BAPTIZED WITH THE SPIRIT

by

Milton S. Agnew

Upon examination, the heart of the subject, "Baptized with the Spirit," appears to be twofold: Is the fullness of the Spirit an initial or a subsequent experience for the believer? And is the description of this experience limited to the expression of being "baptized with the Spirit"?

Surely the best approach to the subject is the approach made by Jesus Himself. Before He ever spoke of the baptism with the Spirit, which John had announced (Matt. 3), and which He Himself, after His resurrection, endorsed (Acts 1), Jesus spoke of the sanctification of the believer (John17:17) which this baptism was to accomplish. So let us also start there.

John 17:17-19 indicates the heart of Jesus' high-priestly prayer: "Sanctify them through thy truth." Verse 9 indicates that this prayer was not for "the world"-for unbelievers-because they were not ready for sanctification. They needed first to be saved. It was for the men who already were His, whose names already were written in heaven Luke 10:20), who needed not to be justified, to be saved, but to be sanctified. And that prayer was made not only for the Twelve, but for all believers, of all time: "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word" (John 17-20). Thus, since the benefactors of the prayer were to be believers, and only believers, it was not initial sanctification to which He was referring, for that is accomplished at the time of conversion (see I Cor. 6:9-11). Neither was it only progressive sanctification, for His petition in John 17:17 is recorded in the aorist tense, the tense of a specific act at an identifiable time, known as punctiliar action. This prayer of Christ, furthermore, was saturated with the Holy Spirit, regarding whose coming upon believers Jesus had only hours before carefully expounded in the "paraclete" sayings of John 14-16.

Surely, then, in this prayer Christ was setting the pattern for the plan of atonement in its fullness for all ages-the need for and the provision of a cleansing, empowering experience following justification. To this end He was "sanctifying" Himself-not only that He might extend to sinners eternal life through faith (John 3:16), but also that He might sanctify, through faith, the church, the believers (Eph. 5:25-27), in an identifiable act (v. 26, aorist tense), and that the church, the believers, should then consistently live a holy, unblamable life (v. 27, present tense of continued action).

Thus Paul was justified in praying for the young but commendable church (1 Thes. 1:6-7; 2:19-20) that God would sanctify them wholly-spirit, soul and body-in a precise post-conversion act of grace (1 Thes. 5:23, aorist tense). In like fashion could the Hebrew Christians be exhorted to become (aorist tense) partakers of His holiness (Heb. 12:10), and the "scattered strangers," who knew what it was to be "begotten . . . unto a lively hope," be exhorted to become holy even "as he which hath called you is holy" (1 Pet. 1:15), since this verb also is expressed in the aorist tense of an identifiable transaction.

Now, as the administrator of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit in the atonement would carry out the plans of the Father (1 Tim. 2:3-4), and the provisions of the Son (1 Tim. 2:5-6). It is He who would bring conviction (John 16:7-11), regeneration (John 3:3-8), justification (1 Cor. 6:11) and adoption (Gal. 4:4-7) to the repentant sinner. It is also He who would expedite this experience of holy living, as planned by God the Father (Eph. 1:4), and purchased by the Son (Eph. 5:25-26; Heb. 13:12). Now, a few days after identifying in His high priestly prayer of John 17 the plan for the sanctification of the believer at the cost of His own life, Jesus disclosed that the Holy Spirit, under the new dispensation, would be available to the believer in a new way as "the promise of the Father" and as the baptism "with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 1:4-5). The fullness of the Holy Spirit promised by the Father (Luke 11:13; John 7:37-39) was to be the means for accomplishing the redemptive blessings of holiness. And this "promise of the Father" was not exclusive, either to the Jewish people or to that generation, but "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 2:38-39; cf. 1 Thes. 5:24).

If this truth is comprehended, then the relationship of various terms given to the means, namely the effusion of the Spirit, can be meaningful. For the means is not always called "baptism with the Spirit." Indeed, it is never 90 called. The noun "baptism" is never used with the Spirit, only the verb.

Note further that the term "baptized with the Spirit" is used on only four occasions: by John in Matthew 3:11 (cf. Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33); by Jesus in Acts 1:5; by Peter in Acts 11:16; and by Paul in 1 Corinthians 12:13. However, the term has numerous synonymous expressions.

For example, there was the initial filling of the believer with the Holy Spirit as in Acts 2:4 and 9:17. The personal experience of Spirit-baptism for believers is also termed "come upon" (Acts 1:8; 19:6), "poured on" (2:18), "fell on" (10:44), and "received" (Acts 8:17). This latter term is interesting and meaningful, for Jesus said that the world, the unsaved, the unbelievers "cannot receive" the Comforter (John 14:17; see Acts 19:2, 6). There is a chronological order between becoming a believer and "receiving" the Holy

Spirit, and the second is not an automatic sequence of the first.

Further synonymous expressions for baptized with the Spirit are the phrases "promise of the Father" (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:4; 2:33, 39), and "the gift of the Holy Ghost" (Acts 2:38). So, although the term "baptized with the Spirit" is not frequently used, there are numerous references to it throughout the history of the early church. .

In addition, the experience of entire sanctification activated by the fullness of the Spirit is of general and abiding interest throughout the New Testament. To miss this relationship established by Jesus and perpetuated by history recorded in Acts and by admonitions in the Epistles, is to miss the heart of the meaning of "baptized with the Holy Spirit."

In summary, the "initial" experience with the Holy Spirit is that of being wooed by the Spirit (Rev. 22:17), justified (I Cor. 6:11), regenerated (John 3:3-8), and adopted (Gal. 4:4-7) by the Spirit. Thus, he who has not the presence of the Spirit of Christ is, indeed, "none of his" (Rom. 8:9). But it is one thing to enjoy the presence of, or to possess the Spirit, and another thing to be filled with, to be possessed by the Spirit. It is one thing to be born of the Spirit, and another to be baptized with the Spirit. This unfortunately has often been confused. It is through this infilling, this reception, this baptism that God performs the cleansing, the entire sanctification for those who already believe in Him (John 17:20). It is not an "initial" experience.

For example, the Corinthians shared with all other believers the honor of being as a church "the temple of God," in that "the Spirit of God dwelleth in you" (1 Cor. 3:16); and, as individuals in that "your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you" (1 Cor. 6:19). But the temple was not "filled." They were not spiritual, Spirit-filled, but carnal, having envying, strife, divisions.

This thorough cleansing effect of the filling is evident from the very beginning of the new dispensation. Peter, in recalling (Acts 11 and 15) what happened at Caesarea to Cornelius and his household (Acts 10), reports, not the speaking in tongues, but the purification of the hearts of believers, by faith, in the same way the Spirit had acted on the disciples on the Day of Pentecost. That this gift of the Holy Spirit came, not as an "initial experience" but after conversion, even though only momentarily afterward for Cornelius, is indicated by the NASB's accurate rendering of the aorist participle in Acts 11:17: "If God therefore gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way?"

It is true that the coming of the Holy Spirit on the disciples at Ephesus (Acts 19) is claimed by some to be an "initial experience." However, it is rather convincingly argued by others not to have been an "initial experience," because "disciples" (19:1), when not clearly associated with some person--such as disciples of John and of the Pharisees (John 1:35; Mark 2:18)-indicates disciples of Jesus. Furthermore, at least in the margin, NIV is willing to translate the aorist participle of verse 2 in harmony with the KJV, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit after you believed?"

The Samaritans of Acts 8, however, surely did not receive the Holy Spirit as an "initial" experience. They "with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spoke" (v. 6), they "believed" (v.12), they "had received the word of God" (v. 14) and they had been baptized (v. 12), but on them the Holy Spirit had "not yet fallen" (v. 16). Afterward they "received the Holy Ghost" (v. 17).

Then there were "they" who were "all filled with the Holy Ghost" (Acts 4:31). These must have included some of the additional converts recorded in verse 4, of whom there is no previous record of their being filled with the Spirit. This would then be other than an "initial experience" for them. Further, did the 3,000 converts of the Day of Pentecost actually receive the "gift of the Holy Ghost" (2:38) on that occasion? It is not clearly so stated. Therefore, might not at least some of them also have been receiving the Holy Ghost those several days later (4:31) in an experience which would not have been an "initial experience" of the baptism at the time of their conversion?

It would appear, then, that historical evidence is extensive, but perhaps not conclusive, against the baptism with the Holy Spirit being an "initial experience. "

However, there is also circumstantial evidence. Who would deny that the troubled Corinthians (1 Cor. 1:10-11; 3:1-4) needed such a baptism (2 Cor. 7:1)? The model Thessalonian church was urgently presented to the Lord for such an infilling that would sanctify them wholly (1 Thes. 5:23). As previously noted, the Ephesian church was reminded of the price paid for its sanctification (Eph. 5:25), the Hebrew believers of the provision made for their "partaking of his holiness" (Heb. 12:10; 13:12), the "born again

Christians" of 1 Peter 1:3 of the challenge of becoming holy (1:15)-all manifestly to be implemented by an outpouring of, a reception of, a baptism with the Holy Spirit.

Thus, neither the baptism with the Holy Spirit, nor the spiritual results of this baptism constitute a typical "initial experience" in the New Testament record.

The burden of the evidence, however, that the baptism with the Spirit is not an "initial experience," but a subsequent one for the believer, is established by clear teaching from the Word.

On the negative side is Jesus' statement that the world "can not" receive the Comforter (John 14:17). The world is not even aware that He exists. Furthermore, later the same evening Jesus declared that He was not praying for the world when He prayed that people be sanctified (John 17:9, 17). Unbelievers are not ready for sanctification. They need to be saved.

On the positive side is Jesus' command to His disciples that they should receive the Holy Spirit (John 20:22). This "receive ye" is an aorist imperative, indicating incisive action of an event, which event proved to be their being baptized with-"suddenly filled" with-the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:5; 2:4; cf. Acts 11:16-17). This admonition could not be fulfilled however, until after Jesus was glorified (John 7:39). It is to be noted that the action indicated by "receive" (lambano) is normally active and volitional, a deliberate taking. Revelation 22:17 declares: "And whosoever will, let him take (lambano) the water of life freely." On the positive side also is His prayer for His disciples (John 17:6-9), and specifically for believers of all time-"them also which shall believe on me through their word" (John 17:20)-that they might become sanctified, made holy (John 17:17). Again an aorist imperative is used, indicating incisive action of an event-an event which materialized for the Eleven at Pentecost, and which may materialize for all believers (v. 20) at their Pentecost. What a penetrating, moving thought for every Christian! Who can fathom its impact? On the positive side again is Peter's assurance to the converts on the day of Pentecost that "the gift of the Holy Ghost," "the promise of the Father," is "unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God should call" (Acts 2:38-39).

H. Orton Wiley says of the Spirit:

There is evidence that, even in the first-century church, all believers were not Spirit-filled Christians. For it was necessary that a search be made for men "of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom" (Acts 6:3). Barnabas 1ater was set apart among believers as being "a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith" (11:24). In the early church then there is evidence that the baptism with the Holy Spirit was not common to all, therefore not an "initial experience."

We suggest again that to start where Jesus started, with the experience of sanctification for believers, is to certify that the baptism with, the filling with, the "receiving" of the Holy Spirit was not to be an "initial experience," but was available to initiate a subsequent work of grace, as planned by God the Father (Eph. 1:4), as purchased by God the Son (Eph. 5:25-26), as administered by God the Holy Spirit (2 Thes. 2:13), in the hearts, not of the "world," but of the believers.

There is one text, however, the fourth occasion of the speaking of the baptism with the Spirit, which raises questions, namely 1 Corinthians 12:13: "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free- and have been all made to drink of one Spirit."

The first problem is the use of "by" in the KJV, NASB, NIV and some other translations. This is in spite of the fact that en, when associated with baptism, is everywhere else universally translated "with" or "in." Thus the usual translation makes water or the Holy Spirit to be the element or medium with which one is baptized, either by John the Baptist or by Jesus as the agent. This unique translation, "by one Spirit," makes the Spirit the agent. He does the baptizing. But it provides no medium or element with which the Holy Spirit would baptize, and leaves the statement incomplete, incomprehensible, confusing.

Now, if one is willing to concede the correct translation to be "with" or "in," as does NEB, RV, Weymouth, Goodspeed, and the NASB margin, then the Holy Spirit is the medium or element, and Christ is understood to be the agent as in all other instances, and the statement is comprehensible and meaningful. Indeed this agrees with Paul's statement in Ephesians 4:4-5, "There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism." For, as stated by Ralph Earle: "The only distinctive and utterly unique Christian baptism is the baptism with the Holy Spirit. That cannot be duplicated by any other religion. It is peculiarly Christ’s. 'He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit.'"³ Therefore, we would contend for "baptized with the Spirit."

It may well be that the early disciples accepted that this baptism would be confined to Jewish believers. Indeed, Peter expressed evident surprise when he discovered that the Gentiles were to be included: "And I remembered the word of the Lord, how He used to say, 'John baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' If God therefore gave to them the same gift as He gave to us also after believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could stand in God's way?" (Acts 11:16-17, NASB).

With that accepted, it is sometimes said that 1 Corinthians 12:13 marks the baptism with the Holy Spirit as an "initial experience" common to every believer, introducing him into the church. But does not Christ accept into His Church him who is born of the Spirit (John 3:6)? Acts 2:47 declares: "And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved." This is profoundly clear, and simple.

We question then if there is not another, different interpretation to these verses, fully supported by the context. We suggest that 1 Corinthians 12:13 is not describing how "all believers" as individuals become members of the body of Christ. They, including the Corinthians (1 Cor. 12:27; cf. Acts 18:8), had become members of the church upon a statement of faith that they were saved, testified to by water baptism.

Note carefully the composition of the verse. "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free: and have been all made to drink into one Spirit." This deals, therefore, not with membership IN the body but with unity WITHIN the body. Verse 12 declares "the body is one," and verse 13, "we were all baptized into one body." The "we all" speaks not of all individuals, but of all classes of people-"bond or free-of all nations of persons-"Jews or Gentiles."

Note the contrast, the distinction, made by means of emphasis in the Greek, between "ye" (v. 27) and "we all" (v. 13). Ye are members of the body of Christ. We, in addition, have found unity within the body. Thus verse 13 speaks not of "our" initial entry into the body of Christ-that already had been accomplished by the Holy Spirit and faith and been witnessed to by water baptism-but of "our" receiving, irrespective of national origin or status in society, such an additional baptism of the Spirit as to enable "us" to become a harmonious part of a unified, spiritual church, in spite of "our" diverse background and origin. The church, really to be the Church of God, must have harmony, unity, cohesion. And this has already, in Paul's day, proved practical with a great host of believers in his wide ministry.

Hear him testifying to this. Verse 13 states, "For with one Spirit we-whether Jews or Gentiles, whether bond or free-were all baptized into one body [by being unified in holiness], and we were all made to drink into one Spirit [thus becoming Spirit-filled Christians]." (Cf. John 7:37-39.)

Surely this total presentation agrees with Peter's offer: "For the promise [of the gift of the Holy Spirit] is unto you [mainly Jews], and to your children [of succeeding centuries], and to all that are afar off [Gentiles and heathen], even as many as the Lord our God shall call" (Acts 2:39).

There follow in 1 Corinthians 12:14-24, in a long parenthesis leading to verse 25, the details about the unfortunate divisiveness 90 frequently found among the many parts of the body of Christ, and actually displayed in the unspiritual divisive Corinthian church, and the possibility of unity among the diversified gifts and functions of the members. Verses 13 and 25 are then related one to the other, "For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body, . . . That there should be no division in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another." Again, the purpose of Spirit-baptism here declared is not entrance INTO, or membership IN the body, but unity WITHIN the body. Paul continues, "And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all members rejoice with it" (v. 26, NASB). This is the ideal, the goal, indeed the standard. "Now you [Corinthians] are Christ's body, and individually members of it" (v. 27, NASB) by individual faith, attested to by water baptism (Acts 18:8; cf. 2-47). But you are divisive and marked by jealousy and strife (1 Cor. 1:10-11; 3:1-3). Come into this unity, this harmony by being baptized with the Holy Spirit! God longs for, and through the gift of the Holy Spirit, through the baptism with the Holy Spirit, has provided for a harmonious Spirit-filled church (1 Cor. 12:24-25). Accept His provisions!

Charles Carter, in supporting this view, states in his commentary on 1 Corinthians:

In the Church today there are divisive, schismatic members-only too many of them. Christ loved that Church and gave Himself for it (as well as for the sinful world) "that he might sanctify and cleanse it" (Eph. 5:25-26). The oneness, repeatedly prayed for by Jesus for His Church (John 17:11, 20, 21, 22) will only be achieved when individual Christians are "sanctified" (John 17:17) through the baptism with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4-5).

Is not a true baptism with the Holy Spirit the crying need of the church today?

Notes

¹Peter (Acts 4:8) and at least some of the disciples (Acts 4:31) and Paul (Acts 13:9) were again filled after the initial filling, indicating that, because of extenuating circumstances (Acts 4:7-13, 24-31), because of the expending of spiritual energy (Luke 6:19; 8:46), because of increased capacity, and because in the true sense the Holy Spirit is not contained as in a vessel but is accommodated as by a channel (John 7:38)-for these reasons continual renewals of the Spirit are needed and are provided, even as indicated in Eph. 5:18 where "be filled" is in the present tense of a continual or repeated action. This situation is sometimes termed, "one baptism, but many fillings. "

²Ralph Earle, The Gospel According to Mark in The Evangelical Commentary on the Bible (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1957), p. 30.

³H. Orton Wiley, Christian Theology (Kansas City: Beacon Hill Press, 1941), 2:321.

⁴Charles W. Carter, "The First Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians," in The Wesleyan Bible Commentary, ed. Charles W. Carter et al. (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1965), 5:202.

Edited by KimberLee Bingham for the Wesley Center for Applied Theology of Northwest Nazarene University, 2000.