Acts 19:4-6 4 Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5 On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied (NIV)
John was baptizing (the correct translation is immersing) before the ministry of Jesus. His immersing was an outward sign of repentance from a life of sin. After Jesus’ ministry the immersing was and is done in the name of Jesus. It is more than a public sign of repenting from a sinful life. It is, in the name of Jesus, a public sign of following Jesus, believing and trusting Him. At the time of immersion, we are now filled with His Holy Spirit. This couldn’t happen until Jesus returned to the Father and He sent the Holy Spirit to the believers. It is only with the Holy Spirit that we are able to fight the natural tendency to sin and walk our own way without God. Our problem lies in recognizing the Holy Spirit’s presence in us and allowing Him to work in and through us. All followers are filled with the Holy Spirit but not all give reign to the Holy spirit within our lives. Let us learn to give free reign to the Holy spirit within us, to teach us, lead us and speak to us that we can be pleasing to God and glorify Him.
