Holy Spirit Baptism

Holy Spirit Baptism

            They Holy Ghost (Holy Spirit) moving on people has been around for thousands of years.  We also see it in a limited way throughout the Old Testament.  But the Full Mention of the Holy Ghost in the Bible is found in the first two chapters of the Book of Acts.  That is the contextual epicenter of the subject and al other references must be filtered through those two chapters.

            But first, Jesus Christ Himself declared to the disciples that power would be come to them soon.  “And I will send upon you the promise of my Father; but you remain in the city of Jerusalem, until you are clothed with power from on high. (Peshitta Luke 24: 49).

            In the first chapter of the Book of Acts, the first apostles of the new church were fill with the Holy Ghost.  “And when the day of Pentecost was fulfilled, while they were assembled together, suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues which were divided like flames of fire; and they rested upon each of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak in various languages, according to whatever the Spirit gave them to speak. (Peshitta Acts 1:1-4).

            In the second chapter, we find the Plan of Salvation.  “When they heard these things, their hearts were touched and they said to Simon (Peter) and the rest of the apostles, our brethren, what shall we do?  Then Simon said to them, repent and be baptized, every one of you in the name of the LORD Jesus for the remission of sins, so that you may receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  For the promise was made to you and to your children, and for all of those who are far off, even as many as the very God shall call.”  (Peshitta Acts 2:37-39).

            Later when the Apostle Philip preached to the Samaritans, they believed and were baptized in water, but none of them had received the baptism of the Holy Ghost.  Peter and John then went down unto them and then they received the Holy Ghost.  “Who, when they went down, prayed over them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.  For as yet it had not come upon them although they had been baptized in the name of our Lord Jesus.  Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. (Peshitta Acts 8: 15-17).

 These verses show us a distinction between the baptisms of water and the Spirit.  A further distinction would be shown by the Apostle Paul when he encountered twelve men whom had been baptized in water years ago, but not of the Spirit.  “When they heard these things, they were baptized in the name of the LORD Jesus Christ.  And when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they spoke in divers’ tongues, and prophesied.”  (Peshitta Acts 19:5-6).

            As I have just shown, if we want to be right with God and receive salvation, after repentance, we must receive both water and Spirit baptism.  The two are completely separate and yet both are completely necessary for our salvation from our sins!

William James Roop, M.A.B.S.

Roop-Crappell Ministries

Hospice Care and Dying

The Trucking Tango

Apostolic Theological Seminary

Water Baptism

Hello everyone.  Praise the Lord!

Water Baptism

            “And he said to them, go to all the world, and preach my gospel to the whole creation.  He who believes and is baptized shall be saved; and he who does not believe shall be condemned.”  (Peshitta Mark 16:15-16)

            These are the words of Jesus Christ Himself as He was speaking to His disciples just before His ascent into the Heavens.  This is the final instructions to His disciples on what they were to do when He left them.  Jesus Christ made it very clear that they were to baptize all of the world!  In fact, I think that Jesus Christ made it very clear here in verse sixteen, that He equated baptism with salvation. 

            It seems the Apostle Peter had also understood baptism as an essential part of salvation when he preached on the Day of Pentecost.  In the Book of Acts, the Apostle Luke recorded Peter’s sermon to the crown of devout Jews the need for water baptism in the name of the LORD Jesus!

            “When they heard these things, their hearts were touched and they said to Simon (Peter) and the rest of the apostles, our brethren, what shall we do?  Then Simon said to them, repent and be baptized, every one of you in the name of the LORD Jesus for the remission of sins, so that you may receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  For the promise was made to you and to your children, and for all of those who are far off, even as many as the very God shall call.”  (Peshitta Acts 2:37-39).

            The Apostle Peter understood that water baptism was a requirement for salvation.  The rest of the apostle’s present did not correct Peter, so they also understood the same thing.  If Jesus commanded water baptism and the Apostle Peter preached it, who are we to say that we do not need it for today?

            Later, the Apostle Philip, also water baptized people in Samaria!  “But when they believed Philip, preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God in the name of our LORD Jesus Christ, they were baptized (water), both men and women.  (Peshitta Acts 8:12). 

            Philip would later also baptize an Ethiopian God-fearer out in the desert.  “And he commanded the chariot be stopped: and both went down into the water, and Philip baptized the eunuch.”  (Peshitta Acts 8: 38).

            When Saul, the accuser of the brethren, traveled to Damascus to arrest the Christians there.  Jesus intervened and converted Saul in a miraculous way!  When Saul (Paul) agreed to salvation, he was baptized in water!  “And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.”  (Peshitta Acts 9: 18).

            When the Apostle Peter traveled to Caesarea to preach to Cornelius and his family and friends, he baptized them all in water.  After the baptism of the Holy Spirit, they were all baptized in water!  “Then Simon Peter said to them, can any man forbid water, that these people who have received the Holy Spirit, just as we have, should not be baptized?”  (Peshitta Acts 10:47).

            When the Apostle Paul was preaching to some disciples of John the Baptist, he felt that it was necessary to rebaptize them in water and they had received Spirit baptism.  “When they heard these things, they were baptized in the name of the LORD Jesus Christ.”  (Peshitta Acts 19:5).

            The Word of the Lord is very clear by the mouth of Jesus Christ and the actions of all of His apostles that we should all be baptized in water in the name of Jesus Christ, so that our sins may be washed away!

William J. Roop, M.A.B.S.

Roop-Crappell Ministries

Hospice Care and Dying

The Trucking Tango

Apostolic Theological Seminary

Why Must A Person Be Water And Holy Spirit Baptized?

Hello everyone.  Praise the Lord!

Why must a person be Water and Holy Spirit Baptized?

Water Baptism

            “And he said to them, go to all the world, and preach my gospel to the whole creation.  He who believes and is baptized shall be saved; and he who does not believe shall be condemned.”  (Peshitta Mark 16:15-16)

            These are the words of Jesus Christ Himself as He was speaking to His disciples just before His ascent into the Heavens.  This is the final instructions to His disciples on what they were to do when He left them.  Jesus Christ made it very clear that they were to baptize all of the world!  In fact, I think that Jesus Christ made it very clear here in verse sixteen, that He equated baptism with salvation. 

            It seems the Apostle Peter had also understood baptism as an essential part of salvation when he preached on the Day of Pentecost.  In the Book of Acts, the Apostle Luke recorded Peter’s sermon to the crown of devout Jews the need for water baptism in the name of the LORD Jesus!

            “When they heard these things, their hearts were touched and they said to Simon (Peter) and the rest of the apostles, our brethren, what shall we do?  Then Simon said to them, repent and be baptized, every one of you in the name of the LORD Jesus for the remission of sins, so that you may receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  For the promise was made to you and to your children, and for all of those who are far off, even as many as the very God shall call.”  (Peshitta Acts 2:37-39).

            The Apostle Peter understood that water baptism was a requirement for salvation.  The rest of the apostle’s present did not correct Peter, so they also understood the same thing.  If Jesus commanded water baptism and the Apostle Peter preached it, who are we to say that we do not need it for today?

            Later, the Apostle Philip, also water baptized people in Samaria!  “But when they believed Philip, preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God in the name of our LORD Jesus Christ, they were baptized (water), both men and women.  (Peshitta Acts 8:12). 

            Philip would later also baptize an Ethiopian God-fearer out in the desert.  “And he commanded the chariot be stopped: and both went down into the water, and Philip baptized the eunuch.”  (Peshitta Acts 8: 38).

            When Saul, the accuser of the brethren, traveled to Damascus to arrest the Christians there.  Jesus intervened and converted Saul in a miraculous way!  When Saul (Paul) agreed to salvation, he was baptized in water!  “And immediately there fell from his eyes as it had been scales: and he received sight forthwith, and arose, and was baptized.”  (Peshitta Acts 9: 18).

            When the Apostle Peter traveled to Caesarea to preach to Cornelius and his family and friends, he baptized them all in water.  After the baptism of the Holy Spirit, they were all baptized in water!  “Then Simon Peter said to them, can any man forbid water, that these people who have received the Holy Spirit, just as we have, should not be baptized?”  (Peshitta Acts 10:47).

            When the Apostle Paul was preaching to some disciples of John the Baptist, he felt that it was necessary to rebaptize them in water and they had received Spirit baptism.  “When they heard these things, they were baptized in the name of the LORD Jesus Christ.”  (Peshitta Acts 19:5).

            The Word of the Lord is very clear by the mouth of Jesus Christ and the actions of all of His apostles that we should all be baptized in water in the name of Jesus Christ, so that our sins may be washed away!

Holy Spirit Baptism

            They Holy Ghost (Holy Spirit) moving on people has been around for thousands of years.  We also see it in a limited way throughout the Old Testament.  But the Full Mention of the Holy Ghost in the Bible is found in the first two chapters of the Book of Acts.  That is the contextual epicenter of the subject and al other references must be filtered through those two chapters.

            But first, Jesus Christ Himself declared to the disciples that power would be come to them soon.  “And I will send upon you the promise of my Father; but you remain in the city of Jerusalem, until you are clothed with power from on high. (Peshitta Luke 24: 49).

            In the first chapter of the Book of Acts, the first apostles of the new church were fill with the Holy Ghost.  “And when the day of Pentecost was fulfilled, while they were assembled together, suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues which were divided like flames of fire; and they rested upon each of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak in various languages, according to whatever the Spirit gave them to speak. (Peshitta Acts 1:1-4).

            In the second chapter, we find the Plan of Salvation.  “When they heard these things, their hearts were touched and they said to Simon (Peter) and the rest of the apostles, our brethren, what shall we do?  Then Simon said to them, repent and be baptized, every one of you in the name of the LORD Jesus for the remission of sins, so that you may receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.  For the promise was made to you and to your children, and for all of those who are far off, even as many as the very God shall call.”  (Peshitta Acts 2:37-39).

            Later when the Apostle Philip preached to the Samaritans, they believed and were baptized in water, but none of them had received the baptism of the Holy Ghost.  Peter and John then went down unto them and then they received the Holy Ghost.  “Who, when they went down, prayed over them that they might receive the Holy Spirit.  For as yet it had not come upon them although they had been baptized in the name of our Lord Jesus.  Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. (Peshitta Acts 8: 15-17).

 These verses show us a distinction between the baptisms of water and the Spirit.  A further distinction would be shown by the Apostle Paul when he encountered twelve men whom had been baptized in water years ago, but not of the Spirit.  “When they heard these things, they were baptized in the name of the LORD Jesus Christ.  And when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them; and they spoke in divers’ tongues, and prophesied.”  (Peshitta Acts 19:5-6).

            As I have just shown, if we want to be right with God and receive salvation, after repentance, we must receive both water and Spirit baptism.  The two are completely separate and yet both are completely necessary for our salvation from our sins!

William James Roop, M.A.B.S.

Roop-Crappell Ministries

Hospice Care and Dying

The Trucking Tango

Apostolic Theological Seminary

The Basics Of Biblical Hermeneutics

Hello everyone.  Praise the Lord!

Here is a link to my book called, "The Basics of Biblical Hermeneutics."  It is a list of principles to assist you in properly interpreting the Bible.   It will be a blessing in your life. It is sold on Amazon.com for $9.99.

https://www.amazon.com/Basics-Biblical-Hermeneutics-Principles-Interpreting/dp/1093841079/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=The+Basics+of+Biblical+hermeneutics&qid=1555457968&s=gateway&sr=8-2

William James Roop, M.A.B.S.



Roop-Crappell Ministries

Hospice Care and Dying

The Trucking Tango

Apostolic Theological Seminary

The Rapture

Hello everyone.  Praise the Lord!

The Rapture: Pre-Tribulation Verses Post-Tribulation

             “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.  Wherefore comfort one another with these words.”[1]  The Apostle Paul here is very certain that there will be a catching away sometime in the future.  But, we just do not know for certain when it will take place.  There are three main points of view on this subject: The Pre-Tribulation period, The Mid-Tribulation period, and the Post-Tribulation period.  Here we will discuss the Pre-Tribulation theory or the Post-Tribulation theory.

            The Pre-Tribulation Rapture is in my humble opinion the correct position.  It just makes logical since to me.  Why would Jesus Christ suffer and die on the Cross for His saints only to put them in the Tribulation period.  Why would God pour out His wrath on His Church which has already gone through such tribulation on this earth before the final judgement? But, some believe in a Post-Tribulation view.  So, as with all doctrine, let’s look at the hermeneutics to come to that conclusion.  I will prove the Post-Tribulation theory once and for all!

            “I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.”[2] Wow, there you go, this is great proof! Wait a minute!  The letter was written at the time when Christians were being persecuted because of their faith in Christ.  The writer’s main concern is to give his readers hope and encouragement, and to urge them to remain faithful during times of suffering.  There is a difference of “tribulation” and the “Day of the Lord.”  Throughout church history there have been many time of church persecutions. John was exiled to the isle of Patmos during one of these times.  The Roman Emperor Domitian instituted a policy of emperor worship just before this time period. Christians refused to worship him, so they were persecuted.  The elderly Apostle John was caught up in this persecution. This is what he was talking about when he mentioned “tribulation” in his letter to the brethren.  If John was referring to the Great Tribulation he would have specified such. The historical-grammatical context indicates John referring to his current tribulation.

            “…But Jesus turning unto them said, daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.  For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the pap’s which never gave suck.  Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, fall on us; and to the hills, cover us…[3]  Jesus is saying that great tribulation is coming their way.  Wow, there we go, this is great proof!  Wait a minute!  Nowhere does it say because they would experience the Great Tribulation. Jesus was talking to the crowd and their children.  Jesus was referring here to the destruction of Jerusalem twenty-seven years in the future, which most of the people in the crowd in which Jesus was talking to would witness themselves.  An event in which several million Jews were violently killed. 

            “And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.”[4]  Well, this pretty much sums it up. The Apostle Paul tells the Thessalonians that they have been delivered from the wrath to come. They were under persecution at the time, so he was not specking in the present tense. And since Paul used the term “wrath,” which is reserved for the Great Tribulation period, that is what he meant. So, the historical-grammatical context gives the meaning of the Great Tribulation.  

“…Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake…”[5]  Wow, there we go! Real proof of the Post-Tribulation theory!  Wait a minute!  These two large blocks of verses is a general description of the difficult days leading up to the Great Tribulation?  Hundreds of Christians have recently been beheaded in the Middle East and in Asia.  Christians everywhere are being persecuted, fulfilling this prophecy.

            The Great Tribulation period is all about God pouring out His wrath and judgement upon the unbelieving world.  The believers will not be around to experience it. The saints will not be judged because we are covered by the Blood of Christ.  As God breathed on His saints to give them the gift of the Holy Spirit, God will inhale to bring His saints up to Glory.            “…Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake…”[6]  Wow, there we go! Real proof of the Post-Tribulation theory!  Wait a minute!  These two large blocks of verses is a general description of the difficult days leading up to the Great Tribulation?  Hundreds of Christians have recently been beheaded in the Middle East and in Asia.  Christians everywhere are being persecuted, fulfilling this prophecy.

            The Great Tribulation period is all about God pouring out His wrath and judgement upon the unbelieving world.  The believers will not be around to experience it. The saints will not be judged because we are covered by the Blood of Christ.  As God breathed on His saints to give them the gift of the Holy Spirit, God will inhale to bring His saints up to Glory.

            “After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven; and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.”[7]  The Church is mentioned about a couple of dozen times in the first three chapter of Revelation and is not mentioned afterwards. We only read about wrath and judgements from then on.  If the Church was to be a part of the Great Tribulation, then they would probably be mentioned.

---

[1] Bible, KJV; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18.

[2] Bible, KJV; Revelation 1:9.

[3] Bible, KJV; Luke 23:27-29.

[4] Bible, KJV; 1 Thessalonians 1:10.

[5] Bible, KJV; Matthew 24:3-14. See also Mark 13:3-23.

[6] Bible, KJV; Matthew 24:3-14. See also Mark 13:3-23.

[7] Bible, KJV; Revelation 4:1.

William J. Roop, M.A.B.S.

Roop-Crappell Ministries

Hospice Care and Dying

The Trucking Tango

Apostolic Theological Seminary

Gog and Magog

Hello everyone.  Praise the Lord!

Gog and Magog

                “And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, son of man, set thy face against Gog, the land of Magog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal, and prophesy against him, and say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; behold, I am against thee, O Gog, the chief prince of Meshech and Tubal: And I will put hooks into thy jaws, and I will bring thee forth…”[1]  All of the chess pieces of mankind will be set upon the table of the earth to play the last hand of man’s dramatic history.  But it will be the hand of God that will be playing the pieces at the end.  Mankind has had thousands of years to make his move, only to play the war, violence and rebellion against his God moves.  It’s always been funny how man has the audacity to think that the earth is his and he is the only player.  But in the “Last days,” God will “putting the hooks” and dragging human pieces into place to end our sinful and rebellious history His way.  Understanding this endgame is very important for all of us, but especially among the saints of the Most High.  I receive a great deal of comfort knowing that I am in God’s majestic hands. I feel safe knowing that my future is already planned out.

            Magog, Meshech and Tubal are all in the present land of Turkey.[2]  With Gog being their leader and these lands being mentioned first in the thirty-eighth chapter of Ezekiel, this leads me to believe that the leader of Turkey will form an alliance to attack Israel.  Turkey currently has a half million man army that is a NATO member and is a first world military.  Turkey currently has seven million military aged men that could be quickly drafted for a larger operation.  With Russian allies (Gomer), they could form a formable Northern Alliance. Persia, which is currently in Syria, which also has a half million man military with eight million men that could be drafted. Both of these countries mentioned in the thirty-eighth chapter of Ezekiel would form a very powerful Northern Alliance. A million man army with potential millions behind them. Add a few more allies like the Russians, Syrians and maybe the Lebanese we have a potent force. 

            The Southern Alliance, controlled by Gog of Magog (Turkey) would consist of Egypt, Libya, Sudan, Palestine and Ethiopia, would form a much smaller and less powerful force than the Northern one.  On its own it would form a definite threat to “land of unwalled villages (Ez 38:11), but not a fatal one. But combined with the Northern Alliance, this would be an overwhelming attack of the land of Israel. 

            This major military conflict would come before the unveiling of the anti-Christ and the beast. Satan will have us ignorant and prideful man to do his bidding and use them to try and destroy God’s people.  The anti-Christ and the beast will be revealed just after this large military campaign that God will win for His people.  Then we will have the seven seals, the seven trumpets, the two witnesses, the seven bowls.  The anti-Christ and the beast will team up for the final battle at the end of the tribulation period. The final battle, the battle of Armageddon (Rev 16:16), will usher in the thousand year reign of Christ upon the earth.

            Before God’s entire plan for the last days, God will catch away His saints upon the earth for the marriage supper of the Lamb.  God’s people have suffered enough on this earth and in this life and He will see to it that His people are caught up to be with Him.  Some have said that the rapture is mentioned in the fourth chapter of Revelation.  “After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven:  and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.”[3]  But, this is a revelation of John’s vision; this does in no way refer to all saints on the earth.  It would be nice if it was but I do not see it in the context.  Just because John was caught up to heaven does not mean that we will be caught up at the same time as this vision is in the book of Revelation.

            In Isaiah chapters eleven and twelve we read Isaiah’s prophecy about the eventual return of the Jewish captives back to Israel. This is actually a juxtaposition of the Jewish return to Israel and the return of Jesus Christ to Israel to save His people and return as their King.  We can see this in the chapter. “…and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.”[4]  Also, “The wolf also shall dwell with the Lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them.”[5]  This is clearly a scene in the future Millennium Kingdom, not during the Tribulation period.  As Isaiah painted a hopeful future for the eventual returning Jews in Israel, he also was showing us our future in the distant Millennium Kingdom.

            So, Satan will try to use man to destroy Israel in the beginning of the Tribulation period and will be defeated by our Lord. At the end of the Tribulation period Satan will try again to invade Israel and Jesus Christ will return in person to destroy the armies of Satan and the world and usher in the Millennium Kingdom.

---

[1]Bible; KJV EZ 38:1-4.

[2]Wikipedia.

[3]Bible, KJV; Revelation 4:1.

[4]Bible, KJV; Isaiah 11:4.

[5]Bible, KJV; Isaiah 11:6.

William J. Roop, M.A.B.S.

Roop-Crappell Ministries

Hospice Care and Dying

The Trucking Tango

Apostolic Theological Seminary

My hospice blog

Apostolic Theological Seminary

Demon Possession Of Christians

Hello everyone.  Praise the Lord!

Demon Possession of Christians

There are two different types of Christians.  One type are professing Christians whom are without the Spirit baptism.  The other type of Christian is the ones that are filled with the Holy Spirit by the evidence of speaking in tongues.  The professing Christians whom lack God's Spirit are sometimes, or at least in danger of being possessed by demons.  The Holy Ghost filled, Bible thumping, foot stomping, isle running, handkerchief waving Christian cannot be indwelt by a demon because that Christian is already indwelt by God's Spirit.

The reason that I believe this is that there is no Scriptural reference in the New Testament of a Christian being possessed by demons.  Nor is there any Apostolic writings concerning this manner.  If a real Christian could be indwelt by a demon, then I could safely believe that the New Testament writers would have written about this danger and have warned their fellow Christians about this danger.  The Apostolic writers did not even mention the subject.

A Christian can have his heart filled by demons as is shown in Acts 5:3.  "But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost..."  A demon can whisper in the ear of a Christian and influence him to sin or to do something that he should not do.  But this is not a demon possession.  This just means that a Christian can be influenced by demons, just like people can be influenced by a lot of other things. 

A Christian can also give place to a demon as demonstrated by Scripture in Ephesians 4:27, "Neither give place to the devil."  This does not mean the a Christian can be possessed by a demon, it just means that we can keep a sin close to us that we do not want to give up.  The devil influences us to sin and if we keep that sin then we are giving place to the devil.

If a Christian could be possessed by a demon then it this subject would have been addressed by the New Testament writers.  It was not the case.  There is no Scriptural reference to demon possession of a Christian.  Now then, a demon can certainly possess a professing Christian that is without the infilling of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit cannot co-exist with a unholy demon spirit.

William J. Roop, M.A.B.S.

P.S.  

Since writing this page, I have been assisting several deliverance ministers in casting out demons!  I have discovered in the real world, through practical application, that demons do indeed demonize Christians!  For further information, you can contact me on my website, the link is below.

Roop-Crappell Ministries

Hospice Care and Dying

The Trucking Tango

Apostolic Theological Seminary