The Baptism with the Holy Spirit is emphasized by Jesus as the most needful experience for this age. It is the divine equipment for the church and the secret of spiritual victory in the lives of individual Christians. Such an important doctrine and experience should be strongly emphasized.

One would expect to find a uniformity of opinion existing among Christian teachers concerning the ministry of the Holy Spirit and His particular office work in this age. But the contrary is true. The writer has recently perused more than twenty-five books dealing exclusively with the Holy Spirit and His ministry and he has been astonished to note the difference of opinions expressed and the confusion that exists in the minds of Bible teachers and Christian leaders concerning this vital subject. It was especially interesting to note that "Wesley used at least twenty-five phrases to indicate this state of grace (entire sanctification). But among these, 'the baptism of the Spirit,' 'the fulness of the Spirit,' 'the coming of the Comforter' are not found" (Steele, A Defense of Christian Perfection, page 108).

The teachings of the various writers relative to the work of the Spirit in regeneration and entire sanctification, or the baptism with the Holy Spirit, may be generally summarized thus:

First, there are those who teach that regeneration, the baptism with the Holy Spirit, and sanctification are all one and the same experience occurring concomitantly, and that there is no need for a second crisis in Christian experience; rather that our attitude toward the Holy Spirit should be that of continual appropriation, and that it is utter folly for us to seek any special baptism or filling.

Second, those who teach that the Holy Spirit imparts spiritual life to the regenerated individual, witnessing to his sonship and adoption, but that He remains only with the regenerated person as an outside helper and assistant; and that there is a second crisis in Christian experience when the child of God is baptized with the Holy Spirit in which He completely fills the believer and as a result He continually abides in this Spirit-filled Christian.

Third, those who teach that the Holy Spirit regenerates the individual and that He abides in the heart of the born-again person as the Spirit of Christ and life, but that He cannot baptize or completely fill this child of God because of the presence of the carnal mind or the flesh; that there is a second crisis in Christian experience, a baptism or filling with the Holy Spirit which is both the duty and privilege of all Christians.

Fourth, there is a difference of opinion among those who advocate the second and third positions stated, relative to the second work of the Holy Spirit in the heart of the regenerated individual, some maintaining that His baptism is only to give power for service, while others insist that by the baptism with the Holy Spirit the child of God is cleansed from all carnal sin, or sanctified wholly, and that His abiding fullness gives the sanctified Christian power for service.

There has been a different emphasis placed upon the terms used in the Bible to designate this wonderful experience which we call the baptism with the Holy Spirit. But as one has wisely said, we are emphasizing an experience, not a word, so it should make little difference what biblical term we may use. It is interesting however to note the terms used in the Acts of the Apostles relative to this work of grace. They are: "Baptized," "filled," "poured out," "gift of," "fell upon," "received," etc. Different significance is placed upon these terms by some teachers while others consider them to be different terms for the same experience.

Always in our consideration of the work and ministry of the Holy Spirit we must keep clearly in our thinking that He is a Person, and that as a personality He is not divisible. Therefore we cannot receive a part of His personality at one time and at subsequent periods receive more of this personality. There may be an increasing unfolding or revelation of the Holy Spirit and His personality to our hearts as we walk with Him, but this unfolding is vastly different from separating His personality into different receivable parts. So whatever views we may hold relative to the Holy Spirit they must be in harmony with the Bible teaching of His personality.

Considering the confusion existing upon this subject among Bible teachers it may appear presumptuous for one to endeavor to present a positive discussion of this vital theme. Nevertheless we may follow some well defined positions held by groups of holiness teachers and emphasize what we consider to be the true interpretation of plain scriptural declarations. In this discussion we will endeavor to substantiate the third position stated above, with the addition that the Baptism with the Holy Spirit includes heart purity or entire sanctification.