Baptism Of The Holy Spirit And Of Water
Baptism: A term derived from the Greek "baptisma." The etymological, or that part of philology which explains the origin and derivation of words, with a view to find out their radical or primary meaning.
The significance of the word baptism often has been obscured by a lack in the science of interpretation. Total and full clarity is lacking and FORCED interpretations abound.
The true meaning can only be found in its usage and its theological significance. It first appears in the Mosaic laws of purification, where it means a mere washing of cleansing.
John the Baptist who followed in this tradition of baptism, but infused into the act of initiation and purification an ethical quality never seen before.
Matt.3:7-8, "To repent, and flee from the wrath to come." John's baptism was to last for only a short time. His was a baptism of repentance which was preparing for a baptism of identification through our Lord.
When Jesus submitted to the baptism of John, He joined together baptism by water, and the power to produce effects by His redemptive work; thus, they are now inter-related and vital to each other.
To the baptism by water, Christ added the promise of a baptism by the Holy Spirit. Now His redemptive work for man would produce the desired effect and remedy. Jesus made baptism by the Holy Spirit synonymous with the actual supplication to the virtues of His death and resurrection to fallen man.
Paul magnified this concept of Holy Spirit baptism by relating it to the whole of the redemptive act. Water baptism being the generic symbol of cleansing. Holy Spirit baptism is the only means by which the redeemed sinner is united into the Body of Christ and is the only means of identification with our redeeming Saviour.
Only through the Holy Spirit is a believer brought into a positive relationship with God, and will now accept, agree, quietly comply and participate in the death and resurrection of Jesus.
Rom.6:3-5, "Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death?"
We are therefore said to be buried with Him into death, and then to participate in His resurrection and the newness of life. The believer died to sin, and found "newness of life," through Jesus Christ. We passed from the old to the new.
By Christ's promises we are made, "partakers of the Divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world." We are now "in Christ," and Christ is in us. We are now cleansed by Christ's blood.
Titus 3:5, "not by works, -- but according to His mercy He saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost."
Immersion, sprinkling or pouring are all associated with the concept of cleansing and identification, these reflecting in the spiritual importance of baptism.
Immersion gives a clearer picture of the symbolic aspect of baptism. The processes of: submersion, immersion, and coming out of the water, parallel the concept of entering into Christ's death, the forgiveness of sins, and rising to walk in the newness of Christ's resurrection.
The true significance of baptism is to be found in the life of a believer. It is related to one's responsive faith. Through faith are we truly united, as the body to the Head. Our faith is said to be, a surrender and a response communion with the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ.
Baptism has no sacramental value, but does have great spiritual importance. Thinking in this way will restore to its place a neglected aspect of the doctrine. If the act of water baptism is thought in terms of being outward or symbolic only, this thinking is not a Biblical one.
The importance should be on the inward operation. The inward bringing man into a redemptive relationship through participation. This gives us a clear identification with the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord. It can then be said of us, we are dead to sin, but alive to God.
When one is baptized in both water and Spirit, and the inward man is made new, then follows the overwhelming abundance of both the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit. The apostles and early church Christians were not only subjected to the influence of the Holy Spirit, but filled with, and immersed with a new component or element of existence, life, perception, feeling and action; this qualifying Christians' for future public works for Christ.
Many aspects of Christian life are covered through Holy Spirit baptism.
Holy Spirit baptism is represented as a right of Jesus personal worth, honor, and esteem.
Mark 1:8, John said, "I indeed have baptized you with water: but He = (Jesus) shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost. See also Matt.3:11, Luke 3:16, John 1:5-17-32.
Of the distinction of Christ's reign. Jesus said:
"John 16:7, "It is expedient = (advantageous) for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you: but if I depart, I will sent him unto you." See also, John 7:37-38-39.
This baptism is a promise of the new covenant.
Luke 24:49, Jesus said, "behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high." See also, Acts 1:4 thru 8. Acts 2:1 thru 4-16-21-33-38-39.
Holy Spirit baptism stands as a seal and a privilege to all who believe.
Eph.4:30, "grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." See also, Eph.1:13-14, 5:18. Gal.4:6, 5:16-25.
As an object of Expectation and prayer; also looking forward to His blessings and gifts.
Phil.1:19, "For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ." See also, Isa.32:15-17, 44:3-5. Luke 11:5-13.
The comprehension and understanding of the varied gifts of the Holy Spirit and to their portion. Also to the needs of the body of believers, according to the wisdom and the will of the Spirit Himself.
Eph.5:8-9-10, "now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth: Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord." See also, 1 Cor.12:1 thru 13-31. 14:1. Eph.4:30. Rom.8:9-13-14, 14:17, 15:13.
Whatever is necessary to make the gospel effective to its end among those involved in the work of any faithful Christian. The spreading of the Good News is sought and expected by the Father, this through His Son, and administered by the Holy Spirit.
Again, the importance should be on the inward operation, it bringing man into a redemptive relationship through participation; thus, giving us a clear identification with the whole of the body of Christ, and both the Father and Son.
The definition of the Greek and Hebrew word baptism follows.
Baptize: 907. Baptist: Baptized: Baptizeth: Baptizing: 907. Greek is, baptizo. A frequentative in form, meaning a repetition of an action, but not in fact, to immerse, to sink, trans. Spoken of ships, galleys, etc. In the N.T,
a. To wash, to cleanse by washing, trans. Middle term of a syllogism is one with which the two extremes are separately compared, and by means of which they are brought together in the conclusion. Also aoris, in the Greek this is an indefinite tense, which expresses and action as completed in the past. First person Passive, this expressing action, or the effect of an action of some agent.
In the middle sense, to wash one's self, to bathe, to perform ablution; Mark 7:4. "except they wash, they eat not." Luke 11:38, "he marvelled that he had not first washed before dinner." In the Septuagint.
2 K.5:14, "Then went he down, and dipped himself," collectively with ver.10. "Go and wash in Jordan." Compare Lev.11:25-28-40, "shall wash his cloths," Num.19:18-19, "sprinkle it upon."
b. To baptize, to administer the rite of baptism, either that of John, or of Christ. Passive, and Middle term, to be baptized, or to cause one's self to be baptized, as generally to receive baptism. In the primitive churches, where according to oriental habits, bathing was to them what washing is to us, the rite appears to have been ordinarily though not necessarily performed by immersion.
1. past particle, expressing completed action, and simply, Matt. 3:6-13-14-16, "baptized," Mark 1:4-5, 16:16, Luke 3:7-12-21, bis. 7:30, John 1:25, "Why baptizest thou," John 1:28, "John was baptizing," 3:22-23, bis. 26, John 4:1-2, 10:40, Acts 2:41, 8:12-13-36-38, 9:18, 10:47, 16:15-33, 18:8, 22:16, 1 Cor. 1:14-16, bis. 17.
So Mark 6:14, "Herod heard of him; -- That John the Baptist was risen from the dead." With an accus. of the cognate noun, Acts 19:4, "Then said Paul, John baptized with the baptism of repentance," John baptized a baptism of repentance, as by which those who received it, acknowledged their obligation to repent. Luke 7:29. In Luke's writings with a dative, or a term applied to the case of nouns which usually follows verbs that express giving, or some act directed to an object.
Of the instrument or material employed as with water, Luke 3:16, Acts 1:5, 11:16. Elsewhere with, "in water," Matt. 3: 11, Mark 1:8, John 1:26-31-33. Comp. Matt. 3:6, the people were "Baptized ---in (the) Jordan." Mark 1:9, "Jesus -- was baptized of John in Jordan."
b-2. With the adjuncts marking the object and effect of the rite of baptism; chiefly common form, accus. to baptize, or to be baptized into any thing, as into the belief, profession, observance, of any thing. Matt.3:11, "into repentance," Acts 2:38, "for the remission of sins," Acts 19:3, "Unto John's baptism," as in the repentance into which John baptized. 1 Cor. 12:13, "into one body," as that we may become one body, Rom. 6:3, "into Jesus Christ." So with, "into," c. accus. of person, to baptize, or to be baptized into, a profession of faith in any one and sincere obedience to him; Rom. 6:3, and Gal. 3:27, "into Christ." 1 Cor. 10:2, "into Moses." So, into the name of any one, in the same sense, Matt. 28:19, "into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." Acts 8:16, "in the name of the Lord Jesus." Acts 19:5, 1 Cor. 1:13-15. So also in the same sense, Acts 2:38, Acts 10:48, "in the name of the Lord." With, "for," 1 Cor. 15:29, bis. "for the dead," or on account of the dead, as why baptized into a belief of the resurrection of the dead, if in fact the dead rise not?
c. As a metaphor. In direct allusion to the sacred rite, "to be baptized in the Holy Ghost, and in fire, as to overwhelm, richly furnish, with all spiritual gifts, or overwhelm with, "fire unquenchable," etc. Matt. 3:11, "He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with unquenchable fire." Luke 3:16. So with, "the Holy Spirit," Mark 1:8, John 1:33, Acts 1:5, 11:16. Genr. but still in allusion to the rite, to baptize with calamities, as to overwhelm with sufferings, Matt. 20:22, bis, 23, Mark 10:38, bis. 39 bis, Jesus said, "can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?" as, can ye endure to be overwhelmed with sufferings like those which I must endure? For the construction see b-1. Luke 12:50, "I have a baptism to be baptized with." 1 Cor. 15:29, bis. "what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, ----why are they then baptized for the dead?" as if the dead do not rise, why expose ourselves to so much danger and suffering in the hope of a resurrection? Comp. 1 Cor. 15:30-31, where, "in jeopardy," and, "in danger," are substitute for baptism, or those baptized at the point of death.
Thank you,
Phil LaSpino