Statement
of Faith 6.
The Baptism in the Holy Spirit The
baptism in the Holy Spirit is an experience of an overflowing fullness of the
Spirit. "On
the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice,
"If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. 38Whoever believes in
me, as[a] the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within
him." 39By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were
later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had
not yet been glorified." (John 7:37-39) "Then
Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: "Rulers and elders of the
people!" (Acts 4:8)
With
the baptism in the Holy Spirit comes the enduement of power for life and service,
the bestowment of gifts, and the use of gifts in ministry. "I
am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you
have been clothed with power from on high." (Luke 24:49) "On
one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do
not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have
heard me speak about...But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on
you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria,
and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:4,8) "Now
about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. You know that
when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute
idols. Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says,
"Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except
by the Holy Spirit. There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There
are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of
working, but the same God works all of them in all men. Now to each one the manifestation
of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one there is given through the
Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of
the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing
by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another
distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues,
and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of
one and the same Spirit, and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.
The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts
are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by
one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we
were all given the one Spirit to drink. Now the body is not made up of one part
but of many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong
to the body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body.
And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the
body," it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body. If the
whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body
were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has arranged the
parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were
all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one
body. The eye cannot say to the hand, "I don't need you!" And the head
cannot say to the feet, "I don't need you!" On the contrary, those parts
of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think
are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable
are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special
treatment. But God has combined the members of the body and has given greater
honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the
body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part
suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices
with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.
And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third
teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those
able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in
different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers?
Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do
all interpret? 31But eagerly desire the greater gifts. And now I will show you
the most excellent way." (1 Corinthians 12:1-31)
All
believers are entitled to and should ardently expect and earnestly seek the promise
of the Father, the baptism in the Holy Spirit, according to the command of our
Lord Jesus Christ. This was the normal experience of the early Christian Church.
This experience is distinct from and subsequent to the experience of the new birth. "But
when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and
the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Simon himself
believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the
great signs and miracles he saw. When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria
had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. When they arrived,
they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy
Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the
name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they
received the Holy Spirit." (Acts 8:12-17) "While
Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the
message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that
the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they
heard them speaking in tongues and praising God." (Acts 10:44-46) "He
will bring you a message through which you and all your household will be saved.'
"As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at
the beginning. Then I remembered what the Lord had said: 'John baptized withwater,
but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'" (Acts 11:14-16) "After
much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them: "Brothers, you know that
some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my
lips the message of the gospel and believe. God, who knows the heart, showed that
he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He made
no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith."
(Acts 15:7-9)
The
following are scriptural responses to the believer's experience of being baptized
in the Holy Spirit: (a)
Speaking in other tongues as the Holy Spirit gives utterance "All
of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues[a]
as the Spirit enabled them." (Acts 2:4) "For
they heard them speaking in tongues[a] and praising God." (Acts 10:46) "When
Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in
tongues and prophesied." (Acts 19:6) "He
who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church...I
would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy.
He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets,
so that the church may be edified...For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays,
but my mind is unfruitful...Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and
do not forbid speaking in tongues." (1 Corinthians 14:4,5,14,39) "And
these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons;
they will speak in new tongues;" (Mark 16:17)
(b)
A deepened reverence for God "Everyone
was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles."
(Acts 2:43)
(c)
An intensified consecration to God and dedication to His work "They
devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking
of bread and to prayer." (Acts 2:42)
(d)
A more active love for Christ, for His Word, and for the lost "Then
the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them
and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it." (Mark 16:20)
The
Holy Spirit is manifested through a variety of spiritual gifts given to all believers.
These manifestations of the Spirit are intended for the edification and sanctification
of the church. "Now
to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. To one
there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message
of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit,
to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers,
to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking
in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues."
(1 Corinthians 12:7-10) "We
have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying,
let him use it in proportion to his[a]faith. If it is serving, let him serve;
if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if
it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership,
let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully."
(Romans 12:7-10) "It
was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists,
and some to be pastors and teachers," (Ephesians 4:11)
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