Sermons and Outlines

1 Cor. 12:12-14 THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY GHOST

Intro: Tonight, I am going to preach on a very controversial subject, and that is, The

Baptism Of The Holy Ghost. No other doctrine, that I am aware of, has caused

nearly as much division and confusion, as has this teaching. Because of all the false

teaching and the shameless twisting of Scripture, the truth of this great doctrine has

been blurred. It is sad, because many believers do not know what the Baptism of the

Holy Ghost is, and others are made to feel bad because they are told they haven’t

received it because they lack some outward experience, or can’t receive it because

they have some sin or shortcoming in their life.

Well, I believe in telling you the truth. So, tonight, I am going to preach about

the Baptism of the Holy Ghost, what it is and what it is not! I believe that we all

need to understand the Holy Ghost, who He is, and what He does around, in, through

and for us.

With that in mind, let’s look together at the Baptism Of The Holy Ghost.

I. THE SCOPE OF THIS BAPTISM

A. Ill. John the Baptist promised that Jesus would baptize His people, Matt. 3:11.

Then, Jesus Himself promised His disciples that they would be Baptized with

the Holy Ghost - Acts 1:5.

B. So, is this Baptism just something that is available to a select few? Is it limited

to those who diligently seek it and meet a set of spiritual requirements? NO!!

(Ill. The word “ALL” Corinth was filled with carnal, worldly Christians, yet

they had “all” received the Holy Ghost!) It is apparent that this Baptism is for

every believer!

C. Ill. Rom. 8:9 - To lack the Baptism of the Holy Ghost is to lack salvation!

(Ill. “Spirit” and “Ghost” are one and the same! To say there are two One

called the Holy Ghost, One called the Holy Spirit is dangerous and it is a

heresy. It is an attack on the very nature of God!) (Ill. We are to avoid this

type of teaching!)

D. All believers have received the Baptism of the Holy Ghost - Ill. Very

dangerous for another to presume to judge you spiritual condition!

II. THE SOURCE OF THIS BAPTISM

A. Ill. If all believers have it, then when and how does it happen?

B. The Baptism of the Holy Ghost happens at the very moment of salvation. It

places the believer in Christ! (Ill. I’ll say more about his later!)

C. The Baptism of the Holy Ghost is a Sovereign act of God! That means that He

does it, and man has no say in the matter. There are no outward signs that it

has taken place. (Ill. The Charismatic movement has twisted the meaning - 1

Cor. 14:22!) Ill. No where does the Bible command any believer to “seek” this

experience! (Ill. Baptism in the Spirit is not commanded, but filling is - Eph.

5:18. Baptism is positional, filling is experimental!)(Ill. We have no say in

what spiritual gifts we receive - 1 Cor. 12:4-11; 27-31. It is part of the

Christian experience for every believer, even YOU!

III. THE SUPPLY OF THIS BAPTISM (What is the

Baptism?)

A. It Places Us In Christ - (Ill. John 14:20) Before salvation, every

human is “in Adam”, this is death - Rom. 5:12. At the moment of salvation,

the believer is baptized, or placed into Christ - this is life - Col. 3:3. (Ill.

Baptism - To place in or under; To cover or immerse.) If I am in Christ, then I

am a partaker of all that He has - justification, sanctification, deliverance,

access to God, inheritance, glorification. When a sinner receives Christ and is

saved, he is, instantly, baptized into the Body of Christ.

B. It Identifies Us With Christ - (Ill. Water Baptism is symbolic of the spiritual

baptism - Rom. 6:1-4) Baptism is all about identification. Because we are

baptized into Jesus, we are identified with Him in:

1. Righteousness - Ill. Imputed - Rom. 4:21-25. When God sees me, He sees

Jesus, when He sees Jesus, He sees me!

2. Death - Ill. Rom. 6:4,6; Gal. 2:20 - When Christ died, the believer also died

in Him. (Ill. Dead to sin, the world, etc.)

3. Resurrection - Ill. Rom. 6:4; 1 Cor. 15:20-22 - When Christ arose, we got

up also! That is why we can rejoice in eternal life and affirm that we are

eternally saved! He is evermore alive and being in him, we are alive

forever also!

4. Glorification - Ill. John 17:24; Rom. 8:30 - He sits enthroned in glory and

we shall all join Him there physically. However, we are there, in Him, right

now - Eph. 2:6.

C. A New Union Of Life - The Baptism of the Holy Ghost is a living unity

between the Head and the body, both sharing the same eternal life. At

salvation, Jesus becomes the sphere of our existence, (Ill. Sphere, bird and air,

fish and water, fire and iron.) The believer becomes an organic part of Christ.

Just as a branch is part of the vine, or the hand is part of the body. Since we

are a living part of the Son, the Father only sees us in Jesus and as a living part

of Him. Therefore, He loves us as He loves Jesus - Eph. 1:6; John 17:23.

Conc: All I am trying to say is this - “If you are saved, you have already received

the Baptism of the Holy Ghost! You have been Baptized into the Body of Christ and

that is a great reason for rejoicing. I am glad that I do not have to wait on some

mystical, ecstatic experience to be happy in the Lord. I am thankful that I do not

have to wait on “a second blessing”. (Ill. In the millions by now!) There is no need

for any Christian to seek some external phenomenon. There is only a greater need

for us to rest in Christ and fulfill our position in the body.