Bible Study Discussions with Gary Panell

Question: I will go almost all the way with you (on the Statement of Faith) but you lose me at #17. Salvation comes with baptism and not until then. Can you cite any examples that show otherwise?

Answer: The number 17 this person is referring to is from our statement of faith and it is not speaking of baptism in water. I do not believe one has to be baptized with water to be saved. What it is speaking of, is the baptism or filling of the Holy Spirit, which does not have anything to do with salvation. Here might be a good place to mention that you can check out our statement of faith on this link, and here is number 17 in the statement of faith that was referred to in the question:

[We believe:] In the filling (baptism) of the Holy Spirit. This usually takes place after salvation. Also, one is to continue to seek to be refilled after the initial filling (Acts 2:17-18, 38; 10:44-48; 19:6; Ephesians 5:18). The 'filling' comes by faith 'alone'. Signs follow as a result, but not always at the same moment of the filling. Speaking in tongues is one of the signs, and is available for every believer. This speaking in tongues is different than the 'gift of tongues' that is to be used in the church (1 Corinthians 12:30). The main benefit of personal tongues is to the individual and will result in the building up of oneself in the spirit (1 Corinthians 14:4a; Jude 20). The main result of the filling (or baptism) of the Holy Spirit will be in the boldness to do evangelism, and the evidence of the fruit of the Spirit (Acts 1:8; Galatians 5:22-23). The gifts of the Holy Spirit are not to be forbidden from the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12-14). The gifts are to be used in love (1 Corinthians 13) to build up the body and not to tear it down. The rules of 1 Corinthians 14 must be followed in the use of the gifts.

There are three baptisms spoken of in Scripture: First there is water baptism, second we see the baptism of the Holy Spirit, where every born again believer is baptized into the body of Christ at the moment of salvation 1 Corinthians 12:13. Third there is the baptism (filling) of the Holy Spirit that is being spoken of in this statement.

I am sorry the person confused what we were saying with salvation, because it has nothing to do with salvation. We are simply stating that we believe that the baptism or filling of the Holy Spirit usually comes after salvation in most of the Scriptures mentioned except for one.

The Scripture that is different is the one in Acts 10:44-48. "While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God. Then Peter answered, 'Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have? And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days."

I believe the reason these believers were filled with the Holy Spirit right as they believed was because the Jews would not have accepted them as true believers unless there was some tangible evidence that they could see. As a result of seeing them speak in tongues just as the Jews did on the day of Pentecost, how could they argue with such evidence? So they were then baptized after they were filled with the Holy Spirit.

Usually though, in all the other references to the baptism or filling of the Holy Spirit it comes after salvation and water baptism. We have an in-depth study on this in Ephesians part 3, you might want to look at this for more information or possibly because you would like to have the baptism or filling of the Holy Spirit.

I hope that clears it up,

Gary T. Panell

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Gary Tomás Panell
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Keywords: baptism, salvation