Tell Me About Holy Spirit Baptism

Tell Me About Holy Spirit Baptism

Dear Bro. John:
What is the purpose of Holy Spirit Baptism (Acts.1:8; 2:1-4)?. Why did Cornelius who had Holy Spirit Baptism performed no miracles as other apostles or healing (Acts 10:44-46)?. Was his own less powerful?. Please scrutinize Luke 10: 9, 17, the 70 had no spirit baptism. We need to know what specifically, the recipients of Spirit Baptism were empowered to do that others could not do.
-Jolle

Dear Jolle:
The purpose of the Holy Spirit baptism given to the Apostles is explained in Acts.1:8. "But ye shall receive power, when the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be my witnesses..." Thus it authorized and empowered the apostles to carry out the mission of establishing the church and opening the doors of salvation.

It enabled them to speak in foreign languages which they had not studied or previously acquired so they could preach they gospel to men of all nations without delay (Acts 2:4, 6, 11).

It bestowed upon them the power to work mighty signs and wonders which confirmed to their hearers that God indeed had sent them and was working in them (Mark 16:20).

The Holy Spirit brought to their remembrance all the things Christ had taught them (John 14:26) and guided them into all the truth (John 16:13). It supervised them in giving us the inspired New Testament.

Cornelius received Holy Spirit baptism just as the Apostles did (Acts 11:15), but for a different reason. The reason was to convince Peter and the Jewish brethren (those with him and the other Apostles) that Gentiles were to be received into the church just like the Jews. Peter said, "If then God gave unto them the like gift as he did also unto us, when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I, that I could withstand God?" (Acts 11:17). Upon hearing this, the other Apostles agreed to accept them (Acts 11:18). Cornelius and those with him did perform at least one miracle, they spake in tongues! (Acts 10:46).

As to the seventy missionaries Christ sent out, he evidently empowered them to work miracles to confirm their message. Since the twelve Apostles later were baptized in the Holy Spirit which stayed with them to the end of their lives, we conclude that the others only had a temporary empowerment.

Those who were baptized in the Holy Spirit could reveal truth previously unknown to humanity. They compiled the books of our New Testament. They could prove that God had sent them by means of their supernatural signs. They could preach to any man of any nation without having to first study and learn their language. Those who did not receive the baptism of the Spirit nor receive the gifts by the laying on of the Apostles hands (Acts 8:15-17), could do none of these things.

Sincerely,

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