Explanation of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit

The word baptism means immersion.

Whenever the Bible says ‘baptize’, it does not mean the person is baptized with water. The Bible tells us that there are many different baptisms.

Mark 1:6-8 “And John was clothed with camel’s hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey; And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.”

How do we receive this baptism of the Holy Spirit?

By becoming part of the body of Christ.
When we get baptized by the Holy Spirit, that’s when we become part of Christ’s body.

1 Corinthians 12:13 “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.”
1 Corinthians 12:27 “Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.”

How to become part of the body of Christ?

It’s by receiving Christ for salvation by the gospel. When we receive the gospel of Jesus Christ in our hearts, the baptism of the Holy spirit occurs.

Ephesians 3:6 “That the Gentiles should be fellowheirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel:”

Stages Of Baptism Of The Holy Spirit

1. Death of Lord Jesus Christ
The old nature dies. It’s assimilated with the death of Jesus because it’s referring to the flesh which is dead.

2 Corinthians 5:21 “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

Notice that the body of sin is automatically destroyed by God.

Romans 6:6 “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.”

2. Burial of Jesus Christ
Our old nature of sin is buried in the ground so it cannot come back up to haunt us.
Notice that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is within the context of the burial.

Romans 6:4 “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

The burial of Jesus Christ is symbolized by his spiritual baptism

Colossians 2:12 “Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.”

3. Jesus Resurrection
The new nature, the spiritual nature, is resurrected, made alive within us while the old nature, the fleshly nature, is dead and buried.

Romans 6:4 “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

The spiritual nature is resurrected.

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

Distinction Of The Baptism Of The Holy Ghost

1. Not to be confused with the unction or anointing of the Holy Spirit.
The unction and anointing of the Holy Spirit have to do with the abiding presence of the spirit. It doesn’t matter if you go to a dead church or a pastor preaching, you can tell if the Holy Spirit is abiding right there if its hand of blessing is there.

1 John 2:20 “But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.”
1 John 2:27 “But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.”

2. Not the filling of the Holy Ghost
The filling of the Holy Ghost has to do with adding more by works. This shows how to be filled with the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 5:18-21 “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.”

When the Holy Spirit fills within us, it can be added more. It can fill so much that it will come out of us and affect others around us.

John 7:38-39 “He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)”

3. Not the gift of the Spirit
The gifts of the spirit are certain gifts the Holy Spirit bestowed upon us whereas the baptism of the Holy Spirit is based on becoming part of the body of Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 12:4 “Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.”
1 Corinthians 12:8-11 “For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.”
1 Corinthians 12:13 “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.”

We cannot get spiritual gifts until we get baptized with the spirit first.

Errors Of The Baptism Of The Holy Ghost (Acts 2, 10, 19)

  1. Baptism of the Holy Ghost does not mean speaking of tongues or automatically receiving spiritual gifts.
    Baptism of the Holy Spirit is by becoming part of the body of Christ based on believing in the gospel.

    1 Corinthians 12
    Ephesians 3

    Based on the gospel, we’re sealed by the Holy Spirit all the way till the rapture.

    Ephesians 1:13-14 “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.”
    Ephesians 4:30 “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”

    Did you ever read in your Bible anywhere that we get baptized several times? No. It’s only one time.

  2. Speaking in tongues does not equate with salvation or baptism of the Holy Ghost.
    Paul says here that there are saved Christians who are baptized with the Holy Ghost but does not speak in tongues. The charismatic movement or the pentecostal movement is big on this, but it is not doctrinally sound.

    1 Corinthians 12:13 “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.”
    1 Corinthians 12:4-11 ” Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.”

    The Holy Spirit gives gifts to every saved Christian but He doesn’t have them all share the same gifts. Not everyone speaks in tongues yet they are considered to be baptized by the Holy Spirit.

  3. Speaking in tongues was an outward evidence (for the Jews)
    God gave a promise to His disciples that He’s going to baptize them with the Holy Ghost. The problem is how do they know this?

    So Jesus decided to give them a sign so that when they were speaking in tongues, all the rest of the people know that they got the baptism of the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit comes, He is going to outwardly show it to other people where they’re going to see it.

    John 15:26 “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:”
    Acts 1:5 “For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.”
    Acts 1:8 “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”

    In Acts 1:5, if we heard this for the first time, you and I will get confused. ‘How do I know that I got baptized with the Holy Spirit?’ so Jesus told them some days later you’re going to know. So there is a specific incident a few days later that would prove it, it was them speaking in tongues. In v8, after they get the baptism of the Holy Spirit, they’re going to manifest and show that power, which they did in Acts 2.
    So Acts 2, 10, 19 are temporary events that happened only to certain people, not all, as proof of Christ’s promise and it never happened again. We’ve already looked at verses where we receive the gospel for our salvation, we’re baptized by the Holy Spirit.

  4. Baptism of Holy Ghost after believing Christ?
    It seems like after the believers in Acts 19 believe on Christ, they did not receive the Holy Spirit’s baptism. That seems to present a problem here:

    Acts 19:2 “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.”

    The key is this, these people were based off John the Baptist’ ministry, not on believing in Jesus Christ.

    Acts 19:3 “And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism.”
    cf     John 1:26-31 “John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose. These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing. The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.”

    In John 1:26 ‘but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not’: so they don’t know Jesus Christ as they should.
    In Acts 19:3, this means they did not fully believe on Jesus Christ like we did clearly on the Christian gospel. Maybe they believe in some form because John the baptist’ prophecy predicted about this coming Messiah but he did not tell them clearly the whole Christian gospel.
    In John 1:29-30, John the Baptist is preaching about Jesus Christ but these people don’t really know Him, as John the Baptist said.
    In v31, remember what John said in Mark 1, ‘I baptize you with water but Jesus will baptize you with the Holy Ghost’. That’s why it makes sense why Paul asked them ‘Did you get the baptism of the Holy Spirit?’ Obviously, they didn’t get baptized by the Holy Spirit through John the Baptist’ ministry. John baptized with water, not with Holy Ghost.

    Acts 19:4 “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.”

    Remember John the Baptist was preaching him baptizing with water but Christ will baptize with the Holy Ghost. Paul said ‘after John’ so that they can understand and believe the gospel of Christ Jesus.
    These people at v3 were not after John the baptist, they were at John the baptist’s ministry. This is why it makes sense that they did not receive the baptism of the spirit.
    In v4 they had to believe first, in v5 they had water baptism, then v6 finally they spoke in tongues. The baptism of the Holy Ghost by speaking tongues came much later. It’s separated from salvation and baptism of the Holy Ghost.

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