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  INTO NEWNESS OF LIFE
  by G.W. North
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Summary: The sermon explains the significance of the baptism of the 120
on the Day of Pentecost and how it marked the beginning of the new
Church era.

Topics: "Baptism", "Newness of Life"
Scripture References: Acts 2:1

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DESCRIPTION
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G.W. North emphasizes the transformative power of the Holy Spirit
baptism that began on Pentecost, marking a significant shift from
individual water baptisms to a collective immersion into newness of life
through Christ's death and resurrection. He explains that while water
baptism offered forgiveness, the baptism of the Spirit brings believers
into a deeper relationship with God, enabling them to function within
the body of Christ. The sermon highlights that the Old Testament
sacrificial system has been fulfilled in Christ, making way for a new
understanding of baptism that symbolizes death, burial, resurrection,
and life in the Spirit. North asserts that the events of Pentecost are
essential to understanding the fullness of Christ's work and the
establishment of the Church. Ultimately, he calls for believers to be
immersed in the Spirit to fully experience the life God intended for
them.

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CONTENT
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The age of the Baptism commenced dramatically on the day of Pentecost,
with Jesus baptising the 120 in the Spirit. Each of these had been
previously baptised in water, but not having been baptised in Spirit
were not born again. Their water baptism had been an individual
experience. Almost certainly it had been administered to each at
different times, but on the day of Pentecost by one act in one moment of
time they were collectively baptised into and through the Lord's death
into newness of life and were born from above. When they had been
previously baptised in water, all they were taught to expect was
forgiveness or the remission of sins, and that is all they received. But
when they immersed the 3000, baptism had changed its meaning and use,
and the apostles knew it. Calvary, because of which the Old Testament
sacrificial system, as well as baptism, had been ordained, was now
history.

Blood sacrifices and Temple worship were abolished by what took place at
the cross, but not baptism. Baptism had come to remain, for its
symbolism speaks of so much more than the death of birds and beasts
could possibly portray. So because of its serious weaknesses and
limitations, the Old Testament had to be done away; but because baptism
shows forth death, burial, resurrection and life in the Spirit, it may
properly remain.

How right God is in all He does. What God wrought in Christ was
established by Christ in the Spirit, and because all was wrought in Him,
into Him must all be baptised who would know life and function in the
body of Christ. Pentecost is as obviously vital to Calvary as the Holy
Ghost is to Christ. The things of Christ's person can only be known by
immersion into Him and them in the Spirit. So on the day of Pentecost
the new Church era dawned as men and women were baptised in the Holy
Spirit out-poured from on high. In one great comprehensive work of God,
by total inward immersion in the Spirit they were both given and filled
with the Spirit and they visibly and audibly demonstrated that fact.

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/gw-north/into-newness-of-life/
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