Behaviors

Acts 2:38; Acts 8:36; Matt 28:19

Baptism is a foundational doctrine as found in Heb 6:1-2.

In Acts 2:38, Peter preached,

‘Repent and be baptized everyone of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.’

The same thing happened immediately after the conversion of an Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:36,

‘See, here is water. What prevents me from being baptized.’

It was the mandate given by Jesus when he said in Matt 28:19,

‘Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit …..’ 

The Greek word for ‘baptism’ is baptismo and is used to indicate dip or submerge. Hence, that was why the Ethiopian official had an eye for the water; otherwise, if it was sprinkling, it would have been easy for him.

Baptism is an outward demonstration of an inward action relating to the person’s repentance from their sins. It is a non-compulsory requirement for salvation but it fulfills Jesus’ commandments of Matt 28:19.

Hence, be baptized in water after accepting our salvation.

Acts 11:16; Acts 2:38; Acts 10:44-47; Acts 19:2-6

Baptism is a foundational doctrine as found in Heb 6:1-2.

Acts 11:16,

‘And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’

So, there is such a thing as baptism with the Holy Spirit.

The Books of Luke and Acts were written by one man, Dr Luke; it was he who accompanied the Apostle Paul on some of Paul’s missionary journeys.

Dr Luke was a particularly meticulous man who recorded precise information like the name of the centurion (Julius of the Augustan Cohort – Acts 27:1) and the various ports that they were traveling along to Rome (Acts 27).

Effectively, we can read the Books of Luke and Acts as two parts of the same book in chronological order.

In Luke 24:49, Luke concluded the book with the words of Jesus to his disciples to wait,

‘I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.’

And the book of Acts start off with these words from Jesus being repeated in Acts 1:4,

‘You heard from me ; for John baptized with water but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.’

In Acts 2:4, they were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke in unknown tongues, just like it was promised by Jesus.

Point #1 – Baptism with the Holy Spirit is a SEPARATE experience from conversion.

In Acts 10, Peter went to a Gentile centurion after being instructed supernaturally by God. While Peter was still sharing,

‘the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. …. For they were hearing them speaking in tongues and extolling God.’ (Acts 10:44-47).

Point #2 – Is tongues a sign of the baptism with the Holy Spirit? 

For an answer, please turn to B15, Be filled with the Holy Spirit.

NB: Being filled with the Spirit is the same as being baptized with the Holy Spirit.

After salvation, a believer should seek for the baptism with the Holy Spirit. Again, it does not seem to be a compulsory requirement for salvation but it fulfills Jesus’ promise to us – that we will be ‘clothed with power from on high’ (Luke 24:49).