![]() ![]() They were bold in their witness, empowered to perform miracles, willing to endure persecution, and all but one died a martyr’s death. ![]() The Holy Spirit was poured out on the disciples, and they were never the same again. His followers were to wait in Jerusalem until the "promise from the Father" came (Acts 1:4). Jesus had promised the disciples that He would send "the Comforter" (John 14:26 15:26 Luke 24:49). No one understood what John meant until after Jesus had ascended back into heaven (Acts 1:9). The baptism of the Holy Spirit was promised by John the Baptist, who said that Jesus “will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire" (Luke 3:16). We choose to lose ourselves and be immersed in Him (Matthew 16:24), and the Holy Spirit makes that happen. By this "baptism," we are identified with the death and resurrection of Jesus from then on, we consider ourselves "crucified with Christ" (Galatians 2:20). We respond to the Holy Spirit’s drawing and are born into God’s family (John 6:44 1 Corinthians 6:19). Romans 6:3 speaks of a spiritual baptism: "Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?" This spiritual baptism “into Christ” is performed by the Holy Spirit the moment a repentant sinner accepts the gift of salvation and is born again (John 3:5 Ephesians 2:18 1 Corinthians 12:13 Acts 8:12). Through water baptism, believers publicly proclaim their testimony that they have been born again by the grace of God. Being immersed in water symbolizes the cleansing of our hearts and the washing away of our sin by the blood of Jesus (Acts 2:38). It is a wonderful picture of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. But water baptism is an outward indication of an inward change. Colossians 2:12 says, "Having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead." Being baptized with water does not save us faith in the finished work of Christ saves us (Ephesians 2:8-9 Romans 10:9). Water baptism was commanded by Jesus for all of His followers (Acts 1:8). One is done in water the other is accomplished in the Holy Spirit. Generally speaking, there are two types of baptism: a physical (water) baptism and a spiritual baptism. Baptism implies being "all in." It also implies that a change has taken place. Ephesians 4:4-6 says, "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called one Lord, one faith, one baptism one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all." Since there are different "baptisms" referred to in the New Testament, it can be a bit confusing when we read about "one baptism." The word baptize always means “to submerge or immerse.” So, when baptism is discussed, it involves a person being totally submerged into something else. ![]()
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