MAKE IT SURE

Make Your Calling And Election Sure

"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" Jesus said to him, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." Matt 22:36-40

"who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works." Titus 2:14

"Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 1:10-11

God must work all these graces into us, yet not so that we should be mere machines, but willing instruments in His hands in making His election of us "secure." God’s counsel is steadfast and everlasting, but our part is to cooperate with Him. There is no uncertainty on His part, but on ours the only security is our faith in His promise and the fruit of the Spirit which we take to ourselves.

"Gone was the guilt factor of never measuring up. I did not suddenly view myself as sinless/perfect, but I simply understood that I was, in fact, a member of the Royal Household and in a process of transformation into a better version of myself (becoming more like Jesus)." (Joseph) [2 Cor 3:17-18]

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." Gal 5:22-24

We worship God by external sacrifices and gifts, not for His own profit, but for that of ourselves and our neighbor. For He needs not our sacrifices, but wishes them to be offered to Him, in order to arouse our devotion and to profit our neighbor. Hence mercy, whereby we help others’ needs is a sacrifice more acceptable to Him, as more directly working to our neighbor’s well-being, according to Hebrews 13:15-16: "Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name. But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased."

The works of mercy are as follows:

"Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.'" Matt 25:34-36

•To feed the hungry
•To give drink to the thirsty
•To clothe the naked
•To harbour the harbourless (shelter the homeless)
•To visit the sick
•To ransom the captive
•To bury the dead (especially in time of war)


The spiritual works of mercy are:

"Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." Gal 6:1-2

•To instruct the ignorant (who do not yet know)
•To counsel the doubtful (help strengthen their faith)
•To admonish sinners (to be pure and holy)
•To bear wrongs patiently
•To forgive offenses willingly
•To comfort the afflicted
•To pray for the living

Passing On The Vision

PASSING ON THE VISION   11/17/2000

"Churches of Christ are short on Christian love, forgiveness, and vision for the future." Do you believe this statement is true?

Notice what Jacob did in Genesis 30:37-43. "Then he set up these peeled branches by the watering trough so Laban's flocks would see them...all of their offspring were streaked, speckled and spotted." God was responding to Jacob's prayer.

A visionary church stays on course, clearly knowing and communicating the vision God has for the whole body for the long term. The vision goes beyond the present leaders to a visionary people! [Eph. 4:12-16]

"It is better to get ten men to work - than to try to do the work of ten men." Have the vision, but it will take others to fulfill this vision. A vision shared stirs others and gives them something to believe God for. Leaders equip others to operate within the vision. But, not all the vision comes from the leaders. People are drawn to the local church by the Holy Spirit - either to be saved (obey the gospel) or to help fulfill the vision of the local church. We want to see others saved and made followers of Jesus Christ [Matt. 28:18-20].

When members share about a visionary church to others, they are sharing about a movement that will outlast a man or a woman. Note 2 Timothy 1:5; 2:1-2; 3:14-15.

1) A visionary church moves ahead. People are not attracted to sterile and lifeless forms, but to that which is life-giving and relational. Where there is relationship and spiritual life, there will be a natural numerical growth. The old proverb: "You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar" is still true. The honey is the Doing & Dying & Rising Again of Jesus Christ [Rev. 10:8-11].

2) A visionary church grows leaders. Nehemiah went for a ride one evening to inspect the walls of Jerusalem [Nehemian 2:12]. The following day he recruited priests, goldsmiths, rulers, merchants, families and farmers. It wasn't about numbers or a perfect wall. It was about instilling vision and working together in relationship for a common goal.

3) A visionary church is kingdom-minded. We believe the kingdom did come on Pentecost (Acts 2) and did spread to cover the world (Daniel 2:44). A visionary church is concerned beyond the local community to a vision of the World conquered for Jesus! People are not a means to an end - but they are God's greatest love! "God so loved the world..."

4) A visionary church is authentic. "New cars smell new for only a short time, and then the newness wears off." Promotion attracts the latest church-hoppers, but prayer breeds close-knit relationships that experience spiritual vitality and a church of substance. People are attracted to God's love manifested through relationships with people. God's love is authentic! Note Romans 5:5; 1 John 7-21.

"Older is not always better" [Luke 5:39]. The "new wine" of the Gospel must always be our first priority. If the "old wine" of the past is not working for you, perhaps you need to "reload" the original program of the Book of Acts and drink deeply from the springs of living water. The reality of the Holy Spirit in people's lives was evident. Acts 2:42-47 describe the process of relationship in a church with vision. "Praising God and enjoying the good will of all the people." You must decide where you fit according to your own spiritual values and build accordingly.

A NEW PENTECOST

A NEW PENTECOST 2

 Pentecost ushered in God’s Kingdom, filling the earth.  But we continually need fresh refillings of our cup of life.  Note Acts 4:31-33.  A NEW Pentecost would be a new refurbishing of the Kingdom/church.  This would be a return to the church of the Acts of the Apostles.  It was with the power of God that the disciples reached all the world with the gospel of Christ.  Perhaps the church in recent years has had “amnesia” about The Holy Spirit.

[Campbell spoke of Jehovah the Father, Jehovah the Son, Jehovah the Holy Spirit (in The Christian System) – emphasizing the Oneness of God yet the revelation of His divine diversity.]

 “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”  1 Cor 13:13

 “For we through the Spirit eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.”  Gal 5:5-6

WHY  DO  YOU  HOPE

Stand up and praise the Lord your God!

Praise Him forever and ever!
Let everyone praise His glorious name,
although no human praise
can ever be great enough.

The long history of the church is filled

with the wonders of God The Holy Spirit.
Who would dare to say that the love
and resourcefulness
of God were exhausted?

I believe in the surprises

of God The Holy Spirit.
The ways of His Providence
are by nature surprising.

We are not prisoners of "fate,"

nor of the gloomy predictions
of sociologists
and those who peer into the future.

We must therefore be ready

to expect
the unexpected
from God!

It is time for a Christian Revolution               

    From time to time God-The-Holy-Spirit shakes our world and produces revival, renewal, and spiritual awakening.  People repent and seek to be right with God.  Lives are cleaned up and morality thrives.  Righteousness becomes a virtue.  The fruit of The Spirit becomes real in the community of the faithful.  HE - The Spirit - proves to the world that they are wrong about sin, and about what is right, and about God's judgment.  (“Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.” John 16:7-11). 

We believe He produces in the Christian such things as Christian love (Romans 5:1-5), holy joy (“For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake. And you became followers of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit,” 1 Thess 1:5-6; “And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 13:52), and fruitful Christian life (“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” Gal 5:22-23

    The church is faced with a sense of pessimism and defeat.   Even Christians spread gloom, even though this is the contradiction of everything they would be expected to believe.  But a real Christian is a man/woman of hope.  Apostle Peter went so far as to say that a disciple of Christ should always have an answer ready for people who inquire about hope (But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;”  1 Peter 3:15).  Hope is an essential part of our very being.  But just now in some circles hope has drawn criticism from those who see it as just a “tranquilizer” to divert our attention from our problems

    Christianity means hope!  We must take hold of hope and restore it to its rightful place in our thinking.  Hope is real, from God, and relies on God.  Hope makes a mockery of our weighty statistics, our probability charts, our forecasts of the future.   “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways, says the LORD” (Isaiah 55:8). 

    Hope is the servant of God, the “Master of the impossible” who draws straight with crooked lines (compare Isaiah 45:2-3).  Hope is the “daughter” of the God who cannot be pigeonholed and who knows how to turn obstacles into servants to do His will.

    Some are distressed that they cannot recognize the church of their childhood (as they think they remember it).  Be of courage!  God the Holy Spirit is at work deep within the heart of His church.  He is the living hope for the future.  He is breathing into the church a fresh youthfulness.  He wishes to draw us close to Himself.

    We read the Book of Acts, which might be called “The Acts of The Holy Spirit.”  We relive in our minds the time when the disciples were in the upper room, 120 of them,  the apostles and the Seventy, along with several women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and His brothers, who had not been believers before (Acts 1:14).  We pray: “Renew Your wonders, O Lord, in this our day give us a new Pentecost.”

    By the power of the Gospel, He - The Spirit - makes the church grow (“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.” 1 Cor 3:6-7)

    “Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”  2 Cor 3:5-6

  “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.”  John 16:8-11).  We must look to The Spirit beyond men and their limitations.  We must open a few windows in the upper room and allow the first breeze of springtime to come in to us.  Paul warned that while some have the form, they deny the power (2 Timothy 3:5).  And Christianity is about power.  “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”  2 Tim 1:7

    The Holy Spirit has ways and means of renewing the church.  The Spirit, suddenly and without warning, releases a gulfstream of graces through the action of some believer (saint), who towers over the others.  Churches of Christ honor Campbell, father & son, Stone, Scott, Smith, and others who led the “restoration movement” to recover [refurbish] the Ancient Order of things.  Many whose names we do not know have also played a vital role as witnesses to the presence of The Holy Spirit within the church in moments of crisis and opportunity.

    Faith teaches us that suffering is the seed of life.  It is perfectly normal, then, that the sufferings of the church today should give rise to great hope.  No day was so filled with hope, as we look back, as the Friday before the Crucifixion.  When Jesus was lifted up on the cross, He won the victory over death, hell, and the grave.  And so as someone wrote: “It is a happy time for the church when she is sustained by nothing other than God.”  Another wrote: “The hour of suffering is the hour of God.  The situation is hopeless: this, then, is the hour for hoping. . . When we have reasons for hoping then we rely on those reasons. . . We should rely not on reasons, but on a promise - a promise given by God. . . We must admit that we are lost, surrender ourselves as lost, and praise the Lord who saves us.”  Desperation – yet CONFIDENCE IN THE LORD!

    Each new crisis teaches us that we are living at a turning point in the history of the church.  God The Holy Spirit is continually revealing, to a degree unknown before, a mystery of death and resurrection.  Now, and always, it is the time to listen to “what the Spirit is saying to the churches” (Revelation 2:29).  He is telling us, it seems, to carry out the very necessary reform and renewal of the church.  The church will always be needing spiritual awakening.  As someone said: “The church must grow from the inside out.”  Paul the Apostle wrote: "Therefore He says: Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light."  Eph. 5:14.  see Acts 26:18; 2Cor. 4:6; Heb. 6:4; 10:32.

   

TRANSFIGURATION

The Transfiguration of Christ

“Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James, and John, and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His clothes became shining, exceedingly white, like snow, such as no launderer on earth can whiten them. And Elijah appeared to them with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus.” Mark 9:2-4 (NKJV)

The Transfiguration of Christ is the high point of His public ministry. His Baptism is its starting point, and His Ascension its end. Moreover, this glorious event has been related in detail by Matthew (17:1-6), Mark (9:1-8), and Luke (9:28-36), while Peter (2 Peter 1:16-18) and John (1:14), two of the privileged witnesses, hint at it.

About a week after His sojourn in Cæsarea Philippi, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John and led them to a high mountain apart, where He was transfigured before their ravished eyes. Matthew and Mark explain the true meaning of the word by adding "his face did shine as the sun: and his garments became white as snow," or "as light," according to the Greek text.

This dazzling brightness which shone from His whole Body was produced by an interior shining of His Divinity. False Judaism had rejected the Messiah, and now true Judaism, represented by Moses and Elijah, the Law and the Prophets, recognized and worshipped Him, while for the second time God the Father proclaimed Him His only-begotten and well-loved Son. By this glorious manifestation the Divine Master, who had just foretold His Passion to the Apostles (Matthew 16:21), and who spoke with Moses and Elijah of the trials which awaited Him at Jerusalem (Luke 9:30-31), strengthened Jesus for His death, and the faith of his three friends and prepared them for the terrible struggle of which they were to be witnesses in Gethsemane, by giving them a foretaste of the glory and heavenly delights to which we attain by suffering.

"Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying:
"You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood
Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth." Rev 5:8-10

O God, You revealed to chosen witnesses Your dearly loved Son, wonderfully transfigured, in raiment white and glistening: Mercifully grant that we, being delivered from the confusion of this world, may by faith see King Jesus in His beauty; Father, Son, Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. [from an old prayer]

Now it came to pass, about eight days after these sayings, that He took Peter, John, and James and went up on the mountain to pray. As He prayed, the appearance of His face was altered, and His robe became white and glistening. And behold, two men talked with Him, who were Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of His decease which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. . . . And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!" Luke 9:28-35

Peter, James, and John, seem to be the inner circle of those closest to Jesus. These three men were eyewitnesses of the Divine Glory of this One who was the Son of Man. This confirmed the Messiahship of Christ which Peter had declared. Mark tells us: .As they looked on, a change came over Jesus, and His clothes became shining white -- whiter than anyone in the world could wash them.. This is symbolic of the supernatural, and of the Divinity of Jesus the Christ. (We also have a share in this as well, see 1 John 3:1-2. “For we shall see Him as He is.” 2 Peter 1:4 “Partakers of the divine nature.”)

"Finally, the Holy Trinity is manifest here, for Christ is transfigured (Matt. 17:2), the Father speaks from heaven testifying to Jesus' divine Sonship (Matt. 17:5), and the Spirit is present in the form of the dazzling light surrounding Christ's Person, overshadowing the whole mountain." Walerstedt

"For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." 2 Peter 1:16-17

Compare: “But He kept silent and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked Him, saying to Him, "Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?" Jesus said, "I am. And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven." Then the high priest tore his clothes and said, "What further need do we have of witnesses? You have heard the blasphemy! What do you think?" And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death.” Mark 14:61-64

Blessed are You, mighty God of light,
for Your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus stood Transfigured on the mountain,
and none comprehends His majesty,
Whose splendor stuns all waking souls.
Your light transcends the brightness of a thousand suns!
For Jesus is the Chosen One,
Your beloved Son called by name,
the living hope of every nation.
Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world.
Lamb of God, take away my sin.
Grant me life eternal!
For these and all Your mercies, I praise You:
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit: Blessed be God for ever!
[from an old prayer]

PS: “Antichrist” is anyone who does not confess that the Son of God became Man [flesh & blood] while remaining God. 1 John 4:1-4.

PREACHING CHRIST

WE PREACH CHRIST!!!

Gospel Meetings used to be called Protracted Meetings in the 1940s, and were called Revivals by many. These are times of evangelistic outreach, lifting up and honoring Christ Jesus and letting His light of truth shine. "That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not." John 1:9-10 (KJV)

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this." Isaiah 9:6-7 (KJV)

"For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son? And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him." Heb 1:5-6 (KJV)

"According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. " 1 Cor 3:10-11 (KJV)

In the year of 1794, on August 4th, Rice Haggard stood in the meeting at Old Lebanon Church, Surry County, Virginia, with a New Testament in his hand, and said: "Brethren, this [New Testament] is a sufficient rule of faith and practice. And by it we are told that the disciples were called Christians. And I move that henceforth and forever the followers of Christ be known as Christians simply." This proved to be the beginning of the "Stone-Campbell Movement" in America. [The Lord's Church dates from Pentecost.]

Salvation unites the believer with Christ. Said Stone: "We urged upon the sinner to believe now, and receive salvation...No previous qualification was required, or necessary, in order to believe in Jesus, and come to Him - that if they were sinners, this was their divine warrant to believe in Him and to come to Him for salvation...When we first began to preach these things, the people appeared as just awakened from the sleep of ages - they seemed to see for the first time that they were responsible beings, and that a refusal to use the means appointed [for salvation] was a damning sin."
Walter Scott, who came to be thought of as The Evangelist used the "five-finger exercise" to help people remember: Faith, Repentance, Baptism, Remission of sins, Gift of the Holy Spirit." These were man's response to God's offer of salvation. Christ is preached: His Death and Resurrection. Sinners are to believe in Christ, repent of sins, and be baptized into Christ for remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit [Acts 2:38]. With this message, Scott led thousands each year [in the 1800's] to "obey the gospel."
Unity is a command of Christ. In 1832, Stone and Campbell joined the right hand of fellowship. Stone wrote in 1833: "How vain are all human attempts to unite a bundle of twigs together, so as to make them grow together and bear fruit. They must first be united with the living stock, and receive its sap and spirit, before they can ever be united with one another. The members of the body cannot live unless by union with its head - nor can members of the church live united, unless first united with Christ The Living Head. His Spirit is the bond of union. Men have devised many plans to unite Christians - all in vain. There is but one effectual plan, which is, that all be united with Christ and walk in Him."
We "stand on the shoulders" of those who have gone before us. Their work of faith is very important to us. Read Paul's teaching in 1 Cor. 15:1-8; Titus 2:11-14; 3:3-8; Col. 2:11-14.

GOD IN THREE PERSONS

GOD IN THREE PERSONS - FATHER, SON, SPIRIT

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee:
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty,
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity.
[original first verse of song #238]

"It came to pass in those days that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And immediately, coming up from the water, He saw the heavens parting and the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove. Then a voice came from heaven, "You are My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." Mark 1:9-11

"The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is He of whom I said, 'After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.' I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water." And John bore witness, saying, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God." John 1:29-34

John had been preaching and baptizing for some six months, when we see Jesus come to be baptized also. Mark shows us Jesus apparently waiting in line like everybody else, and with everybody else. A strange way for the Messiah to enter the stage of history! The "Sinless One" shows he is willing to be a part of sinful humanity (compare Heb. 2:14-18). The visible form of the Spirit was probably for the benefit of the people there (compare John 12:30). The key to what took place at the baptism of Jesus is found in these words by Robert Brinsmead. “A thing cannot be a new covenant sign or seal if Christ as God did not give it. Neither can it be God’s sign or seal if Christ as man did not also accept it from God and give God thanks for it.” The baptism of Jesus set the pattern for him to be the first among many brothers and sisters (Rom. 8:29). We learn that this event was to be the mark of identification to show the one who was the Messiah (see John 1:29-34). In the same way, Christian baptism can be viewed as a mark of identification in which the Holy Spirit "seals" us to God (Eph. 1:13-14). God voiced his approval of Christ Jesus in a way which all those present could hear (Mark 1:11; 9:7; John 12:28). So it was Jesus the Christ, the Logos [WORD] as a human being, who came both with the water of his baptism and the blood of his death (1 John 5:6).


THE MINISTRY OF THE KINGDOM, The Holy Spirit. Jesus’ ministry did not begin until He received His “anointing” as Messiah—the empowering that came through the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Him (Mark 1:10). Though conceived and born by the Spirit’s power (Luke 1:35) and sinless His whole lifetime (John 8:46), He did not attempt ministry without the Spirit’s power. He insisted John baptize Him, not for repentance, but because He knew the Holy Spirit would come upon Him at that time (Matt. 3:13–17). From that time, He is led of the Spirit (Mark 1:12) and moves into ministry— declaring the presence of God’s kingdom and manifesting its miracles, signs, and wonders (Luke 4:14, 15; Matt. 4:23–25). This pathway points each believer to the need for power, if kingdom ministry is to be advanced through us—His church. Like Him, we, too, are “born of the Spirit” (John 3:5-6). Though obviously, our spiritual birth is not as His biological virgin birth, the point remains. Spiritual rebirth saves, but spiritual endowment is needed for ministering in kingdom power. Similarly, our justification in Christ—(being declared sinless, 2 Cor. 5:21)—does not qualify for kingdom power in ministry. In His incarnation Jesus’ Person and perfection exceeded ours in every way, yet Jesus still acknowledged the need for His own receiving of the power of the Holy Spirit to pursue His ministry. What more needs to be said? Let each of us personally hear His command: “Receive the Holy Spirit!” (John 20:22). [compare Matt. 18:18–35; Luke 4:1; 9:1-2; 11:13]

"The Redeemer will come to Zion, And to those who turn from transgression in Jacob," Says the Lord. "As for Me," says the Lord, "this is My covenant with them: My Spirit who is upon you, and My words which I have put in your mouth, shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your descendants, nor from the mouth of your descendants' descendants," says the Lord, "from this time and forevermore."
Isaiah 59:20-21; Romans 11:26

Without The Holy Spirit God is far away.

WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT

Creation is resurrected and groans with the Kingdom - Romans 8:19-23

The Risen Christ is there Romans 8:11; 2 Cor 4:14

The Gospel is the power of life Romans 1:16-17

The Church shows forth the life of the Trinity 2 Cor 13:14

Authority is a liberating service Gal 5:1

Mission is a Pentecost Acts 2:38-39

Worship is both memorial and anticipation 1 Cor 11:26

Human action is harmonized with God Romans 14:17

Jesus said: Behold I come quickly. Rev 22:12

RECEIVING THE HOLY SPIRIT

A. Campbell could emphasize the Oneness of God while recognizing the triune nature of God revealed in the Scriptures. He wrote in The Christian System of: "Jehovah the Father, Jehovah the Son, Jehovah the Holy Spirit."

Compare this from J.W.McGarvey in his Original Commentary On Acts.

Acts XIX: 1–7. Having sketched briefly the visit of Apollos to Ephesus, and thus prepared the way for an account of Paul's labors in the same city, the historian now reaches the point for which he had so hurriedly passed over the apostle's journey from Antioch through Galatia and Phrygia and around to Ephesus. The appointment which he left in Ephesus, as he passed through on his way to Jerusalem, is now to be fulfilled. (1) “Now while Apollos was in Corinth, Paul, having passed through the upper districts, came to Ephesus, and finding certain disciples, (2) said to them, Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed? But they said to him, We have not so much as heard that the Holy Spirit is given. (3) He said to them, Into what, then, were you immersed? They said, Into John's immersion. (4) Then Paul said, John indeed immersed with the immersion of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on him who would come after him, that is, on the Christ Jesus. (5) And when they heard this they were immersed into the name of the Lord Jesus. (6) And when Paul laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. (7) All the men were about twelve.”

This passage is valuable chiefly because it shows how the apostles dealt with parties who, at that time, were immersed with John's immersion. This, no doubt, was Luke's object in introducing it. In order to understand the case, it is necessary to keep distinctly in view the facts stated of the parties previous to and subsequent to their immersion by Paul. They are called disciples, and were known as such when Paul found them; for it is said “he found certain disciples.” They were disciples, not of John, but of Jesus; for the uniform currency of the term disciple, throughout Acts, requires us to so understand it. This is further evident from Paul's question, “Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?” The term believed evidently refers to Jesus as its object. They were known, then, as disciples of Jesus, and were so recognized by Paul.

Up to the moment of his conversation with them, Paul knew nothing of any irregularity in their obedience; for this was made known, to his surprise, during the conversation. When, therefore, he asked the question, “Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?” he could not have referred to that gift of the Spirit which all disciples receive; for he would take this for granted, from the fact that they were disciples. He must, then, have had reference to the miraculous gift, which some disciples did not receive.

It is inconceivable that these disciples were ignorant of the existence of the Holy Spirit, hence a literal rendering of their reply, “We have not so much as heard that there is a Holy Spirit,” would convey a false idea. The supplement given is necessary to complete the sense, as it is in John 7:39, where it is said, “The Holy Spirit was not yet, because Jesus was not yet risen.” The term given must be supplied, in the latter case, in order to avoid the denial of the existence of the Spirit previous to the resurrection; and, in the former, to avoid the declaration of an ignorance on the part of these men inconsistent with the fact that they were disciples.

This answer at once revealed to Paul that there was some irregularity in their religious history; for no one could be properly discipled without learning that the Holy Spirit was to be given. He at once perceived, too, that the irregularity must have been connected with their immersion; for he inquires, “Into what, then, were you immersed?” If the gift of the Spirit had no connection with immersion, this inquiry would have been inapposite, and Paul would not have propounded it. But the apostles taught as Peter did on the day of Pentecost, when he said, “Repent and be immersed, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” It is only on the supposition that Paul knew this to be the universal teaching of rightly-informed brethren, that he inferred something wrong about their immersion, from their ignorance of the gift of the Holy Spirit. This supposition, however, which is a necessary, not an optional one, makes the whole matter very plain. Paul's first question had reference to the miraculous gift of the Spirit; but when they said they knew not that the Holy Spirit was given, he saw that they were ignorant of even the ordinary gift, which is promised to all who repent and are immersed, and that they were immersed without proper instruction.

Their reply, that they were immersed into John's immersion, relieved the case of all obscurity, and Paul then understood it perfectly. He explained, that John's immersion was one of repentance, to be followed by faith in the Messiah when he should come. Those immersed by him believed that the Messiah was coming; but they did not, until after their immersion, believe that Jesus was the Messiah, nor did they have a promise of the Holy Spirit. They were not, therefore, immersed into the name of Jesus or that of the Holy Spirit. This is further evident from the fact that Paul commanded these twelve to be “immersed into the name of the Lord Jesus,” which the authority of the commission requires us to understand as equivalent to the expression, “into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” These points of defect, however, were not peculiar to the immersion of the twelve, but attached also to that of the twelve apostles, the hundred and twenty disciples, and the five hundred who saw Jesus together in Galilee after the resurrection, none of whom were reimmersed. What, then, led to the immersion of these parties? If their immersion had taken place, like that of all the others just named, while John's immersion was still an existing institution, no reason could be given for their reimmersion. This, then, forces us to the conclusion that they had been immersed with John's immersion after it had ceased to be administered by divine authority. Apollos had been recently preaching this obsolete immersion in Ephesus, and these persons may have been immersed by him. If so, they submitted to an institution which had been abrogated more than twenty years, and this was the defect that led to their reimmersion. The general conclusion, from all the premises, is this: that persons who were immersed with John's immersion, while it was in lawful existence, were received into the Church of Christ without reimmersion. But persons who were thus immersed, after the introduction of apostolic immersion, were reimmersed. The reason why Apollos was not reimmersed as well as the twelve, was, doubtless, because, like the apostles and the other original disciples, he was immersed during the ministry of John.
—Acts of the Apostles

Certainly the Book of Acts shows "Pentecost" as ongoing and continual.