Baptizing Work of the Holy Spirit

H.S. 20091206

Baptizing Work of the Holy Spirit

DEFINITION

The baptizing work of the Holy Spirit may be defined as that work whereby the Spirit places the believer into union with Christ and into union with other believers in the Body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:13).

EXPLANATION

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is unique to the church age.

1 Corinthians 12:12-13 (NIV) 12 The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. 13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

Acts 1:4-5 (NIV) 4 On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."

Acts 11:15-16 (NIV) 15 "As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. 16 Then I remembered what the Lord had said: 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'

The baptism of the Holy Spirit includes all believers in this age.

Romans 6:3-5 (NIV) 3 Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. 5 If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.

Galatians 3:26-28 (NIV) 26 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

The baptism of the Holy Spirit brings believers into union with other believers in the Body of Christ. (1 Cor. 12:13).

The baptism of the Holy Spirit brings believers into union with Christ. The very ones that were “baptized into Christ” (Rom. 6:3) were also “united with Him” (Rom. 6:5).

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is not experiential. Since this is a work done to the believer and not by the believer, and since the baptism occurs simultaneous to salvation, it is not experiential.

The baptism of the Holy Spirit is performed by the Holy Spirit. There are not two baptisms by the Spirit. Some groups distinguish between 1 Corinthians 12:13, “by one Spirit,” suggesting the placing into the Body and Acts 1:5, “with the Holy Spirit,” suggesting a subsequent act of empowering for service. However, the same Greek preposition en is used in both phrases, and it is precarious at best to attempt a distinction where the same Greek phrase is used in both passages. The Holy Spirit is the agent of the baptism (Acts 1:5; 1 Cor. 12:13). (Merrill F. Unger, The Baptism and Gifts of the Holy Spirit (Chicago: Moody, 1974))

Indwelling of the Holy Spirit

FACT OF THE INDWELLING

John 14:16-17 (NIV) 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever-- 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

The Holy Spirit is a gift.

John 7:37-39 (NIV) 37 On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.

1 Thessalonians 4:8 (NIV) Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.

1 John 4:13 (NIV) We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.

2 Corinthians 1:21-22 (NASB) 21 Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, 22 who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.

The Holy Spirit is given at salvation.

Ephesians 1:13-14 (NASB) 13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory.

Galatians 3:2-3 (NASB) 2 This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?

The phrase, “having also believed,” “is called by grammarians the ‘coincident’ aorist participle because it denotes an action coincident in time with that of the main verb” (F. F. Bruce, The Epistle to the Ephesians [London: Pickering & Inglis, 1961], p. 36).

A person not possessing the Holy Spirit is an unbeliever. Romans 8:9 emphasizes, Romans 8:9 (NIV) You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.

Jude 1:18-19 (NIV) 18 They said to you, "In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires." 19 These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.

The Holy Spirit indwells carnal believers.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NIV) 19 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; 20 you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

2 Corinthians 1:21-22 (NIV) 21 Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, 22 set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

Romans 8:9 (NIV) You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.

Holy Spirit indwells believers permanently.

Ephesians 4:30 (NIV) And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

QUESTIONS RELATED TO INDWELLING

There are a number of biblical texts that raise problems with the New Testament teaching on the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Some of these deserve special note.

Psalm 51:11. David’s prayer, “Do not take Thy Holy Spirit from me,” relates to the temporary indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament economy. Following Pentecost the indwelling of the Spirit was permanent (John 14:16).

Acts 5:32. Peter is not establishing obedience as a condition for the indwelling of the Spirit, but rather Peter uses “obey” as a synonym for believe. The similar expression is used in Acts 6:7, where it is clear that the meaning is faith (cf. John 3:36).

Acts 8:14–17. This was a unique situation during the transition from law to grace and from Israel to the church. There had to be a clear evidence that the Samaritans were also receiving the Spirit just as the Jews. This is not normative to this age. If it were normative, then no one could receive the Spirit because it would take the apostles to confirm the indwelling, just as they did with the Samaritans.

Sealing of the Holy Spirit

DEFINITION

The sealing of the Holy Spirit is one of many works God performs on behalf of the believer to secure his salvation (cf. 2 Cor. 1:22; Eph. 1:13; 4:30). The Holy Spirit is given to the person who believes in Christ as a seal, identifying the believer as belonging to God.

EXPLANATION

The principal idea of sealing is that of ownership. The believer is sealed with the Spirit to identify the believer as belonging to God.

Ephesians 4:30 (NIV) And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.