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.
Catholicism got its start in the second century AD; whereas, the Christian fundamentalists "officially" got started about six weeks after Jesus ascended into heaven. Its origins are documented in the Book of Acts, which was written by Luke, who was one of the original 12 disciples, in approximately 80 AD. At the time, it included the disciples, Mary (Jesus' mother), his brothers and approximately 124 other believers.
Luke defines the precise moment that Christianity was born, at the first Feast of Pentecost that took place following the Resurrection. Pentecost is a Jewish holiday in remembrance of Moses receiving the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. On this occasion, Jesus' followers felt a mighty, rushing wind that filled the building. This wind was the Holy Spirit.
This is referred to as the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, and it is replicated in everyone who is baptized as a follower of Christ. The act of baptism serves as public confirmation that an individual is born again after renouncing sin and the devil, declaring that they believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that he died for our sins.
The acknowledgement of the Holy Spirit is what separates fundamentalists from other Christians. Some people go their entire lives thinking that the Holy Ghost referred to Jesus after the Resurrection and that he left the planet when he ascended into heaven.
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 leave us to our own devices when he took his place at the right hand of God. God sent the promised helper. Whenever two or more of us gather together in His name, the Holy Spirit is among us.
Catholicism got its start in the second century AD; whereas, the Christian fundamentalists "officially" got started about six weeks after Jesus ascended into heaven. Its origins are documented in the Book of Acts, which was written by Luke, who was one of the original 12 disciples, in approximately 80 AD. At the time, it included the disciples, Mary (Jesus' mother), his brothers and approximately 124 other believers.
Luke defines the precise moment that Christianity was born, at the first Feast of Pentecost that took place following the Resurrection. Pentecost is a Jewish holiday in remembrance of Moses receiving the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. On this occasion, Jesus' followers felt a mighty, rushing wind that filled the building. This wind was the Holy Spirit.
This is referred to as the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, and it is replicated in everyone who is baptized as a follower of Christ. The act of baptism serves as public confirmation that an individual is born again after renouncing sin and the devil, declaring that they believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that he died for our sins.
The acknowledgement of the Holy Spirit is what separates fundamentalists from other Christians. Some people go their entire lives thinking that the Holy Ghost referred to Jesus after the Resurrection and that he left the planet when he ascended into heaven.
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 leave us to our own devices when he took his place at the right hand of God. God sent the promised helper. Whenever two or more of us gather together in His name, the Holy Spirit is among us.
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