How Do You Know You Have the Holy Spirit?

 

The Holy Spirit is one of God’s most wonderful gifts. How do you know for sure you have the Holy Spirit? How can you be led by it and grow spiritually?

One of God’s greatest gifts is the Holy Spirit, and it provides a lifeline to God by which He gives many of His other wonderful gifts. The Holy Spirit gives a Christian spiritual power and understanding and makes it possible for us to become more like God and eventually inherit eternal life.

(This process of transformation is explained in detail in the articles in our section “Christian Conversion: How Does the Bible Say We Become Christians?”)

So it is important to know how to receive the Holy Spirit, how to be assured that we have it, how to be led by it and how to “stir it up.” 

How do we receive the Holy Spirit?

The Bible says we receive the Holy Spirit after repenting and being baptized.

Jesus Christ told His disciples that they would receive the Holy Spirit after His death. On the Day of Pentecost, the beginning of the Church of God was announced with powerful miracles, and Peter preached an inspired sermon describing how we can receive the Holy Spirit:

“Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit’” (Acts 2:38).

Later Peter pointed out that God gives the Holy Spirit “to those who obey Him” (Acts 5:32).

When do we receive the Holy Spirit?

Other passages show that the Holy Spirit is given to the repentant believer after baptism when a minister lays his hands on the person and asks God to give the Holy Spirit (Acts 8:14-17).

Repentance, belief, baptism and the laying on of hands are the steps God asks us to follow today before He gives His Holy Spirit. If a person has not followed these steps, he or she does not have the Holy Spirit in him or her yet.Repentance, belief, baptism and the laying on of hands are the steps God asks us to follow today before He gives His Holy Spirit. If a person has not followed these steps, he or she does not have the Holy Spirit in him or her yet.

Do unbelievers have the Holy Spirit?

No, the Bible ties together believing God and receiving the Holy Spirit.

• Jesus “spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive” (John 7:39).
• Jesus also said, “He who believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mark 16:16).
• Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus that “having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise” (Ephesians 1:13).

Belief in God is a prerequisite for receiving God’s Holy Spirit.

Are babies born with the Holy Spirit?

No, the Holy Spirit comes after repentance and baptism, which the Bible shows are adult decisions. (See our article “Infant Baptism?” for more on this.)

Some have wondered about the fact that John the Baptist was to be “filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb” (Luke 1:15). But the Bible gives examples of the Holy Spirit working with people before their conversion.

Jesus told His disciples before His death that the Holy Spirit “dwells with you and will be in you” (John 14:17). They received the Holy Spirit seven weeks later on the Day of Pentecost.

Even Samson was set apart from the womb, and the Bible says, “The Spirit of the LORD began to move upon him” when he was still young (Judges 13:25). Judging by his selfish and sinful way of life, it doesn’t seem he was converted till the end of his life.

Is it possible to hinder God’s Spirit?

Yes. The apostle Paul even goes so far as to say God’s Spirit can be “quenched” if we neglect or grieve it.

What does the Bible say we should do to avoid quenching the Spirit?

In David’s impassioned prayer of repentance, he pleaded with God, “Do not take Your Holy Spirit from me” (Psalm 51:11). He knew that if he didn’t keep repenting and seeking God, he was in danger of an unpardonable sin, for God will not forgive us if we do not repent.

Paul also gave warnings to Christians not to grieve, neglect or quench the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30; 1 Timothy 4:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:19).

To avoid these dangers, a Christian must do the opposite. Instead of grieving the Spirit, we should pray daily to be filled with God’s Spirit, to “walk in the Spirit” (meaning to follow the lead of the Holy Spirit), and to sow to the Spirit—to grow spiritually (Ephesians 5:18; Galatians 5:16, 25; Galatians 6:7-8).

Instead of putting out the fire of the Spirit, Paul encourages us to “stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:6-7).

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What are some evidences of the Holy Spirit?

How do you know you have the Holy Spirit? In addition to following the biblical process outlined in Acts 2:38, we can examine our lives for the evidence.

The Bible lists many things the Holy Spirit enables us to do. Paul wrote that God’s Spirit opens up our spiritual understanding of things that seem like foolishness to those without spiritual discernment (1 Corinthians 2:10-14).

Through regular prayer and study of the Bible, the Spirit helps us grow in understanding of God’s plan and our part in it. It writes God’s laws on our hearts and minds, helping us internalize God’s way of life and think like He does (Hebrews 8:10). It enables us to transform or change our minds (Romans 12:2).

Jesus said the Spirit will provide us with help and guidance (John 14:16; John 14:26; John 16:13).

One of the most important evidences is that “the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit” (Romans 5:5). Godly love is described in more detail in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. Though we all fall short, a Christian should see this fruit growing in his or her life.

Paul lists other important fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” The “fruit of the Spirit” refers to the characteristics we develop as we exercise God’s Spirit in our lives.

Paul also told members of the Church in Corinth, “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? [through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit]—unless indeed you are disqualified” (2 Corinthians 13:5).

Christians will examine themselves to see how much this fruit of the Spirit is growing and will regularly ask God to provide His gracious Spirit to help them grow more. See more about this in the articles in “The Fruit of the Spirit” section.

God also gives different spiritual gifts to different people, but they all are given “for the profit of all” (1 Corinthians 12:7; see verses 4-11). None of these gifts are given for show or personal glory.

Some today mistakenly think that what is called “speaking in tongues” proves whether one has the Holy Spirit. However, even in New Testament times the gift of speaking in other languages was only given to some, and Paul warned that it was being misused in Corinth (see 1 Corinthians 14 and our article “What Is Speaking in Tongues?”).

How does the Holy Spirit work?

There’s a lot of confusion about the Holy Spirit and what it does in a person’s life. Some believe that God takes over, or possesses, and controls the believer by His Holy Spirit, enabling the believer to speak in tongues or do other miraculous deeds.

Bible study lets the Holy Spirit work in our minds as we take in God’s Word and allow it to instruct us.

While the Holy Spirit does enter us after baptism and the laying on of hands, it does not possess us and dominate us against our will. The idea of “being possessed” by the Holy Spirit is more reminiscent of demon possession than how God actually works.

In the Old Testament, the prophet Elijah had a crisis of faith. After seeing God work a wonderful miracle, he ran for his life because of Jezebel’s threats (1 Kings 19:2-3).

After he arrived at a secluded place (verse 9), God gave Elijah four demonstrations of His power. There was a strong windstorm that actually smashed the rocks of the mountain, an earthquake, and a fire—yet God’s presence wasn’t in any of these powerful phenomena.

Then God spoke with “a still small voice” (1 Kings 19:11-13). God doesn’t always, or even often, work with large, awe-inspiring miracles. Sometimes God’s Spirit quietly deals with us by causing us to reason with more clarity and see things with a new awareness.

The Holy Spirit gives us a greater ability to see how we can apply God’s wisdom to our daily decisions.

A Spirit of power

The Holy Spirit does not directly control us, but it is still a spirit of great power. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). It gives us strength and insight to make the necessary changes to who we are on the inside.

Only through the help of the Spirit can we be transformed into beings who are continually growing to more closely resemble the character of God. The Holy Spirit helps us change into new men and women.

The Holy Spirit leads us as a guide on the path, but it does not drive us. It leads us just as it led Jesus Christ (Matthew 4:1). It can also give our lives direction as it did for Christ (Mark 1:12). But the Holy Spirit does not force us to do anything. We are free moral agents; we make our own choices and decisions.

Following the lead or direction of the Holy Spirit is very important. The Bible plainly states, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God” (Romans 8:14). God’s people are to follow the lead of the Holy Spirit. We must live according to the Spirit—setting our minds on the things of the Spirit (Romans 8:5).

This leads to the vital question: How does the Holy Spirit lead us and help us?

How to be led by the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit works with us in different ways, all of them depending on the extent to which we allow it to lead us. The Bible reveals a number of ways that the Holy Spirit works with our minds to help us.

1. The Holy Spirit opens our minds to understand God’s way.

The apostle Paul declared that the Holy Spirit enables us to “comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge” (Ephesians 3:16-19).

The Holy Spirit also opens our minds to properly understand what is found in the Bible—“for the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God” (1 Corinthians 2:10).

2. The Holy Spirit changes our minds to pure minds.

The Holy Spirit helps us to put off the old man and to “be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man” (Ephesians 4:23-24). The Holy Spirit works to change our minds so that we can have the mind of Christ. We must work to transform our minds instead of conforming our minds to the world around us (Romans 12:2). 

3. The Holy Spirit teaches us.

The Holy Spirit teaches us about God’s way of life, bringing to mind the words of Jesus Christ (John 14:26). It is described as “the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge” (Isaiah 11:2).

4. The Holy Spirit comforts and encourages us.

One of the primary descriptors that Jesus used for the Holy Spirit was the word Helper or Comforter (John 14:16; 15:26). One way Jesus Christ comforts us through the Holy Spirit is by giving us His unique peace. “My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).

5. The Holy Spirit keeps us in touch with God.

The Holy Spirit is evidence that God is living in us, and that we are living in God (1 John 3:24). It is through Jesus Christ that we “have access by one Spirit to the Father” (Ephesians 2:18). The Holy Spirit even helps communicate things we don’t know how to say to God (Romans 8:26).

Stirring up the Holy Spirit

We must do more than follow the lead of the Holy Spirit. We are to stir up the Holy Spirit daily in our lives (2 Timothy 1:6).

There are four primary ways that we can stir up the Holy Spirit.

1. Bible study lets the Holy Spirit work in a greater way in our minds as we take in God’s Word and allow it to instruct us.
2. Meditation, or concentrated thinking, on the Bible also stirs up the Holy Spirit in our minds, helping us to focus more deeply on God’s words.
3. Prayer, or talking to God, stirs up the Holy Spirit in our lives as we talk to God and seek His will.
4. Occasionally, we must also go without food and water in a religious fast to draw closer to God and stir up the Holy Spirit.

For more on these, read the articles in our section on “Prayer, Fasting and Meditation: Relating to God.”

So, how do you know you have the Holy Spirit? God will give the Holy Spirit after repentance, baptism and the laying on of hands. Yet our part is not finished once we receive the Holy Spirit. We must yield to the Holy Spirit. It is up to us whether we will follow the lead of the Holy Spirit and stir it up on a daily basis. If we follow the Holy Spirit’s lead, we will walk according to God’s way of life (1 John 2:6).

The Holy Spirit can help us greatly, but only if we let it. Will we focus on the things of the Spirit and follow the lead of the Holy Spirit? Will we allow the Holy Spirit to help us? For further information, read our article “Christ in Us: How Does He Live in You?”

Christ in Us: How Does He Live in You?

 

In Galatians 2:20 the apostle Paul said, “Christ lives in me.” But have you ever wondered, “How does Christ live in me?” What does Christ in us mean?

Galatians 2:20 is a powerful and much-loved scripture. The apostle Paul wrote, “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in [by the faith of, King James Version] the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”

What did the apostle Paul mean by that statement? Why did God inspire him to say that Jesus Christ lives in him? Can He live in me and you? And how can He live in us?  

How does Christ live in me?

First of all, let’s address what it does not mean. Christ living in us does not mean that He possesses our bodies and lives our life for us. It does not mean He controls our minds and makes all our choices for us.  

But what does it mean?

The Bible makes it clear that we are to be the temple and dwelling place of God (2 Corinthians 6:16). In Old Testament times, Solomon dedicated the temple in Jerusalem “for the name of the LORD God of Israel” (2 Chronicles 6:10). But, as Solomon said, “Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built!” (verse 18). God does not dwell in physical buildings. Instead, He dwells in heaven and in converted Christians.  

But how does God dwell in us today?

Through the power of His Holy Spirit. In Romans 8 Paul explains that “the Spirit of God dwells in you” (verse 9) means that “Christ is in you” (verse 10). Jesus Christ can live in a person through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Therefore, the degree to which God and Jesus Christ dwell in us depends on the degree to which we follow the leading of God’s Spirit and use its power. When the Holy Spirit is in us, it empowers us to actually become like God the Father and Jesus Christ in nature, character, spirit, attitudes, approach and love.

It leads and empowers us to live and think as the Father and Christ do!

To learn more about the power of the Holy Spirit, read “How Do You Know You Have the Holy Spirit?”

Walk as Jesus walked

What all the scriptures on this subject reveal is that Jesus Christ’s life will be in us only as we seek to make His way of life our way of life—to walk as He walked, to live as He lived.What all the scriptures on this subject reveal is that Jesus Christ’s life will be in us only as we seek to make His way of life our way of life—to walk as He walked, to live as He lived (1 John 2:6). The Bible also calls this putting off the old man and putting on the new man (Ephesians 4:22-24).

The more we use the Holy Spirit to become like Christ, the more His life will be in us and, thus, the more He will live in us. But that process is under our will and control, not His. God wants us to choose for ourselves to live as Jesus lived. He doesn’t force us to do it. This involves a humble, earnest seeking to become like Jesus Christ so His life becomes our life.

God’s desire is for us to be “conformed to the image of His Son” (Romans 8:29). The apostle Paul said the ultimate purpose of the Christian life is to come to the point where “Christ is formed in you” (Galatians 4:19).

For us to inherit eternal life in His family, the Father expects us to be developing Jesus Christ’s character within us. Paul described this as “Christ in you, the hope of glory”—the assurance that we will be glorified (Colossians 1:27; see “The Glory of God and Our Inheritance”).

The Father and Jesus Christ will seek to lead us this way through the Holy Spirit by revealing knowledge and understanding and encouraging us to change and live righteously. But God will not force us to live this way. It is our free choice.

To learn more about walking as Jesus walked, read “Following in His Footsteps.”

We must desire and work to walk as Jesus walked

In order to have Christ in us by living as He lived, we must deeply desire to change and become more like Him. We have to want to seek to have Jesus Christ’s life in us for Him to give us the help we need to achieve that end. The desire and willingness to change (the 100 percent commitment of heart to change) is the primary thing we bring to the table.

As we read in Philippians 2:13, “For it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (New Revised Standard Version). So we must have the “will” to live as He did, and we must “work” at developing His character. This means we must cry out to God in prayer for the help we need to change. The Bible also calls this hungering and thirsting for righteousness (Matthew 5:6).

John said, “In Him was life; and the life was the light of men” (John 1:4). Jesus Christ’s life illuminates the path—the way—God wants us to live. He calls us to the path, but we must want to get on it. If we do, He will give us all the help we need to grow. But, again, only if we seek it. He will not force the help on us. Nor will He make the changes we need to make for us.

Too many seem to believe Christianity is just about Jesus doing everything for us. But even though we do need to let go of our own will and let God work in us, that does not mean He will do everything for us. We must work hard. In fact, in the New Testament Christians are often called “workers” (Colossians 4:11; 2 Timothy 2:15; 3 John 1:8).

We must put diligent effort into working to develop Christ’s character within us.

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Christ in us is what Christianity is all about

At the heart and core of Christianity is the fact that we must be diligently seeking to change to become like Jesus Christ—to have His life formed in us. If we do not have the qualities of Jesus Christ’s life being formed in our life, we will be “disqualified” from the Kingdom of God (2 Corinthians 13:5).

This fundamental truth of seeking to change is not understood by everyone who claims to follow Christ. But the truth is that the Christian life involves using free will and developing Christian character through right choices and diligent effort.

This is what Paul meant when He wrote that He was “crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live” (Galatians 2:20). He was in the process of overcoming his sins and evil character—metaphorically killing those things. And, in their place, he was striving to let Christ live in Him—replacing his character with Christ’s character. In faith, walking as Jesus walked.

You can do the same by building faith and diligently striving to walk as Jesus walked through the power of His Holy Spirit!

What Is Conversion?

 

Millions of people consider themselves to be Christian. Many believe they have converted to Christianity, but is that the case? What is conversion?

Just because some may call themselves Christian and have their names written on a church membership list, does that guarantee that they are converted Christians?

Notice an important truth in the Bible: “But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His” (Romans 8:9).

So we must understand this: A person is a Christian only if God’s Holy Spirit is dwelling in him or her.

Conversion begins with repentance

Notice God’s desire in Isaiah 55:7: “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the LORD, and He will have mercy on him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.”

In order for one to become a Christian, one must repent of sin. Notice what Christ said in Luke 13:3: “I tell you … unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”

When Jesus started to preach His gospel message of the Kingdom of God, He said in Mark 1:15, “Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

So, one must repent and believe, but this action does not yet make anyone a Christian. This is just a first step toward Christian conversion. As we’ve seen above, one needs God’s Spirit.

How does one receive God’s Spirit? The apostle Peter answers this in Acts 2:38: “Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’”

What is conversion? It is a process

After receiving God’s Spirit, we must be led by God’s Spirit (Romans 8:14).

We have all seen a beautiful multicolored butterfly. It did not start that way. It started as a tiny egg, almost invisible to the human eye. It had to pass through various stages of transformation until it became an amazingly beautiful butterfly.

Scriptures tell us that we, too, must go through a process of transformation. In our case, it is to become a converted Christian.

Notice what the apostle Paul said in Romans 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

God requires that we leave our former ways and change direction by turning to God. We must turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. As Peter said, “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19).

According to Barnes’ Notes on the Bible, the word converted “means properly to ‘turn; to return to a path from which one has gone astray; and then to turn away from sins, or to forsake them.’ It is a word used in a general sense to denote ‘the whole turning to God.’

“That the form of the word here … (epistrepsate) does not denote passivity may be clearly seen by referring to the following places where the same form of the word is used” (note on Acts 3:19).

After one receives God’s Spirit, a converted Christian will focus on what Jesus said in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”One such place is in 1 Thessalonians 1:9: “And how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.” To be converted means to turn away from sin, and that must be done regularly.

Someone who truly believes in Jesus Christ for life everlasting will also obey. A believer in Jesus will necessarily reflect his or her love and gratitude for salvation through following Jesus’ commands. Belief without obedience is not really belief at all. For more on these subjects, see our articles “What Does It Mean to Believe in Jesus Christ?” and “What Is Living Faith?”

A converted life begins

After one receives God’s Spirit, a converted Christian will focus on what Jesus said in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

Seeking the Kingdom of God and His righteousness is not easy. It is obvious that the apostle Paul was a converted Christian. He had repented, accepted Christ and received the Holy Spirit.

But living a Christian life and overcoming sin was a struggle.

Notice some of the comments Paul wrote in Romans 7:7-23. First, Paul discusses the issue of sin: “What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, ‘You shall not covet’” (verse 7).

Next, he speaks of the fact that sin was a powerful force and continued to manifest its evil ways: “But sin, taking opportunity by the commandment, produced in me all manner of evil desire. … I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died” (verses 8-9).

Once Paul knew of the command that coveting was wrong, it was an ongoing battle to remove coveting from his life. However, he knew that the law was not the problem: “For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me. Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good. Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful” (verses 11-13).

Paul then discusses the carnality (the mind apart from God—Romans 8:7) that he knew he had to overcome. “For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin. For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. If, then, I do what I will not to do, I agree with the law that it is good. But now, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me” (Romans 7:14-17).

His ongoing battle against sin is noted further: “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice. Now if I do what I will not to do, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells in me” (verses 18-20).

So, how did Paul explain what was happening to him? “I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members” (verses 21-23).

This was a frustrating battle in which Paul was engaged. He acknowledged it and asks: “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” He then gave the answer: “I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin” (verses 24-25).

He explains that his deliverance was through Jesus Christ, who also gives us the help we need to turn from sin and be converted.

What is conversion and what happens when it is complete?

In Philippians 2:12-13 we are encouraged, “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”

God wants to help us overcome sin. Why?

God wants to give us eternal life. “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

Notice Hebrews 12:1-2: “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [those who are named in the previous chapter 11], let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.”

A Christian is admonished to overcome sin and endure to the end. “And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations” (Revelation 2:26).

So, what is the end result of conversion? The apostle Paul answers that in 2 Timothy 4:7-8: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”

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What you need to do

Now that you understand what conversion is, you need to begin practicing what you have learned. In prayer, ask God to help you repent and be converted. Ask Him to help you understand and prove for yourself His truth as revealed in the Bible. Ask Him to give you courage to obey even though others around you may not care about or understand what God says.

If you truly want to be converted, ask your Creator for help. If you have questions, feel free to contact us. We’re always pleased to show people God’s truth and encourage them as they turn from sin to a life of faith toward God and obedience to His laws. This is the most important thing in your life. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to further your relationship with God!

Christian Conversion: How Does the Bible Say We Become Christians?

 

The apostle Peter preached that one needs to “repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19). What did he mean, to be converted?

Many believe conversion is just accepting Jesus into your heart or professing Jesus with your mouth or giving your heart to the Lord. If you say the word “Jesus,” does that mean that from then on you are a born again Christian? What does it mean to be born again?

And just what is a Christian anyway? And what does conversion mean? Does conversion happen immediately or is it a process? Is the Holy Spirit involved? What about faith, repentance and baptism?

Many are unaware that the Bible is clear on what a Christian is and what conversion is. So regardless of what you have heard or been taught, open your Bibles and read for yourself the meaning of Christian conversion. The related articles will help you find the relevant passages in your Bible.

Baptism of Fire?

 

Matthew 3:11 mentions three types of baptism. One is called a baptism of fire. What exactly is the baptism of fire? Should you seek this kind of baptism?

John the Baptist told a large crowd that had gathered where he was baptizing, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

“He who is coming after me” was referring to Jesus Christ. So John was saying that he was baptizing with water and Jesus would (in the future) baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

This did not mean that Jesus would abolish and replace water baptism. John the Baptist meant that in addition to water baptism, Jesus would add two outcomes that could only come from God: the Holy Spirit and fire.

So what are the three types of baptism in the Bible?

1. Water baptism.
2. Baptism of the Holy Spirit.
3. Baptism of fire.

This is why many years later, the author of Hebrews lists “baptisms” (plural) as one of the foundational doctrines of the Church of God (Hebrews 6:2).

The word baptize comes from a Greek word that means “to immerse.” John was immersing people in the water of the Jordan River. That’s what water baptism literally is: the complete immersion of a human body in water for “the remission of sins” (Mark 1:4). Immersion in water symbolizes the burial of the “old man” and the forgiving of past sin.

For further information about baptism, see our article “What Do the Symbols of Baptism Mean?”

But what exactly did John mean when he said Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire? What is the difference between the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the baptism of fire?

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What is baptism of the Holy Spirit?

Roughly 40 days after His resurrection, Jesus Christ appeared to the apostles and told them that they would soon be “baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Act 1:5).

Jesus’ statement was fulfilled a few days later on the Day of Pentecost when they received the gift of the Holy Spirit: “And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:4, emphasis added throughout). This was the fulfillment of what John the Baptist and Jesus had said would happen. This was the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Before this time, when people were baptized by a servant of God, they only were baptized for the forgiveness of sins. Beginning on the Day of Pentecost, a new element was added to Christian baptism, the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Later the book of Acts reveals that the “baptism of the Holy Spirit” takes place after a person is baptized in water for the forgiveness of sins through a ceremony called the laying on of hands.

We see an example of this process in Acts 19. When Paul was in Ephesus, he came across a group of disciples who, he discovered, had not experienced a full Christian baptism.

But after they learned the fullness of the gospel, Paul helped them take the next steps:

• First, “they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus” (verse 5). This was water baptism by immersion whereby they accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior and received forgiveness of their sins.
• Second, “Paul … laid hands on them, [and] the Holy Spirit came upon them” (verse 6). This completed the baptism process and provided them the Holy Spirit. This was baptism of the Holy Spirit.

To learn more about receiving the Holy Spirit and the laying on of hands, read our articles “How Do You Know You Have the Holy Spirit?” and “Laying on of Hands.”

Did the baptism of fire also occur on Pentecost?

Some people believe that on the Day of Pentecost, the baptism with fire also took place. This is based on a misunderstanding of Acts 2:3: “Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.” But notice that these were tongues “as of” fire, not literal fire.

Luke, the author of Acts, was using fire as an image to describe this miracle to his readers. The Bible doesn’t describe “tongues, as of fire” appearing on Christians baptized after this.  This was a unique miracle that happened on this special occasion.

When something happens for the first time in the Bible, God often performs a dramatic miracle to draw attention to it. That’s what was happening with these believers on the Day of Pentecost.

This leads us to an important point: Jesus didn’t introduce a baptism with the Holy Spirit and fire. The Bible shows that He introduced two distinct and separate baptisms: the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the baptism of fire. The baptism of fire is something totally separate from water baptism and receiving the Holy Spirit.

Confusion about this has led some people to desire fire to be a part of their baptism. Some have said, “I want that baptism with the Spirit and fire!”

Let’s now discover exactly what it means to be baptized with fire. As we will see, the baptism of fire is something nobody should desire to experience!

What is baptism by fire?

What does it mean to be baptized by fire?

We learn the answer by reading the context of John the Baptist’s statement about Jesus baptizing “with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matthew 3:11). Right before the statement, he talked about what will ultimately happen to those who don’t “bear fruits worthy of repentance” (verse 8).

John was talking about the commitment to change that is proof of repentance. Real repentance is a necessary starting place for developing righteous character that would result from having the Holy Spirit. Years later, Paul wrote about the link between fruit and the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

Notice what John said about those not bearing fruit: “And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire” (Matthew 3:10).

A few verses later he said, “He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire” (verse 12). John was warning that fire will be the fate of those who refuse to repent and “bear good fruit.”

This refers to the final punishment for unrepentant people after Jesus Christ’s return and 1,000-year rule on earth. Revelation 20:15 tells us that unrepentant people will be “cast into the lake of fire.”

This is what the baptism of fire is. The baptism of fire is being immersed in the lake of fire. Unlike water baptism, which is immersion in water to “newness of life” (Romans 6:4), the baptism of fire is immersion in fire that results in eternal death (Romans 6:23). This is the “everlasting punishment” that Jesus later referred to (Matthew 25:46).

What does the Bible say about eternal punishment?

The baptism of fire is also referred to in Revelation 21:8: “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

This scripture gives us a basic listing of sinful character traits that will not allow a person to receive eternal life in the Kingdom of God. Those who ultimately refuse to repent of those things will experience the baptism of fire, or the second death, eternal death in the lake of fire.

This was also prophesied by Malachi, hundreds of years before John wrote the book of Revelation. “For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, and all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up” (Malachi 4:1).

The baptism with fire will be the destruction of incorrigible sinners who refuse to repent. Some of these people are described in Hebrews 6:4-6 and 10:26-27. To learn more about how this connects to the sin Jesus said could not be forgiven, read our article “Unpardonable Sin: What Is It?”

God also destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah with fire and brimstone for their sins. The difference is that the people who perished in Sodom and Gomorrah will be resurrected in the Great White Throne Judgment (Revelation 20:11-12; see also Matthew 11:23-24).

On the other hand, the Bible shows that those who are destroyed in the lake of fire will be destroyed forever. They will not be cruelly tormented in hell for eternity, but will be mercifully destroyed and cease to exist. To learn more about the many misconceptions of hell that people have, read “What Christianity Gets Wrong About Hell.”

In fact, Jesus is the One who will authorize the destruction of the incorrigibly wicked in the lake of fire. This point is illustrated in Matthew 13:40-42 in the parable of the tares. The sinners will be immersed or engulfed in the lake of fire.

This is the baptism with fire, and this is the baptism none of us want to go through!

For more information, read “What Is the Punishment of the Wicked?”