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SEVEN BAPTISMS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT

by Dr. Fred Wittman

V. THE BAPTISM By THE HOLY SPIRIT

Mt. 3:11; Jn. 1:33;7:39; Acts 1:5;2:1-18; 10:44-47; 1 Cor. 12:13

UNTO RELATIONSHIP--FAITH IN CHRIST COMMITTED

“On the one hand I myself baptize you^& in water unto repentance. But on the other hand The One coming after ^{[in back of]} me is stronger than myself, Whose ^/thongs I am not adequate to bear on my person, He Himself shall baptize you^& by means of ⁰Holy Spirit and ^|by means of^| fire, Whose ^/winnowing shovel ^|is^| in His ^/hand and He shall throughly cleanse His ^/threshing-place” (Mt. 3:11 APT).

“And I myself had not perceived Him. But^{[on the contrary]} The⁺ One ^|Who^| sent me to baptize by means of water, That⁺ One said to me, Upon Whomever you^$ behold The Spirit descending and remaining upon^{[in contact]} Him, This⁺ is The⁺ One baptizing by means of ⁰Holy Spirit” (Jn. 1:33 APT).

“The one continually committing trust unto Me, according as The Scripture said, Out of his ^[cavity]innermost being rivers of absolute living water shall flow. (But He said this^~ concerning The Spirit, Whom the ones continually committing trust unto Him were about to receive, for ⁰Holy Spirit was^{[imperfect tense signifies continual existence, but Holy Spirit already existed yet did not abide in humans, He only came upon and left them until Pentecost]} not yet continuously ^|abiding in humans^| because ^/Jesus was not even yet glorified.)” (Jn 7:37,38 APT).

“And while convening them together with Himself, He charged them, Do not part yourselves away from Jerusalem^&! but^{[on the contrary]} abide in anticipation for the promise by the Father! which you^& heard from Me because, on the one hand John baptized in water, but on the other hand you^& yourselves shall be baptized by means of ⁰Holy Spirit after these^{^} not many days” (Acts 1:4,5 APT).

“And in the process of the day of ^{/[Festival of 50; Lev. 23:15,16]}Pentecost being completely fulfilled, they all were unanimously at the same^{~ |}place^|. ²And suddenly out of ^/Heaven, noise even as bringing a violently-forceful blowing^[breathing] came to pass and it filled the whole house fully where they were continually sitting^{[for 10 days]}. ³And tongues as if of fire appeared to them dividing themselves into parts and distributing themselves, and it^{[a part]} sat down upon each one of them. ⁴And they all individually were filled with ⁰Holy Spirit. And they began to speak with other^{[different kind of]} languages, according as The Spirit kept giving to them to utter forth under influence. ⁵Now Jews, reverent men from all nations of the ones under ^/Heaven, were customarily taking up residence in Jerusalem. ⁶Now when this sound came to pass, the multitude came together and commingled in confusion because each one heard them speaking in his own^{[private] /}dialect. ⁷Then they all were amazed in themselves and they kept marvelling, saying to one another, Lo! all these who are speaking are Galileans, are they not? ⁸And how are we each one hearing in our ^/own^[private] dialect in which we were begotten? ⁹Parthians and Medes and Elamites, and the ones residing at ^/Mehsoh-pohtah-méeah, both at Judea and Kahp-pahdoh-kéeah, at Póhn-tohs and the Asia, ¹⁰both at Frugéeah and at Pahmfooléeah, at Egypt and at the parts of ^/Libya throughout Kuráynay^{[N. Africa]} and the temporarily residing Romans, both Jews and proselytes, ¹¹Cretes and Arabians! We are hearing them speaking the magnificent^~ things of The God in the languages belonging to us. ¹²Now they were all amazed and they were continuing at wit’s end, another^{[same kind]} saying to^{[the face of]} another^{[same kind]}, What ever could this^~ possibly determinedly will to be? ¹³But others^{[different kind]} were ridiculing and saying, ‘‘They are ones having been saturated with newly fermenting wine.’’ ¹⁴But after Peter was standing with the^& eleven, he lifted up his voice and uttered forth under influence to them, O men, Jews and all the ones individually residing in Jerusalem, this is to be known to you^&! And you^& yourselves are to give ear to my ^/declarations ^{[ spoken words]}! ¹⁵For these are not intoxicated as you^& yourselves assume, for it is ⁰third hour^{[9:00 A.M.]} of the day. ¹⁶On the contrary, this^~ is what was being spoken through the prophet, Joel^[2:28-32], ¹⁷And it shall be in the last days, The God says, I shall pour out^[away]from My ^/Spirit upon all flesh. And your^{& /}sons and your^{& /}daughters shall prophesy and your^{& /}young men shall behold extraordinary sights and your ^& elders shall be dreaming dreams. ¹⁸And indeed I shall pour out^[away] from My ^/Spirit upon My ^/bondslaves and upon My ^/maiden bondslaves in those ^/days and they shall prophesy” (Acts 2:1-18 APT).

“And on the morrow they entered into Kaisáhreiah^[Caesarea]. Now ^/Kohrnáyleeohs was eagerly expecting them and had summoned together his ^/relatives and his essential friends. Then it came to pass as ^/Peter entered, ^/Kohrnáyleeohs met together with him and, falling against his feet, he bowed in homage. But ^/Peter raised him up, saying, Stand up at once! I myself also am a human myself. And while conversing together with him, he entered. And he found many who had come together. . . . ³⁴Then Peter opened his mouth and said, On the basis of truth I realize that The God is not a respecter of persons. But^{[on the contrary]} in every nation he, who is continually fearing Him and is continually working righteousness, is an accepted^{[hospitably received]} one with Him. ³⁶You^& yourselves perceive The Word which He sent^{[with commission]} to the sons of Israel, pronouncing^{[evangelizing]} glad tidings with reference to peace through Jesus Christ (This⁺ One is Lord of all), ³⁷the declaration^{[spoken word] |}which^| emerged^[became] throughout the whole Judea ^|region^| and began from ^/Galilee after the baptism which John proclaimed as an herald: ³⁸How The God significantly anointed Him, Jesus, The⁺ One from Nahzahréth, with ⁰Holy Spirit and with miraculous power, Who went throughout, working good and curing all the ones being tyrannized by the devil, because The God was with^{[in midst of]} Him. ³⁹And we ourselves are continually judicial witnesses of all^~ things which He did both in the region of ^/Judea and in Jerusalem. ⁴⁰This⁺ One, Whom they executed and hanged upon wood, The God raised up in the third day. And He gave Him to become clearly evident, ⁴¹not to all the people^{[same race and language]}, but^{[on the contrary]} to judicial witnesses, the ones having been preassigned by The God, to us whoever ate together and drank together with Him after the act of Him rising up out of dead ones. ⁴²And He charged us to proclaim as an herald and to earnestly testify to the people^{[same race and language]} that This⁺ One is The⁺ One having been designated by The God, ⁰Judge of absolutely living ones and dead ones. ⁴³To This⁺ One all the prophets^{[Jer. 31:34; Mic. 7:18; Ps. 32:1; 103:3]} testify. Everyone who is continually committing trust unto Him consequently receives forgiveness of sins through His ^/name. . . . ⁴⁴While ^/Peter was yet speaking these declarations, The Holy ^/Spirit intently fell upon all the ones ^{[Kohrnáyleeohs with his relatives and friends]} hearing The Word. ⁴⁵And the faithful ones of ⁰circumcision, as many as went together with ^/Peter, were amazed because also upon the Gentiles the gratuitous gift of The Holy Spirit has been poured out. ⁴⁶For they kept hearing them speaking in languages and magnifying The God. At that time ^/Peter answered, ⁴⁷Not at all is anyone able to forbid ^/water in order that these, who^[whoever] received The Holy ^/Spirit according as ourselves, not be baptized, is there?” (Acts 10:24-27, 34-43, 44-47 APT).

“For just as the body is one and is continually having many members but all the members of the one ^/body, although being many, it is one body, so also ^|is^| The Christ. For also by means of One Spirit we ourselves, whether Jews, whether Greeks, whether bondslaves, whether free ones from bondage, all were baptized into One Body.” (1 Cor. 12:12,13 APT).

INTRODUCTION:

    This is another chapter in the study of the Seven Baptisms, one book of the series entitled, Fundamental Facts For Searching Saints (Acts 2:41,42). Baptism has quite a significant meaning in The God’s Word according to the viewpoint of The God. What does baptism mean to you? How does your meaning of Baptism by The Holy Spirit compare with The God’s as clarified by His Dearly Beloved Son?

    The word “baptism” is the translation of the Greek noun βάπτισμα (Báhp-teesmah). It comes from the verb βαπτίζω (bahptéez0) translated ‘baptize’ and means “to make whelmed, (i.e. to fully wet).” βαπτίζω comes from the root word βάπτω (báhpt0) which means “to whelm, i.e. to cover wholly with a fluid.” It is translated “to dip.” βάπτω is also used to indicate the act of dying, ‘to dye,’ that is to dip a cloth or material completely immersed into a vat of liquid to change its color. The cloth is not changed, only the appearance and color is changed. However, baptism calls for an inner change producing action whereby there are seven factors in connection with each of the seven baptisms:

1. A Particular Message Proclaimed,

         2. A Faith Proven,

         3. An Action Performed,

         4. A Confession Pronounced,

         5. A Meaning Projected,

         6. An Indication Produced, and

         7. An Identification Professed.

    The Baptism of Moses projected the meaning, Redemption by power after being redeemed by the blood of the Passover lamb. It indicated that the participant who has been redeemed by blood and by the power of The God is Free from bondage and Sin. The Baptism by John projected the meaning, Repentance. It indicated that the participant was Forgiven of sins. The Baptism of Christ projected the meaning, Righteousness. It indicated that the participant had Fulfilled all Righteousness. John the Baptizer was reluctant to baptize Jesus at first. He needed instruction so he could obey. The Baptism of Violent Death projects an unusual aspect of meaning upon which The Lord Jesus Christ elucidated. This baptism projects the meaning, Wrath. It indicates that the participant is Faithful to his spiritual father. The Baptism of Violent Death is different than the other baptisms in that it is figurative, symbolic, and begins with a meaning that adds to the basic meaning of baptism stated above. Moses and the nation of Israel were not completely wet. However they were whelmed with walls of water on each side and vapor in the form of a cloud overhead. But in the Baptism of Violent Death we are faced with a symbolic meaning for baptism or an abstract meaning and not with water. That means “it has only intrinsic form with little or no attempt at pictorial representation.” The whelming is not with water, but with more severe action resulting in the reality of the representation, death - a violent death. The fifth baptism chronologically observed in The New Testament is The Baptism by The Holy Spirit. This baptism is wholly spiritual. The Baptism by The Holy Spirit also is not with water. But on the contrary this baptism is a spiritual baptism by The Holy Spirit of The God (Mt. 3:11-12).

    Because The Baptism of The Holy Spirit is figurative and spiritual, it is most often confused in our day! (Mt. 3:11; Jn.1:33; 7:38-9; see above before the Introduction). This baptism was first mentioned by John the Baptizer as he clarified the significance of his baptism. At that time he stated that The One for Whom he was the forerunner would baptize by The Holy Spirit. This was the first indication that The God had a deeper relationship and greater enablement in store for the people He would redeem and become His peculiar people (His own particular specific people) than for the people of Israel. Later in the third year of His ministry in the Feast of Tabernacles, Jesus Himself stood up on 22 Tishri (October 16), A.D. 32 and publicly offered the water of life to all who thirsted and would come to Him and thus continually drink of the water of absolute life. The result of continually drinking of this water that He freely offers to all is that “out of his innermost being rivers of absolute living water shall ever^{[progressive future]} flow” (Jn. 7:38 APT). John inserts a parenthesis indicating that Jesus spoke this concerning The Holy Spirit, Whom the ones committing persistent trust unto The Lord Jesus Christ were about to receive after Jesus was glorified (Jn. 7:38,39). Although The Holy Spirit was not yet abiding or dwelling on Earth in humans until after the ascension of The Lord Jesus Christ, in Old Testament times He did come upon certain chosen humans for an unknown and unspecified period of time and then He departed. But according to John. The Holy Spirit was not yet given to permanently abide in the midst of His disciples (Jn. 7:39; 14:16,17) forever (See Acts 1:4,5; 2:1-18; 10:44-47 above).

    The Baptism of The Holy Spirit was predicted by John the Baptizer, promised by The Lord Jesus Christ, and performed initially on Jews at Pentecost, then later on Gentiles at Kaisáhreiah (Caesarea), thereafter on both Jews and Gentiles anywhere in the world at the time of regeneration. Since initially the Jews needed a sign that prophecy was being fulfilled both the Jews including Hellenists (Greek-speaking Jews) and Gentiles received the sign of speaking in other languages (1 Cor. 1:22; 14:22,23 cf. Acts 2:4; 10:44-46; see in Scripture quotataions before Introduction).

“And yet inasmuch as Jews continually petition a sign and Greeks continually seek wisdom, in fact we ourselves as an herald proclaim Christ crucified” (1 Cor. 1:22 APT).

“In the law it stands written^{[Isa. 28:11 cf. De. 28: 15, 47-49]}, ‘‘By means of other^{[different kind]} languages and by means of lips of others^{[different kind]} I shall speak to this people^{[same race and language]} . . . ^{[Is. 28:12b]}and yet not even in this way will they hear and respond to my plea, says ⁰Lord.’’ So that the languages are for a miraculous sign, not to the ones committing trust, but on the contrary to the faithless ones. But the prophecy ^|is^| not to the faithless^{[refusing to commit trust]} ones, but on the contrary to the ones committing trust” (1 Cor. 14:22.23 APT).

    Now consider the seven factors of Baptism by The Holy Spirit.

  I. A PARTICULAR MESSAGE PROCLAIMED.

    The particular message proclaimed in connection with the Baptism of the Jewish disciples by The Holy Spirit was The Gospel proclaimed by Peter immediately after The Holy Spirit descended on the Day of Pentecost, Sunday, 5 Sivan (May 24), A.D. 33 in Jerusalem (read the account in Acts 2:14-36 APT above before the Introduction). Peter drew the attention of the amazed Jews, who had gathered to hear in their own cultural dialect the declarations of the disciples who had just been baptized by The Holy Spirit, to the prophecy of Joel as an answer to their bewilderment and perplexing question over what this could possibly be. Then he used the keys to the Kingdom (Mt. 16:19) and proceeded to proclaim The Gospel of The Lord Jesus Christ, His miraculous ministry, and His atoning crucifixion death, His resurrection, ascension, and exaltation. When the hearers were pricked in heart and asked what they should do, Peter explained to them what was necessary for them to do in order to be saved from the crooked generation that crucified The Christ. “So on the one hand the ones, who heartily received his^/word delightedly, were baptized” (Acts 2:40 APT). However, Luke records discrimination by the early disciples. They confined the spread of The Gospel to Jews only. “Consequently on the one hand the ones, being dispersed on account of the tribulation which came to pass on the basis of Stephen, spread ^[went]abroad as far as Phoenicia^[Foinéekay] and Cyprus^[Kúprohs] and Antioch, speaking The Word to not one except only to Jews” (Acts 11:19 APT).

    Later in the summer of A.D. 37, Peter again used the keys to the Kingdom to introduce The Gospel of Christ to the Gentiles in Kaisáhreiah (see Acts 10:36-43 APT, read above before the Introduction). This time he included that: Jesus has been designated by The God, Judge of absolutely living ones and dead ones, and every one committing persistent trust in Him receives forgiveness of sins.

II. A FAITH PROVEN (EXERCISED).

    The faith that is exercised is saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ coupled with repentance, which commitment is proven by means of the Baptism by The Holy Spirit. The fact that one has been truly baptized by The Holy Spirit and therefore regenerated is proof that the faith committed to The Lord Jesus Christ has been accompanied by repentance and acknowledged by The Father. The change in lifestyle and persistent obedience to all Scripture is evidence that such repentance and saving faith has been committed. If there is any Scripture to which attention has been called that is not being persistently obeyed, but rather being persistently ignored and disobeyed by one professing to be regenerated, it is evidence that such a one is not regenerated.

    Notice the word used to express the time factor in the response and obedience of Kohrnáyleeohs is ‘immediately’ or ‘promptly’ (Acts 10:33). Also note that it was “as Peter began to speak” that The Holy Spirit baptized them (Acts 11:15,16). The Jews who were disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ had to ‘wait’ ten days (Acts 2:1 cf. 1:4,5. They had to be in one place, in one accord, and all together! However, Gentiles had to be regenerated (1 Jn. 2:29; 3:7-10), repent and commit persistent trust to be saved. The question is raised, Does regeneration take place before, after, or simultaneously with eternal Salvation? With Kohrnáyleeohs it occurred before Salvation. In this case The Scripture places regeneration before and not after Salvation which is obtained through repentance and faith (Acts 20:21). In the case of Kohrnáyleeohs, he had already repented and turned to The God from Sin or he could not have produced works of righteousness and have been “accepted with The God” (Acts 10:35).

III. AN ACTION PERFORMED.

    There must be an action performed on the part of the participant to be baptized by The Holy Spirit. Here with baptism by The Holy Spirit the action is repentance and appropriation of the finished work of The Lord Jesus Christ by faith (persistent committed trust unto Him). Peter’s immediate response to the inquirers who were pricked in heart on the Day of Pentecost was “Repent at once!” (Acts 2:37,38 APT). Without repentance and faith, righteousness is impossible. Every unrepentant human is a bondslave to sin (Jn. 8:34). “^/Jesus answered them, Amen, Amen, I am saying to you^&, ‘Everyone who continually commits the sin is continually a bondslave to the sin’” (Jn. 8:34 APT). Not only is every unrepentant human a bondslave to sin, but he or she is on the broad way leading down to eternal destruction. To get off that broad way on to the strait and narrow way, one must change the mind about the direction one is going and the lifestyle of sin one is living and turn around 180 degrees, which action is called repentance, and take the gift of eternal life by committing persistent active trust unto The Lord Jesus Christ. Otherwise one, continually being a bondslave to sin and persistently living in unrighteousness, is absolutely unable to be righteous and perform absolutely righteous acts. Therefore the action performed on the part of the participant to be baptized is repentance and persistent committed trust unto The Lord Jesus Christ.

IV. A CONFESSION PRONOUNCED.

    The confession that must be pronounced before Baptism by The Holy Spirit is as follows.

“I am a guilty sinner deserving eternal punishment. But I believe that The Perfect, Sinless, Lord Jesus Christ died in my stead, suffering the agony under the wrath of The God in darkness in my stead (Mk. 15:33,34 cf. Ps. 22:1,2; Lam. 3:1,2; 1:12-14). He shed His precious blood on Calvary, died, was buried, rose again the third day and ascended into Heaven (Jn. 20:17) to apply His precious blood on the Mercyseat as The Great High Priest (Heb. 9:11-15). Then He returned to Earth to prove Himself alive by many infallible proofs for forty days (Acts 1:3) before ascending to take His seat on His throne in Heaven. I now commit my persistent trust in the person and work of The Lord Jesus Christ. I exchange my old sinful life for His wonderful resurrected life to be lived through me (Mk. 8:37). I now belong to The Lord Jesus Christ who is my Savior and from henceforth will serve Him.

V. THE MEANING PROJECTED.

    The meaning of Baptism By The Holy Spirit indicates Relationship to The Godhead in two aspects:

A. One relationship to The Godhead is with God The Father. In this relationship, Baptism by The Holy Spirit brings the participant to be a member of The Family of God by new birth. The baptized one becomes a son of God. He or she is no longer a child of the devil but a child of The God by regeneration and a coheir with The Lord Jesus Christ (Jn. 1;12,13; 3:6-8; Rom. 8:16,17; Gal. 4:4-7 cf. Mt. 21:38).

“But as many as receive Him, to them He gave ⁰authority to become ⁰children ^{[relationship emphasis]} of ⁰God, namely to the ones continually committing trust unto His ^/name, the ones who were begotten, not of^[source] bloods, neither of^[source] fleshly determined will, nor of^[source] a man’s determined will, but^{[on the contrary] |}begotten^| by means of God” (Jn. 1;12,13 APT).

“The^~ one having been born^{[begotten or regenerated]} by means of the flesh is continually flesh and the^~ one having been born^{[begotten or regenerated]} by means of The Spirit is continuously spirit. Never marvel that I say to you^{$ |}alone^|, It is absolutely necessary for you^{& |}all^| to be born^{[begotten or regenerated]} from above^[again]. The wind^{[lit.: spirit]} keeps on blowing where it determinedly wills and you^$ keep hearing the sound of it, but^{[on the contrary]} you^$ are not perceiving^{[being aware]} from what place it is coming and where it is slipping^{[lead under]} away. In this way is everyone who is born^{[begotten or regenerated]} by means of The Spirit” (Jn. 3:6-8 APT).

“The Spirit Himself continually testifies together with the spirit of ours that we are continually ⁰God’s children^{[relationship emphasis]}. Now if (and it is true) children^{[relationship emphasis]}, also heirs; on the one hand heirs of God, but on the other hand coheirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer together in order that we be glorified^{[exalted with majestic radiant splendor]} together also.” (Rom. 8:16,17 APT).

“But when the fullness of the period of ^{[Dan. 9:25]}time came, The God sent^{[with commission]} out His ^/Son, ^|Who^| emerged^[became] out of a woman and emerged^[became] under ⁰law in order that He redeem^{[buy out of the marketplace]} out the ones under ⁰law, so that we fully receive the conferral of adult sonship. Now because you^& are sons, The God sent^{[with commission]} out The Spirit of His ^/Son into the hearts of yours ^&, exclaiming, Abbâ^{[Aramaic vocative: O Father (in prayer)]}, The Father. So that no longer are you^$ a bondslave, on the contrary a son. Now if (and it is true) a son, also an heir of God through Christ” (Gal. 4:4-7 APT).

“But when the vineyard^{[tenant farmers]} keepers beheld the son, they said among themselves, This one is the heir. Come! Let us kill him! And let us confiscate^{[firmly hold down]} his ^/inheritance” (Mt. 21:38 APT).

Not only does the one Baptized by The Holy Spirit have a special relationship to The God as a regenerated son, an heir, and also a coheir of The Lord Jesus Christ who shares all His possessions, but that one also has a unique relationship to The Lord Jesus Christ.

B. The other relationship to The Godhead is with The Lord Jesus Christ as a member of His Body (1 Cor. 12:12,13,27).

In this relationship Baptism by The Holy Spirit merges the participant as a member into the Body of Christ which is also the Church. The analogy of the human body is used by Paul to illustrate this marvelous relationship.

“For just as the body is one and is continually having many members but all the members of the one ^/body, although being many, it is one body, so also ^|is^| The Christ. For also by means of One Spirit we ourselves, whether Jews, whether Greeks, whether bondslaves, whether free ones from bondage, all were baptized into One Body. . . Now you^& yourselves are Christ’s ⁰body and members individually^{[literally: out of part]}” (1 Cor. 12:12,13,27 APT).

VI. AN INDICATION PRODUCED.

The indication that is produced by Baptism by The Holy Spirit is that persistent trust has been committed to The Lord Jesus Christ. It indicates that one has responded to The Gospel of Christ and yielded to the work of The Holy Spirit to bring him or her to Christ, to regenerate that one and unite him or her as an integral part of The Christ’s Body. Baptism by The Holy Spirit indicates one has been regenerated and may be a candidate for disciples’ Baptism. Warning! It is possible and more often in our day that one professing faith in Christ is baptized in water but not baptized by The Holy Spirit. This was the case of Simon, the Sorcerer (Acts 8:9-13, 18-23). Therefore it is well for the candidate for disciples’ baptism to carefully exam self in the light of Scripture and be sure oneself is regenerated before seeking disciple’s baptism. Although Simon the Sorcerer was baptized by means of water, He was not baptized by The Holy Spirit because Peter indicated that Simon was headed unto utter destruction and stated that he beheld him “in the gall of bitterness and the bonding together with unrighteousness” (Acts 8:20-23 APT).

“But Peter said to him, May your^{$ /}silver money be together with you^$ unto utter destruction! because you^$ presumed the gratuitous gift of The God to be acquired by means of resources. It is neither your^$ share nor allotted portion in This ^/Word. For your^{$ /}heart is not right^[straight] in the viewpoint of The God. Therefore repent away from this ^/iniquity of yours^$! And supplicate The God! if (and it is true), really the device of your^$ heart will be forgiven to you^$. For I behold you^$ being in ⁰gall of bitterness and ⁰bonding together of unrighteousness” (Acts 8:20-23 APT).

    Scripture does not indicate that Simon heeded Peter’s challenge to repent, therefore he perished.

VII. AN IDENTIFICATION PROFESSED.

The Baptism by The Holy Spirit identifies the committed disciple in relationship as a son of God The Father and coheir with The Christ and as a member of The Body The Lord Jesus Christ. There is: One Lord! One faith! One Body! One baptism! One God and Father of all! Yes, only one baptism! But many fillings! Since Scripture in referring to the descent of The Holy Spirit states that the disciples “were all filled with The Holy Spirit” some confuse filling with and baptism by The Holy Spirit, claiming they are one in the same simply because both initially occurred at the same time both with Jews and Gentiles (Acts 2:4; 10:44-46). But Paul exhorted the Ephesians, “And stop getting yourselves drunk with wine, by means of which is debauchery! But on the contrary, repeatedly be being filled fully with The Spirit!” (Eph. 5:18 APT). Here Paul used the present tense which is the lineal tense calling for continuous action, Be being filled with the Holy Spirit. Since ‘to fill’ is a verb indicating completed action, the helper word to indicate the continuous action is ‘repeatedly.” There is not just one baptism but there are repeated fillings - again and again (cf. Acts 2:4; 4:8,31; 9:17 cf. 13:9; 13:52). As stated above, “Only one baptism! But many fillings!” This is illustrated by the reported events by Luke in the Book of Acts as follows.

Initially all the disciples were filled with The Holy Spirit at the Baptism. “And they all individually were filled with ⁰Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:4). Then again later Luke wrote, “At that time Peter, being filled with ⁰Holy Spirit said to them, O rulers of the people^{[same race and language]} and elders of ^/Israel . . . . And when they supplicated, the place in which they had been gathered together was agitated and they all individually were filled with ⁰Holy Spirit and they kept repeatedly speaking The Word of The God with boldness of speech” (Acts 4:8, 31). Then in late Autumn A.D. 33, in Dahmahskóhs, “Then Ahnahnéeahs departed and he entered into the dwelling. And after placing his hands over upon him, he said, Brother Saul^[Saúlohs], The Lord Jesus, The⁺ One being beheld by you^$ in the way by which you^$ were coming, has sent^{[with commission]} me so that you^$ receive sight and be filled with ⁰Holy Spirit. . . . ” (Acts 9:17 cf. 13:9 APT). Then later on his first missionary journey at Páhfohs on the isle of Cyprus Paul was opposed by Ehlúmahs the sorcerer. “Then Saul (who also ^|is^| Paul) being filled with ⁰Holy Spirit and after staring against him said, Oh one filled full of all deceit and of all falsification! O devil’s son! O enemy of all righteousness! You^$ will not stop distorting the Lord’s straight ^/ways, will you^$? . . . But after themselves shaking off the blown dust of their feet against them, they came unto Eekóh-neeohn. Then the disciples were fully filled with joy and ⁰Holy Spirit” (Acts 13:9, 52 APT).

    Now notice the comparison of the baptisms considered thus far.

COMPARISON OF THE FIRST FIVE BAPTISMS:

    The Baptism unto Moses took place at the beginning of Israel’s relationship to The God under the Law. The people of Israel were delivered from the power of sin and from the world behind them through redemption by the blood of the Passover lamb in Egypt and through redemption by power in passing through the Red Sea. This was accomplished so that the world had no more dominion and control over them. They were free from bondage and Sin and were identified with The True God to prepare an habitation for The God.

    The Baptism by John took place at the close of Israel’s relationship to God under the Law. Those Jews baptized by John after repentance were identified with the Kingdom of God and Heaven, marking those Israelites out as those who were forgiven of their sins and awaiting the coming of Christ (The Messiah) because not all Israel was awaiting The Messiah. These two baptisms recorded in The New Testament refer to The Old Testament. One baptism referred to the initiation of a nation under Law and the other the conclusion of the nation under Law and introduced them to the new relationship to The Messiah.

    The Baptism of Christ took place at the beginning of the ministry of The Lord Jesus Christ in preparation of The New Covenant and indicated His righteousness. It identified Him as The Fulfiller of all Righteousness. This Baptism introduced The One Who is The Lamb of The God Who fulfilled all righteousness enabling Him to take away Sin and establish righteousness.

    The Baptism of Violent Death for The Lord Jesus Christ took place at the end of His physical human life on Friday, 14 Nisan (April 3), A.D. 33, when He endured the fiery wrath of The God upon Sin for the whole world of people from the creation of human beings. The Baptism of Violent Death for the disciples of The Lord Jesus Christ takes place when they face violent physical death to be martyred for the sake of The Lord Jesus Christ. The Baptism of Violent Death for the unregenerate ones takes place at the end of time immediately after the Great White Throne Judgment takes place in outer space.

    The Baptism by The Holy Spirit initially took place for the Jewish disciples on the Day of Pentecost, Sunday, 5 Sivan (May 24), A.D. 33 in Jerusalem when The Holy Spirit descended to abide on Earth with (in the midst of) the disciples of Christ which make up His Church forever. Baptism by The Holy Spirit took place on the Gentiles a little more than four years later in the summer of A.D. 37 in the home of Kohrnáyleeohs in Kaisáhreiah. Thereafter it took place on both Jews and Gentiles anywhere in the world at the time of regeneration.

CONCLUSION:

    Baptism by The Holy Spirit indicates that repentance toward The God and faith in The Lord Jesus Christ has been committed. This baptism identifies two new relationships to The Godhead. It identifies the committed disciple in relationship with The God The Father as a son and coheir with The Christ and with The Lord Jesus Christ as a member of His Body. In response: to The Lord Jesus Christ’s offer of love, Salvation, and the gift of eternal life; to The Holy Spirit’s ministry; and to The Gospel by means of obedience, submission, repentance, and persistent committed trust unto The Lord Jesus Christ, baptism by The Holy Spirit takes place. What are the results when one is baptized by The Holy Spirit? There are three results: regeneration, recognition of The Body and Spiritual Gifts, and righteousness.

    A. The first result of Baptism by The Holy Spirit is Regeneration (new birth).

Charismatics, Pentecostals, and others who emphasize “the second blessing” maintain that Holy Spirit baptism follows salvation as an added step in the spiritual life. Yet the indication of Holy Spirit baptism accompanied salvation in the life of Kohrnáyleeohs and indicated to Peter and the six Jewish brethern that accompanied him to Kaisáhreiah that Kohrnáyleeohs had been regenerated through repentance and faith (Acts 11:14,17,18).

B. The second result of Baptism by The Holy Spirit is Recognition of the Body of Christ and Its members gifted spiritually (1 Cor. 12:12-31;14:40).

“For just as the body is one and is continually having many members but all the members of the one ^/body, although being many, it is one body, so also ^|is^| The Christ. For also by means of One Spirit we ourselves, whether Jews, whether Greeks, whether bondslaves, whether free ones from bondage, all were baptized into One Body. For also the body is not one member, but^{[on the contrary]} many. If (and it may be) the foot say, Because I am not a ⁰hand, I am not of the body; not because of this, it is of^[source] the body, is it not? And if (and it may be) the ear say, Because I am not an ⁰eye, I am not of^[source] the body; not because of this, it is of^[source] the body, is it not? If (and it is not true) the whole body ^|were^| an eye, where ^|would be^| the hearing? If (and it is not true) the whole ^|were^| hearing, where ^|would be^| the smelling? But even now The God placed for Himself the members, each one of them in The Body, according as He determinedly willed. Now if (and it is not true) it, the all, were continually one member, where ^|would be^| the body? But now on the one hand many members, but on the other hand one body. But an ⁰eye is not able to say to the hand, I do not have need of you^$; nor again the head to the feet, I do not have need of you^&. On the contrary by much rather the members of the body seeming to exist more infirm are essential. And which ^|members^| of the body we suppose to be without more precious respected value, we place around these more excessive respected precious value. And our ^/dishonorable^~ ones are continually having more excessive honorableness, but the honorable ones^~ of ours are not having a need. On the contrary, The God combined the body, giving to the lacking ^|members^| more excessive precious respected value in order that a schism not be in the body, but^{[on the contrary]} the members be anxious about the same in behalf of one another. And whether one member is suffering, all the members are suffering together. Whether one member be glorified^{[exalted with majestic radiant splendor]}, all the members are rejoicing together. Now you^& yourselves are Christ’s ⁰body and members individually. And in fact ^|ones^| whom^& The God placed in the Church ^|are^|: firstly ^{[before others]} apostles, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, thereupon miraculous powers, afterward grace-gifts of curings, assistances, administrations^[pilotings], kinds of languages. All ^|are^| not apostles, are they? All ^|are^| not prophets, are they? All ^|are^| not teachers, are they? All ^|have^| not miraculous powers, do they? All are not having grace-gifts of curings, are they? All are not speaking in languages, are they? All are not distinctly interpreting, are they? But continually boil with envious zeal for the better grace-gifts! And yet I show to you^& an extremely exceptional way” (1 Cor. 12:12-31 APT).

“All things are to occur honorably and according to order^{[regular disposition]}” (1 Cor. 14:40).

All uses of the gifts must be done in The God’s way and not our way!

C. The third result of Baptism by The Holy Spirit is Righteousness. The God imputes His perfect righteousness to the one who is simultaneously regenerated and baptized by His Holy Spirit. Additionally, since the Holy Spirit indwells the disciple He regenerates, He also empowers that disciple to live righteously and produce the fruits of righteousness. By appropriating the power of The Indwelling Holy Spirit by faith the baptized disciple is enabled to conduct godly victorious living through The Glorious, Resurrected Lord Jesus Christ (2 Cor. 5:17; 2 Cor. 5:17; Heb. 5:12-14).

“So that if (and it is true) anyone ^|be^| in Christ, a new^{[in nature or quality, unused]} creature! The early^~ things passed away. Lo! the all^~ things are permanently become a new^{[in nature or quality, unused]} kind” (2 Cor. 5:17 APT).

“. . . in ⁰full knowledge^{[from experience]} of The God and of Jesus, The Lord of ours! as all the^~ things of the divine miraculous power of His of Himself have been freely given to us in accord with^{[to the face of]} absolute life and godly piety through the full knowledge^{[from experience]} of The⁺ One ^|Who^| summoned us by reason of glory and moral excellence^{[virtue: a standard of living that conforms to the character of Christ]} by which the greatest and respectful preciously valued promises stand freely given to us, so that through these you^& became partakers of ⁰divine nature and ones ^|who^| successfully fled away from the destruction by corruption in the world by means of passionate lust” (2 Pet. 1:2-4 APT).

“For even after the interval of the period of time when you^& are ^[legally]obligated to be teachers, you^& have need in order for one to teach you^& again the certain fundamental principles of the beginning of The Oracles of The God. And you^& have become ones continually having need of milk, and not of solid nourishment. For everyone who is participating in milk ^|is^| unacquainted with the content of ⁰Word of Righteousness, for he is an infant. But the solid nourishment is belonging to completely mature ones, the ones having their senses exercised through ^/habitual use to discrimination between both intrinsically good and evil ^{[includes worthless]}” (Heb. 5:12-14 APT).

     How does your understanding of Baptism by The Holy Spirit compare with The God’s Word? How will you live in the light of what God’s Word teaches on this subject? What changes will you choose to permit The Holy Spirit to make in your life and lifestyle? What will you do to conform to the true meaning of Baptism by The Holy Spirit?

^{| |} understood   ^$singular   ^&plural   ^/the  ⁰no article  ⁺masculine  ^~neuter
^{[ ]}basic meaning  / \ manuscripts divided   ^{^}femine

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Last modified: April 5, 2010