Several times in the New Testament we encounter the surprising notion that the best people are lacking something.  The rich young man was quick to answer that he had obeyed all the commandments and had lived a life of integrity since he was a boy. Jesus loved him immediately and said, “You still lack one thing.” It was the one thing too much and he went away sad. 

In Ephesus, Paul’s companions meet Apollos.  A rare individual with all the right preparation for the work. He had the pedigree, the skills, the connections, the accent and the ability to both attract and refute. An extraordinary talent. Yet, as they listened to him they realized with all his compelling brilliance and eloquence he was lacking one thing. He had only experienced the baptism of John. The baptism of repentance. There were many gospels in the early church and the numbers of those who followed John the Baptist were growing rapidly. They were zealous, well-intentioned, and, ironically, rivals for Paul’s gospel.

Then, when Paul comes to Ephesus he meets other believers who, like Apollos, had received only the baptism of John.

“While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”

They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?”

“John’s baptism,” they replied.

Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve men in all.”

The baptism of John is about repentance and personal improvement. His followers understood the importance of living a moral and straight life and to show those things proving they had turned from their sins. In fact, there could have been no more integrity filled, honest, moral, ethical and right living people in the church. But, they had not received the power of a new life – just the power of remaking the old one. There was no doubt about their character but they were doing it on their own with the best of intentions. They were improved but not new. Their ways and intellects were changed but not their hearts. They would never be able to grasp the love that surpasses all knowledge.  They could never comprehend him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. The power of repentance is not the same as the power of a life bought with a price. The power of personal morality is not the same as the power of a transformed mind. The religion of individual improvement will never understand being rooted and established in love together with all the saints. The power of more and more knowledge will never comprehend what surpasses knowledge. The religion that only sees turning our life to a better ethic will never understand the call to be a connected family, to see ourselves as only a part of generations of believers that go on forever and ever.  Repentance is not resurrection.

There could be no better people to be in charge of a church, a city, or even an entire country. They understood the power of confessing and repenting for sin while making every effort to lead a better life.  I have no doubt they were upstanding citizens and people to be trusted with responsibility.  I would consider it a privilege and a blessing to be a citizen of their country. However, there was one thing they lacked. The Holy Spirit.

Sometimes it seems this is what people want when they talk about national revival and a return to the traditional values of our history. They quote the Old Testament passage about turning from their wicked ways in repentance. They want a return to integrity, morals, honesty, and a country that is rooted and established in faith. But what faith? For that they could have the faith of the Stoics residing in Ephesus. They believed in justice, courage, piety, industriousness, modesty, and moderation.  All  good things. But that is a faith far different from Paul’s gospel. That faith is closer to John’s. It is a good ethic but not capable of comprehending what Paul describes as the supernatural Spirit in the life of the believer. It is good and not to be despised but incomplete. It is admirable but, sadly, lacking one thing.