For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit... 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 1:5, 8There is a topic that has caused more division in the church than almost any other. It is the baptism of the Holy Spirit. And the main point of contention is evidence. What proves you have received the baptism? And for many, the answer has become: speaking in tongues.
But that is not what the Bible says. And today, I want to set the record straight.
As I began to speak, the Holy Spirit came on them as he came 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 stand in God's way?
Acts 11:15-17What Is the Baptism?
First, what is the baptism of the Holy Spirit? It is a distinct experience from salvation. When you are saved, you receive the Holy Spirit. That is automatic. That is for everyone who believes in Christ.
But the baptism of the Holy Spirit is something different. It is an empowerment for service. It is the promise of the Father that Jesus talked about. It is what equips you to be a witness.
Jesus said this to His disciples just before He ascended. You will be baptized with the Holy Spirit. Not might be. Will be. This is a promise.
Power. That is the purpose. Power to be a witness. Power to do what you could not do on your own.
The Evidence Debate
Now here is where things get tricky. The traditional view in some circles is that tongues is the evidence. You speak in tongues, you have received the baptism. No tongues, no baptism.
But that is not what the Bible teaches. Look at what actually happened in Acts.
Acts 2: The Holy Spirit falls on the day of Pentecost. The disciples speak in tongues. This is the pattern most churches point to.
But Acts 8: The Samaritans receive the Holy Spirit. Peter and John pray for them, and the Spirit comes on them. There is no mention of tongues. But they received the Spirit.
Acts 10: Cornelius and his family receive the Holy Spirit. Peter preaches, the Spirit falls, and they speak in tongues and praise God. But look at the order. The Spirit fell on them BEFORE the tongues. And Peter's response is telling:
They received the Holy Spirit JUST AS WE HAVE. Not just like Pentecost. Just as the original disciples. And the evidence was not tongues. The evidence was that the Spirit fell on them.
But wait. They DID speak in tongues. So why am I saying tongues is not the evidence? Because in Acts 10, tongues came AFTER the Spirit fell. The Spirit falling is the evidence. Tongues is one possible manifestation. Not the only one.
What Peter Actually Said
Here is the key. Look at what Peter said in his defense to the other disciples:
The gift was the same. The experience was the same. And the evidence was not tongues. It was the coming of the Holy Spirit. That is the evidence. Not any particular manifestation.
What Joel Said
Peter quoted Joel in his sermon on the day of Pentecost:
All flesh. All people. Sons and daughters. Young and old. Servants. All will receive the Spirit. Not all will speak in tongues. All will prophesy. Different manifestations.
That is what Joel promised. And that is what Peter quoted.
The Real Evidence
So what IS the evidence of the baptism? Not tongues. Not any single manifestation.
The evidence is the Holy Spirit coming upon you for power. The evidence is power to be a witness. The evidence is the fruit of the Spirit in your life. The evidence is the gifts of the Spirit operating through you.
If you have received the Spirit, you have the Spirit. And the proof is not in one particular experience. It is in the transformation of your life and the power to serve.
Do not let anyone tell you that you do not have the Holy Spirit because you do not speak in tongues. That is not biblical. If you belong to Christ, the Spirit lives in you. And if you have been baptized in the Spirit, you have power to be His witness.
✦ A Moment to Sit With
Have you been taught that tongues is the only evidence of the baptism? How has that shaped your understanding? Ask God to show you the full picture of what the baptism looks like.
✦ ✦ ✦
Father, I want to understand the baptism of the Holy Spirit properly. Not based on tradition or debate. Based on Your Word. I receive the promise of the Father. I receive the power of the Holy Spirit. And I ask for the evidence to be shown in my life: the fruit, the gifts, and the power to be Your witness. Help me not to limit Your work to one particular experience. Let Your Spirit work in my life in whatever way He chooses. Amen.
Tomorrow we are going to look at one of the most beautiful truths in all of Scripture: the Holy Spirit prays for us. Romans 8:26. The Spirit Himself intercedes with groanings too deep for words. The prayer you did not know you were praying.
With honesty and hope,
Claire