People sometimes get funny ideas about the formation of the Christian church. Especially in the United States, we tend to think that the Catholic church came first, and that Henry VIII started the Protestant church so that he could get a divorce. All churches, apart from the Catholics, are just versions of protestantism, such as the Baptists, Lutherans, Methodists, etc. In reality, the fundamental Christian church was the first-ever church to follow Christ.
The Catholics got their start in the 2 AD, while the Christian fundamentalists gathered for the first time about six weeks after the Resurrection. Back then, it consisted mostly of Jews, Gentiles and a handful of others. The Apostle Luke wrote the Book of Acts somewhere around 80 AD to document the beginnings of Christianity and the spread of the gospels to the Roman Empire.
In the Book of Acts, its describes the events that took place at the First Feast of Pentecost that occurred after the Resurrection. The founders of Christianity were gathered together in a room when, out of nowhere, a powerful wind filled the room. Every head was anointed by a tongue of fire, and every voice spoke in a different tongue.
Everyone in that room was baptized in the Holy Spirit. The same thing happens today when someone gets baptized in water. The purpose of baptism is to publicly demonstrate that a person has renounced sin and made a conscious decision to follow the path or righteousness. This is essential to get into heaven, it's not enough just to believe. Remember, demons believe.
One of the critical differences between fundamentalist Christians and other churches is its emphasis on the Holy Spirit as the third member of the Holy Trinity, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Some people call him the Holy Ghost. This gives the impression that he was the form of Christ after the Resurrection and that he ascended into heaven as a ghost and has not been seen or heard from since.
In John 14:15-18, Jesus tells us that he will ask his Father to send down a helper to live with us until the end of time. If you have been baptized, did you ever feel overwhelmingly sad when you were in a church? That was the Holy Spirit letting you know that you are a sinner and that you need to get yourself straight with God and get baptized. Your first time back there after being baptized, that sad feeling was replaced with a feeling of elation.
When you are praising your Maker in church, singing, dancing and waving your arms about like a football fan or like you're at a rock concert, that buzz of electricity that fills the room is the Holy Spirit. When your pastor touches you on the shoulder when you're immersed in prayer and the power is so strong that you fall over, that, too, is the Holy Spirit.
Jesus did not abandon his children when he ascended into heaven. God delivered on his promise, as he always does. He sent us a helper to guide, love and protect those who love him and obey his principles. Whenever two or more people are gathered in the name of the Lord, he is there.
The Catholics got their start in the 2 AD, while the Christian fundamentalists gathered for the first time about six weeks after the Resurrection. Back then, it consisted mostly of Jews, Gentiles and a handful of others. The Apostle Luke wrote the Book of Acts somewhere around 80 AD to document the beginnings of Christianity and the spread of the gospels to the Roman Empire.
In the Book of Acts, its describes the events that took place at the First Feast of Pentecost that occurred after the Resurrection. The founders of Christianity were gathered together in a room when, out of nowhere, a powerful wind filled the room. Every head was anointed by a tongue of fire, and every voice spoke in a different tongue.
Everyone in that room was baptized in the Holy Spirit. The same thing happens today when someone gets baptized in water. The purpose of baptism is to publicly demonstrate that a person has renounced sin and made a conscious decision to follow the path or righteousness. This is essential to get into heaven, it's not enough just to believe. Remember, demons believe.
One of the critical differences between fundamentalist Christians and other churches is its emphasis on the Holy Spirit as the third member of the Holy Trinity, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Some people call him the Holy Ghost. This gives the impression that he was the form of Christ after the Resurrection and that he ascended into heaven as a ghost and has not been seen or heard from since.
In John 14:15-18, Jesus tells us that he will ask his Father to send down a helper to live with us until the end of time. If you have been baptized, did you ever feel overwhelmingly sad when you were in a church? That was the Holy Spirit letting you know that you are a sinner and that you need to get yourself straight with God and get baptized. Your first time back there after being baptized, that sad feeling was replaced with a feeling of elation.
When you are praising your Maker in church, singing, dancing and waving your arms about like a football fan or like you're at a rock concert, that buzz of electricity that fills the room is the Holy Spirit. When your pastor touches you on the shoulder when you're immersed in prayer and the power is so strong that you fall over, that, too, is the Holy Spirit.
Jesus did not abandon his children when he ascended into heaven. God delivered on his promise, as he always does. He sent us a helper to guide, love and protect those who love him and obey his principles. Whenever two or more people are gathered in the name of the Lord, he is there.
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