Introduction
The Lord Jesus teaches us that, in the spiritual world, even a little faith, like a mustard seed, can move mountains because of our faith in the Trinity of God (Matthew 17:20, Luke 17:6). Many of us have heard about nuclear bombs, but how many truly understand the principles behind them? The development of nuclear bombs is connected to the Theory of Relativity, which demonstrates that a small amount of mass can be converted into a significant amount of energy. This energy can be used for both beneficial and harmful purposes. It would be highly irresponsible for someone who lacks a fundamental understanding of the physics required to build a nuclear bomb to teach others how to construct one. Similarly, how wrong would it be for someone who does not believe in the authority of the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity, and who has not experienced the miracle of being baptized in the Holy Spirit by speaking in an unknown tongue, to teach about the baptism in the Holy Spirit or the gifts of the Holy Spirit?
Many Bible teachers today believe that the baptism in the Holy Spirit, along with speaking in tongues and the gifts of the Holy Spirit, ceased with the Apostles’ era, marking the conclusion of the Biblical canon. However, this belief limits the power and authority of one person of the Trinity of God— the Holy Spirit. As true followers of the Lord Jesus, we should recognize that any teacher who does not fully acknowledge the full authority of each person of the Trinity of God (God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit) can be considered a false teacher.
In this blog, we explore whether a Bible teacher, who does not believe that the sign of the baptism in the Holy Spirit is the miracle of speaking in an unknown tongue, can be considered a false teacher as they fail to acknowledge the full authority of the Holy Spirit or someone whose teachings rest on a foundation of wood, hay, or stubble as they lack meditation and are confused.
Woe to the False Teachers
The Lord Jesus frequently warned His disciples about false teachers in His teachings (see Matthew 7:15 and John 10:1). He also pronounced a severe warning against the false teachers of His time on earth (see Matthew 23 and Luke 11). As true followers of the Lord Jesus, we should all be concerned about the particular warning in Matthew 23:15, as we desire to be used by Him to guide others along the true path of salvation.
Matthew 23:15 Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you traverse the sea and the dry land to make one convert; and when he becomes, you make him twofold more a son of hell than yourselves.
Comments Matthew 23:15. “Convert” or “proselyte” here refers to the Gentile converts who had committed themselves to the teachings of the Jewish faith (converts to Judaism). This verse tells us that the scribes and Pharisees take the name of the Lord and go to teach the Gentiles, but the way they teach, instead of making the Gentiles come to the kingdom of God, they teach them how to walk straight to hell. We should remember that these converts are Gentiles, not children of God; the rules and laws they cannot keep all, because of being Gentiles. But, as the Bible tells us, if they make one (commandment) wrong, all is wrong. However, the Gentiles in those times could still be saved by faith in God, not by following Moses’ Law.
In today’s world, we often encounter many false teachers who tirelessly promote their beliefs for reasons other than humbly serving the Trinity of God and recognizing the Lord Jesus as their true Lord, Teacher, and example. Having a degree from a Christian seminary or school does not guarantee that someone is a genuine teacher of the Word of God. The Holy Spirit and the Spirit of Christ should guide a true teacher of the Word of God. After the resurrection of His beloved Son, Jesus Christ, the Father sends the Holy Spirit in the name of the Lord Jesus to instruct and lead all who believe in the Trinity of God. The blessing of the Holy Spirit is meant for all who believe in the Trinity of God (God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit). One notable example was a teacher who, one night, sought the Lord Jesus to inquire about the path to salvation. We can all learn from his example and come to the Master, Teacher, and Lord, asking Him to guide us through the Holy Spirit in understanding the true and correct path to His kingdom.
The Lord Jesus and Nicodemus
John 3:1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews;
Comments John 3:1. Nicodemus, in his position, it is not easy for him to come to the beloved Son of God; he will make an impact among the people.
2 This came to Him by night, and said to Him, Rabbi, we know that Thou, a Teacher, have come from God; for no one has power to do these signs that Thou does, except God be with Him.
Comments John 3:2. “This came to Him by night.” We can see from the verse that he cannot come during the day; too many people will see his actions, and he could get into trouble.
“Rabbi, we know that Thou, a Teacher, have come from God.” All readers should pay attention: this person has already confessed who the beloved Son of God is on this earth; He is a Teacher from God. But as this person has said here in this verse, it is not he alone who is noticing this. As the verse has said, “we,” so there were more persons who had talked together and knew who the beloved of God is in this world.
“For no one has … except God be with Him.” All readers should meditate on this verse, on what this man has said to all people: specifically, that the signs that the beloved Son of God is doing on earth, He cannot do it alone, but He does it with the Father; the truth will come out to all later that the beloved Son of God and the Father are One together.
3 Jesus answered and said to him, Truly, truly, I say to you, Except anyone is born from above, he is not able to see the kingdom of God.
Comments John 3:3. “Except anyone is born from above, he is not able to see the kingdom of God.” What the beloved Son of God has talked about here relates to those born according to the will of the Father, those who will accept the beloved Son of God and have a chance to enter into the kingdom of God.
“Born from above.” Born by the will of the Father to know the light and accept the beloved Son of God as their own personal Savior.
4 Nicodemus says to Him, How can a man be born being old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?
Comments John 3:4. In this verse, Nicodemus gives a question from a human mind’s point of view.
5 Jesus answered, Truly, truly, I say to you, Except anyone is born of water and of Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Comments John 3:5. “Except anyone is born of water and of Spirit.” This verse clearly tells all humans that everyone should be baptized in water and seek the baptism in the Holy Spirit to enter the kingdom of God. But, we must also remember that the baptism in the Holy Spirit has two kinds: “the Holy Spirit going through” and “the Holy Spirit using” (dwelling in). “The Holy Spirit going through” occurs during water baptism, when the person feels the Holy Spirit, and we can call this the Holy Spirit checking the person’s heart. So, by “the Holy Spirit going through,” we mean as the Holy Spirit touching that person’s heart, and the person feels it as well. When the Holy Spirit chooses to use that heart for work, He will dwell in and use that heart; this is “the Holy Spirit using,” and it happens after the baptism in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues (see Comments John 1:33).
“He cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” The person must be baptized in the name of the Father, of the Son (Jesus Christ), and of the Holy Spirit, and believe in the Trinity of God to enter into the kingdom of God. Being “born from above” means being baptized in the water and the Holy Spirit. All true believers must be baptized in the water and in the Holy Spirit.
6 That having been born of the flesh, flesh is, and that having been born of the Spirit, spirit is.
Comments John 3:6. “That having been born of the flesh, flesh is.” Every human is born of the flesh; if the person does not accept the Trinity of God and does not worship Him, the flesh will remain as flesh only.
“That having been born of the Spirit, spirit is.” So, any human who accepts the Holy Spirit and has invited Him, and the water baptism has also been completed at that time, then the Holy Spirit has touched that person’s heart, and that person has already been born through the Holy Spirit as well. The person will feel in their heart some feeling going through them, but that person has not yet received the baptism in the Holy Spirit; still, this can count as having been touched by the Holy Spirit (the Holy Spirit going through baptism).
7 Marvel not that I said to you, It behooves you to be born from above.
Comments John 3:7. The verse tells all readers clearly that to be born from above is to be born through the water and the Holy Spirit: when you come out of the water, you are renewed, and you complete the process by being baptized in the Holy Spirit, you are reborn again. The only way to be born from above is through the water baptism and the Holy Spirit baptism in the name of the Father, the Son of God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. For this earth to be born from above, everyone must go through the water baptism and the Holy Spirit baptism (see verse 5).
8 The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but be aware not from where it comes, and where it goes; in this manner is every one that is born of the Spirit.
Comments John 3:8. As the verse has told all believers, you do not know where the Holy Spirit is, not by eyes nor by ears, but only by the heart being touched by Him. Unlike anything else on this earth, all have shape and sound, but the Holy Spirit does not have shape and sound for humans to perceive, but by the feeling when He touches you.
9 Nicodemus answered and said to Him, By what means can these be?
10 Jesus answered and said to him, You are the teacher of Israel, and perceive not these!
Comments John 3:10. As the verse says, someone claims to be a teacher of Israel but has no true understanding of the God they claim to serve and worship. The statement the beloved Son of God made here is not only for this person alone but for all true believers as well; if you claim yourself to be a believer, ask yourself how well you have meditated on the Holy Word and how many times you have been in prayer and ask for understanding.
11 Truly, truly, I say to you, We speak that what We know, and testify of what We have seen, and you take not Our testimony.
Comments John 3:11. “We speak that what We know …” First, the Lord wants readers to pay attention to the word “We.” In this place, the beloved Son of God was alone as a human on earth, but when the beloved Son of God said, “We,” He also told all humans that He is not alone: He is in the Trinity of God. All the words He has spoken are by the will of the Father that is in Him. The witness He has mentioned here refers to the Holy Spirit, which has been working in the world for a long time, but humans, with their dark minds, have not accepted anything from the Lord.
12 If I told you earthly and you believe not, how will you believe if I tell you of heavenly?
13 And no one has ascended into heaven, except He having descended out of heaven, the Son of Man, who exists in heaven.
Comments John 3:13. “And no one has ascended into heaven.” As the verse tells us, no human has gone up to heaven except the Lord Jesus. In this place itself, the beloved Son of God has said to all humans that He, as a human, has been to heaven.
“Except He having descended out of heaven.” Only the beloved Son of God has come down from heaven; He has lowered Himself to come down and walk around the earth as humans do.
“The Son of Man, who exists in heaven.” As the verse in this portion has told all humans, the beloved Son of God exists from the beginning, from before the earth was created, and He continues to exist for eternity in order to accomplish the entire will of the Father.
Conclusions
The statement the Lord Jesus made in John 3:10 is not only for Nicodemus alone but for all true believers as well. As followers of the Lord Jesus, we must meditate on the Holy Word, stay in prayer, and ask for understanding of the Word of God. The fundamental teaching the Lord Jesus teaches us in John 3:5 is that “except anyone is born of water and of Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” Therefore, to enter the kingdom of God, one must believe in the Lord Jesus being the Son of God and God in the Trinity of God, be baptized in water through immersion, believe in the baptism in the Holy Spirit, and seek the baptism in the Holy Spirit. It is also essential to understand that the baptism in the Holy Spirit is manifested by the miraculous sign of speaking in an unknown tongue.
As our God is Three in One, one must believe in the authority of each person of the Trinity of God and that each person of the Trinity is actively working miracles in the world even today. If anyone lacks understanding, they need to seek, ask, and knock, and the Lord Jesus will bring the light to their soul (Matthew 7:7-8, Luke 11:9-10). However, if we do not seek sincerely and humbly while being open to the teachings of the Holy Spirit, and instead rely solely on human schools to train our minds in the Holy Word, we will not gain a correct understanding. If someone is not humble before the Lord and teaches falsehoods about any person of the Trinity of God, that person is a false teacher. But, ultimately, each of us is responsible for meditating on the Word of God so that we can identify false teachers, as there are many in the world.
Meditation Tasks
- We encourage all readers to meditate on the baptism in the Holy Spirit and review our comprehensive article titled “The Baptism in the Holy Spirit.”