The Fatal Error of Present Day Holy Spirit BaptismMichael HatcherINTRODUCTION

For years the church has faced the problem of the Pentecostals and their promotion of

present day Holy Spirit baptism. Faithful preachers met them on the polemic platform and

defeated their doctrines of modern day miracles and Holy Spirit baptism. Sadly, but not

unexpectedly, these same doctrines have now made their way into the church of our Lord. While

some of these brethren are still denying miraculous powers, others are accepting the Pentecostal

view of modern day miracles. Thus, it is of importance that we understand the baptism of the

Holy Spirit.

JOEL’S PROPHECYLet us first turn our attention to the prophecy of Joel. There are some who incorrectly make

the claim that this prophecy is a prophecy of Holy Spirit baptism by trying to equate the pouring

out of the Spirit to baptism of the Spirit. Joel writes, “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I

will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old

men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon

the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit” (Joel 2:28-29).

Joel is speaking of the Christian age as is evidenced by it shall come to pass afterward. It is

also seen in the last verse of the chapter regarding that salvation that comes in Jerusalem by all

those who call on His name: “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of

the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the

LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call” (2:32).

When we are told that the Spirit would be poured out on all flesh, we understand it as a

representative statement. Certainly no one would think that animals would have the Spirit poured

out on them, yet animals have flesh. All understand that not even all human flesh is being

referenced as that would include the heathens, atheists, skeptics, infidels, and others. Surely no

one would think that Joel has reference to those types of individuals. Thus we have a

representative statement that the Spirit would be poured out upon some people. He also shows

that the Spirit would be poured out without regard to sex, age, or social distinctions.

JOHN’S PROMISEJohn the Baptist comes on the scene to prepare the way for the Messiah. As he does his

preparatory work, he announces: “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that

cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you

with the Holy Ghost, and with fire” (Mat. 3:11). This is the first time we are introduced to Holy

Spirit baptism. However, that is not the only baptism to which we are introduced. There is the

baptism in water unto repentance for the remission of sins (Mark 1:4) and the baptism of fire.

The baptism of fire has correctly been pointed out as being eternal punishment as is evidenced by

the context (see verses 10 and 12).

Some see only two baptisms in Matthew 3:11 (Luke 3:16): baptism of the Holy Spirit and

baptism with fire. However, they overlook one. There is also baptism in water. Thus there are

three baptisms, not just two under consideration. However, these brethren often appeal to John’s

use of “you.” They promote a dichotomy that everyone will either receive Holy Spirit baptism or

they will receive baptism in fire. However, the pronoun is simply a generic “you” with the

application and scope to be determined by further revelation. They also face a massive problem

because they fail to take into consideration (according to their own view) that some of those who

would receive Holy Spirit baptism would also receive baptism in fire (unless they take the false

view of the impossibility of apostasy). One last idea is that the baptism of fire is an end-time

event. For their parallel to hold, Holy Spirit baptism must also be an end-time event.

Brother Roy Deaver wrote regarding this:

It should be noted first of all that John did not say the Lord would baptize all persons who would seek his favor. We must observe carefully the use of the word “you” in verse 11. John said, “I indeed baptize you in water…he shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire.” The pronoun “you” is involved in the statement about John’s baptism in water, and the pronoun “you” is involved in the statement about the Lord’s baptizing in the Holy Spirit. Did all those to whom John was preaching receive John’s baptism? Did John actually baptize all those to whom he was speaking? Obviously, no one could justifiably contend that all these hearers were baptized by John. The Record states plainly that the Pharisees were not baptized by John (Lk. 7:30). Did John baptize “offspring of vipers?” Did he baptize persons who had not demonstrated repentance? Did he baptize persons who were basing their claims to divine favor upon their physical ancestry? We conclude that when John said, “I baptize you in water” that he was using the indefinite “you” and that he was actually saying, “I baptize some of you…” The “you” stands for “some of you”—it could not mean all of you.But, the same word “you” which John uses with regard to himself and the baptizing which he was doing he also uses with regard to the Lord and the baptizing (in the Holy Spirit) which he was to do. If the pronoun “you” with regard to John and his baptizing meant “some of you,” then obviously, the pronoun “you” relating to the Lord and those whom he would baptize in the Holy Spirit likewise means “some of you.” Some of those to whom John spoke upon that occasion would be baptized in water (some already had been), and some to whom John spoke would be baptized by the Lord in the Holy Spirit (30-31).

Thus, we need to look for further revelation as to who will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.

JESUS’ CONFERENCE WITH THE APOSTLESIn John 14-16 Jesus meets with his apostles. During this meeting, He promises to them

another Comforter, the Holy Spirit, upon their love for Him: “If ye love me, keep my

commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he

may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it

seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in

you” (14:15-17). He tells them the Spirit’s work (16:7-15): to reprove or convict the world of sin,

righteousness, and judgment (for a more detailed discussion regarding this see this author’s

chapter “Christ Confronted Error About the Holy Spirit” in the 2013 Spring/CFTF Lectureship

book, Christ—The Great Controversialist, pages 210-221).

Jesus also reveals to them how the Spirit would accomplish this work. Jesus tells the

apostles:

These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you…. But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me… I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come (John 14:25-26; 15:26; 16:12-13).

The Spirit would come to the apostles (not promised to anyone else here) to: (1) guide them

into all truth, (2) show them things to come, and (3) bring to their remembrance all that Jesus had

said. We are now finding through further revelation the generic “you” of Matthew 3:11 (“he shall

baptize you with the Holy Ghost”) is being limited to the apostles.

AFTER HIS RESURRECTIONJohn records one of the meetings Jesus had with His apostles after His death and

resurrection: “Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even

so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye

the Holy Ghost: Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins

ye retain, they are retained” (John 20:21-23). Jesus was sending His apostles into the world and

to that end He imparted the Holy Spirit to them.

Just prior to His ascension, Luke records:

And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high (Luke 24:46-49).

Several things need to be considered regarding this passage. First, Jesus is speaking to His

apostles. The apostles would be witnesses (no one today qualifies to be a witness). As a witness,

Jesus would send the promise of the Father to the apostles (not to anyone today). The apostles

were to wait in Jerusalem (where the Law of God would go forth—Isa. 2:2-3) till they were

endued or clothed with power from God. The promise of the Father and the power from on high

are connected together. You cannot have one without the other.

Acts 1 gives another account of Jesus speaking to His chosen ones (the apostles) just prior to

His ascension.

And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence…. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth (Acts 1:4-5, 8).

Jesus was assembled with His apostles (“after that he through the Holy Ghost had given

commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen” 1:2). He commands them to wait in

Jerusalem (where the Law of God would go forth—Isa. 2:2-3) for the promise of the Father. He

now identifies the promise of the Father by appealing to John and his baptism (recorded in Mat.

3:11; Luke 3:16). We now know that the promise of the Father (Luke 24:49) is Holy Spirit

baptism. Jesus again ties together inseparably Holy Spirit baptism and the receiving power. The

apostles (not anyone else is under consideration) would receive power when the Spirit came

upon them. Thus, again we see the apostles receiving power connected with the Holy Spirit

coming upon the apostles. You cannot have one without the other. The baptism of the Holy

Spirit, the promise of the Father, and the receiving of power are then connected to being a

witness. When we study through Acts we learn who the witnesses are: we learn they are the

apostles (Acts 1:22-24; 10:39-42). Thus, we again learn the ones who will receive the baptism of

the Spirit are the apostles.

WHO RECEIVED THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRITFrom the preceding, we learned that it was the apostles that were promised Holy Spirit

baptism, and that it was not promised to others. Are we correct in this understanding? One way

to determine such is to see who actually received it. When the baptism of the Spirit was

promised, Jesus instructed the apostles to wait in Jerusalem for it (Luke 24:46-49; Acts 1:4-8).

Thus, it is only sensible to go to Jerusalem and see what happened.

They were waiting in Jerusalem, “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were

all with one accord in one place” (Acts 2:1). The next few verses show the Holy Spirit coming

upon the “they.” “And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind,

and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues

like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and

began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance” (2:2-4). Who are the “they”

who were filled with the Holy Spirit and thus received Holy Spirit baptism?

Those teaching present-day Holy Spirit baptism, try and make the “they” refer back to Acts

1:15: “And in those days Peter stood up in the midst of the disciples, and said, (the number of

names together were about an hundred and twenty,)” and the 120 mentioned there. However,

grammatically it simply does not fit. “They” is a pronoun and whether a discussion of the Greek

or the English, a pronoun must refer back to an antecedent that agrees in number with it. The

antecedent of “they” would not go back to the 120 of Acts 1:15, but of the apostles. Peter is

speaking of the death of Judas (1:16-20) and the need to have someone take that office (1:20).

Then two individuals (Joseph called Barsabas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias) are

appointed (1:21-23) and after prayer the Lord chooses Matthias (1:24-26). Then it records, “And

they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven

apostles. And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one

place” (1:26-2:1).

Some think the grammar is all that we rest our case upon regarding this. The grammar alone

is sufficient, but there is additional evidence—the rest of Acts 2. After the Spirit falls on “them,”

and the gathering of the crowd hearing them speak in the various languages of men, the people

asked, “Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans?” (2:7). It would be unlikely that the

entire 120 were Galileans, but all the apostles were (1:11). After the listing of the various people

who were there and hearing “them” speak, some mocked saying they were drunk while others

asked, “What meaneth this?” (2:12-13). We are then told, “But Peter, standing up with the

eleven” (2:14). It was not Peter with the 120 but only the apostles. As Peter was preaching and

proving that God raised Jesus from the dead, he states, “This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof

we all are witnesses” (2:32). We have previously noted that the baptism of the Spirit was directly

connected with being a witness (1:4-8). Thus, again, we observe that the ones who received

Spirit baptism were the apostles, not the 120 (they were not witnesses). He continued, “Therefore

being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the

Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear” (2:33). Receiving of the Father

and the promise of the Spirit goes back to the promise made to the apostles in Luke 24:48-49 and

Acts 1:4-5. Those who were “pricked in their heart” asked “Peter and the rest of the apostles”

(2:37) what they needed to do. They did not ask the 120. The entire context of Acts 2 and the

baptism of the Spirit shows that only the apostles received such—not the 120 of Acts 1:15.

However, a study on who received Holy Spirit baptism would not be complete without a

consideration of Cornelius. I, personally, do not believe that Cornelius and those with him

received Holy Spirit baptism. However, consider some facts. The Holy Spirit fell on them as

Peter began speaking (Acts 11:15). We have correctly pointed out that the Spirit’s coming upon

them had nothing to do with their salvation but was to give confirmation to the Jews that “God

also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life” (11:18). It was only after their reception of the

Spirit that they were commanded to be baptized in water (10:44, 48). Those who advocate Spirit

baptism today always place the reception of it with baptism. However, this case does not fit their

order of events and thus presents a problem for them.

Those who hold that this is a case of Spirit baptism appeal to Peter’s rehearsing the events:

“And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. Then

remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye

shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did

unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God?” (11:15-

17). When Peter states that it “fell on them, as on us at the beginning,” he continues to show that

he is discussing Holy Spirit baptism. Notice though that this situation was so unusual it caused

Peter to think back to John’s statement regarding the baptism of the Holy Spirit. If everyone

receives Holy Spirit baptism, then this would not have been unusual but the common occurrence.

However, this does not harmonize with what we read.

DESIGN OR PURPOSE OF HOLY SPIRIT BAPTISMThere are two main reasons for Holy Spirit baptism. Once these are understood, we quickly

realize there is no purpose for Spirit baptism today. The first purpose is to effect revelation. We

learn this during Jesus’ conference with His apostles as recorded in John 14-16.

These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you…. I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come (14:25-26; 16:12-13).

These two passages teach us four things the Spirit would do for the apostles: (1) He would

teach the apostles all things, (2) He would bring to their remembrance all that Jesus had said,

(3) He would guide them into all truth, and (4) the Spirit would show them things to come. All

four of these things concern revelation. They are necessary for the inerrant, infallible recording

of God’s message to man.

Additionally, it would be most improper to take these things that Jesus stated to His apostles

and make them applicable to all men or all Christians. Christianity is a teaching religion, but if

these applied to Christians today, then there would be no need to teach anyone anything because

the Spirit would be teaching them all things and guiding them into all truth. Nor would there be

the need to edify one another as the Spirit would do it all for us. It is bad hermeneutics to take

statements made to a certain individual or individuals and make it applicable to all. The

exception to this rule would be unless there is something contextually that would indicate a

general application or something elsewhere to show it was applicable to all. There is neither in

relationship to what Jesus tells His apostles on this occasion.

These four things that Jesus mentions to His apostles apply solely to them and not to others.

They apply themselves to the process of revelation. Thus, if people are baptized with the Holy

Spirit today, then revelation continues today. If revelation has ended, and it has, then Holy Spirit

baptism has also ended.

A second purpose of Holy Spirit baptism was to effect confirmation. After giving the Great

Commission to the apostles, Mark records for us: “So then after the Lord had spoken unto them,

he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and

preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs

following. Amen” (Mark 16:19-20). As the apostles went out preaching God’s Word, the hearers

would not know if their message was from God or not. The way the hearers could be assured was

by the confirmatory signs (miracles) they performed. Thus the Hebrews’ writer states, “How

shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the

Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both

with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his

own will?” (Heb. 2:3-4). The word of salvation was first spoken by Christ and then by the

apostles (“them that heard him”). God was confirming the spoken word by the “signs and

wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost.” The miracles gave confirmation

that their message came from God.

The apostles by virtue of their baptism of the Spirit had the power to pass the ability to work

miracles to others to confirm the message they preached as being from God. However, since

revelation is not taking place today (God finished His revelation during the first century; Jude 3)

there is no need for Holy Spirit baptism or miraculous powers today.

ONE BAPTISM OF TODAYWhile Paul was in prison in Rome (about AD 60-62), he wrote, “One Lord, one faith, one

baptism” (Eph. 4:5). Thus, at this time there was only one baptism. While there are several

baptisms mentioned in the New Testament, it is generally agreed that all of them were ended at

this time. However, some hold onto Holy Spirit baptism along with water baptism. The

Pentecostals wish the one baptism here is Holy Spirit baptism while our apostate brethren want

to combine the two baptisms (Spirit baptism and water baptism) into one baptism.

When one considers Spirit baptism, it was never related to salvation, a condition of

salvation, or evidence of salvation. However, when one considers water baptism, it was related to

salvation (1 Pet. 3:20-21) and a condition of salvation (Mark 16:16). Brother Guy N. Woods

wrote regarding this:

There is no room for equivocation. The element in which we are baptized into Christ is either water or Spirit. If Spirit, then baptism which puts us into Christ is not water baptism. On this hypothesis it would indeed be difficult to see any reason, relating to salvation, why one should be baptized at all. Question: Does baptism in the Holy Spirit, alleged to be available to all believers today, precede or follow water baptism? If it comes before, and in it one is baptized into Christ, in whom are all spiritual blessings, including the forgiveness of sins (Eph. 1:3, 7), it follows that one is in possession of salvation before and without water baptism; if baptism in the Holy Spirit  follows water baptism, and in the element of the Spirit one is baptized into Christ, then in spite of the fact that one has been baptized in water, such a one is neither saved nor in Christ! Which horn of this dilemma is preferable? (374).

When one understands that water baptism is the one baptism of Ephesians 4:5, there is no

dilemma. However, can we really know that the one baptism is water baptism? Paul wrote

Ephesians while he was in prison in Rome between 60-62. Thus, at this time Paul by inspiration

of God states there is only one baptism. Prior to this time, there had been other baptisms

(including Spirit baptism). A. T. Robertson writes, “Assuming the genuineness of the Epistle and

the death of Peter about A.D. 67 or 68, and the persecution to be not that under Domitian or

Trajan, but under Nero, the date can be assumed to be about A.D. 65” (72). Thus, we can

confidently affirm that 1 Peter was written after Ephesians. When we go over to 1 Peter 3:20-21,

Peter records, “Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in

the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by

water. The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the

filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus

Christ.” The baptism Peter discusses is water baptism. Thus since Peter wrote after Paul and

Paul said there was one baptism (not two), the one baptism of Ephesians 4:5 is water baptism,

not Holy Spirit baptism.

ADDITIONAL PASSAGESTwo passages that are often called upon to prove Holy Spirit baptism are John 3:3, 5 and

1 Corinthians 12:13. Let us briefly consider these passages. When Nicodemus came to Jesus by

night, Jesus informed him, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he

cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Nicodemus did not understand so he asked, “How

can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be

born?” (3:4). So Jesus explained:

Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit. (3:5-8).

Many of those who hold to Holy Spirit baptism when reading this automatically assume that

their case is made for them. They equate being born with baptism, thus they have born of water

as being baptized in water and born of the Spirit as being baptized in the Holy Spirit. There is

one immediate problem with this view: there is only one baptism (Eph. 4:5) and this ends up

with two baptisms (one in water and one in the Spirit). However, the truth of the subject is that

there are two elements that make up the one birth. Those two elements are not two baptisms (as

demanded by those advocating Holy Spirit baptism), but water and Spirit. While baptism is part

of the new birth, baptism alone is not the new birth.

As is true of so many subjects, one must consider the totality of the Bible’s teaching to come

to an understanding of these two elements. In considering water, we learn that it involves

baptism in water as is seen in Acts 8:36-39 and 1 Peter 3:20-21. This is one element of the new

birth while the other element, Spirit is also seen when we look at other passages of Scripture.

Paul told the Corinthian brethren: “For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet

have ye not many fathers: for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel” (1 Cor.

4:15). The way they had been born again was through the Gospel (while not within the purview

of this manuscript, consider they were begotton “in Christ” and we get into Christ through

baptism in water—Rom. 6:3-4—where we have newness of life; Gal. 3:26-27—where we

become children of God through the faith or Gospel because we have been born again which

takes place when we are baptized in water). Peter reveals the same when he states, “Seeing ye

have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the

brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: Being born again, not of

corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever”

(1 Pet. 1:22-23). We are born of incorruptible seed or the Word of God in verse 23 that is

equated with “the truth through the Spirit” in verse 22. By our obedience to the truth that has

been revealed by the Spirit we are born again. Notice also that “being born again” is a perfect

tense verb showing action that has been completed. When was it completed? When they obeyed

the truth. Then James writes, “Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should

be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures” (Jam. 1:18). God begat us with the Gospel or the Word of

Truth. Thus, the instrument by which God effects the new birth is the Word of Truth; it is the

seed or germ. When we believe through the Gospel a conception takes place and the birth

process is completed when we obey the Gospel in being baptized in water for the remission of

our sins.

The other passage that must be considered is Paul’s statement in 1 Corinthians 12:13. Paul is

in the midst of discussing spiritual (miraculous) gifts, a discussion that began at the start of

chapter 12 and goes through chapter 14. As he begins showing the need and importance of all

members as we are one body, he states, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body,

whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink

into one Spirit” (12:13). They take the first phrase of this verse to mean that we are baptized in

the Holy Spirit. They take “by one Spirit” to be the element of the Spirit into that which is one is

baptized. By is the translation of the Greek en (ἐν). This Greek word is used several times in the

chapter but never with the force of element, it is always used with the force of agency. In fact,

Paul never uses “en Spirit” with reference to element, he is always dealing with agency and thus

properly translated “by Spirit” and not “in Spirit.” Please go back and reread brother Guy N.

Woods’ statement (quoted previously) regarding the dilemma regarding Spirit baptism and water

baptism. You simply cannot have both (water and Spirit baptism) and this passage has nothing to

do with Spirit baptism.

CONCLUSIONThere are several today in the church who are advocating present day Holy Spirit baptism.

While those who initially have advocated this have not gone into Pentecostalism, subsequent

generations will end up in the Pentecostal camp. They are not honest enough to leave the Lord’s

church, instead they stick around and try to infest as many as possible with their heresy.

Jesus gave us a Great Commission (Mat. 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:46-47) to go

baptize the believer for the salvation of his soul. That baptism is the one baptism of Ephesians

4:5 and is water baptism. Let us be about our Father’s business.

WORKS CITED:Deaver, Roy. “Matthew 3:11 and Neo-Pentecostalism.” Spiritual Sword 4:4 (1973): 29-33.

Robertson, A.T. Word Pictures in the New Testament. Vol. 6. Nashville, TN: Broadman, 1933. 6 vols.

Woods, Guy N. “The Baptism of the Holy Spirit.” Gospel Advocate, 108:24 (June 16, 1966): 373-75.