CHAPTER FOUR

BAPTISM

³⁸And 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. . . ." ⁴¹So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

Acts 2:38,41

When the crowd asked Peter what they should do in response to his sermon, he gave them a three-fold answer: repent, be baptized, and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Thousands responded and were added to the fellowship of believers. The biblical pattern is that everyone who is baptized is also added. Every baptized disciple is expected to become an active member of a local fellowship.

Water Baptism

In water baptism, we publicly identify with what Christ did for us on the cross. It is not a means for salvation, but an act of faith and obedience after believing the gospel and turning to God.

The Bible presents several illustrations to help us understand water baptism. One of these is a burial and resurrection. Paul compares a Christian baptism to a burial. In order to be buried, a person must first die. In the same way, the prerequisite for baptism is death to sin. After we are buried in baptism, then we are raised to live a new life.

¹What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? ²By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? ³Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

Romans 6:1-4

We see, then, that water baptism shows the old life being put away, a new life emerging in obedience to Christ.

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit

It is impossible to live the Christian life apart from the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would come to lead us into all truth.

⁷Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. . . . ¹³When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

John 16:7,13

The Holy Spirit empowers us to be effective witnesses. A witness is one who not only tells the truth, but also lives the truth. As witnesses, the Holy Spirit helps us to do what we cannot do on our own--to boldly proclaim and live out the truth about God.

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

Acts 1:8

How to Receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit

The baptism of the Spirit is a gift promised for every believer, not just for those present during Pentecost. In Peter's sermon, he told us how we can receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

³⁸And 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. ³⁹ For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself."

Acts 2:38,39

In order to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit, we must ask--and we must ask in faith.

"If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

Luke 11:13

Many disciples in the New Testament received the baptism of the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands.

Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.

Acts 8:17

Spiritual Gifts

The baptism in the Holy Spirit is accompanied by the manifestation of spiritual gifts. In the biblical accounts of the baptism in the Holy Spirit, the most common spiritual gift manifested is the gift of tongues.

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Acts 2:4

And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying.

Acts 19:6

Empowered to be a witness

Jesus promised to fill us with the Holy Spirit so we can be effective witnesses. The Holy Spirit empowers us to proclaim the Gospel wherever we go.

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

Acts 1:8