At salvation, the Spirit baptizes a believer into the church, i.e. the 1st baptism
”Each of us is a part of the one body of Christ … the Holy Spirit has fitted
us all together into one body. We have been baptized into Christ’s body
by the one Spirit, and have all been given that same Holy Spirit.” (1 Cor 12:13)
At salvation, the Holy Spirit takes up residence INSIDE true Christian believers …
John 14:17, Romans 8:11, 1 Corinthians 3:16, Galatians 4:6,
2 Timothy 1:14, 1 John 3:24, 1 John 4:12-16.
In NT times, it was the normal experience for them to be given a 2nd baptism
Acts 8:36-37 shows how one was qualified to be given water baptism …
“As they rode along, they came to a small body of water,
and the eunuch said, ‘Look! Water! Why can’t I be baptized?’
‘You can’, Philip answered, ‘if you believe with all your heart’.
And the eunuch replied, ‘I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.’ ”
Baptism in water was a symbolic demonstration of faith, and it has been debatable
whether this baptism is necessary for salvation. Let us keep in mind that Paul said,
“Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel” (1 Cor 1:17).
In NT times, it was also a normal experience for them to be given a 3rd baptism
John the Baptist spoke about this baptism, saying it is Jesus Himself who gives it:
Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16, John 1:33.
Jesus chooses to anoint some believers with the baptism with the Holy Spirit
(often, but not always, for some type of ministry). Jesus spoke about this baptism …
•• Luke 24:49 “Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in
the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with (spiritual) power from on high.”
•• Acts 1:4-8 “… wait for the Promise of the Father …
… you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.
… you shall receive (spiritual) power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;
and you shall be witnesses to Me … to the end of the earth.”
This has nothing to do with salvation where the Holy Spirit comes INSIDE a believer.
But, the Holy Spirit baptism is always about the Holy Spirit coming UPON a believer.
Sometimes, a believer is saved and baptized with the Holy Spirit at the same time!
Perhaps Acts 8:12-19 will reveal the difference between the 3 baptisms
"But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom
of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized.
Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued
with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done.
Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received
the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down,
prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He had fallen upon
none of them. They had only been (water) baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. And when Simon saw
that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered
them money, saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may
receive the Holy Spirit.” "
These Samaritans (and Simon) believed the gospel and were baptized in water.
Peter and John knew right away that the Holy Spirit had not come upon any of them,
… IMO, because there had been no accompanying spiritual manifestations!
When they were baptized with the Holy Spirit (8:17), Simon saw the spiritual evidence
of this baptism, and he wanted to have this great spiritual power which caused it.
Other examples of people receiving this baptism with the Holy Spirit
•• Acts 2:1-4 “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one
accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a mighty
rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there
appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.
and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues,
as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
This is “the filling of the Spirit”, or “the second blessing” as it is called by some.
•• Acts 10:44-48 “… the Holy Spirit fell upon all those (Gentiles) who heard the word
… the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out (up)on the Gentiles also.
For they (Peter and companions) heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.
Then Peter asked, ‘Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be (water) baptized
who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?’ And he commanded them to be
(water) baptized in the name of the Lord.”
In this case, water baptism came after they were baptized with the Holy Spirit.
•• Acts 11:15-17 “… the Holy Spirit fell upon them (the Gentiles), as upon us
(the Jews) at the beginning. Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said,
‘John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’
… God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus”
•• Acts 19:5-6 “… they (the Ephesian disciples) were (water) baptized in the name of
the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands upon them, the Holy Spirit
came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied …”
In this case, water baptism came before they were baptized with the Holy Spirit.
The verses above reveal some of the spiritual manifestations accompanying the baptism with
the Holy Spirit … spiritual power, filled with the Spirit, tongues, laying on of hands, prophecy.
Other verses without the word upon in them reveal more spiritual manifestations
which accompany the baptism with the Holy Spirit, such as: boldness and miracles.
The baptism with the Holy Spirit is AVAILABLE for anyone who really wants it.
And for all of these years, the church leaders who have not had this experience
have insisted that it no longer happens; these people are called cessationists.
They are wrong, and due to the resulting unbelief, many believers have been
robbed of this experience. The baptism with the Holy Spirit normally is a pre-
requisite for receiving any of the 9 spiritual power gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12.
Some of these gifts were given to confirm the Truth of the gospel message,
but were also given to heal people of their various physical, mental, emotional,
and spiritual problems. Thus many people have been robbed of many things ...
... thanks to Satan, "the god of this age", working through the church leaders.
”Each of us is a part of the one body of Christ … the Holy Spirit has fitted
us all together into one body. We have been baptized into Christ’s body
by the one Spirit, and have all been given that same Holy Spirit.” (1 Cor 12:13)
At salvation, the Holy Spirit takes up residence INSIDE true Christian believers …
John 14:17, Romans 8:11, 1 Corinthians 3:16, Galatians 4:6,
2 Timothy 1:14, 1 John 3:24, 1 John 4:12-16.
In NT times, it was the normal experience for them to be given a 2nd baptism
Acts 8:36-37 shows how one was qualified to be given water baptism …
“As they rode along, they came to a small body of water,
and the eunuch said, ‘Look! Water! Why can’t I be baptized?’
‘You can’, Philip answered, ‘if you believe with all your heart’.
And the eunuch replied, ‘I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.’ ”
Baptism in water was a symbolic demonstration of faith, and it has been debatable
whether this baptism is necessary for salvation. Let us keep in mind that Paul said,
“Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel” (1 Cor 1:17).
In NT times, it was also a normal experience for them to be given a 3rd baptism
John the Baptist spoke about this baptism, saying it is Jesus Himself who gives it:
Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16, John 1:33.
Jesus chooses to anoint some believers with the baptism with the Holy Spirit
(often, but not always, for some type of ministry). Jesus spoke about this baptism …
•• Luke 24:49 “Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in
the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with (spiritual) power from on high.”
•• Acts 1:4-8 “… wait for the Promise of the Father …
… you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.
… you shall receive (spiritual) power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;
and you shall be witnesses to Me … to the end of the earth.”
This has nothing to do with salvation where the Holy Spirit comes INSIDE a believer.
But, the Holy Spirit baptism is always about the Holy Spirit coming UPON a believer.
Sometimes, a believer is saved and baptized with the Holy Spirit at the same time!
Perhaps Acts 8:12-19 will reveal the difference between the 3 baptisms
"But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom
of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized.
Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued
with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done.
Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received
the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down,
prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He had fallen upon
none of them. They had only been (water) baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. And when Simon saw
that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered
them money, saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may
receive the Holy Spirit.” "
These Samaritans (and Simon) believed the gospel and were baptized in water.
Peter and John knew right away that the Holy Spirit had not come upon any of them,
… IMO, because there had been no accompanying spiritual manifestations!
When they were baptized with the Holy Spirit (8:17), Simon saw the spiritual evidence
of this baptism, and he wanted to have this great spiritual power which caused it.
Other examples of people receiving this baptism with the Holy Spirit
•• Acts 2:1-4 “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one
accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a mighty
rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there
appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.
and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues,
as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
This is “the filling of the Spirit”, or “the second blessing” as it is called by some.
•• Acts 10:44-48 “… the Holy Spirit fell upon all those (Gentiles) who heard the word
… the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out (up)on the Gentiles also.
For they (Peter and companions) heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.
Then Peter asked, ‘Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be (water) baptized
who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?’ And he commanded them to be
(water) baptized in the name of the Lord.”
In this case, water baptism came after they were baptized with the Holy Spirit.
•• Acts 11:15-17 “… the Holy Spirit fell upon them (the Gentiles), as upon us
(the Jews) at the beginning. Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said,
‘John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’
… God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus”
•• Acts 19:5-6 “… they (the Ephesian disciples) were (water) baptized in the name of
the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid hands upon them, the Holy Spirit
came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied …”
In this case, water baptism came before they were baptized with the Holy Spirit.
The verses above reveal some of the spiritual manifestations accompanying the baptism with
the Holy Spirit … spiritual power, filled with the Spirit, tongues, laying on of hands, prophecy.
Other verses without the word upon in them reveal more spiritual manifestations
which accompany the baptism with the Holy Spirit, such as: boldness and miracles.
The baptism with the Holy Spirit is AVAILABLE for anyone who really wants it.
And for all of these years, the church leaders who have not had this experience
have insisted that it no longer happens; these people are called cessationists.
They are wrong, and due to the resulting unbelief, many believers have been
robbed of this experience. The baptism with the Holy Spirit normally is a pre-
requisite for receiving any of the 9 spiritual power gifts listed in 1 Corinthians 12.
Some of these gifts were given to confirm the Truth of the gospel message,
but were also given to heal people of their various physical, mental, emotional,
and spiritual problems. Thus many people have been robbed of many things ...
... thanks to Satan, "the god of this age", working through the church leaders.
