What is the relationship between baptism and the Holy Spirit?
The main objective is worshiping God. In God’s last message to humanity, it has to do with worshiping the creator in contrast to worshiping the beast (Revelation 14:6-12). The outward sign of worship is the Sabbath (worshiping the creator). The inner attitude of worship is shown in John 4:23-24: “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”
To worship in spirit certainly means to worship consciously, but also to be filled with the Holy Spirit. To worship in truth means living in complete surrender to Jesus, who is the truth in person. Jesus said: “I am the truth” (John 14:6). And it means through the indwelling of Jesus to live according to God’s word and directives because He said: “Your word is truth” (John 17:17) and Psalm 119:142 says: “Your law is truth.” If we don’t have real worship now, then aren’t we in danger of failing at a critical moment? This will be a big problem for all the carnal Christians.
I think we all want to make progress with God’s help and to grow in knowledge. It may be that the following false belief was a hindrance for some in moving forwards.
Baptism and the Holy Spirit
Some people think they are filled with the Holy Spirit because they are baptized and thus everything is ok, and they don’t need to do anything more. D. L. Moody commented on this: “Many think that because they were filled once that they are filled forever. Oh, my friend, we are porous vessels; it is necessary for us to constantly remain under the fountain in order to be full.”1
Joseph H. Waggoner said: “In all cases, where baptism is seen as proof for the gift of the Holy Spirit, the repentant sinner is lulled into carnal security. He solely trusts on his baptism as a sign of God’s grace. Baptism and not the Spirit in his heart will be his sign or ‘testimony’ …”2
Baptism is definitely a significant decision; this corresponds to God’s will. It has and will retain great significance. But we shouldn’t look back to an event in the past as proof that we are filled with the Holy Spirit. Instead, we should know now and experience now that we are filled with the Holy Spirit.
Some people received the Holy Spirit before they were baptized — for example, Cornelius and his household or Saul. Others received the Holy Spirit after they were baptized — for example, the Samaritans or the 12 men in Ephesus. But it is all the same when a person received the Holy Spirit before, at, or after baptism. What matters is that we received the Holy Spirit at some time and that we have Him in our hearts now. It isn’t crucial what happened in the past, but rather how things are now - today!
Ekkehardt Müller said: “When a person surrenders themselves completely to God in response to His initiative, then rebirth and baptism with the Holy Spirit happen at the same time. Furthermore, it should be kept in mind that the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in a person follows rebirth, but isn’t a process that automatically takes place. The relationship has to be renewed daily.”3
I want to remind you again: We received our physical lives at birth. Our life is maintained by daily food, drink, exercise, sleep, etc. otherwise we wouldn’t live very long. The same laws apply to our spiritual lives. We received new life through the Holy Spirit, namely when we completely surrendered ourselves to Christ. Our spiritual life is maintained through the Holy Spirit, prayer, the word of God, etc. Ellen G. White said: “The natural life is preserved moment by moment by divine power, yet it is not sustained by a direct miracle, but through the use of blessings placed within our reach. So the spiritual life is sustained by the use of those means that Providence has supplied.”4
Neither the physical nor the spiritual life remains automatically in us. It is necessary to use the means that God has provided for us.
This means: When we are born again the Holy Spirit is given to us to stay. But in order for Him to stay it depends upon the daily use of the means, which the Lord has provided us with. What result can we expect if we don’t use the “means”?
The Holy Spirit is the most important of all these “means.” In addition, prayer is very important, being connected to God through His word, taking part in the worship services and other things.
I think we can agree that as a rule, it is also necessary to daily care for the inner person. If we don’t do it, then we will experience regrettable consequences. We can neither eat ahead nor can we stock up on the Holy Spirit. “God does not bestow help for tomorrow.”5 I think it is reasonably clear that daily surrender to Jesus is necessary and that we should daily invite the Holy Spirit into our lives.
Call to Action
Both of these matters serve the same purpose — they are two sides of the same coin; having an intimate relationship with Christ. I give myself to Him through surrender and by asking for the Holy Spirit, I am inviting Him into my heart. Among other Bible verses 1 John 3:24 (see also John 14:17, 23) shows us that Jesus lives in us through the Holy Spirit: “And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.”
Will you commit right now to worship in spirit (to daily ask to be filled with the Holy Spirit) and to worship in truth (to daily surrender yourself completely to Jesus — who is the truth in person)?
The above is an excerpt from Steps to Personal Revival.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
- D. L. Moody, They Found the Secret, pp. 85, 86; quoted in 10 Days—Prayers and Devotions…by Dennis Smith, p. 23
- Joseph H. Waggoner, The Spirit of God (Battle Creek, Michigan 1 877), p. 35f, quoted in Garrie F. Williams, Erfüllt vom Heiligen Geist (Lüneburg, 2007), S. 58
- Ekkehard Müller, Die Lehre von Gott: Biblischer Befund und Theologische Herausforder- ung, Bogenhofen 2010, S. 224
- Ellen G. White, The Acts of the Apostles (1911), p. 284.2
- Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages (1898), p.313.4
