IS “THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT” SCRIPTURAL?

My answer to this question is both Yes and No, depending on what one means by the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I propose to treat this subject in reference to two common notions.

1. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is or was indeed real, but it was given only to the apostles in Acts 2 and the Gentiles in Acts 10, which were miraculous manifestations. Since its purpose has been realized, there is no longer any such thing. Some would also include Paul, the Samaritans in Acts 8, and the disciples in Acts 19 as recipients of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. But it is argued that once the apostles died and all those on whom they had laid their hands had died, there was no longer any way for Holy Spirit baptism to be given.

2. The baptism of the Holy Spirit continues to be given to believers today, albeit not necessarily all believers. This view holds that one may become a Christian and receive “the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38) and may sometime afterwards receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Especially among “charismatics” Holy Spirit baptism is urged upon people who have long since been baptized into Christ. Thus “receiving the Baptism” is the apex of the Christian life, and it mayor may not be accompanied by speaking in tongues.

In this essay I am questioning both of these positions. The first one is an unsupportable deduction. That the baptism of the Holy Spirit, however defined, was given only in certain cases and then abruptly shut off to future generations hardly satisfies what the Scriptures say on this subject. My own explanation of the meaning of Holy Spirit baptism, which follows, will further show why I think this position is unacceptable.

I believe the second position is wrong in that it assumes as true that which the Scriptures do not teach: that once one is baptized into Christ and becomes a Christian she is yet to be baptized again, of the Holy Spirit, to receive the fullness of God’s blessings.

It is ironic that the idea of “baptism of the Holy Spirit” should be so paramount in some people’s thinking when it occurs so seldom in Scripture. While the term does appear five times, they all refer to the same incident, John’s report that while he baptized with water Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit (and with fire, in some accounts). If there were eight writers of the New Testament, five of them do not once use the term, and the three who do are referring to what John said. In all the letters to the churches, where problems aplenty are dealt with, there is not one instance of believers being told that they should receive Holy Spirit baptism. While it is a constant theme in many a pulpit today, and is made by many the sine qua non of the Christian faith, it holds no such place in Scripture. The Holy Spirit, of course, does hold such a place, but not the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Even in the letters to the seven churches, where the Lord himself is dealing with weighty problems, there is no such reference. To one church, deeply in trouble, he stands at the door and knocks, offering to come into their hearts if they will only open up. He promises to sit with them in the most intimate fellowship. All this without the slightest reference to Holy Spirit baptism, which is usually the frame of reference in some circles for those seeking such renewal. One would think that if Paul would eagerly implore his readers to be filled with the Spirit, to be aglow with the Spirit, and not to quench the Spirit, he would somewhere speak of what is commonly referred to these days as “the Baptism.” The Scriptures use no such language.

But there is the reference to Jesus baptizing in the Spirit, and we should seek its meaning. That it could not refer to an actual or real baptism is evident from the fact that baptism is not only an immersion but also an emersion. In water baptism one not only goes into the water but also out of the water. The word always has this force in Scripture. Even in the washing (baptism) of pots and pans in Mark 7:4 the articles come out of as well as into. So if there were a literal baptism in the Spirit, it would suggest that one exits the Spirit as well as enters the Spirit, and that would hardly do. An actual Holy Spirit baptism would hardly make sense, so we conclude that Jesus was using a metaphor when he said “I baptize you in the Holy Spirit,” which meant I will give you the Holy Spirit.

There are several such metaphors of the Spirit that cannot be taken literally. 1 Cor. 12:13 refers to drinking of the Spirit and Eph. 5:18 speaks of being filled with the Spirit. No one believes that he can actually drink the Spirit or be filled with it as his lungs would be filled with air. They are metaphors that stand for receiving or possessing the Spirit. When Acts 2:4 says “It filled all the house where they were sitting,” the reference is to the wind or what appeared to be wind, but it is really another metaphor, pointing to the Spirit overflowing the room and those in it, which is a dramatic way of showing that they all received the Holy Spirit, which is what Jesus promised when he said, “John baptized with water but you, not many days from now, will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:5).

In Acts 11:15-16 Peter refers back to what happened on Pentecost, comparing it to what happened to the Gentiles in the home of Cornelius. He says, “the Holy Spirit fell on them, as on us at the beginning,” referring to Acts 2. This caused Peter to remember the Lord’s promise of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. So fell on and baptized mean the same thing. They were “baptized in the Spirit” when “The Holy Spirit fell on them.” Then he says “God gave them the same gift he gave unto us.” It follows that the falling of the Spirit, the baptism of the Spirit, and the giving (or receiving) of the Spirit all refer to the same thing.

There is reason to conclude that Peter is referring back to the promise of the gift of the Holy Spirit as found in Acts 2:38-39, for in Acts 11:17 he says God gave them (the Gentiles) the like gift (the Spirit) that he gave us (referring to those listening to him, which included those who obeyed Acts 2:38 on that day, as well as the apostles who received the gift in Acts 2:4). The condition he laid down for receiving the Spirit was the same for the Gentiles (Acts 10) and the Jews (Acts 2)— faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The apostles (or was it 120 people?) did not receive the Spirit in Acts 2:4 simply because they were apostles, but because they believed. The Gentiles did not receive the Spirit simply to prove they were as acceptable as Jews, but because they believed.

I therefore conclude that all believers receive the Holy Spirit as a gift, which is what Acts 2:38 promises, and this means the same as the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which is a metaphor referring to that promise. It is God’s birthday gift to each of his children.

So what am I saying? Is Holy Spirit baptism scriptural? Yes, if one understands it to be the symbol that it is, just as “the Holy Spirit is come upon you” in Acts 1:8 is a symbol. They both, like drinking, being filled, fell upon, are metaphorical references to the great promise of the Messiah, that he would give the Holy Spirit to those that believe on him.

But the answer is No, Holy Spirit baptism is not in the Scriptures if one means something different from “the promised Holy Spirit” of Eph. 1:13 and “the gift of the Holy Spirit” in Acts 2:38. When one believes, repents, and is baptized in the name of Christ, as Acts 2:38 teaches, he or she receives forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit. There is no promise anywhere in Scripture of another baptism called the baptism of the Holy Spirit, for Acts 2:38 is the fulfillment of the promise of Jesus, I will baptize you in the Holy Spirit, which metaphorically is simply saying, I will give you the Holy Spirit. Since Pentecost he has made good on that promise, giving the Spirit to everyone who is baptized into Christ.

If you have difficulty seeing “I baptize you with the Holy Spirit” as a metaphor, it will help to remember that Jesus adds “and with fire,” which completes the metaphor. Contrary to popular understanding, fire here does not likely refer to hell or judgment, but, as in the prophets, to the refiner’s fire or the fire of purification. In the Bible baptism is never used of punishment. Jesus is referring to the power and consecration that comes through the indwelling Spirit. Luther caught the sense of the baptizing fire when he sung: “And each believing soul inspire with thine own pure and holy fire.” This is the baptism of fire promised to every believer, such as Paul’s “Be aglow (aflame) with the Spirit.”

This view of Holy Spirit baptism recognizes that the Spirit deals with us in different ways once he dwells within us as the promised gift. He surely empowered the apostles uniquely. He gave some in Corinth the gift of tongues and the power to perform miracles. There are diversity of gifts but the same Spirit. He gives all of us some gift, and so we are all charismatic or gifted by the Spirit.

This interpretation harmonizes passages that otherwise may slip by us. Again and again the New Testament makes it clear that the Spirit is given to us when we believe. It is “because you are sons” that the Galatians received the Spirit, or, as Paul put it, “Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith?” Rom. 8:9 shows clearly that we are not Christians if we do not have the Spirit. Acts 5:32 says God gives the Spirit to those who obey him, and 1 Jn. 3:24 shows that this precious gift is within every Christian heart, assuring us: “We know that he lives in us by the Spirit that he has given us.”

It is confusing when believers are told there is yet a “baptism of the Holy Spirit” that they are to seek. When we see that this term is a metaphor referring to the very gift the Christian already has, it frees him to appropriate more fully what God has given. Paul suggests in Eph. 5:17 that one should even be controlled by (or made drunk on) this precious indwelling gift. John assures us that this gift teaches us, comforts us, and even anoints us.

When folk tell me, therefore, that they have received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, perhaps after years of seeking, as they sometimes put it, I can only conclude that they have now discovered that wellspring of joy and power that has been at their disposal all along. It is the same thing as finally inviting Jesus to make his home with us when he has been standing at the door all along. Just as Jesus can be at the very door of our hearts and we not realize what change may be wrought when he is invited in, we can have the Holy Guest of heaven within us and not realize the resource of power that is ours. One can live a life of poverty while the beneficiary of a great fortune and not know it.

Those who are in Christ Jesus need not suffer such a tragedy, for the peace and joy of the Holy Spirit, which makes us rich, is for each of us.—the Editor