What Is the Meaning of Holy Spirit Baptism?
This question strikes at the crux of much current discussion about the baptism of the Holy Spirit. There are those who ask, “Have you received your Pentecost?” Then there are those who confuse cleaning or washing, with sanctification. It is interesting to note that cleansing and purification are definitely ascribed to faith, to the Word, and to the blood of Christ; (Acts 15:9; Eph. 5:26; Heb. 9:14; I John 1:7, 9; John 15:3) while sanctification is ascribed to the work of each member of the Trinity. I Thess. 5:23; Heb. 10:10, 14; 13:12; 10:29; 2:11; Eph. 5:26; Rom. 15:16; II Thess. 2:13; I Pet. 1:2. A person can be unscriptural by emphasizing sanctification by the Holy Spirit if he ignores the sanctification of the Father and the Son. There are many more references to sanctification through the Father and the Son than through the Holy Spirit. It is possible to magnify the work of the Holy Spirit to the point where the work of Christ and the Father is almost unnoticed. This is erroneous
