The Holy Spirit

Course: The Ministry of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament Church

Additional teaching

Lesson Title: Baptism in the New Testament

Text: 'For by one Spirit are we all baptised into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.'. 1 Corinthians 12:13

Introduction: There are three baptisms in the New Testament Church...

· The Holy Spirit baptises the believer into the body of Christ when he or she is born again of the Spirit of God (1 Corinthians 12:13).

· The second baptism is when the body of Christ baptises the believer in water as an outward confession of faith in Christ (Acts 8:36-38).

· The third baptism is where the Lord Jesus Christ baptises the believer with the Holy Spirit as seen on the Day of Pentecost in Acts chapter 2. (Acts 1:8)

The Baptism of John the Baptist

The baptism of John the Baptist was a baptism of repentance. In this sense it can be regarded as representing a ceremonial washing.

The baptism reflected the persons desire to be clean.

When the Pharisees and Sadducees came to be baptised by John, he told them to go and bring fruits for repentance. (Matthew 3:8)

Compare Acts 19:1-5 ‘And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.’

Lesson Outline:

1. Baptism by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ, 1 Corinthians 12:13.

2. Baptism by the body of Christ in water, Acts 8:36-38

3. Baptism by the Lord Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit. Acts 1:8

Main Points

1. Baptism by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:13 ‘For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free;’

The born again experience. The Holy Spirit baptizes the believer into the body of Christ.

· This is the born again experience when the believer becomes a part of the body of Christ. It is an inward work of the Holy Spirit. This happens through repentance and faith in the finished work of Christ alone for salvation. The believer becomes a new creation in Christ when he or she is baptised by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ. 'Know you not, that so many of us as were baptised into Jesus Christ were baptised into his death? 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.' (Romans 6:3-4)

· Testimony of John Wesley - John Wesley testified in his journal on May 24, 1738 how he came into this experience of being baptised into the body of Christ. He wrote:

‘In the evening I went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street where one was reading Luther's Preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine, while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone for salvation; and an assurance was given me that He had taken away my sins, even mine, and saved me from the law of sin and death. I then testified openly to all there what I now felt in my heart.'

There is a monument in the shape of a flame outside the London Museum in the Barbican with the words that John Wesley wrote in his journal. Aldersgate Street is near St. Paul's in London. Wesley had been a missionary in America and was an ordained minister in the Church of England, but he was not baptised by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ until he trusted 'Christ alone for salvation'.

2. Baptism by the body of Christ in water. Acts 8:36-38

This is an outward confession of faith by the believer who is confessing his or her faith in Christ before others.

The believer is baptized by other believers into water.

· This is believers' baptism when the body of Christ fully immerses the believer in water as a declaration of his or her faith in Christ. 'And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what does hinder me from being baptised? And Philip said, If you believe with all your heart, you may. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptised him.' Acts 8:36-38

· The believer is not baptised in order to receive salvation. The believer is baptised because he or she is already saved. Water baptism is a confession of faith in Christ. When the believer stands in the water he or she is confessing that they are identified with Christ in His crucifixion. When he or she goes down in the water they are identified with Christ in His burial. When he or she comes out of the water they are identified Christ in His resurrection. The message of water baptism is that the believer is a new creation. The old has gone, new life in Christ has begun. Romans 6:3-4 ‘Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? 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.’

Baptism in water.

Some years ago I went with a team of students from Bible school to hold meetings in the North of Scotland. Hamish Cormack was a lovely brother in Christ, and he was also the minister of the Church of Scotland in Wick where we held meetings. Hamish had also received the baptism with the Holy Spirit. He shared with me how he had come to understand that true scriptural water baptism was by total immersion. This was a problem because he only performed infant baptisms at his church, and he could not be baptised by total immersion at his own church. He had no peace in his heart until he went to the nearby Baptist church and was baptised there by total immersion. He continued to be the minister of the Church of Scotland but the presbytery was not pleased with him. When his case was discussed they were willing to take into consideration his previous record of good behaviour and more or less said to him 'don't do it again'. This of course was very scriptural.

3. Baptism by the Lord Jesus Christ with the Holy Spirit. Acts 1:8.

The Lord Jesus baptizes believers in the Holy Spirit.

We come into this experience through thirsting after Christ.. Believer must desire Christ. (Philippians 3:10).

This baptism brings the believer into a new realm of ministry in the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will always glorify Jesus.

· The baptism with the Holy Spirit is a baptism of power that empowers the believer to be witnesses to Christ. It brings the believer into a new realm of anointed worship. It is the Lord Jesus who baptises in the Holy Spirit. 'In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believes on me, as the scripture has said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this he spoke of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)' John 7:37-39

· This baptism is mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:13 '… and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.' Jesus said 'If any man thirst let him come unto Me and drink.’ The believer must desire Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit will be seen in a believer’s life according to the extent that he or she is walking with Christ.

· The message 'Give your heart to Jesus' is a message for the Church. 'Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.' (Revelation 3:20). Paul's prayer for the Ephesian believers was 'That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith' (Ephesians 3:17). Paul prayed that they would come into a closer relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. The ministry of the Holy Spirit in the body of Christ is dependent upon our relationship with Jesus Christ. The ministry of the Holy Spirit through a believer is dependant upon his or her relationship with Jesus. ‘If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink… out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.’ John 7:38-39.

Summary:

There are three baptisms in the Christian experience.

1) The initial baptism by the Holy Spirit into the body of Christ comes through repentance and faith in the finished work of Christ. This is the born again experience. It is the beginning of our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ that will last for all eternity.

2) The next baptism is by the body of Christ when the believer is baptised in water as an outward confession of faith in Christ. This is not necessary for salvation, but it is done in obedience to the scriptures. If we love the Lord we will obey His word. The believer is identifying him or herself publicly with the Lord Jesus Christ.

3) The third baptism is when the Lord Jesus baptises the believer with the Holy Spirit. This baptism is entirely dependent upon our relationship with Christ. We must desire the Lord Jesus in order to receive this outpouring of the Spirit. It is not given as a demonstration of power. The Holy Spirit is given so that the body of Christ will be worshipping witnesses to Christ. This baptism brings the believer into the higher realm of worship in the anointing.