John the Baptizer proclaimed, “I baptize you with water unto repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Matt 3.11) In his ascension, Jesus received the gift of the Spirit beyond measure and did, indeed, baptize his church with the Holy Spirit and fire.
It is tempting to tease out John’s prophecy into a contrast between water and Spirit, wet versus dry baptism. There was no water involved when the Spirit was poured out on those one hundred twenty disciples in the upper room. There was the sound of a mighty rushing wind and cloven tongues of fire, but there was no water to be found. For this reason, some in the church have played “Spirit baptism” against “water baptism.” Water baptism is understood as ritual obedience to the command of Jesus while Spirit baptism is the real baptism, the point at which a person genuinely receives the Holy Spirit. Water versus Spirit baptism is a mere external ritual versus invisible reality.
However, this doesn’t jibe with Peter’s command to those who, on the Day of Pentecost, were cut to the heart after hearing the proclamation that the Jesus they crucified had risen from the dead, ascended to the right hand of the Father, received the gift of the Spirit, and poured out his Spirit on the church. In answer to their question, “Brothers, what shall we do?” Peter says, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2.38) Peter didn’t tell them to go to an upper room and pray for ten days to receive the gift of the Spirit. He told them to turn from all other loyalties and be baptized into Christ Jesus. At that point, they would receive the gift of the Spirit. In response, three thousand were baptized that day. Through water baptism, three thousand received the gift of the Spirit that day.
How did they receive the gift of the Spirit through baptism? Because through baptism the Spirit himself joined them to the body of Christ, the church. Jesus—head and body—is the abode of the Spirit. To be joined to his body through baptism is a union created by the Spirit and is the place where the Spirit dwells. If you are a part of Christ’s church, you share in the Pentecostal gift of the Spirit.
This gift is a responsibility. Because you are in communion with the Spirit, you must learn to walk in the Spirit and not fulfill the lusts of the flesh (Gal 5.16). We who live in the Spirit must also walk in harmony with the Spirit (Gal 5.25). We must not grieve the Spirit by whom we are sealed until the day of redemption by living in sinful, disharmonious relationships in the church (Eph 4.30). To reject his ways as a member of Christ’s church is to insult and outrage the Spirit of grace (Heb 10.29).
In baptism, the Spirit bound you to Christ’s body, the church (1Cor 12.13). So, it is not a question of whether or not you have the Spirit. You do. The only question is whether or not you are walking in harmony with him, bearing his fruit (Gal 5.22-23), or walking in disharmony with him.
