Can People Be Baptized in the Holy Spirit?

Can people be baptized in the Holy Spirit?

This question has been asked with great frequency, since I first started answering questions on the radio, twenty years ago. It seems to be of keen interest to those who are not members of the church of Christ, as it relates directly to a popular denominational doctrine. There are a great many people in the modern religious world who believe that baptism in the Holy Spirit (either in addition to, or instead of baptism in water) is what saves a person from sin. Believers in this teaching may be seen regularly on television; waving their arms in the air and calling for the Holy Spirit to be “poured out” upon them. Sometimes, you may hear people talk about the “direct operation of the Holy Spirit,” which is thought by some to be a term, which describes what the Holy Spirit does, when a believer is immersed in Him. Is this teaching Biblical? What does the Bible say about the role of the Holy Spirit in salvation?

The Bible plainly teaches that Jesus promised baptism in the Holy Spirit to a specific group of individuals and, aside from one important exception, they were the only people ever to be baptized in such a way. Just before His ascension into Heaven, Jesus gathered together His apostles, and told them to wait in Jerusalem for the fulfillment of certain promises, saying, “John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence” (Acts 1:4-5). A short time later, when the apostles were gathered together in a secluded place, the Lord’s promise was fulfilled (Acts 2:1-4). Some argue that there were more than just the twelve apostles present in the place where they received the fulfillment of the promise that Jesus had made, but a careful reading of Acts 1:26 reveals that only the twelve apostles were present. Others argue that John promised baptism in the Holy Spirit to all who heard him (Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16), but this is not necessarily so. These verses reveal that John also promised a baptism in “fire” to those who heard him (indicating a great degree of suffering to be endured), yet not everyone who heard John received it. Clearly, he had in mind only those for whom it was intended. The same may be said about the promise of baptism in the Holy Spirit.

The only reasonable objection to the idea that the apostles were the only people to whom baptism in the Holy Spirit was promised is to argue that, since the Holy Spirit “fell on[Cornelius and his household] as on [the apostles] in the beginning” (Acts 11:15), in Acts 10, it must follow that the same thing can happen to believers today. However, this objection is impossible to prove. First of all, because it must be admitted that the primary reason why the Holy Spirit “fell” upon Cornelius and his household was to show the members of the ancient church that Gentiles could be Chris-tians too (Acts 10:44-48; 11:15-18). Secondly, because it must be admitted that there is no other account of anything like this happening to anyone else, in all of Scripture. Every indication is that this event was exceptional and atypical of what was happening to those who were being converted in the first century.

Every other verse in the New Testament plainly teaches that only baptism in water can remit the sins of mankind. Ephesians 4:5 indicates that that there is only one baptism, which the Lord recognizes. A host of passages in the New Testament affirm that this “one baptism” is baptism in water (John 3:23; Acts 8:36; 10:47). Passages like Romans 6:4 and Colossians 2:12 describe baptism as “burial” in water. This is an obvious reference to immersion in water, and it shows how baptism mimics the burial of Christ, following His death on the cross. Peter preached that people are baptized “for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38), and Jesus said, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:16). In view of these truths, it is no small wonder that the apostle Peter would eventually write, “baptism doth also now save us” (1 Peter 3:21).

The role played by the Holy Spirit in the conversion of lost souls is understandable. Ephesians 6:17 says that the “sword of the Spirit” is “the word of God,” and Hebrews 4:12 says that the Word of God is living and active in the conversion of lost souls, whenever the Word of God is used to persuade people to be saved. It is the medium used by the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, in the accomplishment of any aspect of the will of God, including the conversion of lost souls, (1 Corinthians 1:21; Romans 10:17). I would never presume to argue that that the Holy Spirit does not play a role in the conversion of lost souls, but I do take exception with the assertion that people must be baptized in the Holy Spirit to be saved.