For too long there has been a lack of appreciation of the need to be baptized with the Spirit. Many times before and after the resurrection Yeshua instructed His disciples that they would receive the promised Spirit, Luke 11:13, John 14:16-17,26; 15:26; 16:7,13, Luke 24:49, Acts 1:4-5, 8.
The wonderful infilling was not vague or ambiguous. The disciples joyously expected an intimate spiritual experience accompanied by gifts such as tongues, prophecy, visions and dreams. The promise was for all who would believe, young and old, male and female.
After considering the information in the previous chapters we can note these specific points in the process of salvation which include an experience of receiving the Spirit;
Hearing Good News about Messiah and His Kingdom, Matthew 13:3-9.
Believing the message, Matthew 13:23.
Repentance, purposing with all of one’s heart to turn away from all sins unto God, Luke 24:47.
Confession of Messiah, calling upon the name of the Lord, calling to the Messiah, Romans 10:9-14.
Receiving and being filled with the riches of His glory, the Holy Spirit, Romans 10:13 - Joel 2:32; Luke 11:13.
Expression of the spiritual gifts the Spirit bestows.
Growth and stability in abiding in the "new man," the indwelling Messiah, integrated in the body of Messiah, Ephesians 4:13.
Resurrection of the mortal body, Romans 8:23.
These factors will never change. Spirit baptism was a dominating issue for believers of late second Temple days.
When R. John began his service to Israel he could observe only a fraction of the process of New Covenant salvation.
John warned Israel to repent and produce fruit worthy of repentance. That was as much as could be accomplished. Though baptized with water, no one yet was baptized with the Holy Spirit. The Messiah coming after him would initiate this.
But whoever believed R. John’s warning was baptized with water for ritual purification. Even at that time humble believers could turn from sin and live a righteous life, Matthew 21:32, before the Spirit was given, John 7:39.
Certainly the weeping woman who anointed the Lord’s feet experienced tremendous conviction about her sin and Messiah’s righteousness. She was forgiven because of her faith and was expected to sin no more yet it is clear she had not received the Spirit. Her faith that forgiveness comes through Yeshua was the limit of the revelation of salvation at that point. She believed what was possible to believe and was accounted righteous just like her father Abraham.
Still, because the New Covenant to put away sin had not yet been ratified and because the Spirit was not yet sent, no one was "regenerated."
This means the saved remnant before Shavu’ot which believed R. John and Messiah Yeshua had repented and turned from sin but were not "born again" new creatures.
The definite and positive act of turning from sin is not the same as regeneration.
Repentance must be a deep, moving inner work of confession of sin and recognition of God’s righteousness. But contrary to what many believe, scripturally no one has been "born again" if they have repented but have not received the Gift of the Spirit.
Certainly the Spirit testified of the need for reconciliation to God. Certainly the repentant remnant listened to the voice of the Spirit. Conviction of sin and admission of guilt, or confession, is a result of hearing the Spirit.
Still, this ability to hear His voice and turn from sin was something less than what R. John termed, "baptized with the Spirit," less than what Messiah termed, "born of the Spirit, born from above."
R. John himself was not a wanton sinner, but he heard the voice of the Spirit and, in the presence of Messiah, he knew he needed a tremendous transformation of nature just as any of the "brood of vipers" he continually admonished, Matthew 3:14. He expected his listeners to know of an experience of being baptized with the Holy Spirit.
They would have looked forward to it, beyond turning from sin to righteousness, even beyond water baptism. In fact, this is precisely what happened on Shavu’ot. The hundred and twenty original Jewish believers received the Spirit beyond repentance, beyond water baptism.
While some argue that their situation was transitional and unique we have to admit it was specifically foretold by R. John. No one was "born again" until the Spirit was poured out in New Covenant power on Shavu’ot.
On the other hand, all who had listened to R. John were in a state of humble faith before God, awaiting the day of receiving the Spirit and though not regenerated or born again they were "saved" and humbly walking in all they were aware of and all that was available.
Still this remnant would someday have a wonderful experience in something far beyond repentance. And for R. John there was no other water baptism to expect after his, they should simply look for the baptism with the Spirit.
Before Shavu’ot the Spirit could operate miraculously but He simply could not impart New Covenant power to the hearts of believers, not until Messiah had died for sin and was resurrected into eternal life. Even at Passover the disciples did not understand the necessity of Messiah’s death, Matthew 16:21-22, Luke 18:31-34. There is no way they could have been "regenerated" or "born again" if they did not even realize Messiah must die to pay for their sins.
So again, repentance is not the same as regeneration. Many today have repented, have forsaken a rotten life full of sin and have turned to righteousness, yet, like those first believers, many still need to be filled with God’s Spirit to be "born again."
The prophets in Israel had been "filled" with the Spirit and prophesied of many glorious details of the New Covenant before it was established.
So too, the New Covenant Scriptures tell us various persons were "filled" with the Spirit before Messiah’s sacrificial death. Being "filled" was a way of saying they had "received" the Spirit and yielded to Him to let Him do all He pleased.
John would be filled while a babe in the womb, (hardly an experience of mental reasoning), Luke 1:15.
Elizabeth was filled and prophesied, vv. 41-45.
Zechariah was filled and prophesied, vv. 67-79. In a different way of describing such experiences we read the Spirit was "on" Simeon and revealed many things to him, ch. 2 vv. 25-35.
Anna was a prophetess, vv. 36-38.
Later the twelve were given power to heal and drive out demons in Luke 9:1-6.
The seventy were given power to heal and drive out demons in ch. 10:9, 17-19.
These few shared power and gifts, similar to the many after Shavu’ot, but there was a vast difference. The Spirit could not take up permanent residence until the vessel had been eternally cleansed, until the spirit of the person had been recreated into the image of Messiah.
After Yeshua’s Passover everyone still needed to "receive" the promised Spirit, the same as being "filled" with the Spirit. But now that the New Covenant had been ratified the Holy Spirit was charged with resurrection power to transform, to "baptize," so He could abide forever.
Today some teach that New Covenant salvation comprises various "independent" works of the Spirit and does not depend on being filled or experiencing His supernatural giftings. Regeneration is believed to occur even if there is no "in filling" of the Spirit. Supposedly if you can believe in Yeshua you are regenerated.
But the entire context of Scripture declares the fact that when someone believes in Yeshua he must believe the whole story, that:
"Messiah is the One who pours out the long promised Holy Spirit to baptize&emdash;transform&emdash;a disciple in a supernatural experience."
A person who believes Yeshua is raised from the dead has done well, let him not stop at that level of understanding Messiah, let him proceed to know Him as the Great Baptizer.
We can juxtapose certain verses to see that being filled is an integral part salvation, not an independent, additional blessing. Being filled was a normal way of saying someone had received the Spirit, even before the New Covenant was ratified. In this present age all are expected to be filled with the Spirit. Paul clearly tells states this in Ephesians 5:18.
Consider the following terms in the experience of Cornelius.
Received the Holy Spirit, Acts 10:47.
Spirit fell on, poured-out on, Acts 10:44-45, 11:15.
Gift of the Holy Spirit, Acts 10:45, 11:17.
Baptized with the Spirit, Acts 11:16.
Peter said the gentiles received the Spirit exactly as the Jewish believers had, Acts 10:47; 11:15, which was said to include being "filled" with the Spirit, Acts 2:4.
Spoke with tongues and magnified God, Acts 10:46.
Saved, Acts 11:14.
Here several images are combined. New believers were "saved" by believing the message of the forgiveness of sins through the resurrected Messiah and "receiving" the "Gift" of the Spirit, when He was "poured-out on" them and "fell on" them, "filling" them, "baptizing (transforming)" them, and they "magnified God" supernaturally with their mouths.
Described here is a most wonderful discernible experience of salvation.
So Luke also more briefly described the Samaritans, saying the apostles came that they might "receive" the Spirit, for as yet He had not "fallen" on anyone, Acts 8:15-16. When they did receive the Holy Spirit, the event was so arresting that onlooker Simon the sorcerer offered money for the ability to bestow the Spirit.
Those who believe Yeshua is Messiah but have not been filled have done well but they need to go on. They need to reach the fullness of what the New Covenant calls salvation. The Lord Himself lovingly beckons "come unto Me and drink!" All disciples need to be baptized with the Spirit upon turning to Messiah.
I myself had turned from an empty, filthy life, had believed in Yeshua as Messiah, Son of the Most High, slain for sin, raised into eternal life and returning soon to judge all. Yet after more than a year in this faith and changed life-style I knew I had never tasted the in filling with the Holy Spirit, what Scripture talks about regularly.
I read a booklet which said this Gift was for all believers and was an experience for today, not just the first century. The booklet also said this Gift could be received from the Lord Yeshua just about anywhere, you did not have to be in a church building. I had already been spiritually thirsty for months and when I read the evidence I was convinced and wanted to receive this Gift.
Since I had been reading just before going to sleep I dressed and sat on the edge of the bed. I eagerly and humbly looked up into heaven through the ceiling and prayed to the Lord Yeshua in my heart, "Lord, I’m ready." I waited for Him to fill me, to control all of me including my tongue, to glorify Him.
In just a moment I felt a tremendous irresistible impulse and "tongues" gushed from my mouth. No stammering or spitting out a few syllables, but fluent, varied sounds rushing forth. At the moment the "tongues" erupted I sensed a Presence in my midst, and the only way I can describe it is that it was tender, living Love. This intimate sensation rapidly grew in intensity until I was overwhelmed, permeated and covered. I was overcome with great elation that I would meet my Lord and commune with Him in such a powerful, intimate way.
After about twenty glorious minutes the intensity of this living Love gently began to subside, and after about thirty minutes in this experience of continuous fluent tongues I rested and just communed easily with the Lord, overflowing with joy.
The next day while reading the Bible, though not looking for it, I happened across Paul’s remark in Romans 5:
"For the Love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us."
I muttered out loud, "Wow." I too had tasted the same Gift as the great apostle, but about 1,940 years later. So can you! Turn from self-righteousness, humble yourself and seek King Yeshua today. Do not fear, the meek will never be disappointed. Suffice to say that another major change in life took place after I received the Spirit.
It is an enormous thing to tell someone else they "have" the Holy Spirit. The testimony of sonship does not come from the outside, but from the inside, from the Spirit Himself, Romans 8:16. If this inner testimony is lacking, no matter what others are saying, then we should seek Messiah to be filled with His Spirit, even as we are admonished to be filled.
The Lord wants us filled that we might die to our "old man," and live to God in newness of life. Not just "old sinners saved by grace" but "new creatures saved by His powerful indwelling life!" Maranatha!