Last week we considered the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and wehter Mark 16:16 and Acts 2:38, 41 are speakign about the bapttism of the Holy Spirit or water baptism. Today, we will look at the texts listed below, which some have claimed to be Holy Spirit baptism rather than water baptism.
- Acts 22:16
- Romans 6:3-4
- 1 Corinthians 12:13
- Galatians 3:27
Acts 22:16
In Acts 22, the apostle Paul recounts his own conversion to Christ. Ananias was sent to Saul, and after speaking with him, commanded him to “arise and be baptized.” We noted last week, Holy Spirit baptism was a gift, not a command. Ananias did not promise that the Spirit would come upon him, he urged him to act – he needed to “arise and be baptized.”
Did Paul receive the Holy Spirit? Absolutely. In Acts 9:17, Ananias said he was sent to Saul that he might receive his sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Verse 18 speaks of his baptism, again “he arose and was baptized.” What is the context of this statement? It is in response to Ananias’ command that he “arise and be baptzed.” Saul obeyed a command – a command to be baptized in water.
Acts 22:16 says the result of Paul being baptized was that his sins would be washed away. Recall, last week we saw the same result in Acts 2:38. What baptism was found there? Water baptism.
Romans 6:3-4
Paul does not tell us if the baptism he speaks of is in water or the Holy Spirit. However, by looking at how the word baptism is used in the text, we can understand what the text is speaking about. Paul says that our baptism is akin to the Lord’s death, burial and resurrection. The baptism referred to here is a burial, which was followed by a raising. Does that fit Holy Spirit baptism or water baptism? Which is a burial? From which are we raised up?
In Acts 8:38, we’re told that “both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.” A verse later, it says, “they came up out of the water.” The eunuch was buried in the water, and then raised up from the same. Where is Holy Spirit baptism ever identified as a burial and resurrection?
1 Corinthians 12:13
1 Corinthians 12:1 shows that the context of this text addresses spiritual gifts. However, that does not necessitate that the baptism spoken of is Holy Spirit baptism. Note what Paul said:
For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body – whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free – and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
We noted last week what the result of Holy Spirit baptism was. Both Acts 2:4 and Acts 10:46 show the recipients speaking in tongues immediately. But not all who received the baptism spoken of in this text spoke in tongues (1 Corinthians 12:4-10).
Paul says all were “baptized into one body.” The body he speaks about is the church, which is identified as the Lord’s body (Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 1:22-23). So the question is, how are we added to Christ? Did we not just see that in Romans 6:3-4? We “were baptized into Christ Jesus.” Last week, Acts 2:38, 41, 47 spoke about folks being added to the church by being baptized.
In both Romans 6:3-4 and Acts 2:38ff, the baptism under consideration is water, not Holy Spirit baptism. This being the case, consistency would tell us that 1 Corinthians 12:13 is water baptism.
Galatians 3:27
The alert Bible student will notice of this text that the wording is parallel to that which is seen in Romans 6:3-4. It speaks of those who “were baptized into Christ.” In Romans 6:3-4, those who “were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death.” Paul went on to speak of baptism as a burial – a fit description of water, not Holy Spirit baptism.
We looked at Mark 16:16 last week, which tells us that we must believe and be baptized. Both are spoken of here as well. In verse 26, Paul said that we “are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.” Verse 27 then tells us how this was accomplished, being “baptized into Christ.”
As we noted last week, the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a gift, not a command. When baptism is commanded, we can know for certain it is water baptism. And when baptism is referenced in the New Testament regarding salvation, we have seen in our study that it is not Holy Spirit baptism, but water baptism.
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