Water baptism and Holy Spirit baptism

 

Water baptism and Holy Spirit baptism

 

We need to know the difference between water baptism and Holy Spirit baptism. Water baptism is a ritual to enter and exit the water. This water baptism has the meaning of washing away sins first. In Acts 22:16, “And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord. Therefore, the baptism that John the Baptist refers to has the meaning of washing away sins.

Second, water baptism has the meaning of dying for sins. In Romans 6:2-4, “God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death his? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. And Paul goes on to say in Romans 6:6-7, “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin.”

When John the Baptist baptized people, the issue of sin was an issue. In Matthew 3:6, “And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins..” However, when Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, the Holy Spirit came upon Him. In Matthew 3:16, “And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:” Therefore, the baptism Jesus spoke of before his ascension into heaven was the appearance of the Holy Spirit. In Matthew 28:19, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:”

Today, the baptism given by the church is baptized by the same command of Jesus. Baptism means dying to sin and being born again by the Holy Spirit. Baptism is an expression of being born again. Just because a believer has been baptized, has he really been born again? Baptism of rituals and regeneration are not necessarily the same thing. There may be some who have been ceremonially baptized, but have not actually been born again. There may be times when we do not even know the true meaning of baptism.

So, what does the baptism of the Holy Spirit mean? Acts 1:4-5 “And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me.For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.

After Jesus was resurrected, he was with his disciples for 40 days. And as he ascended to heaven, he asked about the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and as a result, we can see that the Holy Spirit came upon Mark's upper room on the Day of Pentecost. In Acts 2:1-4, “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit and began to preach to the assembled people. At that time, diasporas from neighboring countries were gathered in Jerusalem. Suddenly the disciples spoke in tongues and their tongues were twisted, some said they were drunk, while others were pierced by Peter's sermon about the resurrected Jesus.

In Acts 2:38, “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”

Here, we see that there is a four-step process of salvation. Repent, be baptized in the name of Christ, receive forgiveness of sins, and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. In other words, realizing that human beings are destined to die to God, turning to God, believing that they died together with Jesus Christ who died on the cross, and the dead are set free from their sins and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. In this process, we must remember the words of Romans 6:7 that the dead are set free from sin.

Another event of the coming of the Holy Spirit is the story of Acts 8. It happened in the city of Samaria, where deacon Philip went there and preached a lot and performed miracles. There was a man named Simon the magician, who also believed in Jesus and was baptized when he saw the miracle of healing the sick. However, they did not know about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The apostles, including Peter, who were in Jerusalem went to them and had them be baptized with the Holy Spirit.

In Acts 8:16-20, “(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost. And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.”

Simon the magician was baptized, but he tried to buy the Holy Spirit with money. Peter told him that you had an evil heart and told him to repent. Water baptism is apparently a participation in the ceremony. But internally, it is believing that the old man dies in the water and is reborn into a new life by the power of the Holy Spirit. God gives the Holy Spirit as a gift to those who are reborn into a new life. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is a gift from God to those who are truly born again. It would mean to keep the faith and evangelize to your neighbors until the end of your physical life in this world.

He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter:

Peter was staying in a place called Joppa. The famous story was a vision in which a bowl like a cloth came down from heaven, and in it were all kinds of four-legged beasts of the earth, creeping things, and things flying in the air. However, there was a voice saying, Peter, get up and eat. As Peter continued to deny that it was unclean, he repeatedly told him to eat three times, and he saw a vision of a bowl resembling a cloth ascending into heaven again. But just then, a man sent by Cornelius knocked on the door of Simon (Peter)'s house. The Holy Spirit tells Peter to follow him without doubting.

So Peter followed them and baptized Cornelius and his family. However, when Peter's co-workers heard that Peter was with the uncircumcised, they criticized Peter. The scene where Peter explains the incident can be seen in Chapter 11. In Acts 11:15-16, “And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water ; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost.”

When we think through these biblical facts, it can be said that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is God's gift to those who have been baptized with water. If people today think of baptism only as the washing away of sins, they have misunderstood the meaning of baptism. Baptism is the death of the old man, which is an attribute of sin in man, and the forgiveness of sins through it. There is no forgiveness of sins without death. In the Old Testament, sinners killed animals and sprinkled their blood on the altar for forgiveness. The sinner does not die, but instead the animal dies. At this time, the sinner must realize that the dead animal is the sinner and repent. Otherwise, there is no forgiveness of sins. It will be just a formal ritual. Even today, the body of sin (the old man) does not die with Jesus, and if he prays for forgiveness every day, he is no different from the person who formally killed an animal and sprinkled blood on the altar in the Old Testament times.

“Those who did not die with Jesus Christ of old” still have sin and do not have the baptism of the Holy Spirit from God. No matter how much he shouts, Lord, Lord, the Holy Spirit does not come upon him. But whoever realizes that we are mortal to God and believes that we are united with the dead on the cross with Jesus Christ, God will give us new life and give us the gift of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said to ask for the Holy Spirit. Then he promised to give the Holy Spirit as a gift. No one asks for the Holy Spirit, but when they repent, realize that they have died with Jesus (baptism with water), and believe that they are free from sin, the power of the Holy Spirit will come upon them.

 

Baptism is the ritual of dying in water and being born again by the Holy Spirit. In the water, the old man dies, and God regenerates into new life by the power of the Holy Spirit. In this case, the Holy Spirit is the Holy Spirit of salvation. However, it is said that the Holy Spirit that comes upon those who have received forgiveness of sins and are born again is the Comforter, the Holy Spirit.

John 7:37, “The end of the feast, the great day”. On the eighth day on this day, it was the Feast of Tabernacles. Why did Jesus not say that he would receive the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, but at the Feast of Tabernacles, the last day of the feast? In Acts 1:8, the Holy Spirit came upon Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost. The Holy Spirit came upon those who were born again. So, the Holy Spirit displayed great power. Power is expressed in the Greek word “duminas” (English dynamite). When the Holy Spirit comes upon those who have been born again, it becomes a gift and a power. The Feast of Pentecost, called the Feast of Harvest, represents the harvest when the Holy Spirit comes upon us. When the Holy Spirit comes upon those who have been born again, and when they show their power and testify of Jesus, they become witnesses. So by evangelizing, many people are harvested. However, this ability does not appear unless the believer is born again. For those who are born again, the old self dies, and the Holy Spirit works inwardly.

 

In John 1:12, “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”. The Holy Spirit enters into those who are born again. The authority to become a child of God is authority in English. Unless a believer is born again of water and the Holy Spirit, he cannot obtain this kind of authority. In John 3-7, it says, “A well of water springs up that never thirst, to those who have received the right to become children of God.” The work of the Holy Spirit into those who are born again is closely related to the Feast of Tabernacles. That is why Jesus is speaking in John 7:37-39.

 

The Bible expresses Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles as rain, referring to the early rain (Feast of Tabernacles) and the latter rain (Pentecost). The early rain is the Holy Spirit of salvation, and the latter rain is the Holy Spirit of power. The salvation of the saints is not the “latter rain”, but the “early rain”. Those in whom the Holy Spirit enters into those who have been born again receive authority as children of God. But the Spirit of the latter rain shows the power of witness. Power is at work on those who have been born again.

The Feast of Tabernacles is kept at the end of the year (July 1), and this represents the Holy Spirit of salvation. During the reign of King Solomon, water was poured on the temple on the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles. It's a kind of rain agent. At the time Jesus was speaking in John 7:37-39, people were drawing water and pouring it. So Jesus told the people about living water that did not make them thirsty. Those who speak only the Holy Spirit of power without knowing the Holy Spirit of salvation (authority) are false gospels. Our salvation is in the “early rain” that Jesus spoke of at the Feast of Tabernacles. This becomes living water. The early rain is from our boats. Much has been said by the prophets of the waters between the early and latter rains.

 

In John 16:4-15, “But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you. But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou? But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart. 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. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:Of sin, because they believe not on me; Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me : for he shall receive of mine, and he shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

Jesus said, “Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send the Holy Spirit upon you.” He said that when the Holy Spirit comes, he will remind us and give us understanding. And in John 15:26, “But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:”

The words that testify to me are the words, "He will rebuke the world for sin and righteousness and judgment." “About sin” means “not believing in me.” However, the Israelites thought that breaking God's law was a sin. In 1 John 3:4, the Apostle John said, “Everyone who sins is doing lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness”. These words can be said to apply until the coming of the Holy Spirit. We can see that the nature of sin has been changed by the coming of the Holy Spirit.

In other words, what the Holy Spirit makes us realize is that we are thinking wrongly about sin. Here, “I” refers to Jesus. It means “I do not believe what Jesus did”. “I do not believe what Jesus did” means not believing what is said in Matthew 12:31. A believer does not believe that “all sins and blasphemy are forgiven men”. The unbeliever does not believe the words of Jesus because the old man is not dead. He is without the work of the Holy Spirit.

Even today, there may be a question about whether we should be baptized in the Holy Spirit. Of course, the baptism of the Holy Spirit spoken of in the Bible will continue. However, if the person giving the baptism is not a person of proper faith, but a false pastor, the work of the Holy Spirit does not naturally occur. Unless you are born again of water and the Holy Spirit, it is not real. If the old man dies with Jesus Christ in the water and is not reborn into a new life, it is all fake. The fake will be known as the fruit.

And those who want to receive the Holy Spirit must think about why they want to receive it. If they pursue mysticism and seek the Holy Spirit, it is difficult. If it were simply to heal sickness, speak in tongues, and exercise powers, then you would be like Simon the magician. In Acts 8:21-22, “Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.”Those who seek the Holy Spirit while longing for the Holy Spirit must become seekers only for the purpose of witnessing to Jesus Christ. God will give the filling of the Holy Spirit to those who ask and give the power to testify.

Even born-again believers face many trials and tribulations in the world, but the Lord never leaves them to go through them alone. The Holy Spirit is helping the saints in their weakness. However, the reason we often get frustrated is not because we are weak, but because most of the conflicts and strife in life are spiritual battles with the devil. In such circumstances, sometimes we do not even know what to pray for. At such times, there are those who groan and pray for the saints. It is the Holy Spirit, the Comforter. Romans 8:26 “Equally the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” The Holy Spirit calls out to God with groaning for the saints.

However, 1 Thessalonians 5:19 tells us to pray so that the Holy Spirit will not be quenched, and in Ephesians 4:30 it says, “And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” In order for the saint to fight Satan through the filling of the Holy Spirit until his death, it is said to always ask for prayer. It is to pray without ceasing. That prayer must become a daily death. Therefore, believers can receive the filling of the Holy Spirit in union with Jesus Christ on the cross.