Baptism of the Holy Spirit - Part 2 – 1 Corinthians 12:13 (Part 1)

What is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit? – Part 2

1 Corinthians 12:13 (Part – 1)

Another verse that is used to justify the stand on the ‘Baptism of the Holy Spirit’ is 1 Corinthians 12:13; and again, as always, it is also done by taking the phrase and misinterpreting it out of its context, and without paying attention to other related teachings. The main reason given for having the ‘Baptism of the Holy Spirit’ is so that the Christian Believers will be specially empowered to be of service for the Lord. Although it sounds like a pious and reverential stand, it actually is un-Biblical and a distortion of Biblical truth, fraught with the potential of dividing the body of Christ, the Church.

As is quite clear from Acts 1:8, all the power that a Christian Believer requires to serve the Lord and to witness for Him to the uttermost corner of the world is provided to them in their receiving the Holy Spirit the moment they come to faith in the Lord Jesus. Nothing more or other than this is required, and nothing can be any more powerful than the presence of God the Holy Spirit within a Christian Believer, ready and available to guide and help the Christian Believer for all things, at all times. But just for argument’s sake, for the moment let us accept the contention that something over and above the presence of the God the Holy Spirit within a person is required to be of service for the Lord. If this is correct, then where is the Biblical proof of it? Where is any example in the Word of God of a Believer, anyone, was first specially Baptized by the Holy Spirit and then doing something extra-ordinary, something spectacular for the Lord, which the others could not do although they had the Holy Spirit within them? In the Bible is there any one person; any one example in support of this teaching – no, none! The clear and evident answer is that there is no such example in the whole of the New Testament to support this contention.

When the Lord Jesus had asked His disciples to wait for receiving the Holy Spirit before going out for their ministry, at that time too He never said to them that the marvelous and powerful signs and miracles given in Mark 16:17, 18 would only be possible for them after they had received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. These special and extra-ordinary works were promised to them along with their gospel preaching ministry as spontaneous accompaniments to their ministry. Throughout the New Testament record, all the people, all the mighty men of God laboring for the Lord’s service and bringing in their harvest into His kingdom, are the same ones who first received the Holy Spirit at the time of Believing in the Lord Jesus, and then stepped out into the world, at the command of the Lord, without receiving anything else or any other special experience.

- To Be Continued

 Next: Baptism of the Holy Spirit – Part 2 – 1 Corinthians 12:13 (Part - 2)