Understanding Holy Spirit Baptism

Mark Dunagan
02/12/12 - Sunday Evening

Understanding Holy Spirit Baptism

The Godhead is composed of three persons ~ the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Mark 1:8 records John the Baptist proclaiming that one was coming who would baptize with the Holy Spirit.  But just who was it that Jesus would baptize in the Spirit? 

Matthew 3:11 “He will baptize you with Holy Spirit and fire”:  The “fire” here is not a synonym for Holy Spirit baptism, rather in the next verse this baptism in fire is explained, “but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire” (3:12).  This passage does limit Holy Spirit baptism.  Like this fire baptism, not everyone would receive it, rather, only some would be overwhelmed with judgment because they would not repent (3:10). 

John Chapters 13-16

In these three chapters Jesus is addressing the apostles right before His ordeal in the garden and betrayal.  Specifically, Jesus mentions the coming of the Holy Spirit (14:16-17).  In this section the coming of the Holy Spirit is inherently linked with the work of the apostles:

• They had been with Jesus and would be given an infallible memory concerning what Jesus had taught: 14:26
• They would bear witness of Jesus because they had been with Him from the beginning of His ministry: 15:26-27
• He would guide the apostles into all truth: John 16:13

To these men, the truth came miraculously. We have not been with Jesus from the beginning.  And centuries ago all truth was revealed (Jude 3).  Clearly these promises do not apply to us today, for nobody today is given an infallible memory.  We are not miraculously guided into revealing all truth, rather, we study all the truth that the apostles recorded (Ephesians 3:4). And discovering today what Jesus taught, comes instead by diligent reading and studying (2 Timothy 2:15). 

Luke 24:49 “Behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high”.

The next passage clarifies the promise of the Father that Luke mentions.  Acts 1:4-5 “And gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, ‘Which’, He said, ‘you heard from Me’.  For John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now”.

In the context Jesus is addressing the apostles (Acts 1:2).  Here Jesus applies or interprets what John mentioned.  Jesus Himself makes the application of what John had said.  Holy Spirit baptism is a promise that specifically applied to the apostles and would come upon them in Jerusalem.  

Acts 2:1-4

Here the apostles are baptized in the Spirit.  Consider the following observations:

• Holy Spirit baptism gave these men the instant ability to speak in foreign languages:  Acts 2:6,8. Clearly, no one has this ability today.
• Some have tried to argue that the 120 mentioned in Acts 1:15 were also baptized in the Spirit.  This is done in the attempt to prove that Holy Spirit baptism happens to every believer.  Yet:  Only the apostles address the crowd (2:14).  Only the apostles are said to be working miracles (2:43; 3:6; 4:33; 5:12).  Not until the apostles laid their hands on certain men does anyone other than an apostle work a miracle (Acts 6:6,8).  Yet nothing is said about such individuals being baptized in the Spirit. 

Acts 10:44-46 “While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message…because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out upon the Gentiles also.  For they were hearing them speaking with tongues and exalting God”

When Peter looks back upon this event in the next chapter, consider what He says:

• The only example that Peter cites of another situation like this is what happened on the day of Pentecost, when the Spirit came upon the apostles:  11:15
• It is clear that the Holy Spirit had not come upon any other believers in this manner. Three thousand people had been baptized in Acts 2:41, yet the Spirit had not fallen upon any of them.
• Peter then applies what John had said about Jesus baptizing one in the Spirit to this event:  11:16
• Peter or the other apostles do not apply what John said to any other conversions.  John’s words are only applied to two examples.  Jesus applied his words to the Spirit coming upon the apostles and Peter applies what John said to the coming of the Spirit upon Cornelius and his household. 
• Once again, it is clear that one had been baptized in the Spirit when such people could instantly speak in other languages—that much this audience understood!
• The Spirit did not arrive to change the heart of Cornelius, for this man was eager to obey God before the Spirit arrives: Acts 10:33

Holy Spirit Baptism/Water Baptism

• Holy Spirit baptism was a promise that did not apply to everyone.  Only two examples are found in the New Testament of Christians being baptized in the Spirit (Acts 2 & 10).  One can certainly obey a command, but one cannot obey a promise, including this promise in Acts  2.
• Water baptism is a command that applies to everyone.  Water baptism is the baptism that is associated with teaching people the gospel (Acts 8:36-38).  It is the baptism associated with salvation.  Mark says that baptism stands between one and salvation (Mark 16:16), and Peter says ‘baptism now saves you” (1 Peter 3:21), and it is obvious that the baptism in the context is water baptism (3:20), for the analogy is between baptism and the flood which delivered Noah.
• Water baptism is absolutely essential.  Consider that Cornelius had been baptized in the Holy Spirit, was speaking in a foreign language and was glorifying God—yet He still was commanded to be baptized in water (Acts 10:47). We learn then, that this Holy Spirit baptism was not the baptism that saved Cornelius, it was the water baptism.
• The baptism of Acts 2:38 is water baptism, for:  It is connected with salvation.  The people who were baptized did not work miracles (Acts 2:43) or speak in tongues. 
• The baptism of Acts 8:12  was water baptism, for those who were baptized had not been baptized in the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:15).  Note:  It took the arrival of two apostles to lay their hands on these new believers before anyone received the Holy Spirit in a miraculous sense. 
• The baptism of Acts 8:36 was water baptism.  Even after this man was baptized nothing is said about him speaking in tongues or working any miracles.

Acts 8:14-18

Consider what we learn in the above text:

• Even though an inspired man who could work miracles had been among them (8:5-6), it took an apostle to pass on the ability to work miracles.
• Therefore, those that the apostles laid their hands on could not pass on the Holy Spirit.
• Therefore, when the last apostle died the ability to work miracles also ended.
• This was the plan.  The miracles would cease when the work of the apostles, revealing all the truth, the completed New Testament was finished: 1 Corinthians 13:8ff, and now, Praise God, everyone has access to this blessed truth within the perfectly penned written revelation contained in Scripture.

Mark Dunagan | mdunagan@frontier.net
Beaverton Church of Christ | 503-644-9017
www.beavertonchurchofchrist.net