BAPTISM OF THE HOLY GHOST

Should a Christian seek the baptism of the Holy Ghost? The Bible alone will clearly answer the question."Baptize you with the Holy Ghost" is found only five times in scripture - Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16, Acts 1:5, and Acts 11:16. John 1:33 says Jesus "is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost." In looking at these passages and other related scripture the Bible will define the phrase and show if a Christian should seek this baptism. All four gospels say that Jesus will "baptize with the Holy Ghost." The first time this happens is to a group at Pentecost. At this time the Holy Ghost is given to indwell and guide individual believers.

 

• 1 Corinthians 6:19

  What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?

 

• John 14:17

  Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

Before Jesus was glorified the indwelling Spirit was not available to believers.

 

• John 7:39

  (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.)

The Holy Ghost is on earth today and is available to "whosoever will." His initial coming at Pentecost happened only once and today he is here, NOT waiting to come. Now the Bible says that every saved person, that ALL Christians, have the indwelling Holy Spirit. Titus 3:5 says that after believers are regenerated that the Holy Ghost is renewed in them.

 

• Titus 3:5

  Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;

Speaking to Christians Paul says:

 

• I 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.

This is the baptism of the Holy Ghost that all Christians have.

 

• Romans 8:9

  But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

 

• II Corinthians 6:16

  And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

 

• Galatians 3:27

  For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
  28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

These verses are crystal clear. A person is not saved, he is not the Lord's, unless he's been baptized with the Holy Spirit to receive his indwelling. A person MUST have the Holy Spirit to be saved, and any person who has the Holy Spirit IS saved. The Holy Spirit comes to indwell when a person receives the Lord Jesus Christ as his Saviour. I John 5:12 says "He that hath the Son hath life..." Salvation is a gift."The gift of God is eternal life..." Romans 6:23. You take it by believing in your heart.

 

• Romans 10:9

  That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
  10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
  13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

When one believes he immediately receives the Holy Spirit and is saved for eternity.

 

• Ephesians 1:7

  In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
  13 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,

The remaining two verses will verify this further. Acts 1:4 says that the apostles were to wait at Jerusalem for the "promise of the father." This promise is the receiving of the Holy Spirit.

 

• Acts 2:33

  Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath
  shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.

 

• Luke 24:49

  And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

Acts 1:8 says they'd receive power "AFTER that the Holy Ghost has come upon" them. The Holy Ghost coming upon them is described as a baptism.

 

• Acts 1:5

  For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

First comes Holy Ghost baptism, afterwards comes power. Now the power was to serve the Lord by witnessing and it's called a FILLING (not baptism) of the Holy Ghost.

 

• Acts 2:4

  And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

The FILLING of the Holy Ghost is ALWAYS mentioned in connection with power to do the Lord's work (not personal edification) in EVERY case!

 

• Acts 4:33

  And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
  31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

 

• Acts 6:5

  And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch:
  8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.

 

• Acts 9:17

  And Ananias went his way, and entered into the house; and putting his hands on him said, Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.
  20 And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.

 

• Acts 13:2

  As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
  9 Then Saul, (who also is called Paul,) filled with the Holy Ghost, set his eyes on him,

 

• Acts 13:46

  Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
  49 And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.
  52 And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.

From these verses one can see that the filling is temporary as the apostles were filled at Pentecost and then filled again later. The baptism of the Holy Ghost, however, is permanent. The Spirit doesn't pop in and out of a Christian's body because he is a permanent indweller and is SEALED inside until the day of redemption of the body.

 

• Ephesians 4:30

  And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

 

• Romans 8:23

  And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

For a simple example consider a gallon container that has two cups of water permanently sealed inside it. It is obvious that two cups of water don't fill a gallon container; but if you place that container over heat, the water will turn to steam, and the steam WILL fill it. Likewise, every Christian has the Holy Ghost (Romans 8:9b), and when the "heat" of the Word, and prayer, and obedience is applied, then the Holy Ghost is allowed to fill more of the Christian so he can be more useful in the Lord's work. We are commanded to be FILLED (NOT baptized) with the Spirit.

Ephesians 5:18 says "Be filled with the Spirit." Since all Christians have the indwelling Spirit, being filled with the Spirit is obviously something different. The filling is for power (in EVERY case) and is NEVER called a baptism! The phrase "baptized with the Holy Ghost" is used one more time to describe what happened to Cornelius' household.

 

• Acts 10:44

  While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word.

 

• Acts 10:47

  Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?

 

• Acts 11:17

  Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?

 

• Acts 11:16

  Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.

"The Holy Ghost fell on them" - "received the Holy Ghost" - "God gave them the like gift" - and "baptized with the Holy Ghost" ALL mean the SAME THING! When Cornelius and his household believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, God gave them the Holy Spirit to indwell and seal them. And this happened before they were baptized in water. The GIFT of the Holy Ghost (as in Acts 2:38) IS the Holy Ghost, himself, and NOT something he gives you. Look at Acts 8:14-20. Those Samaritans received the Holy Ghost after the apostles laid hands on them. Simon wanted to buy that power.

 

• Acts 8:20

  But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.

Those verses say that the gift of God is the Holy Ghost himself. Acts 19:2 is sometimes used to prove that a Christian needs to receive the Holy Ghost. It says "Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?" An honest reading of the context shows that the question was asked to disciples of John the Baptist who had not yet believed on Jesus and therefore could not have had the Holy Spirit.

 

• 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.

So by comparing scripture with scripture the Bible clearly shows that a person becomes a Christian when he believes on the Lord Jesus Christ. Upon belief he receives the Holy Spirit which seals and indwells him. This receiving of the Holy Ghost is called a baptism and puts you into the body of Christ. (Ephesians 5:30,32) A Christian doesn't need the "baptism of the Holy Ghost" because he's already had it. He should, however, earnestly seek to be filled as the Bible commands so that he can serve the Lord more effectively.

 

• Ephesians 5:18b

  but be filled with the Spirit;