Which Baptism Is It? [Part 2]

In Matthew 3:22, John told the people, “I indeed 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.” There are three different baptisms mentioned here: baptism of John, baptism with the Holy Spirit, and baptism with fire. Many people have lumped together the baptism of the Holy Spirit, and that of fire, but we will see they are two different things. Since we have already looked into John’s baptism, we will dig into the other two.

Baptism with the Holy Spirit

In Acts 2:1-4 we find all of the apostles together in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost. The Scriptures say, “When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” First, we must recognize that this is not the baptism of fire that John spoke of in Matthew 3:22. Even though he mentioned Holy Spirit and fire together, that does not mean they were going to happen at the same time, or to the same people. These tongues, “as of fire,” cannot possibly be construed as baptism because the very definition of baptism (i.e., immersion) prohibits it. These only rested on their heads. Notice also that Luke says that the tongues were, “as of fire,” not that they were fire, just as there was a sound, “as of a rushing wind,” not that there were actual fire and wind in the room. What this passage does say is that “they were filled with the Holy Spirit.” The apostles had been told that in just a few days, they were going to be baptized with the Holy Spirit, and that they would receive the power of the Holy Spirit when He would come upon them (Acts 1:5,8). Acts 2 is the occasion that Jesus was referring to when He said this.

Another instance of Holy Spirit baptism can be found in Acts 10:44-48. “While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, ‘Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?’ And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.” Of this incident, Peter said, “‘And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning. Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, 'John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'  If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?’ When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, ‘Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life’” (Acts 11:15-18). Notice that when these Gentiles were baptized with the Holy Spirit, they were not saved by it, but were still in need of immersion into Christ. “‘Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?’ And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord” (Acts 10:47-48). Because Holy Spirit baptism could not save, it cannot be the one that Paul spoke of in Ephesians 4:5.

Baptism with Fire

“John answered, saying to all, ‘I indeed baptize you with water; but One mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.  His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather the wheat into His barn; but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire’” (Lk. 3:16-17). We find in John 1:33 that Christ was the one that was going to baptize with the Holy Spirit. He is also the one who will come again and baptize with fire. Matthew 13:41-42 says, “The Son of Man will send out His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who practice lawlessness, and will cast them into the furnace of fire. There will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” Those who practice lawlessness, sinners, those mentioned in Revelation 21:8 are those who will be baptized with fire. The baptism of fire is that eternal torment of hell that those not written in the Book of Life will face (Rev. 20:14-15). Only those who were righteous, received that baptism of the Holy Spirit, but the baptism of fire is reserved for the unrighteous, the ungodly, those who will not obey the Gospel call. Obviously, this is not that the saving kind of baptism either.

Baptism into Christ

As Solomon said, “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter.” “Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins’” (Acts 2:38). The baptism that Paul speaks of in Ephesians 4:5 is the baptism into Christ for the remission of sins. He says in Romans 6:3-4, “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” This, and this alone, is the baptism that will save us from sin. “There is also an antitype which now saves us — baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 3:20-21). The Bible will always give us the answers that we are looking for if we put in the effort to study, and have opened minds to accept the truth when it presents itself.