Being baptized with the Holy Spirit and fire

Was the baptism with the Holy Spirit and fire limited to the apostles only? No. Is it a deep, dark and obscure mystery which God did not intend for believers to understand. No. This article will look at the expression baptize you will the Holy Spirit and fire as it appears in the gospels as cited below. I have no interest in labeling or blasting anyone. If the are wrong or mistaken on their understanding it is my hope that they will better and more fully understand. If they are doubtful as to their understanding my hope is for their edification. If they do not know one way or the other my hope is for them to acquire wisdom, knowledge, understanding and confidence that they might fully rejoice in the Lord and the fellowship of the saints. Whatever anyone else might believe, seek to impose on them or cause them to doubt my hope is that they will teach with conviction what they have come to understand for the edification of their brother and sister in Christ.

The testimony of John the baptist

He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire (Matthew 3:11)

He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit (Mark 1:8)

He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire (Luke 3:16)

He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit (John 1:33)

The testimony of Peter

You will be baptized with the Holy Spirit (Acts 11:16)

The testimony of Jesus

Can you drink the cup I will drink, or be baptized with the baptism I will undergo? (Mark 10:38)

I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished! (Luke 12:50)

You will be baptized with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:5)

terms

The term immersion in almost any sense that it is used is associated with the idea of totality. At least in daily practice it is the closest one can come to cutting off all ties and association with what one is familiar and to go it alone, or as the popular term says, to go native. Among Christians the term immersion is familiar with its anglicized form of the term as baptism. The reality is that words, just like things visible or things not visible, are subject to a range of different understandings, not all of which can be right, not all of them can be wrong, but one of them must be right.

When it comes to the expression baptism of the Holy Spirit this is unexceptionally true. Clearly, there are the instances involving the close proximity of baptism and the receiving of instantaneous gifts. These would include, for example, the gift of tongues. Although it is easy to interject and mix baptisms (a topic for another study) these are not the same. I hope this becomes evident by the end of this article. 

no insight

Jesus, the Son of God, ate, talked and walked among men. The disciples, who would later go forward as apostles, saw him with their eyes and touched him with their hands. Nonetheless, there were numerous times when what the people, including the disciples, saw and heard was not sufficient for them. They wanted more. Even his disciples who experienced a hands-on reality with the feeding of the 5,000 (Mark 6:52) never perceived the miracle. Mark notes that they did not gain any insight from that miracle.

Yet, Jesus was steadfast to declare and assert that the words and the works are what he had, both as proof of the Father being in Him and Jesus being in the Father, and as the proof of his deity.

If this was not sufficient or adequate to fulfill the expectations of his listeners and other doubters it is not surprising to hear the same today of those who hear, but either do not understand or reject the testimony of the scriptures, as been insufficient for them.

The Holy Spirit, after He was sent into the world by the Father[1] and the Sons[2] according to the promise of the Father, was not visible or palpable to the human senses. So, it is not surprising and perhaps more so than Jesus that the Holy Spirit was and continues to be the subject of demands for more visible, palpable and sensual proof in order for them to believe the presence of the Holy Spirit and the work of the Holy Spirit in them and their brothers and sisters in the Lord. It is not surprising then that the Holy Spirit who is not visible and palpable becomes like clay to be freely shaped and formed according to the individual's notions with all sincerity and as he or she believes. This represents their guidance, the believer’s own internal emotions and feelings into which no one can enter, except maybe and in due time, the understanding that comes from the written word of the Lord as given by the Holy Spirit. However, even understanding of the word of God without insight is like the disciples' direct experience with a miracle. They would later demand of Jesus, Lord, just show us the Father and it is enough for us.[3]

being baptized with the Holy Spirit and fire

The expressions along with their scripture citations above represent the testimony of John the baptist and the apostle Peter. These are with respect to and their use of the expression of the two key terms together of Holy Spirit and baptism. Notably, Matthew and Luke are the only ones to include the term fire in the expression. Ironically, the testimony of Jesus is that He himself of whom John testified would baptize the disciples with the Holy Spirit and fire, does not use the expression of fire as it appears in the gospel accounts by Matthew and Luke. This is not an error. It is not an inconsistency. The very life of Jesus is a fulfilling, fitting testimony of the missing term of fire. I have often noted that there is good reason to be leery when one's understanding and teaching is centered and is isolated on a single passage or a single word.

The Holy Spirit, as pronounced, declared and revealed by God, is the epitome of the word of God. It, that is, the word, is the means of communication between God and mankind. Hence, the Holy Spirit did not originate when He was sent into the world. Yet, even when that word manifested Himself in the flesh [4] the efforts to dismiss that word as nothing more than a mere man abounded endlessly as being insufficient. Surely, there must be more to God. The word is pushed aside. Surely, there must be something more than ink and paper, as the word is often denigrated, as though the LORD God required something more like a chisel and hammer than when He spoke creation into existence. There is no end in sight, I believe, as to how far and how long the word as spoken by the LORD God and as written by his servants as being insufficient. Quite simply the place, value and significance of words when it comes to understanding the expression baptized with the Holy Spirit and with fire are as much as cast into the fire.

the testimony of amazement

The testimony from Luke about those who witnessed the incident on Pentecost is telling and significant. They were amazed. The testimony of their amazement was not about the visible tongues as of fire which rested on the apostles. The testimony of their amazement was that Jews and proselytes who were in Jerusalem for Pentecost from far away lands each one of them was hearing them speak in their own language. What was visible with tongues as of fire was no less evident in the hearts and conviction of the apostles. What the apostles experienced was precisely as Jesus said to them concerning the Spirit of truth: 

. . . whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. [5]

the prophecy of Jesus on being baptized with the Holy Spirit

Jesus prophesied in the present tense to the disciples that the Holy Spirit "abides with you." [6] Equally significant is that Jesus prophesied, on the same occasion, in the future tense to the disciples that the Holy Spirit "will be in you" for the understanding of the disciples even if that they did not fully understand his words in the moment. Even when they did not realize what they were asking Jesus declared that they would most certainly be baptized with the same baptism as he. [7]The future for them to be baptized with the Holy Spirit and fire was as near as fifty three days away on the day of Pentecost.

This was, as unspectacular and insufficient and as deep, dark and obscure as it may seem, the baptism with the Holy Spirit. It was when they received power. Significantly, the first manifestation of that power was the message of the gospel which they proclaimed with boldness. Just as significantly, it is how every disciples reveals to the world his commitment to Jesus as Lord and Savior by submitting to be baptized with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

the prophecy of Jesus on being baptized with fire

Jesus, as I noted earlier, never used the term fire in his prophecy. However there was to be no mistake or uncertainty that the same suffering which Jesus endured was what awaited the disciples and every believer who follows after Jesus. The fire of suffering is the test of the faith of the disciple and by which he or she is refined as fine gold. This baptism by with fire is neither, as some teach, the infliction of punishment on the unrighteous anymore than it is the punishment of the follower and disciple of Jesus.

Does this seem way too much so as to not take up your cross and follow Jesus? Then, do not deceive yourself. Jesus said, You cannot be my disciple. [8]

conclusion

The baptism with the Holy Spirit and fire is a prophecy proclaimed by John the baptist about Jesus. The apostle Peter proclaimed it as he remembered the expression which he ascribes it to Jesus. The Lord Jesus proclaimed it of himself, but also of his disciples. Jesus made it manifest, real and graphic for the disciples to behold and understand without any doubt what it means and what is involved in the reality of the expression, baptized with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

The baptism with the Holy Spirit and with fire of the apostles is not a deep, dark and obscure mystery. The baptism with the Holy Spirit is what every disciple receives when they respond in obedience to Jesus as Lord and Savior. What Jesus made clear to his disciples was that although the Spirit was WITH them that Holy Spirit would be IN them. This is that moment when the message of the kingdom of heaven as revealed through the Holy Spirit ceases to be some cool and interesting stuff. It is when one understands the message and submits to it for what it is, the word of God.

The internalization of the message of the Holy Spirit, that is, of the Holy Spirit himself, is what then opens up the disciple to be the, like the apostles, as a spectacle to the world. This is the fire, with varying degree and frequency, with which the disciple is proved and refined like fine gold.

This is the fire of the suffering of Jesus as He was tested which the disciples as witnesses. Jesus, although he was a Son He was not spared in order that he learned obedience [9]. A key reason for the suffering of Jesus which the disciples beheld was that they would gain insight. This is no less and without exception than is expected of all disciples. It is that we might discern, for instance, the working of miracles by the power of God. Perhaps this is not sufficient for you? Take courage in what you read, understand and accept in the written testimony on being baptized with the Holy Spirit and with fire and do not lay it aside as being insufficient and search in vain for a suitable substitute.