Questions on the Baptism of the Holy Spirit
Christian Forum
The Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is a person of the Trinity. I recommend you read the book Understanding the Holy Spirit made easy, An easy-to-understand pocket reference guide by Mark Water (Hendrickson Publishers).
1. Do you receive the Holy Spirit when you are saved?
“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
“But you are not living the life of the flesh; you are living the life of the Spirit, if the Holy Spirit of God dwells within you. But if anyone does not possess the Holy Spirit of Christ, he is none of His--he does not belong to Christ.” Romans 8: 9
Jesus said in John 14: 16-17, “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener ) that He may remain with you forever; The Spirit of Truth, Whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him, nor know and recognize Him. But you know and recognize Him, for He lives with you and will be in you.” (Amplified)
“For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body…” I Corinthians 12: 13
“Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling: One Lord, one faith, one baptism. One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.” Ephesians 4: 3-7 King James
2. What about the gifts of the Holy Spirit?
See I Corinthians 12: 1-11, I Corinthians 12: 28-31, Romans 12: 6-8, and Ephesians 4: 11.
I Corinthians 12: 11 The Living New Testament says, “It is the same and only Holy Spirit who gives all these gifts and powers, deciding which each one of us should have.” The King James says: “…dividing to every man severally as he will.” Romans 12: 6 says, “We have different gifts according to the grace given us…”
“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh: and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions….” Joel 2: 28-29
“Do not quench the Spirit; do no despise prophetic utterances (prophesying). But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil.” 1 Thessalonians 5: 19-22)
New American Standard Bible
3. Is the Speaking in tongues in Acts the same gift of speaking in tongues in 1 Corinthians?
Acts 2: 7-8 says, “And they were amazed and marveled, saying, “Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans? “And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born?”
Paul says in I Corinthians 14: 14-17: “For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. What is the outcome then? I shall pray with the spirit and I shall pray with the mind also; I shall sing with the spirit and I shall sing with the mind also. Otherwise if you bless in the spirit only, how will the one who fills the place of the ungifted say the “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying? For you are giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified.” New American StandardKing James version of I Corinthians 14: 13-19: “Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understand not what thou sayest? For thou verly givest thanks well, but the other is not edified. I thank my God; I speak with tongues more than ye all: Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.”
I Corinthians 14: 2, “For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understands him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.” King James
4. Are all people who speak in unknown tongues Spirit Filled?
Do not confuse the gifts with being Spirit Filled? See the Fruits of the Spirit in Galatians 5: 22-23.
Were the people that Paul was speaking to in I Corinthians mature Christians? See I Corinthians 5: 1.
Unbelievers are given natural talents as well as believers. The Holy Spirit is given to every believer who puts their trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
I Corinthians 12: 11-31 King James Version:
“But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is no one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you.
V, 22 Nay, much more those members of the body, which h seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the body, which we think to be less honorable, upon these we bestow more abundant honor; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honor to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.
v. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?
v. 31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet show I unto you a more excellent way.”
LOVE
I Corinthians 13 1-2
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understanding all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and not charity, I am nothing.”
I Corinthians 13: 13
King James: “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
Amplified: “And so faith, hope, love abide; these three, but the greatest of these is love.
I Corinthians 14: 1-5
“Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understand him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church. I would that ye all speak with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying.
