Sanctification and the Baptism of the Spirit (Doctrinal Bible Church in Huntsville, Alabama)

Doctrinal Bible Church

Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom

Wednesday October 18, 2023

Sanctification Series: Sanctification and the Baptism of the Spirit

Lesson # 5

The baptism of the Spirit provided the foundation for the church age believer to experience fellowship with God and thus experience their sanctification since it identified them with Jesus Christ in His crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and session at the right hand of the Father.

There are seven baptisms in the Word of God: (1) Baptism of John (Matt. 21:25; Luke 7:39; 20:4) (2) Baptism of Jesus (Matt. 3:16; (3) Christian water baptism in the pre-canon period of the church age (Acts 2:41; 8:12-13, 16, 36, 38; 1 Cor. 1:16-17) (4) Baptism of Moses (5) Baptism of the Cross (Luke 12:50) (6) Baptism of Fire (Matt. 3:11; Luke 3:16) (7) Baptism of the Spirit (Mark 1:8; Rom. 6:3; 1 Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:27; Eph. 4:5; Col. 2:12; 1 Pet. 3:21).

During the dispensation of the church age when a sinner exercises faith alone in Christ alone, the omnipotence of God the Holy Spirit places that person in an eternal union with Christ, thus identifying the believer positionally with Christ in His crucifixion, death, burial, resurrection and session.

This results in making the believer a permanent member of the royal family of God, a new spiritual species and eternally secure (Mark 16:16; John 7:37-39; 14:20; Acts 1:5; 2:1-4; Rom. 6:3-5; 1 Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:26-28; Eph. 4:5; Col. 2:11-13; 1 Pet. 3:21).

This is identification with Jesus Christ is called the “baptism of the Spirit.”

This ministry of the Spirit never took place before the day of Pentecost in June of 33 A.D.

John the Baptist prophesied of the baptism of the Spirit (Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John 1:33).

God the Father tells John the Baptist that the Lord Jesus Christ will be responsible for the baptism of the Spirit (John 1:33).

John the Baptist places a clear distinction between water baptism and the baptism of the Spirit (Mark 1:8; Matt. 3:11; Luke 3:16).

His reference to the baptism of the Spirit was of course related to believers whereas his reference to the baptism of fire is related to the unbeliever (Luke 3:16).

The Lord Jesus Christ prophesied about the baptism of the Spirit (John 7:37-39).

John 7:37 On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” 39 By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. (NIV84)

Jesus described the baptism of the Spirit as “rivers of living water” (John 7:38).

At that time, the baptism of the Spirit had not yet taken place when our Lord issued this prophesy (John 7:39).

In this passage, John writes that the reception of the baptism of the Spirit is contingent upon believing in Christ (John 7:38) and that the giving of the Spirit was contingent upon our Lord’s glorification (John 7:39).

In John 14:16, our Lord promises to send the Spirit in His Upper Room Discourse.

In John 14:20, the phrase “in that day” refers to the day of Pentecost when the apostles would be placed in union with Christ by the omnipotence of God the Holy Spirit.

In John 14:26, the Lord taught His disciples that God the Father would send the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost in His name.

The baptism of the Spirit first took place among Jewish believers on the day of Pentecost in approximately June of 33 A.D. and was a fulfillment of the prophecies made by John the Baptist and our Lord.

This event is recorded in Acts chapter two.

Acts 2:1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. 5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” 13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.” 14 Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15 These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! 16 No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 “‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18 Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.

19 I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20 The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 21 And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ 22 “Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23 This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. 25 David said about him: “‘I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 26 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope, 27 because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.’

29 “Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30 But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31 Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay. 32 God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. 33 Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. 34 For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, “‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand 35 until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’ 36 “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” 37 When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.” 40 With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” 41 Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. (NIV84)

Acts chapter ten records the first time the baptism of the Spirit took place among the Gentiles, thus making it universal in scope in the church age (Gal. 3:27; 1 Cor. 12:13).

1 Corinthians 12:13 For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. (NIV84)

Galatians 3:26 You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (NIV84)

The baptism of the Spirit unites Jewish believers with Gentile believers making them a new humanity under the headship of Jesus Christ who is the head of the new creation.

In Ephesians 2:11-22, Paul teaches that God the Holy Spirit is building a spiritual temple, which is the church and it is composed of both Jew and Gentile races.

Both Jews and Gentiles were reconciled into the body of Christ through the baptism of the Spirit.

Ephesians 2:11 Therefore, remember that formerly you who are Gentiles by birth and called “uncircumcised” by those who call themselves “the circumcision” (that done in the body by the hands of men)— 12 remember that at that time you were separate from Christ, excluded from citizenship in Israel and foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world. 13 But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ. 14 For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, 15 by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, 16 and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. 17 He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. 19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. 21 In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. 22 And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. (NIV84)

Ephesians 3:1-13 teaches that it was a mystery that the Gentiles through faith in Christ and the baptism of the Spirit would become fellow heirs with Jewish believers, fellow members of the body of Christ and fellow partakers of the four unconditional covenants of promise to Israel.