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"That they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father,
which, saith He, ye have heard of Me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall
be baptized with (en) the Holy Ghost not many days hence."
Here the waiting was essential to fulfil the feasts of Lev. 23: Thus they had to wait
until the fiftieth day, until Pentecost. "And when the day of Pentecost was fully come
(being fulfilled: Greek sumpleroo)" (Acts 2: 1), they were filled and baptized with (en)
the Holy Ghost. However, for others there was no waiting period.
". . . . . ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in Whom also after
that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of
our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession" (Eph. 1: 13, 14).
This appears to imply that sometime after believing, the believer is sealed with the
Spirit but this is an inaccurate translation, a better one being "in whom also having
believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise". See, for instance, the N.I.V.:
"And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of
your salvation. Having believed, ye were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy
Spirit, Who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who
are God's possession" (Eph. 1: 13, 14, N.I.V.).
To sum up: baptism with (en) the Holy Spirit is not associated with evidential
miracles, signs and displays of power. These are to do with the filling and gifts of the
Spirit. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself (Matt. 3: 11) baptizes with (en) the Holy Ghost
and this act identifies the believer with his Lord and His death and ensures that he will be
united with Christ in resurrection (Rom. 6: 3-5). Such union with Christ takes place
when the believer is sealed with the Spirit at the moment of believing (Eph. 1: 13, 14).
This is an important fundamental truth which is as true for the believers of the Acts
period as it is for believers today.
In concluding, consideration must be given to the view that there are three baptisms in
the Acts period, namely (1) water baptism, (2) Holy Spirit baptism, (3) Rom. 6: baptism.
This view states that it is the Rom. 6: baptism which is essential for today and which is
the one referred to in Eph. 4: 4-6 and Col. 2: 11, 12. However, the N.T. knows of only
two baptismal agencies, water and the Holy Spirit, and so there cannot be three baptisms.
No agency is mentioned in Rom. 6: 3-5 and this study has shown that the relevant
agency for the great work described in those verses must be the Holy Spirit. The idea
that there are three baptisms in the Acts period, and views like Haldeman's that the
baptism with (en) the Spirit is not the one baptism of Eph. 4: 5, have as one of their
roots the teaching that evidential miracles and signs are linked to the baptism with (en)
the Spirit. They conclude that as such signs had no place once the people of Israel had
been set aside (Acts 28: 26-28), then Holy Spirit baptism ceased also. However, the
evidential miracles and displays of power were not associated with the baptism with (en)
the Holy Spirit. They are associated with the filling and gifts of the Spirit.