What does it mean to be baptized with the Holy Spirit?
'Baptized in the Holy Spirit' is Jesus' own phrase for the Spirit coming upon His people in power. It came at Pentecost, when the church was filled with the Spirit and empowered to be Christ's witnesses, and it is how every believer is joined by the Spirit into the one body of Christ. Believers receive this gift at the beginning of the Christian life, and they are filled again and again as they walk with God.
This question arose from studying How do I receive the Holy Spirit? and Who is the Holy Spirit?.
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What the Scripture says
It is Jesus' own promise, set over against John's water
John the Baptist drew the contrast: 'I baptized you in water, but he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.' Jesus repeated it to His disciples before His ascension: 'you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days from now.' The phrase is not a modern slogan; it is Jesus' own description of what was about to happen, and what He had come to give.
It came at Pentecost, in power
The promise was fulfilled at Pentecost: 'They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak.' And Jesus had told them what the power was for: 'You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth.' The baptism of the Spirit is not power for display but power for mission.
They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak.
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth.”
Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all who are far off, even as many as the Lord our God will call to himself.”
It unites believers into the one body of Christ
Paul explains what the Spirit's baptism does: 'For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all given to drink into one Spirit.' The baptism of the Spirit is how God joins every believer, regardless of background, into the single body of Christ. It is not an experience some have and others miss; it is the Spirit's own work at the heart of belonging to Christ.
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all given to drink into one Spirit.
For as the body is one, and has many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ.
It comes to believers as they receive the word
The gift belongs to the household of faith. Peter promised the Spirit to every one who repents and is baptized, 'for the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all who are far off.' The Samaritans who believed were baptized, and later received the Holy Spirit. And at Ephesus, disciples who knew only John's baptism heard of Jesus, believed, and the Holy Spirit came on them. The way to the Spirit's baptism is through faith in Christ.
Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
For the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all who are far off, even as many as the Lord our God will call to himself.”
Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit; for as yet he had fallen on none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of Christ Jesus. Then they laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.
And believers are filled again and again
Pentecost was once; the filling is ongoing. The same believers who were filled at Pentecost, after prayer, 'were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.' Paul commands us to keep being filled with the Spirit. The Spirit's baptism places us in Christ once and for all; the Spirit's filling renews and empowers us for each new day, and both are gifts of the same gracious God.
They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak.
When they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were gathered together. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.
Don’t be drunken with wine, in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit,
As you read, you may wonder…
Scripture raises the next question
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How do the Persons of the Trinity relate to one another?→“Go,and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,”What is the unpardonable sin?→“Therefore I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, neither in this age, nor in that which is to come.”What is speaking in tongues, and is it for today?→“They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under the sky. When this sound was heard, the multitude came together, and were bewildered, because everyone heard them speaking in his own language. They were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Behold, aren’t all these who speak Galileans? How do we hear, everyone in our own native language?”What is the difference between resisting the Spirit and grieving the Spirit?→“Don’t grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”Why did the Spirit wait until Pentecost?→“Being assembled together with them, he commanded them, “Don’t depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which you heard from me.”What is the difference between the fruit of the Spirit and the works of the flesh?→“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.”What is the difference between the Spirit's baptism and His filling?→“For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all given to drink into one Spirit.”What is the difference between the world and the kingdom of God?→“Jesus answered, “My Kingdom is not of this world. If my Kingdom were of this world, then my servants would fight, that I wouldn’t be delivered to the Jews. But now my Kingdom is not from here.””What is the difference between a talent and a spiritual gift?→“But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the profit of all.”Hold onto these
Verses to meditate on
For John indeed baptized in water, but you will be baptized in the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all given to drink into one Spirit.
Peter said to them, “Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all who are far off, even as many as the Lord our God will call to himself.”
I baptized you in water, but he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.”
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. You will be witnesses to me in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the earth.”
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