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The Other Baptisms - Baptism of the Holy Spirit
John the Baptist mentions three different baptisms (Mt. 3:11). First, there was the water baptism which earned him his name. The other two were the baptism of fire and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. In the previous article, we observed that the context identifies the baptism of fire to be an immersion of judgment. But what is the baptism of the Holy Spirit?
All four gospels make reference to the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Mt. 3:11; Mk. 1:8; Lk. 3:16; John 1:33). However, none of those passages make it clear what this baptism of the Holy Spirit would be. If not for additional revelation, we would be left only with speculation. Fortunately, the book of Acts gives us more information on the subject, where it is discussed on two separate occasions.
In Acts 1:5, Jesus says, “For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” This time, context is immensely helpful. Jesus gives three identifying marks of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. First, it would happen while the disciples were in Jerusalem (Acts 1:4). Second, it would happen not many days from then (Acts 1:5). Third, Jesus says, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you” (Acts 1:8). It isn’t often we get such clear details to help us identify something. Jerusalem. Soon. Power.
Around ten days after Jesus said that, we find the apostles gathered in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2) when “there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and if filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving them utterance” (Acts 2:2-4). Can there be any doubt that this is the baptism of the Holy Spirit? It met all of the criteria. Jerusalem. Soon. Power.
The next time baptism of the Holy Spirit is mentioned is in Acts 11:16, when Peter tells his audience, “I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit’” (Acts 11:16). In this instance, Peter is recounting the way that Cornelius and his family received the Holy Spirit upon hearing the Gospel message (Acts 10:44-46). Peter identifies that as baptism of the Holy Spirit and also says the Holy Spirit came “as He did upon us at the beginning” (Acts 11:15) which connects this with Acts 2 and the first instance of baptism of the Holy Spirit but also reveals that this was not something happening on a frequent basis.
With that, we have what we need to draw a conclusion about what baptism of the Holy Spirit is. Acts 2 and Acts 10 both have something in common. They are instances in which believers first received the Holy Spirit apart from human intervention. No one laid their hands on the apostles in Acts 2. Peter didn’t touch Cornelius either. In fact, that was a crucial point to prove that Gentiles had been chosen by God and not by Peter. Think back to what John the Baptist said. He didn’t just say that there would be a baptism of the Holy Spirit, but that the one coming after Him would be the one doing the baptizing (Mt. 3:11).
While many people would receive the Holy Spirit through the laying on of the apostle’s hands (Acts 8:17-18; 19:6), how they received Him is what differentiates their experience from the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Therefore, the baptism of the Holy Spirit is when Jesus—from heaven—immerses believers in the Holy Spirit. It is rare and significant. On Pentecost, it revealed to Jerusalem that everyone needed to listen to the apostles. With Cornelius, it revealed to the Christians that God had chosen Gentiles to be saved as well. Both times there was a baptism of the Holy Spirit it was a miraculous and public declaration of God’s will.
