2-8. What does it mean to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit?
We should know the reason for Jesus’ baptism. Paul preached the gospel of Jesus’ baptism to some Ephesians when he heard that they were only baptized into “John’s baptism.” They were baptized in the name of Jesus Christ and received the Holy Spirit in their hearts by believing what Paul said about Jesus’ baptism. The nature of the baptism Jesus received from John and that of John’s baptism of repentance were different. Jesus’ baptism was to wash away sins, which was directly related to our receiving the Holy Spirit. Then what was the nature of John’s baptism? He shouted, “Repent, brood of vipers! Forsake foreign gods you were serving and return to the true God.” His baptism was that of repentance, which made people return to God. However, the baptism Jesus received from John was in order for Him to take over all the sins of the world. This is the difference between John’s baptism and Jesus’ baptism by John. Jesus’ baptism was to fulfill all righteousness. Then what is the baptism that has fulfilled all righteousness? It is the baptism through which Jesus took away all the sins of mankind starting from Adam to the last person in the world. In other words, Jesus’ baptism by John was to fulfill all righteousness. To fulfill all righteousness means that God let His Son be baptized by John to take all the sins of the world on to Him so that He could be judged for us by being crucified on the Cross. God raised Jesus from the dead and sanctified all believers. This was done for all mankind. Jesus’ baptism and His blood on the Cross brought us eternal salvation, forgiveness for all our sins and the chance to live together with God forever. This is God’s righteousness, love, and salvation for all mankind. Here we can confirm that the baptism of the Holy Spirit was fulfilled through Jesus’ baptism and His blood on the Cross. In order to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, we need to have the witness of believing that all the sins of this world were passed on to Jesus through His baptism. Everyone who has received the forgiveness of sin by believing in Jesus’ baptism and His blood on the Cross should be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Therefore, we are baptized as the proof of our faith in Jesus’ baptism and in line with His commandment saying, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 28:19). Jesus was baptized by John in order to take away all the sins of the world, and because this truth leads people to receive the Holy Spirit, so it is also called the baptism of the Holy Spirit.