STUDY GROUP QUESTIONS (OCTOBER 13th – 19th 2025)
WORKERS IN TRAINING CONVENTION 2025 TRACK 2.
1. Give a didactic explanation of the related terms applied by Luke as synonyms of the baptism of
the Holy Ghost in the Book of Acts.
In the book of Acts, Luke uses terms such as the promise of the Father, endued with power from on
high, baptized with the Holy Ghost, the Holy Ghost came upon them, filled with the Holy Ghost, and
the Spirit poured out. All these expressions describe the same experience the believer who is being
brought into partnership with the Spirit for the mission of God on earth would have.
Luke 24 vs 49, "Jesus told His disciples, Behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye
in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.”
Here, the two phrases “promise of the Father” and “endued with power from on high” are Luke’s first
expressions of the Spirit’s coming.
The phrase "promise of the Father” shows the continuity of God’s covenant intention to indwell His
people.
And "endued with power from on high" emphasizes the effect of that promise — divine enablement.
The “power” is not energy for self-promotion but the manifestation of God’s authority and glory through
His people on earth.
When Luke begins the Book of Acts, he connects it directly to the Gospels: *“The former treatise have I
made… of all that Jesus began both to do and teach.”* He then restates Jesus’ instruction: *“Wait for
the promise of the Father, which ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall
be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.”* (Acts 1:4–5). Here again, Luke uses a different
term, “baptized with the Holy Ghost,” as a synonym for “endued with power” and “promise of the
Father.”
The term **“baptize”** (Greek: *baptizō*) means to immerse, to overwhelm, or to fully cover. It speaks
of total identification and union with the Spirit. Jesus’ role as *“He who baptizes with the Holy Ghost”*
(John 1:33) reveals that His redemptive purpose was not only forgiveness of sins but the full impartation
of the Spirit to believers. The teaching emphasizes that this is not an optional experience but **the very
reason Jesus died, was buried, and rose again — to baptize men with the Holy Ghost**.
Next, in **Acts 1:8**, Jesus says, *“Ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon
you.”* Again, Luke uses another synonymous expression: “the Holy Ghost come upon you.” This conveys
the same truth — that believers will experience the Spirit’s empowerment for witness. The phrase
“come upon” echoes Old Testament imagery of the Spirit resting upon prophets, kings, and judges, but
now it indicates a permanent indwelling for all believers, not a temporary visitation.
When the promise was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost, Luke describes it as *“They were all filled with
the Holy Ghost.”* (Acts 2:4). The word **“filled”** is not an additional event but the same baptism
described differently. The filling shows the **result of the baptism** — believers saturated and
overflowing with the Spirit, expressing God’s presence through inspired utterance (speaking in tongues).
Luke intentionally uses “filled” to connect this experience with Old Testament temple imagery. Just as
the glory of God filled the tabernacle and the temple (Exodus 40:34–35; 1 Kings 8:10–11), now the Spirit
fills men, signifying that **humanity has become the new dwelling place of God.**
Peter’s explanation in Acts 2:16–17 continues the synonymous pattern. He identifies what happened as
the fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy: *“I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh.”* Thus, “pouring out of
the Spirit” is yet another synonymous expression. It captures the same reality — God’s Spirit released
abundantly upon humanity through the risen Christ. Later in verse 33, Peter says, *“He hath shed forth
this, which ye now see and hear.”* The word “shed forth” (Greek: *ekcheō*) again reinforces the same
imagery of outpouring, aligning with “baptize,” “fill,” and “come upon.”
In summary, Luke uses multiple expressions — “promise of the Father,” “endued with power,” “baptized
with the Holy Ghost,” “Holy Ghost came upon,” “filled with the Holy Ghost,” and “poured out of the
Spirit” — all as **synonyms of one singular event: the baptism of the Holy Ghost.** Each term provides
a distinct perspective on the same act of God:
* “Promise of the Father” — emphasizes divine commitment and continuity with prophecy.
* “Endued with power” — emphasizes the believer’s empowerment and transformation.
* “Baptized with the Holy Ghost” — emphasizes total immersion and identity with Christ.
* “Come upon” — emphasizes the Spirit’s dynamic activity upon believers for ministry.
* “Filled with the Spirit” — emphasizes inner saturation and manifestation.
* “Poured out” — emphasizes God’s generous giving and global scope of His mission.
The teaching concludes that these are **not separate experiences or doctrinal tiers** but unified
expressions of Christ’s work as Savior from sin and Baptizer with the Holy Ghost. The Book of Acts
therefore shows that Jesus’ resurrection was not merely to secure forgiveness but to establish the
indwelling and empowering presence of God in men — His new temple — through the baptism of the
Holy Ghost.
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Would you like me to help you expand this even further (for example, making it suitable for a full exam
answer or essay-length write-up)?
2. What was the emphasis of and how important was John the baptizer and his message to what
the Apostles preached in the Book of Acts. Offer your well explained answers.
The Book of Acts will gives the right context because the very opening verses of Acts says, Acts 1 vs 1 - 4;
The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach..."
In Cats 1 vs 4; we see a very crucial part of the Great Commission, and if we miss that, we miss many
things, where he said to them, "Wait for the promise of my Father, which ye have heard of me."
Acts 1 vs 5; " For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not
many days hence." Luke points out John the Baptist here because he is a very important prophet in the
scriptures.
John is that prophet of God who signifies what God was about to do. Today, people easily miss this and
have reduced John the Baptist importance.
Pastor said something that Kenneth Hagin pointed out, that the terminology John the Baptist is very
awkward language; he should be John the Baptizer.
Hebrews 1 vs 1 - 2; God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto
the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he
hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
Hebrews 1 vs 1 - 2; God always speak through His prophets to indicate what he is about to do. John
preceded Jesus to come and indicate what God is about to do.
2 Peter 1 vs 20 - 21; Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private
interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake
as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
The Old Testament equally called the Prophets.
John the Baptist is that prophet of God who indicates who Jesus was. When we read Matthew, Mark,
Luke, and even John, we will see that the three of them in their very opening words indicated who John
the Baptist was.
John the Baptist feature so many times in the book of Acts that it can easily be missed if one does not
pay attention.
Acts 1 vs 4 where Jesus said, "Ye have heard of me." They heard it from John.
Acts 1 vs 5; For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many
days hence.
Acts 1 vs 20; For it is written in the book of Psalms, Let his habitation be desolate, and let no man
dwell therein: and his bishoprick let another take.
Acts 1 vs 21 - 22; Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord
Jesus went in and out among us, Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was
taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.
This shows that Jesus' disciples have been with Him since the baptism of John. Most of Jesus' disciples
where initially John's followers.
Acts 10 vs 37 - 38; KJVS That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all
Judæa, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached. Vs 38; How God
anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good,
and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
When Peter was preaching Jesus here, he started his story right from the baptism of John. This means
we can not tell Jesus' story without telling what John did.
One might say this is because Peter was among the twelve but we can also see Paul in Acts 13 vs 24 - 25
and also in Acts 19 vs 2 - 4recounting Jesus story.
Acts 18 vs 24 - 25; And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man,
and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the
Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord,
knowing only the baptism of John.
Acts 19 vs 2 - 4; He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And
they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he
said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. Then
said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that
they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
