"The Holy Spirit Came on All Who Heard the Message..."

Recently, I started a series of post discussing the difference between the new birth, the baptism in the Holy Spirit, and water baptism. Each happening is a different event in the life of the Believer. If you haven’t read my posts you can read about the new birth here, and the baptism in the Holy Spirit here. I also have written about the baptism of the Holy Spirit in the life of Jesus. Jesus is where it all begins.

Today, I want to continue talking about the difference in each of these events. We are going to look at a passage of scripture where we get to see two of these events, but we know that all three take place.

In Acts chapter 10, we learn about a centurion named Cornelius and his and his family’s experience coming to know the Lord. Peter is the one who preaches the Gospel to Cornelius and his family. If you want to know all the events surrounding how their meeting came to be, please read all of Acts chapter 10 and 11. For brevity’s sake, I am just going to focus on a portion of chapter 10.

Peter has been called to Cornelius’ house and he is preaching the Gospel to them when this happens:

“While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.

Then Peter said, ‘Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have. So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.”-Acts 10:44-48 (NIV)

If you will notice in the above passage, both the baptism in the Holy Spirit and water baptism take place. These are two separate baptisms. We know that the new birth must have taken place because Jesus said you cannot “pour new wine into old wineskins.” (See Mark 2:22 and Matthew 9:17.)

The Holy Spirit came on “all who heard the message.” Everyone there was baptized in the Holy Spirit. And the other believers there knew how? Because they heard them speak with tongues.

So, in this passage of scripture we can see that everybody who heard the message received the gift. And three scriptural events took place, the new birth, baptism in the Holy Spirit, and finally water baptism.

This is God’s intention for every believer in Christ.

Many blessings to you as you continue your walk with the Lord Jesus,

Beth




All posts in this series include:

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit-The Life of Jesus


The New Birth, Baptism in the Holy Spirit, and Water Baptism, Part 1


The New Birth, Baptism in the Holy Spirit, and Water Baptism, Part 2


The Holy Spirit Came on All Who Heard the Message