Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
When you think of baptism, with what do you normally associate it? Water, of course. When you ask someone if he has been baptized, he will likely think about an event in which he was either immersed in water, sprinkled with water, or had water poured on him. But when you examine baptism in the Scriptures, you discover that it involves far more than water. There is a spiritual baptism which every New Testament believer has experienced…not by water, but by the Holy Spirit. While many are confused about water baptism, especially in regard to its mode and meaning, there is also confusion about the baptism with the Spirit. This confusion centers primarily on the timing of this baptism. Does it occur at the very moment that the believer trusts in Christ as his Savior, or is it an event that occurs at a point after he is born again as a “second work of grace”? In the past ten articles, we have been studying the Holy Spirit, our Divine Comforter. We have studied the work of the Holy Spirit in salvation: His work of conviction, regeneration, indwelling, anointing, and sealing. Let’s now look at the Spirit’s baptism. We will answer the question: “The Holy Spirit: Is His Baptism a Second Work of Grace?”
What is meant by the Spirit’s work of baptizing?
The Spirit’s baptizing defined
Kenneth S. Wuest defines the Greek word, baptizo, in general as “the introduction or placing of a person or thing into a new environment or into union with something else so as to alter its condition or its relationship to its previous environment or condition” (Word Studies in the Greek New Testament, Vol. I, “Romans,” pp. 96-97). Specifically, Spirit-baptism is the ministry of the Holy Spirit by which He as the instrument used by Christ places the believing sinner into the Body of Christ and into Christ.
The Spirit’s baptizing developed—specifically referred to seven times in the New Testament, with general references four times
Prophetically in the Gospels and in Acts (“He shall baptize. . .”—Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33; Acts 1:5)
Historically in Acts (the Jews baptized—Acts 1:5; 2:1-4; the Gentiles baptized—Acts 10:44-46; 11:15-17)
Doctrinally in Paul’s Epistles (into Christ’s Body—I Cor. 12:13; into Christ—Rom. 6:3-5; Gal. 3:27; Eph. 4:5; Col. 2:12)
The Spirit’s baptizing described
Who is involved in the baptizing? The Baptizer is the Lord Jesus (Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33). The instrumentused in the baptizing is the Holy Spirit (“with” or “by” the Spirit—Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33; Acts 1:5; 11:16; I Cor. 12:13). The participant in baptism is every believer in the Church age (I Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:26-28).
What does the baptizing accomplish? It places us into the Body of Christ, the Church (I Cor.12:13), into vital union with every believer. It places us into union with Christ Himself (Rom. 6:3-5; Gal. 3:27; Col. 2:12), resulting in being “in Christ.”
When does this baptism occur? When has it occurred in the past? When does it occur in the present?
Before the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2)—never (still future in Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33; Acts 1:5)
In the Book of Acts
The first occurrence (Acts 2)—this first occurrence signaled the beginning of the Church (Acts 2:1-4)—predicted by Jesus (Acts 1:5—“not many days from now”); referred to by Peter (Acts 11:15-17—“as upon us at the beginning”); traced directly to the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4)—the Church was born!
The four special occurrences in the Book of Acts—three of the four are accompanied by speaking with tongues (Acts 2, 10, 19) and all four are used by many to support teaching that this baptism is a “second work of grace” after believing in Christ for salvation (Acts 2, 8, 10, 19).
Is this teaching correct? The book of Acts is a book of historical transition between law and grace, and thus not everything in Acts can be applied as normal for the Church today. It is also a book of history, not doctrine—don’t go to Acts to establish a doctrine, but rather the Epistles.
In the first two cases of Spirit-baptism in Acts, the baptism occurred after salvation since these were unique, special cases: in Acts 2 these believers were the first to receive the Spirit (John 7:39; 16:9; Acts 1:4) and to enter the Church; in Acts 8 these Samaritans were baptized with the Spirit after believing as a sign to the Jews that the Samaritans were now part of the Church.
In the last two cases of Spirit-baptism in Acts, the baptism occurred at the moment of believing as the Gentiles entered the Church (Acts 10:44-48; 11:15-17) and as the disciples of John entered the Church (Acts 19:1-6), tongues indicating that both groups were now in the Church.
The normal pattern in the book of Acts—believers were baptized with the Spirit at the moment of believ-ing in Christ (Acts 2:38, 41). The normal pattern is not as a “second work of grace” following salvation.
The normal pattern during the Church age—all are baptized with the Spirit when believing (I Cor. 12:13). At conversion the believer is placed into the Body of Christ and into union with Christ. In the New Testament epistles, you’ll not find one time when the Spirit-baptism follows salvation. Nor can you find a time when a believer is told to seek, pray for, or wait for it. It happens the very moment that one believes. Unlike the Spirit’s filling (repeated throughout the Christian life—Eph. 5:18), baptism with the Spirit occurs only once (I Cor. 12:13).
(Sources to Consult: Class notes—Soteriology, Professor Otis Stone, Calvary Bible College, 1978; The Holy Spirit, Charles C. Ryrie, pp. 74-79; The Divine Comforter, J. Dwight Pentecost, pp.. 136-143; Systematic Theology, Vol. VI, Lewis Sperry Chafer, pp. 138-161)
As a believer, don’t seek “the baptism of the Spirit.” Rest in the truth that you have already been baptized with the Spirit. Recognize that you have been placed into Christ’s Body and into union with Christ. Cultivate your relationship with Christ and other believers.
Because of His Grace—Pastor Charlie