b.)
Does Christ baptize with the Spirit, or does the Holy Spirit baptize?
Does Christ baptize with the Spirit, or does the Holy Spirit baptize?
An examination of the gospel accounts of the promise of Spirit baptism manifest that Christ is He who baptizes with the Spirit; the Spirit is not said to baptize anyone. In Matthew 3:11 (cf. Mark 1:7-8; Luke 3:16) John the Baptist predicted, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.” John likewise stated that “he that sent
me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the
Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with
the Holy Ghost” (John 1:33). These
are all the explicit references to baptism with the Holy Spirit in the gospels,
and Christ is the agent performing the baptism in every case, while the Holy
Spirit is the means or instrument[1]
of the baptism taking place. The
fact that Spirit baptism took place when Christ, in conjunction with the
Father, sent the Comforter, the Holy Ghost (John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7; Acts
1:4-8), to abide with the church at Pentecost (Acts 2) also demonstrates that
the Lord Jesus, not the third member of the Trinity, is the agent in Spirit
baptism. In Acts 1:5, referring
back to these predictions and forward to their fulfillment on the day of
Pentecost, the Lord Jesus stated, “John truly baptized with water; but ye shall
be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.” Again, the Holy Spirit is not the agent performing the
baptism, but the medium or instrumentality whereby Christ baptizes. The record of the gospels and Acts are
uniformly against the Holy Ghost being the agent in Spirit baptism.
me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the
Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with
the Holy Ghost” (John 1:33). These
are all the explicit references to baptism with the Holy Spirit in the gospels,
and Christ is the agent performing the baptism in every case, while the Holy
Spirit is the means or instrument[1]
of the baptism taking place. The
fact that Spirit baptism took place when Christ, in conjunction with the
Father, sent the Comforter, the Holy Ghost (John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7; Acts
1:4-8), to abide with the church at Pentecost (Acts 2) also demonstrates that
the Lord Jesus, not the third member of the Trinity, is the agent in Spirit
baptism. In Acts 1:5, referring
back to these predictions and forward to their fulfillment on the day of
Pentecost, the Lord Jesus stated, “John truly baptized with water; but ye shall
be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.” Again, the Holy Spirit is not the agent performing the
baptism, but the medium or instrumentality whereby Christ baptizes. The record of the gospels and Acts are
uniformly against the Holy Ghost being the agent in Spirit baptism.
The Old Testament prediction of Spirit baptism,
and their statement of fulfillment in Acts, employing the language of the
Spirit being poured out, likewise are uniformly against the agency of the Holy
Ghost in Spirit baptism. Jehovah
affirms in Joel 2:28-29, “I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your
sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your
young men shall see visions: and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids
in those days will I pour out my spirit.”[2] On Pentecost, Peter referenced this
text, stating that “God [promised], I will pour out of my Spirit upon all
flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men
shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and
on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall
prophesy.” Consistent with the Old
Testament, Peter affirmed that the Spirit did not pour Himself out in the
action of Spirit baptism. The Holy
Spirit was poured out by the other two members of the Trinity, the Father (Acts
2:17-18) and the Son (Acts 2:33).
and their statement of fulfillment in Acts, employing the language of the
Spirit being poured out, likewise are uniformly against the agency of the Holy
Ghost in Spirit baptism. Jehovah
affirms in Joel 2:28-29, “I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your
sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your
young men shall see visions: and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids
in those days will I pour out my spirit.”[2] On Pentecost, Peter referenced this
text, stating that “God [promised], I will pour out of my Spirit upon all
flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men
shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: And on my servants and
on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall
prophesy.” Consistent with the Old
Testament, Peter affirmed that the Spirit did not pour Himself out in the
action of Spirit baptism. The Holy
Spirit was poured out by the other two members of the Trinity, the Father (Acts
2:17-18) and the Son (Acts 2:33).
The UCD view of 1 Corinthians 12:13 avers that
the Holy Ghost is the agent performing the Spirit baptism allegedly under
consideration in the verse. Such a
view of the text disregards the Old Testament predictions of Spirit baptism and
contradicts every statement concerning the nature of this baptism in the
gospels and in Acts. The historic
Baptist view avoids these extreme hermeneutical difficulties by correctly
recognizing that Christ was the agent in the completed action of Spirit baptism
and 1 Corinthians 12:13 speaks not of baptism with the Holy Ghost but of the
immersion in water through which a believer is united to the membership of a
local, visible church body.
the Holy Ghost is the agent performing the Spirit baptism allegedly under
consideration in the verse. Such a
view of the text disregards the Old Testament predictions of Spirit baptism and
contradicts every statement concerning the nature of this baptism in the
gospels and in Acts. The historic
Baptist view avoids these extreme hermeneutical difficulties by correctly
recognizing that Christ was the agent in the completed action of Spirit baptism
and 1 Corinthians 12:13 speaks not of baptism with the Holy Ghost but of the
immersion in water through which a believer is united to the membership of a
local, visible church body.
Note that this complete study, with all it parts and with additional material not reproduced on this blog in this series, is available by clicking here.
[1]
cf. the
earlier blog post “Spirit Baptism
in the Gospels,” where the fact that Christ baptizes with the Holy Ghost, rather than in Him, is defended.
cf. the
earlier blog post “Spirit Baptism
in the Gospels,” where the fact that Christ baptizes with the Holy Ghost, rather than in Him, is defended.
I am still confused as to when we should baptize people unto Moses, or is this no longer done? Why is this mentioned in 1 Corinthians 10:2?
Anonymous,
The people who went through the Red Sea were baptized unto Moses, that is, they identified through that baptism with Moses. I don't know what you are asking. It seems like you've got to be kidding.