Holy Spirit working with them.
But the descent of the Holy Spirit as described in Acts did not come to pass through the fervent prayers of the disciples. On the contrary, they were faithfully waiting for the promise that Jesus had spoken of, saying that the Holy Spirit would be given to those who obeyed the will of God and believed in the beautiful gospel fulfilled by His own baptism and crucifixion.
The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is not the result of negotiations between God and humans but a gift given to the hearts of those whose sins have been completely washed away by their faith in the Lord, who took upon all their sins by receiving the laying on of hands baptism from the High Priest John the Baptist as testified to in the Gospel of Matthew 3:15.
The true indwelling of the Holy Spirit occurred simultaneously with the remission of sins for those who repented of believing in God incorrectly and believed in the righteousness of God as it`s written in Acts 2:38,
"Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."
On the day of Pentecost, the fact that the Holy Spirit came "suddenly" and "from Heaven" makes it clear that the idea that one can receive the Holy Spirit by human efforts is a lie and a deception that has covered the majority of Christians faith to this day.
However, Peter testified in Acts 3:19, saying,
“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.”
He was speaking of God`s desire for all people to receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, which comes to those who believe in the truth that Jesus was baptized by John to take away the sin of the world and crucified to atone for our sins once and for all and rose from the dead the third day.
This was the faith of all of the disciples of Jesus, and it is the faith that we too must believe if we wish to receive the Holy Spirit as a gift.
Belief in Jesus` baptism is an essential part of becoming a sinless child of God. When choosing the disciple who would replace Judas, it says in Acts 1:21-22,
“Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”
As this passage shows, in order to become a disciple of Jesus, faith in the baptism He received from John the Baptist was the starting point.
The apostles were not chosen to follow God and receive the Holy Spirit based on their fervent repentance prayers, social status, or ability to speak in tongues and perform miracles but on account of their faith in the salvation of Christ and their obedience to His will, as it is written in Titus 3:5, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.”
The faith required to receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is based on knowing, understanding, and believing in Jesus’ baptism and His blood as the gospel that removes sin from our hearts. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is a gift from God. It is not obtained by joining some fanatical charismatic movement, worshipping while shaking, and falling back on your chair in a frenzy as many pastors lead their congregations to believe.
When you quietly and humbly listen to the gospel of the water and the Spirit, you will realise that your sins have been removed from your hearts through Jesus’ baptism and His blood on the cross, and the waves of peace will begin to flow gently in your hearts. From the time the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within you, it governs your heart and brings about peace from the Lord as He bears witness to the salvation of the water and the blood that redeems us.
The Apostle John confirms this in 1 John 5:6 he says,
"This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth."
Then, through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, you will be instructed on how to share the good news of this beautiful gospel with others and live with true joy, knowing that you have become a sinless child of God in whose heart dwells the Spirit of the one true God received as a gift.
God bless you all.
![HOW CAN WE RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT AS A GIFT? [New Revised Edition]](/upload/book/HOWCANWERECEIVETHEHOLYSPIRITASAGIFTL.jpg?ver=1746459405)
