What is the difference between baptism in the Holy Spirit and being baptized?

Question

Is there a difference between giving your life to Christ and being baptized in the Holy Spirit? For example, if someone asked you When did you give your life to Christ? and then asked you When and where were you baptized in the Holy Spirit? What would be your answer.

Answer 1

Giving your life to Christ
This is coming to Jesus for the remission of sins based on His death on the cross and your old life dying (your sins with it).

Water Baptism
Baptism is an outward expression of what has happened inside of you after giving your life to Christ. It is a witness to all those watching that you died (going into the water) and are resurrected into a new life in Christ (coming out of the water).

Baptized in the Holy Spirit
Being baptized in the Holy Spirit is a fulfillment of what Jesus said about the Holy Spirit being "with you" but will be "in you". This is when the Holy Spirit comes inside and fills you to overflowing. It's different from the above two. The above are acts of obedience and surrender. This is a total work of God to you personally.

When did you give your life to Christ?
The day you asked Jesus to be Lord and Savior. For me, this was Thanksgiving day 1970 in Fort Walton Beach Florida.

When and where were you baptized in the Holy Spirit?
The day I asked God to fill me with His Spirit. For me, this would be a year later when I was alone in my parent's house.

Answer 2

In the Catholic Church one is baptized in the name of The Father , the Son and the Holy Spirit. This is a baptism in the Holy Spirit. My answer would be when I was baptized

Answer 3

The baptism of the Holy Spirit may be defined as that work whereby the Spirit of God places the believer into union with Christ and into union with other believers in the Body of Christ at the moment of salvation. 1 Corinthians 12:12-13 and Romans 6:1-4 are the central passages in the Bible where we find this doctrine. 1 Corinthians 12:13 states, "For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit." Romans 6:1-4 states, "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it? Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life." Even though Romans 6 does not mention specifically the Spirit of God, it does describe believers positionally before God and 1 Corinthians 12 tells us how that happens.

Water Baptism
I strongly believe that each and every Christian should be water baptized by immersion. Baptism illustrates a believer’s identification with Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. Romans 6:3-4 declares, “Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” The action of being immersed in the water illustrates being buried with Christ. The action of coming out of the water pictures Christ’s resurrection.

Answer 4

Act's 2:38 Peter was preaching on the day of Pentecost:He told the people to repent and be baptized{in water like John baptized Jesus}in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sin and you shall recieve the Gift of the Holy Ghost.Which is eternal life .Jesus living in us.He is the Holy Ghost.He ,Jesus the same yesterday today and forever.I gave my life to Jesus over 30 years ago and He is in me.That's when I was baptized in the Holy Spirit.

Answer 5

being baptized with Holy water in the name of The Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit it happened before the charisma which is baptizem with Holy Spirit so the first one with Christ like his resseraction and the second by the Holy spirit read Act 11:16-18 16Then I remembered what the Lord had said: 'John baptized with[a]water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.' 17So if God gave them the same gift as he gave us, who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I to think that I could oppose God?" 18When they heard this, they had no further objections and praised God, saying, "So then, God has granted even the Gentiles repentance unto life and Act 19:1-5 1While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when[a] you believed?" They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." 3So Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?" "John's baptism," they replied. 4Paul 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." 5On hearing this, they were baptized into[b] the name of the Lord Jesus. 6When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues[c] and prophesied.

Answer 6

In my testimony - I gave my life to Christ on Resurrection Sunday 1987. That's when I realized that God was who He said He was.
I was baptized by water that summer (July 31st) - and baptized in the Spirit the following year.
The difference for me is that baptism by water is an outward step of obedience in showing the Church that you accept Jesus as your Saviour. Baptism by the Spirit (some would say by fire) is an inward experience of the heart, where you truly experience the movement of the Spirit in your life. Sometimes this can manifest itself with tears of joy, laughing, trembling, speaking in tongues etc. But more often than not - it's simply a KNOWING that God is within you, present with you and knows your true inner heart. I felt very excited, yet peaceful in this knowledge.... it's truly indescribable.

Answer 7

I gave my life to Jesus Christ when I was very young. I was baptized in the Holy Spirit and saved twenty five years later.
The Holy Spirit is that voice inside of me that said I was going to Hell. I said that Christians were all judgmental and telling me I'm going to Hell. No one ever actually told me that. It was the Holy spirit convicting me. That same Holy Spirit now tells me I am a child of GOD.

Answer 8

When you give your life to Christ and accept him as Savior, it is Jesus who literally sends the Holy Spirit to dwell with in you. The Holy Spirit dwelling with in you helps you to lead a Christian life, counsels and comforts and leads you.

When you receive water baptism, which is commanded by Jesus upon accepting him as savior, you make a public proclamation of your choice to follow Jesus. The water baptism is not the baptism of the Holy Spirit, however it is commanded for you to receive it, so to not receive it would be to disobey. That is not to say that you would void salvation, but still, it is a commandment like all other commandments.

My answer would be, I received the Holy Spirit sent from Jesus when I gave my life to Christ when I made the choice to ask him to lead my life, which would be before my baptism of water. I received baptism of water after this as obedience to the commandment and as public proclamation to serving Christ and giving my life to Christ.

Answer 9

Water baptism signifies things associated with the lower material mundane world. It is a step for the initiate to say they are ready to be taught, and ask for purification of past sins/errors. Baptism by fire (Holy Spirit) signifies those things associated with the higher spiritual realm, an enlightenment if you will, a close communion with God. Baptism by water always precedes baptism by Fire.