The teachings on the baptism of the Holy Spirit has produced much controversy in the modern churches. Let us study the view that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is the placement of believers into the body of Christ
According to this view, a believer is baptised with the Holy Spirit at conversion. In baptism, he is placed into the invisible body of Christ – the Church by the Holy Spirit. This view considers that there is no need to have an outside sign for this baptism. A new convert is joined with the body of Christ when he is baptised with the Holy Spirit at conversion. This view is based on the exegetical study of all the passages where the words ‘baptism of the Holy Spirit’ is used.
The baptism of the Holy Spirit is mentioned in twelve places in the Scriptures. In these twelve references, seven passages deal directly and five indirectly about the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
1. Seven Direct References to the Baptism of the Holy Spirit
The seven places where the baptism of the Holy Spirit is mentioned in the Bible directly can be grouped into the following three groups
a. Prophetic utterances in the baptism of the Holy Spirit
There are four references to the baptism of the Holy Spirit in the gospels (Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33), by John the Baptist. He describes it as an event that is expected to take place soon. He predicted that Christ will baptise them by the Holy Spirit and fire (Matt. 3:11). So it is a prophetic utterance in which Christ will baptise His disciples in future. About the same baptism, Jesus predicted before His ascension, ‘For John truly baptised with water, but you shall be baptised with the Holy Spirit not many days from now’ (Acts 1:5).
These five passages mention the baptism of the Holy Spirit as a future event and they teach that Christ will baptise the disciples.
b. Historical references about the baptism of the Holy Spirit
The second direct reference about the baptism of the Holy Spirit to try Peter in Acts 11:16. He said. Then I remembered the word of the Lord, here He said, John indeed baptised with water, water. but you shall be baptised with the Holy Spirit.” Here the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a past experience for Peter and be is referring to the experiences of baptism of the Holy Spirit that the believers received on the day of Pentecost and in the house of Cornelius.
In both these places new believers were added to the Church. So the prediction of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ (Matt. 3:11; Acts 1:5) were fulfilled on the day of Pentecost when the disciples were added to the Church by the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
c. Specific teaching on baptism of the Holy Spirit
The correct explanation on the doctrine of Spirit’s baptism is found in 1 Corinthians 12:13. While writing about the body of Christ, Paul wrote, “For buy one Spirit we are all baptised into one body whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.” This passage gives the following facts on the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
All believers are baptised into one body by one Spirit: ‘We are all baptised.”
The baptism of the Holy Spirit is a past experience for believers because the verb in this verse is in past tense.
Believers are placed into the invisible body of Christ (Church) by the Spirit at conversion.
At the baptism of the Holy Spirit, believers are placed in the Church from different race, colour or caste.
On the day of Pentecost and at Cornelius’ house, believers were added to the invisible body of Christ, the Church. So the statements by John the Baptist (Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33), by Jesus Christ (Acts 1:5) and by Simon Peter (Acts 11:16) refer to the addition of believers into the body of Christ. So in baptism of the Holy Spirit, the believers, wherever they may be, are placed into
the body of Christ. b. Five Supportive Evidences for the Baptism of the Holy Spirit
a. It is one baptism
While exhorting believers to live in unity, Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:5 about the baptism of the Holy Spirit to explain the unity among believers by baptism of the Spirit. “There is one body and one Spirit… one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God…” (Eph. 4:4-6). This passage does not mean water baptism because it is a required sacrament of the Church and the context of this passage suggests that it refers only to the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Ephesians 4:3 exhorts believers for unity and Ephesians 4:4 gives the explanation for unity among believers, which can be only by the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
b. Baptism is through faith
While writing about how believers are made complete in Christ Jesus (Col 2:10), Paul wrote in Colossians 2:12 that believers are buried with Christ in baptism “through faith” The context and content of this pam age point out that this passage does not deal with water baptism but with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This is because this passage says the following facts about the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
The baptism is through faith (vs. 12).
It takes place when one ‘dead in trespasses’ is ‘made alive together with Him (vs. 13).
It is when the trespasses are forgiven (vs. 13).
It is through freedom because of the cross (vs. 14, 15).
It takes place by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh (vs. 11).
All these things happen at salvation when a person is added to the body of Christ by baptism of the Holy Spirit.
c. Baptised into Jesus Christ
While writing about believers, Paul wrote in Romans 6:3-8, that believers are ‘baptised into Christ Jesus,’ when they die to sin. When do believers die to sin? It happens at salvation (Gal. 2:20; Eph. 2:1-3). This passage deals with believers who are dead to sin and alive to God. So the context of this passage points not to water baptism but to the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This passage (Rom. 6.3-8) gives the following facts on salvation pointing out that the baptism of the Holy Spirit takes place at the time of salvation.
This passage says that ‘we died to sin’ (vs. 2). Here this experience of dying to sin is described to be taking place in the past tense. Believers die to sin when they are saved. So the context of this passage is salvation.
We read here that we are ‘baptised into Christ Jesus’ (vs. 3) and not ‘baptised into water. So this passage deals with the baptism of the Holy Spirit and not the water baptism.
This passage says that we are “buried with Him through baptism into death (vs. 4) and united together in the likeness of His death (vs. 5). All these happen at the time of salvation.
This passage says that ‘our old man was crucified with Him’ referring to the salvation of believers.
Since this passage deals with salvation and baptism of the Holy Spirit, all believers are baptised into Jesus (placed into the body of Christ) at salvation.
d. United with Christ at baptism
In Galatians 3:26-29, Paul wrote that a believer is not under the law but in Christ. To explain the concept of union of believers with Christ, Paul wrote that the believers who have, ‘put on Christ’ and have become ‘sons of God through faith’ are baptised into Christ. Here Paul did not deal with water baptism but with the baptism of the Holy Spirit because of the following reasons.
So the This passage says that “we are baptised intin Christ and not into water (vs. 27). he baptism referred to here is is the baptism of the Holy Spirit when we are placed into the body of Christ-the Church.
As many of you as were baptised into Christ have put on Christ (vs. 27 Here it does not say that ‘we have put on Christ and then baptised int Christ. It says that all those who are baptised into Christ have put on Christ, meaning that baptism and putting on Christ take place at the same time
This passage says that there is no distinction between believers, ‘all are one in Christ Jesus’ (vs. 28). When do we become one in Christ? We become one in Christ when we are saved through faith in Christ Jesus or when we put on Christ’ by being ‘baptised into Christ. So when we put on Christ or when we
become children of God we are baptised with the Holy Spirit. e. Baptism is not an external rite but takes place when we are saved
Many preachers refer to 1 Peter 3:21 to deal with water baptism. This passage deals with the baptism of the Holy Spirit and not water baptism because of the following reasons. This passage says that:
The baptism is not ‘the removal of the filth of the flesh’ (vs. 21). It clearly indicates that this baptism is not a rite.
The baptism is ‘the answer of a good conscience toward God’ (vs. 21) referring to the internal spiritual change, which alone can produce good conscience to God. This happens when believers are placed into the body of Christ or saved.
The baptising work of the Holy Spirit can save people by uniting baptism ‘which now saves us (vs. 21). The baptism that is linked with salvation is the Spirit’s baptism and hence Peter writes here about the Spirit’s baptism that takes place at the time of salvation.
There is direct connection between the Spirit’s baptism which can save and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Pentecost could take place only after the resurrection of Jesus Christ. So the baptism that Peter refers in this verse is only the Spirit’s baptism and not the ritual baptism.
Eight souls were saved because they were in the ark. The believers are saved in Christ the ark and it can happen only at the Spirit’s baptism.
Considering the teaching of the Bible on Spirit’s baptism in 12 places, it is concluded that believers are added to the body of Christ by the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Baptism comes from the Greek word baptizo meaning ‘immerse,’ ‘submerge’ or ‘overwhelm.’ When a coin is immersed in paint, it becomes new. In the same manner at conversion one becomes new by the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 6:5, 7) and is added into the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:13). This process is described in Ephesians 2:19-22 as a building, built together for a dwelling place of God ‘in the Spirit’ (vs. 22). So by the Spirit, new converts are added to the body of Christ (Acts 2:4, 38, 41) by the Spirit’s baptism.
Moreover there is no command anywhere in the Bible that believers must be baptised in the Spirit. In all twelve references to the baptism of the Holy Spirit,
the past tense is used and even all canal Christians at Corinthian church were baptised (1 Cor. 12:13). So the haptism of the Holy Spirit is a divine operation in which believers are placed into the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:33) of the Holy Spirit is not filling since filling is a continuo
experience, whereas Sptrif’s baptism is a once for all experience. Baptism of the Holy Spirit is not regeneration, because in regmenatio Christ’s life is placed in the believer (Rev. 3:20) and we receive eternal lide (1 John 5:11,12).
Baptism of the
Baptism of the Holy Spirit is not indwelling of the Holy Spirit, because in indwelling, the Holy Spirit dwells in a person. But in Spirit baptism a believer is placed in Christ’s body. It is a position.
