What is Holy Spirit Baptism?
The baptism of the Holy Spirit was a direct overwhelming of a person by the Holy Spirit instigated by Jesus Christ Himself for the purpose of miraculously demonstrating divine approval. The Bible only records two bona fide instances of Holy Spirit baptism that are labeled as such. The first is in Acts 2 where the apostles were baptized in the Holy Spirit for the purpose of showing the people gathered on Pentecost that Jesus was the Messiah. Jesus specifically told them that they would be baptized in the Holy Spirit in Acts 1:5. The second is in Acts 10 where Cornelius and his household were baptized in the Holy Spirit for the purpose of showing the Jews that God wanted gentiles to hear, believe, and obey the gospel. In Acts 11:16, Peter identified what happened to the gentiles in Acts 10 as the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The Bible does not record any other instances of this baptism. The Bible does record instances of the apostles laying hands on Christians so that they might receive a miraculous measure of the Holy Spirit. These instances are mediated by the apostles and do not qualify as baptisms of the Holy Spirit since Jesus directly baptized with the Holy Spirit according to John the Baptizer’s prophecy (Mark 1:8). Since Holy Spirit baptism is bound to miraculous gifts, when miraculous gifts ended, Holy Spirit baptism ended also. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 13:8-10, “Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.” Today we have a complete revelation from God in the Bible. It was confirmed by miracle. We no longer need the miracles because we have the completely revealed word of God.