What is baptism by the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit would only come after Christ Himself had departed. 50 days afterward.

John 16:7 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.

 

Hi, npeterely

...

Baptism actually symbolizes death (Rom 6:5, 1Cor 15:29). The actual event itself is much like death in that we, when we believe, die to self and are born again to God a "babe in Christ." The important thing is the Spirit indwelling. Since you surrendered your spirit (mind, emotions, and will) to God, He sends His Spirit to live in you unto life!

And the thing of it is that, since you died, you must be revived by the Holy Spirit resurrection. That is, "at the last day," the OT saints whose bodies are in their graves, will be revived by the Spirit and prought forth from the earth into the MK. Their "baptism," thus, was in soil! But their new life will be totally Holy Spirit if I understand scriptures right. They will, therefore, not be able to procreate nor will they die again. They will be as Christ was in His first advent -- or Adam prefall.

skypair

 

As elementary as I can explain this verse---John the Baptist was simply saying----everthing that I'm doing to you on the outside----the Holy Spirit is going to do on the inside.

The Holy Spirit immerses---totally envelopes the life of the believer.

 

........and it happens instantly, the very moment one believes!!

 

Read Acts 18:24-27. Some were only aware of the baptism of John. They did not have a clear understanding of what it meant to receive Christ as Savior and Lord. Eloquent, yes, but not yet placed within the Body of Christ.

Acts 9 is the dividing point for the ministry to we Gentiles, under our teacher, Paul.

The moment we’re saved the Holy Spirit comes in, and indwells us. He then becomes our teacher. The Holy Spirit is the One Who opens up an understanding of the Scriptures. I Corinthians 2:10. The new believer is told that he is not alone -- the Holy Spirit dwells within. We simply pray for God to teach us. Prior to receiving the Holy Spirit we are not teachable in the church age, the age of grace.

 

v.16 says they had been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus, so that can't really be the case.

I think this instance is a second "Pentecost." It was the result of the fact that the Jewish Christians needed a visible sign that "gentile" believers in Christ would be, in this new faith, equal to themselves. It's a paradigm shift of which Peter writes later on, "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy." I Peter 2:9-10 Peter and John, sent by the Jerusalem church, witnessed this event.

"Baptism" in the Holy Spirit is the spiritual work of sanctification and justification that must take place in order for one to be made right with God. In this period of the beginnings of the church, it's delayed arrival in certain instances is an experience that is clearly associated with the beginnings of the church. Once the Holy Spirit was "sent" and his arrival confirmed by specific signs and wonders, there are no other instances where there is a delay between belief and spiritual baptism.

 

Oops! I was editing when you replied!

Philip told folks about Christ, the Messiah, here in fulfillment of the OT promise, and they got happy and accepted water baptism without realizing that Christ was to be invited in as Savior & Lord. Later it was more carefully explained; they then believed, authentically, and instantly became born-again, Spirit-filled members of the church. The "laying on of hands" was not subsequently essential for folks who simply understood what they were doing and believed. I think it would be hard to find many Baptists who would testify that they received the Holy Spirit when hands were laid on them! The critical questions are WHO was speaking, to WHOM, and WHAT ABOUT?

Acts 8:12 "But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women."

This is early-on. It is not Paul speaking to we Gentiles. Much confusion can be avoided when we Gentiles stick with the letters of Paul. That doesn't mean we ignore the 4 gospels; it means we rightly divide scripture.

Clearly, Peter was speaking to Jews as a group.

 

npeterely

Sorry. I think I see your question now.

Peter was the one with the "keys to the kingdom" {Mt 16:19) to "open" the church in "Judea [Pentecost], in Samaria [here], and to the utmost parts of the world [confirming Paul to the Gentiles, I thnk]." As such, he needed to visit Samaria to extend the Spirit to them.

Now this is an "object lesson" for us to recognize that there was in operation during the transition (30 - 70 AD) a period when both OT and NT-type salvations existed simultaneously. More such is revealed in Acts 19:1-6, this time because they had not called upon the name of Jesus. OT saints did NOT receive the Spirit -- NT saints do.

Is that what you were looking for?

skypair

 

Sorry. I STILL don't understand your question!

When you ask is A = B, maybe you could give some other alternatives (C and D) that would help clarify.