Baptism of the Holy Spirit

2022-01-08

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is something that is done by the Lord Jesus Christ. We may be baptized with water, but this only signifies something greater that only Jesus can do, for “It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing” (John 6:63). John the Baptist said,

I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire (Matthew 3:11; cf. Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16)

Before His ascension, the Lord Jesus...

...commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, 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).

This was fulfilled in Acts 2:1-4. Even though it says “filled with the Holy Ghost” there, I believe this is when they were first baptized with the Spirit as well. Being baptized with the Spirit is the same as being indwelt with the Holy Spirit.

At its most basic level, baptism is an identification and an association with the Lord. For example, Romans 6:3 tells us that we were “baptized into his death.” We are identified with Christ’s death; we have died with Him, and we have died to the old life and its old ways. The baptism of the Spirit is being identified with the Spirit, and it is wrought completely by the Lord Himself.

In the book of Acts, there clearly is a delay between one’s believing in Jesus and baptism with this baptism of the Spirit. The disciples surely already believed in Jesus when the sound like a rushing wind hit them in Acts 2:1-4. In Acts 8:12, we see many believed on Christ in Samaria, though it required apostles for them to receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:15-17). This might lead us to believe that this was the way it always was throughout history since then. However, since apostles (those who saw the risen Jesus and were ordained by Christ to this specific office) have ceased, this cannot be the case anymore. In Romans 8:9, we read, “Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” The truly saved have the Holy Spirit.

It is not clear to me why it was different then. I speculate that this was during a time of transition, when Christianity started as a handful of Jews, but then opened up to Samaritans (partially Jewish people) and then Gentiles. The apostles affirmed that Samaritans and Gentiles truly were saved people. These apostles were eyewitnesses to their receiving of the Spirit to affirm that their conversion was true (see Acts 11:1-18). Currently, I am not sure if this is the whole story or even the main reason.

Just as we were saved once, we were baptized once with the Holy Spirit. It is an objective truth; the baptism of the Spirit is a fact of every believer. Being filled with the Spirit, as we mentioned before, is something different. It is subjective, and we will deal with this in another post.

We have dealt with the what the baptism of the Spirit is. We will deal with the benefits and purpose next.