There are several ideas amongst Christians about
baptism in the Holy Ghost.
Firstly, this doctrine of the Holy Spirit was only
a transitional one until that which is perfect is come in 1st Corinthians ch 13
v 8-13, which is presumed to be the completion of the Bible, that’s when the
gift of tongues, prophecy and word of knowledge is supposed to cease.
Secondly, when Jesus told Nicodemus – John 3 v 6
“Ye must be born again, that which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which
is born of the spirit is spirit”, many believe they receive or are baptised in
the Holy Ghost when they believe and are born again.
Thirdly, it is also believed that when a person
believes in Jesus Christ as their saviour they are then baptised in water,
followed by the laying on of hands/prayer to receive the Holy Ghost.
In Matthew ch 3 v 11 John the Baptist was speaking
– “I indeed baptise you with water unto repentance; but he that cometh after me
is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear, He shall baptise you
with the Holy Ghost and with fire”.
John ch 7 v 38-39 – Jesus said, “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”.
John ch 14 v 26 – “But the comforter which is the
Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things
and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you”.
John ch 16 v 7 – “Nevertheless I tell you the
truth, it is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the comforter
will not come unto you, but if I depart I will send him unto you”.
Acts ch 1 v 5 – Jesus said, “John truly baptised
with water but you shall be baptised with the Holy Ghost not many days hence”.
Acts ch 1 v 8 – “but ye shall receive power after
that the Holy Ghost is come upon you”.
Acts ch 2 v 2-4 - “And suddenly a sound from
heaven as a rushing mighty wind and it filled the house where they were sitting,
and there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire and it sat upon each
of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with
other tongues as the spirit gave them utterance”.
The people that were there were amazed because they came from sixteen
different nations and they all spoke different languages. The Holy Spirit enabled the disciples
to speak fluently in all these different languages.
Acts ch2 v 13-18 -
“Others mocking said they were full of new wine but Peter stood up and
said, these are not drunk as you suppose seeing it is but the third hour of the
day, but this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
And it shall come to pass in the last
days ,saith God, I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh and your sons and your
daughters shall prophesy and your young men shall see visions and your old men
shall dream dreams”.
Peter then
preached unto the crowd about Jesus whom they crucified.
Acts ch 2 v 33 – “therefore Jesus being at the
right hand of God exalted and having received of the father the promise of the
Holy Ghost he has shed forth this which you now see and hear”.
Acts ch 2 v 37 – “when they heard this they were
pricked in their heart and said unto Peter and the rest of the apostles, men and
brethren what shall we do?”
Acts ch 2 v 38-39. “Then Peter said unto them,
repent and be baptised every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the
remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, for the
promise is unto you and to your children and to all that are afar off, even as
many as the Lord our God shall call.
Acts ch 8 is a record of Philip preaching Jesus
down in Samaria, and when the people heard him and saw the miracles which he did
they believed and were baptised in water in the name of the Lord Jesus. In verse
14 it says, “now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria
had received the word of God they sent unto them Peter and John, who, when they
were come down prayed for them that they might
receive the Holy Ghost for as yet he was fallen on none of them, only they were baptised in
the name of the Lord Jesus,
then they laid
their hands on them and they received the Holy Ghost”. These people of Samaria believed and
were baptised in water in the name of the Lord Jesus and sometime later they
received the Holy Ghost by the laying on of the apostles’ hands. This was the third dimension as
explained in Acts ch 2 vs 38-39.
Acts ch 10 is a record of Peter preaching the gospel to a gentile called
Cornelius and his friends. In verse
44, “while Peter spake these words the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard
the word, and the Jews which came with Peter were astonished because that on the
gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost for they heard them
speak with tongues and magnify God”, then Peter said, “can any man forbid water
that these should not be baptised, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as
we?, and he commanded them to be baptised in the name of the Lord”. Here the people were baptised in the
Holy Ghost before they were baptised in water.
Acts ch 19 v 1-6,
When Paul arrived in Ephesus he found certain disciples and said unto
them – “have you received the Holy Ghost since you believed?, and they said unto
him we have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost, and he said
unto them what then were you baptised unto?, and they said unto John’s baptism,
then said Paul, John verily baptised with the baptism of repentance saying unto
the people that they should believe on Him which should come after him, that is
on Christ Jesus, when they heard this they were baptised in the name of the Lord
Jesus and when Paul had laid his hands upon them the Holy Ghost came on them and
they spake with tongues and prophesied”.
These people believed and were baptised in water in the name of the Lord
Jesus and afterwards they received the Holy Ghost by the laying on of Paul’s
hands.
All these scriptures confirm that people must
first believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, secondly they are to be baptised in
water in the name of the Lord Jesus, finally to receive the Holy Ghost by the
laying on of hands with the evidence of speaking in other tongues. The only
exception to this sequence being where the Holy Ghost was poured out on the
Gentiles while Peter was still speaking to them, then they were baptised in
water later – Acts 10 v 44-48. This sequence of events is well laid out in Acts
ch 2 vs 38-39, where the promise of the Holy Ghost is to everyone after they
have believed. This teaching is also
supported by Ephesians ch1 v 13 where the believers were sealed with the Holy
Spirit of promise
after they believed.