The Sea of Galilee, Summer 2011
Image: Wikimedia Commons

Peter had approached Jesus many times in the past but never in the capacity for which he now had opportunity. The privilege was not merely to walk on the water; instead, it was the opportunity to step out of the natural, physical realm where he had always been and step into the immaterial, incorporeal realm of the Spirit. Nor could Peter go on his own volition; instead, he said to Jesus, “Lord, command me to come to you on the water,” that is, “urge me to come—help me to get through my unbelief to where you are.” Peter was aware that much, much more would be happening than his merely leaving the boat. In that moment, he would be stepping into a sphere where sense and reasoning, gravity and natural forces of the earth, would no longer be in control. Such a step from one dimension to another—from earth’s materialism into the non-physical Kingdom of God—could not be initiated from himself. Apart from Jesus’ specific “urging him on,” he did not possess the ability to approach or enter that realm.

In the old sphere of sense and sight, waves and water, it was impossible to walk on the sea; in Jesus’ ethereal realm where earth’s influence of gravitational pull and nature’s energy were restrained, it was not impossible. Jesus said, “Come!” Peter obeyed and for a very brief moment—for the first time ever—approached Jesus as weightlessly as would a vapor. Gravity no longer touched him, the powers of nature were held back, and Peter, fully conscious and alive, was transported into the dimension of the Spirit. Though visible in the body he was none-the-less out of the body. The instant his feet touched the water Peter stood as securely on the sea as he had ever stood upon a rock. That was the most awesome step conceivable—but he did it. Wonderfully, he had opportunity to remain in that state, walking on water, provided he did not allow the realm of nature to re-possess him. Unfortunately, in a flash, both realms came visibly together, Peter was snatched back into the physical domain and immediately sank.

Scotland is a primary example. Churches in Scotland were once jammed with worshipers seeking God. Sermons were powerful and dominated national thought. Buildings were huge, elegant, and crowded. Not so today. Less than 4 percent of the Scottish population attends church. Many church buildings have been converted into taverns, night clubs, pubs, and one empty Cathedral is used for “rock climbing.” Worst of all, some church buildings have become Mosques. How did it happen? The “Cloud” moved and the Church of Scotland refused to follow. The holy fire with which John Knox ignited the nation and terrified his opponents is today a bed of ashes. And Scottish Presbyterianism is not alone. Numerous other denominations are going the same tragic route as Scotland. The Church of England has closed more than 600 houses of worship while Islam has opened nearly 1,000 new mosques inside Great Britain. Centuries ago, one of the hymn writers saw this decline approaching and prophetically wrote:

Surely once thy garden flourished,
Every part looked gay and green,
Then thy Word our spirit’s nourished,
Happy season we have seen.
But a drought has since succeeded,
And a sad decline we see,
Lord thy help is greatly needed,
Help can only come from Thee!
Lord revive us! O, revive us,
All our help must come from Thee!

Two conditions are expressed in the hymn: The Church’s spiritual drought and the cry, “Lord, revive us!” Thankfully, the prayer for revival is being answered. More than 500,000,000 Christians worldwide now believe in and are experiencing miraculous gifts of the Spirit. That is one-fourth of the world’s total Christian population. Even so, most of the traditional Church, as in the case of Scotland, refuses to accept miraculous manifestations and continues its death-march. The other part of the Church is returning to the spiritual climate of the first century and the “restoration of all things.” Acts 3:21. But much more than a restoration to spiritual gifts is taking place. The present call of the Holy Spirit is for Christians to go far beyond “gifts” and to enter into miraculous living. Believers in the early centuries not only exercised powerful works of the Spirit but experienced visitations of angels, were “caught up into the heavenlies,” were miraculously transported from place to place, and received the Spirit’s fullest manifestations. These same manifestations occurred in Indonesia during the ministry of Mel Tori some 40 years ago and are now appearing on the Church’s horizon. Let me illustrate from Scripture believers whose life-in-the-Spirit went beyond gifts:

1. Angelic appearances: John 1:49-51. Nathanael answered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

2. Daylight visions: Acts 10:1-4. There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always. He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord?”

The type of angelic-encounter Jesus promised Nathanael and the incredible motivation which accompanies it, is fast-coming to believers in our day. Almost weekly I meet sensible, reliable Christians who have encountered angels. Cornelius’ experience may well be repeated before our eyes. Over 50 years ago I had a night-time visitation of angels in which my room was suddenly filled with an angelic host. When it first happened I was terrified and would have run from the room had they not spoken and put my mind at rest. At the time, I saw nothing but knew I was momentarily lifted into outer space and completely surrounded with them. The next day I shared the experience and then lapsed into years of silence for fear no one would believe me. That has changed. I am now committed to preaching about such encounters. Moslems in all parts of the world are having visions of Jesus and being saved because of it. Some of the most dynamic, out-spoken Christians I know are former Moslems to whom Jesus has sovereignly appeared. R.T. Kendall pressed this fact upon Yasser Arafat in their five private meetings as he attempted to bring the terrorist to Christ.

3. Out-of-body experiences: 2 Corinthians 12:1-5. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord: “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows—how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities.”

My ministry began in 1948 with a daytime vision in which I saw myself preaching. Until that moment I had not the slightest hint that a pastoral life lay before me. That was not my choice. But the vision was so powerful, so totally overwhelming, that at the end of weeks of fighting it, I finally surrendered to the will of God. The vision was followed by another, again in the daytime, in which God assured me He had answers for all my fearful questions. Now, more than seven decades later, those two visions remain the greatest, most unchallengeable motivation in my commitment to Him. This year I will be 94 years old and say without hesitation I expect to receive more anointing and greater revelation through meetings with the Lord that are “out of my boat and into His realm.” I want that! With God’s grace permitting, I will! Come go with me!

PR

Adapted from Charles Carrin Ministries monthly newsletter, Gentle Conquest (January 2020).  www.CharlesCarrin.com Used with permission.

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.  I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry” (2 Timothy 3:16-4:6).

Pentecost exploded onto the ancient world with such suddenness and power that it forever altered the work of scribes and the production of books. The overwhelming demand for the written account of Jesus had no precedent in world history. As a result, the New Testament numerically eclipsed all the combined works of Plato, Aristotle, Herodotus, Euripides, Homer, and other ancient writers. Here is a fact you should know: There are no original manuscripts of any of the following ancient writers, scholars today accept them without hesitation.

1. Plato: Greek philosopher. His writings are found in a mere seven manuscripts, the oldest copy was written twelve hundred years after his death.

2. Aristotle: Greek philosopher, a student of Plato, tutor of Alexander the Great. Only five copies of any one work of Aristotle exist, and none of these were written less than fourteen hundred years after his death.

3. Herodotus: Greek historian. Only eight manuscripts survive; these were copied thirteen hundred years after the original.

4. Euripides: Greek playwright. Nine manuscripts exist, dated thirteen hundred years after they were first written.

Papyrus 46: A portion of Second Corinthians.

One is immediately struck by the scarcity of copies of these authors and the vast time lapse between the originals and today’s reproductions. Yet no one questions their authenticity.  Contrast the scarcity of works done by these secular writers to the abundance of New Testament copies. Renowned scholar and professor, Dr. F.F. Bruce, verified approximately 4,000 ancient Greek New Testaments still in existence. Two complete manuscripts are dated less than three hundred years after the original. Most of the New Testament is preserved in copies written less than two hundred years after Jesus. Some existing manuscripts were composed about one hundred years after the originals. Part of one book came within a generation of the first-century.

If approximately four thousand ancient New Testament manuscripts survived the ravages of time, we are overwhelmed with this question: How large was the original number of others, now lost, that exploded upon the public in the first centuries? What was the motivation—the power—that excited early believers into mass production of this book? The answer, of course, is that the book itself was composed by the Holy Spirit and contained His miraculous anointing. Those who read it became motivated to copy and preserve it. The Bible’s claim to authenticity is totally beyond the reach of all other writers of antiquity. As believers, we stand secure in its reliability.

Questions: If thousands of New Testament books survived the ravages of time when secular ones did not, how many more must there have originally been written?!  What was the motivation behind such an explosion of books?

Answer: Pentecost impacted the world of its day with such cataclysmic power that the urgent copying of thousands of New Testaments was undertaken. For example, only 30 years after the death of Jesus, Christians in the city of Rome had become so numerous that when Emperor Nero set fire to the city, he blamed them for the destruction. In the frenzy that followed, thousands were crucified and slaughtered. These Roman Christians experienced the Holy Spirit’s same invincible power that had come upon disciples in the Upper Room. Bibles were desperately needed.

1. “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” John 14:26-27

2. “No prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” 2 Peter 1:20-21

3. “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:6-9

4. And we have such trust through Christ toward God. 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 3:4-6

Scriptures

Jesus said: “But he answered and said, ‘It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’” Matthew 4:4

Jesus said: “Heaven and earth shall pass away but My words will by no means pass away.” Matthew 24:35

God the Father said: “My Covenant I will not break nor alter the Word that is gone out of my lips.” Psalm 89:34.

Jesus said to the Father: “For I have given to them (the disciples) the words which You have given Me, and they have received them …” John 17:8

Peter said: “But the word of the Lord endures forever. Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you.” 1 Peter 1:25.

Paul said: “Be diligent … rightly diving the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15

Peter said again: “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” 2 Peter 1:21

Paul said again: “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable.” 2 Timothy 3:16

Paul said once more: “But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:8

David said: “Forever, O Lord, Your Word is settled in Heaven.” Psalm 119:89

“For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water, scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, saying, ‘This is the blood of the Covenant which God has commanded you.’” Hebrews 9:19-20

John the Apostle said: “For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.” Revelation 22:18-19

Adapted from Charles Carrin Ministries monthly newsletter, Gentle Conquest (March 2019). Used with permission.

The experience is impossible to describe; it was almost like being “out of the body.” In that awesome moment we were suddenly united to all other believers worldwide–some, a thousand miles away—others from a thousand years ago (I Corinthians 12:12,13). The best description I can give of that moment is to quote an old hymn:

Earth receded, it disappeared,
Heaven opened on our eyes,
Our ears with sounds angelic rang!

In that event of singing “in the Spirit,” I realized that the gift of tongues is God’s language for the Body of Christ world-wide (1 Corinthians 12,13,14). In the Kingdom there are no Americans, Europeans, Orientals, etc. The Holy Spirit displayed that fact at the Miatta Center when the gift of tongues commandeered all African dialects into itself. Tongues is not a novelty a few Christians claim: It is the Holy Spirit’s mode of speech and the language of Heaven. Pastors who reject the gift do not realize how they are stripping themselves, their churches, their ministries, of the authentic communication and power of God. I am not speaking of a mere “interpretation” of tongues that may come in a church service; I speak of the believers’ personal, internal God-empowerment that takes the form of revelation, motivation, and implementation. These benefits are light-years beyond a routine Sunday morning tongues-exhortation that addresses the congregation.

This is vital-truth; please re-read the information above until you fully understand what I am saying. Ordinary singing could not have achieved what happened in Sierra Leone, preaching could not have done it, healing, and other miracles could not have done it. In His wisdom, God knew how to provide the perfect instrument of communication through worship. This allows language-separated believers to participate with those who might remain strangers forever. In Heaven, people out of “every tribe and tongue and people and nation” will join in singing a “new” song which none of us yet know (Rev. 5:9). If there is anything on earth that gets close to that heavenly song, it is the blessing of “singing in the Spirit” (1 Cor. 14:15).

On the Day of His Ascension, Jesus told the disciples on the Mount of Olives, “John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now … You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.” Acts 1:5,6. In a single statement, He connected baptism in the Spirit to the imparting of His power. It is significant however, that on the evening of the Resurrection, before Pentecost occurred, Jesus suddenly appeared in the closed room with the disciples, breathed into them, saying, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:19-22). This was their first receiving of the Spirit. But this encounter with the Spirit was not their “baptism” or empowering for their gospel ministry. This first reception of the Spirit was their “new birth” and their personal regeneration. Pentecost was yet to come (Acts 2).

That wonderful event occurred forty days later when 120 disciples in the Upper Room received the miraculous blessing with tongues of fire blazing upon them. Even after Pentecost the disciples experienced many subsequent “fillings” of the Spirit. Scripture carefully explains that others who were not present at Pentecost received the empowering later. That included the Samaritans (Acts 8:14-17), Saul of Tarsus (Acts 9:17), the household of Cornelius (Acts 10:44), and the Ephesians (Acts 19:1-7). Young Timothy followed the example (II Timothy 1:6). Identically, today, multiplied millions around the world have stepped into the Spirit’s wondrous baptism. It is estimated that of the world’s two billion Christians–one-fourth–or five hundred million now believe in all the Holy Spirit’s gifts.

Tongues connects us to the universal Body of Christ and releases power that can be gained no other way.

Our daughter Cecile was in college, living at home, trying to support her parents. I was desperate for help and in studying the Scriptures I realized the early church’s ministry had an anointing of the Holy Spirit that I did not have. With that example and the testimony of others, I began praying to receive the Holy Spirit’s empowering.
Even so, my crisis grew worse and I became convinced that suicide was my only escape. Driven by that fear, I returned to the Atlanta Federal Penitentiary where I was counseling a Christian inmate. The year before we met he had been miraculously born-again, delivered from drug addiction, suicide, and filled with the Holy Spirit. In every way, he was a walking miracle—one which my Reformed Theology could not explain.

Image: Nathaniel Shuman

Though locked behind bars, he knew facts about me which could have been learned only from God. His “words of knowledge” were beyond my understanding. Finally, one horrific day when I could survive no longer, I hurried to the Prison. If God did not rescue me, I would be dead before dark. The scene in the Visitors Room where we met must have been puzzling to the Mafia inmates and their wives who were watching nearby: I dropped my face down on the table and my prisoner-friend laid-hands on me. “Brother Charles,” he said, “The Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road as you came has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” He quoted Ananias’ words to Saul of Tarsus.

A few minutes later I left the prison unchanged, determined to crash my car into a bridge-abutment. Instead, I found myself pulling into my driveway at home. I went in and collapsed across the bed. What happened in the next ten minutes changed my life forever: The Holy Spirit fell on me (Acts 11:15). I felt Him physically and spiritually. I experienced deliverance from demons of depression and suicide. I felt them go. A moment later “Heaven came down my soul to greet and Glory crowned the Mercy Seat!” For twenty minutes I did not move, then cautiously rose from the encounter as a new man, a new pastor, a new husband, and a new father. Depression was gone forever. A new life and a new ministry awaited me. The prisoner’s “laying-hands” on me had rescued me.

Two years after my baptism, I was standing in my church office, praying alone when the room was suddenly filled with the Presence of God. Moments later, I found myself on the floor, hearing an unknown Oriental language flowing from me. It came poetically–beautifully–rhythmically–like a stream of music. In the next half-hour the tongue changed languages about seven times. In the end, I sang what I now believe was a Hebrew Psalm. As I lay there, I could not believe it was finally happening: That wonderful gift had come at last! In my university work I had studied, Greek, French, Spanish, and knew the tongues coming from me were real.

I quickly learned there are two directions of tongues. The first is from God, downward to the people. This comes as a public message to the congregation which requires interpretation (I Corinthians 14:27,28). When Paul asked, “Do all speak with tongues?,” this is the one under consideration. The second direction of tongues is upward, from the people to God. This may be prayer, worship, or “singing in the spirit” as happened in Sierra Leone (I Corinthians 14:15). Of this message, we are told to ask for the interpretation–which may, or may not, be given (I Corinthians 14:13). Every Christian should expect this type of prayer to become an important part of his daily life. It not only reaches Heaven but connects us to the “Body of Christ” in more than 7,000 languages and 195 countries around the world!

That fact brings up this question: Why would any sincere Christian pastor such as I hold this gift in such low esteem? The answer is important:

Because of its unique assault on the human intellect, tongues remains God’s “watch guard” at the gate. In a very calculated way this gift protects the other gifts from exploitation (I Cor. 12). Many seek the gifts of healing, words of wisdom, faith, prophecy, etc., but will not endure the reproach of this strange gift of tongues. To this attitude, God says “No!” We must accept all grace-gifts as one package or we do not get any of them. Simply said: Unless you deal with pride and ego in your own life, become willing to endure the public’s humiliation and scorn, you will not be entrusted with other gifts.

Mitch Tillman, a Chattanooga native, sold his auto body business and moved to Mongolia where his father, a Baptist pastor, had established a mission. There, he helps build hospitals, feeds street children and preaches the truth of salvation. “Jesus saves! He changes lives! He sets believers free!” Mongolia is experiencing that wonderful change. For Christian missionaries like Tillman, Mongolia has an open door. Since communist rule ended in 1990, some 60,000 Mongolians have turned to Christ, “A lot of my friends were becoming Christian,” a student at Ulan Bator’s Technical University explained. “I decided to learn something about the faith, I went on a weekend retreat to a Christian camp in the countryside …” From there, it was history: he heard the gospel, believed, and was saved.

“As Mongolia enters a new era of freedom and democracy, people are looking for something different,” Pastor Tillman explained. He is a 53-year-old father of six, whose family includes three adopted Mongolian children. “They are looking for hope and a better life for their families. I think that Christ will give them that.” But this has not happened without opposition from Mongolia’s largest Buddhist Monastery and its 800 Monks; they withstand all Christian work. The Tillmans are seen as foreign-invaders who disrupt the current way of life. I understand. I have missionary-friends, Glenn and Jackie Shephard, whose work takes them to Nepal in the Himalayas and other sites around the world. Their story is the same: Extreme precaution. Two of my evangelist sons, conduct Christian revivals in Pakistan but have armed guards protecting them from Muslim violence. I do not tell their names for security reasons. One was held for half-an-hour with a pistol at his head while another partner pleaded for his life.

Other friends are Roland and Heidi Baker. This husband and wife-team arrived in Mozambique in 1995, the poorest country in the world, and took over a horribly dilapidated orphanage. They were responsible for eighty hungry children–had no support and the mission continued to fail. According to their testimony, they became frantic, had no anointing of the Holy Spirit, and in desperation, Heidi left Mozambique for the Airport Fellowship in Toronto; she knew the Holy Spirit had fallen there. Randy Clark laid-hands on her, she was instantly empowered, and returned to Mozambique as a woman-renewed. Today, their Mission has multiplied and grown phenomenally; daily, they provide food and shelter for more than 10,000 children and have another 10,000 churches under their watch-care. According to church historians, theirs is one of the greatest church-plant movements in the history of Christianity. Heidi and Roland were ready to quit when they received a life-changing touch from God. It happened at Toronto’s “Catch The Fire!” Thousands of pastors and churches around the world have been impacted by it.

My question to you is the one the Apostle Paul asked the church at Ephesus: “Have you received the Holy Spirit since you believed?” (Acts 19:2) If not, come with me to Sierra Leone, disappear into the congregation, join sincerely in the song and see what happens!

Chas Carrin

From Charles Carrin Ministries monthly newsletter, Gentle Conquest (March 2020). Used with permission. http://www.charlescarrinministries.com/gentleconquest

Image: Ivars Utinans

Bruce arrived in Motiloni territory several years later after fording jungle rivers alone, fighting snakes and poisonous insects, and crossing the towering Andes on foot. His welcome by the tribe was their shooting him with an arrow, imprisoning, and nearly starving him to death. In pain and isolated with the most backward people on earth, Bruce had long hours to reconsider what he had done. He had to deal with the memory of his parents ridiculing his stupid “call of God”, accusing him of being a fool, and of wasting his youth on religious fanaticism. Now alone and sick, the question pounded his heart: “Why had not God rescued him or forewarned him of these troubles before he left home? Why! Why!” Just when his ministry was beginning to take root, Bruce was captured by Communist guerillas and kept nearly a year with his hands tied behind his back tied to a jungle tree.

Before God finished Bruce Olson’s preparation, he was well-prepared for the work ahead: Here are some of Bruce’s accomplishments with the Motiloni: The Tribe has been converted to Christ, has made peace with their bitterest enemies, and have evangelized 18 other tribes. Today, there are more than 28 Medical Stations and 50 Motilone-Bari Health Centers in the jungle staffed with native doctors. They have established 45 Bilingual Schools, publish a newspaper in their own tongue, operate 42 Agricultural Centers, and have more than 250 Motilone graduate-missionaries actively preaching the gospel in 22 different Latin American tongues. The Tribe now has a representative in Columbia’s National State Assembly and another is the Director of the Office Of Indian Affairs for the National Government in Northeast Columbia. In 1999, when Colombian earthquakes left 180,000 homeless, a Motilone Medical Team of native physicians and nurses gave assistance to more than 5,000 victims. This “fanatical” young man whose parent’s accused him of being a fool, has been given Honorary Doctorate Degrees and addressed the United Nations.

Chas Carrin

From Charles Carrin Ministries monthly newsletter, Gentle Conquest (January 2020). Used with permission. http://www.charlescarrinministries.com/gentleconquest

On Jordan’s stormy banks I stand and cast a wishful eye,

To Canaan’s fair and happy land where my possessions lie,

I am bound for the Promised Land, I am bound for the Promised Land,

Oh who will come and go with me, I am bound for the Promised Land!

Years afterward, I remember my mother saying of that event, “When the pastor put me under the water I thought I would sink out of sight — but when he raised me up I felt like I would soar into the heavens.” She said it well. A glorious resurrection awaits our burial with Christ. We normally think of Baptism and Communion as being separate Christian events. In reality, they are dual-expressions of one perfect experience of the believers’ identification with Christ. We should not receive one sacrament and neglect the other. Hear me carefully: In Baptism we are visibly put into the Body of Christ; in Communion, the Body of Christ is visibly put into us. This public-identification with Christ acknowledges us as being “heirs of God and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ.” Romans 8:17.One of the medieval Christian fathers described the duality of this relationship with God in this way: He said, “Thou art in Christ and Christ in thee, knit together inseparably, so that one cannot be parted from the other …”

There is a unification of Old and New Testament truths in this Baptism/Communion example which we have rarely fathomed. The revelation is clearly laid before us in illustrations both of Moses and Christ. We have a parallel of this in salvation when the Holy Spirit puts Christ into us–and in spiritual-baptism when Jesus puts us into the Holy Spirit. Some may object to this language but careful Bible study will show it to be true. Romans 6:3-4. Galatians 3:26-29. Acts 1:5. In an identical way, Israel was baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea. In the first, the water of the cloud descended upon them; in the second, they descended into the water of the sea. I Corinthians 10:2. This dual-baptism is the ideal portrayal of Baptism in the Spirit and baptism in water. One is visible, the other invisible, but both are available to us. Peter carefully explain that water-baptism does not result in the “removal of the filth of the flesh,” or being born-again, but is the “answer of a good conscience towards God,”1 Peter 3:21.

Image: Vince Fleming

David Rhea, the young man from Tennessee who has traveled with me since 2000, was water-baptized during the revival at the Brownsville Outpouring in Pensacola, Florida, 1995-2000. Two pastors accompanied him into the pool but in the moment he was immersed, the power of God hit the water like a lightning-bolt, knocked the pastors to the sides of the tank, left David electrified, comatose, floating on the surface of the pool. Men watching from the sideline raced into the baptistry and carried him out. What happened? God attested the validity of the Baptism to the congregation and filled David afresh with the Holy Spirit. Such events should be commonplace when believers are “buried with Christ”. If it isn’t happening it is because the modern Church is giving converts less than Jesus provided. At Christ The Rock Church where Laurie and I worshiped in Boca Raton, Florida, years ago, worship was frequently attested by the miraculous presence of God. Perry Comas was pastor. Regarding our identification with Christ in baptism, Paul explained in Romans 6:1-15:

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not resent your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.

The Apostle enlarges this concept when he wrote the Galatians, “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” 3:26.

Communion

Image: David Weber

Of Communion, Paul said, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26). In “proclaiming the Lord’s death,” we formally declare that we now share in the death He died for us. That is, we have been “crucified with Christ,” have expired to this life, been buried with Him in the grave of baptism, and raised again to “walk in newness of life.” What He did in actuality, we receive in surrogate-adoption. In this understanding it is impossible to separate the unity of Baptism and Communion. Paul’s writings regarding Communion fortify the statement of Jesus who said of the bread and wine, “Take, eat, this is My body.” Matthew 26:26. That is, in the analogy of His being the “Bread of Life”, He is entering us. In Baptism, we are entering Him. Baptism and Communion are both outward expressions of one inward experience. When combined, they provide a complete identification of the believer in his relationship of “Christ in him and he in Christ”.

Jesus and the Disciples 

Luke 22:14-22: “When the hour had come, Jesus sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. Then He said to them, ‘With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.’ Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, ‘Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.’ And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body which is given for you; do this in *remembrance of Me.’ Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you. But behold, the hand of My betrayer is with Me on the table. And truly the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!’” (The Greek translation says, “Do this in remembrance of Me.” anámnesis = To “recall” = to “recollect” in the sense to “call back”; “ana” = repeat, return, do again, more than mere remembrance but to “re-experience”. To remind; reflexively to recollect: – call to mind, bring to, call to, put in, remember. “Memorial” recreates the event. Much more than mental recall. Luke 22:19).

The careless attitude typifying much of the Evangelical Church regarding both Baptism and Communion is staggering. We have demoted these holy observances to casual formalities. How dare we! How dare we make anything God provided in tribute to His Son as our perfunctory ceremony! How dare we insult the Cross and the grace that flows from it! We Protestants criticize Catholics for their ritual–while, instead–we should approach the Lord’s Table in the same fervent desire of which Jesus spoke–covering our faces, groaning in the awareness of our sin, and at the same time bursting into inexpressible joy and celebration for His grace! An incredible chaos of emotions? Yes.

Baptism 

Image: Jametlene Reskp

Baptism in water is our public declaration, that, like the grain of wheat falling into the ground, its outer shell dying but its inner-life being freed to come forth, so we also have died to the self-life and its carnal ambitions, have been literally buried with Christ in a grave of water, and been raised with Him to walk in newness of life. Above all else, baptism is a proclamation of our total surrender and submission to Jesus Christ. With Paul we may then say that “We have been crucified with Christ, nevertheless we live, yet not ourselves, but Christ lives in us, and the life which we now live in the flesh, we live by the faith of the Son of God who loves us and gave Himself for us.” Philippians 2:5-16: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus …”

Baptism in water should be attended with miraculous signs, exorcisms of demons, fillings of the Holy Spirit, and other holy attestations. Tertullian, ad160-225, the greatest theologian of his day, in instructing new believers said they should rise from the water of baptism, praying, and expecting the charismatic gifts of the Spirit to come upon them.

Baptismal Hymn

On Jordan’s stormy banks I stand,

And cast a wishful eye

To Canaan’s fair and happy land,

Where my possessions lie.

Chorus:

I am bound for the promised land,

I am bound for the promised land;

Oh who will come and go with me?

I am bound for the promised land.

O the transporting, rapturous scene,

That rises to my sight!

Sweet fields arrayed in living green,

And rivers of delight!

O’er all those wide extended plains

Shines one eternal day;

There God the Son forever reigns,

And scatters night away.

No chilling winds nor poisonous breath

Can reach that healthful shore;

Sickness and sorrow, pain and death,

Are felt and feared no more.

When I shall reach that happy place,

I’ll be forever blest,

For I shall see my Father’s face,

And in His bosom rest

I am bound for the Promised Land …

PR

From Charles Carrin Ministries monthly newsletter, Gentle Conquest (September 2020). Originally published as “Thou Art in Christ — And Christ in Thee!” Used with permission. http://www.charlescarrinministries.com/gentleconquest

Image: Ray Fragapane

Peter had approached Jesus many times in the past but never in the capacity for which he now had opportunity. The privilege was not merely to walk on the water; instead, it was the opportunity to step out of the natural, physical realm where he had always been and step into the immaterial, incorporeal realm of the Spirit. Nor could Peter go on his own volition; instead, he said to Jesus, “Lord, command me to come to you on the water,” that is, “urge me to come–help me to get through my unbelief to where you are.” Peter was aware that much, much more would be happening than his merely leaving the boat. In that moment, he would be stepping into a sphere where sense and reasoning, gravity and natural forces of the earth, would no longer be in control. Such a step from one dimension to another—from earth’s materialism into the non-physical Kingdom of God–could not be initiated from himself. Apart from Jesus’ specific “urging him on,” he did not possess the ability to approach or enter that realm.

Peter’s experience involves us in this way: In every age, the Holy Spirit has invited believers to step into His own miraculous realm. Only a few have achieved it. As in Moses’ day when Israel was commanded to “follow the cloud,” so God’s constant effort has been to lead us–not across the desert–but into the miraculous realm of the Spirit. This fact has been as difficult for contemporary Christians to accept as it was for ancient Jews. For that reason many modern congregations find themselves left behind, wondering what happened to their once thriving ministries. Miraculous power is gone; nothing is left but an empty shell where life once thrived.

Scotland is a primary example. Churches in Scotland were once jammed with worshipers seeking God. Sermons were powerful and dominated national thought. Buildings were huge, elegant, and crowded. Not so today. Less than 4 percent of the Scottish population attends church. Many church buildings have been converted into taverns, night clubs, pubs, and one empty Cathedral is used for “rock climbing.” Worst of all, some church buildings have become Mosques. How did it happen? The “Cloud” moved and the Church of Scotland refused to follow. The holy fire with which John Knox ignited the nation and terrified his opponents is today a bed of ashes. And Scottish Presbyterianism is not alone. Numerous other denominations are going the same tragic route as Scotland. The Church of England has closed more than 600 houses of worship while Islam has opened nearly 1,000 new mosques inside Great Britain.

Centuries ago, one of the hymn writers saw this decline and prophetically wrote:

Surely once thy garden flourished,
Every part looked gay and green,
Then thy Word our spirit’s nourished,
Happy season we have seen.
But a drought has since succeeded,
And a sad decline we see,
Lord thy help is greatly needed,
Help can only come from Thee!
Lord revive us! O, revive us,
All our help must come from Thee!

1. Angelic appearances: John 1:49-51.

Nathanael answered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” And He said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man.”

2. Daylight visions: Acts 10:1-4.

There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always. He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour
of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord?”

The type of angelic-encounter Jesus promised Nathanael and the incredible motivation which accompanies it, is fast-coming to believers in our day. Almost weekly I meet sensible, reliable Christians who have encountered angels. Cornelius’ experience may well be repeated before our eyes. Over 50 years ago I had a night-time visitation of angels in which my room was suddenly filled with an angelic host. When it first happened I was terrified and would have run from the room had they not spoken and put my mind at rest. At the time, I saw nothing but knew I was momentarily lifted into outer space and completely surrounded with them. The next day I shared the experience and then lapsed into years of silence for fear no one would believe me. That has changed. I am now committed to preaching about such encounters. Moslems in all parts of the world are having visions of Jesus and being saved because of it. Some of the most dynamic, out-spoken Christians I know are former Moslems to whom Jesus has sovereignly appeared. R.T. Kendall pressed this fact upon Yasser Arafat in their five private meetings as he
attempted to bring the terrorist to Christ.

3. Out-of-body experiences: 2 Corinthians 12:1-5.

I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord: I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago–whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows–such a one was caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man–whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows–how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. Of such a one I will boast; yet of myself I will not boast, except in my infirmities.

My ministry began in 1948 with a daytime vision in which I saw myself preaching. Until that moment I had not the slightest hint that a pastoral life lay before me. That was not my choice. But the vision was so powerful, so totally overwhelming, that at the end of weeks of fighting it, I finally surrendered to the will of God. The vision was followed by another, again in the daytime, in which God assured me He had answers for all my fearful questions. Now, more than seven decades later, those two visions remain the greatest, most unchallengeable motivation in my commitment to Him. This year I will be 90 years old and say without hesitation I expect to receive more anointing and greater revelation through meetings with the Lord that are “out of my boat and into His realm.” I want that! With God’s grace permitting, I will! Come go with me!

From Charles Carrin Ministries monthly newsletter, Gentle Conquest (October 2020). Originally published as “An Important Difference in Religion and Spirituality.” Used with permission. http://www.charlescarrinministries.com/gentleconquest

Veteran Bible teacher Charles Carrin introduces the central doctrines of the Christian faith drawn from the New Testament.

The truth of Scripture can never be reduced to a few theological abstractions. Jesus said, “The words that I speak to you they are spirit and they are life” (John 6:63). Spirit and life can never be examined under our theological microscopes. They totally defy all such attempts. Not only so but they are dangerous and abortive. Dangerous, because of the possibility—as happened frequently in the past—that such documents become tools to interpret Scripture instead of Scripture being used to interpret the documents. Additionally, the Bible speaks to every generation, culture, and circumstance, with truths relevant to each particular age. While Scripture remains unchanging, a specific illumination may appear—or disappear—according to need. As the Holy Spirit’s inspired volume, the Bible is to be revered, loved, believed, and protected. In that understanding, I share my limited understanding of the New Testament’s presentation. Is this conclusive? No. I am open to learn.

The Bible

“Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (II Peter 1:20,21). The Old and New Testaments are Covenants (not mere books); the first, sanctified by Moses “sprinkling the blood of bulls and goats” and the second sanctified by the Messiah sprinkling His own blood (Hebrews 9:11-23;12:24). As such, each Covenant is inalterable, cannot be added to or taken from, and of which no part has lost the Divine Seal (Revelation 22:19). We therefore do not believe that I Corinthians 12 and 14, or similar passages, lost their validity with the death of the Apostles or upon the canon of Scripture being completed. As modern Christians, we believe it is our duty to preach all New Testament Scripture with commitment equal to that of first century Christians. Regarding the unity of the two Covenants, we understand the Old Testament to be the New Testament concealed; the New Testament to be the Old Testament revealed. Holy Scripture is the Divinely inspired Word of God and our only rule of faith and practice (II Timothy 3:16).

The Being and Nature of God

God is One, maintaining His unity while sovereignly manifesting Himself in three personages, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (II Corinthians 13:14; John 1:1-14; Genesis 1:26. 18:1,2). The Father isthe origin and initial cause of all that is. Jesus Christ, eternally pre-existent with the Father, became flesh, was born of a virgin into the earth, is the only sin-bearer for mankind, was crucified, resurrected, ascended, forever satisfied the demands of the Law, and will return again in Glory for the reclamation of the saints. “For he has made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him” (II Corinthians 5:20,21). The Holy Spirit was, is, and forever remains, God with us on the earth as the Divine Presence in creation, salvation, inspiration, continuation, and consummation.

Relationship with God

Jesus Christ is man’s complete and sufficient approach to God. He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes to the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). To receive eternal life, one must be redeemed in Christ, cleansed of sin in His blood, born-again by the Holy Spirit, and presented guilt-free to the Father.

As Charles Carrin celebrates the many blessings of God during his 70 years of fruitful ministry, you will learn of his deep concern for young church leaders and his desire to encourage them.

In 2019, I complete 70 years of Ordained Ministry. It all began in 1949 when I shoved my suitcase onto a train in Miami and headed for Atlanta. I was scared, my heart pounded, and I slept little that night. My destination was my first church as pastor–and I was only 18 years old. It was a brave step for the congregation and me. But they knew God had called me to preach and insisted that I begin immediately and obey that “Call.” Everything else could catch up later. The congregation was warm-hearted and we bonded immediately. With a salary of $35.00 a week I paid for my rent, college tuition, food, transportation, and everything else. My University study began the same time as the ministry.

At the church’s request I began preaching five times a week and maintained that pattern for the next 30 years. The only exception was when I conducted revivals and preached 12 to 14 times a week. That grueling schedule forced me to rely on the Holy Spirit. Apart from Him I could not have survived that demanding routine. The night I was ordained in Miami my pastor told me, “Charles, study as if it all depends on you. Preach as if it all depends on God!” That advice became my rule for life. In those years the Atlanta Division, University of Georgia, was only an extension-school and did not offer a degree; I gained as many credits as I could and then studied two years at Columbia Theological Seminary. The Atlanta congregation remained my charge for eleven fruitful and happy years. When I resigned they–and I–wanted me to stay. God said no.

I’ve been in the company of two Kings, a President, the Pope, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Israel’s Ambassador to the U.S. I crossed the Atlantic at least 50 times, preached at Red Square in Moscow, Westminster Chapel in London, 800 year-old Churches in England, St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Seminary in Florida, Russian and Kazakh ministerial schools, various Jewish Synagogues, and to thousands of ministers at the International “Catch the Fire” Pastors Conferences in Toronto. I have been a return-speaker there. The day I stepped onto the train God had it all planned.

Open Doors, A non-denominational Christian watch group, identified Saudi Arabia, North Korea, Afghanistan, as the three most dangerous countries for Christian persecution. Another 65 countries are actively killing disciples of Jesus and there is no protection from local authorities. Sharia Law is merciless for non-Muslims. But Islam is not alone. Since May 2014, India’s government has been controlled by a Hindu Party under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. With his approval, intolerance has risen sharply as radical Hinduism has gained greater political strength. In Bastar, Chhattisgarh, during Sunday worship, Hindu fundamentalists, raided a Christian Church, seized the pastor and his wife who was seven-months pregnant, doused them with gasoline and tried to burn them alive.

CC

From Gentle Conquest (May 2019). Used with permission.

Further Reading:
The Open Doors (USA) World Watch List for 2019 estimates that 245 million Christians are victims of high to extreme levels of persecution – attacks that include home expulsion, torture, rape, sex-slavery, murder, and genocide – which is an increase of 14 percent over 2018 (up from 215 million). Open Doors also estimates 1 in 9 of the world’s Christians experience high levels of persecution and that every day 11 Christians are killed.
https://www.opendoorsusa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/WWL2019_FullBooklet.pdf

Aid to the Church in Need releases a bi-annual report on “Religious Freedom in the World.” For the report released November 2018, see: https://www.churchinneed.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/RFR-2018-Exec-Summary-Web-version.pdf

One source of up-to-date news regarding the persecution of Christians worldwide: ChristianPersecutionNews.com.

There were only two churches on the island of Berneray, and both had been closed for years. The last pastor died. Others quit coming. Hector was the only remaining elder. The church deaths came about because passion for Jesus had been replaced with doctrines about Jesus. Finally, people lost interest in doctrine. Seemingly, Hector was the only one determined to bring spiritual life back to the island’s desolation. His wife told of the memorable day he locked himself in the barn, refusing to come out, until heaven answered. Several times she walked to the door, heard her husband thrashing about, groaning before the Lord, “I don’t know where he is, Lord, but You do!” She heard him plead, “Send Duncan Campbell to Berneray! Send Duncan Campbell to Berneray!”

Duncan was one of the great spiritual forces in the British Isles. He too was a Gaelic-speaking Highlander who came to the Lord in a phenomenal conversion before the first World War. That conversion had been accompanied by a powerful anointing of the Holy Spirit. Later, on a French battlefield of the war, Duncan lay severely wounded in the path of a cavalry charge, and he was trampled by the horses. Finally rescued, he was taken to a field hospital for surgery. The pain was incredible. On the operating table, the prayer he shouted in Gaelic was not for healing but for holiness: “Lord, make me as holy as a saved sinner can be! Make me as holy as a saved sinner can be!” Though his Scottish tongue was not understood by a single person in the tent, the cry brought such power of God upon him that seven men were saved.

Through the years, the anointing intensified as God “confirmed His word with signs following.” Duncan hungered for heaven and once during crisis sought a greater empowering of the Holy Spirit. Of the event, he said, “As I lay there, God, the Holy Ghost, came upon me. Wave after wave came rolling over me until the love of God swept through me like a mighty river! … I was so wrought upon by the Holy Ghost that I cried—and I laughed—and I prayed.”

Hector McKennon’s heart grieved for Berneray to experience the ministry of Duncan Campbell. As the day passed, Hector continued praying. Three times his wife went to the door listening.