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Introduction

A word of caution- We must be careful about taking rare events such as these and building doctrinal stances on these events alone. What we see in this passage regarding the Spirit of God and baptism are unusual events that serve to support the natural order of spiritual development.

We recognize in this passage the normal order of spiritual development from conversion at which point we receive the Spirit of God and then to baptism when we identify ourselves with Jesus Christ.

When Paul heard of the faith of these “disciples” he immediately suspected that some things were lacking and set about instructing these sincere disciples providing the information they were lacking so that their conversion would be complete.

In the passage we first learn a few things about these disciples.

We first learn that their:

Faith Was Suspect

These men had and incomplete revelation of Jesus Christ. They had heard from John the Baptist or his followers that the Messiah would come but they were left without the information that the Messiah had indeed come and had been crucified and had risen from the dead.

They believed what they had heard but they still lacked vital information concerning Jesus Christ. There are many in our world today who believe what they know but unfortunately the information they have been given is incomplete or worse yet incorrect.

How many people know about Jesus Christ but they do not know what they must do to be saved, they have been told that their good works of their baptism, or their following of some religious rituals will be enough to get them to heaven when in reality what they need to do is to trust Jesus Christ and believe the gospel.

Paul instantly recognized this and asks a question to confirm his suspicions. He asks them whether they have received the Spirit of God?

Their reply only confirms Paul’s suspicion as they answer that they have not so much as heard of the Holy Ghost. The indwelling of the Spirit of God is the mark of every true Christian.

Romans 8:9- have not the Spirit you are none of his/Romans 8:16- the spirit beareth witness/ Ephesians 1:12-13- sealed(marked by) the Holy Spirit

Paul was now sure that they had not yet trusted Christ and that he must give them further instruction if they are to be converted to Christ.

Time and time we see in scripture God finds a way to reveal Himself and His plan of salvation to those who are sincerely seeking Him.

Next we learn that their:

Baptism Was Suspect

After asking about their experience with the Spirit of God Paul then asks them about their baptism. Again concerned that it was suspect.

The disciples’ answer once again confirms Paul’s suspicions. These disciples had indeed been “baptized” but only in identification with John the Baptist not in identification with Jesus Christ.

There are many today who are confident that they have been “baptized” (infants) but they have never been truly baptized identifying with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Baptism is not baptism if it is not done as a means of identification with Jesus Christ. Anything else is simply not baptism.

Infant baptism is not baptism, other forms than immersion cannot be baptism as they do not identify us with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. Baptism prior to one’s salvation is not baptism at all.

There is an order of events that every believer should experience and Paul feels it is now his duty to ensure that these sincere disciples become sincere Christians!

Finally we see the disciples:

Complete Conversion to Christ

Paul is now confident that these men, though sincere in their faith, have not yet received Christ because they have yet to hear the gospel.

We can be certain that here Paul spoke to them regarding Christ death, burial, and resurrection as was his constant habit.

Once they had heard of Christ they immediately believed on Him as is evidenced by their decision to be baptized, this time identifying not with John’s baptism but with Jesus Christ!

Every individual who places their faith in Christ should then be baptized identifying with the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

They als then received the Holy Spirit after Paul had placed his hands on them. This is an unusual occurence and is certainly not the normal mode by which the Spirit of God is received.

What we will recognize is that there is a very specific purpose to this manner of things in this and other scriptures where we see such things taking place.

Acts 8:17- another instance where the Spirit of God is received by the laying on of hands. This extraordinary event was a sign that verified apostleship

Acts 10:43-48- the normal pattern for the reception of the Spirit of God

Then immediately following their conversion they “spake with tongues and prophesied”. We must recognize that this was not some unknown tongue used by angels or some babbling in some unrecognizable language but instead they spoke in a language they was not previously known to them.

Why do we see these special miracles here and in Acts 10:46 with Cornelius and now here in Acts 19:6? This spontaneous speaking in tongues was a sign gift that was given to prove the validity of the conversion of those who may not otherwise been accepted as valid.

There were those in both instances who may have doubted the conversion of these groups to Christ but the sign of tongues provided the evidence that their conversion was indeed legitimate. If you would like to know more about tongues and their use and abuse study I Corinthians 14 as Paul speaks to a church that has place far too much emphasis on speaking in tongues.

We must be careful not to base our doctrine on one extraordinary event but instead to develop our doctrinal position from careful study of every part of the Word of God.

We must ultimately build our doctrine from the complete canon of scripture and if we will study these issues we will come to the conclusion that the normal experience of any person who believes on Christ is that they immediately receive the Spirit of God and that they should soon after be baptized identifying with Jesus Christ and that they should not be expected to speak in tongues as some evidence of their spirituality.