Baptism of the Holy Spirit
Spirit – breath, wind, mind in the Hebrew and Greek
Baptism – washing, purification
Baptism of fire – a concept used by John the Baptist to describe the work of Christ
“He (Christ) will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire!” (Matt 3:11, Luke 3:16).
Christ baptizes “with the Holy Spirit and fire.” John the Baptist witnesses to Jesus
in John 1:30-33. One scripture especially important to the advocates of the
sacramental view of baptism is John 3:5 Jesus says “Verily, verily, I say to you,
except a man is born of water and of the Spirit he can not enter into the kingdom
of God.” In John 20:22, Jesus breathed on them and said to them, Receive you
the Holy Spirit, then Jesus tells His disciples and followers to wait until they be
overcome with power (Acts 1: 2-5). Power is the ability or strength to perform an
activity or deed. They point to the experience of the Day of Pentecost when “there
appeared to them divided tongues, as a fire, and one sat upon each of them. And
they were all filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:3-4). The Holy Spirit is God’s agent
to purify and illuminate. The tongues “as of fire” that came with the descent of the
Holy Spirit at Pentecost underscored the purging and illuminating quality of God’s
truth. The work of the Holy Spirit is purifying God’s people.
Jesus tells us how to receive (Luke 11:9-13). In John 4:23-24 Jesus tells us we
must worship God in spirit and in truth. The Gentiles received the baptism of the
Holy Spirit, (Peter tells how Cornelius received Acts 11:1-14) Then John’s followers
received (Acts 19:1-6). Fire often appears as a symbol of God’s presence and
power (Gen 15:17-18).
Baptism also depicts a washing away of sin (Acts 2:38, Titus 3:5) and spiritual
renewal (Rom 6:3-4; Col 2-11-12). Baptism is an act of obedience, commitment
and proclamation, symbolizing the believer’s identification with Christ in His death,
burial and resurrection. A key text is (Rom 6:3-4).
The Holy Spirit appears in the Gospel of John as the power by which Christians
are brought to faith and helped to understand their walk with God. He brings a
person to new birth. “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born
of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:6). “It is the Spirit who gives life” (John 6:63).
The person and ministry of the Holy Spirit in the Gospels are confirmed by His
work in the early church. The baptism with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:5) is the pouring
out of the Spirit’s power in missions and evangelism (Acts 1:8). This prophecy of
Jesus and of Joel 2:28-32) begins on Pentecost (Acts 2:1-18). Many of those who
hear of the finished work of God in Jesus’ death and resurrection (Acts 2:32-38)
repent of their sins. In this act of repentance, they receive the gift of the Holy
Spirit, becoming witnesses of God’s grace through the Spirit.
Paul tells us how important it is to be filled with the Holy Spirit (Eph 5:18-21). The
Holy Spirit also reveals to Christians the deep things of God (I Cor 2:9-12) and the
mystery of Christ (Eph 3:3-5). The Holy Spirit acts with God and Christ as the
pledge or guarantee by which believers are sealed for the day of salvation (II Cor
1:21-22), by which they walk and live (Rom 8:3-6) and abound in hope with power
(Rom 15:13).
Being baptized in the Holy Spirit means being led by the Spirit; following the Word
of God; thinking with the Mind of God. (Rom 8:9-17; Eph 4:23-24). A good
example of this is Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt and the Bible tells
us they were baptized into Moses (I Cor 10:2).
Jesus tells us signs will follow those who believe (Mark 16:15-18).