RESOURCES — SHORT ARTICLES

 

SHORT ARTICLES BY TOM ELSEROAD
	2020-05-19	The Baptism of the Holy Spirit
		One of the issues in modern (1800's and later) theology concerns the baptism of the Holy Spirit. There are some who see the baptism of the Holy Spirit as something that is subsequent to believing on Jesus and receiving everlasting life. They would point out that in the book of Acts we see events where some received the baptism after they believed on Jesus for salvation. The confusion is that they take the book of Acts as the expected pattern for the church today. The problem is that this does not take into account the transition associated with the birth of the church. By transition we mean the focus of God was upon the nation of Israel, but was moving the focus onto the church. So we will find one-time or unique events in the book of Acts, which does not line up with the clear teaching in the epistles. Allow me to give an example. What were the disciples told to do to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit? Jesus told them, “for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now” (Ac.1:5). Ten days later we find that they were “all with one accord in one place” (Ac.2:1) when the Holy Spirit came upon and baptized them. So if I wanted to take this as a pattern, I would need to wait in an upper room for 10 days and I would be baptized by the Holy Spirit. But it gets worse. Later, we see those who received the Holy Spirit by laying on of someone's hands (Ac.8:17; 19:6). Then in Acts 10, while Peter was speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon those listening (Ac.10:44-48). So if I wanted to receive the Holy Spirit, I may need to do any or all the following: 1. Wait for 10 days in an upper room while being in one accord with other believers. 2. Have someone lay their hands on me. 3. Listen to someone speak the Word of God. You say, “You do not have to do all of these”. Well, why not if we are looking to the book of Acts for our pattern today. What we find in the book of Acts is God expanding the gospel exactly as we have in Acts 1:8. Act 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth." The expansion of the gospel followed the Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, ends of the earth path. The events above were unique as the gospel came to these regions. Everything in the book of Acts occurred as it is written. But we do not use it as a pattern for today. What we do use as our pattern is the clear teaching of the epistles. They include the commands and instruction for the church age. So what do the epistles (NT letters) teach us concerning the baptism of the Holy Spirit? I will only focus on the baptism of the Spirit that is expected for all believers today. All believers receive the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation. Paul says if a person does not have the Spirit he is not saved. Rom 8:9 But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. You cannot be a believer and not have the Holy Spirit. There is no such thing as a believer who does not have the Holy Spirit dwelling in them. 1Co 12:13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. Some may be confused between the BAPTISM and the FILLING of the Holy Spirit. They are not the same. The baptism is what we have been talking about in this article. It is a one-time event at the moment a person puts their trust in Christ for salvation. This places us into the body of Christ. There is no command anywhere in Scripture to be baptized by the Holy Spirit. And of course, Paul clearly says all believers are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1Co.6:19-20). 1Co 6:19 Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? 1Co 6:20 For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's. Now, the FILLING of the Holy Spirit is altogether different. We are commanded to be filled with the Holy Spirit (Ga.5:16; Ep.5:18). Gal 5:16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. When we as believers yield control of our lives to the Holy Spirit we are filled (meaning controlled). We can and should be filled with the Spirit continually as the verb “walk” indicates. Eph 5:18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit All believers have been baptized with the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation, but not all are filled. So we are only BAPTIZED by the Spirit once, but we should be FILLED many times in our Christian walk. Of course there is so much more teaching concerning the Spirit's work in our lives. If all believers have not been baptized by the Holy Spirit so many passages of Scripture would not make any sense (Ep.3:16; 4:4-6; Ti.3:5-6; 2Pe.1:3-4, etc.). Pastor Tom Elseroad

 

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