<TITLE>19. Par 189-204</TITLE>L-189   Talking to a fine Baptist brother, not long ago. I won't call his name, 'cause he's a well-known man, a fine man out of a great church. He come to me, and he said, "Billy, why you ever get mixed up in such a stuff as that?"

L-190 I said, "What stuff?" I said, "I got mixed up in Christ," and I said, "my Life."

L-191 He said, "Now you, formally a Baptist, you know." Said, "Look, the Bible said, 'Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness.'"
I said, "That's true."

L-192 Said, "What more could God... or could Abraham do but believe God?" And he...
I said, "Well, do you?"
He said, "Yes, I believe God."

L-193 And I said, "Do you think then," I knowing Baptist doctrine, I said, "do you believe that you received the Holy Ghost?"

L-194 He said, "Certainly. When I believed It, I received It, 'cause that's the reason I believed It."
I said, "How contrary to Saint Paul, in Acts 19!"

L-195   When he found those Baptists up there, that was John's converts to Christ, he said, "Have you received the Holy Ghost, drawed your dividends, since you believed?" Not when you believed, but, "after you have believed."
They said, "We know not whether there be any."
He said, "How was you baptized?"

L-196 So they said, "We've been baptized to John, that ought to settle it."

L-197 He said, "No, not now. John only baptized unto repentance, not for remission of sins; the Sacrifice hadn't been offered."

L-198 And when they heard this, they were baptized over, in the Name of Jesus Christ. Paul laid his hands upon them, and the Holy Ghost came upon them, and they prophesied and spoke in tongues, and drawed the dividends like it was at the first place.

L-199   He said, "Why, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him." Said, "How much more can the man do?"

L-200 I said, "Truly, he believed God, but God vindicated it by giving the seal of circumcision. And now when you say you're a 'believer,' God has never recognized your faith until He sealed it with the baptism of the Holy Ghost and He's recognized it as a predestinated seed." That was a good word for a Baptist, you see. See? And it's true. Certainly, it's true.

L-201 "No man can come to Me except My Father draws him. And all the Father has given Me will come." It's our duty to preach the Word till It goes out. Some falls by the wayside. But some hits that seed yonder and brings Life all at once, they see It right now.
So you find out, they went and drawed dividends.

L-202   Yes, the rich young Paul seen this vindication, by the same Spirit, and He changed him when he was on the road to Damascus. Why? He seen that Pillar of Fire, and he knowed that was the same Jesus. Then he cried out, after he knowed it was God. And Jesus is God. And when Paul could see...

L-203 Being a theologian, Paul had great intentions. He was a theologian. He was taught under Gamaliel, the great man. He had ambitions of being a priest someday, or--or maybe a high priest. He was a great intellectual, scholarly man, a great man, indeed. But when... And these cults, of jumping and running around, and carrying on as they was, he thought they was a bunch of--of heretics. But when he was on his road down to Damascus, as I said... And, now, he was rich, too. He was a fine man, a young man, and on the road down, all potentials that he had been educated, laid before him, the opportunities. Watch the difference between the rich businessman and this rich businessman; one accepted It, and one turned It down. Notice.

L-204   And then, all of a sudden, he was stricken down by a Light, a Pillar of Fire standing there, and he recognized It. He said, "Lord, Who are You?"
And He said, "I am Jesus."


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