My take on the baptism of the Spirit

[tonychanyt]

Some examples of being filled with the Spirit:

Luke 1:41 Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Luke 1:67 Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Luke 1:15 John was filled with the Holy Spirit even before he was born.
Luke 4:1 Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Acts 4:8 Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Acts 4:31 A group of believers were all filled with the Holy Spirit.

On the other hand, baptism of the Holy Spirit was not that commonly described in the NT. It was first prophesied by John in Matthew 3:

11 “I baptize [G907] you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize [G907] you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

The imagery is that the persons being baptized are fully immersed not in water but in the Holy Spirit as a spiritual reality.

The act was described only twice. The first occasion was announced by Jesus in Acts 1:5 before he is taken up. Jesus echoed John the Baptizer in Acts 1:

5 "For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized [G907] with the Holy Spirit.”

It happened in the next chapter at the Pentecost in Acts 2:

4 All of them were filled [G4130] with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

When it was announced, the word G907-baptise was used. But when it actually happened, the word G4130-fill was used. Baptism of the Spirit seems to require the filling of the Spirit. Before the Cross, people were filled but were never baptized in the Spirit.

The second occasion occurred when Peter was at Cornelius’ House. Acts 10:

44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell [G1968] on all who heard the message.

Here the verb is fell and not filled. The Spirit fell on them and they were filled and were born again. There were 3 aspects in this order:

1. The Spirit fell on them.
2. Being filled, the Spirit was in them
3. Being born again, the Spirit dwells in their human spirits.

Later Peter echoed John the Baptizer and recounted the act as being G907-baptized in the Holy Spirit in Acts 11:

16 I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized [G907] with the Holy Spirit.’

What is the baptism of the Spirit?

I think baptism of the Spirit is a 3-stages event when the Spirit engulfs a person, then gets inside him, and finally takes up residence in the innermost part of his being, his human spirit. It is a real event in the spiritual reality.

 

[Hermeneutico]

Some examples of being filled with the Spirit:

Luke 1:41 Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Luke 1:67 Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Luke 1:15 John was filled with the Holy Spirit even before he was born.
Luke 4:1 Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Acts 4:8 Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Acts 4:31 A group of believers were all filled with the Holy Spirit.

On the other hand, baptism of the Holy Spirit was not that commonly described in the NT. It was first prophesied by John in Matthew 3:

The imagery is that the persons being baptized are fully immersed not in water but in the Holy Spirit as a spiritual reality.

The act was described only twice. The first occasion was announced by Jesus in Acts 1:5 before he is taken up. Jesus echoed John the Baptizer in Acts 1:

It happened in the next chapter at the Pentecost in Acts 2:

When it is announced, the word G907-baptise was used. But when it actually happened, the word G4130-fill is used. Baptism of the Spirit requires the filling of the Spirit.

The second occasion occurred when Peter was at Cornelius’ House. Acts 10:

Here the verb is fell and not filled. I don't think it is profitable to make a Federal case of the distinction between fell and filled here. Later Peter echoed John the Baptizer and recounted the act as being G907-baptized in the Holy Spirit in Acts 11:


Luke uses the term filled in Acts 2:4 to show that baptism of the Spirit requires filling but not vice versa. Similarly, Peter uses the term baptized in Acts 11:16 to ensure the readers that what happened at Cornelius’ House is a baptism of the Holy Spirit and not just filling (or falling).

Not every filling of the Holy Spirit is a baptism of the Spirit. Baptism of the Spirit is special as Luke and Peter wanted to make it clear. The latter may indicate being born of the Spirit.

First, there was a slight change of meaning at the time of Pentecost on what it means to be filled with the Holy Spirit. The core meaning is the same, to be under the control of the Holy Spirit. However, the semantic range overlaps with other words that Scripture has merged.

According to Scripture, the promise of the Father (Acts 1:4) is called being baptized with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:5), which is a time when the Holy Spirit comes upon His People (Acts 1:8), filling them (Acts 2:4) because He is being poured out (Acts 2:17) and shed forth (Acts 2:33) upon them. Peter calls this same event receiving the Gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38), which is speaking of the time that the Holy Spirit would no longer be WITH the disciples but be IN (indwell) them (John 14:17). In fact, Peter himself exchanged the phrase "baptized with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 11:16) for "gift" of the Spirit" (Acts 11:17) and the "Holy Spirit fell on them" (Acts 11:15), which Luke recorded as "the Holy Spirit fell" (Acts 10:44), "the Gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out" (Acts 10:45), and they "received the Holy Spirit just as we have" (Acts 10:47).

Although all of those words, and other related ones, may have their own specific definition, God has created a contextual synonymy to express a singular event that makes known the larger dynamic of what was experienced and is to be experienced the moment one receives the Gift of the Holy Spirit.

 

[tonychanyt]

First, there was a slight change of meaning at the time of Pentecost on what it means to be filled with the Holy Spirit. The core meaning is the same, to be under the control of the Holy Spirit. However, the semantic range overlaps with other words that Scripture has merged.

According to Scripture, the promise of the Father (Acts 1:4) is called being baptized with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:5), which is a time when the Holy Spirit comes upon His People (Acts 1:8), filling them (Acts 2:4) because He is being poured out (Acts 2:17) and shed forth (Acts 2:33) upon them. Peter calls this same event receiving the Gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38), which is speaking of the time that the Holy Spirit would no longer be WITH the disciples but be IN (indwell) them (John 14:17). In fact, Peter himself exchanged the phrase "baptized with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 11:16) for "gift" of the Spirit" (Acts 11:17) and the "Holy Spirit fell on them" (Acts 11:15), which Luke recorded as "the Holy Spirit fell" (Acts 10:44), "the Gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out" (Acts 10:45), and they "received the Holy Spirit just as we have" (Acts 10:47).

Although all of those words, and other related ones, may have their own specific definition, God has created a contextual synonymy to express a singular event that makes known the larger dynamic of what was experienced and is to be experienced the moment one receives the Gift of the Holy Spirit.

The Bible uses the term "being filled with the Spirit" generally with different meanings. The Bible uses the term "gift of the Holy Spirit" specifically. To avoid confusion, I would follow the biblical usages of these terms. You don't have to

 

[Hermeneutico]

The Bible uses the term "being filled with the Spirit" generally with different meanings. The Bible uses the term "gift of the Holy Spirit" specifically. To avoid confusion, I would follow the biblical usages of these terms. You don't have to

Hmmm. I would love to see your linguistic analysis on its semantic range. I await.

 

[tonychanyt]

Hmmm. I would love to see your linguistic analysis on its semantic range. I await.

Luke 1:41 Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

At this point, Elizabeth was filled with some portion of the Holy Spirit for a temporary task at hand. The Paraclete did not dwell in her human spirit permanently.

 

[Hermeneutico]

Luke 1:41 Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

At this point, Elizabeth was filled with some portion of the Holy Spirit for a temporary task at hand. The Paraclete did not dwell in her human spirit permanently.

Yes, that was the pre pentecostal aspect of filling. I'm waiting for the full semantic range for the word filling post Pentecost.

 

[tonychanyt]

I'm waiting for the full semantic range for the word filling post Pentecost.

I don't have one. At this point, I don't see any need for it in order to resolve the issue between being filled vs being baptized with the Spirit vs indwelling of the Paraclete. I am happy with being filled as a more general term.

Can you present a specific case where this simple trick would not resolve the issue?

People who like to generalize tend to overgeneralize unnecessarily.

 

[Blade]

YO TONY my brother.. how you doing mate

I'm see the scriptures you posted praise God but for me both mean the same experience. If one asked me "are you baptized in the spirit?" I would answer yes. If one asked me am I filled with the holy Spirit.. same thing same answer yes. Peter telling them to repent and receive the gift of the holy Spirit same thing. It is very clear not all are baptized/filled with the holy Spirit yet are praise GOD GLORY TO JESUS saved! We by Him do the same thing. We can tell someone to repent and believe and you will be filled with the holy Spirit. Some just say repent... that's it they praise God believe its the same thing.

I really like what our brother Mermeneutico said .. I agree.

 

[tonychanyt]

YO TONY my brother.. how you doing mate

I'm doing good. Thanks

 

[joeLightening]

Some examples of being filled with the Spirit:

Luke 1:41 Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Luke 1:67 Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Luke 1:15 John was filled with the Holy Spirit even before he was born.
Luke 4:1 Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Acts 4:8 Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Acts 4:31 A group of believers were all filled with the Holy Spirit.

On the other hand, baptism of the Holy Spirit was not that commonly described in the NT. It was first prophesied by John in Matthew 3:

The imagery is that the persons being baptized are fully immersed not in water but in the Holy Spirit as a spiritual reality.

The act was described only twice. The first occasion was announced by Jesus in Acts 1:5 before he is taken up. Jesus echoed John the Baptizer in Acts 1:

It happened in the next chapter at the Pentecost in Acts 2:

When it is announced, the word G907-baptise was used. But when it actually happened, the word G4130-fill is used. Baptism of the Spirit requires the filling of the Spirit.

The second occasion occurred when Peter was at Cornelius’ House. Acts 10:

Here the verb is fell and not filled. I don't think it is profitable to make a Federal case of the distinction between fell and filled here. Later Peter echoed John the Baptizer and recounted the act as being G907-baptized in the Holy Spirit in Acts 11:


Luke uses the term filled in Acts 2:4 to show that baptism of the Spirit requires filling but not vice versa. Similarly, Peter uses the term baptized in Acts 11:16 to ensure the readers that what happened at Cornelius’ House is a baptism of the Holy Spirit and not just filling (or falling).

Not every filling of the Holy Spirit is a baptism of the Spirit. Baptism of the Spirit is special as Luke and Peter wanted to make it clear. It may indicate being born of the Spirit.

I don't think Christ would fill a person with the Spirit, but not baptize that person in the Spirit. Sure, scriptural evidence proves it happened before Pentecost. After Pentecost however, they were baptized in the Spirit. Distinguishing between fell and filled is a grammatical error. The Spirit came upon Cornelius and family suddenly, as when a building collapses suddenly upon the occupiers. They were filled with the Spirit for He came upon them as He came upon the Jewish believers in the beginning.

 

[rdclmn72]

The early church needed to be totally immersed by the Spirit in order to fulfill its mission. Tongues came first, then gifts were used to enhance the effectiveness of the spoken word.