What is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit?
I
recently had someone ask me if I believed the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and
the Gifts of the Spirit are still relevant today. Here is how I answered him.
What is the Baptism of the
Holy Spirit
Scripture
tells us the moment we place our trust in Jesus we are baptized into the Body
of Christ by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13; cf. Titus 3:4-6). At that
moment, we immediately become a “work in progress” for God in which the Holy
Spirit becomes the Chief Architect in our lives. As a work in progress we
begin a transformational process, in which the Holy Spirit indwells (John 14:17), seals
(Eph. 1:13-14; 4:30), comforts (John 16:7), guides (John 16:13), and ultimately
conforms us into the image of Jesus (cf. Rom. 8:29).
When talking
about Baptism of the Holy Spirit beyond the conversion experience (cf. 1
Corinthians 12:13), I believe it is important to have a clear definition of
what we are talking about when we use this term.
If baptism
of the Holy Spirit is synonymous with being touched by, filled by, or having a
manifestation of the Holy Spirit, then I am supportive of baptism of the Holy
Spirit multiple times in one’s life that goes beyond our conversion experience.
If baptism of the Holy Spirit is not synonymous with these other terms, then I
believe it takes place at conversion only, and these other biblical terms
should be used in place of it to describe this type of movement of the Holy
Spirit in ones life. Whatever terms we choose to call it, the Holy Spirit is
still alive, and still wanting to transform us, empower us, and use us to do
great things for God’s Kingdom.
The
terminology that I am more comfortable with when speaking about the work and
movement of the Holy Spirit in a believers life after the moment of salvation,
is “being filled with the Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 5:18), "led" by the Holy Spirit (Luke 4:1), or having the
“manifestation” of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:7), or even being “moved” by the Spirit (2 Peter 1:21).
When Paul exhorts the
Ephesians to “be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 6:18), the Greek word for
“filled” is a verb in the present tense. It is a command to be filled, and
“keep on” being filled. It is a continuous and never ending action. It is
somewhat like the importance of us breathing air into our lungs. This too is a
continuous and never ending action. In order for us to stay alive, we have to
breath and keep on breathing. The alternative is physical death. Being filled
constantly and continually by the Holy Spirit is as vital to our spiritual life
as breathing air into our lungs is to our physical life. Believers who are not
being filled with the Holy Spirit, and who continue in this state begin dying
spiritually.
The evidence that a person
has been baptized in the Spirit (or is filled with, touched by, moved by, etc.)
will be seen in the way the fruit of the Spirit is being manifested in their
lives (Galatians 5:22-23), and the power of the Spirit is being witnessed from
their lives (Acts 1:8). The Bible tells us that when this is taking place in a
person’s life they will not only be living in the Spirit, but they will be
walking in the Spirit (Gal. 5:25).
