Those who are not able to see baptize and baptism beyond a watery context immediately conclude Paul often spoke of water, whether by required symbol, or required sacrament. This is especially true for those who deny a unique and defined experience of receiving the Holy Spirit. Those who have never had such an experience simply have no way to comprehend that Paul could write so vividly about a spiritual experience.
But multitudes today from the entire spectrum of Christendom testify of dramatic experiences of being filled with the Holy Spirit. Even evangelical pastors testify of being first filled with the Spirit years after they had been ordained. Today stories like this are not uncommon.
On the other hand, most have been told that if they have believed in Yeshua and then have been properly baptized they "have" the Holy Spirit and there is nothing further.
But this was not Paul's view of Life in Messiah. He specifically asked disciples if they had received the Holy Spirit when they believed, Acts 19:2. He did not ask about faith, if they had believed in Yeshua, nor inquire about a sinner's prayer, if they had asked the Lord into their heart. Rather, he asked specifically about an experience with the Holy Spirit, something these disciples could answer yes or no about without any hesitation. They knew they had not yet received the Spirit.
In that passage in Acts 19 we read only of instructions about a greater baptism in which the disciples receive the Spirit. When Paul laid his hands on them there was no question they had a wonderful experience. They personally knew they had received the Spirit. It was not a doctrine to memorize.
The implication is that there can be believers in Yeshua who have not received the Holy Spirit. As distressing as this may seem, we must not sell short the Good News.
The verse in 1 Corinthians 12:3 is sometimes taken as a proof-text that anyone who can say "Yeshua is Lord" already "has" the Holy Spirit.
But the context of this verse explicitly tells of miraculous experiences through the supernatural giftings of God's Spirit, which include prophecy, tongues, supernatural wisdom, supernatural knowledge, supernatural faith, supernatural healing, miracles, and discerning of spirits.
These spiritual gifts are the result of receiving the Holy Spirit and letting Him work as He pleases, 1 Corinthians 12:11, and tell of something even more glorious than a mental apprehension that Yeshua is Lord.
Paul corrected these disciples that he already knew were believers and had received the Spirit and were zealous for spiritual things, 1 Corinthians 12:1. He was not writing a salvation tract to people he did not know, but instructions for those already saved and who had already received the Spirit with supernatural experience, 1 Corinthians 2:12.
The issue Paul addressed in 12:3 was whether those who exercised spiritual gifts, could in the midst of their experience, ever say something blasphemous against the Lord. Paul said no. Though some immature Corinthians actually spoke of Yeshua as cursed, the Spirit of God does not say Yeshua is a curse but that Yeshua is Lord.
The Corinthians had been told that Messiah had sent Paul to evangelize by the power of the Spirit, not in words of wisdom lest the cross of Messiah be made void. Paul reminded them of the spiritual basis for their faith in ch. 2 vv. 4-5,
"And my speech and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not stand on the wisdom of men, but in the power of God."
What can demonstration of the Spirit and power mean unless open, supernatural signs and works, and from this the Corinthians were to base their faith. The Corinthians obviously were aware of a powerful spiritual experience, 1 Corinthians 2:12-16. Even though some were immature, God's supernatural power was not rare but common.
The foundation of salvation for the Corinthians was the power of the Holy Spirit. This concurs with the process of salvation in Romans where Paul also spoke of the spiritual experience of receiving the Spirit.
"that if you confess with your mouth Yeshua as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. For with the heart man believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
"for the same Lord is rich to all who call on Him. For 'Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.' How then shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed?" Romans 10:9-10, 12-14. (rendered from the Greek)
Paul reminded his audience that the Lord is rich to those who believe in Him and call to Him. While many have taken confessing Messiah as something like a baptismal statement or declaration of faith, Paul defined it as, "How shall they 'call upon Him' in whom they have not believed?" expecting new believers to call upon the name of the Lord, calling to Him for His riches.
Verses in this passage are often isolated to teach various notions of salvation. For example, if a person is able to say Yeshua is Lord and believe He is raised from the dead they are saved and thus "have" the Spirit. But while such a disciple is certainly on the road of salvation this verse promises more and expects more.
Confessing Messiah was not merely a statement of faith but was an appeal to Him, calling upon Him for His riches of salvation. Paul's quotation of Joel 2:32 in this passage tells us Messiah is rich by pouring out His Spirit on those who call to Him.
Paul's description of a rich salvation washing in Titus 3:3-6 bears this out. God saved us, not by a work of righteousness, but by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, now poured out richly through Messiah Yeshua. In both Romans and Titus believers are "saved." Both passages say the process of salvation includes the reception of the out-poured Spirit, and without mention of water.
In Paul's mind receiving the Spirit was the rich culmination of the process of salvation through faith in Messiah, calling to Him for His richness. Anything short of this needs correction.
The foundation for salvation, the unifying baptism for Messiah's body, was a miraculous experience with the Spirit. Salvation is more than doctrinal belief. There is confession, a calling to Messiah for His rich salvation, and an indelible reception of the out-poured Spirit. Paul wrote vividly about it because it is a well-defined, wonderful experience.