The Baptism and the Filling of the Holy Spirit

Timothy Cowin

There is a holy desire among many Christians to experience all that God has for them in this life. The fulfillment of this hunger is found in the Biblical teachings about the baptism and the fillings of the Holy Spirit. There must be a vital relationship between the Disciple of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Jesus has left the world and is presently at the right hand of the Father. He forever lives to make intercession for His saints (Hebrews 7.25). But Jesus did not leave us alone in this world. Just as He came to dwell and fellowship with His followers, He promised that another person would be sent to do the same. He promised that the Holy Spirit would come to live with us and be in us (John 14.15-18,26). It is through the Holy Spirit that Jesus manifests His presence and power in the life of the Christian and the Church. Yet the dynamics of this relationship between the Holy Spirit and the Christian has been the subject of much debate throughout the ages. In the contemporary Church, there are many differing views about the Biblical teachings on the baptism and the fillings of the Holy Spirit. First, I will identify what I believe to be the three basic positions concerning this doctrine. Then I will examine each view and present the one that is best upheld by Scripture.

The first view is that which is presented by the Pentecostal movement of the 20th Century. Pentecostals burst on the scene proclaiming that they had rediscovered the New Testament truth concerning the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The classic Pentecostal position can be clearly stated. In order to be saved, one must be born again. To be born again, one must receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The manifestation of this Spirit baptism is speaking in tongues. According to this view, the truly saved can be identified by the manifestation of tongues. In short, if you do not speak in tongues, then you are not saved. The proof texts for this position are found in Acts 2 & 10. These are the stories of what is described by some as the Jewish and Gentile Pentecost. In both cases, when the Holy Spirit fell upon the people, they began to speak in tongues. Pentecostals use these verses to assert that tongues are “the” sign of the presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of a Christian. Pentecostals usually do not have a concept of the filling or fillings of the Holy Spirit. To them baptism and filling are basically synonymous.

The second view to be identified is commonly referred to as the “Second Blessing”. Those who hold to this view are uncomfortable in excluding from salvation those who have not had a baptism of the Holy Spirit. One can be saved by grace through faith and yet not have been baptized by the Holy Spirit. This view is commonly held by Charismatics today. Charismatics see the baptism of the Spirit as an event separate from conversion. It is a “second blessing.” For the modern Charismatic, the baptism of the Spirit is manifested by speaking in tongues. They differ from the Pentecostals in that they do not understand tongues as being a sign of salvation and the new birth. Faith is the sign of salvation, but speaking in tongues is recognized as the sign of the baptism of the Holy Spirit. This baptism of the Holy Spirit is seen as a spiritual elevation to a higher level of Christian living. The concept of a second blessing has been around for a long time. Charles Finney, Dwight Moody, and R.A. Torrey advocated some form of the second blessing view. They each spoke of the necessity to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Although for them, unlike modern Charismatics, this did not involve speaking in tongues. For them it was a special anointing that brought the Christian to a more blessed state of Christian living. It was the experiencing of the power and the presence of God in a much deeper way. It was accompanied by power in Christian living or ministry. The second blessing view tells us that there is more to receive after salvation.

The final view is the “one baptism, many fillings” view. This view understands the baptism of the Spirit to be regeneration at salvation. 1 Corinthians 12.13 is the major proof text for this view. It is the baptism of the Holy Spirit at conversion that makes us a Christian. After salvation, it then becomes the responsibility of the Christian to be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5.18). This view denies the concept of a second blessing. Upon salvation, the Christian receives all that is necessary to live a holy and victorious life. But he must live in a way that allows the Holy Spirit to have full control over his life. He must surrender and allow the Spirit to fill him daily. Thus, there is one baptism into Christianity, but a whole lifetime of allowing the Spirit to fill us.

Now that the different views have been identified, it is necessary to examine them to see which is the best supported by Scripture. In doing this, we can see that the Pentecostal and the Second Blessing views about the baptism and the filling of the Holy Spirit are simply inadequate and full of error. 1 Corinthians 12.13 is a foundational text in addressing and understanding this issue. It is here declared that, “. . .by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body. . .” This clearly teaches us that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is the entering into the body of Christ. It is the work of the Holy Spirit at conversion. The possibility of being saved and than at some later time experiencing a “baptism” of the Spirit is denied by this passage. Here it is clearly seen that the baptism of the Spirit is the placing of the believer into the body of Christ. This baptism of the Spirit is a one time event that occurs at salvation. If indeed there is some kind of second blessing after salvation, it is unfortunate and simply wrong that it be described as the “baptism of the Spirit.” Scripture does not support this usage. But not only is the terminology of the second blessing in error, the theological implications are simply not acceptable. If the Holy Spirit is a person and not an it, than at salvation He entered into our lives. His full personhood made our body His abode. This being the case, it is inconceivable that there is more of the Holy Spirit to be had at some later time. At salvation we received all that is necessary to live a holy and victorious life of communion with the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. On the other hand, the Pentecostals need to do a deeper study on the differences between the gifts of the Spirit and the fruit of the Spirit. When they make the gift of tongues the sign of the baptism of the Spirit, and subsequentially salvation, they elevate the gift far above the giver. It is the presence of the Holy Spirit in the way of His fruit (Galatians 5) that serve as spiritual indicators, not His gifts. Furthermore, Paul declares that tongues is the least of the gifts, but the Pentcostals and the Charismatics elevate it by making it synonomous with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. In fact, when a Charismatic or a Pentecostal asks you if you have been baptized in the Holy Spirit, what they really want to know is if you speak in tongues! This usage of the doctrine of the baptism of the Holy Spirit is clearly not supported by Scripture.

In conclusion, the view that is best supported by Scripture is the “one baptism, many fillings” position. It has been demonstrated that the baptism of the Spirit is a one time event that occurs at salvation. It has also been demonstrated that at this baptism, we receive the full person of the Holy Spirit to abide with us and in us. Therefore, the question is not whether we can get more of Him, but will we allow Him to have more control over us? It is our duty and obligation to allow the Spirit to fill us again and again and again.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Arthur, William, A.M. The Tongue of Fire. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1880.

Finney, Charles G. Revivals of Religion. Virginia Beach, Virginia: CBNUniversity Press, 1978.

Hobbs, Herschel H. The Holy Spirit: Believer’s Guide. Nashville, Tennessee: Broadman Press, 1967.

MacArthur, John Jr. The MacArthur New Testament Commentary: Ephesians. Chicago: The Moody Bible Institute, 1986.

Moody, D.L. Power from On High. Kent, England: Sovereign World Ltd. 1992.

Osteen, John. Receive the Holy Spirit. Houston, Texas: John Osteen Publications.

Torrey, R.A. The Baptism with the Holy Spirit. London: James Nisbet & Co.,Limited, 1905.

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