What Are The Major Differences Between Immersion Into The Holy Spirit And Water Immersion?
There are some great differences between the immersion in the Holy Spirit and water immersion. Here are some of them:
1. The immersion in the Holy Spirit was administered by Jesus Himself only (Mark 1:8). Water immersion is administered by people (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 8:36-39; 10:47,48) and is designated to place people into fellowship with God.
2. The immersion in the Holy Spirit was a promise (Mark 1:8; Luke 24:44-49; Acts 1:4-5), not a command. People receive promises. People obey commands. Water immersion is a command to be obeyed (Acts 2:38; 10:47,48); whereas the immersion in the Holy Spirit is a promise to be received (Luke 24:44-49; Acts 1:4,5; 2:1-4).
3. The immersion in the Holy Spirit was not for the purpose of saving people from their sins because it was promised to a certain group of men (the apostles) who were already saved from their sins. [NOTE: Please consult our question: "Does Immersion In The Holy Spirit Save People From Their Sins?"]. It was for the purpose of guiding these men into all the truth, allowing them to perform a variety of miracles to confirm the message that they preached - that it was truly from God (Mark 16:20; Hebrews 2:4). Holy Spirit immersion also enabled to apostles to equip new Christians in the first century by the lay on of their hands in giving them miraculous power for confirmation of the true message (Acts 2:38; 8:14-16; 19:1-7). On the other hand, water immersion is for the purpose of saving people from their sins as we come into contact with the cleansing blood of Christ through faith in the working of God (Colossians 2:11,12; Revelation 1:5; Romans 6:3,4; 1 Peter 3:21).
4. Water immersion is an immersion that is for everyone who believes and wants to be saved (Mark 16:15,16) whereas the immersion in the Holy Spirit was for a select few (Acts 1:4,5; 2:1-4; John 14-16). The baptism mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:13 is something that all Christians have experienced - "by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body."
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