Originally posted by JustAChristian
The household of Cornelius the Roman centurion, was baptized of the Holy Spirit to convince the Jews that Gentiles were accepted by God through the gospel to receive salvation (Acts 11:1-18; 15:7-11). These are the only recorded Holy Spirit baptisms, and should be the only accepted purposes for this event.
Cornelius and his household were not baptized to convince the Jews of anything. They were baptized because they "believed" Jesus Christ died for their sins and that God raised him from the dead. Peter needed to be convinced that the Gentiles were not to be considered unclean and that it was also available for them to be baptized in holy spirit.
They laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost" You will note hereby, that they had believed Philip's preaching and were baptized in water for the remission of sins (Acts 8:12; Acts 2:38).
It does not say they were baptized in water.
Act 8:12,13:
But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.
(13) Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.
The Samaritans, including Simon, believed on the name of Jesus Christ and they were baptized in holy spirit, being saved under the preaching ministry of Philip.
Acts 8:14-18:
Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:
(15) Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
(16) (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
(17) Then laid they [their] hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.
(18) And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money.
There appears to be a contradiction in verse 15 where it says that Peter and John came from Jerusalem that they might receive the holy spirit. What need would they have to receive the holy spirit if they had already received it in verse 12? Furthermore, verse 16 states that the spirit had as yet "fallen upon" none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Is this a different baptism than the baptism in the spirit?
There is only one baptism in the one Body of the Church. Ephesians 4:5 is absolutely clear on this point: "One Lord, one faith, one baptism."
The key to understanding this apparent contradiction lies in understanding the meaning of "fallen upon" in verse 16. These words "fallen upon" are the Greek words "epipipto epi." These Greek words gives its meaning in Acts 10.
Acts 10:44-46:
While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on [epipipto epi] all them which heard the word.
(45) And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost.
(46) For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter,
They of the circumcision were astonished that the holy spirit had fallen upon [epipipto epi] all the Gentiles who heard Peter as he taught the word. How had the spirit fallen upon them? According to verse 46, the Gentiles spoke with tongues. When the Word of God speaks of the spirit "falling upon" someone, it is not a reference to baptism. Rather, it is a reference to the spirit being manifested by speaking in tongues.
Peter saw undeniable proof that the Gentiles had been baptized in the holy spirit, for he witnessed them speaking in tongues. The speaking in tongues was not the baptism. It was the evidence that the baptism in holy spirit had taken place. This is what he and the others with him had done when they had been baptized in the spirit in Acts 2. When Peter returned to Jerusalem, he reported to the believers concerning what had occurred with the Gentiles.
Acts 11:15
And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on [epipipto epi] them, as on us at the beginning.
How did the spirit fall on them at the beginning? They spoke in tongues, just as the Gentiles had in Acts 10. The spirit "falling upon" someone does not refer to the baptism in the spirit, but the manifesting of the baptism by speaking in tongues. Another example is found in Acts 8.
Acts 8:16:
(For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
Verse 16 refers to the truth that as yet they had not spoken in tongues. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. To be "baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus" is another way of saying "baptized in the spirit," for there is only one baptism.
There is another interesting truth found in Acts 8:14-19. The word "receive" appears four times in these six verses. According to verse 14 and the verses leading up to it, they had received the Word of God from Philip. This word "receive" is the Greek dechomai, meaning "to deliberately receive or accept what is offered." The three following occurrences of "receive" are an entirely different word in Greek, which is "lambano." This word means "a self prompted taking," that is, to receive so as to use. The relationship of these two words for receive is important to understand.
So it is with the holy spirit. God offers it as part of the gift of salvation. When we believe, calling upon the name of the Lord (Romans 10:9-13), we receive (dechomai) the baptism of the holy spirit. When we choose to evidence the spirit by way of the manifestation of the spirit (I Corinthians 12:7- 11) that is when we take the spirit so as to use it (lambano).
Water baptism, except for Jesus' water baptism, is always for the remission of sins and for no other scriptural reason ( Luke 3:3; Acts 2:38).
Acts 2:38: "Then Peter said unto them, repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins..."
Peter instructed them to repent. When we repent, we receive remission of sins; not forgiveness, but remission. All the sins which are upon the individual who repents are remitted, are wiped out at the time of salvation. To repent is not to confess your sins, but to confess the Savior from sin. It is to confess with our mouths the Lord Jesus. V48--"...and ye shall receive [lambano, into manifestations] the gift of [from] the Holy Ghost [pneuma hagion]."
Peter's specific statement, "and ye shall receive" in this grammatical usage means, "and you shall [absolutely] receive [lambano, manifest, show forth in evidence] the gift of [from] the Holy Spirit [pneuma hagion]" who is the Giver. In other words, Peter said that the one who repents receives remission of sins, and he then should absolutely manifest. Acts 2:38 is not referring to "water" baptism at all.
Luke 3:3:
And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;
Please note the following verses:
Mark 1:4-8:
John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
(5) And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.
(6) And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey;
(7) And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.
(8) I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.
John preached that there was one mightier than he.... He also states that he indeed baptized them with water; BUT he [Jesus Christ] shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.
Please note in verse 5 that they confessed their sins. As stated, we confess the Savior from sin. Jesus is the Savior...not water. Also, Jesus Christ, after his resurrection, never instructed the Apostles to baptize with the water baptism of John.
In all honesty, I fail to see how water baptism is necessary at all for salvation. It never saved anyone. So what's the point of being dunked or sprinkled with water when it brings us no true results as does being baptized in holy spirit. Water baptism today, at best, openly makes known one's fatih in Christ, which is fine.
