1. All three baptisms are voluntary and are not required for salvation:

   • John's water baptism was voluntary. People chose to be baptized:

     "John's clothes were made of camel's hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River." (Matthew 3:4-6)

     John's baptism was voluntary, and it was not a requirement for salvation. Notice that John's baptism was not considered to be a Christian baptism because in Ephesus the apostle Paul rebaptized people who had only had John's baptism:

     "While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." So Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?" "John's baptism," they replied. Paul said, "John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus." On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus." (Acts 19:1-5)

   • Christian water baptism is also a voluntary act which we choose to do in obedience to Christ. It would take up too much space to go into all of the proof that water baptism is not required for salvation, but I invite you to examine the proof in my article called Is Baptism Required for Salvation?.
   • Spirit baptism is also voluntary (that is, if God did not baptize us in the Holy Spirit right after we received salvation, as He did for Cornelius' household in Acts 10:44-45). As we saw in Part One, we are told that we can ask our Father for the gift of the Holy Spirit:

     "If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" (Luke 11:13)

     Notice that God is only the Father of Christians (John 1:12-13, Romans 8:12-18, 29, Ephesians 2:18-19, Galatians 3:26-27, and 4:4-7), which indicates that we must first become saved before we can ask our Father for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Remember, the above verse is not referring to salvation because we do not become saved by asking for the Holy Spirit. Since we can ask for this gift, this demonstrates that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is not required for salvation and does not always happen automatically at the time of salvation.




2. All three baptisms involve an outer sign which follows an inner change:

   • John the Baptist's baptism was for repentance. He called on people to repent and then be baptized. Being baptized in water was an outer, public sign of the person's inner repentance.
   • Christian water baptism always followed a person's salvation (see point #1B above). Being baptized in water is an outer, public sign of the person's inner faith in Christ.
   • We have seen that just like water baptism, the baptism of the Holy Spirit is only available to people after they receive salvation. In a few moments we will see that the ability to pray in tongues is the usual outer, public sign in Scripture which follows the inner baptism ("saturation," "immersion") in the living water of the Holy Spirit.




3. The main Greek word for "baptize" means "immerse, submerge for a religious purpose, to overwhelm, saturate" (The Complete Word Study Dictionary of the New Testament, Spiros Zodhiates, p.309). All three baptisms involve immersion:

   • In the entire New Testament, there are no examples of John the Baptist baptizing by any method other than by immersion. Notice for example that after Jesus was baptized He went up out of the water:

     "As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water." (Matthew 3:16)

     Water is the medium or the substance in which people were baptized, and we see John the Baptist doing baptism by immersion.
   • In the entire New Testament, there are no examples of Christians being baptized by any method other than by immersion. For example:

     "Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away" (Acts 8:38-39)

     Water is the medium or the substance in which we are baptized, and we see Christians in the New Testament being baptized by immersion.
   • In the examples of the baptism of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament, people were "filled with" the living water of the Holy Spirit, and the gift of the Holy Spirit was "poured out" on people:

     "On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive." (John 7:37-39)
     
     "They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them." (Acts 2:3-4)
     
     "The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God." (Acts 10:45-46)

     Just as water baptism is an immersion in water, the baptism of the Holy Spirit is an "immersion" (or "saturation," as in the Greek dictionary definition above) in the living water of the Holy Spirit.




4. When we are "baptized into" someone, it is an outward act which demonstrates that we have already identified ourselves with that person:

   • [Note: This is point #4A, in case your browser has displayed it differently.]
     
     The apostle Paul said that the Israelites who followed Moses out of Egypt were "baptized into" Moses as they passed through the parted waters of the Red Sea:

     "For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea." (1 Corinthians 10:1-2)

     The Israelites had chosen to follow Moses and to be identified with him before they crossed the Red Sea. Their "baptism into Moses" was an outward act which demonstrated that they were already identified with Moses. It did not cause them to be identified with him.
     
     Notice that 1 Corinthians 10:2 (above) can be paraphrased as: "In the cloud and in the sea they were all baptized into Moses." This wording will help shed light on another verse in just a few moments.
   • [Note: This is point #4B, in case your browser has displayed it differently.]
     
     Christian water baptism is described as baptizing a person "into Christ":

     "On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus." (Acts 19:5)
     
     "You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ." (Galatians 3:26-27)
     
     "Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?" (Romans 6:3)

     As we saw earlier, Christian water baptism is an outward act which publicly demonstrates that we are already identified with Christ through faith. Water baptism does not cause us to be saved or to be identified with Christ.
     
     Notice that Acts 19:5 (above) can be paraphrased as: "On hearing this, in water they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus." This wording will help shed light on another verse in just a few moments.
   • [Note: This is point #4C, in case your browser has displayed it differently.]
     
     In a similar way, Christians are described as being baptized "into one body":

     "For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body --whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free--and we were all given the one Spirit to drink." (1 Corinthians 12:13)

     This verse has caused a lot of confusion among Christians because it is often interpreted to mean that the Holy Spirit baptizes people into the body of Christ. However, the Bible consistently teaches that it is Jesus who does the baptizing, and that the Holy Spirit is the "living water" (John 4:9-14 and 7:37-39) in which we are baptized. If you use a computer Bible or a concordance or a topical Bible and you look up every New Testament passage on baptism (other than 1 Corinthians 12:13, above, which is often misunderstood), you won't find a single verse which says that the Holy Spirit does any kind of baptizing. There is no Scriptural support to back up the idea that the Holy Spirit baptizes us into the body of Christ. For example, when you received water baptism, the water did not do the baptizing (you were baptized in the water). In the same way, the living water of the Holy Spirit does not do any type of baptizing, but rather we are baptized in the living water of the Holy Spirit. As we will see, 1 Corinthians 12:13 does not teach that the Holy Spirit baptizes us into the body of Christ.
     
     One big reason for all of the confusion is the Greek preposition en, which has the meaning of "in" (and which is sometimes translated using similar words such as "with" or "among"). For example, The Complete Word Study Dictionary of the New Testament (Spiros Zodhiates, p.579) describes the Greek word en by comparing it with two other Greek words (eis and ek):

     "eis implies motion into, and ek motion out of, while en, in, means remaining in place." (emphasis added)

     The normal meaning of en is "in".
     
     However, Bible translators are all human, and when they translate Scripture from the original Greek they often must make an interpretation about what the passage means in order to translate it into English. Since Bible translators are not perfect, sometimes their interpretations and translations are not perfect. Consider the NIV translation of 1 Corinthians 12:13:

     "For we were all baptized by [en] one Spirit into one body" (1 Corinthians 12:13)

     This translation of the Greek word en has caused many people to assume that the Holy Spirit baptizes us into the body of Christ, even though there is no other Scriptural support for the idea that the Holy Spirit does any baptizing. Now consider some literal translations of 1 Corinthians 12:13:

     "for also in one Spirit we all to one body were baptized" (1 Corinthians 12:13, Young's Literal Translation)
     
     "For in one Spirit were we all baptized into one body" (1 Corinthians 12:13, ASV)
     
     "For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body" (1 Corinthians 12:13, NRSV)

     At first glance these translations don't seem to make much sense in English, which is probably why some Bible translators used the English word "by" when translating the Greek word en in this verse. However, the literal translation of en makes perfect sense when it is understood in light of other passages of Scripture. In fact, the NIV translators acknowledged that the word "by" might not be the best word to use in this verse, because in the footnote for 1 Corinthians 12:13 the NIV says that the words "with" or "in" might be better translations of the Greek word en. It turns out that this footnote is exactly right.
     
     Notice that there are six New Testament passages which contain the phrase "baptize(d) with the Holy Spirit": Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16, John 1:33, Acts 1:5, and Acts 11:16. As we will see in a moment, in every one of these passages it is Jesus who does the baptizing, and the Holy Spirit is the medium or the substance in which Christians are baptized.
     
     Now, in point #4A (above) we saw that 1 Corinthians 10:2 can be paraphrased as: "In the cloud and in the sea they were all baptized into Moses." In point #4B (above) we saw that Acts 19:5 can be paraphrased as: "On hearing this, in water they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus." When the Greek word en is translated with its normal meaning of "in," it becomes easy to see the actual meaning of 1 Corinthians 12:13 by comparing these three verses of Scripture:

     "In the cloud and in the sea they were all baptized into Moses." (1 Corinthians 10:2, paraphrased)
     
     "In water they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus." (Acts 19:5, paraphrased)
     
     "in one Spirit were we all baptized into one body" (1 Corinthians 12:13, ASV)

     It is now very easy to see what the medium of baptism is in each verse. In the first verse, the cloud and the sea are the medium or the substance in which the Israelites were baptized. Notice that the Israelites were already united with Moses when they left Egypt, which was before they were "baptized into Moses" at the Red Sea. The cloud and the sea did not cause them to be united with Moses. In the second verse above, water is the medium or the substance in which Christians are baptized. Notice that Christians are united with Christ at the moment of salvation, which happens before we are "baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus." The water does not cause us to be saved or to be united with Christ. In the third verse above, the living water of the Holy Spirit is the medium or the substance in which Christians are baptized. Just as water baptism does not cause us to be saved, Spirit baptism does not cause us to be included into the body of Christ (as we have seen throughout this series).
     
     We can clearly see that Christians are baptized in the living water of the Holy Spirit just as we are baptized in water. 1 Corinthians 12:13 does not teach that the Holy Spirit does the baptizing.
     
     Now let's take a close look at every New Testament verse which uses the phrase "baptize(d) with the Holy Spirit." Every one of these verses uses the Greek word en (meaning "in" or "with"), and every one of these verses makes a direct comparison between water baptism and Spirit baptism:

     "I baptize you with [en] water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with [en] the Holy Spirit and with fire." (Matthew 3:11)
     
     "I baptize you with [en] water, but he will baptize you with [en] the Holy Spirit." (Mark 1:8)
     
     "John answered them all, "I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with [en] the Holy Spirit and with fire."" (Luke 3:16)
     
     "I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with [en] water told me, 'The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with [en] the Holy Spirit.'" (John 1:33)
     
     "For John baptized with [en] water, but in a few days you will be baptized with [en] the Holy Spirit." (Acts 1:5)
     
     "Then I remembered what the Lord had said: 'John baptized with [en] water, but you will be baptized with [en] the Holy Spirit.'" (Acts 11:16)

     Just as we are baptized "in" water, we are also baptized "in" the Holy Spirit. It was no accident that Jesus called it the "baptism" of the Holy Spirit because we can easily see that there are direct comparisons between water baptism and Spirit baptism. Scripture consistently tells us that we are baptized in the living water of the Holy Spirit by Jesus. For all of these reasons, 1 Corinthians 12:13 does not teach that the Holy Spirit baptizes us into the body of Christ.
     
     In fact, we can prove this even further. Let's take another look at 1 Corinthians 12:13:

     "For we were all baptized by [en] one Spirit into one body--whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free-- and we were all given the one Spirit to drink." (1 Corinthians 12:13)

     1 Corinthians 12:13 specifically says that the Spirit is given to people to drink. The Holy Spirit is the "living water" (John 4:9-14 and 7:37-39) in which we are baptized, and when He is "poured out" onto us (Acts 10:45), we "drink" Him into us (1 Corinthians 12:13, above), which causes us to be "immersed" (or "overwhelmed" or "saturated," as in the Greek dictionary definition in point #3 above) or "baptized" (Acts 1:5) or "filled with" (Acts 2:4) the Holy Spirit. Scripture is very consistent, and 1 Corinthians 12:13 specifically says that we "drink" the living water of the Holy Spirit into us, not that the Holy Spirit does any type of baptizing.
     
     Now, there is one more thing that we should examine in 1 Corinthians 12:13, but first let me lay a quick foundation. One important aspect of Bible interpretation is to look not only at the context of a passage, but also to determine who the original readers were (see Basics of Bible Interpretation or Basics of the Bible (click the "Historical Background" link), or page 93 of How to Study the Bible for Yourself by Tim LaHaye, or pages 66-67 of Basic Bible Interpretation by Roy Zuck, for example). Certainly the Bible applies to us modern Christians, but the original authors of the New Testament often had specific readers and specific situations in mind, so it can help us understand Scripture when we consider who the original readers were. In the case of 1 Corinthians, Paul was primarily writing to the church at Corinth and addressing specific situations which were happening there. So let's look at some things that Paul specifically said to the Christians in Corinth. He said that all of the gifts of the Spirit were operating in the Corinthian church, and he said that everyone in the Corinthian church had gifts of the Spirit to be used for ministering to each other:

     "Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed." (1 Corinthians 1:7)
     
     "What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church." (1 Corinthians 14:26)

     So the Corinthian Christians had received spiritual empowerment, and we have seen in this series that spiritual empowerment is the purpose for the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, Paul and the Christians with him, as well as the Christians in Corinth, had all received the baptism of the Holy Spirit for spiritual empowerment, which easily explains why Paul said, "in one Spirit were we all baptized into one body" (1 Corinthians 12:13, ASV). Paul was writing to the Christians in Corinth who had already received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, so it would be reasonable for him to tell them something like, "we were all baptized in the Holy Spirit." The reason I mention this is because some people interpret the phrase, "we were all," in 1 Corinthians 12:13 as meaning that all Christians were automatically baptized in the Holy Spirit when we received salvation. However, that view is not supported in Scripture. We have seen over and over that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a second experience of the Holy Spirit which is only available to us after we receive salvation.

"When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them." (Acts 2:1-4)

"While Peter was still speaking these words [to the household of Cornelius], the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers [Jews] who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said, "Can anyone keep these people from 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." (Acts 10:44-48)

[The next passage refers to the same event as in Acts 10:44-48, above]
"As I [Peter] began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he had come on us at the beginning. Then I remembered what the Lord had said: 'John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could oppose God?" When they [the Jews who criticized Peter for breaking the Jewish law by eating with Gentiles at the house of Cornelius] heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, "So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life."" (Acts 11:15-18)

"While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." So Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?" "John's baptism," they replied. Paul said, "John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus." On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied." (Acts 19:1-6)

1. In every case, when people received the baptism of the Holy Spirit they began speaking in tongues.
2. In every case, every person who received the baptism of the Holy Spirit spoke in tongues.
3. Speaking in tongues was the convincing evidence that people had received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. For example, in the house of Cornelius (Acts 10:44-48, above), when Peter heard the Gentiles speaking in tongues he was astonished that God had poured out the gift of the Holy Spirit upon the Gentiles. This was an unprecedented event, because throughout the Jews' entire history the Gentiles had been "unclean," and salvation was always thought to be only for the Jews. However, based only on the evidence that the Gentiles were speaking in tongues, Peter immediately ordered Cornelius' household to be baptized in water. Peter recognized that the Gentiles had been saved and then baptized with the Holy Spirit because they were speaking in tongues.
   
   Notice that Cornelius and his family received the baptism of the Holy Spirit after they received salvation:

   "After much discussion, Peter got up and addressed them [the Jews in Jerusalem]: "Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles [Cornelius and his household] might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He made no distinction between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith."" (Acts 15:7-9)

   This passage says that when Cornelius and his household believed the message of the Gospel, God knew their hearts and accepted them and purified their hearts by their faith. Then (after they had received salvation) God showed that He had accepted them into the Kingdom by giving them the baptism of the Holy Spirit. Cornelius and his household received the baptism of the Holy Spirit after they received salvation, and the convincing evidence that they had been baptized with the Holy Spirit was the fact that they spoke in tongues.
4. The apostles in Jerusalem criticized Peter for going into the house of uncircumcised men (i.e. Gentiles, referring to Cornelius and his family) and eating with them (Acts 11:2-3) because it was against the Jewish law (Acts 10:28). However, when Peter explained that Cornelius and his household had received the same gift that the disciples had received at Pentecost (based only on the fact that the Gentiles had spoken in tongues), the apostles had no further objections and they immediately believed that God had granted salvation to the Gentiles (Acts 11:15-18, above). Speaking in tongues was the convincing evidence for the apostles in Jerusalem.
5. Peter said that the Gentiles had received the same gift that the disciples had received at Pentecost. However, notice that at the house of Cornelius there was no sound of a violent wind or visible tongues of fire as there was at Pentecost. The only thing that these two events had in common was speaking in tongues. Therefore, the manifestation of speaking in tongues was the only evidence that the apostles needed in order to be convinced that the Gentiles had been saved and had received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. The apostles did not ask for any other evidence, nor did they wait to see if the fruit of true Christian repentance was evident in the household of Cornelius. Remember, throughout the Jews' entire history, Gentiles were "unclean," and salvation was thought to be only for the Jews. Yet the Bible says that as soon as the apostles heard that the Gentiles had spoken in tongues they immediately believed that God had granted salvation and the baptism of the Holy Spirit to the Gentiles. Speaking in tongues was the convincing evidence for the apostles. Furthermore, there is no other evidence offered anywhere else in the New Testament to be taken as proof that someone has received the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

"But when they [the Samaritans] believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Simon [the Sorcerer] himself believed and was baptized. And he followed Philip everywhere, astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw. When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money and said, "Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit."" (Acts 8:12-19)

1. Notice that Acts 8:12-19 (above) does not actually say that God was "withholding" the indwelling Holy Spirit from the new Christians, and it does not say that God was trying to prove something to the apostles. The "human logic" view is based on assumptions rather than being based on what Scripture actually says.
2. There is no Scriptural support to back up the "human logic" view (which is why I am referring to it as "human logic"). For example, the apostle Paul's letters in the New Testament tell us how salvation works, but Paul never said that salvation sometimes worked differently back in the "early years" of the Church. Paul never said that God had sometimes withheld the indwelling Holy Spirit from any new Christians for any reason. No other New Testament author said such things either. There is no Scriptural support for the "human logic" view.
3. Not only is there no Scriptural evidence to back up the "human logic" view, but this view actually contradicts Scripture. For example, the apostle Paul tells us in different ways that when we receive salvation by faith, we are automatically sealed with the indwelling Holy Spirit. If we are saved then we have the Holy Spirit. If we don't have the Holy Spirit then we're not saved:

   "And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory." (Ephesians 1:13-14)
   
   "Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come." (2 Corinthians 1:21-22)
   
   "I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard?" (Galatians 3:2)
   
   "Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?" (Galatians 3:5)
   
   "He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit." (Galatians 3:14)
   
   "And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." (Ephesians 4:30)
   
   "You, however, are controlled not by the sinful nature but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you." (Romans 8:9-11)

   So when we believe the message of the Gospel (which the Samaritans did), then we receive salvation and we are automatically sealed with the indwelling Holy Spirit in our hearts. But according to the "human logic" view, the Samaritans were an exception to the way that salvation works. Consider that if we need to label certain Scripture passages as being "exceptions" to the clear teaching of the New Testament, then we have probably misinterpreted something!

1. The charismatic view says that when the Samaritans believed the message of the Gospel, they instantly received salvation. This agrees with the clear teaching of Scripture, and it agrees with the mainline view of salvation.
2. The charismatic view says that when the Samaritans received salvation by faith, they were automatically and immediately sealed with the indwelling Holy Spirit in their hearts. This agrees with the clear teaching of Scripture which we have seen throughout this series, and it agrees with the mainline view of salvation.
3. The charismatic view says that the Samaritans were baptized in water because they had fully and completely received salvation. This agrees with the clear teaching of Scripture concerning baptism (as we saw earlier), and it agrees with the mainline view of water baptism.
4. The charismatic view says that the Samaritans received the indwelling Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation just like everyone else in the New Testament Church does, and the charismatic view says that the Samaritans did not receive the "baptism" of the Holy Spirit for spiritual empowerment until Peter and John arrived. This agrees with Scripture because we have already seen that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is only available to us after we receive salvation.

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8)

"The clause Simon saw that the Spirit was given implies there was some external manifestation to evidence the coming of the Holy Spirit. Possibly it was speaking in tongues, though the Scripture does not say so (cf. 2:4; 10:45-46; 19:6)." (emphasis added)

"Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, "Brother Saul, the Lord--Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here--has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit." Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul's eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized" (Acts 9:17-18)

"I [Paul] thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you." (1 Corinthians 14:18)

1. Notice what Jesus told the disciples a few days before Pentecost. Before they were able to go out and begin their ministry, Jesus told them to wait until they had received the baptism of the Holy Spirit for spiritual empowerment:

   "On one occasion, while he [Jesus] was eating with them [the disciples], he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. ... you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."" (Acts 1:4-5, 8)

   In the above passage, what's the first thing the disciples needed to do before they could begin their powerful ministry? They needed to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit for spiritual empowerment.
2. In Acts 2:1-4 (Pentecost), what's the first thing the disciples did after they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit? They immediately spoke in tongues.
3. In Acts 10:44-48 (Cornelius and his household), what's the first thing God did after the Gentiles received salvation? He immediately baptized them in the Holy Spirit.
4. In Acts 10:44-48 (Cornelius and his household), what's the first thing the Gentiles did after they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit? They immediately spoke in tongues.
5. In Acts 8:12-19 (the Samaritans), what's the first thing Peter and John did when they arrived in Samaria? They immediately prayed for the Samaritans to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
6. In Acts 8:12-19 (the Samaritans), what's the first thing that happened after the Samaritans received the baptism of the Holy Spirit? There were immediate supernatural manifestations (such as speaking in tongues).
7. In Acts 19:1-6 (the disciples in Ephesus), what's the first thing Paul did when he encountered the disciples in Ephesus? He immediately asked if they had received the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
8. In Acts 19:1-6 (the disciples in Ephesus), what's the first thing Paul did after he baptized them in water? He immediately laid hands on them for them to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
9. In Acts 19:1-6 (the disciples in Ephesus), what's the first thing the disciples in Ephesus did when they received the baptism of the Holy Spirit? They immediately spoke in tongues (and they also prophesied).

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship." (Romans 12:1)

"Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness." (Romans 6:13)

"Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison." (James 3:5-8)

"For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit [or "by the Spirit," according to the NIV]." (1 Corinthians 14:2)

"For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind." (1 Corinthians 14:14-15)