How Would You define the "Baptism In the Holy Ghost" From Scripture?

Let's consider Acts 1:5, "for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” (NASB)
The translation "with water" literally could be translated "to water." But the translators understood the idea to be that water was the material into which the person was immersed. So they correctly rendered it "with" water. In the second part of the verse, it would literally read baptized "in" the Holy Spirit. But the preposition "en" is used in several ways such as to indicate location (within something" but it is also used to show cause (translated because of) or instrumentality (by or with). Here again the translators understood the idea to be that they would be immersed into the Holy Spirit. Note that indwelling is referred to as baptism.

So we have verses indicating we are immersed into Christ (Galatians 3:27) , into the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:13), and into the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:5). Could Christ refer to the Spirit of Christ? Yes. Could the body of Christ refer to the Spirit of Christ? Yes Could the Holy Spirit refer the Spirit of Christ? Probably not. Well then could the preposition (en) in Acts 1:5 be indicating the instrument used to baptize, i.e. by the Holy Spirit? Probably not. How do we manage this dilemma? The way out of the problem that I chose was to consider the Baptism of Christ to include both being baptized into Christ by the Spirit, and being sealed in Christ with the Holy Spirit, thus immersed on the inside as well as on the outside. And the way I handle the issue that it is Christ who baptizes, I claim the Holy Spirit was acting as the agent of Christ.

I know that might seem a long way around the barn, but it is how I understand the issue of the OP.

 

When we are baptized into Christ spiritually, we are set apart in Christ, or sanctified in Christ, and this transfer into Christ is performed by the Holy Spirit, thus the sanctification by the Spirit (2 Thessalonians 2:13) and the sanctifying work of the Spirit, 1 Peter 1:2. Sanctify means to set apart or to make Holy. Positional sanctification refers to when we are baptized into Christ.

 

I would think the better explanation though is that by the same Holy Spirit, God placed us into Christ and thus into the Body of Christ, His Church!

 

I can agree with everything you said, accept your view of the atonement. Thanks for your post.

 

I hold that the "spirit" here is the Holy Spirit, not the spirit of unity. So I guess I see the passage somewhat differently from you.

 

i know what the context is, but I also know what the verse says. It says "one S

I know about the context, but I also believe this particular verse is talking about the Holy Spirit when it says "one Spirit". I don't believe the "one Spirit" is the spirit of unity. For one thing, the word "Spirit" is capitalized, in both places. It also makes more sense that the Spirit "all have been made to drink of" is the Holy Spirit, not the spirit of unity.

 

What about the other point I made? Do you think it really makes sense to say that the spirit they were made to drink of was the spirit of unity? That seems to require quite a stretch to make it mean that.

 

Rebel1, the capitalization of Spirit indicates the translator or translation team, thought the spirit in view was divine. Context (there is unity in Christ) is supported with the idea by one Spirit we were baptized into one body.

 

Whatever it means, would have to be refering to the Church at large, to all of the saved in and out of local assemblies, for are not all saved Baptized in/with same Holy Spirit?

 

That is the Holy Spirit job to place all Christians into the Body of Christ, as would not just be the local churches, but all who are saved now.

 

Okay, you drank the spirit of unity, and I drank the Holy Spirit. You have the spirit of unity in you, and I have the Holy Spirit in me.

 

And what if "drink" means "made to imbibe" as the Holy Spirit was "poured" into us! Seems most of us share a common history, experienced common events, and are of the same family, siblings of Christ. There is unity in Christ, for we were baptized into Christ and made to imbibe the same Spirit. Thus we are in Christ and Christ is in us, John 14:20.

 

No, of course not. I just meant we obviously interpret that one verse differently.

 

When we are baptized into Christ spiritually, we are set apart in Christ, or sanctified in Christ, and this transfer into Christ is performed by the Holy Spirit, thus the sanctification by the Spirit (2 Thessalonians 2:13) and the sanctifying work of the Spirit, 1 Peter 1:2. Sanctify (G38) means to set apart or to make Holy. Positional sanctification refers to when we are baptized into Christ.

On the other hand, the word also refers to holiness or being made holy. 1 Thessalonians 4:7, "7 For God has not called us to impurity but to live in holiness. (CSB) Here the CSB correctly renders G38 "holiness." However, as a matter of improved clarity and readability, they could have translated the verse "For God has not called us to impurity but to holiness. So this verse provides an example where an improved word for word methodology results in improved clarity and readability.

 

Greek prepositions are troublesome indeed.

HankD

 

The things I see on this forum never cease to amaze me.