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Introduction n this study, we’re going to carefully inspect the issue of Holy Spirit Baptism. The reason for this study is simple: when it comes to this

issue, misconceptions and false teachings abound.

Those in the Charismatic movement (i.e. Pentecostal, Holiness, Church of God, Assembly of God, FULL-Gospel, etc) believe that not only does Holy Spirit Baptism occur today, but that ALL believers ought to expect to receive this miraculous experience at or around the point of salvation.

There are more mainstream Protestants who may agree that Holy Spirit Baptism doesn’t occur today as a miraculous experience, yet they fail to properly understand the meaning of Holy Spirit Baptism. They argue that at the point of faith, a person is “spiritually baptized” into the body of Christ. They interpret verses such as Romans 6, 1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:27 and Colossians 2:12 (we’ll look at these verses later in the study) in light of this concept of “spiritual baptism,” which they often call Holy Spirit Baptism. In so doing, they pervert the biblical definition of Holy Spirit Baptism and misinterpret a number of verses throughout the New Testament.

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Among those professing to practice New Testament Christianity, there is a deplorable lack of knowledge when it comes to the Holy Spirit, especially Holy Spirit Baptism. There is a definite need for a study such as this—not a brief overview or synopsis—but an in-depth study in which the scriptures are analyzed carefully.

So put on your thinking cap, get your Bible out, find a comfortable chair and some quiet time and COMMIT to this study. And most importantly, enter this study with an open mind.

Five Key Passages s we begin, let’s focus our attention on five key passages in the New Testament in which Holy Spirit Baptism is

specifically addressed, exemplified and defined. The entire study will be based around these five passages. The first is Matthew 3:11. Before the ministry of Christ had begun, John the Baptist said to a crowd of Jews…

“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.”

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The “You” of Matthew 3:11

In an effort to prove that the Holy Spirit Baptism of Matthew 3:11 is a promise to ALL believers, some will argue that because John was speaking to multitudes of people, the “you” must have broad, not limited application. However, John was simply contrasting his ministry with that of the Messiah. While John’s mission was limited to preaching and baptism, Jesus’ purpose was twofold: (1) He would usher in a new covenant that both Jews and Gentiles could access, thus fulfilling all the prophecies and foreshadowing of the Old Testament, and (2) He will one day judge the world, saving the righteous and punishing the wicked. Holy Spirit Baptism aided the first, while the “baptism of fire” corresponds to the latter (these concepts will be further explained in this study). Furthermore, the baptism of fire, also mentioned in Matthew 3:11, is most certainly limited. As the context confirms, the baptism of fire is an allusion to hellfire (vs. 10, 12). Would all of the multitudes receive fire baptism? Would they all receive Holy Spirit Baptism only to experience hellfire later? That is clearly illogical. If we can see that fire baptism is limited, we can also see that Holy Spirit Baptism would be limited.

Now, we’re going to return to this verse twice in the study to make additional points, but for now, there is just one point that I want you to see: John the Baptist taught that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit (i.e. Holy Spirit Baptism). Later, in Acts 1:1-5, before ascending into heaven, Jesus Himself echoed John’s point. Let’s read all five verses:

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“The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, ‘which,’ He said, ‘you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.’” John the Baptist was right! Jesus would

administer Holy Spirit Baptism. But notice how Jesus is very specific in applying the promise of Holy Spirit Baptism to the apostles. Follow the language of the entire text. Who was Jesus with when He had this conversation? According to verse two, He was with the apostles. All the uses of “them” in verses 3-4 refer to the apostles. He told His apostles to wait in Jerusalem until they received Holy Spirit Baptism (vs. 4-5). In other

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words, Jesus said nothing about Holy Spirit Baptism being for ALL the believers on Pentecost, or for ALL believers for ALL times. Granted, it is also true that He doesn’t limit Holy Spirit Baptism to the apostles here, but one thing is sure: the apostles specifically would be the recipients of Holy Spirit Baptism…in Jerusalem…”not many days from now” (from Jesus’ ascension, vs. 9-10). It was a matter of promise!

That brings us to Acts 2:1-4. The events of this passage took place in Jerusalem approximately ten days after Jesus’ ascension. Again, let’s read the whole passage:

“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 in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” Two things.

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(Acts 1:25)…to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place." 26 And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles. (Acts 2:1)…When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. 6 And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. 7 Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, "Look, are not all these who speak Galileans?........12 So they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, "Whatever could this mean?" 13 Others mocking said, "They are full of new wine." 14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, "Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words. 15 For these are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day.

Who received the baptism of the Holy Spirit?

First of all, there is no question that this is an instance of Holy Spirit Baptism. We know that because of what Jesus said back in Acts 1. The apostle would receive the “Promise” (i.e. Holy Spirit Baptism)—now we find the Holy

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Marks of Holy

Spirit Baptism

In Acts 2:1-4

Occurred suddenly

Administered from heaven (by Christ)

Recipients “filled” with Holy Spirit

Speaking in tongues

Spirit filling the apostles, as promised. It fits the time and location requirements. Furthermore, we know that it’s the apostles who received Holy Spirit Baptism because (1) Acts 1 ends with the apostles, making the “they” of Acts 2:1 the apostles, and (2) it was Peter and “the eleven” who were speaking in tongues, according to Acts 2:14 (see the chart on the previous page).

Secondly, if you had to describe Holy Spirit Baptism based on this one passage, how would you describe it? Well, it happened “suddenly” (vs. 2a), and was administered from heaven (Christ specifically, Matthew 3:11). Remember, Holy Spirit Baptism was a “Promise” (Acts 1:4), not a command.

Not only did the Holy Spirit Baptism of Acts 2:1-4 happen suddenly, and not only was it administered from heaven, but it involved the recipients being filled with the Holy Spirit, followed by speaking in miraculous tongues.

Turn now to Acts 10:44-46. Peter has come all the way from Joppa to visit with a man named Cornelius in Caesarea. Cornelius was a

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Marks of Holy

Spirit Baptism

In Acts 10:44-46

Occurred suddenly

Administered from heaven (by Christ)

Recipients “filled” with Holy Spirit

Speaking in tongues

Gentile, and Jews did not associate with Gentiles. This was true in the church as well because prior to this point, the gospel had only been preached to the Jews. But Peter was instructed in a vision to go to Caesarea (vs. 9-16) and he quickly realized that God wanted him to preach the gospel to Cornelius and the Gentiles (vs. 28). So he did. Now let’s read Acts 10:44-46…

“…while Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. And those of the circumcision 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…” Do you see any

similarities between this account and what we read earlier in Acts 2:1-4? The two accounts are nearly identical. Like the apostles, Cornelius and the Gentiles received the Holy Spirit “suddenly” and unexpectedly resulting in the

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miraculous utterance of tongues. Peter didn’t command Holy Spirit Baptism. No one expected it to happen. It took them all by surprise.

But we are not left to guess or presume that this was Holy Spirit Baptism in Acts 10, for in Acts 11, Peter makes it clear that it was! You see, when word spread the Peter had taught the gospel to a group of Gentiles, there were a lot of angry Christians…because again, up until this point, only the Jews had received the word of God (Acts 11:1). So, “when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision (Jewish-Christians) contended with him, saying, ‘You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them” (Acts 11:2-3). In an attempt to defend his actions, Peter recounted all the events of Acts 10, starting with his vision. Let’s pick up in verse 12:

“Then the Spirit told me to go with them, doubting nothing. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house, who said to him, ‘Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon, whose surname is Peter, who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved.’ And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon

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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” (Acts 11:12-16). When the events of Acts 10:44-46

occurred—when Cornelius and the Gentiles received the Holy Spirit suddenly and began to speak in tongues—Peter knew right then and there what was happening: it was Holy Spirit Baptism! That’s his point in Acts 11:16.

With that in mind, let’s take this discussion a little deeper…

Holy Spirit Baptism Wasn’t Common

eter implies something in Acts 11:15—that there were just two known instances of Holy Spirit Baptism. Notice how he had to

go all the way back to Acts 2:1-4 (the “beginning”) to find another single instance of Holy Spirit Baptism (see also Acts 11:17). In other words, Holy Spirit Baptism was not a common occurrence; it wasn’t an everyday thing that all believers experienced at the point of salvation…as many today contend. Instead, it

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What about Acts 4:31?

In Acts 4, we find an interesting story about the disciples praying for boldness in the midst of persecution. They prayed, “Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word” (vs. 29). “And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of the Lord with boldness” (vs. 31). Is this an example of Holy Spirit Baptism? Absolutely not! First of all, unlike the cases in Acts 2:1-4 and Acts 10:44-46, this occurrence is not labeled “Holy Spirit Baptism.” Second, it does not share the same characteristics. Yes, these disciples in Acts 4:31 were filled with the Holy Spirit, and it was a miraculous experience, but the circumstances here are different. These were established Christians as well as apostles of the Lord who were praying for boldness, and God simply answered their prayer in such a way that their faith was strengthened—they received the boldness they requested (vs. 32b).

was a rare and unique experience that is only said to have occurred two times in the first century, once in Acts 2:1-4 with the apostles and a second time in Acts 10:44-46 with Cornelius and the Gentiles. The event in Acts 2:1-4 (involving the apostles) is confirmed to be Holy Spirit Baptism by Jesus Himself in Acts 1:4-5. And again, the event in Acts 10:44-46 (involving the Gentiles) is confirmed to be Holy Spirit Baptism by Peter in Acts 11:15-16. You can search the New Testament

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from beginning to end, but you will not find another single case where Holy Spirit Baptism is specified or plainly said to have occurred. In other words, no other instance in the New Testament is labeled by God as Holy Spirit Baptism.

But it’s not just about labeling. The apostles’ experience and the Gentiles’ experience share the same basic characteristics. In both cases, they received the Holy Spirit suddenly and unexpectedly resulting in the recipients speaking in miraculous tongues. These two examples stand alone! But don’t take my word for it. Let’s actually go through the book of Acts and see what the common salvation experience involved.

Salvation Experiences in the book of Acts

et’s start back in Acts 2. Earlier, we saw in verses 1-4 how the apostles were baptized with the Holy Spirit. Thousands of Jews

were drawn to the apostles on the day of Pentecost because when the Holy Spirit came, a “sound occurred” that was heard throughout the city. Inspired by the Holy Spirit, Peter and the other apostles began to preach to the multitudes about the recent suffering of Jesus Christ, the Son of God! Peter accused them, saying that THEY

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had crucified the Lord and Christ (vs. 36). “Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?’ 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; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:37-38). Then, in verse 41, we are told that “those who gladly received the word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.” Can you see the contrast between what the apostles received in verses 1-4 and what these 3,000 Jews did in verse 41? Did these thousands of Jews receive Holy Spirit Baptism? No! Instead, they DID certain things to be saved, and the Lord added them to the church. There are some who contend that the 3,000 Jews on Pentecost did receive Holy Spirit Baptism; they argue that the “baptism” of verse 38 is indeed Holy Spirit Baptism. But this cannot be true. Remember, Holy Spirit Baptism is a Promise (Acts 1:4) administered from heaven by Christ Himself (Mt. 3:11; Ac. 2:2) suddenly and without warning. Therefore, Peter couldn’t command them to “be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” That’s not what happened in Acts 2:1-4

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with the apostles, nor is it what happened in Acts 10:44-46 with the Gentiles. The recipients in both cases were not commanded to “get Holy Spirit baptized.” However, the baptism of Acts 2:38 was a command. This proves that it was not Holy Spirit Baptism, but WATER baptism that Peter had in mind in verse 38. In Acts 3-7, there are no specific accounts of conversion—just references made to the exponential growth of the church in Jerusalem. In Acts 8, however, as the church was persecuted and scattered from Jerusalem, we find several detailed conversion accounts. In Acts 8:5, Luke records that an evangelist named Philip began to preach in the city of Samaria. As a result of his preaching, many people became Christians.

“But when they believed Philip as he preached the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, both men and women were baptized. Then Simon himself also believed; and when he was baptized he continued with Philip, and was amazed, seeing the miracles and signs which were done” (Acts 8:12-13).

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Again, we must ask, “Did these men and women receive Holy Spirit Baptism at or around the time of conversion?” The answer is a resounding “NO!” As we pointed out back in Acts 2:37-41, these folks in Samaria engaged in a deliberate process: they listened to the preaching of the gospel, believed the message, and were baptized. But what’s even MORE enlightening is the fact that the Samaritans hadn’t yet received the Holy Spirit (in terms of miraculous gifts), despite the fact that they were saved! Let’s read some more.

Acts 8:14-17 says…

“Now when the apostles who were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them, who, when they had come down, prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit. For as yet He had fallen upon none of them. They had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.” According to many religious people today,

the Samaritans should have received Holy Spirit

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Baptism upon conversion. Some might even contend that the “baptism” of verse 12 is Holy Spirit Baptism. If that’s the case, then why did the apostles have to come from Jerusalem to impart the Holy Spirit?

What did the apostles have to do with others receiving Holy Spirit Baptism? Isn’t Christ the one who administered it? Did anyone have to go and administer Holy Spirit Baptism to the apostles in Acts 2:1-4? Did Peter administer it to the Gentiles in Acts 10:44-46? No! According to the way in which the New Testament defines Holy Spirit Baptism, the conversions in Acts 8 just don’t match up. Not only did the Samaritans NOT receive Holy Spirit Baptism at the point of conversion (they believed and were baptized in water), but when they finally DID receive the Holy Spirit, it was through the laying on of the apostles’ hands (vs. 17-18); it didn’t happen suddenly and unexpectedly, and it didn’t result in the miraculous speaking of tongues by the Samaritans!

In reality, the story of the Samaritans in Acts 8 actually proves that Holy Spirit baptism wasn’t a common experience, nor was it something that was irrevocably tied to the process of salvation. Apart from Acts 2 and 10, the Holy Spirit (in terms of a unique, miraculous

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relationship) by the laying on of the apostles hands’, not by Holy Spirit Baptism. There’s another conversion account in Acts 8, involving an individual rather than a whole group of people. According to Acts 8:28, the Spirit commanded Philip to go and teach an Ethiopian eunuch. Philip does just that! Beginning in Isaiah 53, he teaches the eunuch about Jesus. Notice the result.

“Now as they went down the road, they came to some water. And the eunuch said, ‘See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?’ Then Philip said, ‘If you believe with all your heart you may.’ And he answered, ‘I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.’ So he commanded the chariot to stand still. And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him.”

Not much commentary is necessary here,

for we again find a deliberate process of conversion in which water baptism is specified! Skip ahead a chapter to find the conversion of Saul of Tarsus, better known as the apostle Paul. Motivated by an intense hatred of Christians, Paul traveled to the city of Damascus

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with the intent of arresting all the Christians he could find and bringing them back to Jerusalem. However, on the road to Damascus, Jesus Christ Himself appeared to him and straightened him out.

Paul responded by asking, “Lord, what do You want me to do?” Jesus didn’t administer Holy Spirit Baptism, nor did He tell Paul to just wait around till he was baptized with the Holy Spirit. He didn’t say, “Paul, there’s nothing for you to do; it’ll just happen to you!” The Lord responded, saying, “Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do” (Acts 9:6).

There are many who say that Paul was converted right here on the Damascus road, but there is nothing to substantiate that claim. Paul wasn’t converted until he did what he would be told to do. What was he told to do? Later, in verses 17-18, we learn that a Christian named Ananias came to him and baptized him. Specifically, he told Paul, “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:16, as Paul recounted his encounter with Ananias). There is no evidence that Paul received Holy Spirit Baptism. He wasn’t suddenly and

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unexpectedly filled with the Holy Spirit, causing him to speak in tongues. Instead, we find that Paul would be TOLD what to DO; he was commanded to arise and be baptized so that his sins could be washed away, and that’s exactly what he did. Again, we see a deliberate process involving obedience. And that brings us right back to Acts 10 and the story of Peter’s encounter with Cornelius and the Gentiles. (cont. on next page…)

The Salvation of Cornelius in Acts 10

as Cornelius’ salvation connected to his reception of Holy Spirit Baptism? There are many who would answer “yes,” and would use this as proof

of the fact that Holy Spirit Baptism is something that all believers should anticipate at the point of salvation. However, as we shall see, Cornelius’ salvation was not connected to Holy Spirit Baptism, but to his obedience to the words uttered by the inspired apostle Peter. In Acts 10:5-6, an angel told Cornelius, “Send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter…He will tell you what you must do.” Later, as Peter recounted the events of chapter 10 to the Jews in Jerusalem, he said the following: “And he (Cornelius) told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house, who said to him, ‘Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon whose surname is Peter, who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved’” (Acts 11:13-14). Cornelius would be told what to do to be saved. Peter did preach the gospel to Cornelius and the

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other Gentiles (Acts 10:34-43) and he did indicate that one must believe in order to have the remission of sins (vs. 43). But Peter’s lesson was interrupted by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Gentiles. So Peter, once he recognized what was happening, finished his lesson by commanding water baptism. “‘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” (vs. 47-48). So if Cornelius’ salvation was tied to what he would be TOLD to do, at what point was he saved? When he believed and obeyed the command to be baptized in water!

So we can see why Peter had to go all the way back to Acts 2:1-4 to find another instance of Holy Spirit Baptism (again, see Acts 11:15-17). The Jews on Pentecost, the Samaritans, the Ethiopian Eunuch and Saul of Tarsus all heard the gospel preached, believed it, repented of their sins, confessed the Lord Jesus and were baptized in water for the remission of sins.

We know that it was water baptism in each case rather than Holy Spirit Baptism because it was stated as a command to be obeyed rather than a Promise to be anticipated. Again, in both Acts 2:1-4 (the apostles) and Acts 10:44-46 (the Gentiles), not only is Holy Spirit Baptism specified, but the characteristics are the same.

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Holy Spirit Baptism

Common Salvation

Experience

Suddenly Deliberate process

Miraculous Faith & obedience

Immediate speaking in tongues

Miraculous gifts came later by laying on of apostles’ hands

Two recorded instances

Common in Acts

But in everything else that we read in this book—all the other conversion accounts—nowhere else is Holy Spirit Baptism specified, no where else do we find these same characteristics. What we find in every other case is something very different: people choosing to obey the command to be baptized (i.e. water baptism). To be thorough, let’s continue our march through Acts, examining each and every conversion account.

There are a few references to conversions in Acts 13-14, although we’re not given many details. The proconsul of Cyprus, when he heard the gospel, “believed” (Acts 13:12), as did the Gentiles in Antioch of Pisidia (Acts 13:48). Paul and Barnabas “made many disciples” in Derbe (Acts 14:21). One might try to impose their view upon these examples by arguing that these people may have been baptized with the Holy Spirit, or that they absolutely must have received Holy Spirit Baptism, but this is nothing more than an assumption. We cannot build a doctrine

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based on assumptions, for “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17). We only know what has been written and recorded in the holy scriptures, the word of God. That is a very, very important lesson. And what is recorded? Over and over again, we find people choosing to obey the gospel. Their salvation didn’t just “happen” to them.

Let’s now focus our attention on some more detailed conversion accounts in Acts 16.

In Acts 16:14-15, we read that God opened the heart of a woman named Lydia. As a result, she “heeded,” or obeyed the things spoken by Paul (vs. 14) and was “baptized” (vs. 15). Again, baptism was something she chose to do; it was something she did as a matter of obedience, which points to water baptism.

Later in the same chapter, we find the conversion of the Philippian jailor. After the doors of the prison miraculously opened and the chains fell off of the prisoners, the Jailor “fell down trembling” before Paul and Silas (Acts 16:29) saying, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (vs. 30). Paul and Silas didn’t correct the jailor by saying, “There’s nothing you can do; just wait and it’ll happen to you.” Instead, their reply was, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will

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be saved, you and your household” (vs. 31). But the jailor didn’t know what to believe, so he wasn’t saved yet. So Paul and Silas began to speak the word of the Lord to him and his household (vs. 32). Once the jailor heard the gospel and believed it, he was baptized that same hour of the night (vs. 33). After he and his household were baptized, they rejoiced (vs. 34).

Crispus and other residents of Corinth, when they heard the gospel, “believed on the Lord…and were baptized” (Acts 18:8). The Corinthians listened to preaching, believed it, and were baptized. Holy Spirit Baptism is neither stated nor implied here. These individuals were instead baptized in water as the context demands, for their baptism was a deliberate choice in response to hearing the gospel preached.

The Ephesians were taught by Apollos first and then Paul (Acts 18:2; Acts 19:1-4). “When they heard this (Paul’s words), they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus” (vs. 5). It was after they were baptized they Paul laid his hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit, spoke in tongues and prophesied (vs. 6). This is very similar to what we read back in Acts 8. So one cannot logically argue that these twelve men in Ephesus received Holy Spirit Baptism. Paul,

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not Christ, baptized them.

The “One Baptism” of Ephesians 4:5

urn to Ephesians 4:5. Here, as Paul teaches the importance of unity among the disciples, he says that there is “one Lord,

one faith, one baptism.” It’s easy to understand that by “one Lord,”

Paul is pointing to the fact that there is one Savior, Jesus Christ. Likewise, the expression “one faith” emphasizes the existence of one system of doctrine (the teachings of the New Testament). But what does Paul mean when he says that there is just “one baptism?” After all, aren’t there several different forms of baptism in the New Testament? Hebrews 6:2 speaks of “doctrines (plural) of baptisms.” That’s true, but by the time Ephesians 4:5 was penned (in the A.D. 60s), only one baptism remained and was effective. So which baptism was it? Let’s review the different baptisms taught in the New Testament. First, there is John’s baptism. To prepare people for the coming of the Savior, John baptized people in water for repentance (Matthew 3:1-6, 11). But John’s baptism began and ended during John’s

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ministry. The focus shifted to Christ, and when Christ died, He received all authority (Matthew 28:18) and the entire model of baptism changed.

Baptism Before Christ’s Death

Baptism After Christ’s Death

Jesus didn’t have all authority

Done in the name of Christ, or by His authority (Matthew 28:18 Acts 19:5)

In anticipation of Christ and His Kingdom (Matthew 3:11)

Modeled after the death, burial and resurrection of Christ (Rom. 6:3-8)

Limited to Jews; a sign of repentance

For ALL…to be saved (Mk. 16:15-16)

An oral command/not rooted in scripture

Commanded in NT scripture

In Acts 19:1-5, we again find the conversion of the Ephesians. These people had been baptized once as a result of the preaching of Apollos. However, Apollos was only familiar with John’s baptism. When Paul heard that they had been baptized into John’s baptism, he taught them, and as a result “twelve in all” were “baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus” (or by Jesus’ authority). So is John’s baptism the “one baptism” of Ephesians 4:5? Based on Acts 19, it cannot be. Is it possible that Holy Spirit Baptism is the “one baptism” that the inspired apostle Paul had

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in mind? Again, the answer is “no.” After all, there are just two recorded instances of Holy Spirit Baptism in the entire New Testament, one in Acts 2:1-4 and the other in Acts 10:44-46. We just did an in-depth study of the conversion accounts in Acts, and there is a clear distinction between the two instances of Holy Spirit Baptism and everything else in the book. Whether it’s the Jews on Pentecost, the Samaritans in Acts 8, the eunuch from Ethiopia, Saul of Tarsus, Lydia, the Philippian Jailor, the Ephesians, the Corinthians, etc—all of these individuals engaged in a process that began with hearing the gospel preached and was completed with water baptism. Which brings me straight to the point: the “one baptism” of Ephesians 4:5 must be water baptism FOR the remission of sins. The reason that this conclusion is the most logical one is that we find water baptism all throughout the New Testament, from the gospels, to the book of Acts, to the Pauline epistles, and in 1 Peter. Some misinterpret Matthew 3:11 to mean that Jesus Christ would put an end to water baptism and would replace it with Holy Spirit Baptism. After all, John baptized with water, but Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit. But that’s not what John meant when he said that. The fact is, Jesus’ ministry most definitely

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Two False Interpretations

of John 3:5

1. The “water” corresponds to physical birth while the word “Spirit” corresponds to the birth that really matters—salvation, or being “born again.” But both water and “spirit” are tied to being re-born. In other words, Jesus is not saying that one is born physically first (water) and then later in life they are reborn spiritually. Both water and spirit are involved in being “born again” (vs. 3 vs. 5).

2. The “water of John 3:5 is entirely symbolic of the word of God. It’s true that in Ephesians 5:26 Paul says of the church, “that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,” but to tie this back to John 3:5 is a stretch to say the least. The only reason that one would make this connection is because they cannot believe that the water of John 3:5 corresponds to water baptism. Their prejudice forces them to deny the most obvious meaning of the text.

included the practice of WATER baptism (John 4:1-2). Furthermore, he preached the necessity of water baptism. In his conversation with Nicodemus, our Lord said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). In order to be “born again” and to “enter the kingdom” we must be born of “water.” Clearly, one must be baptized in water to be saved. Jesus taught that while on the earth.

Then, as we already established, the Great

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Commission of Matthew 28:19-20 included the command to “…make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” Did Jesus phase out water baptism on the basis of Matthew 3:11? Not at all! These verses prove that it was a very real part of His ministry and His teachings. We’ve already studied through the book of Acts. We’ve seen how water baptism was taught throughout the first century. While there were just two examples of Holy Spirit Baptism, examples of water baptism can be found in Acts 2, 8, 9, 10, 16, 18, 19, and 22. But water baptism is also taught throughout the New Testament epistles. In Romans 6:3-7, we find the following explanation of the purpose and model of baptism:

"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. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also

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shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin." Before we are baptized, we are spiritually

dead. But when we "rise" up from baptism, the body of sin is destroyed and we have "newness of life." It's hard to argue against the necessity of baptism based on Romans 6, and so, once again, some want to say that this must be Holy Spirit Baptism (or some kind of "spiritual baptism").

Read verse 17.

"But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you OBEYED from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered."

Do you see the point? The baptism of

Romans 6 is something that you do, not something that happens to you. Again, you can't command someone to be spiritually baptized or to get "Holy Spirit baptized." The fact that this baptism is a matter of obedience demands water baptism.

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Many people struggle with 1 Corinthians 12:13. Paul says, "For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body - whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free - and have all been made to drink into one Spirit." It's easy to see why a lot of religious people interpret this as Holy Spirit Baptism. After all, the apostle says that we're baptized "by the Spirit" into the body of Christ. Let’s examine this further.

To whom is Paul writing in 1 Corinthians? The Corinthians, right! If you go back to Acts 18, you can find the actual conversion of the Corinthians. Acts 18:8 says, "Then Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed on the Lord with all his household. And many of the Corinthians, hearing, believed and were baptized." Yet again, we find individuals participating in a deliberate process, not being suddenly overcome by a miraculous experience. The Corinthians listened to the preaching of the gospel, believed it, and once they believed it, they were baptized.

I believe that water baptism is implied here, but if you're not convinced, turn to 1 Corinthians 1:14-16. Paul indicates that he himself baptized Crispus, Gaius, the household of Stephanas, and perhaps a few others (that he couldn't remember at the time). In other words,

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the Corinthians were baptized BY MEN, and as I've already pointed out, man cannot administer Holy Spirit Baptism.

You might be wondering what Paul meant, then, when he said that we are baptized BY the Spirit into the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:13). The mistake is in assuming that the Holy Spirit is detached from water baptism. While water baptism is a physical act, the real work is taking place on a spiritual level. When we submit to the command to be baptized in water, we are submitting to a surgical operation, if you will. I am the cancer patient with a malignant tumor; the surgeon is God and He says to me that He will remove the tumor and save my life for FREE. I simply agree to the operation and place myself on the operating table.

When a person is baptized, God is removing the body of sin (Rom. 6:6), cutting away the body of sin (Col. 2:11-12), and applying the precious blood of Christ, resulting in forgiveness, atonement, redemption and salvation (Ac. 2:38; Rom. 5:10 --> Rom. 6:3). In other words, don't limit the effectiveness of baptism to what you can see with your eyes, for in reality, the effectiveness of baptism cannot be seen with your eyes.

Furthermore, in proving that the “baptism”

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of 1 Corinthians 12:13 is water baptism, simply recall the events that occurred in Acts 2:38-41. When those 3,000 Jews on Pentecost obeyed the command to be baptized (in water), they were "added to the church" by the Lord (vs. 47). The church is the body of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23). And so Acts 2:47 is a perfect parallel to 1 Corinthians 12:13. In both places we are told that God/the Spirit transfer us spiritually into the body of Christ...when? At the point of baptism—and the context points to water baptism.

Now let’s urn your attention next to Galatians 3:26-27. Paul writes, “For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” Back in Romans 6, Paul said that we are baptized into Christ (Rom. 6:3), and we concluded there that he was talking about water baptism. It is the same here. We are (presently) children of God by faith in Christ, but how did we get into Christ in the first place? By hearing the Good News, believing in Jesus as the Son of God, repenting of our sins, and water baptism! Colossians 2:11-12 says, “In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the

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working of God, who raised Him from the dead.” Can we be sure that Paul is speaking here of water baptism? Yes, and there are two reasons. First, Paul uses the same language that he used back in Romans 6:4—the idea of being “buried” in baptism is tied to obedience (Rom. 6:17) which proves water baptism rather than Holy Spirit Baptism. Second, here in Colossians 2:12, the focus is baptism; when we are baptized, God is “working” on us by removing the body of sin—we have faith in this so-called “operation” (KJV). In other words, it’s not that we’re spiritually baptized at the point of faith. We have faith that when we are baptized, God is working to remove our sin. So the baptism here is an act of faith, and not equivalent to faith. Finally, in 1 Peter 3:20-21, Peter writes…

“…who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water. 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.”

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It is obvious to any honest observer that Peter is speaking here of water baptism. No commentary is necessary.

One Baptism of Eph. 4:5 = water baptism

o, what is the “one baptism” of Ephesians 4:5? John’s baptism is no longer valid. Holy Spirit Baptism was limited to two occasions

in the first century. But water baptism is taught throughout the New Testament. Sometimes water is specified, but even when it is not, it is implied by the context. This is a very significant point.

By the time Paul wrote Ephesians 4:5, there was only one baptism left that was to be maintained and practiced…and the same has to be true today. In other words, we cannot have both water baptism and Holy Spirit Baptism; it is either one or it is the other. If we maintain that it is Holy Spirit Baptism, or some form of “spiritual baptism,” then it is necessary that we abolish the practice of water baptism. But that’s not necessary, for as we have seen, the evidence in scripture points to water baptism as being the “one baptism” of Ephesians 4:5. Therefore, we must lay aside this doctrine

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that Holy Spirit Baptism still occurs today. Otherwise, we are holding to multiple baptisms and we are in direct contradiction to scripture.

Then What Was the Purpose of Holy Spirit Baptism?

f Holy Spirit Baptism was only limited to those two instances in Acts 2 and Acts 10, and if everything else points to water

baptism, then…what was the purpose of Holy Spirit Baptism? This is an excellent question, and it’s important that we answer it. What we have to do is look at each case of Holy Spirit Baptism individually in order to see why it happened each time. Let’s start with the case involving the apostles in Acts 2:1-4. First of all, Jesus promised the apostles that they would receive the Holy Spirit in a very unique way, and when they did, the Spirit would enable them to proclaim the complete will of Christ to the world. In the famous “Upper Room Discourse” in John 14-16, Jesus is alone with His apostles and He makes some statements along these lines.

“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the

I

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Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you” (John 14:26). “But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning” (John 15:26-17).

Verse 17 makes it abundantly clear that

Jesus was promising these things to the apostles, for only they were with Him from the beginning (not you and I); they would receive the Spirit who would enable them to know ALL truth and proclaim ALL truth.

The most detail-rich statement is in John 16:7-13:

“Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you, and when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment…I still have many things to say

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to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when He, the Spirit of Truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.”

Let’s overview the verses we just read from John 14-16. Jesus was not going to be with the apostles much longer. However, when He departed, the Holy Sprit would come and dwell within them. When the Spirit came, they would learn the entire will of Christ (which they obviously hadn’t learned yet). Not only would they themselves gain all of this new knowledge, the Spirit through them would “convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.” The implication is that the world hadn’t yet been convicted of these things; the whole truth hadn’t yet been proclaimed to the world. But when the Spirit came upon the apostles, these things would begin to happen. Turn now to Luke 24:46-49…

“Then He said to them, ‘Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of

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sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things. Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”

There is a parallel account of this in Acts

1:4-5, which says…

“And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, ‘which,’ He said, ‘you have heard from Me…” (what is the Promise of the Father?), “for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

And then in verse 8…

“But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

The apostles were told to return to

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Jerusalem, for in a few days they would receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. When this happened, the apostles would be filled with all truth and would begin to proclaim that truth (of Christ) to the entire world, beginning at Jerusalem. In other words, it was like the firing of the pistol that starts the race. Prior to Acts 2:1-4, only the area of Israel was familiar with the story of Christ, but even then, it was only the story of Christ that was known—not His complete will. The rest of the world knew neither. But after Acts 2:1-4, everything changed; we see the first gospel sermon in Acts 2 resulting in the establishment of the church (Acts 2:41-47). From there, the gospel soon spread to the entire world (Col. 1:23) and assemblies of Christians emerged all over the place as a result of gospel preaching. So why did the apostles receive Holy Spirit Baptism? Because it would kick-start what we call the “gospel dispensation,” or “New Testament era.”

In a more immediate sense, when the apostles were baptized with the Holy Spirit, it was so boisterous that it drew thousands of Jews from all quarters of Jerusalem to the apostles’ location; the fact that they were all speaking in tongues enabled all these people from different

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countries to hear the first gospel message in their own language. It was such a startling, incredible event that the people were convinced that these men were inspired by God. That’s why 3,000 people responded to Peter’s sermon by asking, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (vs. 37) Without Holy Spirit Baptism, none of this would have been possible! So that’s why the apostles were baptized with the Holy Spirit. But why did Cornelius and the Gentiles receive it in Acts 10? As we turn our attention back to Acts 10, it is important to understand that no Gentiles had received the gospel or been admitted into the church to date; the churches consisted only of Jewish converts. In fact, the Jewish-Christians still felt the need to distance themselves from the Gentiles. The Christians wouldn’t preach the gospel to the Gentiles because God had not authorized them to preach to the Gentiles yet. After the angel appeared to Cornelius in Acts 10:1-6, we read about a vision that Peter saw while praying on the rooftop of Simon’s house. In this vision, God caused him to see a great sheet descending out of heaven that was filled with all sorts of “unclean” animals (unclean according to Jewish standards). A voice came from heaven commanding Peter to, “Rise…kill

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and eat” (Acts 10:13). “But Peter said, ‘Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean. And a voice spoke to him again the second time, ‘What God has cleansed you must not call common’” (vs. 14-15). The vision perplexed Peter (vs. 17), but just minutes later, some Gentiles from Caesarea showed up downstairs requesting that Peter accompany them to Caesarea, to Cornelius’ house (vs. 17-22).

Peter normally wouldn’t have agreed to associate with any Gentiles, for the Gentiles were unclean, and yet Peter went because God told him to (vs. 20). There were six other Jewish-Christians who went with Peter to Caesarea (Acts 11:12). When they arrived at Cornelius’ house, Peter said to Cornelius, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean” (vs. 28). Peter had realized that God has cleansed the Gentiles.

“Then Peter opened his mouth and said: ‘In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him” (vs. 34-35).

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And Peter began to preach the gospel to Cornelius and his household.

“While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word” (vs. 44).

What impact did this have upon Peter and

the six other Jewish-Christians who were with him? The text says that they were “astonished” (vs. 45). As a result of this sign from heaven, Peter concluded, “‘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” (vs. 47-48). In Acts 11, when the Jewish-Christians heard that Peter had associated with Gentiles, they were furious (vs. 2-3). Peter explained to them all that had happened, beginning with his vision on the rooftop and ending with the occurrence of Holy Spirit Baptism. The clincher is in verses 15 and 17…

“And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning…If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed

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on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?”

How did these infuriated Jews respond

after hearing this explanation? “When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, ‘Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life’” (vs. 18). Why did Cornelius and the Gentiles receive Holy Spirit Baptism? It was a sign from heaven that God had granted the Gentiles “repentance to life” and could be saved. From Acts 10 onward, we find the gospel going not only to the Jews, but to the Gentiles as well. I am reminded of Jesus’ baptism in Matthew 3:16-17. When John baptized Jesus, “the Spirit of God descended like a dove…alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’” These things were a sign from heaven that Jesus WAS the Son of God! It proved to everyone present (and to all who heard about it) that Jesus was who He claimed to be. Likewise, when the Gentiles were baptized with the Holy Spirit (a unique, miraculous event administered from heaven), it was a sign that proved beyond a shadow of a

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doubt that they could now access salvation in Christ.

Conclusion o then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17). This is something that we must

keep in mind at all times, but especially with subjects like this, when we are tempted to rely upon our emotions and experiences rather than God’s word.

Perhaps you have diligently studied through this short book and you are still convinced that Holy Spirit Baptism still occurs today on the basis that you have “experienced” it or you have “seen” it happen, or your church teaches it. Again, as Paul says in Romans 10:17, the foundation of our faith is the word of God. Everything we believe must be based upon what God has revealed in His word—the scriptures. The fact is, no one is going to receive a truly spiritual experience (from God) that flatly contradicts what the word of God says. If the Bible teaches that Holy Spirit Baptism was a unique event limited to just two instances in the first century, and if there is just “one baptism” (which is water baptism, as we have shown),

“S

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then no matter what you think, feel or believe, Holy Spirit Baptism cannot occur today. Experiences and emotions can be misleading. One can easily be convinced that they received something like Holy Spirit Baptism. Perhaps in the midst of an emotional frenzy, when adrenaline is being pumped through the body and the level of excitement is high, a person might sincerely believe that they were overcome suddenly by the Holy Spirit, and so they began to speak in what they thought to be tongues. But when the apostles and Gentiles were baptized with the Holy Spirit in the first century, there was no emotional frenzy—in both cases, it was a relatively quiet setting. No one could argue that they had been deceived or misled by their emotions, or by the emotions of others. Perhaps you believe that when you first believed in Jesus Christ and your heart inclined to Him, that a wave of energy swept through your body and made you feel “alive.” Maybe you were told that that was some kind of “spiritual baptism.” But again, there is no such thing as “spiritual baptism” in the New Testament. No where is it taught that one can be spiritually baptized at the point of faith. It is a completely manmade doctrine. Sometimes

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people want to say that this “spiritual baptism” is really just another way of saying “Holy Spirit Baptism.” However, the scriptures define Holy Spirit Baptism for us, and some vague feeling of energy does not qualify. Maybe you have never had any kind of experience, but you believe that by denying the modern relevance of Holy Spirit Baptism, we are slandering and disrespecting the Holy Spirit Himself. But which is more disrespectful? Acknowledging the biblical work and role of the Holy Spirit (which is that Holy Spirit Baptism no longer occurs), or presuming upon the Holy Spirit a work that is no longer His? We do not need to believe that people are still baptized with the Holy Spirit today to believe that the Holy Spirit is still active and relevant. “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” We need to remain within the bounds of the New Testament. We know that what is written from Matthew to Revelation is inspired by God Himself.

Are you going to trust what your preacher says over what God’s word says? Will you trust what you feel God has indirectly “spoken” to you via some experience or insinuation over what you know God has said in His word? Are you going to rely upon what you feel rather than

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what you know? If you answer “yes” to any of these questions, then your faith does not come from the word of God; you are choosing to believe something other than what God has said.

When we speak to others about baptism today, it needs to be a command…a command to be baptized in water, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, FOR the remission of sins. The second an alien sinner rises up out of the water, they have “newness of life” and the Holy Spirit transfers their re-born soul into the church, which is the body of Christ. Is man working here? Yes. Man is engaging in a physical act, just as he does when he confesses his faith in Christ (Rom. 10:9-10). But as Colossians 2:11-12 teaches, the real work is taking place on a spiritual level—God is doing the real work, the important work. We are not earning our salvation by any means.

I want to return to Matthew 3:11 for just a moment. This time, let’s read verses 10 and 12 as well as we discuss another baptism yet to come—fire baptism.

“And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. I indeed baptize you with

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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. His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” John teaches that not only would Jesus

baptize with the Holy Spirit, He would also baptize with fire. It is ironic that many in the Charismatic movement want to promote “fire baptism” as a good thing…as something that all believers should long to receive. While it is mentioned alongside Holy Spirit Baptism (which was a positive thing), the context is clear that fire baptism is NOT something that we want to receive. In both verses 10 and 12, fire baptism is defined as being hellfire—the fire of judgment. In other words, those who are righteous, who bear fruit, will be saved, but those who do NOT bear fruit will be baptized, or immersed in “unquenchable fire.”

There is just “one baptism” now—water baptism for the remission of sins. John’s baptism and Holy Spirit Baptism both ended earlier in the

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first century, and fire baptism is yet to come. It will come when the world comes to an end and all people stand before the judgment seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10). Then, Jesus will say to the unrighteous, “Depart from Me, you cursed, into everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41).

How do you avoid fire baptism? Well, you must have your sins removed; the blood of Jesus Christ must be applied to your soul so that you can be reconciled to God and your name added to the Lamb’s book of life. How and when is the blood applied? It is applied when you are baptized into the death of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, and raised to walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:3-8). You must, through faith, obey that “form of doctrine” (Rom. 6:17).

If you have not yet been baptized (immersed) in water for the remission of sins, you are lost. If you do not change, you will receive the baptism of fire. Do not settle for the many “denominational baptisms” taught by men. Make sure that you have submitted to the “one baptism” taught throughout the New Testament.

I hope that this study has been of some benefit to you. If you have any questions or disagreements, I invite you to contact me.