Baptized in Water and Infused by Holy Spirit

Baptized in Water 

and Infused by Holy Spirit

by Dwight Cunkle

Jn 20:22-23 receive Holy Spirit. Jn 7:37-39 those who believe could overflow with Holy Spirit after Jesus would be glorified. After apostles were filled and spoke then thousands believed and were baptized. Reading Acts we find numerous instances of people receiving Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues or prophesying. (Acts 2:37-41 See also 1 Cor 12 and 14)

     Imagine that you were an old broken down and abused car, You are bought restored to classic condition, with a filled fuel tank, and given new purpose and identity by being placed among a whole fleet of cars in a large garage. That is like being born again and even baptized in water. You are cleansed from the sins of your old nature and now belong to God as a member in His body. Holy Spirit enables you to share in the life of Jesus, But the car is waiting for combustion to move and the driver to direct.

     Now put the key in the ignition, strike the fire in the engine and feel the power of the engine and gas, Go out into the world to be and do what the car was remade to be and do. That is like being baptized into Holy Spirit and Holy Spirit infusing God’s power into you.

That is the Day of your Pentecost. Of course, like the disciples in Acts 4, you will need refilled as you give life to others and as God manifests gifts of Holy Spirit through you.

      Both baptismal experiences can happen at same time or may be separated because of lack of understanding or readiness and faith on our part. Water baptism is a sacrament offered by the authority of Christ’s representatives in the church (“whose sins you remit shall be remitted” Jn 20_22-23). Holy Spirit baptism can be effected by prayer of others for us but is like plunging cloth into dye until the whole cloth is transformed in the new color.

     We need the cleansing of water baptism and the joining in Christ’s body and life with other members. But we also need the fullness of Holy Spirit flowing from deep with us as Jesus said in John 7:37-38, that out of being will flow rivers of living water.  

     (Baptism in suffering is also a sharing in Christ’s life.)

     Luke 24 with Acts 1 shows how the disciples waited to be “clothed” and “filled” so they could be witnesses.