We hear the phrase "the baptism of the Holy Spirit" a great deal these days. Each group that uses this phase--or the similar "the filling of the Holy Spirit"--attaches a slightly different meaning. In light of this confusion it is important to look at what history and Scripture have to say about "the baptism of the Holy Spirit."

The phrase began to become popular during the holiness and Keswick movements of the second half of the 19th and early 20th century. Such notables as Charles Finney, D. L. Moody, R. A. Torry, A. B. Simpson, and A. W. Tozer (none of whom were charismatic) used the phrase to mean a significant filling of the Holy Spirit subsequent to salvation.

The expression is best known today in connection with its use in the Pentecostal movement from the turn of the century and in many Charismatic groups since the 1960s and 1970s. For these believers, the "baptism of the Holy Spirit" is a profound experience with the Spirit that occurs sometime after conversion and is accompanied by speaking in tongues. Many non-charismatic denominations and organizations today, such as the Salvation Army, the Church of the Nazarene, and The Christian and Missionary Alliance, also use "the baptism of the Holy Spirit" to refer to a post-conversion experience of the Spirit (but they don't require the manifestation of tongues as proof of the experience). For them, "the baptism" is frequently used interchangeably with "the filling of the Holy Spirit" or even "a second work of grace."

All Christian groups believe in the importance of an ever-deepening experience of the Holy Spirit, but many would not describe a post-salvation experience with the Spirit as "the baptism." Mainline denominations (e.g., Baptists, Presbyterians, Episcopalians) do not have specific doctrinal statements on this issue, but in practice, most would reserve speaking of "the baptism of the Holy Spirit" for what happens when someone is saved and use the term "filling" for subsequent experiences with the Spirit.

The question arises: How does the Bible use this phrase? The Key Passages "Baptism in the Holy Spirit" is indeed a biblical concept. John the Baptist proclaimed that Jesus would baptize in the Holy Spirit (Jn. 1:33). The Apostle Paul described it when he wrote to the Corinthian church: "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 Cor. 12:13). Aside from the verse in John, and its parallel verses in the other gospels, 1 Cor. 12:13 is the only place where the phrase is used.

First Corinthians 12:13 refers to the realization of the promise that Jesus would indeed baptize in the Spirit. In this passage, Paul speaks of "baptism in the Spirit" in connection with his larger discussion of unity among fellow Christians in the midst of the diversity of people within the church. He contends that even though many of the people in the Corinthian church are so different from one another--in race, gender, and giftedness--they all belong to Christ, they are all part of the one "body." He bases his conclusion on the fact that all have a common experience of God's Spirit. The Holy Spirit indwells each and every one of them. This initial reception and indwelling of the Spirit takes place at conversion. The coming of the Spirit is what constitutes the beginning of the Christian life (Gal. 3:2-3). The entrance of the Spirit marks a person as a child of God--"you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father'" (Ro. 8:14-17). It is God's seal upon us and His assurance of our incorporation into His Kingdom (Eph. 1:13-14).

This reception of the Spirit at conversion is what Paul refers to as "baptism in the Spirit." The coming of the Spirit into the life of an individual is what incorporates that person into the one unified Body of Christ, the Church. The subsequent physical rite of water baptism is then our way of expressing to the Church and the community that we now belong to Christ and His people. The phrase, "the baptism in the Spirit," is not used in Scripture to refer to a second experience sometime after conversion that transports one to a higher level of spirituality and deeper experience of the Spirit of God.

"Drink the Spirit!"

Often overlooked is the fact that Paul uses a second metaphor in 1 Cor. 12:13. When we enter into a relationship with Christ we are not only baptized in the Spirit, but also given the one Spirit to drink. This means that we can now draw on the Spirit's power and guidance to help us in our daily lives and to assist us in our ministry to other people.

This is a perfect metaphor to describe our need to depend on the Spirit day by day and even hour by hour. We need to drink our fill of the Spirit regularly for healthy Christian living. For this reason, Paul calls us to "be filled with the Spirit" (Eph. 5:18) on an ongoing basis.

In experience, however, there may be one or more times after conversion when we are catapulted to a new level of communion with the Spirit. This may follow a time of yielding ourselves more completely to God, effectively dealing with a sinful behavior, or opening ourselves up in a new way to the work of the Spirit. And while some groups refer to this as "the baptism of the Holy Spirit," this second, third, or fourth deeper experience with the Spirit, however, is not what Scripture means by the phrase "baptism in the Spirit." It is growth and maturity better expressed by the metaphors of drinking and filling.

CLINTON ARNOLD is associate professor of New Testament at Talbot School of Theology.