Distinguishing Filled with Holy Spirit from Salvation Experience
The experience of being "filled with the Holy Spirit" is distinct from the salvation experience, though both are integral to Christian theology. Salvation, or new birth, is understood as a work of God's grace, not human actions, through faith in God's mercy [10]. It involves being "made alive together with Christ" and sharing in his resurrection [5, 8]. This new life is a complete departure from a life of sin and death, transferring a believer into a realm of life and purity [10]. Good works are seen as a result of this salvation, not its cause, produced by God's Spirit working through a transformed heart [6]. Believers are created anew in Christ Jesus, stripping off their old sinful nature and putting on a new nature guided by Christ [7, 9].
Being "filled with the Holy Spirit," while related to the Spirit's role in salvation, often refers to a subsequent or distinct experience of empowerment and sanctification. John the Baptist prophesied that Jesus would "baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire," distinguishing it from his own water baptism for repentance [3, 4, 11]. This baptism with the Holy Spirit is a direct personal agency of the Spirit that opens up a "spring of living waters" within the human spirit [13].
The work of the Holy Spirit in sanctification is described as carrying on to perfection the work begun in regeneration, extending to the whole person [1]. This process involves more than moral reformation; it is the Spirit bringing the entire nature under the influence of new gracious principles implanted at regeneration [1]. The apostle Paul emphasizes that believers have a new nature, with God's Spirit expressing His life within them, and this transforming work is part of the gift of salvation [9]. The phrase "baptized with the Holy Ghost" is distinct from water baptism, as not all who are water baptized are Spirit-baptized [2, 12]. The Holy Spirit was not yet "given" in the same way before Christ's glorification, indicating a specific outpouring or experience [13].
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Sanctification — Involves more than a mere moral reformation of character, brought about by the power of the truth: it is the work of the Holy Spirit bringing the whole nature more and more under the influences of the new gracious principles implanted in the soul in regeneration. In other words, sanctification is the carrying on to perfection the work begun in regeneration, and it extends to the whole man (Rom. 6:13; 2 Cor. 4:6; Col. 3:10; 1 John 4:7; 1 Cor. 6:19). It is the special office of the Holy Spirit in the plan of redemption to carry on this work (1 Cor. 6:1”
- Acts “Acts 11:16 (Geneva1599) — Then I remembred the word of the Lord, howe he said, Iohn baptized with water, but ye shalbe baptized with the holy Ghost.”
- Matthew “Matthew 3:11 (BSB) — I baptize you with water for repentance, but after me will come One more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.”
- Mark “Mark 1:8 (BSB) — I baptize you with water, but He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.””
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 2:5: 2:5 gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead (literally made us alive together with Christ): Joined with Christ, believers share in his resurrection, now and in the future (see 2:6; Rom 6:4-14; Col 3:1-4). • It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved: See Eph 1:2; 2:8-9.”
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 2:10: 2:10 He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us: Good works are the result, not the cause, of salvation. God’s Spirit, working through a transformed heart, produces a good life (Gal 5:22-23).”
- Colossians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Colossians 3:9: 3:9-10 your old sinful nature . . . your new nature: Paul contrasts old and new identities (see also Rom 5:12-21; 6:6; Eph 4:22-24). Believers strip off their old life and put on Christ’s new life, allowing him to be Lord and to guide the way they live.”
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 2:6: 2:6 united with Christ Jesus: Because of this union, believers share God’s glory and blessings, and experience resurrection both now and in the future (see Rom 6:4-14; Col 2:12-13; 3:1-4).”
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 4:24: 4:24 A believer has a new nature: God’s Spirit expresses his life within the believer (see Col 3:10; cp. Gen 1:26; Rom 12:1-2; Gal 5:22-23). The transforming work of God’s Spirit is part of the gift of salvation (Eph 2:8-10).”
- Titus (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Titus 3:5: 3:5 not because . . . but because: The contrast is between human actions that might be thought to merit salvation and God’s grace (see Gal 2:16). Salvation is through faith in God’s mercy alone (Eph 2:8). • He washed away our sins, giving us a new birth: See Ezek 16:9; John 3:1-15; Eph 5:26; Heb 10:22; 2 Pet 1:9. • and new life through the Holy Spirit: This signifies a complete departure from the life of sin and death and a transfer into the realm of life and purity (see also Rom 12:2; 2 Cor 5:17; Col 3:10).”
- Matthew (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Matthew 3:11: I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance--(See on Mat 3:6); but he that cometh after me is mightier than I--In Mark and Luke this is more emphatic--"But there cometh the Mightier than I" (Mar 1:7; Luk 3:16). whose shoes--sandals. I am not worthy to bear--The sandals were tied and untied, and borne about by the meanest servants. he shall baptize you--the emphatic "He": "He it is," to the exclusion of all others, "that shall baptize you." with the Holy Ghost--"So far from entertaining such a thought as laying claim to the honors of Mess”
- 1 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Corinthians 12:13: For by one Spirit are we all baptized,.... This is to be understood not of water baptism; for the apostle says not in one, and the same water, but "by", or "in" one Spirit, are we all baptized; the baptism of water, and of the Spirit, are two different things; see Mat 3:11. Besides, all that are baptized in water, are not baptized in or by the Spirit, as the case of Simon Magus, and that of others, show; nor does water baptism incorporate persons into the church of Christ; neither into the invisible church, which is the body of Christ, and here meant; nor into”
- John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on John 7:39: this spake he of the Spirit--who, by His direct personal agency, opens up this spring of living waters in the human spirit (Joh 3:6), and by His indwelling in the renewed soul ensures their unfailing flow. they that believe, &c.--As the Holy Ghost is, in the redemption of man, entirely at the service of Christ, as His Agent, so it is only in believing connection with Christ that any one "receives" the Spirit. for the Holy Ghost was not yet given--Beyond all doubt the word "given," or some similar word, is the right supplement. In Joh 16:7 the Holy Gh”