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The Baptism of the Spirit
Acts 2, Acts 10, Acts 15
Introduction: In today’s culture, if you were to tell a person that you had been baptized with the Holy Spirit, what would be their reaction? No doubt most people would look at you funny, or conclude that you believed you could do miracles, or that you had gotten all emotional and fell on the ground, etc. In other words, most people, even many Christians, would not have the slightest idea what you were talking about.
Therefore, in this lesson we want to make understanding the baptism of the Spirit simple, so that we understand it in the same way it was understood among first century Christians. The texts upon which we will spend most of our time will be Acts 10, 11, and 15 concerning the baptism of the Spirit on Cornelius and his household and how Peter connected that event to Acts 2.
- Texts Leading Up to Acts 10
- You will remember that John the baptizer was the first to introduce the baptism of the Spirit that would be administered by Jesus (Matt. 3:11-12).
- This is parallel to Isaiah 32:15, “The Spirit poured out from on high…” The reason John is using “baptized” instead of “poured out” is because he is comparing the pouring out of the Spirit to his baptism in water. His baptism in water was an event preparing the Jews for Christ. The baptism of the Spirit, only administered by Jesus, was greater because of who gave it and because it had a greater affect.
- Remember also, that John spoke of Jesus either baptizing with the Spirit or baptizing with fire. The baptism of the Spirit would “gather the wheat into the barn” which the baptism of fire would “burn up the chaff.” In other words, the crowds who listened to John would know that when Jesus came, it would be one or the other. There was not a special class of people, such as the apostles, who were to be baptized with the Spirit. In fact, the promise alerted the Jews to the fulfillment of the prophecies of the pouring out of the Spirit, bringing the kingdom, cleansing, and renewal of God’s covenantal relationship with his people.
- In Acts 1, Jesus specifically referenced John’s words of the baptism of the Spirit and told the apostles that the “promise of the Father” would come in a few days. The apostles rightly concluded that the restoration of the kingdom was about to begin.
- In Acts 2, once the Spirit was poured out (which was indicated by the miracle of speaking in tongues), Peter explained the miracle by quoting Joel 2:28-32. Note specifically that Peter’s explanation was, “I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh…” Please note the words “all flesh.” The promise was not limited to the Jews.
- In Acts 2:33, Peter explains that Jesus had now received from the Father the “promise of the Spirit” and was pouring out what they were seeing and hearing. Obviously, when Jesus received the promise of the Spirit, he was not receiving miracles. John had said that Jesus would baptize with the Spirit, and that is exactly what he would now do.
- Acts 2:38-39, those who repent and are baptize receive the “gift of the Holy Spirit,” which Peter identifies as “the promise.” Note that the “promise” was to both Jew and Gentile.
- Finally, that this “promise” did not refer to receiving miraculous gifts in evident since only the apostles could do miracles up to chapter 6.
- You will remember that John the baptizer was the first to introduce the baptism of the Spirit that would be administered by Jesus (Matt. 3:11-12).
- Acts 10 – 11:18 The Baptism of the Spirit on Cornelius
- First the context leading up to the pouring out of the Spirit:
- 10:1-2 For the first time, someone other that a circumcised person is introduced into Luke’s account to Theophilus. Cornelius is a God-fearing Gentile, of which we will see many references later in Acts.
- He is told in a vision to send for Peter, which he immediately does. This is the first miracle recorded in the text.
- 9-16 Peter’s vision: “What God has made clean, do not call common.” (2nd miracle)
- 17-22 “Arise and go down and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them.” (3rd miracle)
- 23-29 “God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean.”
- 34-35 “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.”
- 36-43 Peter preaches a similar sermon as in Acts 2, but only gets started – “as I began to speak” (11:15).
- 44-46 (4th miracle): The believers conclude that the Spirit as been poured out on the Gentiles because they are “speaking in tongues and glorifying God” (same as in Acts 2:11).
- 47-48 Peter’s response: “Can anyone withhold water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?
- Conclusions we should draw:
- Verse 47 shows what the whole issue was with the Jews. Are we going to allow them to be baptized in the name of Jesus (for the forgiveness of sins), and thereby accept them equally?
- They are not “saved” when the Spirit is poured out on them any more than the Spirit poured out on the apostles in Acts 2 was for the purpose of saving them. This was to indicate that the cleansing of the Spirit is being offered to the Gentiles just as the cleansing was offered to the Jews in Acts 2. These Gentiles are commanded to do exactly what the Jews were commanded in Acts 2. To believe otherwise is to ignore the context.
- There is a purpose in the Spirit using the speaking in tongues as the miraculous sign for both Jew and Gentile. Why languages from all nations in Acts 2? God was gathering his people from the nations as foretold by Isaiah 11:10-11. Now imagine what tongues these Greek speaking Gentiles spoke in order to convince Hebrew speaking Jews! Yes, Hebrew! Otherwise it would have just sounded like gibberish.
- 11:13-18 Peter’s explanation and conclusion:
- The angel had told Cornelius that Peter would deliver a message by which he had his house would be saved.
- When the Spirit fell on the Gentiles, Peter remembered the same incident happening to them (Jews) “at the beginning” and related it to the Lord’s reminder of John’s promise of being baptized with the Holy Spirit. Remember that John described being baptized with the Spirit as “the wheat gathered into the barn.”
- Peter emphasizes that the Gentiles received the “same gift.” Note the words, “same gift to them as he gave to us when we believed.” These words refer to Gentiles receiving the same gift as Jews.
- Note the conclusion of the brethren: “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life.” They didn’t say, “now all Gentiles are saved since the Spirit was poured out on them.” They concluded that the Spirit poured out on these Gentiles meant that God had granted repentance that leads to life.
- First the context leading up to the pouring out of the Spirit:
- Acts 15:6-11
- Peter confirms our conclusions of the pouring out of the Spirit on Cornelius and God’s intention to show that Gentiles were to be accepted in Christ.
- Vs. 7: We are again struck with the fact that “hearing the gospel and believing” was the means of saving the Gentiles, not the pouring out of the Spirit. See also verse 9.
- Vs. 8: God “bore witness” to the Gentiles by giving them the Spirit just as he did to the Jews. The purpose of the giving of the Spirit was to “bear witness” to the equality of Jew and Gentile.
- Vs. 11: “We” (Jews) will be saved…just as “they” (Gentiles). Gentiles are not saved like Jews. Jews are saved like Gentiles!
Conclusion: The baptism of or pouring out of the Spirit was equally given to both Jews and Gentiles so that there would be no distinction between the two and so that God would clearly show the fulfillment of his promises to Abraham. Further, being baptized or immersed with the Spirit, or the Spirit poured out on you (Titus 3:5-7), or receiving the gift of the Spirit, has nothing to do with anything you felt, receiving miracles, or having the Spirit give you any kind of personalized guidance.
Berry Kercheville