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NASB | Acts 2:38 Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Acts 2:38 And Peter said to them, "Repent [change your old way of thinking, turn from your sinful ways, accept and follow Jesus as the Messiah] and be baptized, each of you, in the name of Jesus Christ because of the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. |
Subject: Holy Spirit evidence of Salvation? |
Bible Note: 2. As noted in the conclusion, this naturally raises a few questions... a. Does this mean the baptism of the Holy Spirit is for us today? b. What exactly is the baptism of the Holy Spirit? 3. It may be of interest to note... a. The Scriptures never speak of the "baptism" of the Holy Spirit 1) In fact, the unity of the Spirit involves only "one baptism" - Ep 4:3-6 2) The "one baptism" can only be that commanded by Christ: a) Of everyone in all the world - Mt 28:19; Mk 16:16 b) For the remission of sins - Ac 2:38; 22:16 c) A baptism in water - e.g., Ac 8:35-38; 10:47-48 d) A washing of regeneration and renewing by the Spirit, in which we are born again of water and the Spirit - Ti 3:5; Jn 3:5 b. When it comes to any "baptism" involving the Spirit, we find only these phrases: 1) "He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit" - Mt 3:11; Mk 1:8; Lk 3:16 2) "He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit" - Jn 1:33 3) "You shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit" - Ac 1:5; 11:16 -- This is the entirety of what the Bible says about "baptizing" involving the Spirit, with the possible exception of 1 Co 12:13 (see below) 4. Is this a distinction without a difference? Perhaps, but it may avoid confusion to remember... a. The phrase, "baptism of the Holy Spirit," does not occur in the Bible! b. On the other hand, phrases connected to the promise of Jesus baptizing with the Spirit include: 1) "I send the Promise of My Father upon you..." - Lk 24:49 2) "I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh..." - Ac 2:17 3) "I will pour out My Spirit" - Ac 2:18 4) "He poured out this..." - Ac 2:33 5) "the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out..." - Ac 10:45 6) "...the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly" - Ti 3:5,6 -- Whatever the "baptism" of the Holy Spirit, it is intertwined with the "pouring out" (or sending) of the Spirit that occurred on the day of Pentecost [The difficulty in defining the "baptism" of the Holy Spirit can be illustrated by briefly surveying...] I. COMMON VIEWS OF THE "BAPTISM" A. AN EVENT THAT OCCURRED BUT A FEW TIMES... 1. On the day of Pentecost (Ac 2) a. And only upon the apostles b. For the purpose of equipping them for their work 2. At the conversion of Cornelius and his household, the first Gentiles (Ac 10,11) a. Not for the purpose of saving them b. But to show Peter and the Jews that Gentiles could now be saved 3. Some would add a third occurrence a. Involving Saul at some point (Ac 9) b. To equip him for his work as an apostle 4. Others might include what happened in Samaria and Ephesus a. When the Samaritans received the Spirit by the laying on of hands (Ac 8) b. When the Ephesians received the Spirit by the laying on of hands (Ac 19) 5. This view equates the "baptism" of the Spirit with the miraculous manifestations recorded in the passages cited, indicating an overwhelming measure of the Spirit -- Variations of this view are held by most people in churches of Christ today B. AN EVENT THAT OCCURS AT EVERY CONVERSION... 1. When a person is saved, they are that moment "baptized" with the Holy Spirit a. Some put this at the point of faith 1) Appealing to the case of Cornelius and his family in Ac 10 2) Yet Peter's explanation reveals that the Spirit came upon them before they heard the words by which they could be saved - Ac 11:14-15 3) The purpose was to show Peter and the Jews that Gentiles could now be saved just as they were - cf. Ac 10:46-48; 11:16-17; 15:7-9 b. Others place it at the point of water baptism 1) Suggesting we are baptized in both water and Spirit - cf. Jn 3:5 2) Referring also to the washing of regeneration and renewal by the Spirit - Ti 3:5 2. The key passage used to support this idea is 1 Co 12:13 |