Note: The following
article resulted from answering a respondent searching for scriptural answers
to give to one who believes in faith only and no baptism. He said that this
individual believes that water baptism was of the Old Testament and now it is
Holy Spirit baptism without water.
The Baptism of the Holy Spirit
The Apostle Peter & I Peter
3:20-21,
In dealing with situations such as
mentioned in the prelude to this brief study it should be suggested that
individuals look more closely at I Peter 3:20-21. Peter is not talking about
Holy Spirit baptism here, but immersion in water (baptism) that saves and is
"into" the body of Christ (I Cor. 12:13). Hear Peter, "Which sometime were
disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah,
while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by
water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now
save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a
good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter
3:20-21). Dear
reader you will notice that Peter plainly states, "baptism
doth also now save us." This means that one cannot arrive at salvation by
bypassing baptism! Moreover, I Peter 3:20-21
is not the only passage giving baptism in water as necessary for salvation.
Among several such passages there is the eunuch's conversion in Acts 8:26-40
that clearly displays the necessity of baptism as stated by Peter in I Peter
3:20-21. (For a enlightening and detailed study of the Ethiopian eunuch's
conversion you may go to our series "Fundamental Lessons on the
Church," Lesson Three Membership
Requirements According to the First Century Revelation upon your completion
of this brief study.) Dear reader the same apostle Peter who received the
baptism of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4) included
himself in the baptism in water that saves one in I Peters 3:21! And that is
exactly what the respondent's friend needs to pay close attention to and learn
to see his error. I suggested that the respondent ask his fallen brother if he
will (is willing to) believe the apostle Peter who actually did receive the
baptism of the Holy Spirit and is the same apostle who said of baptism in water
that "baptism doth also save us"? If he cannot believe Peter then he
will remain in his lost condition.
The promise of the Holy Spirit received by the apostles on
the day of Pentecost, (Acts 1:4-8, 2:4, 43, 4:16, 5:12,
32.)
The first recorded case of Holy
Spirit baptism was on the day of Pentecost as recorded in Acts 2. Luke who
wrote the book of Acts tells about the Apostles receiving the Holy Spirit as
promised by Jesus before His ascension. (For a study of this promise and how
God revealed the New Testament to the apostles, thus guiding them into all
truth you may go to our series "Fundamental Lessons on the Church,"
Lesson Two, The Head And Authority of the Church after completion of this
brief study.) Here is brief portion from that study showing the promise was
fulfilled on Pentecost in Acts 2:
"Concerning Jesus promise that
the Holy Spirit would be sent in His name so that the apostles might be taught
all things and guided into all truth He said, “But the Comforter, which is the
Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all
things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto
you” (John 14:26). Also in John 15:26-27 Jesus says, “But when the Comforter is
come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth,
which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of
me: [27] And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the
beginning.” Repeating this promise He said, “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of
truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself;
but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. [14] He shall glorify me: for he
shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you”
(John 16:13-14). In accord
with His promise the apostles received the promise of the Holy Spirit as
recorded on the day of Pentecost in Acts chapter two."
That only the Apostles received and
used this baptism on the day of Pentecost is shown through the events recorded
by Luke (Acts 2). In order to familiarize oneself with those events, and know
how to instruct others concerning Holy Spirit baptism, one should note
carefully the evidence that marked "this" baptism of the Apostles.
First, Luke tells of a sound from heaven. Hear Luke, "And suddenly there
came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting" (Acts 2:2). Then
Luke tells of divided tongues appearing. Hear him again, "And there
appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of
them" (Acts 2:3). With these evidences he then states concerning the
apostles, "And
they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other
tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance" (Acts 2:4). So-called baptisms
of the Holy Spirit are sadly lacking in these evidences today! Notice that it
is only the apostles who were filled and thus speaking, "Now when this was
noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were
confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And
they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to
another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?"
(Acts 2:6-7). The apostles' speaking miraculously in
"tongues" (known languages) is their immediate use of the baptism of
the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:7, 14). Moreover, "tongues" from the very
outset in the New Testament church were known languages spoken by the peoples
of the nations; the languages are identified in Acts 2:8-11. Dear reader these
languages were certainly not the gibberish that comes by putting certain
syllables together that various aspects of Pentecostalism only calls tongues
today!
The apostles possessed miraculous
power as a result of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Hear Jesus promise prior
to his ascension, "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost
is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea,
and in Samaria,
and unto the uttermost part of the earth" (Acts 1:8). This miraculous
"power" was necessary for them to be His witnesses to all men everywhere.
The miraculous signs they performed confirmed or established their words as
being the true word of God (Mark 16:20).
Today the confirmation is in the written word just as John says in writing his
gospel, "And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his
disciples, which are not written in this book: [31] But these are written, that
ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing
ye might have life through his name" (John 20:30-31). (To begin a thorough
study of miracles as they relate to the apostles and the confirmation of God's
word you may go to A Study
of the Miracles of the New Testament ~ Part One when you have completed this
brief study.) Dear reader the first few chapters of Acts that tell about the
beginning of Christ's church is replete with references to the apostles'
miracles and signs (See Acts 1:4-8, 2:4, 43, 4:16, 5:12, 32). It was in this
way that the people knew that their word was indeed God's word and their
command to be baptized for the remission of sins was essential to salvation
(Acts 2:38). Hear Peter on the day of Pentecost as he tells them what they must
do, "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you
in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the
gift of the Holy Ghost" (Acts 2:38).
Cornelius was saved by
"words" given by Peter
(Acts 10:6, 22, 32-33, 11:14),
Each
verse in parenthesis to this subsection is important because they show
conclusively that the process of saving Cornelius and his household lay in the
words Peter spoke. This too refutes the false belief that the only baptism in
the New Testament is Holy Spirit baptism. The Spirit falling upon Cornelius and
his household (Acts 10:44-46)
is often stated as the second of only two recorded instances of the baptism of
the Holy Spirit in the New Testament. The first, of course, would be that of
the apostles on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2. With regard to Cornelius and
his household being saved they were saved by hearing words from Peter (Acts 10:33; 11-13-14). Hear the angel's statement to
Cornelius about Peter, "He lodgeth with one
Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou
oughtest to do" (Acts 10:6). This is how
Cornelius was told by God that he would learn what he must do to be saved. Hear
the men Cornelius dispatched to bring Peter, "And they said, Cornelius the
centurion, a just man, and one that feareth God, and
of good report among all the nation of the Jews, was warned from God by an holy
angel to send for thee into his house, and to hear words of thee"
(Acts 10:22). Hear Cornelius explain to Peter what the angel told him and note
his conclusion as to why they are present before God in the presence of Peter,
"Send therefore to Joppa, and call hither Simon, whose surname is Peter;
he is lodged in the house of one Simon a tanner by the sea side: who, when he
cometh, shall speak unto thee. [33] Immediately therefore I sent to thee; and
thou hast well done that thou art come. Now therefore are we all here present
before God, to hear all things that are commanded thee of God"
(Acts 10:32-33). This Peter confirms in giving an explanation
later. Hear Peter, "And the spirit bade me go with them, nothing doubting.
Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered into the man's
house: And he shewed us how he had seen an angel in
his house, which stood and said unto him, Send men to Joppa, and call for
Simon, whose surname is Peter; Who shall tell thee words, whereby thou and
all thy house shall be saved" (Acts 11:12-14). It should not be necessary to repeat this
again for it was by Peter's words that they would be saved. This illustrates
exactly how the gospel is the power of God unto salvation for all men (Rom. 1:16). We are taught that faith
comes by hearing the word (Rom. 10:17).
Moreover the only faith that saves is one that leads to obedience in baptism
(Mark 16:16; Ja. 2:26).
We
have established that God through the angel told Cornelius he would be saved by
the words Peter spoke (Acts 11:14).
Cornelius was not told by God that he would be saved by the Holy Spirit falling
upon him. Luke records, "While Peter yet spake
these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. [45] And they
of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came
with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the
Holy Ghost. [46] For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God"
(Acts 10:44-46).
The
astonishment of the Jewish chritians present gives
evidence of the purpose of the Holy Spirit falling upon the gentiles as they
were listening to Peter speak. This even happened "while Peter yet spake." Thus Peter's words were interrupted for the
purpose of God giving the Gentiles the gift of the Holy Spirit. Compare Peter's
explanation later in Acts 11:15-17,
"And
as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the
beginning. 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. 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?"
From
this event Peter understood that he could not withstand God. God's
acknowledging the Gentiles was accepted by the amazed Jews who were present and
Peter knowing what this meant asked, "Can any man forbid water, that these
should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?"
(Acts 10:47).
To forbid their baptisms would have been to withstand God's providing salvation
for both Jew and Gentile alike! Sometime later again in Acts 15 Peter
said,
"Men
and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that
the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. [8]
And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness,
giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; [9] And put no difference
between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith" (Acts 15:7-9).
Dear
reader Peter was chosen by God to be the first to preach the gospel to the
Gentile. At that time as recorded in Acts 10 God "bare them witness"
which means "bore testimony or approval" of this by giving them the
Holy Spirit just as He did the apostles at the beginning in Acts 2. One's soul
is purified in obeying the truth (I Pet. 1:22).
Hence it was necessary for Peter to continue on with the words of salvation.
What was interrupted by the falling of the Holy Spirit upon the Gentiles is
continued with Peter's words of, "Can any man forbid water, that these
should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the
Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days" (Acts 10:47-48). It is essential that you
see that Peter continued on in giving instruction to those present (Jews) and
in commanding the gentiles to be baptized for the remission of their sins.
Belief on the part of Cornelius and his household lead them to obey Peter's
command to be baptized (Acts 10:48).
Baptism is a command of God! The command to be baptized is essential to
salvation just as belief
(Mark 16:15-16). Hear Jesus, "And he said unto them, Go
ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every
creature. [16] He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that
believeth not shall be damned" (Mark 16:15-16). Peter's preaching to the gentiles in Acts 10 is
his fulfilling of the commission for them to "preach the gospel to every
creature." Moreover, we have learned that Peter's command to be baptized
was part of the words by which Cornelius and his household would be saved (Acts
11:14).
A difference that should
be noted from Acts 10:47-48,
The
"gift" of the Holy Spirit that Cornelius and his household received
was not the same measure as that received by the Apostles on Pentecost (see
Acts 1:4-8, 2:4, 43, 4:16, 5:12, 32 above). Like the apostles on the day of
Pentecost at the beginning they received power to speak in tongues and magnify
God (Acts 10:46). However,
it is still an apostle of Christ who must tell them, as God directed Cornelius
from the very outset, what they must do to be saved. The Gentiles receiving the
Holy Spirit here is different in that respect. The Apostles were filled with
the Holy Spirit as God's witnesses to all nations at the beginning of the
church (Mark 16:15-16;
Acts 1:4-8; Acts 2). To be that "witness" they had received
miraculous power (See Acts 1:4-8, 2:4, 43, 4:16, 5:12,32). If Cornelius and his household had received the same
measure of the Holy Spirit, along with the same purpose as the Apostles, then
they would have know themselves what they should do; they would have instructed
themselves. But such is not the case! We still read about the necessity of
Peter continuing to instruct those present and commanding the gentiles to be
baptized into Christ (Acts 10:47-48).
When baptized one is baptized "into Christ" and
"puts on Christ." This is true for both Jew and Gentile! (Gal.
3:26-27).
What the proper sequence
of events shows,
Through the proper sequences of
events, Peter speaking, their hearing, the Holy Spirit falling upon the
Gentiles, the Jews being amazed to understand the Gentiles were worthy of the
kingdom, Peter continuing by giving instruction to those present and commanding
the gentiles to be baptized, and their obedience in baptism we get the complete
lesson here. Thus we conclude once again that the very one's who did actually
receive the gift of the Holy Spirit were told that baptism (immersion in water)
was necessary for them to be saved. Hear Peter once more on salvation! "The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us
(not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good
conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 3:21). Salvation came to Cornelius and his household
the same way it comes to men today by hearing, believing and obeying the
command to be baptized for the remission of your sins (Mk. 16:15-16; Acts 2:38;
10:47; Acts 18:8; 22:16).
The lesson from the
conversion of the Samaritans, Acts 8
One's
belief in the deity of Christ is be followed with
obedience in baptism. Luke writes of
their conversions, "But when they believed Philip preaching the things
concerning the kingdom
of God, and the name of
Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women" (Acts 8:12). Notice the parallel with Jesus
command in Mark 16:16,
"He that
believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be
damned."
Upon baptism they were
saved but they did not have the Holy Spirit,
Act
8:15-16 tells us that the Samaritans heard, believed and were baptized. They
were saved having become Christians but they had "not" yet received
the Holy Spirit. Here are the verses right from the Bible,
Acts
8:12-21
But when they believed Philip preaching the
things concerning the kingdom
of God, and the name of
Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. [13] Then Simon himself
believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and
wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done. [14] Now when the
apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of
God, they sent unto them Peter and John: [15] Who, when they were come down,
prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost: [16] (For as yet he
was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord
Jesus.) [17] Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy
Ghost. [18] And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands
the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, [19] Saying, Give me also this
power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. [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.
[21] Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right
in the sight of God.
We learn here that the christians Philip converted in the city of Samaria did not have the
Holy Spirit. Moreover we read here how the apostles Peter and John had to come
there to Samaria and lay hands on them "that they might receive the Holy
Spirit" (Acts 8:17-21). Through the laying on of the apostle's hands
spiritual gifts were given to other christians,
as long as the apostles were alive (See Acts 19:6; Timothy as an example, 2
Tim. 1:6; also Rom. 1:11).
Philip was not an apostle and he did not have the power the apostles had to
impart spiritual gifts to others. Only the apostles had that power and there
are no apostles here on earth today to lay their hands on others to give them
the gifts. Paul taught that the spiritual gifts were cease in time with the
complete revelation of God's word being given and written down for all time (I
Cor. 13:8-10).
How the Holy Spirit
indwells the Christian today,
We are taught as christians that we dwell in God and God dwells in us.
Hear John , "And we have known and believed the
love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth
in love dwelleth in God, and
God in him." (I John 4:16). Our physical bodies do not miraculously dwell
"inside" of God's person. But we certainly have fellowship with God
in the church through Christ as we walk in the light (I John 1:5-7). In the
same verse John says we dwell in God he says God dwells in christians. One of the great errors of the
"religious" world claiming to believe in Christ is that the Holy
Spirit (God, Acts 5:3-4) dwells literally in one's body and directs and guides
them apart from the word. These are lead away from the plain teaching of the
New Testament, God's will, to follow the emotional dictates of their own
feelings and hearts! They will says, "I feel in my heart." The Bible
warns us against false standards of religion and one of them is our own
"feelings" or emotions. Hear Solomon, "There is a way that seems
right to a man, but its end is the way of death" (Prov. 14:12). Hear him again, "He
that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered" (Proverbs
28:26). What people desire today for the most part is religion without
"revelation," i.e. without that which was revealed by the inspired
apostles and prophets in the first century and written down in the New
Testament, the word of God (Eph. 2:20; 2 Peter 3:1-2). That word revealed is an
all-sufficient guide for man until the end of time (2 Tim. 3:16-17).
Jude exhorted christians
to "contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to
the saints" (Jude 3). Moreover the apostle Peter whom we have been
studying about in this lesson said, "Whoever speaks, let him speak, as it
were, the utterances of God; whoever serves, let him do so as by the strength
which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus
Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen" (I
Peter 4:11). Shortly
before departing this world Peter said that he "wrote" by inspiration
for this very purpose. Hear Peter, "This is now, beloved, the second
letter I am writing to you in which I am stirring up your sincere mind by way
of reminder, that you should remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy
prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior spoken by your
apostles" (2 Peter 3:1-2). Perhaps
you would be interested in studying how the New Testament revelation was made
known to man. You may do so by going to our series "Fundamental Lessons on
the Church," Lesson Two, The Head And Authority of the Church .
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