Holy Spirit Baptism

Not only that but in Acts the same experience happened at different times and in different ways. The experience sometimes occurred: 1) after conversion and after receiving the Holy Spirit in some way (John 20:22; Acts 2:4; 4:31); 2) after conversion and some days after water baptism (Acts 8:9-17); 3) at conversion and before water baptism (Acts 10:44-48); 4) after conversion and a few minutes after water baptism (Acts 19:1-6). For some, the Holy Spirit came when hands were laid on them (Acts 8:17; 9:17; 19:6; 2 Timothy 1:6); and for others, the Holy Spirit came without special laying on of hands (Acts 2:4; 4:31; 10:44).

Therefore, from these verses we see that the Holy Spirit can come and work in a believer in different ways. The Holy Spirit is free; we should not make our own rules for Him. The important thing is whether the power of the Holy Spirit is evident in our lives. We should pray for that power to be evident (Acts 8:14-17; 9:17). In whatever way the Holy Spirit works in a Christian’s life, we should praise God and thank Him for that work.

All Christians believe that the Holy Spirit is with each one who believes in Jesus (Romans 8:9; Ephesians 4:30). Many Christians also believe that we receive the Holy Spirit in a special way at water baptism and at the LORD’S SUPPER (1 Corinthians 10:2-4; 12:13; Titus 3:5). Many others believe that the Holy Spirit can be received in a special way for special ministry, such as that of a pastor, deacon or missionary (Acts 6:6; 13:2-3; 1 Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:6), or for repeated power and encouragement (Acts 4:31).

The early church believed that Christians received the Holy Spirit in a special way for power and gifts when the leaders of the church laid hands on them, similar to the situation described in Acts 8:14-17. The early church believed that this was an experience separate from conversion and water baptism. This was the general belief for the first several hundred years of church history.

However, through much of subsequent church history, most Christians did not show evidence of special power or gifts of the Holy Spirit, such as those described in 1 Corinthians 12:7-11. For example, most people never saw anyone healed by divine power. Many began to suppose that God had given this special power and these gifts only to the early church. Today, some Christians believe that many of the gifts are no longer available to us in this age. They point to 1 Corinthians 13:810, where Paul states that prophecies and tongues and knowledge will all cease when perfection comes. These Christians think that “perfection” refers to the finished New Testament, which was completely written within one hundred years after the death of Christ.

But many other Christians believe that all the gifts are still available for us today, and furthermore, they claim they have experienced them. They believe that in 1 Corinthians 13:8-10, Paul is referring to a future time when we shall see Jesus face to face (1 Corinthians 13:12). They point out that all through church history, the Holy Spirit’s power and gifts have appeared from time to time and place to place. Indeed, from the beginning of the 20th century the gifts and power of the Spirit have been increasingly seen. These Christians point to the great promises of special signs and gifts for believers recorded in Mark 16:17-18; John 14:12; Acts 2:17-18 (see panel: Which baptism is in 1 Corinthians 12:13?).

Among those Christians who believe that the gifts and power are available to the church today, there are many different opinions as to how and when they are received. Many believe that the “baptism of the Holy Spirit” is received by all believers at conversion, as described in Acts 10:44, but that it may be years later that the gifts begin to appear in a believer’s life. A second group of Christians believe that the “baptism of the Spirit” comes at water baptism, pointing to Jesus’ water baptism described in Matthew 3:16-17, and to Acts 19:5-6 where the Holy Spirit came shortly after water baptism. Both these groups believe that the rest of the verses in Acts on Holy Spirit baptism actually describe exceptions to the usual manner of receiving the Spirit, which they believe normally occurs at conversion or at water baptism. Since the power and gifts received at that earlier time may not appear for many years, these Christians believe that we may have to pray and ask God to show them forth in our lives.

A third group of Christians believe that the Acts passages show that the power and gifts may be received at any time, but that usually they are received at a time separate from conversion and water baptism (Acts 2:4; 8:17; 1 Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:6). They believe that the Holy Spirit’s power will come if one asks and prays for it. It is available to all who ask, they say. They also believe that to receive this power it helps to ask the leaders of the church to lay on their hands and pray (Acts 8:17; 19:6).

Another question arises here: How important is the gift of tongues in our lives? Those holding the three views expressed above all agree that the gift of tongues is one of the many signs of having received the Holy Spirit. The gift of tongues is the ability to speak in a special language given by the Spirit, one not previously learned (1 Corinthians 12:10; 14:1-5). In the New Testament, almost all those who received the baptism of the Holy Spirit did, in fact, speak and praise God in another language (Mark 16:17; Acts 2:4; 10:46; 19:6; 1 Corinthians 14:18). But there are different opinions as to whether this gift is for all believers or for only a few.

Some Christians believe that God desires only a few people to speak in a special tongue. It is a fact that many spiritual Christians have not received this gift. Paul himself said, Do all speak in tongues? (1 Corinthians 12:30). Paul’s meaning is that all do not speak in tongues. Christians holding this view may believe that it is right to ask God for the gift of tongues, since many blessings can be received through this gift. But they point out that it is not written clearly in the Bible that all are, in fact, required to speak in tongues.

However, other Christians believe that the main sign or proof of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is the ability to speak in a special language. They point out that Paul also wrote that he wanted all the Corinthians to speak in another tongue (1 Corinthians 14:5). Therefore, these Christians believe that there are two kinds of tongue-speaking gifts: the first, a gift of speaking God’s message to others in public, which is given only to a few and should be accompanied by the interpretation (1 Corinthians 14:1-5,13,26-27); and second, a personal worship gift of praising and praying to God oneself, which is given to all believers (1 Corinthians 14:2,15-17). In their opinion, 1 Corinthians 12:30 refers only to the first “message-giving” kind of tongues. In other words, in a church service only a few will be called to give a special message to the congregation by speaking in another tongue. However, according to these Christians, all should be able to praise and pray “to God” in another tongue without interpretation (1 Corinthians 14:2,28), and to receive blessings through this personal gift.

Other Christians hold to a third view that although God does give the ability to speak in this personal kind of tongue at the time of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, not everyone will use it right away. Some may not know about this gift; others may not use it for some other reason. These Christians do not believe that tongues is the only sign of the baptism of the Holy Spirit; any gift of the Spirit can be a sign that the Spirit’s power has come into our lives. This third view agrees with the first view that everyone is not required to speak in tongues, but agrees with the second view that God desires everyone to have the personal gift of tongues for prayer and praise.

However we think about the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit, we must remember: 1) the power and gifts were given for the common good (1 Corinthians 12:7; 14:3) and for power to witness to others (Acts 1:8); 2) they must be used in love and in a controlled manner, or they are worth nothing (1 Corinthians 13:1-3; 14:40); 3) they are to be desired and should not be forbidden (1 Corinthians 12:31; 14:1,39); 4) they should not divide us (1 Corinthians 12:4-6). In spite of different beliefs about the gifts of the Spirit, we are brothers and sisters in Christ. In Christ we are one (1 Corinthians 12:13; Galatians 3:28).

¹ The Greek word “with” in Matthew 3:11 and Luke3:l6 can also mean “in.” Whichever word is used, the meaning is the same.

² The New Testament was originally written in the Greek language.