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Holy Spirit baptism and eternal salvation


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I hear a lot about baptism of the Holy Spirit being pretty much the same as receiving eternal life.

I have looked at the occurence of Holy Spirit baptism in scripture and haven't seen the connection. 

Jesus said He would baptise with the Holy Spirit and fire speaking to the disciples,  but they were surely eternally saved before the Acts occurence. 

1 Corinthians 12:13 is a main verse used to show HS baptism connection to receiving eternal life, but the 'body' is this verse is surely the local church at Corinth and therefore the baptism is surely water baptism. 

Paul being baptized by immersion in reference to Gods churches.. and the Corinthians also. 

There is also the Holy Spirit coming upon groups of believers in Acts.. but they are already believers and so where is the connection to eternal salvation? 

Your thoughts are most welcome.

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5 hours ago, 360watt said:

I hear a lot about baptism of the Holy Spirit being pretty much the same as receiving eternal life.

I have looked at the occurence of Holy Spirit baptism in scripture and haven't seen the connection. 

Jesus said He would baptise with the Holy Spirit and fire speaking to the disciples,  but they were surely eternally saved before the Acts occurence. 

1 Corinthians 12:13 is a main verse used to show HS baptism connection to receiving eternal life, but the 'body' is this verse is surely the local church at Corinth and therefore the baptism is surely water baptism. 

Paul being baptized by immersion in reference to Gods churches.. and the Corinthians also. 

There is also the Holy Spirit coming upon groups of believers in Acts.. but they are already believers and so where is the connection to eternal salvation? 

Your thoughts are most welcome.

The disciples were kept by the Lord except for the man of perdition i.e. Judas Iscariot (John 17:12) whom people seem to forget was a disciple and an apostle and was given power to preach the gospel of the kingdom, cast out devils and heal the sick (Matthew 10:1). 

The baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire has a three-fold application like many passages in scripture.

1) The coming of the Holy Ghost and tongues of fire at Pentecost. The abiding Comforter that would come (John 16:7)

2) The believers spiritual union with Christ Jesus' death, burial and resurrection at salvation (Romans 6:3-5). Many Baptists will make that a water baptism into their local church. I'm a hardcore Baptist but that's just silly. There are some Baptist preacherz who demand Christians be re-baptized to join their church.

3) The Second Advent of our Lord and his purging of the nation of Israel (particularly the sons of Levi) with the fire being the wrath of God upon the wicked. (Matthew 3:11-12; Malachi 3:1-3).

In Acts 2 Peter apparently believed #3 was taking place but he was mistaken. It wasn't the first time or last time Peter didn't fully understand a work of God that was taking place. 

In John 20:21, 22 Jesus gives the disciples a little "first fruits" of the Spirit before Pentecost. 

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2 hours ago, SureWord said:

The disciples were kept by the Lord except for the man of perdition i.e. Judas Iscariot (John 17:12) whom people seem to forget was a disciple and an apostle and was given power to preach the gospel of the kingdom, cast out devils and heal the sick (Matthew 10:1). 

The baptism of the Holy Ghost and fire has a three-fold application like many passages in scripture.

1) The coming of the Holy Ghost and tongues of fire at Pentecost. The abiding Comforter that would come (John 16:7)

2) The believers spiritual union with Christ Jesus' death, burial and resurrection at salvation (Romans 6:3-5). Many Baptists will make that a water baptism into their local church. I'm a hardcore Baptist but that's just silly.

I myself would stand in some agreement with Brother "SureWord" on this matter, as well as some disagreement.  I agree pretty much with all of that which I have quoted from Brother SureWord's posting above.  I would only add further my belief that 1 Corinthians 12:13 is NOT talking about water baptism into a local body of Christ, but that it is talking about Spirit baptism (wherein the Holy Spirit is the substance of baptism, NOT the baptizer of the baptism) into "the general assembly and church of the firstborn," (which I would encompass under Brother SureWord's point #2 above).

On the other hand,

2 hours ago, SureWord said:

3) The Second Advent of our Lord and his purging of the nation of Israel (particularly the sons of Levi) with the fire being the wrath of God upon the wicked. (Matthew 3:11-12; Malachi 3:1-3).

 I am not prepared to express direct agreement or disagreement with Brother SureWord's #3 as presented in the quotation above.  I would need to look more closely into Malachi 3:1-3 and its context before I could deliver my thoughts.

2 hours ago, SureWord said:

In Acts 2 Peter apparently believed #3 was taking place but he was mistaken. It wasn't the first time or last time Peter didn't fully understand a work of God that was taking place. 

I do not agree at all that Peter got it wrong in Acts 2.  Rather, I believe that Brother SureWord is applying a motivation to Peter's quote in Acts 2 that was not contextually Peter's intention.  Thus I believe that Brother SureWord is misunderstanding Peter from Acts 2 (which is a matter over which he and I have had some small dispute before on the forum).

2 hours ago, SureWord said:

In John 20:21, 22 Jesus gives the disciples a little "first fruits" of the Spirit before Pentecost. 

Again, I am not quite sure that I am in specific agreement or disagreement with Brother SureWord's statement above about John 20:21-22; but I do not find this to be a point worthy of much dispute at this time.

Edited by Pastor Scott Markle
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10 hours ago, 360watt said:

I hear a lot about baptism of the Holy Spirit being pretty much the same as receiving eternal life.

I have looked at the occurence of Holy Spirit baptism in scripture and haven't seen the connection. 

Jesus said He would baptise with the Holy Spirit and fire speaking to the disciples,  but they were surely eternally saved before the Acts occurence. 

1 Corinthians 12:13 is a main verse used to show HS baptism connection to receiving eternal life, but the 'body' is this verse is surely the local church at Corinth and therefore the baptism is surely water baptism. 

Paul being baptized by immersion in reference to Gods churches.. and the Corinthians also. 

There is also the Holy Spirit coming upon groups of believers in Acts.. but they are already believers and so where is the connection to eternal salvation? 

Your thoughts are most welcome.

Now, to give a more direct answer to question of the opening post.

Whether the baptism of the Holy Spirit does or does not relate to the matter of eternal life will be determined wholly based upon a given individual's or teacher's definition for "the baptism of the Holy Spirit." 

For those who hold that the baptism of the Holy Spirit occurred one time only, on the Day of Pentecost, and that that occurrence was the complete fulfillment of that baptism - they certainly will NOT relate the baptism of the Holy Spirit to eternal eternal. Commonly such individuals are very, VERY strong "local church ONLY" individuals; and commonly such individuals WILL teach that 1 Corinthians 12:13 is talking about water baptism into a local body of believers.  (Note: Although this is the position which I was taught in my upbringing, it is NOT the position that I myself presently hold.)

For those who hold that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is to be equated with the work of the Holy Spirit in regeneration (as if they are different Biblical phrases for the same Biblical truth) - they most certainly WILL relate the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the reception of eternal life.  Commonly such individuals will hold some type of view concerning a "spiritual" body of Christ, and commonly such individuals will hold some type of view that Old Testament believers did NOT experience regeneration (since the baptism of the Holy Spirit did not begin until the New Testament).  (Note:  I believe that this is pretty close to the view that Brother SureWord holds.  However, although this position is closer than the previous unto that which I hold, it is still NOT quite the position that I myself hold concerning the matter).

For those who hold that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is to be equated with the filling of the Holy Spirit in sanctification - they also will NOT relate the baptism of the Holy Spirit with the reception of eternal life, although they might present it as an evidence that an individual possesses eternal life.  Commonly such individuals will present the baptism of the Holy Spirit as something may occur some time after an individual's salvation for empowerment in holiness before God and for empowerment in service to God, and commonly such individual will hold the baptism of the Holy Spirit could possibly be lost and then repeated more than once throughout a believer's Christian walk.  Commonly such individuals will equate each time in the book of Acts that the Holy Spirit filled, came upon, etc. a believer as another case of Holy Spirit baptism.  (Note: This is NOT the position that I myself hold concerning the matter.)

The position that I hold would be as follows:

1.  The baptism of the Holy Spirit is NOT to be equated with the Holy Spirit's work of regeneration, although it IS to be viewed as occurring in very close relation with the Holy Spirit's work of regeneration for the New Testament believer.

2.  The baptism of the Holy Spirit (as well as the permanent indwelling of the Holy Spirit) IS a New Testament work of the Lord, and thus Old Testament believers did NOT experience it.

3.  While Old Testament believers did not experience the baptism (or permanent indwelling) of the Holy Spirit, they DID experience the Holy Spirit's work of regeneration (the removal of their spiritually dead spirit, and the creation of a spiritually alive spirit within them) at the moment of saving faith; and they could experience the filling work of the Holy Spirit at times.  As such, although I would hold that the Holy Spirit's work of regeneration and of baptism (and permanent indwelling) are very closely related for the New Testament believer, I would still contend that they are actually DIFFERENT works of the Holy Spirit.  (Note: If I understand correctly, this is the point about which Brother SureWord and I would stand in disagreement.)

4.  The baptism of the Holy Spirit places the New Testament believer into the "spiritual" body of Christ, "the general assembly and church of the firstborn" (as per Hebrews 12:23).  (Note: I hold to a local church only position with regard to this earth, but also hold that there is a "universal, spiritual" church that exists STRICTLY in heaven at this present time, and in which EVERY New Testament believer is a "spiritual" part.)

5.  "The general assembly and church of the firstborn" did NOT exist during the time of the Old Testament, but is God's "new" work in this time of the New Testament church.  Thus NO Old Testament believer ever was a part of "the general assembly and church of the firstborn."

6.  The baptism of the Holy Spirit is NOT to be equated with the filling work of the Holy Spirit, although on the Day of Pentecost both happened together when the first baptism of the Holy Spirit occurred.  However, for all other New Testament believers the baptism of the Holy Spirit occurs at the moment of salvation, whereas the filling influence of the Holy Spirit occurs again and again throughout the believer's Christian walk (based upon the individual believer's daily submission to walk in the Spirit).

 

Edited by Pastor Scott Markle
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