Baptism in The Holy Spirit
Conclusion
The conclusions of this study are simple and in my reckoning make the teachings
and various terminologies of the New Testament message uncomplicated. When the
apostle Paul used the phrase “there is only … one baptism” he simply meant what
he said. There is no secondary spiritual baptism, just one, in which God gives
us all things He has for us in Christ. It should go without saying that there is
infinite room for growth following this event in our lives. Further to the
simple understanding that ‘new birth’ and ‘baptism in the Holy Spirit’ refer to
the same event there is a whole host of terms and phrases to be found in the New
Testament which each express some aspect of this same event. The list of words
and phrases below all convey their own unique insights concerning some
particular aspect of this “so great salvation.” The following are all to be
found in the Authorised Version of the New Testament. This list may well not be
complete (?). I have included one reference for each where the term is used in
the context that I am seeking to convey:
- ‘Baptised with/in the Holy Spirit’ (Mat 3:11)
- ‘Baptised with fire’ (Mat 3:11)
- ‘Baptised into One Body’ (1Cor 12:13)
- ‘Baptised into Christ’ (Gal 3:27)
- ‘Baptised into His (Jesus’) death’ (Rom 6:3)
- ‘One baptism’ (Eph 4:5)
- ‘Crucified with Christ’ (Gal 2:20)
- ‘Dead unto sin’ (Rom 6:11)
- ‘Buried with Him in baptism’ (Col 2:12)
- ‘Raised up together with Him’ (Eph 2:6)
- ‘Alive unto God’ (Rom 6:11)
- ‘New creation’ (2 Cor 5:17)
- ‘Begotten again’ (1Pet 1:3)
- ‘Begotten of Him’ (1John 5:1)
- ‘Begotten of God’ (1 John 5:18)
- ‘Born of the Spirit’ (John 3:6)
- ‘Born again (from above) (John 3:3)
- ‘The washing of regeneration’ (Titus 3:5)
- ‘Repentance unto life’ (Acts 11:18)
- ‘Translated’ (Col 1:13)
- ‘Anointed’ (2 Cor 1:21)
- ‘Having an unction’ (1John 2:20)
- ‘Sealed’ (2 Cor 1:22)
- ‘Saved’ (Titus 3:5)*
- ‘Delivered’ (2 Cor 1:10)*
Further to the list above I would also add that one who has experienced this
spiritual baptism can be properly termed a 'Christian' (anointed one), or,
'Saint' (separated one).
There are many ‘blessings’ to be encountered along the way in our Christian walk
but the Holy Spirit has not been given as a mere extra, an aid to something
en-route. This mighty act of God is not some sort of appendage to our salvation.
He has come to bring us into The Way; His saturating, indwelling presence is our
salvation.
“And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.” (Eph 5:18)
The above exhortation was written to those who were already baptised in the
Spirit. The need to be continually thereafter ‘filled’ afresh must ever be
before us. We read in the early chapters of the book of Acts that, following
Pentecost that the disciples were “filled” yet again. My Newberry Bible
indicates that “filled” in the above quotation is in the present continuous
tense. In other words, it is not an assertion that we only need the one-off
initial baptism in the Spirit, which of course we do, but rather that we need to
be continually filled again and again. Such is not to be taken as second, third
or fourth ‘baptisms’, but rather it highlights the fact that, having been
‘filled’ the first time by that mighty baptism of God we can still expect to
know further experiences of His outpourings. Peter spoke of there being “times
of refreshing from the presence of the Lord.” (Acts 3:19)
“He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall
flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that
believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because
that Jesus was not yet glorified.)” (John7:38,39)
The continual filling of the Spirit is in perfect harmony with the picture that
Jesus painted of the rivers of living water flowing out of us. As they flow out,
so we must be continually filled again from the source. The source is located
within every man and every woman who has been baptised in the Holy Spirit. This
continual process of out-flowing and in-filling is different from that initial
baptism. At that first occasion a man is helpless, having no life in Him. God
comes from without and enters in. The subsequent fillings are the continual
rising up of the living waters, now within.
When the Children of Israel did finally enter the Promised Land they were told
“This is all yours.” But they were also told that they had to “possess the
Land.” Every portion that the sole of their foot trod upon would be theirs. If
you have received the baptism of God then you already possess all things in
Christ, but entering into the reality and experience of ‘all things’ does not
all come at once.
“Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door
of the sheep.” (John 10:7)
“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life.” (John 14:6)
Jesus said, “I am the Way…” This study has not focussed much on our Christian
walk with him ‘in the Way’ but rather we have focussed on another, but vital
truth of the Lord’s ministry – He also said “I am the Door.” Without doubt no
man can even begin to walk in ‘the Way’ unless he has first come through ‘the
Door’. The baptism in the Holy Spirit is nothing less than the doorway to LIFE,
eternal LIFE, LIFE more abundant. Hallelujah!
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