The Timing and Means of Spirit Baptism

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This is Part 8 in a series about the timing and precedent of receiving the Holy Spirit.

And now, Part 8 examines the timing of the baptism in the Holy Spirit, and the means by which one receives it.

The timing of the Baptism In the Holy Spirit

Receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit (the baptism in the Holy Spirit) is the promise God gives to those who obey his conditions for receiving such:

“And Peter said to them, ‘Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit’” (Acts 2:38).

Peter’s reply is an imperative conditional sentence with an implied condition. This means that the reason why there is no “if” is because the if is in the form of a command. Conditional sentences consist of a subordinate clause expressing a condition (the antecedent), and a main clause that indicates the outcome based on that condition (the consequent). In Peter’s imperative conditional statement, the antecedent (the implied “if” condition) is “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.” The consequent (the “then” outcome) is “and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

The nature of Peter’s command shows the sequential order of the condition and the result, with the result taking the future tense. His intended meaning is that a repentant believer is first to be baptized in Jesus’ name for the forgiveness of sins so that he may then receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

The baptism in the Holy Spirit is conditioned on repentance and water baptism in Jesus’ name for the forgiveness of sins. Therefore, it happens normatively in sequential order with God’s saving work of justification and regeneration in water baptism—it happens on the heels of God’s saving work. Acts 19:1-7 details this close succession beautifully in what is a very normative conversion-initiation experience (see Part 6).

God’s work of salvation and giving the gift of the Holy Spirit are God’s provisions for sin and sanctification, respectively. They are both aspects of conversion-initiation which together mark the beginning of the Christian’s new life; therefore, they are purposed to happen in close succession, as both together comprise what it means to become a Christian.

The reasons why we know the timing of the baptism in the Holy Spirit is not in the moment of water baptism (or at the moment of forgiveness and regeneration depending on the particular doctrine) are as follows:

1. The antecedent conditions of repentance and baptism for the forgiveness of sins are to be met before the consequent of receiving the Holy Spirit can be realized. This means that God first does his work of salvation (justification and regeneration) in the water of baptism for the believer, so that Jesus may then baptize the believer in the Holy Spirit (give the Holy Spirit). The antecedent and consequent are sequential, not simultaneous.

2. Peter’s imperative conditional sentence does not leave room for the condition and the consequence to happen simultaneously, especially when the consequent takes the future tense. If simultaneity were Peter’s intended meaning, we would expect him to say something like, “‘Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins and for the gift of the Holy Spirit.’”

3. In accord with #2 above, Peter says repentance and baptism are specifically for the forgiveness of sins, not for receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit. The repentant believer receives forgiveness of sins in the water; Peter does not teach that he also receives the gift of the Holy Spirit in the water.

4. The point of John’s riddle and Jesus’ interpretation, “for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1:5; Mark 1:8), is that the baptism in the Holy Spirit is entirely a different event than any water baptism, whether John’s or Peter’s water baptism, and does not even include water.

5. Scripture nowhere details anyone receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit (the baptism in the Spirit) simultaneously in water baptism.

6. Scripture details multiple instances of believers receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit (the baptism in the Spirit) apart from water baptism. (Acts 8:14-17; Acts 9:17; Acts 10:44-48; Acts 19:1-7; Ephesians 1:13)

7. Scripture never conflates or equates the salvation work of the Holy Spirit in water baptism with receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

8. Jesus himself is first baptized in water and then receives the Holy Spirit; this serves as a precedent of “first baptism, and then the Holy Spirit.” (See Part 2)

9. Acts 8:15-17 implies the sequential order and differentiation of water baptism and Spirit baptism, regardless of the extended delay here in Samaria: “…who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.” Acts 19:1-7 shows this clearly as well.

10. Scripture details instances that specifically say that the gift of the Holy Spirit is given through the laying on of hands (Acts 8:18; 2 Timothy 1:6)., and also implies it (Acts 9:17), but it never gives specific statements or implies that the Holy Spirit is given in or through water baptism.

Receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit is always spoken of in terms of the benefits for the believer who has already become saved. For example, the baptism in the Spirit incorporates the saved person into the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13), serves as the seal of God’s ownership of whom he just saved (Ephesians 1:13), serves as proof of belonging to Christ (Romans 8:9), serves as the guarantee of future blessings (2 Corinthians 1:21-22), and much more. These points further show why the baptism in the Holy Spirit happens in succession after God’s work of salvation, as these are all things God does for the one he has just saved. He must save the person first, before he can bless him in all the myriad ways with the presence of his indwelling Spirit.

The Means of Receiving the Baptism In the Holy Spirit

How does a repentant, baptized believer actually receive the gift of the Holy Spirit? In other words, is there a specific means or mechanism by which Jesus baptizes someone with the Holy Spirit? In the baptism in the Holy Spirit, the recipient receives the Spirit passively, where Jesus baptizes the recipient actively.

The foundational means by which one receives the gift of the Holy Spirit is the same as how one receives salvation: faith. Just as faith is the means by which one receives salvation (justification and regeneration) (Ephesians 2:8; Colossians 2:11-14; Romans 3:21-28), so faith is also the means by which one receives the gift of the Holy Spirit (the baptism with the Spirit) (Galatians 3:2-14; Ephesians 1:13). Although faith is active for the believer, receiving the Spirit is passive, as in receiving a gift. Faith is a condition for receiving the Spirit, just as it is for receiving salvation.

Jesus, the one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit, when he sees the faith of the repentant, baptized believer, sends him the gift of the Holy Spirit. The means of this may vary. As we have seen previously, this initial giving of the Holy Spirit to a believer is the baptism with the Holy Spirit.

Perhaps the most controversial aspect of this is by what means does the Spirit come? Does Jesus directly send the Spirit to the baptized believer void of any third party, and perhaps in an undetectable way outside the believer’s awareness? Does Jesus use another believer’s laying on of hands to baptize with the Spirit? Does Jesus send the Spirit in response to a baptized believer’s directed prayer, as Jesus indicates (Luke 11:13; Luke 3:21)? The answer is yes to all the above, biblically speaking.

The Holy Spirit is a divine person of the Godhead, and this is paramount to remember. Once sent, he knows how to make his way to a believer. He does not need a third party to do so, though he may choose to use such, as in the laying on of hands. While Jesus is the authority who sends the Spirit, as the one who baptizes with the Spirit, it is the Spirit himself who moves and comes to rest on a believer, thus indwelling him.

The precedent from scripture is that God baptizes with the Holy Spirit in all these ways. Therefore, the reader does not need to be concerned whether or how the Spirit comes to everyone in Acts who believes and is baptized for the forgiveness of their sins. The reader should not think that the 3,000 baptized at Pentecost had to have the apostles lay hands on all of them in order to receive the Spirit. Luke’s intention is simply not to detail all the specifics of every conversion-initiation. The Spirit comes as he wills, directly or in conjunction with prayer and/or a third party’s hands. A safe inference based on God’s promise to give the Spirit to the repentant believer (Acts 2:38) is that all who are baptized receive the gift of the Holy Spirit in prompt succession, in one way or another.

In Part 9, I will examine the benefits of receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit.

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