“He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire” (Luke 3:16)
Baptism by Water
The first water baptism occurred with a flood, washing away sin and wickedness through death, in which God told Noah to build an ark and waited patiently for it to be built. Peter writes, “In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also -not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at God's right hand -with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him.” (1 Peter 3:20b-22)
Water baptism is a call for the cleansing and forgiveness of sin. Mark 1:4 says, “John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”
It represents the death and burial of the old way of life and a coming into new life with Christ that parallels the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. Romans 6:1-4 says, “What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer notes that baptism is not an offer made by man to God, but an offer made by Christ to man. As one is baptized “into Jesus Christ” they become Christ's possession. He notes that it is through the grace of baptism that one receives death as a gift: “a man can never accomplish it by himself. The old man and his sin are judged and condemned, but out of this judgment a new man arises, who has died to the world and to sin.” [1]
Colossians 2:11-12 says, “In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.”
And in Acts 5:31, Peter and the other apostles said about Jesus, "He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.”
Bonhoeffer goes on to note that “Baptismal death means justification from sin.” He writes that a sinner must die to be freed from his sin. He writes, “If a man dies he is justified from sin (Rom. 6.7; Col. 2.20). Sin has no further claim on him, for death's demand has been met, and its account settled. As he notes, a forgiveness does not mean the sin has been overlooked, but that the sinner has shared in the death of Christ. As he states, “It is baptism into the death of Christ which effects the forgiveness of sin and justification, and completes our separation from sin.” [2a]
Romans 6:7 says, “For one who has died has been set free from sin.”
Water baptism is an act of belief in Christ and outward expression of our commitment to Christ, identifying us with both Christ and with the members of His body. 1 Corinthians 12:13 says, "For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body -whether Jews or Gentiles, slaves or free -and we were all given the one Spirit to drink."
Bonhoeffer notes that when Jesus called men to follow him, he “was summoning them to a visible act of obedience.” As he notes, baptism is a public event “whereby a member is grafted on to the visible body of Christ (Gal. 3.27 f; I Cor. 12.13).” [3]
Baptism by water is the outward manifestation of our belief in Christ and a visible entering into the death of Christ, proclaiming our faith and our oneness with the body of Christ. However, it is by our belief in Christ that we are baptized into the name of Christ (Acts 19:5) [4] and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. As demonstrated in Acts 19:1-7, we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit when we believe in Jesus, not solely by the act of water baptism.
In Acts 19:1-7, Paul found disciples that had received John's baptism (water) but did not receive the Holy Spirit. Paul told them, “'John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.' On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.”
Ephesians 1:13-14 says, “Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession—to the praise of his glory.
In Acts 2:38, Peter replied, "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.
Baptism into the name of Jesus through one's belief, receiving the gift of salvation and water baptism mirror each other. They both need occur only once, are based upon our belief in Christ, repenting -turning from our rebellion against him, and receiving his death in payment for forgiveness of our sins (Romans 10:9-10).
In Mark 16:16 Jesus says, “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever doesn't believe will be condemned.” In John 3:16 (and throughout the bible) it is very clear that it is through faith alone in Christ that we are saved- not through water baptism or any other practice. Therefore, it would appear that Jesus is referring to believing in His name as baptism here.
In John 3:5-8, Jesus tells Nicodemus, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.” This implies that as we receive Christ by faith, either: 1) we are born of water and the Spirit -baptized into His name, or 2) Jesus is referring to natural birth when he mentions 'born of water.'
1 John 5:6-12 says, “This is the one who came by water and blood – Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement. We accept human testimony, but God's testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his son. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”
So what does it mean that Jesus both came by water and blood?
The Nelson Study Bible Commentary notes, “Water and blood have been interpreted in at least four ways: (1) as Jesus’ baptism and death, (2) as His incarnation, (3) as the water and blood that flowed from His side on the Cross, and (4) as the baptism of the believer and the Lord’s Supper. Most scholars favor the first interpretation. John is correcting the false teacher Cerinthus, who claimed that the Spirit came on Jesus at His baptism but left Him before His death (see 4:2, 3).” [5]
In Matthew 3:13-17, Jesus was baptized by water and the Holy Spirit came to rest on Him:
“then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, 'I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?' Jesus replied, 'Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.' Then John consented. As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice form heaven said, 'This is my Son, whom I love; and with him I am well pleased.'”
Jesus was a circumcised Jew on the 8th day (Luke 2:21-24), celebrated passover according to the requirements (Matthew 26:17-20), and was baptized by water for the forgiveness of sins. Jesus did not need to repent and receive forgiveness, yet he still was baptized by water to fulfill all righteousness. In Mathew 5:17, Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”
In Hebrews 7:9, it talks about the Levites paying a tenth to Melchizedek and says, “One might even say that Levi, who collects the tenth, paid the tenth through Abraham, because when Melchizedek met Abraham, Levi was still in the body of his ancestor.”
In the same way that the Levites were in the loins of Abraham as he offered tithes to Melchizedek, in a sense, as we accept Christ, we are in his loins as He goes to the cross, having fulfilled all the requirements of the Law and the Prophets [6] (see Romans 6:3-5). The Spirit, blood and water all testify. We do not need baptism by water (or circumcision or passover) to be saved -Jesus fulfilled all for us. We can now celebrate them in freedom, not in fear of our salvation.
Water baptism is practiced by believers in Christ as a significant and important sacrament in one's life. In Acts 36-39, Philip baptized an eunuch in water. And when the Spirit of God fell on Cornelius and the other gentiles that were with them, Peter still ordered them to still be baptized by water in the name of Jesus Christ (Acts 10:47-48).
We live out our baptism on a daily basis by dying to our old self. Bonhoeffer writes, “The daily dying of the Christian life is merely the consequence of the one baptismal death, just as the tree dies after its roots have been cut away.” [7]
1 John 1:7-10 says, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.”
Receiving the Holy Spirit through faith in Christ, we have a new disposition. Instead of being disposed towards sin, we are disposed towards righteousness. [8] We desire to put the old man to death and pursue righteousness.
1 Peter 1:23 says, "For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable..."
And 1 John 3:9-10 says, “Those who are born of God will not continue to sin, because God's seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they know they have been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are: Those who do not do what is right are not God's children; nor are those who do not love their brothers and sisters.”
Baptism by Fire
“He [Jesus] will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
The first baptism by fire occurred during Pentecost, at the the start of the last days (Acts 2:16-17):
“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came form heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. (Acts 2:1-5)
Hebrews 12:29 says “For our God is a consuming fire.” Throughout the Bible at various places, God has displayed Himself in fire. To Abraham, He was a smoking firepot with a blazing torch as He appeared to Abram to make a covenant (Genesis 15:17). To Moses, he was a burning bush (Exodus 3:2-6). To the Israelites, He was a pillar of fire at night (Exodus 13:21).
Nelson's illustrated Bible dictionary notes that in the Bible, fire is often a symbol of God’s presence and power (Lev. 10:2).
Fire has vast significance throughout the Bible:
- It was used by Israelites for practical purposes - to provide light, cook food, heat their houses, and forge their tools and weapons. [9]
- It was closely associated with Israel's worship as fire was kept burning continuously on the altars (Lev. 6:13) and sacrifices were consumed by fire (1 Kings 18:38). [10]
- Incense was burned with it (Lev. 16:12). It was associated with the answering of the prayers of the saints (Revelation 8:5).
- God used fire to guide His people (Ex. 3:2-12; Ex. 13:21). [11]
- It is associated with judgment upon wickedness and unbelief. [12] (Psalm 97:3)
- Similarly, it is associated with cleansing from sin (Is. 6:7).
- It is associated with passionate love -as strong as death (Song 8:6).
- It illuminates and enlightens. [13] (Psalm 18:28)
Matthew Henry's Whole Bible Commentary notes, “The Spirit, like fire, melts the heart, separates and burns up the dross, and kindles pious and devout affections in the soul, in which, as in the fire upon the altar, the spiritual sacrifices are offered up. This is that fire which Christ came to send upon the earth. Lu. 12:49.” [14]
As a friend once mentioned, most significantly, the tongues of fire represented God coming and resting on man. In the past, the Spirit of the Lord only 'rested' on specific people to fulfill special purposes, such as the prophets and judges.
Moses tells Joshua in Numbers 11:29, when the Spirit of the Lord came down and rested upon the 70 elders and they prophesied, "Are you jealous for my sake? Would that all the LORD'S people were prophets, that the LORD would put His Spirit upon them!"
Some other examples of the Spirit coming in power, resting on specific people to fulfill his purposes are:
In 1 Samuel 10:6, Samuel told Saul, “The Spirit of the LORD will come upon you in power, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person.” The Spirit of the Lord coming upon Him caused him to prophesy and significantly changed Saul, giving him the boldness and strength he needed to step into kingship. When Saul became king and the Ammonites besieged Jabesh Gilead, the Spirit of the Lord came on Saul in power and he burned with anger, cutting up his oxen and challenging the Israelites that this is what would happen to them if they do not enter battle with him.
In Judges 14:6, “The Spirit of the LORD came upon him [Sampson] mightily, so that he tore him as one tears a young goat though he had nothing in his hand; but he did not tell his father or mother what he had done.” The Spirit of the Lord gave Sampson both boldness to kill the lion and strength. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary notes, “By enabling him to kill a lion, God let Samson know what he could do in the strength of the Spirit of the Lord, that he might never be afraid to look the greatest difficulties in the face.”
Peter rejoiced as He saw tongues of fire resting on each of the people as they spoke in various languages and told the people, “This is what was spoken by the prophet Joel. In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.”
What had only been available to a few select people, was now available to all who believe and receive this baptism of fire. The Spirit of God has come to rest on the people of God who would receive him.
The baptism of the Holy Spirit coming upon man in the form of a baptism of fire is not the same as receiving the Holy Spirit. One receives the Holy Spirit at the time of salvation (Ephesians 1:13-14). However, an immersion (baptism) into the Spirit occurs as the Holy Spirit rests upon a believer through the baptism of fire.
A few examples in the New Testament of believers being baptized in the Holy Spirit:
In Acts 19:6, after some disciples were baptized into the name of Jesus, accepting Him as savior and receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit, Paul placed his hands on them. It says, “when Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.”
The Holy Spirit came upon the believers as Peter was speaking the message in Acts 10:44, “While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.”
While the baptism of the Holy Spirit is most frequently demonstrated externally by gifts of tongues and prophesy, it is more than this. It is a baptism of power for the purposes of God just as it was in the Old Testament.
When the Spirit of the Lord came to rest upon Jesus, it was an empowerment to fulfill His Father's kingdom purposes. In Luke 4:18-19, Jesus says (quoting Isaiah 61:1), “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. “
In Luke 24:49, Jesus told the disciples about Pentecost, “ I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."
And in Acts 1:8 Jesus says, “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.”
Witnesses here is the word martus, Strongs #3144, and means to be martyred, witnesses of Christ by their death. [15] More significant than our witness to others by our words is our witness by our actions. 1 John 3:16 says, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for one another.” The strongest witness to others is love in action, even in the midst of hate and persecution.
“I want to burn for Jesus” sings in the background.
1 John 3:18 says, “Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth... No one has ever seen God, but if we love one anther, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us (1 John 4:12)... This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus" (1 John 4:17).
“We want the fullness of Your Spirit... Release the fullness of Your Spirit, Shekinah Glory come... We want more of Your Spirit” sings in the background.
When the Spirit of the Lord came upon the apostles and other disciples at Pentecost in power, they were empowered to be witnesses. They spoke in the tongues of the Jews “from every nation under heaven” (Acts 2:5). Peter then preached the gospel and about three thousand accepted his message and were baptized that day (Acts 2:41). Right after the baptism of fire, the apostles were moving in signs and wonders, and the community of faith devoted themselves to God's word and fellowship together, many being added to their numbers daily. (Acts 2:42-47)
And in Acts 4:3, Peter and John were seized and thrown in jail. Despite their difficult circumstances, they were witnesses with boldness and courage. When they were commanded not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus, they replied, “Which is right in God's eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20).
It goes on to say in Acts that when Peter and John returned to their fellowship and reported what happened, they all prayed to God: “Now Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.'” After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly” (Acts 4:30-31).
Often, like water baptism, we think of the baptism of the Holy Spirit as a one time event. However, as my pastor, David Johnson, has noted in a sermon some years ago, there can be more than one baptisms of the Holy Spirit. We can be immersed and empowered by the Spirit more than once in our lives to fulfill His kingdom purposes at the time.
“Our God is an all consuming fire! Behold the day is coming, when He comes burning like a fire and sets the world ablaze!” sings in the background.
As Jesus started the last days pouring out His Spirit on all flesh at Pentecost (see Acts ; 1 John2:18), He will again pour out His Spirit on all flesh in even greater measure, having saved the best wine for last.
And as a baptism of fire started the last days, the ultimate baptism of fire will also end the last days. 2 Peter 3:5-7 says, “But they [scoffers who say, where is this coming he promised?] deliberately forget that long ago by God's word the heavens came into being and the earth was formed out of water and by water. By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for fire, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly.”
Isaiah 66:15-16 says,
“For, behold, the LORD will come with fire, and with his chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury, and his rebuke with flames of fire. For by fire and by his sword will the LORD plead with all flesh: and the slain of the LORD shall be many.”
Jesus will take “His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” The Spirit will come as fire, melting hearts, separating and burning up all dross, and our hearts will burn with passion as our spiritual sacrifices of love are offered up and consumed on His altar. We will become one with Him as His pure and spotless bride.
“All creation groans and waits for you to come. Return.”
Jesus, Pour out Your Spirit on all flesh once again. Let our hearts be consumed with love for You, for our brothers and sisters in Christ, and for the lost. Make us Your “witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Let us burn brightly with Your love in these last days.
1-4, 6-7. Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. The Cost of Discipleship. Touchstone, New York, NY. 1959.
2a. Bonhoeffer is referring to baptism in Christ's name versus water baptism here.
5. Radmacher, E. D., Allen, R. B., & House, H. W. (1997). The Nelson study Bible : New King James Version. Includes index. (1 Jn 5:6). Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers.
6. Sievers, Susan. Resurrection Power. ? Possibly published 2004.
8. Willard, Dallas.
9-13. Youngblood, R. F., Bruce, F. F., Harrison, R. K., & Thomas Nelson Publishers. (1995). Nelson's new illustrated Bible dictionary. Rev. ed. of: Nelson's illustrated Bible dictionary; Includes index. Nashville: T. Nelson.
14. Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible. Located at: http://mhcw.biblecommenter.com/acts/2.htm Last Accessed: 8/25/10.
14. Vine, W. E., Unger, M. F., & White, W. (1996). Vine's complete expository dictionary of Old and New Testament words. Witnesses. Nashville: T. Nelson
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